cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure/Function Relationships in Active and Inactive Hamster Leydig Cells: A Correlative Morphometric and Endocrine Study

Abstract Spermatogenesis can be turned on or off in the seasonally breeding golden (Syrian) hamster in a laboratory setting by exposure of animals to different photoperiod regimens. The present study provides the first detailed quantitative analysis of the subcellular features of hamster Leydig cells during active and inactive phases of spermatogenesis and correlates these features with the endocrine activity of the same animals. Conventional stereological principles and accepted morphometric techniques were used to determine changes in a variety of subcellular constituents of Leydig cells at the extreme phases of gonadal activity produced by maintaining adult hamsters in a long photoperiod (16 h of light, 8 h of darkness) or by exposing them to a short photoperiod (6 h of light, 18 h of darkness) for 12–13 weeks. Compared with Leydig cells from gonadally active animals, Leydig cells obtained from the regressed testis showed a significant reduction in the absolute volume of nearly all of its organelles, i...
Effects of orbitofrontal cortex lesions on autoshaped lever pressing and reversal learning.

Abstract A cue associated with a rewarding event can trigger behavior towards the cue itself due to the cue acquiring incentive value through its pairing with the rewarding outcome (i.e., sign-tracking). For example, rats will approach, press, and attempt to “consume” a retractable lever conditioned stimulus (CS) that signals delivery of a food unconditioned stimulus (US). Attending to food-predictive CSs is important when seeking out food, and it is just as important to be able to modify one's behavior when the relationships between CSs and USs are changed. Using a discriminative autoshaping procedure with lever CSs, the present study investigated the effects of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) lesions on sign-tracking and reversal learning. Insertion of one lever was followed by sucrose delivery upon retraction, and insertion of another lever was followed by nothing. After the acquisition phase, the contingencies between the levers and outcomes were reversed. Bilateral OFC lesions had no effect on the acquisition of sign-tracking. However, OFC-lesioned rats showed substantial deficits in acquiring sign-tracking compared to sham-lesioned rats once the stimulus-outcome contingencies were reversed. Over the course of reversal learning, OFC-lesioned rats were able to reach comparable levels of sign-tracking as sham-lesioned rats. These findings suggest that OFC is not necessary for the ability of a CS to acquire incentive value and provide more evidence that OFC is critical for modifying behavior appropriately following a change in stimulus-outcome contingencies.
Construct Equivalence across Groups: An Unexplored Issue in Mentoring Research:

Ensuring construct comparability is a prerequisite for testing cross-group differences, yet this assumption is rarely tested in mentoring research. More studies testing for factorial invariance are needed for the construct validation of mentoring. Multiple group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to investigate the factorial stability of the Mentoring Functions Questionnaire (MFQ-9) across two groups: protegeswho are satisfied with their mentor and those who are not. CFA results supported a three-factor structure for the MFQ-9 composed of the dimensions of vocational support, psychosocial support, and role modeling. However, tests of invariance demonstrated nonequivalence for five item-pair measurements. Overall, the MFQ-9 demonstrated excellent psychometric properties with unsatisfied proteges; however, the instrument may need further development for use with satisfied proteges.
Survey of Mental Health Agencies in Curriculum Development of a Master's-Level Psychology Training Program

By use of a standard format interview, this social validation of the curriculum shows that MA staff provide direct client services.
Decomposition of gene expression state space trajectories

Representing and analyzing complex networks remains a roadblock to creating dynamic network models of biological processes and pathways. The study of cell fate transitions can reveal much about the transcriptional regulatory programs that underlie these phenotypic changes and give rise to the coordinated patterns in expression changes that we observe. The application of gene expression state space trajectories to capture cell fate transitions at the genome-wide level is one approach currently used in the literature. In this paper, we analyze the gene expression dataset of Huang et al. (2005) which follows the differentiation of promyelocytes into neutrophil-like cells in the presence of inducers dimethyl sulfoxide and all-trans retinoic acid. Huang et al. (2005) build on the work of Kauffman (2004) who raised the attractor hypothesis, stating that cells exist in an expression landscape and their expression trajectories converge towards attractive sites in this landscape. We propose an alternative interpretation that explains this convergent behavior by recognizing that there are two types of processes participating in these cell fate transitions-core processes that include the specific differentiation pathways of promyelocytes to neutrophils, and transient processes that capture those pathways and responses specific to the inducer. Using functional enrichment analyses, specific biological examples and an analysis of the trajectories and their core and transient components we provide a validation of our hypothesis using the Huang et al. (2005) dataset.
The resistance of a four- and eight-strand suture technique to gap formation during tensile testing: an experimental study of repaired canine flexor tendons after 10 days of in vivo healing.

