cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genomes for Kids: The scope of pathogenic mutations in pediatric cancer revealed by comprehensive DNA and RNA sequencing.

Genomic studies of pediatric cancer have primarily focused on specific tumor types or high-risk disease. Here, we used a three-platform sequencing approach, including whole genome (WGS), exome, and RNA sequencing, to examine tumor and germline genomes from 309 prospectively identified children with newly diagnosed (85%) or relapsed/refractory (15%) cancers, unselected for tumor type. Eighty-six percent of patients harbored diagnostic (53%), prognostic (57%), therapeutically-relevant (25%), and/or cancer predisposing (18%) variants. Inclusion of WGS enabled detection of activating gene fusions and enhancer hijacks (36% and 8% of tumors, respectively), small intragenic deletions (15% of tumors) and mutational signatures revealing of pathogenic variant effects. Evaluation of paired tumor-normal data revealed relevance to tumor development for 55% of pathogenic germline variants. This study demonstrates the power of a three-platform approach that incorporates WGS to interrogate and interpret the full range of genomic variants across newly diagnosed as well as relapsed/refractory pediatric cancers.
Medical and Neurological Management of Brain Tumor Complications.

The diagnosis of brain tumors often leads to complications that are either related to the tumor itself or the tumor-directed and supportive therapies, increasing the burden on the patients’ quality of life and even survival. This article reviews the medical and neurological conditions that commonly complicate the disease course of brain tumors patients. Various mechanisms have been newly identified to be involved in the pathophysiology of seizures and brain edema and can help advance the treatment of such complications. There have also been new developments in the management of thromboembolic disease and cognitive impairment. Medical and neurological complications are being identified more often in brain tumor patients with the improved survival provided by therapeutic advances. Early and proper identification and management of such complications are crucial for a better survival and quality of life.
Toe tourniquet syndrome caused by cable tie.

BACKGROUND: Tourniquet syndrome clinically presents as pain, discoloration, paresthesias, and swelling distal to a constricting band. If left untreated or unrecognized, it may induce ischemia, resulting in tissue necrosis or auto amputation of the appendage. Treatment involves removal of all constricting bands and monitoring of the neurovascular status of the digit after constriction removal. RESULTS: A healthy 7-year-old female had tied a cable tie around her toe for an unknown amount of time before evaluation. After examination of the toe and concern for ischemia, the cable tie was removed. Once the cable tie was removed, the area of necrotic tissue at the dorsal proximal phalanx was gently debrided taking special care to avoid the extensor tendon, which was exposed but appeared to be intact. Tetanus prophylaxis was updated, she was sent home on oral antibiotics and she went home with dressing changes. The patient was referred for a psychiatric consultation due to the unique nature of the self-injury and concern for possible underlying disorder. CONCLUSIONS: This case is the first in the literature to describe toe tourniquet syndrome caused by a cable tie. This case highlights the importance of treatment of the offending structure with release and to monitor the digit for signs of ischemia. A thorough history should be sought from both the patient and, in this case, the patient's caregiver to seek any additional clues of depression, anxiety, or anger. If warranted, appropriate consultation of a psychiatrist may be warranted. Language: en
Causal Principles, Degrees of Reality and the Priority of the Infinite

Descartes’ version of the Cosmological Argument in the Third Meditation is usually considered a failure, not because its conclusion doesn't follow from its premises, but because the truth of two of its premises is doubtful. One of these premises is that the objective reality of an idea is derived from a cause in which there is at least as much formal reality; the other, that only a being that possesses the qualities normally attributed to God could be responsible for the idea of God. Typically there are two objections made in response to the first of these premises. First, we don't understand the concepts of formal and objective reality well enough to know whether or not the premise commands our assent.
State Employees Versus the Religious Right: A Case Study of Grassroots Lobbying for Children

This qualitative case study focused on a conflict which arose between two child advocacy groups in 1993 in North Carolina. One group consisted of nurses, social workers, and public school teachers and administrators; the other group consisted of ministers and church day care providers. At stake was a legislative initiative, Smart Start, which would fund 20 model day care centers in the state, reduce staff-to-child ratios in day care centers, and increase child immunizations. This study was based on participant/observation, interview, and document review; it chronicled the conflict and highlighted group tactics.
The effect of air flow rate and biomass type on the performance of an updraft biomass gasifier.

Airflow and the type of biomass are the two most important factors influencing the performance of a biomass gasifier. In this research, the effects of air flow rate (air-fuel equivalence ratios of 0.21, 0.25, and 0.29) and biomass type (woody biomass, agricultural residue, and perennial grass) on the performance of an updraft biomass gasifier were evaluated based on its tar and producer gas generation. It was found that increasing airflow increased the formation of tar species for all biomass types studied, but no significant differences in producer gas composition were found when the air-fuel equivalence ratio was changed. Thus, air-fuel equivalence ratios ranging from 0.21 to 0.25 were deemed appropriate for minimal tar generation. The results also showed that different biomass types generated producer gas with significantly different tar contents: woodchips yielded the most tar, followed by sorghum stover and prairie hay. The higher heating value of producer gas from various biomass types was also significantly different. Wood chip-derived producer gas had the greatest higher heating value, followed by prairie hay and sorghum stover. The carbon monoxide content in the produce gas of the three biomass types also exhibited significant differences with varying biomass type, similar to the higher heating value, but there were no significant differences in the H2 content with varying biomass type or airflow.
Television and New Media: Must-Click TV, by Jennifer Gillan

