cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Randomized Comparison of Pain Control and Functional Mobility between Proximal and Distal Adductor Canal Blocks for Total Knee Replacement.

Background: Adductor canal blocks (ACBs) have become a popular technique for postoperative pain control in total knee arthroplasty patients. Proximal and distal ACB have been compared previously, but important postoperative outcomes have yet to be assessed. Aims: The primary objective of this study is to compare postoperative analgesia between proximal and distal ACB. Secondary outcomes include functional mobility, length of stay (LOS), and adverse events. Settings and Design: This study was a single-center, assessor-blinded, randomized trial. Subjects and Methods: Fifty-seven patients were randomly assigned to receive a proximal (n = 28) or distal (n = 29) ACB. A 20 mL bolus of 5 mg/mL ropivacaine was injected at the respective location followed by 2.0 mg/mL ropivacaine infusion for 24 h. Statistical Analysis: The primary outcome was intra- and postoperative 24-h opioid consumption in intravenous (IV) morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes include percentage change in timed “Up and Go” (TUG) times, LOS, and average postoperative pain scores. Continuous variables were compared using Student's t-test. Results: The mean (±standard deviation) 24-h intra-and postoperative opioid consumption showed no difference between the proximal and distal groups (39.72 ± 23.6 and 41.28 ± 19.6 mg IV morphine equivalents, respectively, P = 0.793). There was also no significant difference in the median [minimum, maximum] percentage change in TUG times relative to preoperative performance comparing proximal and distal ACB (334.0 [131, 1084] %-change and 458.5 [169, 1696] %-change, respectively, P = 0.130). In addition, there were no differences in postoperative pain scores or LOS. Conclusions: ACB performed at either proximal or distal locations shows no difference in postoperative pain measured by opioid consumption or pain scores. Better TUG performance seen in the proximal group was not statistically significant but might represent a clinically important difference in functional mobility.
The influence of temperate bacteriophage φ105 on transformation and transfection in Bacillussubtilis

Abstract The frequency of transformation in derivatives of Bacillus subtilis 168 is drastically reduced when the bacteria are made lysogenic for bacteriophage φ105. This reduction in the frequency of transformation is not paralleled by a similar reduction in the frequency of: (a) transfection with DNA from bacteriophages φ29 and SP01, or (b) transduction by PBS1 and SP10. The results indicate that there are significant differences between the processes of transformation and transfection.
Chemistry and Pharmacology of Rapamycin and Its Derivatives

I. Abstract Rapamycin is a bacterially derived natural product with a remarkable history as both a chemical probe for studies of cell growth control-related pathways, and a bona fide drug with established or predicted clinical activities in a variety of disease settings. Rapamycin was first noted as a potent antifungal and immunosuppressive agent, and studies of this drug's mechanism of action revealed that rapamycin was a surgically precise inhibitor of a novel protein serine–threonine kinase, appropriately termed the target of rapamycin (TOR). Intensive research efforts have revealed that the TOR orthologs function in a highly conserved pathway of eukaryotic cell growth control. This review focuses on the impact of rapamycin exposure on the TOR ortholog (termed mTOR) expressed in mammalian cells. We briefly describe the biosynthesis of rapamycin and the chemical modifications of the parent compound that yielded several of the experimentally useful and/or clinically active derivatives, collectively termed rapalogs. We then review in some detail the pharmacology of rapamycin, particularly as it relates to the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. The opportunities and challenges associated with the development of rapalogs as anticancer agents are then discussed. Finally, we briefly review some provocative recent insights into the effects of rapamycin on the immune system and on organismal aging.
Self-regulation in Childhood

Self-regulation has several definitions, hence this article opens with a discussion of definitions. The specific focus of this article is self-regulation as a construct that represents the development of children's abilities to follow the everyday norms and practices that are embraced by their parents. Self-regulation is an intrinsic part of the socialization process. The article continues with a brief review of the historical antecedents of self-regulation, and includes mention of converging constructs. The third part focuses on socialization and the development path of self-regulation. The early years of life are emphasized because of their importance in setting foundations for self-regulation. Research findings have provided insights about the role of caregiver and child factors in effective self-regulation.
Rat Hind Limb and Cremaster Allograft Transplantation Model

Immediately following its description in 1978, the orthotopic hind limb transplantation in rats became the most commonly used animal model to study acute and chronic rejection in vascularized composite tissue allografts. Although the general principles of hind limb transplantation did not change over time, various authors have modified the original technique in attempt to reduce complication rates (including nonunion, malunion, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative infection), and shorten the operative time. Individual components of the hind limb were also used alone or in combination to test the host’s immune response to various components of the VCA.
Memory for position and dynamic representations

