cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure and function of concanavalin A.

Lectins have been extensively used to analyze a variety of fundamental processes in cell biology. In conjuntion with our studies on the cell surface and mitosis, we have determined the amino acid sequence and three-dimensional struction of concanavalin A (Con A), the mitogenic lectin from the jack bean. Knowledge of the structure has been helpful in interpreting experiments on lymphocyte mitogenesis and the effects of Con A on cell surface receptor mobility.
Bioaerosols From Land-Applied Biosolids: Issues and Needs

Bioaerosols are a vehicle for the dissemination of human and animal pathogens. Because of land-filling costs and the ban on ocean dumping of municipal biosolids, land application of biosolids and animal manure is increasing all over the globe. There is no doubt that the creation, generation, and disposal of human and animal wastes increases the aerosolization potential of a wide variety of microbial pathogens and related pollutants. In an attempt to address public health issues associated with the land application of municipal biosolids, the U.S. National Research Council (Washington, D.C.) published a report on this issue in 2002. This paper focuses on the current information and technology gaps related to estimating the public health risks associated with bioaerosols during the land application of biosolids.
Truth of the Trains

This article discusses the "orphan trains" movement of the late 19th century and also discusses whether or not a more personal or objective approach to studying history is more accurate. This article is available in Constructing the Past: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/constructing/vol1/iss1/7
Impact of changes in maternal body composition on birth weight and neonatal fat mass in dichorionic twin pregnancies

Background Although the impact of gestational weight gain (GWG) on birth weight in twin pregnancies has been demonstrated, the specific components of GWG have not been delineated for twin gestations. Fetal body composition has been shown to be modifiable in singleton gestations based on nutritional intervention strategies and may prove to have similar modifications in twin gestations. Objective We aimed to determine the relation of maternal body composition changes to birth weight, birth length, and neonatal fat mass (FM) in dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies. Design This is a prospective study of 20 women with twin gestations. Comparisons were made between body composition variables during each trimester and for the entire pregnancy and compared with the outcomes of birth weight, neonatal fat percentage, and birth length. Results GWG within or above compared with below the IOM recommendations was associated with higher birth weights (P = 0.03, P = 0.04, respectively), but also with higher postpartum weight retention (P = 0.001). Total maternal protein gain over the pregnancy was positively associated with birth weight (P = 0.03). Changes in maternal fat-free mass (FFM), total body water (TBW), and FM from the first to the third trimester were not associated with either birth weight or neonatal FM percentage. However, maternal FM change from the second to the third trimester was significantly correlated to neonatal FM percentage (P = 0.02). Third trimester GWG and total protein gain were positively correlated with neonatal birth length (P = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively). Maternal FFM over all 3 trimesters showed a positive relation with neonatal birth length (P = 0.01). Conclusions Significant increases in maternal protein are associated with greater birth weight and neonatal birth length. Protein accretion, in contrast to TBW and FM gains, may be the most critical component of maternal GWG in dichorionic twin gestations.
Evaluating Transfer of Modafinil Into Human Milk During Lactation: A Case Report

We present a case of a 27-year-old woman in whom idiopathic hypersomnolence was diagnosed in adolescence with adequate symptomatic control on daily dosage of 250 mg of modafinil. She maintained thi...
"Professionalism, Physicianhood, and Psychiatric Practice": Conceptualizing and Implementing a Senior Psychiatry Resident Seminar in Reflective and Inspired Doctoring.

Background Professionalism, although broadly acknowledged to be an important goal of medical education, needs to be taught well. Objective We describe the content selection and structure of an elective professionalism seminar for advanced trainees in psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Method We critically evaluate the curriculum content based on participant feedback. Results We successfully implemented and sustained for 8 years a monthly, 10-session professionalism seminar for advanced trainees in psychiatry. The average number of participants was 4–8 residents or fellows out of a possible 12–16. The curriculum covers 3 broad domains: physicianhood, bioethics, and medical/psychiatric practice. Participants felt that they were more reflective of their practice and that were given a vocabulary to do so. Physician burnout emerged as a key professional concern. Conclusion Professionalism can be taught in a seminar but requires reaching to other disciplines (history of medicine, philosophy, and sociology) to make it meaningful and utile. Consultation-liaison psychiatrists through their interdisciplinary and team-based work are ideally situated to teach professionalism that emphasizes commonalities of psychiatry with the other medical specialties and fosters leadership.
Hyperbaric oxygen produces a nitric oxide synthase-regulated anti-allodynic effect in rats with paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain.