Abstract There is a high incidence of gap formation at the repair site following tendon repair. Our goal was to determine the resistance of a 4- and an 8-strand suture technique to gap formation during tensile testing. We hypothesized that the 8-strand repair would sustain higher force levels at the onset of 1- and 3-mm gaps than the 4- strand repair. Twenty-two canine flexor tendons were transected, repaired, and tested to failure after 10 days of in vivo healing. Tests were recorded using a 60-Hz video system that allowed frame-by-frame playback for assessment of gap formation. The 8-strand repairs sustained 80% higher force at a gap of 1 mm than the 4-strand repairs (average force, 70 vs 39 N), but the force sustained at a gap of 3 mm did not differ between groups (35 N for both groups). For both repair types, a 1-mm gap typically occurred near the point of ultimate (maximum) force while a 3-mm gap occurred after the ultimate force. We conclude that the 8-strand repair is significantly more resistant to initial gapping during ex vivo tensile testing than the 4-strand repair but that the two repairs are equally susceptible to rupture if a gap of 3 mm or greater forms. (J Hand Surg 2000;25A:489–498. Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for the Surgery of the Hand.)
Dietary biotin effects on desaturation and elongation of 14C-linoleic acid in the chicken

Abstract Newly hatched male chicks were fed a purified diet containing added biotin at 0 μg (biotin-deficient, BD) or 500 μg (biotin-adequate, BA) per kg for 26 days. The metabolism of 14 C-linoleic acid (59 μCi/μmol) was studied in vitro using liver slices (ca. 100 mg) from BD and BA chickens at 15 and 19 days. Less radioactivity was found in the desaturation and elongation products of linoleic acid in BD chickens compared with their BA controls at 15 days. A higher substrate level did not increase the production of arachidonic acid in vitro . Injection of 14 C-linoleate into BD and BA chickens at 15 and 26 days revealed that biotin-deficient chicks had lowered formation of elongation products at 15 and 26 days in vivo . These data would support a hypothesis that biotin participates in chain elongation of polyunsaturates in the chicken, however, an exact mechanism is lacking.
Molecular Basis of Genetic Disorders of the Heart

In recent years, advances in the methodology of molecular biology have provided an extraordinarily sophisticated set of tools with which to determine the molecular basis of inherited genetic disorders.1,2 In many cases this has led to the development of improved diagnostic techniques and the design of experiments that hold promise for the eventual treatment of genetic diseases. The application of reverse genetics (positional cloning) and “candidate gene” deduction has led to the identification of the disease loci or, in some cases, the affected genes, including: cystic fibrosis (CF), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Huntington’s disease and some inherited cardiac disorders such as familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC), Marfan syndrome (MFS) and DiGeorge syndrome.
Permittivity measurement of layered media using a microstrip test bed

This paper discusses a permittivity measurement technique, using microstrip test bed, suitable for a layer of beads, textile or other planar material for microwave device applications. Results for measurements of three different types of beads (plastic, glass and zirconium silicate) are presented using the microstrip line-based method.
The meshless standard and hypersingular boundary node methods—applications to error estimation and adaptivity in three‐dimensional problems

The standard (singular) boundary node method (BNM) and the novel hypersingular boundary node method (HBNM) are employed for the usual and adaptive solutions of three-dimensional potential and elasticity problems. These methods couple boundary integral equations with moving least-squares interpolants while retaining the dimensionality advantage of the former and the meshless attribute of the latter. The ‘hypersingular residuals’, developed for error estimation in the mesh-based collocation boundary element method (BEM) and symmetric Galerkin BEM by Paulino et al., are extended to the meshless BNM setting. A simple ‘a posteriori’ error estimation and an effective adaptive refinement procedure are presented. The implementation of all the techniques involved in this work are discussed, which includes aspects regarding parallel implementation of the BNM and HBNM codes. Several numerical examples are given and discussed in detail. Conclusions are inferred and relevant extensions of the methodology introduced in this work are provided. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Parvibaculum hydrocarboniclasticum sp. nov., a mesophilic, alkane-oxidizing alphaproteobacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise.

An aerobic, alkane-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain EPR92T, was isolated from hydrothermal fluids that had been collected from a deep-sea vent on the East Pacific Rise (at 9° 50′ N 104° 17′ W). The cells of the novel strain were Gram-staining-negative rods that measured approximately 1.4 µm in length and 0.4 µm in width. Strain EPR92T grew at 20–40 °C (optimum 35 °C), with1.0–5.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.5 %), and at pH 4.0–8.5 (optimum pH 7.5). The generation time under optimal conditions was 63 min. Strain EPR92T grew aerobically in artificial seawater minimal medium with n-alkanes as sole carbon and energy sources, and also in artificial seawater medium supplemented with peptone and yeast extract. The predominant fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c, 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c and a putative C12 : 0 aldehyde. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and four unidentified aminolipids. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10 and the genomic DNA G+C content was 60.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene showed that strain EPR92T belongs in the class Alphaproteobacteria and the recognized species that were most closely related to the novel strain were identified as Parvibaculum indicum P-31T (98.7 % sequence similarity) and Parvibaculum lavamentivorans DS-1T (95.8 %). In DNA–DNA hybridizations, the level of DNA–DNA relatedness observed between strain EPR92T and P. indicum P-31T was 47.7 %, indicating that the two strains do not belong to the same species. Based on the phylogenetic, physiological, chemotaxonomic and genetic evidence, strain EPR92T represents a novel species within the genus Parvibaculum , for which the name Parvibaculum hydrocarboniclasticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EPR92T ( = DSM 23209 = JCM 16666T).
Mersilene mesh chin augmentation. A 14-year experience.