Memory for the position of an object is biased. When asked to judge whether an object has changed its position with respect to a position shown a few milliseconds before, observers tend to detect the displacement more often when the displacement is not in the expected direction (downward for a falling object). The hypothesis proposed by Freyd (1983, 1987) states that the internal representation of an object is intrinsically dynamic. Therefore, the forces perceived as acting on the object affect the representation. Quantitative predictions of this model were tested in three experiments by measuring memory distortion for the position of an object on an inclined plane. Angle of inclination and retention interval were varied. The results for different inclinations support the physical model. The time course of the memory distortion suggests a new view about the relation between this phenomenon and very short-term memory.
Cross-reactive Dengue virus-specific CD8 + T cells protect against Zika virus during pregnancy

As Zika virus (ZIKV) emerges into Dengue virus (DENV)-endemic areas, cases of ZIKV infection in DENV-immune pregnant women may rise. Here we show that prior DENV immunity affects maternal and fetal ZIKV infection in pregnancy using sequential DENV and ZIKV infection models. Fetuses in ZIKV-infected DENV-immune dams were normal sized, whereas fetal demise occurred in non-immune dams. Moreover, reduced ZIKV RNA is present in the placenta and fetuses of ZIKV-infected DENV-immune dams. DENV cross-reactive CD8+ T cells expand in the maternal spleen and decidua of ZIKV-infected dams, their depletion increases ZIKV infection in the placenta and fetus, and results in fetal demise. The inducement of cross-reactive CD8+ T cells via peptide immunization or adoptive transfer results in decreased ZIKV infection in the placenta. Prior DENV immunity can protect against ZIKV infection during pregnancy in mice, and CD8+ T cells are sufficient for this cross-protection. This has implications for understanding the natural history of ZIKV in DENV-endemic areas and the development of optimal ZIKV vaccines.
Т–х Diagram of Section BiB3O6–YbBO3

Phase equilibria were studied and a Т–х diagram of section BiB3O6–YbBO3 was constructed using X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The diagram has a peritectic point lying near 95 mol % BiB3O6 at 810°С. A limited subsolidus solubility of the components is observed in α-BiB3O6 in the range 0 ≤ х ≤ 0.3 YbBO3.
Visualizing the regulation of SLC34 proteins at the apical membrane.

The cloning of the renal NaPi-2a (SLC34A1) and NaPi-2c (SLC34A3) phosphate transporters has made it possible to characterize the molecular and biophysical regulation of renal proximal tubular reabsorption of inorganic phosphate (Pi). Dietary factors, such as Pi and K, and several hormones and phosphatonins, including parathyroid hormone (PTH), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and glucocorticoids, regulate the transporters through various transcriptional, translational, and post-translational mechanisms that involve acute trafficking via endocytosis or exocytosis, interactions with PDZ domain proteins, lipid microdomains, and diffusion and clustering in the apical brush border membrane. The visualization of these trafficking events by means of novel microscopy techniques that includes fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluctuation correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and modulation tracking (MT), is the primary focus of this review.
Transparent Safe

To prevent online auction fraud, this study introduces an online auction fund-item exchange mechanism called Transparent Safe. The Transparent Safe allows the buyer and the seller to see the amount of funds inside the safe, without the ability to remove any of it without proper keys. To obtain the necessary keys, both of them have to follow a set of pre-defined protocols and perform a series of confirmable actions. This research shows that the best strategy for both sides of the exchange is to follow this protocol precisely.
Functional Somatic Symptoms and Somatization: Person-centered Approach to Understanding their Relationships

Background : Despite the visible points of overlapping between the psychopathologic concepts of "somatization" and "somatoform disorders" with those of "functional symptoms" and "somatic syndromes" of general medicine, there is little literature which clarifies their relationships, making it difficult to formulate common grounds for work between psychiatry and the rest of medicine. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to review and critically analyze current knowledge on the subject, in search for conceptual links between different paradigms involving the underlying phenomena, proposing present and future lines of work according to the basic concepts of the Person Centered Medicine. Methodology : A wide ranging review and critical analysis of the literature on these subjects was conducted, trying to explore the relationship and integration of different paradigms according to the MCP framework and an outline of the author´s current research. Results: A need was found to establish transdisciplinary concepts which leave aside the particular visions of each paradigm, in search for links which may integrate different insights, considering the person as a whole. Therefore, it is essential to analyze carefully the phenomenon from various points of view to elucidate wider conceptualizations so as to reformulate this spectrum of phenomena from an integrative perspective. The possibility of the existence of a “general factor”, both present in the so-called “functional” disorder of general medicine, and in those that in psychopathology are grouped as somatization, is suggested. This general factor could be represented by certain personality dimensions and psychic representations encompassed by complex context variables. Conclusions: It would be valuable to continue with research of this phenomena structure as well as to look for strategies to benefit from the theoretical findings in the health care field, according to the proposals of Person Centered Medicine.
Maps of ANR's Determined on Null Sequences of AR's

