cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coupling endoplasmic reticulum stress to the cell-death program: a novel HSP90-independent role for the small chaperone protein p23.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the principal organelle for the biosynthesis of proteins, steroids and many lipids, and is highly sensitive to alterations in its environment. Perturbation of Ca2+ homeostasis, elevated secretory protein synthesis, deprivation of glucose or other sugars, altered glycosylation and/or the accumulation of misfolded proteins may all result in ER stress, and prolonged ER stress triggers cell death. Studies from multiple laboratories have identified the roles of several ER stress-induced cell-death modulators and effectors through the use of biochemical, pharmacological and genetic tools. In the present work, we describe the role of p23, a small chaperone protein, in preventing ER stress-induced cell death. p23 is a highly conserved chaperone protein that modulates HSP90 activity and is also a component of the steroid receptors. p23 is cleaved during ER stress-induced cell death; this cleavage, which occurs close to the carboxy-terminus, requires caspase-3 and/or caspase-7, but not caspase-8. Blockage of the caspase cleavage site of p23 was associated with decreased cell death induced by ER stress. Immunodepletion of p23 or inhibition of p23 expression by siRNA resulted in enhancement of ER stress-induced cell death. While p23 co-immunoprecipitated with the BH3-only protein PUMA (p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis) in untreated cells, prolonged ER stress disrupted this interaction. The results define a protective role for p23, and provide further support for a model in which ER stress is coupled to the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptotic pathway through the activities of BH3 family proteins.
Micromechanical Circuits for Wireless Communications

Micromechanical communication circuits fabricated via IC-compatible MEMS technologies and capable of low-loss filtering, mixing, switching, and frequency generation, are described with the intent to miniaturize wireless transceivers. A possible transceiver frontend architecture is then presented that uses these micromechanical circuits in large quantities to substantially reduce power consumption. Technologies that integrate MEMS and transistor circuits into single-chip systems are then reviewed with an eye towards the possibility of single-chip communication transceivers.
Digitalization and Ownership Structure of Private Copy Protection

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how digitalization affects pricing and private copy protection in contents industries. Digitalization enables content providers and online retailers to implement copy protection at different stages of creation and distribution of contents. We construct a model of vertical relationship where an upstream [a downstream] firm is considered as a content provider [a retailer]. Three different business models are proposed according to the ownership structure of copy protection determined the right to implement by a vertically-integrated entity, an upstream firm, and a downstream firm. In this setup we show that the results are dependent upon the degree of opportunistic behavior responding to increasing rival (piracy) costs under the different copy protection ownership. In addition, to address the change in demand side with digitalization we consider two different types of piracy differentiated by distribution channels (e.g., non-digital versus digital). We show that the effect of piracy on price and private copy protection depend critically on the nature of distribution channels and the dimension of differentiation between originals and pirated contents. In particular, strengthening IPR protection results in a price hike for the both cases, while we have opposite changes in quantities and the level of copy protection depending on different types of piracy.
Modified PEDOT-PSS conducting polymer as S/D electrodes for device performance enhancement of P3HT TFTs

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Polystyrene Sulfonate (PEDOT-PSS) is the most widely used conducting polymer as electrode material in organic (polymer) devices. However, commercially available PEDOT-PSS in our experiment has a relatively low conductivity that reduces the device performance when it is used for electrode material. The purchased PEDOT-PSS has been mixed with polar solvent dimethyl sulfoxide, which increases its conductivity from 0.07 to 30 S/cm. The enhanced conductivity has long-term stability at room temperature and short-term stability at high temperature (100/spl deg/C) in air ambient. The modified PEDOT-PSS has been inkjet printed and used as source/drain (S/D) electrodes for poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Unmodified PEDOT-PSS and gold have also been used as S/D electrodes for comparison. The TFTs with modified PEDOT-PSS electrodes show significantly improved performance over the devices with unmodified PEDOT-PSS electrodes and are similar to the devices with gold electrodes. The difference in device performance mainly results from parasitic series resistance. In the devices with unmodified PEDOTT-PSS, high electrode series resistance has several effects on devices, e.g., restricted current growth at high negative gate voltage, reduced on/off current ratio and current output capability.
Detection of Atypical Cholinesterase by an Automated pH Stat Method Report of a Family with Both Atypical and Silent Gene Alleles

Plasma pseudocholinesterase has no known physiological role but is essential for the rapid degradation of succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant used in surgical procedures. Depression of effective enzyme concentrations as a result of hepatocellular disease or exposure to anticholinesterase agents will increase the patient’s sensitivity to succinylcholine and prolong postoperative apnea. Synthesis of this enzyme is controlled by an autosomal gene with multiple variant alleles; individuals phenotypically homozygotic for one of these variants will have either qualitatively "atypical" pseudocholinesterase with decreased activity or no enzyme at all, and will thus be more sensitive to succinylcholine. The automated pH stat system described here detects atypical cholinesterase by measuring the degree of inhibition of butyrylcholine hydrolysis by dibucaine. The sensitivity and reproducibility of this technique equals that of standard spectrophotometric methods and its speed is comparable to that of the most rapid screening tests. A family pedigree is also presented, exemplifying a rare genotype in which two siblings are double heterozygotes for "atypical" and "silent" alleles.
Some evidence against the existence of the liquid‐liquid transition. II. Properties of and measurements with a torsional braid analyzer

