cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control of the PI3K/AKT Pathway by Phosphodiesterase 4B Modulates Glucocorticoid Response in B-Cell Lymphomas.

Abstract Abstract 728 Cyclic-AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger with marked growth inhibitory effects in lymphocytes. The phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) is the principal negative regulator cAMP levels in normal and malignant B-cells. We previously showed that PDE4B is expressed at abnormally high levels in fatal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), rendering these tumors resistant to cAMP's inhibitory activities towards the PI3K/AKT pathway (Blood, 105:308-16, 2005). Glucocorticoids (GC) remain a critical component of treatment of lymphoid cancers, but the mechanism for GC resistant in these tumors remains poorly characterized. A recent study indicated that the AKT/mTOR pathway mediates GC effectiveness in acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), and identified PDE4B as one of the genes overexpressed in GC-resistant ALLs (Cancer Cell, 10:331-42, 2006). These data, together with our findings that PDE4B regulates PI3K/AKT, suggested that PDE4B may play a role in GC sensitivity. If this concept is correct, PDE4B expression may impinge on the same genes and pathways that control GC response in malignant lymphocytes. To test this hypothesis, we used gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and found a robust association between the gene expression signature of DLBCLs expressing high levels of PDE4B and ALLs resistance to GC-induced apoptosis (p and FDR =.014). Consistent with the GSEA data, dexamethasone treatment (50nM), in the presence of intra-cellular cAMP, inhibited the proliferation (as determined by MTS assays) of multiple PDE4B-low (DHL6, DHL10, and WSU-NHL), but not PDE4B-high (Ly1, Ly3, Ly10, DHL7 and Ramos) lymphoma cell lines (53% vs. 4% mean growth inhibition for PDE4B-low and -high cell lines respectively, p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Ablation of Medial Branch Nerves for Chronic Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome in Patients Selected by Guideline-Concordant Dual Comparative Medial Branch Blocks.

Objectives Although the effectiveness of lumbar medial branch radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of zygapophyseal joint (z-joint)-mediated low back pain has been characterized, few studies have described outcomes in patients selected using a guideline-concordant paradigm of ≥80% pain relief with dual comparative medial branch blocks (MBBs). We investigated long-term treatment outcomes of patients selected according to this paradigm. Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Methods The medical records of 111 consecutive patients were reviewed; 85 met inclusion criteria. A standardized telephone survey was used to capture current numerical rating scale (NRS) and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scores. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients reporting ≥50% reduction of index pain. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to explore associations between the primary outcome and covariates, including age, duration of pain, presence of scoliosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, and >75% disc height loss. Results At six to 12, 12-24, and >24 months, 63.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 41-85%), 65.6% (95% CI = 49-82%), and 44.1% (95% CI = 27-61%) of patients reported a ≥50% pain reduction (P = 0.170), respectively. At a minimum of six months, 70.6% of patients reported a pain reduction of two or more points (minimally clinically important change), and 54.1% reported a PGIC score consistent with "much improved" or better. Older age and a smaller Cobb angle were associated with a ≥50% pain reduction (P Conclusion Lumbar medial branch RFA is an effective, durable treatment for a significant proportion of patients with recalcitrant lumbar z-joint pain when candidacy is determined by the guideline-concordant paradigm of ≥80% pain relief with dual comparative MBBs.
Evidence to Support the Older Adult's Driving and Community Mobility Through the Use of GPS

Date Presented 04/04/19 This study compared drivers using GPS and written directions on unfamiliar routes. Participants were 80 drivers (half in their 60s and half in their 70s); half familiar and half unfamiliar with GPS. All drivers were scored on each route. Drivers in their 60s and familiar with GPS were safer. While age is an important factor in driving, familiarity with GPS appears to improve safety for all. Implications for practitioners will be discussed as driving is a critical IADL that supports productive aging. Primary Author and Speaker: Anne Dickerson
Contrasting effects of host tree isolation on population connectedness in two tropical epiphytic bromeliads.

PREMISE Conversion of primary forests to pastures is a major cause of habitat fragmentation in the tropics. Fragmentation is expected to impede gene flow for many plant species that are restricted to remaining forest fragments. Epiphytes may be especially vulnerable to this effect of forest fragmentation because they depend on host trees. However, trees that remain in pastures may enhance connectivity across the landscape for epiphyte species that can thrive on such trees. To investigate this possibility, we studied the genetic structures of two such species on isolated pasture trees and surrounding forest, in relation to their local abundances in different habitat types and aspects of their reproductive biology including pollen and seed dispersal agents, and looked for evidence of increased or diminished gene flow. METHODS We used microsatellite markers to assess geographic patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in two epiphytic bromeliads, Catopsis nitida and Werauhia tonduziana, in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica. RESULTS About 85% of the FST value for Catopsis nitida was found among pastures within regions, while for Weruahia tonduziana, about 80% of the FST value was contributed by differences between regions, indicating much more gene flow within regions, relative to C. nitida. CONCLUSIONS Although there was substantial genetic differentiation among epiphyte populations, those on isolated pasture trees were not substantially less diverse than those in adjacent forests, suggesting that pasture trees may serve as "stepping stones" that help these species maintain their genetic connectedness and diversity at larger geographic scales.
Automation and low-cost proteomics for characterization of the protein corona: experimental methods for big data