Abstract Research has demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment produced relief of both acute and chronic pain in patients and animal models. However, the mechanism of HBO2 antinociceptive effect is still elusive. Based on our earlier findings that implicate NO in the acute antinociceptive effect of HBO2, the purpose of this study was to ascertain whether HBO2-induced antinociception in a chronic neuropathic pain model is likewise dependent on NO. Neuropathic pain was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by four injections of paclitaxel (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.). Twenty-four hours after the last paclitaxel injection, rats were treated for one day or four consecutive days with 60-min HBO2 at 3.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA). Two days before HBO2 treatment, some groups of rats were implanted with Alzet® osmotic minipumps that continuously infused a selective inhibitor of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) into the lateral cerebral ventricle for 7 days. Mechanical and cold allodynia were assessed every other day, using electronic von Frey and acetone assays, respectively. Rats in the paclitaxel control group exhibited a mechanical or cold allodynia that was significantly reversed by one HBO2 treatment for mechanical allodynia and four HBO2 treatments for cold allodynic. In rats treated with the nNOS inhibitor, the effects of HBO2 were nullified in the mechanical allodynia test but unaffected in the cold allodynia test. In summary, these results demonstrate that the antiallodynic effect of HBO2 in two different pain tests is dependent on NO in the CNS.
Forensic psychiatric examinations: competency.

The many definitions of competency in civil, criminal, and domestic relations law are discussed with emphasis on the various legal criteria for competency and the different classes of psychiatric information required to apply the criteria to a given case. Within the context of a general discussion of forensic examinations, techniques for gathering the right kind of information are systematically related to the exigencies of evaluating past, present, or future mental states by selectively altering the focus of mental status evaluations and history-taking. In addition, special investigative techniques such as hypnosis, Amytal ® sodium interview, stress interview, psychological testing, and others are discussed.
An Optimized De-Noising Scheme Based on the Null Hypothesis of Intrinsic Mode Functions

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) offers a data-driven approach for signal filtering. In this letter, a new de-noising scheme is proposed, which estimates a pertinent probability distribution parameter with the Newton-Raphson root-finding method. The parameter estimation reduces the computational cost of relevant mode selection by reducing the range of possible mode distribution shapes. Computational complexity is assessed, revealing significant reduction in the number of operations required in comparison to a previous de-noising scheme which utilized the same form of statistical filtering. Furthermore, simulation results of the proposed EMD filter show superior performance over other EMD de-noising techniques with real biomedical recordings corrupted by colored noise.
Deep Multi-Task Learning for Interpretable Glaucoma Detection

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. The rising prevalence of glaucoma, with our aging population, increases the need to develop automated systems that can aid physicians in early detection, ultimately preventing vision loss. Clinical interpretability and adequately labeled data present two major challenges for existing deep learning algorithms for automated glaucoma screening. We propose an interpretable multi-task model for glaucoma detection, called Interpretable Glaucoma Detector (InterGD). InterGD is composed of two major complementary components, segmentation and prediction modules. The segmentation module addresses the lack of clinical interpretability by locating the optic disc and optic cup regions in a fundus image. The prediction module utilizes a larger dataset to improve the performance of the segmentation task and thus mitigate the problem of limited labeled data in a segmentation module. The two components are effectively integrated into a unified multi-task framework allowing end-to-end training. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to incorporate interpretability into glaucoma screening employing deep learning methods. The experiments on three datasets, two public and one private, demonstrate the effectiveness of InterGD in achieving interpretable results for glaucoma screening.
Dual antiplatelets in IV thrombolysis: How much is too much?

Even after >20 years of experience, IV thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke apparently continues to elicit concern, largely due to fear of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). While many of the major predisposing factors are well established,1 gray zones of uncertainty remain, including concurrent exposure to antiplatelet therapy. Although not a formal contraindication to thrombolysis per se, many perceive it as increasing the risk of sICH. Prior exposure to a single antiplatelet agent is common, due to either overlap of stroke with other vascular comorbid conditions with antiplatelet therapy indications or over-the-counter use for presumed primary prevention benefits, despite evidence to the contrary.2 The greater antiplatelet effects of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) might make it even riskier. Despite higher rates of sICH with single antiplatelet exposure in the context of IVT,3–5 this does not translate into higher mortality or worse functional status. In fact, a large observational registry-based study in the United States showed more favorable functional outcomes in those pretreated with antiplatelets.3 The available and controversial data pertaining to prestroke DAPT exposure have not clarified the risks after IVT, with some studies showing elevated sICH risk while others not.6,7
FastSK: Fast Sequence Analysis with Gapped String Kernels