A torsional braid analyzer (TBA) has been constructed for an investigation into the behavior of this instrument. An explanation was desired for the presence of the proposed second liquid-liquid transition T′ll peak in the log decrement–temperature curve of a low-molecular-weight polystyrene whose loss tangent increases monotonically as a function of increasing temperature at constant frequency. The response of the TBA was studied as a function of amplitude of oscillation, the nature of the braid, the braid tension, frequency, and the nature of the impregnant. All of the braids examined were shown to be extremely nonlinear in their response. Two peaks in the damping of the composite system as a function of temperature are attributed to the interaction between the impregnant properties and the nonlinear response of the glass fiber braid.
Work in progress — GOING GLOBAL: An innovative course for sophomores

Twenty-first-century engineers will be practicing their profession in an increasingly globalized world. The changing nature of engineering practice calls for accompanying relevant changes in engineering education. In partial response to this imperative we have developed the course GOING GLOBAL. The course is part of a recently re-designed curriculum for our Applied Engineering Science undergraduate major, a broadly-based cross-disciplinary program in the College of Engineering. The primary audience for the course is engineering sophomores. In this paper we describe our goals for the course, the current course design and implementation, and course impact on learning outcomes from our experiences in fall 2008 with twenty students and in fall 2009 with forty students. Anecdotal data suggest that the learning goals are being met effectively.
The distribution of freely suspended particles at microfluidic bifurcations

The distribution of freely suspended particles in low Reynolds number, pressure-driven flow through bifurcations of microfluidic channels is measured experimentally. A bifurcation is a point where a channel splits into multiple channels. The partitioning of particles at microfluidic bifurcations differs from the partitioning of fluid, which can, in principle, be exploited to direct the particles along preferred paths in microfluidic devices or to prevent particles from entering certain microchannels. Experiments are conducted to examine effects of the angles between branches of the bifurcation and the microchannel cross-sectional shape on particle partitioning. Furthermore, effects of multiple bifurcations in series on the partitioning of particles also are examined. Under certain conditions, the particles can be completely segregated from the suspending fluid, which could be used as a flow-through filter for microfluidic devices. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Contact and coherence: Dialectal leveling and structural convergence in NYC Spanish

The sustained and intense interaction of massive groups of English and Spanish speakers in the U.S. has the potential to deepen our understanding of continuity and innovation in linguistic systems under heavy contact. The current study focuses on Spanish as it is spoken in the largest urban center of the United States: New York City. It examines a range of variable phenomena in the most extensive collection of Spanish in New York to date: the Otheguy Zentella Corpus of Spanish in NYC (OZC). The data represent original research by the first author as well as the efforts of several other scholars who have examined aspects of the OZC in detail. When synthesized, results reveal two broad patterns in the Spanish of long-time NYC residents: diminished regional differentiation and structural convergence with English. These trends emerge across numerous levels of linguistic structure, manifesting in patterns of syntactic, morphological, and phonological variation. The coherence of these phenomena is consistent with the view that contact-induced change is tightly constrained, both socially and structurally, and that it is unlikely to manifest as haphazard bricolage. This is because, while the intensity of linguistic innovations and the time required for their onset and implementation may vary from feature to feature, such changes derive ultimately from a single source; namely, the set of linguistic and social factors that characterize the contact situation. As such, we can expect contact-induced changes to be restricted and of a kind, imbued with the character of the whole to which they belong.
Superstrong coupling of thin film magnetostatic waves with microwave cavity

We experimentally demonstrated the strong coupling between a microwave cavity and standing magnetostatic magnon modes in a yttrium iron garnet film. Such strong coupling can be observed for various spin wave modes under different magnetic field bias configurations, with a coupling strength inversely proportional to the transverse mode number. A comb-like spectrum can be obtained from these high order modes. The collectively enhanced magnon-microwave photon coupling strength is comparable with the magnon free spectral range and therefore leads to the superstrong coupling regime. Our findings pave the road towards designing a new type of strongly hybridized magnon-photon system.
Status Epilepticus in Children

Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening medical emergency that requires prompt recognition and treatment. SE is not a specific disease but is a manifestation of either a primary central nervous system (CNS) insult, or a systemic disorder with secondary CNS effects. It is mandatory to look for an underlying cause, especially in younger children and infants, in whom symptomatic SE is more common. Identifying and treating the precipitating cause helps control seizures, prevents ongoing neurologic injury, and hopefully prevents seizure recurrence. Basic neuroresuscitation principles, the ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation), are the cornerstone of initial treatment. An organized and systematic treatment regimen, planned in advance, is needed, including one for refractory status epilepticus (RSE). Initial treatment follows the ABCs but, once stabilized, patient management may be individualized.
Research highlights: engineering nanomaterial-based technologies for environmental applications

Nanomaterials are currently of interest for water treatment and remediation applications because they can exhibit high adsorption capacities and high reactivity to degrade or transform contaminants. Research is ongoing to further increase the adsorption capacity of the nanomaterials and to engineer nanomaterial-based treatment systems for contaminant removal. Here, we highlight three articles that advance this field by devising and testing approaches to improve the design of nanomaterials as well as their implementation in water treatment applications. One study demonstrates a method for non-covalent surface functionalization to produce silica and magnetite nanoparticles exhibiting thiol ligands for heavy metal removal. In another study, the surface coating chemistry of manganese oxide nanoparticles is optimized to enhance their uranyl sorption capacity. Finally, we highlight research that evaluates the overall implementation of magnetite nanoparticles for removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from water, including the production of the nanoparticles, their efficiency in removing Cr(VI) in a reactor, and the recovery of the used NPs in a magnetic separation system.
Studies on the Reaction Mechanism and Transport Function of P-type ATPases Associated with the Plant Plasma Membrane

Although it was once common to refer to the ATP hydrolytic activity associated with the plasma membrane as “the plasma membrane ATPase”, it is now apparent that at least two distinct ATP hydrolysing enzymes are associated with this membrane and involved in primary active transport. From studies conducted over the past two decades using intact plant tissues, isolated cells, membrane vesicles and reconstituted enzyme preparations, a plasma membrane H+-ATPase has been characterized which functions in coupling ATP hydrolysis to H+ extrusion at the cell surface (Briskin, 1990a and references therein). Through this activity, the H+-ATPase has an important physiological role in establishing an inwardly-directed proton electrochemical gradient across the plasma membrane which can provide the driving force for the transport of numerous solutes and metabolites via H+/solute symports, antiports or membrane potential-driven uniports and channels (Sanders and Slayman, 1989). In more recent studies conducted over the past 5 years, a second ATP hydrolysing enzyme, the Ca2+-ATPase, has also been shown to be associated with the plasma membrane and involved in mediating primary Ca2+efflux from the plant cell in a manner independent of the ΔpH- or Δψ-linked transport processes driven by the plasma membrane H+-ATPase (Briskin 1990b). The activity of this Ca2+-translocating ATPase may be important for maintenance of the low cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration (0.1 µM) and a steep Ca2+ gradient at the plasma membrane (104-fold difference) required for the function of this divalent cation as a second messenger in the regulation of cellular processes(Marme, 1989). Activation of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by calmodulin would further indicate that its activity is modulated in accordance with cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration levels (Briskin, 1990b; Marme, 1989).
Regional alveolar damage (RAD). A localized counterpart of diffuse alveolar damage.

During five years the authors observed 83 patients with generalized DAD in 827 adult autopsies (10.1%) and 10 patients with identical, but localized, lesions. The authors propose the term regional alveolar damage (RAD) to designate localized «DAD». The probable causes of RAD were multifactorial and included hypotensive shock, septicemia, pneumonia, hyperoxia, and pancreatitis. All patients developed respiratory failure, requiring supplemental oxygen and, in nine patients, mechanical ventilation. The reasons for localization of RAD within the lung are nuclear, but the presence of proliferative lesions and frequent involvement of the upper lobe suggests that RAD is not simply an early phase of DAD and implicates additional pathogenetic factors
Reaction of Phenyl Radical with Propylene as a Possible Source of Indene and Other Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: An Ab Initio/RRKM-ME Study