Nanoparticles used in biological settings are exposed to proteins that adsorb on the surface forming a protein corona. These adsorbed proteins dictate the subsequent cellular response. A major challenge has been predicting what proteins will adsorb on a given nanoparticle surface. Instead, each new nanoparticle and nanoparticle modification must be tested experimentally to determine what proteins adsorb on the surface. We propose that any future predictive ability will depend on large datasets of protein-nanoparticle interactions. As a first step towards this goal, we have developed an automated workflow using a liquid handling robot to form and isolate protein coronas. As this workflow depends on magnetic separation steps, we test the ability to embed magnetic nanoparticles within a protein nanoparticle. These experiments demonstrate that magnetic separation could be used for any type of nanoparticle in which a magnetic core can be embedded. Higher-throughput corona characterization will also require lower-cost approaches to proteomics. We report a comparison of fast, low-cost, and standard, slower, higher-cost liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to identify the protein corona. These methods will provide a step forward in the acquisition of the large datasets necessary to predict nanoparticle-protein interactions.
Architecture of a catalytically active homotrimeric plant cellulose synthase complex

Cellulose is an essential plant cell wall component and represents the most abundant biopolymer on Earth. Supramolecular plant cellulose synthase complexes organize multiple linear glucose polymers into microfibrils as load-bearing wall components. We determined the structure of a poplar cellulose synthase CesA homotrimer that suggests a molecular basis for cellulose microfibril formation. This complex, stabilized by cytosolic plant-conserved regions and helical exchange within the transmembrane segments, forms three channels occupied by nascent cellulose polymers. Secretion steers the polymers toward a common exit point, which could facilitate protofibril formation. CesA's N-terminal domains assemble into a cytosolic stalk that interacts with a microtubule-tethering protein and may thus be involved in CesA localization. Our data suggest how cellulose synthase complexes assemble and provide the molecular basis for plant cell wall engineering.
An improved method for uranium separation from urine for rapid bioassay by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Bioassay monitoring is an important capability for any facility that works with significant amounts of radioactive material. The speed at which these analyses can be made is critical in the event of a potential exposure. In this study, we present a new method that facilitates the rapid separation of uranium from a urine matrix for assay and isotopic determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This method is validated with archived urine samples that were previously analyzed using established, more time consuming methods. The sources of uncertainty for uranium assay and isotopic measurements are modelled using the Monte Carlo method to better understand the precision and accuracy of this method at the limit of quantification.
RealPi2dDIC: A Low-cost and open-source approach to in situ 2D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) applications

Abstract In this current work an open-source 2D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) tool, RealPi2dDIC, is presented to monitor in situ full field deformation and strain responses of structures during loading. This software is coded in Python3 and uses Raspberry Pi as the computation and Pi camera as the imaging device. This low-cost approach to in situ DIC analysis enables its application in a broad field of research and industry problems where 2D strain field tensor is one of the principal interests of study. This code is provided with an interactive user interface (UI) making it user friendly and easy-to-use. Furthermore, RealPi2dDIC offers a simple software architecture which can be adopted, modified and extended to suit users’ purpose.
Surgical management of giant pediatric craniopharyngiomas.

Object Prior work by the authors' group and reports of other authors suggest worse functional outcomes and decreased survival in children with larger craniopharyngiomas. The purpose of this study was to assess the oncological, endocrinological, and functional outcomes in children who underwent radical resection of giant craniopharyngiomas (defined as 5 cm or greater in largest diameter). Methods Between 1986 and 2006, 26 children under the age of 18 (14 boys, 12 girls; mean age 10.5 years) underwent radical resection of giant craniopharyngiomas performed by the senior author. Data were retrospectively collected to assess the outcome of surgical treatment. Results Twenty (77%) of 26 patients underwent gross-total resection (GTR) confirmed by intraoperative inspection and postoperative imaging. All primary tumors (17 of 17) and 3 (33%) of 9 recurrent tumors were treated with GTR. There was no operative mortality, and 18 of 26 patients (69%) were alive at a mean follow-up of 8.9 years (median 9.3 years). Dis...
Coronary artery aneurysms associated with ascending aortic aneurysms and abdominal aortic aneurysms: pathophysiologic implications.