Gapped k-mer kernels with Support Vector Machines (gkm-SVMs) have achieved strong predictive performance on regulatory DNA sequences on modestly-sized training sets. However, existing gkm-SVM algorithms suffer from the slow kernel computation time, as they depend exponentially on the sub-sequence feature-length, number of mismatch positions, and the task9s alphabet size. In this work, we introduce a fast and scalable algorithm for calculating gapped k-mer string kernels. Our method, named FastSK, uses a simplified kernel formulation that decomposes the kernel calculation into a set of independent counting operations over the possible mismatch positions. This simplified decomposition allows us to devise a fast Monte Carlo approximation that rapidly converges. FastSK can scale to much greater feature lengths, allows us to consider more mismatches, and is performant on a variety of sequence analysis tasks. On 10 DNA transcription factor binding site (TFBS) prediction datasets, FastSK consistently matches or outperforms the state-of-the-art gkmSVM-2.0 algorithms in AUC, while achieving average speedups in kernel computation of 100 times and speedups of 800 times for large feature lengths. We further show that FastSK outperforms character-level recurrent and convolutional neural networks across all 10 TFBS tasks. We then extend FastSK to 7 English medical named entity recognition datasets and 10 protein remote homology detection datasets. FastSK consistently matches or outperforms these baselines. Our algorithm is available as a Python package and as C++ source code. (Available for download at https://github.com/Qdata/FastSK/. Install with the command make or pip install)
The Heart of the Daodejing: Nonviolent Personhood

In the eighteenth century Europeans began encountering canonical texts of philosophy and religion from the East, particularly from India and China. This chapter discusses the 81-poem Daoist text, known as the Daodejing, and its connections to daily life, its teaching on making life significant, and its deep understanding of the importance of cultivating peace.
Computing for numeracy: How safe is your covid-19 social bubble?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led many people to form social bubbles These social bubbles are small groups of people who interact with one another but restrict interactions with the outside world The assumption in forming social bubbles is that risk of infection and severe outcomes, like hospitalization, are reduced How effective are social bubbles? A Bayesian event tree is developed to calculate the probabilities of specific outcomes, like hospitalization, using example rates of infection in the greater community and example prior functions describing the effectiveness of isolation by members of the social bubble The probabilities are solved for two contrasting examples: members of an assisted living facility and members of a classroom, including their teacher A web-based calculator is provided so readers can experiment with the Bayesian event tree and learn more about these probabilities by modeling their own social bubble © 2021, National Numeracy Network All rights reserved
Named Entity Recognition from Table Headers in Randomized Controlled Trial Articles

Tables in biomedical articles often contain important information of research findings. However, they are often not available for direct uses by downstream computational applications due to its unstructured nature, with both structural and semantic complexity. In this study, we developed a deep learning-based approach that takes contextual information into consideration to recognize biomedical entities in tables headers in Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) articles, using a manually annotated corpus. Our evaluation shows that it achieved good performance with an F1 score of 92.60% for entity recognition in headers. We believe the proposed approach for table information extraction, as well as the developed annotated corpus, would be great resources for biomedical text mining, thus facilitating other biomedical research and applications.
The War Against Asian Sailors and Fishers

Beginning in the 1880s, maritime unions sought federal legislation to prevent Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Asian Indian sailors from serving as crew on U.S.-Flag vessels. This campaign succeeded in mandating citizenship requirements for crews which remain in the U.S. Code today. Similarly, federal and state laws limited the ability of Asians to fish, own fishing boats, or to serve on crews of fishing vessels. Few of these laws targeted Asians by name, but legislative history and contemporary media accounts make clear that racial exclusion motivated many facially neutral requirements such as literacy tests and restriction of jobs to citizens or those who had declared their intention to become citizens. As U.S. law restricted naturalization by race from 1790 to 1952, requiring citizenship had direct racial effects—white immigrants could be fishers or sailors, but not Asian immigrants. The expansiveness of exclusionary laws across time, geography, and level of government, its use of proxy categories to achieve racial discrimination, and yet its obscurity today, suggest the comprehensive nature of racial discrimination in the pre-Civil Rights era.
Photochemical fate of sulfonium photoacid generator cations under photolithography relevant UV irradiation

Abstract Onium salts, widely used as photoacid generators (PAGs) in the semiconductor industry, are receiving increased regulatory scrutiny due to their potential hazardous properties. Evaluating the environmental impacts of these chemicals requires knowledge of the fate of the onium species during photolithography steps, which remains unclear for many PAGs. The current study investigated the fate of four representative sulfonium PAGs using an irradiation setup simulating industrial photolithography. The photolytic fate for three of the four selected onium cations is reported for the first time. All onium compounds reacted rapidly under 254 nm irradiation, and their half-lives ranged from 51 to 214 s with high quantum yields (0.23−0.85). Multiple highly aromatic and hydrophobic photoproducts were characterized using HPLC-DAD and GC-MS; eight PAG photoproducts were identified for the first time. Authentic commercial standards of some of the photoproducts were available, enabling quantitative estimates of recoveries. The molar recovery of aromatic rings based on these quantified photoproducts was in the range of 4.9–71.4 %. A homolytic reaction mechanisms is proposed and discussed. The results provide insight on the potential environmental impact pertinent to the use of PAGs, e.g., prediction of residual onium levels and the identity of photoproducts in effluents from semiconductor fabrication facilities.
An Integrative Model for Soil Biogeochemistry and Methane Processes: I. Model Structure and Sensitivity Analysis