This chapter answers a question of Borsuk concerning the upper semi-continuous (u.s.c.) decomposition of a compact ANR, which is determined on a null sequence of AR's. The question being let X 1 , X 2 ,… be a null sequence of disjoint compact AR's in a compact ANR X and let G be an u.s.c. decomposition of X n such that X n /G n is an AR for each n ; if G is the decomposition of X whose members are the members of G 1 ∪ G 2 ∪ … and the sets { x } for points x of X not in X 1 ∪ X 2 ∪…, is X/G an ANR? Lelek showed that the answer was affirmative, if it was further assumed that X/G was finite-dimensional. The chapter presents the proof to show that the answer is affirmative with no additional assumptions.
The Physics of Type Ia Supernova Lightcurves: I. Opacity and Diffusion

We examine the basic physics of type Ia supernova (SNe Ia) light curves with a view toward interpreting the relations between peak luminosity, peak width, and late-time slope in terms of the properties of the underlying explosion models. We develop an analytic solution of the radiation transport problem in the dynamic diffusion regime and show that it reproduces bolometric light curves produced by more detailed calculations under the assumption of a constant extinction coefficient. This model is used to derive the thermal conditions in the interior of SNe Ia, to address the issue of time dependence in the modeling of SNe Ia light curves and spectra and to show that these are intrinsically time-dependent phenomena. The analytic model is then used to study the sensitivity of light curves to various properties of supernova explosions. We show that the dominant opacity arises from line transitions and discuss the nature of line opacities in expanding media and the appropriateness of various mean opacities used in light curve calculations.
Re-Planting All Your Trees in One Forest: Deploying an Enterprise Wide Active Directory at Penn State

Four years ago Penn State's Identity Services department was issued a herculean task; to deploy a centralized, enterprise wide Active Directory. The project was given a five-year goal to move from an underutilized central service with departments and colleges who had been hosting their own domains to one centrally managed service with university wide buy in.We are now closing in on our five-year goal and are in the final phases. This paper will explore why this goal was set, how we went about tackling such a massive scope, where we are now, what we have left, the mistakes made, and some of the lessons learned along the way
African and Asian Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups Confer Resistance Against Diabetic Stresses on Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cybrid Cells In Vitro

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of blindness for individuals under the age of 65. This loss of vision can be due to ischemia, neovascularization, and/or diabetic macular edema, which are caused by breakdown of the blood–retina barrier at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and inner retinal vasculature. The prevalence of diabetes and its complications differ between Caucasian-Americans and certain minority populations, such as African-Americans and Asian-Americans. Individuals can be classified by their mitochondrial haplogroups, which are collections of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) representing ancient geographic origins of populations. In this study, we compared the responses of diabetic human RPE cybrids, cell lines containing identical nuclei but mitochondria from either European (maternal European) or maternal African or Asian individuals, to hypoxia and high glucose levels. The African and Asian diabetic ([Afr+Asi]/DM) cybrids showed (1) resistance to both hyperglycemic and hypoxic stresses; (2) downregulation of pro-apoptotic indicator BAX; (3) upregulation of DNA methylation genes, such as DNMT3A and DNMT3B; and (4) resistance to DNA demethylation by the methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) compared to European diabetic (Euro/DM) cybrids. Our findings suggest that mitochondria from African and Asian diabetic subjects possess a “metabolic memory” that confers resistance against hyperglycemia, hypoxia, and demethylation, and that this “metabolic memory” can be transferred into the RPE cybrid cell lines in vitro.
Examining the real-world utility of immune checkpoint inhibitors in genitourinary oncology: A single-institution retrospective.

e17112Background: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) are increasingly utilized for genitourinary (GU) malignancies. However, data is lacking on the efficacy of these drugs in “real-world” populatio...
Unilateralism and Polarization: How Changes in Our Structural Constitution Have Caused Political Divisiveness

Political polarization is perhaps the great political problem of our time. While it has many sources, one of its most important causes, which has not been previously discussed, is the deformation of our governmental structure. That structure has been transformed from an arrangement where consensus was needed to enact important policy changes to one where the President or the Supreme Court can adopt such change unilaterally. This transformation has greatly contributed to political polarization. Congress’s delegation of authority to administrative agencies to make policy allows the President’s administration to make important regulations. Because the President represents the median of his party, not of the nation, his agents' decisions normally are more extreme than what would emerge from the congressional political process, particularly when, as is usually the case, the houses of Congress and the President are divided between the parties. Similarly, presidential claims of authority to engage in military interventions and to make substantial international agreements on their own – rather than with congressional authority as the Constitution requires – require no political consensus even on decisions of fundamental importance to the nation. Finally, the Supreme Court’s arrogation to itself of the power to create or eliminate rights also forestalls compromise, infuriating those who disagree with its ukases. These diverse constitutional departures have a common effect: They generate extreme outcomes, promote polarization, and block the dialogue that can lead to fruitful compromise. Understanding the institutional roots of polarization provides a roadmap to tempering our current discontents. Delegation should be curbed, forcing Congress to make the key decisions. The President's initiation of hostilities and executive agreements should be allowed only if they are swiftly ratified by Congress. The Supreme Court should refrain from creating or eliminating rights, leaving fundamental change to the constitutional amendment process. None of these reforms require us to begin the world anew, but instead to return to tried and tested structures. They would also transform our political culture. In a politics where compromise is routinely required, citizens would become less polarized, seeing each other less as targets or threats and more as partners in a common civic enterprise.
Kidney Biopsy Is Required for Nephrotic Syndrome with PLA2R+ and Normal Kidney Function: Pro