During the past 20 years, a variety of alloplastic materials have been introduced for chin augmentation. Mersilene mesh (Ethicon, Sommerville, NJ), introduced in 1950, demonstrates many qualities that make it an ideal implant. This article reviews the senior author's (S.W.P.) successful 14-year experience using Mersilene mesh chin implants. Between 1983 and 1997, 264 patients underwent chin implantation procedures. The results show a low rate of infection (0.8%) and displacement (1.5%). There were 14 temporary paresthesias and no cases of permanent anesthesia. There were no incidences of absorption, rejection, or extrusion. Mersilene provides a soft, natural appearance to the chin, and it continues to be our choice for chin implantation.
Evaluation of Crack Spacing in Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls

Cracking is a very common phenomenon in reinforced concrete (RC) members, dramatically affecting the members' properties, such as stiffness, deformation capacity, and permeability. However, cracks develop randomly, making their simulation difficult, especially under combined loading conditions. Using numerical simulation results, the width of a crack can be estimated by integrating the cracking strain, along the crack spacing. Cracking strain can be obtained from a finite element analysis with the well-known smeared crack approach. To use such an approach, however, a reliable simulation of the crack spacing is needed. In this paper, a method is proposed to predict the average crack spacing occurring in RC shear walls subjected to lateral demands. The method extends earlier work, which is based on both a strength and fracture energy criteria. The extension allows the method to be applied to RC members under a plane stress condition with orthogonally placed reinforcement. Eleven low aspect ratio RC shearwall specimens from three experimental data sets subjected to 49 different lateral demand levels are extracted from the literature and used to validate the model. From these data sets, a formula to determine the bond strength between the concrete and reinforcing steel is regressed. Evaluation of the model against the experimental data sets indicates that the method can predict the average crack spacing with reasonable accuracy not only in the crack initiation stage, but also in the stabilization stage.
MIG/CXCL9 neutralization attenuates chronic rejection of transplanted hearts

0.0001) and WHO class (r 0.50, p 0.0001). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) plots for norepinephrine and 6 minute walk distance were created using a cutoff of 350 meters to define serious exercise limitation. The AUC of the ROC curve was 0.854 and the NE threshold value that minimized error was 443 pg/ml, with a sensitivity and specificity of 82% at this value. Conclusions: Activation of multiple neurohumoral systems occurs in PAH, and is proportional to disease severity. Of the markers studied, BNP correlates best with hemodynamic parameters, while norepinephrine, a marker of activation of the sympathetic nervous system, correlates best with exercise capacity and functional class. These markers may be useful in the noninvasive assessment of prognosis and response to therapy in patients with PAH.
Isotopic labeling of mammalian G protein-coupled receptors heterologously expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract High-resolution structural determination and dynamic characterization of membrane proteins by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) require their isotopic labeling. Although a number of labeled eukaryotic membrane proteins have been successfully expressed in bacteria, they lack post-translational modifications and usually need to be refolded from inclusion bodies. This shortcoming of bacterial expression systems is particularly detrimental for the functional expression of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of drug targets, due to their inherent instability. In this work, we show that proteins expressed by a eukaryotic organism can be isotopically labeled and produced with a quality and quantity suitable for NMR characterization. Using our previously described expression system in Caenorhabditis elegans, we showed the feasibility of labeling proteins produced by these worms with 15N,13C by providing them with isotopically labeled bacteria. 2H labeling also was achieved by growing C. elegans in the presence of 70% heavy water. Bovine rhodopsin, simultaneously expressed in muscular and neuronal worm tissues, was employed as the “test” GPCR to demonstrate the viability of this approach. Although the worms’ cell cycle was slightly affected by the presence of heavy isotopes, the final protein yield and quality was appropriate for NMR structural characterization.
Ammonia detection by use of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy with a near-IR telecommunication diode laser

A gas sensor based on quartz-enhanced photoacoustic detection and a fiber-coupled telecommunication distributed-feedback diode laser was designed and characterized for trace NH3 monitoring at a 1.53-μm wavelength (overtone absorption region). Signal and noise dependence on gas pressure were studied to optimize sensor performance. The ammonia concentration resulting in a noise-equivalent signal was found to be 0.65 parts per million by volume with 38-mW optical excitation power and a lock-in amplifier time constant of 1 s. This corresponds to a normalized absorption sensitivity of 7.2 × 10-9 cm-1 W/Hz1/2, comparable with detection sensitivity achieved in conventional photoacoustic spectroscopy. The sensor architecture can be the basis for a portable gas analyzer.
Enhancement of Rb fine-structure transfer in 4He due to three-body collisions.