Environmental changes are anticipated to generate substantial impacts on carbon cycling in peatlands, affecting terrestrial-climate feedbacks. Understanding how peatland methane (CH4) fluxes respond to these changing environments is critical for predicting the magnitude of feedbacks from peatlands to global climate change. To improve predictions of CH4 fluxes in response to changes such as elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and warming, it is essential for Earth system models to include increased realism to simulate CH4 processes in a more mechanistic way. To address this need, we incorporated a new microbial-functional group-based CH4 module into the Energy Exascale Earth System land model (ELM) and tested it with multiple observational data sets at an ombrotrophic peatland bog in northern Minnesota. The model is able to simulate observed land surface CH4 fluxes and fundamental mechanisms contributing to these throughout the soil profile. The model reproduced the observed vertical distributions of dissolved organic carbon and acetate concentrations. The seasonality of acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis—two key processes for CH4 production—and CH4 concentration along the soil profile were accurately simulated. Meanwhile, the model estimated that plant-mediated transport, diffusion, and ebullition contributed to ∼23.5%, 15.0%, and 61.5% of CH4 transport, respectively. A parameter sensitivity analysis showed that CH4 substrate and CH4 production were the most critical mechanisms regulating temporal patterns of surface CH4 fluxes both under ambient conditions and warming treatments. This knowledge will be used to improve Earth system model predictions of these high-carbon ecosystems from plot to regional scales.
An Improved Ocular Impression Cytology Method: Quantitative Cell Transfer to Microscope Slides Using a Novel Polymer

PURPOSE To develop a more efficient impression cytology (IC) method for the transfer of ocular surface cells onto glass microscope slides for cytochemical, immunocytochemical, and immunofluorescence studies. METHODS Cells are lifted off the ocular surface with a mixed cellulose ester membrane and then firmly attached to a glass slide using a novel triblock copolymer comprised of collagen type I, polyethylenimine and poly-L-lysine (CPP), and crosslinking cells and glass slide by heating and cooling. The membrane is removed intact after softening it with a butanol/ethanol solution. Transfer of cells is complete in about 10-15 minutes and is ready for staining. The efficiency of our cell transfer method was compared to current methods based on poly-L-lysine and albumin paste. RESULTS Our method ensured almost complete transfer of cells. In contrast, the transfer of rabbit conjunctiva cells onto poly-L-lysine-covered slides was 37.5 ± 6.3% lower, and onto albumin-paste covered slides 62.5 ± 5.6% lower (mean ± SD); the transfer of rabbit goblet cells was even less efficient. The new method was also more efficient for transfer of cells from human oral mucosa obtained by IC. Transferred cells were successfully stained with H&E, chemiluminescence, and immunofluorescence agents. Using our method, we stained ocular surface cells for S100A4 and ATF4, both of which play a role in the pathophysiology of dry eye disease. We obtained similar results with oral mucosal cells, suggesting the generalizability of our approach. We propose an explanation for the strong adhesion of cells to the glass slide, which is based on their interactions with the triblock copolymer. CONCLUSIONS We developed a novel approach for the efficient and rapid transfer of cells obtained by IC onto glass microscope slides using a novel copolymer. Compared to available methods, our improved approach makes IC robust and simple, and should increase its diagnostic yield and clinical applicability.
Buying Sex On-Line from Girls: NGO Representatives, Law Enforcement Officials, and Public Officials Speak out About Human Trafficking—A Qualitative Analysis

Federal agencies report the high level of sex trafficking of minors in the United States. This trafficking often occurs on-line with the Internet. Pimps commonly advertise children for sexual exploitation online, and they search social networking sites for young victims. Thus, the high rate of trafficking minors and the increased use of technology have led to a need to better understand purchasing young girls for sex on-line. This qualitative study focused on learning from NGO representatives, law enforcement officials, and public officials their experiences about how men buy girls on-line for sex, and the words that the men use in the transactions. Moreover, it explored beliefs about human trafficking, the anti-trafficking practices, the criminal treatment of young victims, the safe places for girls to stay, and the sex trafficking programs available for these young women. To learn about these issues, we conducted thirty-eight interviewees with participants in four locations in the United Sates. Six different themes emerged: (1) familiarity of the interviewees with sex trafficking and its research: (2) law enforcement anti-trafficking practices, (3) the buying side of sex trafficking, (4) the criminal treatment of victims, (5) lack of safe places for girls to stay, and (6) the prevention, intervention, and assessment of sex trafficking programs. These results have important implications for human trafficking researchers, policymakers, law enforcement officials, and for those who provide services for the young girls.
A grid-based bridging domain multiple-scale method for computational nanotechnology

This paper presents an application-level Grid middleware framework to support a bridging domain multi-scale method fornumerical modeling and simulation in nanotechnology. The framework considers a multiple-length-scale model by designing specific domain-decomposition and communication algorithms based on Grid computing. The framework is designed to enable researchers to conductlarge-scale computing in computational nanotechnology through the use of Grid resources for exploring microscopic physical properties of materials without losing details of nanoscale physical phenomena.
Contracting for Wartime Actors: The Limits of the Contract Paradigm