Background Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are seen in 1–5% of angiograms. Aneurysmal coronary disease has been thought to be a variant of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) in most patients, but this has not been systematically studied. Methods To better understand the pathophysiology of CAA, we reviewed the cardiac catheterization films of 403 patients with ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms and 74 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) who underwent surgery for their aortic aneurysms at our institution. Coronary aneurysms had diameters 1.5-fold that of a reference segment. Results The incidences of CAA in patients with ascending aneurysms and AAA were 17% and 16% respectively (P = 0.92). CAAs in the ascending group were larger (mean diameter 5.9 vs. 5.0 mm, P = 0.12) with larger reference vessel size (3.1 vs. 2.6 mm, P = 0.03). CAAs in the patients with ascending aneurysms were less likely to be CAD-associated within the same vessel (12% vs. 75%, P < 0.001). This difference remained significant after controlling for the presence of generalized CAD. No other differences in CAAs between the two groups were found. Within the ascending aneurysm group, the only clinical variable independently associated with CAA was bicuspid aortic valve (OR 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.25–0.89, P = 0.02). The majority of patients with CAA in the ascending aortic aneurysm population did not have CAD or any other previously identified cause of CAA. Conclusions There is a high incidence of CAA in patients with aortic aneurysms. In patients with ascending aortic aneurysms there is likely a mechanism distinct from CAD that causes CAAs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of robust controllers for systems with integral and quadratic constraints

The problem of synthesis of fixed-order linear time-invariant controllers which stabilize a system described in terms of multiple integral quadratic constraints is considered. We show that the problem is equivalent to solving a system of bilinear matrix inequalities. In general, this leads to a non-convex optimization with many local minima, which can be searched for by using a suitable method of "local" optimization. When using the "local" approach, it is very important to choose a good starting point. In this paper, an algorithm of designing the starting point is discussed, based on a principle of separation: first, an optimal stabilizing state feedback is designed and then a best state estimate is used in the output feedback. >
From object structure to object function

In this paper we provide a mathematical support for the nature of the shape representation methods useful for the computation of possible functions of an objects as derived from its shape structure. We discuss the concepts of parts and subparts of objects in the framework of axis based shape representation methods and boundary based methods. We propose a new method for obtaining descriptions of parts which based on a theorem from differential geometry (Pogorelov 1974) that any regular surface can be approximated in a finite environment with a given accuracy by a parabolloid of one of the following types - elliptic, hyperbolic and a parabolloid degenerating into a plane or a parabolic cylinder. Based on these considerations we suggest a heuristic for the approximation of convex object parts by a polyhedra, cylinder, ellipsoid or generalized cone with straight axis depending on the presence of plane, parabolic, elliptic subsets in their boundary, and nonconvex object parts by generalized cones with curved axis. This approach allows to obtain a primitive based shape description after the decomposition of the object shape through the more general boundary-based methods. We present examples of decomposing and describing shapes of common objects in terms of their parts, subparts and associated features.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The role of physicochemical processes in controlling sediment transport and deposition in turbidity currents

Abstract Experimental results are presented that illustrate the role of chemical and electrostatic particle–particle interactions in controlling sediment transport in turbidity currents. These experiments were conducted in a small laboratory channel to allow good control of the background water chemistry. Both kaolinite clay and silica particles were used to generate the turbidity currents, and both sodium and calcium chloride were used to prepare background solutions with a wide range of ionic strengths (salinities). The zeta potential of kaolinite was found to vary considerably under the range of experimental conditions used, and this produced a significant variation in the size distribution of these particles. As a result, kaolinite deposition from the turbidity current increased greatly with background salt concentration. Silica remained highly negatively charged under all experimental conditions, and the behavior of silica turbidity currents did not change with salinity. These results demonstrate that the behavior of turbidity currents is dependent on the composition of the associated sediments and the background water chemistry.
Intestinal autophagy activity is essential for host defense against Salmonella typhimurium infection in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Salmonella typhimurium infects both intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that is present in all eukaryotes. Autophagy has been reported to limit the Salmonella replication in Caenorhabditis elegans and in mammals. However, it is unknown whether intestinal autophagy activity plays a role in host defense against Salmonella infection in C. elegans. In this study, we inhibited the autophagy gene bec-1 in different C. elegans tissues and examined the survival of these animals following Salmonella infection. Here we show that inhibition of the bec-1 gene in the intestine but not in other tissues confers susceptibility to Salmonella infection, which is consistent with recent studies in mice showing that autophagy is involved in clearance of Salmonella in the intestinal epithelial cells. Therefore, the intestinal autophagy activity is essential for host defense against Salmonella infection from C. elegans to mice, perhaps also in humans.
Xenograft accommodation is accompanied by intragraft Th2 cytokines and vascular expression of protective genes