Ab initio G3(MP2,CC)//B3LYP/6-311G** calculations have been performed to investigate the potential energy surface (PES) and mechanism of the reaction of phenyl radical with propylene followed by kinetic RRKM-ME calculations of rate constants and product branching ratios at various temperatures and pressures. The reaction can proceed either by direct hydrogen abstraction producing benzene and three C(3)H(5) radicals [1-propenyl (CH(3)CHCH), 2-propenyl (CH(3)CCH(2)), and allyl (CH(2)CHCH(2))] or by addition of phenyl to the CH or CH(2) units of propylene followed by rearrangements on the C(9)H(11) PES producing nine different products after H or CH(3) losses. The H abstraction channels are found to be kinetically preferable at temperatures relevant to combustion and to contribute 55-75% to the total product yield in the 1000-2000 K temperature range, with the allyl radical being the major product (~45%). The relative contributions of phenyl addition channels are calculated to be ~35% at 1000 K, decreasing to ~15% at 2000 K, with styrene + CH(3) and 3-phenylpropene + H being the major products. Collisional stabilization of C(6)H(5) + C(3)H(6) addition complexes is computed to be significant only at temperatures up to 1000-1200 K, depending on the pressure, and maximizes at low temperatures of 300-700 K reaching up to 90% of the total product yield. At T > 1200 K collisional stabilization becomes negligible, whereas the dissociation products, styrene plus methyl and 3-phenylpropene + H, account for up to 45% of the total product yield. The production of bicyclic aromatic species including indane C(9)H(10) is found to be negligible at all studied conditions indicating that the phenyl addition to propylene cannot be a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on the C(9)H(11) PES. Alternatively, the formation of a PAH molecule, indene C(9)H(8), can be accomplished through secondary reactions after activation of a major product of the C(6)H(5) + C(3)H(6) addition reaction, 3-phenylpropene, by direct hydrogen abstraction by small radicals, such as H, OH, CH(3), etc. It is shown that at typical combustion temperatures 77-90% of C(9)H(9) radicals formed by H-abstraction from 3-phenylpropene undergo a closure of a cyclopentene ring via low barriers and then lose a hydrogen atom producing indene. This results in 7.0-14.5% yield of indene relative to the initial C(6)H(5) + C(3)H(6) reactants within the 1000-2000 K temperature range.
At Home in the Uncanny: Freudian Representations of Death, Mothers, and the Afterlife

L'A. focalise son attention sur les representations freudiennes de la mort, des meres et de l'Au-dela. A cette fin, l'A. reprend le freudisme par sa these-maitresse : le complexe d'Œdipe. Selon lui, il s'agit d'une contre-these (ou antithese) surtout dans le champ de la religion. Associer en effet, le pere a la mort et la mere a l'amour, c'est attribuer une figure mortifere au dieu des religions et associer une figure matriarcale a l'au-dela et a l'immortalite. L'A. analyse dans ce sens trois images freudiennes de l'au-dela : les meres mortes, les meres instructrices de la mort et le corps maternel mysterieux
Separate Species or Polymorphism: a Recurring Problem in Kapala (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae)

Two species of Kapala known from northern South America and Central America are almost always collected in sympatry. A small percentage of the specimens are intermediate in some character states and thus cannot be assigned to one or the other species. To examine the hypothesis that samples represented a continuous array of morphotypes, the phenetic separation of the two species was analyzed using principal components analysis and canonical variates analysis. Clear separation of species and of geographical populations in Trinidad and Ecuador was found based on the first and second canonical variates, respectively. These discriminant functions were applied to a different set of individuals to determine if season or locality in a geographical area had consistent effects on morphology. Although morphometric analysis suggests a clear separation of the two species, a high coincidence of collections suggests a phenotypic polymorphism within one species. Descriptive notes are provided for Kapala iridicolor (Cameron), new combination, and Kapala sulcifacies (Cameron), new combination. Lirata fulvicornis Cameron and Lirata nigriventris Cameron are proposed as new synonymies under Kapala sulcifacies .
Raman Emission at 285 nm from Sn Vapor

Highly efficient wavelength conversion of the KrF laser output at 248 nm to 285 nm has been demonstrated via the resonant Raman process in Sn vapor. This new UV radiation source is potentially useful in the photodissociation isotope separation of UF6.
Progressive abstraction refinement for sparse sampling

Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) algorithms can encounter difficulties when solving Markov decision processes (MDPs) in which the outcomes of actions are highly stochastic. This stochastic branching can be reduced through state abstraction. In online planning with a time budget, there is a complex tradeoff between loss in performance due to overly coarse abstraction versus gain in performance from reducing the problem size. Coarse but unsound abstractions often outperform sound abstractions for practical budgets. Motivated by this, we propose a progressive abstraction refinement algorithm that refines an initially coarse abstraction during search in order to match the abstraction to the sample budget. Our experiments show that the algorithm combines the strong performance of coarse abstractions at small sample budgets with the ability to exploit larger budgets for further performance gains.
Infection Control in the Dental Office

The goal of an infection control program is to provide a safe working environment for dental health care personnel and their patients. Practitioners can achieve this by adopting measures that reduce health care-associated infections among patients and occupational exposures among dental health care personnel. It is crucial for all dental practitioners to be up to date on current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, equipment, and techniques for proper infection control. Continuous evaluation of infection control practices is important. Patients and dental providers should be confident that oral health care can be delivered and received in a safe manner.
Curricular Activities that Promote Metacognitive Skills Impact Lower-Performing Students in an Introductory Biology Course.