Using ultrafast laser excitation and time-correlated single-photon counting techniques, we have measured the collisional mixing rates between the rubidium 52P fine-structure levels in the presence of 4He gas. A nonlinear dependence of the mixing rate with 4He density is observed. We find Rb fine-structure transfer is primarily due to binary collisions at 4He densities of ≤1019 cm−3, while at greater densities, three-body collisions become significant. We determine a three-body collisional transfer rate coefficient (52P3/2→52P1/2) of 1.25(9)×10−32 cm6/s at 22°C.
Explaining the Northern Ireland Agreement: The Sources of an Unlikely Constitutional Consensus

Advocates of one or another set of institutions for new democracies have typically neglected the question of adoptability. The omission is especially evident in institutional prescriptions for the reduction of ethnic conflict in severely divided societies. These have been advanced with little regard for obstacles likely to be encountered in the process of adoption. Yet adoption is problematic. Processes of negotiation and exchange open the possibility of mixed outcomes reflecting the asymmetric preferences of majorities and minorities. The Northern Ireland Agreement of 1998, however, is a glaring exception, for it produced institutions that are intended to be clearly and consistently consociational. An examination of the process by which the agreement was produced suggests that the coherent outcome in Northern Ireland was the result of some very special conditions conducive to a consensus on institutions that spanned party lines. These conditions are unlikely to be widely replicable, and the fact of consensus does not imply that the agreed institutions are apt for the divided society whose problems they are intended to ameliorate.
Implications of SARS: Medical Geography and Surveillance in Disease Detection

OBJECTIVE:To expose pharmacy educators and practitioners to concepts of medical geography and medical surveillance. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is used as a case example because it is an emerging infection and a prime example of the type of disease that pharmacists may encounter in daily practice (e.g., easily transmitted, resembles the common cold).DATA SOURCES:We retrieved data from publications related to medical geography, medical surveillance, and SARS. Data on current SARS cases in Hong Kong were obtained from the Hong Kong Department of Health Web site.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Variables regarding new cases and deaths due to SARS were evaluated.DATA SYNTHESIS:Background information on medical geography and medical surveillance was reviewed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for incidence, prevalence, and the number of deaths due to SARS in Hong Kong from March 14 to May 31, 2003.CONCLUSIONS:Emerging infections are a serious concern for both the public and healthcare prac...
Risk assessment of amniocentesis between 11 and 15 weeks : comparison to later amniocentesis controls

We studied 693 consecutive early amniocenteses (prior to 15 weeks) and found a spontaneous abortion rate to 28 weeks' gestation of 1·5 per cent. A control group of women having standard amniocentesis (15–20 weeks) experienced a 0·6 per cent fetal loss in the same period. There were no other apparent differences between the two groups. Early amniocentesis results are generally available 4–6 weeks before standard amniocentesis and 1–3 weeks after chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can be accurately assayed in 11- to 15-week amniotic fluid samples but additional studies are necessary to determine the accuracy of neural tube defect (NTD) detection. Including the present study, over 5800 early amniocenteses have been reported and the results suggest that this is a relatively safe prenatal diagnostic test and an alternative to CVS and later amniocentesis.
State Master Planning for Special Education A National Survey of Current Status

The purpose of this paper is to review the status of state-wide activities in the development of master plans for education of exceptional individuals. The paper includes: (1) the need for state master plans and the context within which they are being developed, (2) a review of the status of and the process involved in planning in the various states and territories of the US, and (3) analysis of the content of the various plans.
A new process for requirements understanding

Not so long ago, the requirement was king. The mentality was "technology at any cost". In those days, the waterfall methodology was prevalent and requirements understanding was typically by analysis of the text requirements. Things have changed. With the shrinking defense budget, the new mentality is to get the most value for the money available. Cost as an independent variable (CAIV) is a key part of most systems analysis. The systems are much more commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) based and reuse is a major goal. System lifecycles are longer and the system needs to be procured based on the total ownership costs, not just the development costs. The process by which we understand and manage requirements has to change to support these goals. Requirements cannot be analyzed in a vacuum-the requirements need to be understood in relation to existing components, COTS and reducing total ownership costs. In addition, requirements can be traded/negotiated to reduce cost, schedule and/or risk. This paper describes a new process for requirement analysis, management and negotiation that addresses current goals.
Uplink user capacity in a CDMA macrocell with a hotspot microcell: exact and approximate analyses