: We have studied the accommodation (survival of an organ graft in the presence of anti-graft antibodies and complement) of heterotopic Golden Syrian hamster heart xenografts transplanted to Lewis rat recipients. The rats were treated with cyclosporine A (15 mg/kg/day i.m.) for the duration of the experiment and for 11 days with cobra venom factor. This regimen resulted in long-term xenograft survival in approximately 75% of cases. Analysis of endothelial cells (and smooth muscle cells) in long-surviving grafts showed expression of “protective” genes: A20, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, and hemoxygenase, which we define as genes that prevent endothelial cells from undergoing responses that might lead to graft rejection. Surviving xenografts were also associated with intragraft Th2 cytokine expression. Rejected grafts did not express the protective genes and had a Thl pattern of cytokine expression. These studies indicate a potential mechanism linking molecular and cellular responses to development of xenograft accommodation.
Prenatal diagnosis of familial ring 21 chromosome.

Ring chromosome 21 is a rare chromosome anomaly often associated with mental retardation and dysmorphic features. Less commonly, the ring chromosome can be familial and associated with a normal phenotype. Phenotypically normal female carriers, however, are at increased risk of having children with Down syndrome, mosaic monosomy 21, and variable duplication or deletion of chromosome 21. Because of the relative mitotic and meiotic instability of ring chromosomes, abnormal cytogenetic findings encountered during prenatal diagnosis may not reflect the true genetic status of the fetus. This is a report of a phenotypically normal female carrier of a familial ring 21 chromosome. Prenatal diagnosis on her twin pregnancy revealed a mosaic 46,XX,r(21)(p13;q22) (77 per cent)/45,XX, – 21 in one fetus and a normal male karyotype in the second. The pregnancy was carried to term. Both infants are completely normal, with a non-mosaic ring 21 karyotype from the lymphocytes of one twin. The diagnostic uncertainty and problematic genetic counselling related to fetal cytogenetic abnormalities are the subjects of this report.
X-Ray Radiography: An Alternative Method for Determining HTR Fuel Particle Coating Layer Thickness and Density

The HTR TRISO particle consists of a fissile kernel and surrounding layers, whose density and thickness are among the key fuel parameters. Destructive methods i.e. the sink float method and image analysis of ceramography, were developed in the past and are still used to evaluate these particle parameters. Although exhibiting great accuracy, these methods generate effluents and wastes, and are extremely cost/time consuming. In the framework of the AREVA NP HTR R&D program, the development of nondestructive evaluation methods as alternatives to destructive methods is carried out and aims at a new HTR Fuel QC strategy. In this scope, an innovative method was developed to automatically measure particle layer density and thickness from X-Ray Phase Contrast Imaging (PCI). First tested at the European Synchroton Radiation Facility (ESRF), this method was then applied to a custom built industrial demonstrator. Comparisons between the density and thickness values obtained by the developed method and their corresponding values obtained with destructive methods justify progressing to the validation phase. Particle samples were selected among the particle batches that were characterized by destructive methods. Layer density and thickness were determined by the X-Ray based technique on the industrial demonstrator as well as at the ESRF. Correlation levels obtained from this benchmark demonstrated that both parameters can be confidently measured by the developed method. Additionally, it is important to stress that this technique provides the opportunity to directly determine buffer density on finite particles as opposed to the sink float method. Thanks to its accuracy, its rapidity and its absence of waste generation, it is planned to implement the X-Ray thickness and density measurement method on the French lab scale fuel line. It was also decided to enter the characterization work package of the IAEA Coordinated Research Project 6 in order to benchmark the AREVA NP method with foreign techniques and materials.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Treatment of patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction

Of the more than 5 million Americans who have heart failure (HF), 30% to 50% have HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF). HF-PEF commonly occurs in elderly patients, especially women, with comorbidities of hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, diabetes, myocardial ischemia, and obesity. HF-PEF is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although two large multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled trials evaluating an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in patients with HFPEF did not demonstrate any statistically significant benefit in their primary end points, they did suggest that these agents may have a modest role in reducing HF hospitalizations. Although calcium channel blockers and β-blockers may be of benefit in patients with HF-PEF, large clinical trial data are not available to support their routine use in all patients with HF-PEF. Subgroup analysis does not support the use of digoxin in patients with HF-PEF in sinus rhythm. Current therapeutic recommendations for HF-PEF are aimed at 1) management of HF symptoms with sodium and fluid restriction along with diuretics for volume overload and 2) treatment of concomitant comorbidities, especially hypertension, rate and possibly rhythm control of atrial fibrillation, and evaluation and treatment of myocardial ischemia and anemia. ACEIs, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, and β-blockers are recommended for HF-PEF patients who have other established indications for their use. Results are awaited from ongoing clinical trials with another ARB, irbesartan, and an aldosterone blocker, spironolactone.
Specific ouabain binding to brain microvessels and choroid plexus.