This study explores the impacts of repeated curricular activities designed to promote metacognitive skills development and academic achievement on students in an introductory biology course. Prior to this study, the course curriculum was enhanced with pre-assignments containing comprehension monitoring and self-evaluation questions, exam review assignments with reflective questions related to study habits, and an optional opportunity for students to explore metacognition and deep versus surface learning. We used a mixed-methods study design and collected data over two semesters. Self-evaluation, a component of metacognition, was measured via exam score postdictions, in which students estimated their exam scores after completing their exam. Metacognitive awareness was assessed using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and a reflective essay designed to gauge students’ perceptions of their metacognitive skills and study habits. In both semesters, more students over-predicted their Exam 1 scores than under-predicted, and statistical tests revealed significantly lower mean exam scores for the over-predictors. By Exam 3, under-predictors still scored significantly higher on the exam, but they outnumbered the over-predictors. Lower-performing students also displayed a significant increase in exam postdiction accuracy by Exam 3. While there was no significant difference in students’ MAI scores from the beginning to the end of the semester, qualitative analysis of reflective essays indicated that students benefitted from the assignments and could articulate clear action plans to improve their learning and performance. Our findings suggest that assignments designed to promote metacognition can have an impact on students over the course of one semester and may provide the greatest benefits to lower-performing students.
Possible role for 5'-nucleotidase in deoxyadenosine selective toxicity to cultured human lymphoblasts.

Adenosine deaminase deficiency and purine nucleoside Phosphorylase deficiency are relatively specific for causing a disorder of immune function. Several in vitro observations provide clues concerning the basis for this specificity. The addition of deoxyadenosine reduces the response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogen stimulation when adenosine deaminase is inhibi ted1,2. The combination of deoxyadenosine and adenosine deaminase inhibition is also cytotoxic to T-lymphoblasts but not B-lymphoblasts3–5. Deoxyadenosine mediated cytoxicity in T-lymphoblasts is accompanied by increased concentrations of dATP.
Adjusting the Novelty Thermostat: Courting Creative Success Through Judicious Randomness

Though creativity is usually defined as “novel and appropriate,” this is most often understood to mean “as novel as possible, so long as appropriate.” While this definition might be suitably applied to finished products, it is less obviously useful as a guiding value during the act of creation. This research tests this and other definitions by using computer simulations based on Campbell’s “blind variation and selective retention” theory. Introducing a “temperature” parameter to reduce novelty’s importance over time produces results superior to both an even combination of novelty and appropriateness and the prevailing “novel, so long as appropriate” definition. However, choosing the correct temperature adjustment schedule is essential. In this way, the simulations show that human decision processes might plausibly produce the same dynamics as Simulated Annealing, and thus that metaheuristic optimization can be an insightful theoretical guide for creativity researchers. The results also show the feasibility of Campbell’s theory. Finally, they show that if creativity is to be a guiding value while creating, then it is best defined as “appropriately novel, and appropriate.”
Max Perutz, a Nobel Prize winner, and Alain Marengo Rowe.

In 1962, Watson and Crick received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the molecular structure of nucleic acids. That same year Max Perutz (1914–2002) received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Figure ​(Figure11). Born in Vienna, Austria, Perutz was expected to study law and to join the family textile business. He was enthralled, however, with organic biochemistry and began those studies with a thought of tackling a key problem in biology. He wrote:
Deceptive Secret Sharing

Confidentiality is a fundamental goal in many security contexts. Deception is another goal in which the intention is to mislead adversaries, for example by planting false information in a system. In this paper, we consider an approach that combines confidentiality and deception using secret sharing, which has traditionally been used strictly for confidentiality purposes. The motivation for this is to protect confidentiality as far as possible while acknowledging that no confidentiality scheme provides perfect protection. If confidentiality is breached and information is accessed by unauthorized individuals, our techniques will reveal, with high probability, only false information. This provides deception on top of the confidentiality provided by ordinary secret sharing. We refer to our approach as "deceptive secret sharing" and we present techniques that work with both XOR secret sharing and Shamir's polynomial-based threshold secret sharing. We provide extensive evaluations of both overhead and security of our techniques and we also show how they provide tunable security that can trade off security and overhead by varying a single parameter of the schemes.
Efficiency of Microwave Heating of Weakly Loaded Polymeric Nanocomposites

Electrical and thermal conductivity of materials are typically correlated, while some applications, including thermoelectrics, require these parameters to be controlled independently. Such independ...
SPECTROSCOPIC PROBES FOR STUDY OF GENE TRANSCRIPTION