Much can be (and has been) said about the war in Iraq. This essay explores the role of contract in wartime and (particularly) reconstruction. First, it considers the use of government contracts to privatize numerous government functions during the reconstruction and conflict in Iraq. Second, it considers the private ordering by contract done by government contractors to obtain security and related services from third parties. Both types of contracting raise complicated issues including: the proper use of force; to what extent the contracts should have government oversight; to what extent contractors should be accountable for crimes; and whether contractors qualify as noncombatants in case of capture. The special issues of contracting in a warzone are not best addressed primarily by common law doctrine. Additional rules and regulations are necessary to address the special issues of non-state actors who contract with the U.S. government.
Aberrant Expression of Mitotic Cdc2/Cyclin B1 Kinase in Degenerating Neurons of Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

We have shown previously that M-phase phospho-epitopes accumulate in neuronal tau proteins incorporated into the hallmark neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In M phase, the epitopes are produced by cdc2/cyclin B1 kinase by a highly conserved mechanism believed to be quiescent in terminally differentiated neurons of adult brain. To determine whether an M-phase mechanism is possible in AD neurons, we first investigated the presence of cdc2 and cyclin B1 in AD. Both proteins were enriched in neurons with NFT and in neurons susceptible to NFT. An antibody specific for catalytically active cdc2 stained numerous NFT-containing neurons in AD but did not react with normal neurons. Double-labeling studies showed that active cdc2 and cyclin B1 coexist in AD neurons and co-localize with AD-specific mitotic phospho-epitopes. Mitotic kinase purified from AD and normal brain, using the yeast p13suc1 protein as affinity ligand, showed higher histone H1 phosphorylation activity in AD. Accordingly, the levels of cdc2 and cyclin B1 in p13suc1 fractions from AD were higher than normal. Consistent with a physiological relationship between NFT and mitotic kinase, NFT proteins co-purified with and became phosphorylated by the p13suc1-bound kinase in vitro. Furthermore, cdc2/cyclin B1 is the only one of several proline-directed kinases that created the TG/MC mitotic phospho-epitopes in recombinant tau in vitro. These findings suggest that aberrantly reexpressed cdc2/cyclin B1 in NFT-bearing neurons in AD brain contributes to the generation of M-phase phospho-epitopes in NFT.
Real Estate Rental Growth Rates at Different Points in the Physical Market Cycle

Real estate markets go through both physical cycles (demand and supply) that affect rental growth rates and financial cycles (capital flows to real estate) that affect property Prices (Mueller, 199...
Efficient and scalable method for processing top-k spatial Boolean queries

In this paper, we present a novel method to efficiently process top-k spatial queries with conjunctive Boolean constraints on textual content. Our method combines an R-tree with an inverted index by the inclusion of spatial references in posting lists. The result is a disk-resident, dual-index data structure that is used to proactively prune the search space. R-tree nodes are visited in best-first order. A node entry is placed in the priority queue if there exists at least one object that satisfies the Boolean condition in the subtree pointed by the entry; otherwise, the subtree is not further explored. We show via extensive experimentation with real spatial databases that our method has increased performance over alternate techniques while scaling to large number of objects.
Imaging Findings in Pediatric Nonaccidental Head Injury

Nonaccidental head injury can be a very serious result of child abuse with the clinical outcome being poor and including mental retardation, long-term disability and even death. Skull radiographs, head CT and increasingly MRI are very useful tools in making this very serious diagnosis. Radiologists must be familiar with the radiologic patterns of child abuse and must maintain a high level of suspicion. We review and present several of the common radiologic findings in pediatric nonaccidental head injury.
Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders

Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders Kim Fortun (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001)
JC polyomavirus viremia and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in human leukocyte antigen-sensitized kidney transplant recipients desensitized with intravenous immunoglobulin and rituximab.

Background Desensitization (DES) with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) + rituximab is effective, safe, and increases the transplantation rate in human leukocyte antigen-sensitized patients. However, reports of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) caused by JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) in autoimmune patients treated with rituximab is concerning. Here, we report on the JCPyV viremia and PML status in kidney transplant patients with/without DES (non-DES). Methods In total 1195 and 699 DNA samples from plasma in 117 DES (78% lymphocyte-depleting [LyD] induction) and 100 non-DES patients (45% LyD), respectively, were submitted for JCPyV-polymerase chain reaction. Results were compared in both groups. Results No patients in either DES or non-DES developed PML or presented with any neurological symptoms. The JCPyV viremia rate was similar in DES and non-DES patients (3/117 vs. 9/100, P = 0.07). The JCPyV levels were low (median peak levels, 1025 copies/mL) and JCPyV viremia was observed only once during the study period in most patients. All 3 DES patients with JCPyV(+) received 1 dose rituximab and no DES patients with >1 dose rituximab showed JCPyV(+). All 3 JCPyV(+) DES patients received LyD induction, while only 2 of 9 JCPyV(+) non-DES patients did so, and the remaining 7 received non-LyD or no induction. JCPyV in leukocyte was mostly negative in DES and non-DES patients. Immunosuppression in patients with or without JCPyV(+) was similar. BK polyomavirus viremia was observed more commonly in patients with JCPyV(+) than in those without (P < 0.02). Conclusions Patients with IVIG + rituximab DES followed by transplantation with LyD induction and additional rituximab rarely show JCPyV viremia and appear at low risk for PML.
Hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met promote dendritic maturation during hippocampal neuron differentiation via the Akt pathway.