It is hard to remember life before phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R). The identification by Beck et al. (1) in 2009 of the M-type PLA2R as the target antigen in membranous nephropathy (MN) was truly a monumental discovery, and PLA2R antibody testing has revolutionized the management of MN (2). Imagine a conversation 11 years ago about PLA2R antibody testing: Indeed, what is left for this amazing biomarker to prove? One hurdle that PLA2R antibody testing has yet to clear is to qualify as a diagnostic biomarker—that is, PLA2R antibody testing would replace kidney biopsy to diagnose MN. Over the last decade, multiple studies have described the impressive test characteristics of PLA2R antibody, particularly with regard to specificity, which ranges from 98% to 100%. Some of the most compelling data supporting the PLA2R antibody as a diagnostic biomarker comes from my debate counterparts, Bobart and Fervenza. In order to argue for kidney biopsies in patients with PLA2R antibodies, I must convince the reader that the current evidence is not strong enough to support PLA2R antibody testing as a diagnostic biomarker for MN. This was a retrospective analysis of 838 unique patients who had 1362 PLA2R antibody tests from 2015 to 2018 at three Mayo Clinic locations (Minnesota, Florida, and Arizona). Of the 143 …
Roles of motor on-rate and cargo mobility in intracellular transport

Molecular motors like kinesin are critical for cellular organization and biological function including in neurons. There is detailed understanding of how they move and how factors such as applied force and the presence of microtubule-associated proteins can alter this single-motor travel. In order to walk, the cargo-motor complex must first attach to a microtubule. This attachment process is less studied. Here, we use a combination of single-molecule bead experiments, modeling, and simulation to examine how cargos with kinesin-1 bind to microtubules. In experiment, we find that increasing cargo size and environment viscosity both significantly slow cargo binding time. We use modeling and simulation to examine how the single motor on rate translates to the on rate of the cargo. Combining experiment and modeling allows us to estimate the single motor on rate as 100 s-1. This is a much higher value than previous estimates. We attribute the difference between our measurements and previous estimates to two factors: first, we are directly measuring initial motor attachment (as opposed to re-binding of a second motor) and second, the theoretical framework allows us to account for missed events (i.e. binding events not detected by the experiments due to their short duration). This indicates that the mobility of the cargo itself, determined by its size and interaction with the cytoplasmic environment, play a previously underestimated role in determining intracellular transport kinetics.
OP0140 Ctla4Ig substantially augments the benefits of cyclophosphamide for lupus nephritis

We have recently shown that combining CTLA4Ig with cyclophosphamide (CTX) results in a marked reversal of active lupus nephritis in NZB/NZW mice. To determine whether similar benefit might be obtained with less CTX, we have compared the effect of a single dose of CTX combined with CTLA4Ig with that of continuous CTX and CTLA4Ig administration. Female mice were treated with either continuous CTX (50 mg/kg every 10 days × 7 weeks), continuous CTLA4Ig (50 mg ip 3×/week × 8 weeks), a single ip injection of CTX (50 mg/kg) plus brief CTLA4Ig (50 mg/kg ip 3×/week x 2 weeks), a single dose of cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg ip) plus continuous CTLA4Ig, continuous CTX + CTLA4Ig, or saline. After 8 weeks, none of the treated mice had died, while 36% of the saline group had significant proteinuria and 18% had died. Mice that had received either continuous CTX, or a combination of prolonged CTLA4Ig with either prolonged or brief CTX had preserved kidney function (>50% vs Reference Supported by the Veterans Administration and NIAID
EUS-Guided Pancreatic Duct Drainage

Advances in the field of interventional endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) have provided greater access to the pancreas and surrounding structures. Similar to the drainage of pancreatic fluid collections such as pseudocysts and walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON) from the stomach or duodenum through endoscopic cystenterostomy or cystgastrostomy, the principle can be applied to access and drain the pancreatic duct. EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage (EUS-PDD) is an alternative or second-line procedure which is used to drain the pancreatic duct when endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the primary modality for pancreatic duct drainage, has been unsuccessful or cannot be performed due to anatomic limitations [1].
How Cutting-Edge Research on Advertising And Branding Builds Customer Engagement