Summary: The energy-dependent transport of ions across the blood-brain barrier and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier by Na+,K + -ATPase is credited with an important role in brain homeostasis. In this study, we have assessed the relative enrichment of Na+,K + -ATPase in regional brain capillary preparations and in the choroid plexus by the quantitative determination of the cardiac glycoside binding sites in these preparations using [3H]ouabain as a ligand. We find that ouabain binds specifically to brain microvessels of the rat and the pig and to the choroid plexus of the pig in a saturable manner. The maximum density of ouabain binding sites in brain microvessels of both species is about one-fourth that of the crude membranes of the cerebrum and cerebellum. The density of ouabain binding sites in the pig choroid plexus is intermediate between that of the brain and brain microvessels. We do not find regional differences in ouabain binding to membrane fractions of the cerebrum and cerebellum, nor any significant differences in ouabain binding to cerebral and cerebellar microvessels. These findings provide quantitative estimates of Na+,K + -ATPase in brain capillaries and choroid plexus.
Sustained Activation of ERK1/2 MAPK in Oligodendrocytes and Schwann Cells Enhances Myelin Growth and Stimulates Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Expansion

Myelin is a biologically active membrane receiving and processing signals from axons. Although much is known about its structure and molecular composition, the intracellular signal transduction pathways, active during specific phases of myelinogenesis for regulating myelin formation, remain poorly understood. Recent genetic loss-of-function studies have suggested a key role of extracelluar signal-regulated kinases-1 and -2 (ERK1/2), downstream mediators of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), in promoting CNS and PNS myelination. In contrast, other studies, largely in vitro, have suggested that activation of ERK1/2 pathway can be detrimental for glial cell function and myelination. Given these conflicting reports, we investigated the effects of cell-autonomous activation of ERK1/2 in glial cells during developmental myelination in the intact CNS and PNS. Two lines of transgenic mice with sustained activation of ERK1/2 in oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPCs), oligodendrocytes, and Schwann cells were generated. Consistent with our loss-of-function studies, gain of ERK1/2 function in oligodendrocyte-lineage cells significantly increased myelin thickness, independent of oligodendrocyte differentiation or initiation of myelination. Additionally, increased activation of ERK1/2 in OPCs during early development resulted in transient hyperproliferation and overproduction of OPCs but generation of normal numbers of myelinating oligodendrocytes. Thus, these in vivo studies suggest a beneficial biphasic requirement of ERK1/2 during developmental myelination in the CNS, deployed first during early stages of the oligodendrocyte lineage for promoting OPC expansion and then redeployed later in myelinating oligodendrocytes for promoting myelin growth. Furthermore, Schwann cells with activated ERK1/2 hypermyelinate PNS axons, suggesting that ERK1/2 signaling is a conserved mechanism that promotes both CNS and PNS developmental myelination.
Learning to Share

1Department of Radiology, Indiana University, 702 North Barnhill Dr., Room 1053, Indianapolis, IN 46202. Address correspondence to R. B. Gunderman (rbgunder@iupui.edu). rofessional excellence is difficult to achieve outside of a good organization. Conversely, flourishing organizations are difficult to develop without good people. A domain where the intersection of professional and organizational goods is particularly important, especially in our information age, is the sharing of knowledge [1]. If our profession is to thrive in the years to come, it is vital that we become better knowledge sharers. In radiology, sharing knowledge means more than developing new technology for transmitting and receiving information. A PACS may make it possible to access radiologic images anytime and anywhere, but the images require interpretation to be useful in clinical practice. This in turn requires a kind of knowledge that mere information systems cannot provide. Likewise, a lecture may be enriched by the artful use of presentation software, but no technology can replace a gifted teacher who thoroughly understands both the subject and the audience. Knowledge sharing involves more than just giving people information. It means collaboration in the pursuit of knowledge or its application. Whether the organization in question is a radiology department, a family, a business, a university, or a whole society, its flourishing hinges to a substantial degree on the quality of knowledge sharing that takes place within it. This bears important implications for radiology departments and the people who work in them [2]. We need to encourage our students, residents, and colleagues to ponder the meaning of knowledge sharing, why it is important, how it can be done, and what consequences are likely to flow from failing at it. Above all, we need to prepare tomorrow’s radiologists to share knowledge effectively. We, our organizations, and the entire profession of medicine will not flourish unless we do. This article will explore the importance of sharing knowledge, with special emphasis on its pedagogical implications.
A Multiple Case Study Examination of Resiliency Factors for Mexican and Mexican-American Transsexual Women

ABSTRACT This multiple case study examined resiliency factors in the lives of 3 transsexual woman of Mexican ethnic origin who worked as entertainers throughout Texas. Data were collected through personal interviews with each participant, direct and indirect observations of their performances as entertainers, and exploring the artifacts that represented resiliency for their lives. Results indicated unique stories of resilience that clustered around themes of recognizing accountability, self-acceptance, family cohesiveness, spirituality, improvisational talent, and integrating womanhood with a transsexual identity. These findings are particularly useful for conceptualizing strengths-based approaches in social and mental health practice for the transgender community.
A new method for the observation of zones of colourless substances on a chromatographic column.