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the spectroscopic probes for the study of gene transcription. The synthesis and properties of fluorescent nucleotide analog, adenosine-5′-triphosphoro-γ-1-(5-sulfonic acid) napthylamidate, or (γ-AmNS)ATP, which can be used as substrate by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli (E.coli). Both (γ-AmNS)ATP and (γ-AmNS)UTP are good substrates for E. coli RNA polymerase. The conformational properties of the analogs have been studied by absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroic techniques. These studies suggest that the napthyl ring and the nitrogen base are in close proximity, perhaps involved in stacking interactions. Both the absorption and fluorescence properties of the (γ-AmNS)NTP are sensitive to binding of divalent cations such as Mg or Mn2+. This properties has been used to obtain binding constants for the metal·(γ-AmNS)NTP complexes. The presence of the substituted napthyl group decreases the binding affinity of (γ-AmNS)ATP for Mg by about 20-fold. Measurement of the excited state lifetimes and quantum yields show that binding of Mg to (γ-AmNS)UTP produces conformational alterations, which decreases the interaction between uridine and napthyl ring. These analogs provide a potential mean of exploring the conformation of nucleotides during binding by the polymerase and subsequent events leading to phosphodiester bond formation.
Acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;16)(p11.2;p13.3)/KAT6A-CREBBP in adults

t(8;16)(p11.2;p13.3)/KAT6A-CREBBP is a rare recurrent cytogenetic abnormality associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We report 15 cases with t(8;16)(p11.2;p13.3). All patients were adult and had AML: 13 women and 2 men, with a median age of 50 years. Ten patients had a history of malignancy and received cytotoxic therapies before therapy-related AML (t-AML), and five patients had de novo AML. All cases of AML showed monoblastic (n = 12) or myelomonocytic (n = 3) differentiation. Hemophagocytosis was observed in seven patients. All patients had t(8;16) in the stemline: seven had t(8;16) as the sole abnormality, two had one additional abnormality, and six had a complex karyotype. KAT6A/CREBBP rearrangement was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization in 13 patients who had material available for analysis. All patients received induction chemotherapy, and 11 achieved complete remission after first induction. At the time of last follow-up, nine patients (eight t-AML and one de novo AML) died and six were alive, with a median overall survival of 18.2 months. The patients with de novo AML and/or patients with non-complex karyotype showed an “undefined” overall survival. We conclude that t(8;16)(p11.2;p13.3) commonly exhibits monoblastic or myelomonocytic differentiation and commonly arises in patients with a history of cancer treated with cytotoxic therapies. Patients with de novo AML with t(8;16) or t-AML with t(8;16) without adverse prognostic factors (e.g., complex karyotype) have a good outcome.
Circulating Biomarkers in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease of the pulmonary vasculature that leads to exercise limitation, right heart failure, and death. There is a need for biomarkers that ca...
Full-spine radiographs: what others are reporting-a survey of Society of Skeletal Radiology members.

Full-spine radiographs are frequently ordered by spinal deformity surgeons to assess spinal imbalance. The radiologist interpretation of these films varies amongst providers. Detailed numeric measurements of the deformity are time-consuming. In this study, we hoped to better define current practice patterns for interpretation of spinal deformity films amongst musculoskeletal radiologists in North America. An anonymous online survey was conducted amongst Society of Skeletal Radiology members. Only 26.5% of respondents (n = 57) routinely report pelvic tilt, 23.2% (n = 52) for sagittal vertical axis and 5.1% (n = 11) for Pelvic Incidence Lumbar Lordosis mismatch in adult spinal deformity. Furthermore, the majority of musculoskeletal radiologists (84.96%) dictate the same type of report for both adult and pediatric cases. The majority (n = 199, 70%) of 283 respondents state that no institutional standard template for full-spine dictations exists. The development of such templates listing appropriate parameters to include in the dictation may be useful in order to ensure that the radiologist’s effort and clinical utility for the ordering provider are optimized.
Xanthomatosis involving the colon and small intestine; report of a case.

A 54-yr.-old woman with pericholangiolar biliary cirrhosis, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipemia had striking abnormalities of the colon and small intestine, as revealed by X-ray. Autopsy disclosed extensive xanthomatous deposits in the colonic submucosa and serosa. Sections of the small intestine were not available for study.
A simple encryption strategy based on addition

A simple cryptosystem is presented that is based solely on the properties of addition. The presentation of this cryptosystem could help computer science majors understand the topic of encryption because its design can easily be explained (and justified). This cryptosystem could also be used as a programming assignment that uses bit shifting and/or bit masking operations.
Brain volume and flortaucipir analysis of progressive supranuclear palsy clinical variants.