This paper studies the number of voice users (user capacity) supported on the uplink of a single-macrocell/single-microcell code-division multiple-access system. A "hotspot" microcell is embedded within a larger macrocell and operates over the same bandwidth as the larger cell. Analytic methods are presented for computing user capacity which account for propagation loss, multiple-access interference, power control, and random locations of user terminals, as well as two distinct methods by which users select base stations (tiers). Along with the exact user capacity, a technique for making accurate approximations is also presented. Simulation results verify both the exact and approximate analytical methods. This simulation is also employed to study the capacity gains of a third, more optimal, tier-selection scheme. These results point to differences in capacity performance based on the tier-selection method, as well as on the traffic density within the hotspot region.
Intrinsic Craniofacial Compensations

Abstract No Abstract Available. *Supported in part by United States Public Health Service Grant DE-02272.
Value Perspectives in Management Decisions

Presents information on a study which analyzed the values that guide managers in making business decisions. Problems in teaching management; Perspective of a firm within the economic system; Descri...
A Feeding Deterrent for the Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis, from Tung Meal

A substance that deters feeding of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, was found in the filtrate of a water extract of tung meal, a byproduct of the process of extracting oil from the seeds (nuts) of the tung tree, Aleurites fordii Hemsl. The same substance (or a related substance) was present in more concentrated form in tung oil. The deterrent effect of the substance (s) was greater than that produced by a water extract of calyxes From buds of Rose-of-Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus L. The substance is readily soluble in water, resistant to moderate and volatilizes slowly. A 2- to 15-fold decrease occurred in the number of feeding punctures made by boll a weevils (compared with the controls) when cotton squares (buds) were dipped in a filtrate of water homogenized with tung meal that had been expeller-extracted. This deterrent effect was less when a filtrate of a homogenate of water and meal extracted by using hexane as a solvent was used and was greater when pure tung oil was used. In studies of serial dilution, the increase in deterrent effect was directly proportional to the increase in concentration of the filtrate. Antennectomy of boll weevils did not reduce the deterrent effect.
Julian Royce Goldsmith, 1918–1999

E. R. Segnit Julian Goldsmith’s career spanned the time during which mineralogical research moved from a largely descriptive subject to an experimental science. He was a student of the great experimental petrologist, Norman L. Bowen. Bowen came to the University of Chicago in the 1940s and set up one of the first experimental petrology laboratories in any university in the United States. Julian was one of Bowen’s first thesis students. During World War II, Julian departed from graduate work to do defence research on ceramics at the Corning Glass Company. After the war he returned, and in 1947 completed his PhD degree requirements. He was asked to stay at The University of Chicago and became a Research Associate that year. He remained at Chicago for his entire career, moving through the professorial ranks to that of Professor in 1958. In 1969 he became a Distinguished Service Professor. He retired in 1990, and became Professor Emeritus, although he continued to work in his laboratory until 1998. Bowen departed Chicago in 1947 to go to The Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (DC). Julian inherited Bowen’s laboratory, which consisted of open to the air high temperature ovens. By 1950 Julian obtained several externally heated hydrothermal pressure units. He also added an X-ray diffractometer. Prior to this, …
180 NEUROPEPTIDE Y IS A NEUROPROLIFERATIVE FACTOR FOR INHIBITORY ENTERIC NEURONS.

Background and Significance Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a peptide neurotransmitter shown to be a neuroproliferative factor in postnatal olfactory neurons. Alterations in NPY have been noted in diseases affecting the enteric nervous system such as diabetes. We investigated the role of NPY in enteric neuronal proliferation and suppression of apoptosis in a primary enteric neuronal culture as well as in an NPY knockout mouse model (NPY KO). Methods Using a primary culture system of enteric neurons obtained by immunoselection from E14 rat embryonic intestines, we examined the effect of NPY on enteric neuronal proliferation (Brdu) and apoptosis (Hoechst and cleaved caspase 3 staining). NPY mediated phosphorylation of Akt was assessed by Western blot analysis. For the in vivo studies segments of proximal colon from WT and NPY KO mice were fixed and stained for peripherin (total number of myenteric neurons), NADPH diaphorase (nNOS-containing inhibitory neurons), and acetylcholine esterase (excitatory neurons). Electric field stimulation (EFS) of proximal colon strips was used to evaluate the inhibitory neuronal mediated relaxation of the colon. Results Exposure of NPY (1 mM, 24 h) significantly increased proliferation of enteric neurons (% Brdu-positive neurons: vehicle: 37.6 6 4.3; NPY: 60 6 2, n = 4, p Conclusions NPY promotes enteric neuronal survival and proliferation. Loss of NPY in the NPY KO mouse model is associated with a decrease in inhibitory neurons demonstrated by neuronal staining and by EFS recording from muscle strips. NPY can be a potential target for modulation of enteric neuronal survival.
Victim to Victor: A Right to Health Perspective on Ferguson v. Jonah