WHEN chromatographic adsorption analysis is used for colourless substances (or on strongly coloured adsorbents, for example, activated carbon) it is impossible to see the zones of the different solutes adsorbed on the column. Some special arrangement is then needed in order to be able to locate the zones. In principle, two methods are available : (1) no observation is made on the column, but instead the concentration of the solution leaving the column is followed in a small cell ; (2) the positions of the zones on the column are determined by using some special physical or chemical properties of the solutes. The first method, which was introduced by Tiselius1 and improved by Tiselius and me2,3, has also the advantage that the separation between two adjacent zones is greater in the filtrate than on the column. However, in many cases it is of importance to follow the separation directly on the column, and a number of different arrangements have been proposed4. In most of these cases the solutes either are converted into coloured compounds by means of suitable reagents, or indicators are applied before or after the chromatogram is finished, or use is made of fluorescence methods. These methods are, however, limited in use and unsuitable when zones are in direct contact with each other.
Lipid domains in model and biological membranes

Abstract Lipid domains that occur within biological or model membranes encompass a variety of structures with very different lifetimes. The separation of membrane lipids into compositional domains can be due to lateral phase separation, immiscibility within a single phase, or interaction of lipids with integral or peripheral proteins. Lipid domains can affect the extent and rate of reactions in the membrane and provide sites for the activity of specialized proteins. Domains are likely to be involved in the process of lipid sorting to various cellular membranes, as well as in other processes which involve membrane budding or invagination.
Minimum‐delay routing in continuous‐time dynamic networks with Piecewise‐constant capacities

A single-source single-sink dynamic network is considered where the link flows are real-valued measurable functions defined on a time interval and where storage is allowed at the nodes. Piecewise-constant link and storage capacities are given. A τ-maximum flow is a dynamic flow assignment that maximizes the total amount of commodity reaching the sink before time τ. The problem considered is that of computing a flow which is simultaneously τ-maximum for all τ. Such a flow solves a minimum-delay dynamic routing problem. An algorithm is presented which computes an optimal flow in O( | N | 4T4) time, where | N | is the number of nodes and T is the number of times that the capacities change. Previous polynomial-time algorithms have been given only for the case of constant capacities.
Fracture Mechanics Analyses for Interface Crack Problems - A Review

Recent developments in fracture mechanics analyses of the interfacial crack problem are reviewed. The intent of the review is to renew the awareness of the oscillatory singularity at the crack tip of a bimaterial interface and the problems that occur when calculating mode mixity using numerical methods such as the finite element method in conjunction with the virtual crack closure technique. Established approaches to overcome the nonconvergence issue of the individual mode strain energy release rates are reviewed. In the recent literature many attempts to overcome the nonconvergence issue have been developed. Among the many approaches found only a few methods hold the promise of providing practical solutions. These are the resin interlayer method, the method that chooses the crack tip element size greater than the oscillation zone, the crack tip element method that is based on plate theory and the crack surface displacement extrapolation method. Each of the methods is validated on a very limited set of simple interface crack problems. However, their utility for a wide range of interfacial crack problems is yet to be established.
Rapid growth of microscopic rectal cancer as a determinant of response to preoperative radiation therapy

Abstract Purpose: To quantify the dose-time fractionation factors in preoperative radiation therapy for microscopic pelvic deposits of rectal cancer. This provides a biologic basis for understanding and improving the results of adjuvant therapies for this disease. Methods: The reduction in incidence of pelvic relapses as a function of radiation dose and overall treatment time was determined from the literature. The displacement of dose-response curves to higher doses reflects the growth during radiation treatment of subclinical pelvic deposits which are beyond the future surgical margins. Results: Dose-response curves are steep if the effect of overall duration of radiation therapy is accounted for. The time-related displacement of these steep dose-response curves is consistent with a median doubling time for malignant clonogenic cells of about 4 or 5 days, much faster than the growth rate of the average primary tumor at diagnosis. This rapid growth is evident within the first few days of irradiation, implying that the natural growth rate of these microscopic deposits if fast, and/or that an acceleration of growth follows initiation of radiation injury with a very short lag time. Conclusion: Subclinical pelvic deposits of rectal cancer grow rapidly during preoperative radiation therapy with an adverse influence on the rate of pelvic tumor control from protracting the duration of adjuvant treatment. Low doses only offer clinically relevant reduction in risk of pelvic relapses if the overall radiation treatment time is short. For a given overall treatment duration there is a relatively steep dose-response curve, predicting that significant improvements in tumor control are possible.
Time-Based Embedded Test Instrument with Concurrent Voltage Measurement Capability