![Figure][1] Once upon a non-digital time ago, advertising and marketing research was every bit as rich and useful as it is today, but far less dense. New platforms and tools unimagined even a decade ago have generated insights and understanding that literally will reshape the challenges of
A convexity enforcing $${C}^{{0}}$$ interior penalty method for the Monge–Ampère equation on convex polygonal domains

We design and analyze a $$C^0$$ interior penalty method for the approximation of classical solutions of the Dirichlet boundary value problem of the Monge–Ampere equation on convex polygonal domains. The method is based on an enhanced cubic Lagrange finite element that enables the enforcement of the convexity of the approximate solutions. Numerical results that corroborate the a priori and a posteriori error estimates are presented. It is also observed from numerical experiments that this method can capture certain weak solutions.
Exploring the origins of the indentation size effect at submicron scales

The origin of the indentation size effect has been extensively researched over the last three decades, following the establishment of nanoindentation as a broadly used small-scale mechanical testing technique that enables hardness measurements at submicrometer scales. However, a mechanistic understanding of the indentation size effect based on direct experimental observations at the dislocation level remains limited due to difficulties in observing and quantifying the dislocation structures that form underneath indents using conventional microscopy techniques. Here, we employ precession electron beam diffraction microscopy to “look beneath the surface,” revealing the dislocation characteristics (e.g., distribution and total length) as a function of indentation depth for a single crystal of nickel. At smaller depths, individual dislocation lines can be resolved, and the dislocation distribution is quite diffuse. The indentation size effect deviates from the Nix–Gao model and is controlled by dislocation source starvation, as the dislocations are very mobile and glide away from the indented zone, leaving behind a relatively low dislocation density in the plastically deformed volume. At larger depths, dislocations become highly entangled and self-arrange to form subgrain boundaries. In this depth range, the Nix–Gao model provides a rational description because the entanglements and subgrain boundaries effectively confine dislocation movement to a small hemispherical volume beneath the contact impression, leading to dislocation interaction hardening. The work highlights the critical role of dislocation structural development in the small-scale mechanistic transition in indentation size effect and its importance in understanding the plastic deformation of materials at the submicron scale.
Quantitative Analysis of Classroom Communication Environments for Learners With Deafblindness

Classroom environments were analyzed to better understand adult language modeling rates and whether teacher certification practices contributed to differences with learners with deafblindness (DB)....
Relational evolution with oscillating clocks

A fundamental description of time can be consistent not only with the usual monotonic behavior but also with a periodic physical clock variable, coupled to the degrees of freedom of a system evolving in time. Generically, one would in fact expect some kind of oscillating motion of a system that is dynamical and interacts with its surroundings, as required for a fundamental clock that can be noticed by any other system. Unitary evolution does not require a monotonic clock variable and can be achieved more generally by formally unwinding the periodic clock movement, keeping track not only of the value of the clock variable but also of the number of cycles it has gone through at any moment. As a result, the clock is generically in a quantum state with a superposition of different clock cycles, a key feature that distinguishes oscillating clocks from monotonic time. Because the clock and an evolving system have a common conserved energy, the clock is in different cycles for different energy eigenstates of the system state. Coherence could therefore be lost faster than observed, for instance if a system that would be harmonic in isolation is made anharmonic by interactions with a fundamental clock, implying observational bounds on fundamental clocks. Numerical computations show that coherence is almost maintained over long time scales provided the clock period is much smaller than the system period. Since the precision of atomic clocks could not be achieved if atomic frequencies would be subject to additional variations from coupling to a fundamental clock, an upper bound on the clock period can be obtained that turns out to be much smaller than currently available direct or indirect measurements of time. (abbreviated)
Civil Rights, the war on poverty, and black-white convergence in infant mortality in the rural South and Mississippi

For the last sixty years, African-Americans have been 75% more likely to die during infancy as whites. From the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, however, this racial gap narrowed substantially. We argue that the elimination of widespread racial segregation in Southern hospitals during this period played a causal role in this improvement. Our analysis indicates that Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which mandated desegregation in institutions receiving federal funds, enabled 5,000 to 7,000 additional black infants to survive infancy from 1965-1975 and at least 25,000 infants from 1965-2002. We estimate that by themselves these infant mortality benefits generated a welfare gain of more than $7 billion (2005$) for 1965-1975 and more than $27 billion for 1965-2002. These findings indicate that the benefits of the 1960s Civil Rights legislation extended beyond the labor marker and were substantially larger than recognized previously.
Blind compressed sensing using sparsifying transforms

Compressed sensing exploits the sparsity of images or image patches in a transform domain or synthesis dictionary to reconstruct images from undersampled measurements. In this work, we focus on blind compressed sensing, where the underlying sparsifying transform is a priori unknown, and propose a framework to simultaneously reconstruct both the image and the transform from highly undersampled measurements. The proposed block coordinate descent type algorithm involves efficient updates. Importantly, we prove that although the proposed formulation is highly nonconvex, our algorithm converges to the set of critical points of the objective defining the formulation. We illustrate the promise of the proposed framework for magnetic resonance image reconstruction from highly undersampled k-space measurements. As compared to previous methods involving fixed sparsifying transforms, or adaptive synthesis dictionaries, our approach is much faster, while also providing promising image reconstructions.
Respiratory virus co-infection enhances Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm growth on airway epithelial cells (869.1)