Abstract Background and purpose Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative tauopathy that is associated with different clinical variants, including PSP-Richardson's syndrome (PSP-RS), PSP-parkinsonism (PSP-P), PSP-corticobasal syndrome (PSP-CBS), PSP-frontal (PSP-F), PSP-progressive gait freezing (PSP-PGF) and PSP-speech/language (PSP-SL). While PSP-RS has been well-characterized on neuroimaging, the characteristics of the other atypical variants are less well defined and it is unknown how they compare to each other or relate to neuropathology. We aimed to assess and compare regional atrophy on MRI and [18F]flortaucipir uptake on PET across PSP variants. Materials and methods 105 PSP patients (53 PSP-RS, 23 PSP-SL, 12 PSP-P, 8 PSP-CBS, 5 PSP-F and 4 PSP-PGF) underwent volumetric MRI, with 59 of these also undergoing flortaucipir PET. Voxel-level and region-level analyses were performed comparing PSP variants to 30 controls and to each other. Semi-quantitative tau burden measurements were also performed in 21 patients with autopsy-confirmed PSP. Results All variants showed evidence for atrophy or increased flortaucipir uptake in striatum, globus pallidus and thalamus. Superior cerebellar peduncle volume loss was only observed in PSP-RS, PSP-CBS and PSP-F. Volume loss in the frontal lobes was observed in PSP-SL, PSP-CBS and PSP-F, with these variants also showing highest cortical tau burden at autopsy. The PSP-P and PSP-PGF variants showed more restricted patterns of neurodegeneration predominantly involving striatum, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus and thalamus. The PSP-SL variant showed greater volume loss and flortaucipir uptake in supplementary motor area and motor cortex compared to all other variants, but showed less involvement of subthalamic nucleus and midbrain. Compared to PSP-RS, PSP-P had larger midbrain volume and greater flortaucipir uptake in putamen. Conclusion The PSP variants have different patterns of involvement of subcortical circuitry, perhaps suggesting different patterns of disease spread through the brain. These findings will be important in the development of appropriate neuroimaging biomarkers for the different PSP variants.
Timing dysfunction and cerebellar resting state functional connectivity abnormalities in youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis.

Background Consistent with pathophysiological models of psychosis, temporal disturbances in schizophrenia spectrum populations may reflect abnormal cortical (e.g. prefrontal cortex) and subcortical (e.g. striatum) cerebellar connectivity. However, few studies have examined associations between cerebellar connectivity and timing dysfunction in psychosis populations, and none have been conducted in youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis. Thus, it is currently unknown if impairments in temporal processes are present in CHR youth or how they may be associated with cerebellar connectivity and worsening of symptoms. Methods A total of 108 (56 CHR/52 controls) youth were administered an auditory temporal bisection task along with a resting state imaging scan to examine cerebellar resting state connectivity. Positive and negative symptoms at baseline and 12 months later were also quantified. Results Controlling for alcohol and cannabis use, CHR youth exhibited poorer temporal accuracy compared to controls, and temporal accuracy deficits were associated with abnormal connectivity between the bilateral anterior cerebellum and a right caudate/nucleus accumbens striatal cluster. Poor temporal accuracy accounted for 11% of the variance in worsening of negative symptoms over 12 months. Conclusions Behavioral findings suggest CHR youth perceive durations of auditory tones as shortened compared to objective time, which may indicate a slower internal clock. Poorer temporal accuracy in CHR youth was associated with abnormalities in brain regions involved in an important cerebellar network implicated in prominent pathophysiological models of psychosis. Lastly, temporal accuracy was associated with worsening of negative symptoms across 12 months, suggesting temporal dysfunction may be sensitive to illness progression.
European versus American Perspectives on the Belt and Road Initiative

China has started to deploy its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the European Union (EU), and the EU in turn has regional and global interests that intersect with the BRI's scope. Subject to future adjustments of China's BRI strategy, the initiative's potential contribution to the EU requirements for infrastructure development could be significant, even though its modalities in the EU are inevitably different from those in countries that are poorer or have more difficult financial market access. The EU's attitude to the BRI, however, has not yet fully coalesced. Despite superficial similarities in public discourses, the EU has a profoundly distinct perspective from that of the US on the BRI, and more generally on the rise of China and its growing global influence. For the EU, the BRI generates challenges but also potential benefits. The EU should improve its ability to welcome sensible BRI projects, including through the adoption of greater reform of screening frameworks for foreign direct investment. More generally, the EU should enhance its ability to define policies independent of the US on China and the challenges resulting from China's rise. China should also make further efforts to foster a constructive relationship with the EU.
Risk of incident dementia following metformin initiation compared with noninitiation or delay of antidiabetic medication therapy.

PURPOSE Emerging evidence suggests metformin compared with sulfonylurea is associated with an 8% to 10% lower risk for dementia. Guidelines recommend metformin as initial diabetes treatment, but there is still the question of treatment timing. Thus, the risk of dementia associated with initiating metformin compared with not initiating or delaying treatment was examined. METHODS A retrospective cohort study (1996 to 2015) was conducted with electronic health records from Veteran Health Affairs (VHA; n = 112 845) and Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPW; n = 14 333) healthcare systems. Patients were aged ≥50 years, had a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) between 6.5 and <9.5 mg/dL, and did not have dementia or fills for antidiabetic medications before cohort entry. Initiators started metformin monotherapy and noninitiators used no antidiabetic medications in the 6 months after the first qualifying HbA1c. The primary outcome was incident dementia. Propensity scores and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) controlled for confounding in Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 6.2 years in VHA and 6.8 years in KPW, there were 7547 new dementia cases in VHA and 1090 in KPW. After IPTW, there was no association between initiation of metformin (vs no initial treatment) and incident dementia in VHA (HR = 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-1.13) or KPW (HR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.51-1.28). Results did not differ by age, baseline HbA1c, or race. CONCLUSIONS Results do not support initiating metformin earlier to prevent cognitive decline and, thus, may dampen enthusiasm for metformin as a potential antidementia drug. Randomized clinical trials could help clarify the relationship between metformin and cognitive decline.
Biophysical mechanism for zinc as an anticancer agent.