Despite a recent wave of state and federal action seeking to use consumer protection laws to address harms caused by deceptive conversion therapy practices, there is little legal scholarship evaluating the relative merits of this approach. This article begins to fill that gap by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of utilizing consumer protection laws as an accountability measure for conversion therapy from a right to health perspective. Specifically, the article provides some preliminary thoughts regarding how consumer protection litigation builds capacity of rights-bearers to claim the right to health.
Assessing the incremental benefit of an extended duration lifestyle intervention for the components of the metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND Lifestyle interventions targeting the components of the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) have been demonstrated to be a cost-effective and suitable treatment strategy for reducing one's risk of developing coronary artery disease and diabetes. The optimal duration has not yet been defined. We sought to evaluate the incremental benefit of extending a lifestyle intervention from 3 months to 6 months. METHODS We evaluated 114 participants with at least three criteria for the MetSyn in a physician-referred 6-month lifestyle intervention between August 2008 and December 2012. Baseline and follow-up physiological, biochemical, and anthropometric data were analyzed for mean change and incremental change at each time point. RESULTS The mean age at enrollment was 53.0±10.2 years, and 42% of participants were males. The mean body mass index at enrollment was 38.2±0.86 kg/m(2) for males and 38.6±0.93 kg/m(2) for females. Anthropometric measures associated with weight management (body mass index, weight, and body fat percentage) improved significantly with the additional 3-month intervention (P<0.001). Systolic blood pressure (P=0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure (P=0.00006) and triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance in diabetic participants (P=0.006, P=0.004, P=0.01, respectively) improved rapidly in the initial 3-month intervention without incremental benefit of the additional 3 months. Improvements in fasting insulin (P=0.01) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (P=0.02) for nondiabetic participants required the full 6-month intervention before significant reductions were achieved. CONCLUSION A 6-month lifestyle intervention yielded significantly better results for variables related to weight management. Standard physiological measures for the MetSyn respond rapidly in a 3-month lifestyle intervention. The long-term impact of an increased duration lifestyle intervention remains to be seen.
Complete Genome Sequences of Four Different Bordetella sp. Isolates Causing Human Respiratory Infections.

ABSTRACT Species of the genus Bordetella associate with various animal hosts, frequently causing respiratory disease. Bordetella pertussis is the primary agent of whooping cough and other Bordetella species can cause similar cough illness. Here, we report four complete genome sequences from isolates of different Bordetella species recovered from human respiratory infections.
Propionibacterium acnes pneumonia in a patient with lymphoma

A 57 year-old male with lymphocytic lymphoma developed symptoms of cough, fever and progressive dyspnea accompanied by a diffuse lower lung infiltrate. Open lung biopsy revealed multiple micro-abscesses surrounding small bronchioles which yielded a pure growth of Propionibacterium acnes.
Using Global Analysis to Extend the Accuracy and Precision of Binding Measurements with T cell Receptors and Their Peptide/MHC Ligands.

In cellular immunity, clonally distributed T cell receptors (TCRs) engage complexes of peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex proteins (pMHCs). In the interactions of TCRs with pMHCs, regions of restricted and variable diversity align in a structurally complex fashion. Many studies have used mutagenesis to attempt to understand the “roles” played by various the interface components in determining TCR recognition properties such as specificity and cross-reactivity. However, these measurements are often complicated or even compromised by the weak affinities TCRs maintain towards pMHC. Here we demonstrate how global analysis of multiple datasets can be used to significantly extend the accuracy and precision of such TCR binding experiments. Application of this approach should positively impact efforts to understand TCR recognition and facilitate the creation of mutational databases to help engineer TCRs with tuned molecular recognition properties. We also show how global analysis can be used to analyze double mutant cycles in TCR-pMHC interfaces, which can lead to new insights into immune recognition.
Abstract 14022: Effect of Discontinuation and Nonadherence to Oral Anticoagulants on Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Risk

Introduction: Medicines don’t work in those who don’t take them. Although novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are more convenient than warfarin due to fewer drug-drug interactions and less need for l...
Techno-economic analysis of hydraulic fracking flowback and produced water treatment in supercritical water reactor

Abstract The use of hydraulic fracturing for shale oil and gas development generates large quantities of flowback and produced (F/P) water as by-products. The current high treatment cost of F/P water inhibits development and profitability of shale oil and gas. The Integrated Precipitative Supercritical (IPSC) process, developed at Ohio University, could remediate F/P water produced from hydraulic fracturing with significantly lower costs than current practices. The objective of this paper is to present results of a techno-economic analysis of the IPSC process using Aspen® process software and Microsoft Excel. The Aspen® model was used to simulate the IPSC process with its output used as input for the cost analysis. Results indicated an average cost of $6.33 per barrel of F/P water treatment with a possible range from $2.93/bbl to $16.03/bbl determined through sensitivity analyses. The results further indicate that the IPSC process is economically competitive compared to existing practices.
Parametric study of spatially-uniform mini-channel heat sinks using a porous media modeling approach