Clinical observations link respiratory virus infection and Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization in chronic lung disease, including cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The development of P. aeruginosa into highly antibiotic resistant biofilm communities promotes airway colonization and accounts for disease progression in chronic lung disease patients. We hypothesized that respiratory viral co-infection promotes P. aeruginosa biofilm growth and colonization. In the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) co-infection, we observed a significant increase in P. aeruginosa biofilm formation on airway epithelial cells (AECs). RSV infection induces a potent antiviral innate immune response in AECs through interferon (IFN)-λ signaling. IFN-λ signaling is capable of recapitulating the RSV-induced bacterial biofilm formation. We have isolated the biofilm stimulatory activity to purified exosomes in conditioned media obtained from AECs infected with RSV. Iron is essential to P. aeruginosa ...
Atwater, Wilbur Olin

1844–1907 American chemist who pioneered human nutrition research in the USA. Keywords: nutrition; calorimetry; food economics
Chapter 28 Political economy of trade policy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the political economy of trade policy. In principle, a political-economy model of trade policy must have four elements. Much of the trade theory is devoted to analyzing the consequences of trade policy for individuals who derive their incomes from different factors of production or sectors. First, it must contain a description of individual preferences over the domain of policy choices available to policymakers. Given an underlying economic model of the Heckscher–Ohlin or Ricardo–Viner type and the presumption that preferences for policy depend only on self-interest, individuals' policy rankings can be deuced on the basis of their factor endowments or sector-specific skills. Second, the model must contain a description of the way these individual preferences are aggregated and channeled, through pressure groups, political parties, or grass-roots movements, into political demands for a particular policy or another. This step involves a characterization of the modes of political organization, as well as of the forms that political influence takes. The chapter also reviews the choice among alternative trade policy instruments and elaborates the consequences of viewing trade policy from political-economy lenses.
Surgical Therapy and Histological Abnormalities in Functional Isolated Small Bowel Obstruction and Idiopathic Gastrointestinal Perforation in the Very Low Birth Weight Infant

We examined surgical treatment, outcome, and histological findings in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with functional isolated small bowel obstruction (FISBO) and idiopathic gastrointestinal perforation (IGIP). The files of 18 neonates (average gestational age 27.5 weeks; average birth weight 880 g), surgically treated for IGIP ( n = 12) or FISBO ( n = 6), were retrospectively reviewed. In both groups segmental or diffuse dilatation of the small bowel was seen. All but two perforations were localized in the small bowel. In half of the patients a discontinuous absence of the internal layer of the muscularis propria or muscularis mucosae was found. Signs of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) were absent. Most of the patients were treated with an enterostomy (IGIP: n = 11; FISBO: n = 4). Overall survival in both groups was 83%. Follow-up after enterostomy closure (mean 23 months) shows normal gastrointestinal function without failure to thrive in 67% of the survivors. Muscular wall abnormalities and small bowel distension are found in both FISBO and IGIP. Although the underlying etiology remains unclear, segmental muscular wall absence may be a major predisposing factor in both conditions. Creation of a temporary enterostomy is a valid surgical option in VLBW infants with minimal risk for recurrent obstruction and/or perforation. Survival and long-term gastrointestinal function is excellent. IGIP should be distinguished from NEC.
Successful desensitization to high-dose methotrexate after systemic anaphylaxis.

Background Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist used in high doses as adjuvant chemotherapy for osteosarcoma. It has many known toxicities and has been reported to cause anaphylaxis. We report the first successful desensitization protocol to high-dose MTX. Case Presentation The patient is a 22-year-old male with the evaluation of osteosarcoma, T1Gr2NxM0. He received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and later underwent a right above the knee amputation without complication. He was then scheduled to receive adjuvant chemotherapy with high-dose MTX, 12 g/m 2 body surface area, followed by leucovorin rescue and ifosfamide. He had an immediate hypersensitivity reaction during the initiation of the MTX infusion with diffuse urticaria, facial swelling, cough, and chest tightness. The infusion was terminated and his symptoms abated. He was later skin tested to confirm allergy to MTX. In order for him to receive the needed chemotherapy, we developed a desensitization protocol that was administered in the intensive care unit. Before the infusion he was pretreated with ranitidine, cetirizine, hydroxyzine, montelukast, and prednisone. He underwent the desensitization without incident on repeated infusions. Serum tryptase levels drawn during the infusions were low, signifying controlled mast cell degranulation. Conclusions This case describes the original development of a desensitization protocol to high-dose MTX. The successful development and implementation of this protocol will have impact on patients who have anaphylactic reactions to MTX but require this medication for specific diseases. For patients who suffer from osteogenic sarcoma and have anaphylactic reactions to MTX, this desensitization protocol will allow these patients to continue with needed therapeutic or palliative chemotherapy.
Central regulation of food intake, body weight, energy expenditure, and glucose homeostasis.