Abstract The experimental observation that an increase in calcium above micromolar concentrations results in a slowing or stopping of anaphase-A motion is evidence for an electrostatic mechanism for poleward mitotic chromosome motions. Specifically, higher concentrations of doubly-charged calcium ions screen negative charges at microtubule free “plus” ends at kinetochores and at centrosomes. These structures normally interact with positive charges at kinetochores and positively charged microtubule free ends vicinal to centrosomes to generate poleward force. As with calcium ions, doubly-charged zinc cations can also shield these negative charges, thereby interfering with force generation for anaphase-A chromosome motion, aborting mitosis. Experimental evidence reveals that dysregulation of free cytosolic zinc homeostasis contributes to cancerous transformation. Treatment of cancers by increasing zinc concentration has unknowingly been accomplished by utilizing zinc ionophores to facilitate zinc transport across the plasma membrane, revealing an inverse relationship between malaria incidence – and malaria treatment with zinc ionophores – and cancer mortality. Here we hypothesize a biophysical mechanism for cancer therapy employing zinc supplementation enhanced by zinc ionophores.
Increasing company-cause fit: the effects of a relational ad message and consumers’ cause involvement on attitude toward the CSR activity

Although the company-cause fit has been considered the key to a successful corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign, little is known about which communication strategies are effective in incr...
An Aggressive Approach to Locally Confined Pancreatic Cancer: Defining Surgical and Oncologic Outcomes Unique to Pancreatectomy with Celiac Axis Resection (DP-CAR)

Modern chemotherapeutics have led to improved systemic disease control for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Surgical strategies such as distal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection (DP-CAR) are increasingly entertained. Herein we review procedure-specific outcomes and assess biologic rationale for DP-CAR. A prospectively maintained single-institution database of all pancreatectomies was queried for patients undergoing DP-CAR. We excluded all patients for whom complete data were not available and those who were not treated with contemporary multi-agent therapy. Data were supplemented with dedicated chart review and outreach for long-term oncologic outcomes. Fifty-four patients underwent DP-CAR between 2008 and 2018. The median age was 62.7 years. Ninety-eight percent received induction chemotherapy. Arterial reconstruction was performed in 17% and concomitant visceral resection in 30%. The R0 resection rate was 87%. Postoperative complications were common (43%) with chyle leak being the most frequent (17%). Length of stay was 8 days, readmission occurred in one-third, and 90-day mortality was 2%. Disease recurrence occurred in 74% during a median follow up of 17.4 months. Median recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were 9 and 25 months, respectively. Following modern induction paradigms, DP-CAR can be performed with low mortality, manageable morbidity, and excellent rates of margin-negative resection in high-volume settings. The profile of complications of DP-CAR is distinct from pancreaticoduodenectomy and simple distal pancreatectomy. OS and RFS are similar to those undergoing resection of borderline resectable and resectable disease. Improved systemic disease control will likely lead to increasing utilization of aggressive surgical approaches to LAPC.
Temporary Stays and Persistent Gains: The Causal Effects of Foster Care

Six percent of children in the United States enter foster care by age 18. We estimate the effects of foster care on children’s outcomes by exploiting the quasi-random assignment of child welfare investigators in Michigan. We find that foster care improved children’s safety and educational outcomes. Gains emerged after children exited the foster system when most were reunified with their birth parents, suggesting that improvements made by their parents was an important mechanism. These results indicate that safely reducing the use of foster care, a goal of recent federal legislation, requires more effective in-home, prevention-focused efforts.
Photo quality classification using deep learning

The detection of poor quality images for reasons such as focus, lighting, compression, and encoding is of great importance in the field of computer vision. The ability to quickly and automatically classify an image as poor quality creates opportunities for a multitude of applications such as digital cameras, phones, self-driving cars, and web search technologies. In this paper an end-to-end approach using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) is presented to classify images into six categories of bad lighting, Gaussian blur, motion blur, JPEG 2000, white-noise, and high quality reference images. A new dataset of images was produced and used to train and validate the model. Finally, the application of the developed model was evaluated using images from the German Traffic Sign Recognition Benchmark. The results show that the trained CNN can detect and correctly classify images into the aforementioned categories with high accuracy and the model can be easily re-calibrated for other applications with only a small sample of training images.