A scalable low -overhead on-chip instrument is proposed for analog and mixed-signal (AMS) systems-on-chip (SOC) testing, capable of making concurrent low-frequency voltage measurements. It addresses the limitation of parallel testing while reducing the test cost associated with automatic test equipment (ATE). The architecture is based on the distributed voltage-to-time conversion, followed by centralized time-to-digital conversion processes. The voltage to time conversion is achieved using the pulse-width modulation, via network of multiple sensors deployed throughout the SOC. Outputs of the time-to-digital converter are accessed via serial communication bus. Ease of scalability of instrument’s capabilities to perform more concurrent voltage measurements outweighs the fact that it does not achieve high sampling rates. An optional multiplexing scheme reduces size of the test bus that has to be routed around the CUT. Implemented instrument, with 14 sensors, is evaluated in a test case that involves multiple linear and switch mode circuits.
Uncertain regulatory timing and market dynamics

Abstract Using a dynamic model of capacity accumulation, I examine the relationship between uncertainty about the timing of a new Pigouvian tax and oligopolistic competition. I find that for some market structures uncertainty about the timing of the regulatory change leads firms to increase investment. These results stem from the nature of the uncertainty and its interaction with firms' strategic incentive to engage in capacity races. They dramatize the importance of accounting for initial conditions when forecasting firms' reactions to anticipated regulatory changes. In addition, I find that more protracted uncertainty leads to greater welfare costs.
Matricellular proteins osteopontin and osteonectin/SPARC in pancreatic carcinoma.

Commentary to: Osteopontin but not osteonectin favors the metastatic growth of pancreatic cancer cell linesMaria Zhivkova-Galunska, Hassan Adwan, Ergul Eyol, Jorg Kleeff, Armin Kolb, Frank Bergmann and Martin R. Berger
The ecology of height: the effect of microbial transmission on human height.

The height that adult humans achieve results from a complex interplay between genetic endowment and environmental exposures during development. We hypothesize that exposure to microbes—both exogenous pathogens and endogenous biota—are critical environmental determinants of the expression of human height in a community. Both experimental studies and historical changes in height in relation to presumed microbial transmission support this hypothesis.
Molecular dynamics study of anisotropic translational and rotational diffusion in liquid benzene

Equilibrium NPT and NVT molecular dynamics simulations were performed on liquid benzene over an extended range of temperature (from 260 to 360 K) using the COMPASS force field. Densities and enthalpies of vaporization (from cohesive energy densities) were within 1% of experiment at all temperatures. tumbling and spinning rotational diffusion coefficients, D(perpendicular) and D(parallel), computed as a function of temperature, agreed qualitatively with the results of earlier reported experimental and computational investigations. Generally, it was found that D(parallel)/D(perpendicular) approximately 1.4-2.5 and the activation energy for tumbling was significantly greater than for spinning about the C6 axis [Ea(D(perpendicular)) = 8.1 kJ mol(-1) and Ea(D(parallel)) = 4.5 kJ mol(-1)]. Calculated translational diffusion coefficients were found to be in quantitative agreement with experimental values at all temperatures [deviations were less than the scatter between different reported measurements]. In addition, translational diffusion coefficients were computed in the molecule-fixed frame to yield values for Dxy (diffusion in the plane of the molecule) and Dz (diffusion perpendicular to the plane). It was found that the ratio Dxy/Dz approximately 2.0, and that the two coefficients have roughly equal activation energies. This represents the first atomistic molecular dynamics study of translational diffusion in the molecular frame.
Giving Back and Staying Put: Volunteering as a Stabilizing Force in Relocation.