In 1986, only 7 of the 50 states in the US had obesity rates above 10%; whereas in 2010 all 50 states had obesity rates above 10% and 13 states had obesity rates above 30% (C. Centers for Disease, and Prevention, 2010). This is not a problem restricted to the United States, as obesity around the world has doubled since 1980 (Finucane et al., 2011). The burgeoning epidemic of obesity is highlighted by the fact that obesity underlies the development of multiple co-morbidities including diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, reproductive disorders, and numerous types of cancers (Calle et al., 2003; Haslam and James, 2005; Reeves et al., 2007; Danaei et al., 2011; Farzadfar et al., 2011). It is troubling that current strategies for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are not optimally effective, and even multiple drug combinations often fail to normalize glycaemia and body weight in a sustained manner in the majority of treated subjects. Thus, understanding how energy and glucose homeostasis is maintained is of upmost importance in order to develop strategies for effective treatments of obesity and diabetes.
INHIBITION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS AND INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM RELEASE ABOLISHES STRETCH-MEDIATED PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN INTACT RABBIT AORTA AND PULMONARY ARTERY. • 144

INHIBITION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS AND INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM RELEASE ABOLISHES STRETCH-MEDIATED PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN INTACT RABBIT AORTA AND PULMONARY ARTERY. • 144
The colouration of the venomous coral snakes (family Elapidae) and their mimics (families Aniliidae and Colubridae)

The bright coloured, highly venomous coral snakes, Leptomicrurus, Micrurus and Micruroides (family Elapidae) and a series of harmless or mildly toxic mimics form an important component of the snake fauna of the Americas. Coral snake patterns are defined as any dorsal pattern found in any species of venomous coral snake and/or any dorsal pattern containing a substantial amount of red, pink or orange distributed so as to resemble that of some species of venomous coral snake. The components of coral snake colouration are described and four principal dorsal patterns are recognized: unicolour, bicolour, tricolour and quadricolour. The tricolour patterns may be further clustered based on the number of black bands or rings separating the red ones as: monads, dyads, triads, tetrads or pentads. A detailed classification of all coral snake colour patterns is presented and each pattern is illustrated. The taxonomic distribution of these patterns is surveyed for mimics and the 56 species of highly venomous coral snakes. Among the latter, the most frequent encountered patterns are tricolour monads, tricolour triads and bicolour rings, in that order. No venomous coral snakes have a tricolour dyad, tricolour tetrad or quadricolour pattern. As many as 115 species of harmless or mildly toxic species, c. 18% of all American snakes, are regarded as coral snake mimics. The colouration and behavioural traits of venomous coral snakes combine to form a significant antipredator defence of an aposematic type. The mimics in turn receive protection from predators that innately or through learning avoid coral snake colour patterns. The precise resemblances in colouration between sympatric non-coral snakes and venomous coral snakes and the concordant geographic variation between the two strongly support this view. Batesian mimicry with the highly venomous coral snakes as the models and the other forms as the mimics is the favoured explanation for this situation. It is further concluded that a number of species in the genera Elaphe, Farancia, Nerodia and Thamnophis, although having red in their colouration, should not be included in the coral snake mimic guild.
The stress of dementia: view from the inside.

This descriptive exploratory study used thematic analysis to interpret short videotaped speech samples produced by persons with dementia in response to the question, “How have things been going for...
A cloned antigen for serological diagnosis of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaremia with daytime blood samples

By differentially screening an adult Brugia malayi cDNA library with sera from microfilaremic and amicrofilaremic donors infected with Wuchereria bancrofti, we have identified a novel parasite antigen denoted SXP-1. Recombinant SXP-1 filarial antigen is preferentially recognized by sera from microfilaremic persons with bancroftian filariasis and from skin snip-positive patients with onchocerciasis. Antibodies to SXP-1 are restricted to the IgG4 subclass and gradually decline after treatment with diethylcarbamazine. These findings indicate that it may be possible to replace microscopic examination of night blood films with a serological test designed to detect antibodies to a mix of SXP-1 and other suitable antigens for the diagnosis of microfilaremia due to bancroftian filariasis.
The circadian rhythm of body temperature of unrestrained oppossums, Didelphis Virginiana☆