During central nervous system development, growth factors and their associated receptor protein tyrosine kinases regulate many neuronal functions such as neurite extension and dendrite maturation. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, c-Met, can promote formation of neurites and enhance elaboration of dendrites in mature neurons, but their effects on the early stages of dendrite maturation in hippocampal neurons and the signaling pathways by which they promote dendrite formation have not been studied. Exogenous HGF treatment effectively enhanced the phosphorylation and activation of c-Met in cultured hippocampal neurons at 4 days in vitro. HGF treatment increased the number of dendrites and promoted dendrite elongation in these neurons. Consistent with these results, HGF activated Akt, which phosphorylates glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) to inactivate it, and reduced phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), which can promote microtubule polymerization and dendrite elongation when dephosphorylated. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of c-Met with its specific inhibitor, PHA-665752, or genetic knock-down of c-Met with short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) suppressed HGF-induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β, increased phosphorylation of MAP2, and reduced dendrite number and length in cultured hippocampal neurons. Moreover, suppressing c-Met with PHA-665752 or by shRNA decreased MAP2 expression. Inhibiting Akt activity with the phosphoinositide-3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 or Akt inhibitor X suppressed HGF-induced phosphorylation of GSK-3β, increased MAP2 phosphorylation, and blocked the ability of HGF to enhance dendritic length. These observations indicate that HGF and c-Met can regulate the early stages of dendrite maturation via activation of the Akt/GSK-3β pathway.
Temperature effects on long-term population dynamics in a parasitoid–host system

Long-term environmental changes will likely alter the strengths of interactions between species and consequently their population dynamics, leading to changes in the stability of ecological systems. While an increasing number of empirical studies have shown that environmental changes can alter the strengths of species interactions, these studies are typically short (<1–2 generations) and therefore give only partial information about longer term population dynamics. To focus on longer term dynamics, we investigated population cycles of pea aphids and their most common parasitoid, Aphidius ervi, in Wisconsin, USA. Data collected over three years in alfalfa fields showed an apparent host–parasitoid population cycle. Furthermore, higher pea aphid population growth rates and increased parasitism were correlated with higher naturally occurring temperatures. While these effects were observed with seasonal fluctuations in temperature, they beg the question of how long-term changes in mean annual temperature might...
Domestic politics and the widening–deepening trade-off in the European Union

ABSTRACTThis contribution analyzes the relationship between European Union (EU) enlargement, preference heterogeneity of EU members and co-operation in the EU. I argue that the widening of the EU does not invariably present an obstacle to co-operation. Preference heterogeneity in the Council is not only affected by the accession of new member states, but it also fluctuates over time owing to changes in the domestic political arena. In European countries, governmental coalitions have changed frequently, with important consequences for the ability of EU members to negotiate deeper integration. To test the theoretical hypotheses, I analyze to what extent the changing bargaining dynamics in the Council owing to domestic political circumstances, as compared to the accession of new member states itself, have affected the co-operation between EU member states over time.
Electrotransformation of Bacillus mojavensis with fluorescent protein markers

Gram-positive endophytic bacteria are difficult to transform. To study the interactions between Bacillus mojavensis and maize, a method was developed to transform the microbe by electroporation with three integration plasmids expressing green, cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins (GFP variants). GFP Transformations were verified by antibiotic selection, microscopy and amylase deficiency, based on incorporation of the plasmids through recombination with the amylase gene. Phenotypic expressions of endophytism and fungal antagonisms of the transformants were the same as wild type stains. This represents the first successful transformation of this endophytic species with GFP markers.
Pathogenesis of Bacteremia Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cyclophosphamide-Treated Mice and Potentiation of Virulence of Endogenous Streptococci

Mice treated with cyclophosphamide on day 0 were killed at sequential intervals during subsequent administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in drinking water and were examined for sites of bacterial colonization and multiplication with use of peroxidase-labeled antibody and culture techniques. These studies were coordinated with those of clinical and histopathologic changes. Bacterial antigen was first detected on day 4 on the surface of nasal squamocolumnar junctions and the stratum corneum of gingival sulci and crests. Invasion of tissue by P. aeruginosa proceeded rapidly from these sites and led to bacteremia. There was no invasion of the lower alimentary canal. Endogenous group B /3-hemolytic streptococci colonized and penetrated ulcers created by previous pseudomonas invasion. These results suggest that epithelial colonization is the critical event in the pathogenesis of bacteremia due to P. aeruginosa in the immunosuppressed host. The resulting infection may provide a conduit for invasion and enhancement of the virulence of endogenous streptococci.
Presupposition Triggering from Alternatives