Relocation in older adulthood has been shown to have health-related and environmental triggering factors. This study explores the relationship between volunteering in a community and relocation. Using data from the 2008 and 2010 Health and Retirement Study, which included 9,220 community-dwelling older individuals who were aged 65 years and older, our findings show that volunteering significantly reduces the likelihood of relocating out of the area, and such a relationship is partially mediated by having friends nearby. This study is innovative because it identifies a stabilizing mechanism important for understanding protective factors, such as volunteering, as a way communities can retain older adults.
American Faith-Based Politics in the ERA of George W. Bush

During the era of George W. Bush, American religion was very diverse, including membership in many religious traditions and variation in religious traditionalism within these religious traditions. Both kinds of religious differences were highly politicised and embedded within the major party coalitions at the mass and elite levels. This pattern is likely to persist, but may not always benefit the Republicans as in the Bush era, as revealed by the religious elements of the 2008 election.
Plato and Kierkegaard: Two Philosophical Stories

This essay argues that muthos in the broad sense of “story” or “narrative” is essential to a philosophical understanding of the roots of justice and injustice within the soul. I examine the use of narrative in two different contexts: the tale of the Gygean ring of invisibility that Glaucon tells in Plato's Republic, and the parable of Agnes and the Merman in S⊘ren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. These two muthoi make possible a direct, inner experience of the fundamental difference between just and unjust souls. They guide us to the insight that the capability of radical injustice is rooted in the absence of the very powers of sympathetic imagination and intellect that unlock their meaning. Because the deepest insights of these Platonic and Kierkegaardean texts come to light only through the interpretation of a story, they cannot be communicated in the “nonmythical” form of logos or philosophical argument alone.
Cryptographic transformation of data relationships

Abstract The use of cryptographic transformations for the protection of sensitive data stored in a computer based file can be an effective data security technique. The overhead incurred in such use is primarily associated with the enciphering and deciphering routines. Two cases are described in which such overhead may be significantly reduced.
Ultrasonic Dispersions of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The nature of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)−solvent interaction that is responsible for the stabilization of ultrasonicated dispersions was investigated using various techniques. It was found that the sonochemical decomposition and polymerization of o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) is necessary for the stabilization of SWNTs in ODCB. The rate of decomposition of ODCB was shown to be dependent on the shape of the sonication vessel. The decomposition products of sonicated ODCB interact irreversibly with SWNTs. Under similar sonication conditions, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) did not induce discernible modification of the near-infrared spectrum of the dispersed SWNTs.
iBIOMES Lite: Summarizing Biomolecular Simulation Data in Limited Settings

As the amount of data generated by biomolecular simulations dramatically increases, new tools need to be developed to help manage this data at the individual investigator or small research group level. In this paper, we introduce iBIOMES Lite, a lightweight tool for biomolecular simulation data indexing and summarization. The main goal of iBIOMES Lite is to provide a simple interface to summarize computational experiments in a setting where the user might have limited privileges and limited access to IT resources. A command-line interface allows the user to summarize, publish, and search local simulation data sets. Published data sets are accessible via static hypertext markup language (HTML) pages that summarize the simulation protocols and also display data analysis graphically. The publication process is customized via extensible markup language (XML) descriptors while the HTML summary template is customized through extensible stylesheet language (XSL). iBIOMES Lite was tested on different platforms an...
Availability of services for women in outpatient substance abuse treatment: 1995-2000.

Women entering substance abuse treatment have more severe substance abuse problems and more medical and psychiatric comorbidities than men. Research shows that specialized women’s services are associated with better retention and outcomes but relatively little is known about their availability nationwide. This study examined the adoption and implementation of reproductive and female-sensitive social services in a national sample of outpatient substance abuse treatment (OSAT) organizations in 1995 (N = 617) and 2000 (N = 571) by several organizational factors. Overall, reproductive and social services for women have not been widely adopted, although some services did increase over the study period, particularly social services. There was no evidence of large-scale decreases in service availability over the study period, although child care did decline. Nonprofit and public ownership (relative to for-profit) were associated with greater service provision. Managed care units had greater service adoption compared to nonmanaged care units, and this increased over time. Public units and hospital-affiliated units had greater service implementation than other units. However, OSAT units did not always implement the services they adopted, suggesting access to some services may be restricted.
Sympathetic Response to Intracranial NGF Infusion in the Absence of Afferent Input: Axonal Sprouting without Neurotransmitter Production

The anatomical relationships between postganglionic sympathetic neurons, their targets, and their afferent inputs provide an opportunity to experimentally distinguish between the anterograde and the retrograde influences on neuronal responsivity to growth factors. In the present study, the effect of decentralization of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) on the NGF-induced sympathetic sprouting response by mature cerebrovascular axons was assessed in young adult rats. Growth by the perivascular axons associated with the intradural segment of the internal carotid artery was quantified using electron microscopy and changes in norepinephrine (NE) levels were monitored using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection. The mean number of perivascular axons observed in the treatment group receiving decentralization of the SCG prior to NGF infusion was not significantly different from that in NGF-infused cases, suggesting that central input was not required for axonal growth of intact sympathetic neurons. However, decentralization prevented the typical NGF-induced increase in perivascular NE associated with the ICA, indicating that afferent input was necessary for the neurotransmitter increase to occur. Thus, afferent input appears to play a role in the regulation of neurotransmitter expression of the sprouted axons but is not required for trophic factor-induced axonal growth.