Abstract 1. 1.|The circadian rhythms of body temperatures of 4 female opossums maintained at a constant temperature ( T a = 21 ± 0.5 C) were studied by means of radiotelemetry. Two of these oppossums were also studied during cold exposure ( T α = 7 ± 0.5 C). 2. 2.|The circadian rhythm showed a mean variation between day and night readings of 1.70 at 21°C ambient temperature and 3.19 at 7 C ambient temperature. 3. 3.|At 21°C ambient temperature, the mean minimum daily body temperature ranged from 32.91 to 35.60°C (mean 34.42°C); the mean maximum daily body temperature ranged from 34.79° to 37.37°C (mean 36.12°C). 4. 4.|During 7 C ambient temperature, the mean minimum daily body temperature ranged from 31.30° to 36.41°C (mean 33.86°C); the mean maximum daily body temperature ranged from 35.10° to 39.00°C (mean 37.05°C). 5. 5.|The highest body temperatures all occurred at night and were usually associated with activity. 6. 6.|A method of clarifying the reporting of body temperature data is suggested.
Growth and Meat Yield Responses of Male Broilers Provided Feeds Subjected to Postmix Grinding During a 41-Day Production Period

Abstract Pellet quality influences cumulative BW and feed conversion of meat birds. Particle size reduction of grain affects the integrity of pellets. Postmix grinding is a feed manufacturing process used to improve particle size uniformity. This procedure grinds all the ingredients after mixing but before the diet enters the pellet mill. This study evaluated the effects of postmix grinding on pelleting parameters and live performance responses and processing yields of male broilers. Two treatments were used: 1) control feed that was manufactured under standard procedures and 2) feed subjected to postmix grinding prior to the conditioning and pelleting process. All feeds were manufactured in a commercial mill. Feed subjected to postmix grinding had improved pellet durability index and a greater percentage of pellets than feed manufactured with conventional grinding. Broilers provided feed subjected to postmix grinding consumed less feed and had improved feed conversion, but the amounts of carcass parts were similar between treatments. Future research should determine if postmix grinding is economically feasible based on improved live performance responses of broilers vs. energy usage incurred with operating postgrinders.
A scalable climate health justice assessment model.

This paper introduces a scalable “climate health justice” model for assessing and projecting incidence, treatment costs, and sociospatial disparities for diseases with well-documented climate change linkages. The model is designed to employ low-cost secondary data, and it is rooted in a perspective that merges normative environmental justice concerns with theoretical grounding in health inequalities. Since the model employs International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) disease codes, it is transferable to other contexts, appropriate for use across spatial scales, and suitable for comparative analyses. We demonstrate the utility of the model through analysis of 2008–2010 hospitalization discharge data at state and county levels in Texas (USA). We identified several disease categories (i.e., cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, heat-related, and respiratory) associated with climate change, and then selected corresponding ICD-9 codes with the highest hospitalization counts for further analyses. Selected diseases include ischemic heart disease, diarrhea, heat exhaustion/cramps/stroke/syncope, and asthma. Cardiovascular disease ranked first among the general categories of diseases for age-adjusted hospital admission rate (5286.37 per 100,000). In terms of specific selected diseases (per 100,000 population), asthma ranked first (517.51), followed by ischemic heart disease (195.20), diarrhea (75.35), and heat exhaustion/cramps/stroke/syncope (7.81). Charges associated with the selected diseases over the 3-year period amounted to US$5.6 billion. Blacks were disproportionately burdened by the selected diseases in comparison to non-Hispanic whites, while Hispanics were not. Spatial distributions of the selected disease rates revealed geographic zones of disproportionate risk. Based upon a downscaled regional climate-change projection model, we estimate a >5% increase in the incidence and treatment costs of asthma attributable to climate change between the baseline and 2040–2050 in Texas. Additionally, the inequalities described here will be accentuated, with blacks facing amplified health disparities in the future. These predicted trends raise both intergenerational and distributional climate health justice concerns.
An advanced multichip module (MCM) for high-performance UNIX servers

In 2001, IBM delivered to the marketplace a high-performance UNIX?®-class eServer based on a four-chip multichip module (MCM) code named Regatta. This MCM supports four POWER4 chips, each with 170 million transistors, which utilize the IBM advanced copper back-end interconnect technology. Each chip is attached to the MCM through 7018 flip-chip solder connections. The MCM, fabricated using the IBM high-performance glass-ceramic technology, features 1.7 million internal copper vias and high-density top-surface contact pad arrays with 100-?µm pads on 200-?µm centers. Interconnections between chips on the MCM and interconnections to the board for power distribution and MCM-to-MCM communication are provided by 190 meters of co-sintered copper wiring. Additionally, the 5100 off-module connections on the bottom side of the MCM are fabricated at a 1-mm pitch and connected to the board through the use of a novel land grid array technology, thus enabling a compact 85-mm ?? 85-mm module footprint that enables 8- to 32-way systems with processors operating at 1.1 GHz or 1.3 GHz. The MCM also incorporates advanced thermal solutions that enable 156 W of cooling per chip. This paper presents a detailed overview of the fabrication, assembly, testing, and reliability qualification of this advanced MCM technology.