This paper considers a set of presupposition triggers including focus, questions, ‘contrastive’ statives and an ‘affirmation/negation’ construction involving and not, where presuppositions are cancellable. It is proposed that these constructions, rather than having strict semantic presuppositions, have representations involving alternative sets in the sense of alternative semantics of questions and focus and that a default process generates a presupposition from the alternative set. Presupposition projection facts are dealt with by stating a default constraint referring to dynamic denotations. The analysis can be extended to other constructions and lexical items with defeasible presupposition-triggering behaviour, such as inchoatives, by hypothesizing a representation involving alternatives.
Glutamatergic modulation of subcortical motor and limbic circuits.

The ventral striatum is a critical component of parallel circuits associated with motor and limbic functions, termed the corticostriatopallidothalamic circuit (CSPT).1 The interconnectivity of the regions comprising these circuits is believed to mediate the processing of sensory information that leads to the modulation of both motor and limbic behaviors. This well-defined circuitry allows for the neurochemical anatomical examination of functionally integrated regions. The striatum is one of the critical integrative areas in the CSPT because of the convergence of its glutamatergic and dopaminergic afferents, and the modulatory effects of its efferents.1 Corticostriatal glutamate projections synapse on mesostriatal dopaminergic projections, and modulate dopamine release in the dorsal and ventral striatum.2 Modulators of all four glutamate receptor subtypes—NMDA, AMPA, kainate, and metabotropic—affect dopamine release in dorsal and ventral striatum. We previously reported that systemic treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 alters D2 receptor mRNA in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) but not the substantia nigra, pars compacta (SNc), or in the dorsal or ventral striatum.2 These data suggest that NMDA receptors exert a tonic effect on dopamine autoreceptor expression preferentially in limbic regions. We now present data from a follow-up experiment to determine the effects of other glutamate receptor modulators on dopamine receptor expression in caudate-putamen (CPu), nucleus accumbens, core (core), and nucleus accumbens, shell (shell). Sprague-Dawley male rates (225–275 g) were treated with seven daily injections of CNQX (an antagonist of both AMPA and kainate receptors), GYKI52466 (an AMPA receptor desensitization facilitator), riluzole (a glutamate release inhibitor), or DMSO (vehicle), and rats were sacrificed 24 hours after the last injection.3 Ten animals were treated per group. In situ histochemistry for preprodynorphin and preproenkephalin transcripts, and D1 and D2 receptor mRNAs was performed as previously described.2 Results are shown in FIGURE 1. D1 and opioid peptide precursor mRNA were not affected by any of the treatments, while D2 mRNA was significantly decreased by riluzole and GYKI52466 treatments. Riluzole and GYKI52466 equally decreased the expression of D2 receptors in both dorsal and ventral striatal regions. This is in contrast to the effects of MK-801,2 and suggests that our previously reported results after NMDA receptor antagonist
Systolic Blood Pressure Target Levels: Evidence for Benefits in Stroke

See related article, pp 108–114 Verdecchia et al1 in this addition of Hypertension provide a timely and important report of the benefit of blood pressure reduction with a predicted lower risk of stroke. These results from the analysis of Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global End point Trial (ONTARGET)2 provides critically needed data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to address the evidence gaps in the determination of target blood pressure levels. Specifically, this contribution provides additional RCTs evidence for consideration of blood pressure reduction …
Treatment Adherence and Outcomes in Flexible vs Standard Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

Study objectives To compare adherence and clinical outcomes between flexible positive airway pressure (PAP) [C-Flex; Respironics; Murraysville, PA] and standard PAP therapy (ie, continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP]).
A single PXY motif located within the carboxyl terminus of Spt23p and Mga2p mediates a physical and functional interaction with ubiquitin ligase Rsp5p