Pumped-liquid single-pass heat sinks with channel dimensions on the order of 0.1mm to 1.0mm are commonly researched for cooling small-scale electronic devices that generate high heat fluxes. This paper presents a simulation-based parametric study that investigates the steady-state thermal and hydrodynamic performance of 1,014 unique designs that employ square channels of a uniform size that are evenly distributed throughout the heat sink. The volume-averaged two-equation porous media model is used to simulate thermal behavior and provides the 2D spatial distributions of solid and fluid phase temperatures. Hydrodynamic behavior of the coolant is modeled using Darcy's law. The model is implemented via a user-defined element in the commercial finite element analysis code Abaqus. Thermal response is found to fall into two regimes which are defined based on an effective Biot number. Response in the low-Biot regime is found to scale with an effective resistance that is composed of a fin-type resistance (which the authors have not encountered previously) and an advective resistance. Response in the high-Biot regime is found to scale with an effective resistance that is composed of the conductive, convective and advective resistances. Hydrodynamic performance is assessed briefly, and as expected, does not follow the same trends as thermal performance. A basic design methodology for this class of heat sink is also discussed.
The Lobar Distribution of the Lesions in Breast Carcinoma: Ductoscopy and Surgery

Breast ductoscopy is an evolving field of surgical technical expertise and a new method of access to the earliest premalignant and malignant lesions for breast cancer researchers. Clinical endoscopy has rapidly improved over the last 40 years and offered researchers and clinicians access to many epithelial surfaces at risk for cancer. In the early 1990s, with the advent of submillimeter endoscopes, this approach could finally be used to examine the breast ductal epithelium. In a period of less than 2 decades, we have through clinical use been able to make direct observations of anatomy and the relationship of anatomy to the processes of breast cancer carcinogenesis. Whether unifocal or multifocal, breast cancers seem to arise within only a single ductal tree. The grade and presence or absence of angiogenesis seem to be associated with lesions in radically different regions of the ducto-lobular tree. Currently, our biopsy tools are rudimentary, but as these improve, the ability to genetically map the sequence of events during carcinogenesis up and down the ductal tree offers perhaps one of the most exciting avenues for increasing understanding or breast cancer carcinogenesis.
An Unexpected Circumstance: Acute Dystonic Reaction in the Setting of Clozapine Administration

Clozapine is a second-generation antipsychotic typically reserved for refractory psychotic disorders due to its high-risk side effect profile to include agranulocytosis, with its attendant need for regular blood draws. While reports of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), including acute dystonic reactions, are exceedingly rare, we present the case of a 44-year-old male with a long-standing history of treatment-resistant schizoaffective disorder and no history of EPS who experienced an acute buccal dystonic reaction in the setting of clozapine initiation and discontinuation of depot and oral risperidone. This case report presents one of the few documented episodes of acute dystonic reactions occurring in the setting of clozapine administration. Based upon the patient's history and the dosing time line of the medications, we propose that an interaction between the clozapine and residual risperidone was responsible for the development of the acute buccal dystonia.
Simultaneous monitoring of intravascular and extravascular oxygen tension and cerebral blood flow in rat brain during forepaw stimulation

We studied rat somatosensory cortex in vivo responses to functional activation based on real-time measurements of intravascular and extravascular oxygen tension using two-color phosphorescence lifetime spectroscopy and cerebral blood flow using laser speckle contrast imaging.
Overview and historical developments

A rich literature regarding temporal bone cancer has evolved over the last century. While squamous cell carcinoma is the most common tumor to involve the temporal bone, many different primary tumor types can occur within the temporal bone. These different tumor types have very different biologic behaviors, and it is important to understand the natural history of each of these tumors. Equally, many different primary locations, such as periauricular skin and parotid, can involve the temporal bone. Recognizing the similarities and differences of these primary sites from the ear canal, middle ear, and mastoid is essential.
A COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURE FOR COMPUTER VISION

Our objective is to design a visual analyzer for real-time scene analysis of dynamic imagery. For this purpose we employ a cognitive architecture derived from concepts of the central nervous system. Output of the visual analyzer will be high-level real-time perceptual data suitable either for the guidance of robot action or for the symbolic description of the visual environment. This output resides in a distributed relational database modeling the hypercolumnar architecture of the visual cortex.
Abstract 1153: Development and validation of a novel in vitro model of the tumor immune microenvironment