Proteasome-dependent processing of the endoplasmic reticulum localized transcription factor Spt23p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae generates its transcriptionally competent form and requires the WW domain containing Rsp5p ubiquitin ligase. Although previous studies documented an Rsp5p-Spt23p association in cells, very little is known about the nature of this interaction. We report here the identification of an imperfect type I WW domain-binding site (LPKY) within the carboxyl-terminal region of Spt23p that is required for Rsp5p binding in vitro and in vivo. Deletion of this motif abrogates Rsp5p-induced ubiquitination of Spt23p in vitro and reduces ubiquitination of the Spt23p precursor in yeast. In addition, the Spt23pΔLPKY mutant is inefficiently processed and is defective at up-regulating target gene (OLE1) expression in cells. Deletion of the corresponding LPKY site within Mga2p, an Spt23p homologue, also abrogates Rsp5p binding and Rsp5p-dependent ubiquitination in vitro as well as Rsp5p binding and Mga2p polyubiquitination in cells. However, the Mga2pΔLPKY mutant undergoes efficient proteasome-dependent processing. These experiments indicate that the LPKY motif of Spt23p is required for Rsp5p binding, Rsp5-induced ubiquitination, proteasome-dependent processing, and its OLE1 inducing function. They also suggest that the LPKY motif of Mga2p is required for Rsp5p binding and ubiquitination, and Rsp5p regulates Mga2p function by a mechanism that is independent of providing the partial degradation signal.
EFFECT OF CONSTRUCTION ON AXIAL CAPACITY OF DRILLED FOUNDATIONS IN PIEDMONT SOILS

A program of field loading tests was conducted to measure the axial response of drilled foundations constructed using a variety of different drilling techniques. The research was performed at the Auburn University National Geotechnical Experimentation Site at Spring Villa, Ala. in Piedmont geology composed of silty soils formed by weathering of parent metamorphic rocks. A total of ten drilled shafts (0.9 m diameter by 11 m deep) were constructed using techniques including dry construction with casing advanced ahead of the hole and with drilling slurry composed of polymer fluids and mineral (bentonite) fluids. The results demonstrate the great potential influence that differing construction techniques may have on the load transfer in side shear of drilled foundations. The mineral slurry resulted in significantly lower side shear relative to the other techniques.
Reusable tourniquets. An underestimated means for patient transfer of multi-resistant bacteria

We sought to investigate the use of reusable tourniquets as potential sources of MRO transmission.
Abstract number 1: The futility of transvaginal ultrasound in type II endometrial cancer

number 1: The futility of transvaginal ultrasound in type II endometrial cancer C. Billingsley, K. Kenne, C. Cansino, D. O'Malley, D. Cohn, J. Fowler, E. Eisenhauer, L. Copeland, F. Backes, R. Salani, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA, University of Cincinnati, UC Health Medical Arts Building, Cincinnati, OH, USA Objectives: To determine the utility of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in women with type II endometrial cancer, including serous, clear cell, and high-grade carcinomas. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted in women with pathology proven type II endometrial cancer that underwent preoperative TVUS. The following data were obtained: endometrial stripe (EMS) measurement, presence of intracavitary fluid or lesion, myometrial and/or adnexal masses, uterine size and volume. Pathology reports were reviewed and clinicopathologic factors were abstracted. Descriptive analyses were performed to assess demographic and comparative data. Results: Sixty-three women comprised the study cohort and the median age was 65 years. The most commonly reported symptom was postmenopausal bleeding in 51 patients (80.9%). The EMS was reported as thin (b5 mm) or indistinct in 18 patients (28.6%). Approximately 60% of patients were noted to have one or more ultrasound abnormalities: intracavitary lesion (18, 28.6%), intracavitary fluid (8, 12.7%), myometrial lesion (19, 30.2%), and adnexal mass (8, 12.7%). Poorly differentiated endometrioid cancer (33; 52.4%) represented the predominant histology. Of the 28% of women with a thin/indistinct EMS, seven women did not have an ultrasound abnormality, representing 11% of women with type II endometrial cancer who had no abnormal ultrasound findings whatsoever. Conclusions: Women with type II endometrial cancer were found to have a thin/indistinct EMS on TVUS in approximately 25% of cases. Furthermore, lack of any ultrasound abnormality, including a thickened EMS, were noted in 11% of patients. The use of TVUS, which has been of diagnostic and triaging value for women with type I cancer, is of limited utility in type II endometrial cancer. Therefore, endometrial sampling should be included in the evaluation of all women with postmenopausal bleeding, regardless of EMS thickness. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2014.04.019 Abstract number 2: Durationof intra-chemotherapy anemia is associatedwith prognosis and survival in epithelial ovarian cancer R. Brightwell, K. Eng, S. Lele, K. Odunsi, Roswell Park Cancer Institute,number 2: Durationof intra-chemotherapy anemia is associatedwith prognosis and survival in epithelial ovarian cancer R. Brightwell, K. Eng, S. Lele, K. Odunsi, Roswell Park Cancer Institute,
Viruses in wastewater sludges and in effluents used for irrigation

Abstract Disposal of sewage wastes is a problem of increasing magnitude in the United States. New control measures enacted by Congress require consideration of land disposal of sludges and effluents. The volume of wastes involved and the possibility of contaminating ground water supplies and vegetation has great public health significance. The effectiveness of the sewage treatment process to remove chemical and biological contaminants and the operational efficiency of many sewage treatment plants are factors that must be given careful consideration before final selection of disposal methodology. The quality of our future water and food supplies will be affected either beneficially or adversely by current management decisions.