Tumor-associated lymphatics and their connection to the tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) play important roles in cancer metastasis as well as in modulating the immune microenvironment. They bathe the TDLN in cytokines, exosomes, antigens, and suppressive factors from the tumor microenvironment to alter the anti-tumor immune response. These interactions are difficult to study in vivo, yet currently, these interactions cannot be readily explored in vitro. Here, we developed a perfused paper-based cell culture platform which can recreate the 3-dimensional architecture, stromal component and physiological levels of interstitial flow of the native tissue environment, while keeping the device high-throughput, easy to use, and inexpensive. This platform can sustain the long-term cultures (>3 weeks) of a number of tumor cell lines, which form complex architectures reminiscent of actual tumors, as well as of excised tumor tissue. The platform also supports the function and viability of immune cells (such as T lymphocytes and dendritic cells) and stromal cells (such as lymphatic endothelial cells and fibroblasts). To model the tumor interaction with its TDLN, we created a model in which tumor cells and lymph node stromal cells (LNSC) are cultured in separate but connected compartments under perfusion. To validate this, we have demonstrated preferential tumor migration to preconditioned (vs. unconditioned) LN stroma. The LN stroma compartment also supports co-culture of dendritic cells and T lymphocytes. To validate the modeling of the crosstalk between the tumor and TDLN, we show that tumor conditionioning of the LN primes the LN microenvironment to dampen cytotoxic T cell function. Together, these data highlight the potential of this system for studying complex tumor-host cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment over long periods of time, and paves the way towards an in vitro screening platform for drug screening for drugs that target cells or factors in the tumor microenvironment that serve as barriers to both chemotherapy as well as immunotherapies. Citation Format: RUOLAN ZHOU, Rachel Weathered, Luis Alonzo, Renata Mezyk-Kopec, Melody Swartz. Development and validation of a novel in vitro model of the tumor immune microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1153.
Manufacturing and characterization of novel clutch non-conventional fiber-reinforced composite laminates

Abstract In this study the manufacture and characterization of novel non-conventional composite laminates coined as clutch laminates are presented. These carbon/epoxy laminates are manufactured using prepreg slit tape in an automated fiber placement (AFP) machine through tow skips. The AFP process allows for the tailoring of material architecture, resulting in woven-like structures without the need for a loom . These laminates are heterogeneous due to variation of fiber orientation and therefore, the material properties at a given section is a function of in-plane spatial coordinates . The thermal and mechanical behavior is studied where the clutch laminate lay-up pattern is represented with a sub cell approach utilizing 3D shell finite elements where the tows are deposited onto the regions mimicking the AFP course. Experimental results show that post-cure thermal warpage for the clutch carbon/epoxy laminates is significantly reduced when compared to conventional asymmetric laminates while also exhibiting tensile properties comparable to traditional laminates of the same ply counts. Based on the model predictions, the reduction in the warpage is attributed to the spatial variations in the local stacking sequences leading to reduced net deformation.
Statin use among Veterans with dialysis‐dependent chronic kidney disease

Introduction The benefits of statin medications in patients receiving maintenance dialysis remains controversial and clinical trials overall have shown no benefit. Potential side effects of statin medications include myalgias, myopathy, and memory loss and risk of side effects associated with statin medications increase with higher statin doses. We examined statin use and statin dose among Veterans with dialysis dependent CKD. Such information may help clinicians modulate medication use and reduce pill burden in appropriate patients. Methods This cross-sectional analysis ascertained medication utilization by linking records from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) Managerial Cost Accounting Pharmacy National Data Extracts and Medicare Part D during calendar year 2013 for Veterans with dialysis-dependent CKD enrolled in and/or using VA healthcare. The venue of dialysis and patient characteristics were ascertained by linking VA Medical SAS datasets, VA Fee Basis datasets (for non-VA care paid for by VA), Medicare claims and the United States Renal Data Systems patient core files. Findings We identified 18,494 Veterans with dialysis-dependent CKD who were enrolled in and/or used VA healthcare, had no history of kidney transplantation, and were alive on January 1, 2014. More than half (58.1%) of Veterans with dialysis-dependent CKD used statins and 35.7% of statin utilization was high dose. Statins were the third most commonly prescribed medication after beta blockers (64.8%) and phosphate binders (64.5%). Discussion Statins are a commonly prescribed medication among Veterans receiving maintenance dialysis and approximately one-third of statin utilization is high dose in this population. Future studies should examine patient preferences, comorbidities, and dialysis characteristics that impact the risks and benefits of statin use in order to identify those patients who will or will not benefit from continued statin use.
Running out of developmental program and selfish anti-aging: a new hypothesis explaining the aging process in primates

Of the three complementary theories of aging, two (mutation accumulation and antagonistic pleiotropy) were formulated over fifty years ago before the introduction of molecular biology, and the third (disposable soma) is over thirty years old. Despite rigorous research in the past fifty years, none have gained substantial experimental support. Here, I review these theories and introduce a new hypothesis called the selfish anti-aging (SAA). Aging happens because natural selection is indifferent to the organism's life beyond reproduction; however, many mammalian species acquired anti-aging genes, which are providing instructions following completion of developmental, ontogeny, program. Such instructor-genes might be responsible for the elongation of lifespans of primates as a byproduct of parental care program. According to the SAA hypothesis, the animal models used in aging research could be divided into three groups, based on the degree of perceived presence and action of instructor-genes in each group. This new hypothesis is grounded in evolutionary theory and describes the unique primate aging process.