As television's transition from “network” to “networked” medium enters its third decade, critics, academics, industry workers, and audiences continue to struggle to make sense of the events of the ...
Evaluation of an actively contolled battery-capacitor hybrid energy storage module (HESM) for use in driving pulsed power applications

As the U.S. Navy moves towards the fielding of all electric ships (AES), there will be a unique shift in the electrical load profile seen by its generation sources [1,2]. In addition to the electrical propulsion system, unique high pulsed power loads, which have high peak to average power requirements, will be deployed. Traditionally, fossil fuel generators have been used to power ships, but the transient power demands induced by pulsed power loads can impart extreme stress on generators, resulting in a loss in both fuel efficiency and power quality. One solution to this problem involves buffering the generator's power demand with an energy storage device (ESD). Normally the go-to solution for implementing an ESD might be to utilize lead acid batteries however with recent developments in lithium-ion batteries (LIB), it is desirable to use them instead due to their high combined power and energy density [3-6]. In order to further preserve the lifetime of the LIBs and maintain their safe operation, many have proposed to augment them with electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Such a configuration is known as a hybrid energy storage module (HESM) since it incorporates both energy dense LIBs and power dense EDLCs into a single power supply topology [7-9]. A HESM is used to augment the generator in providing power to pulsed loads when they are energized while also acting as a sink to the generator when the pulsed loads are in an idle state. This enables the generator to maintain a nearly constant output, increasing its efficiency and power quality considerably. A few different HESM topologies have been previously presented [8-9]. In the work presented here, an actively controlled LIB as well as an actively controlled EDLC are deployed. This unique configuration is aimed at maximizing the energy density of the LIB while also maximizing the power and energy density of the EDLC. The HESM has been designed, constructed, and validated using only commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies. This paper will present the advantages and capabilities that this type of HESM topology brings to a pulsed power system along with insights into the current abilities of COTS products to facilitate this application.
Longitudinal Effects of Medical Students' Communication Skills on Future Performance

ABSTRACT Background: The Essential Elements of Communication (EEC) were developed from the Kalamazoo consensus statement on physician–patient communication. The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) has adopted a longitudinal curriculum to use the EEC both as a learning tool during standardized patient encounters and as an evaluation tool culminating with the end of preclerkship objective-structured clinical examinations (OSCE). Medical educators have recently emphasized the importance of teaching communication skills, as evidenced by the United States Medical Licensing Examination testing both the integrated clinical encounter (ICE) and communication and interpersonal skills (CIS) within the Step 2 Clinical Skills exam (CS). Purpose: To determine the associations between students' EEC OSCE performance at the end of the preclerkship period with later communication skills assessment and evaluation outcomes in the context of a longitudinal curriculum spanning both undergraduate medical ...
The Prevalence of Hospital Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Services: Good News, Bad News, and Policy Implications

In recent years, American health care has shifted toward an emphasis on population health in communities. National data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals are used to describe the prevalence of 26 services provided by general hospitals that could contribute to health promotion and disease prevention (HPDP). Cross-sectional descriptive analyses, based on national data sources, linked HPDP services to hospital characteristics, and factor analysis identified significant categories of HPDP activities. The results showed that many specific HPDP services are offered by thousands of hospitals, but prevalence, distribution, and availability of the services are uneven across the size and ownership of hospitals and their communities. Policy initiatives could increase the prevalence of hospitals’ health promotion and disease prevention services, thereby improving the health status of their communities.
Sophisticated Sensing on Transient Power

For decades sensing systems have relied solely on battery power for execution of all activities; this has caused the focus of much research to go towards reducing energy consumption to extend the usable lifetime of a sensor. Recently, a new class of batteryless devices has arisen that promise operation in perpetuity, but often at the cost of reliability, and complexity. Programming, profiling, debugging, and building these applications is a significant challenge; designers must often be capable of implementing custom hardware to manage energy, while writing code in an environment that does not guarantee task completion. In this abstract, we motivate batteryless sensing, examine the state of the art, and propose a novel approach to programming, profiling, debugging, and building, tiny, batteryless sensors.
Gαq signaling is required for Rho‐dependent transcriptional activation of the cyclooxygenase‐2 promoter in fibroblasts

Previously, we demonstrated that the gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) induces cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression through a Rho-dependent, protein kinase C (PKC)-independent signaling pathway in fibroblasts (Slice et al., 1999, J Biol Chem 274:27562-27566). However, the specific role of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding regulatory proteins (G-proteins) that are coupled to the GRP receptor in Rho-dependent COX-2 expression has not been elucidated. In this report, we utilize embryonic fibroblasts from transgenic mice containing double gene knock-outs (DKO) for Galpha(q/11) and Galpha(12/13) to demonstrate that COX-2 promoter activation by GRP requires Galpha(q). Furthermore, we show that GRP-dependent COX-2 gene expression, as assessed by a COX-2 reporter luciferase assay, was induced in cells lacking Galpha(12/13) but was blocked in cells that did not express Galpha(q/11). GRP-dependent COX-2 promoter induction in Galpha(q/11) deficient cells was rescued by expression of wild type Galpha(q) but blocked by inhibition of calcium signaling in calcium-free media or in cells treated with 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB). Co-stimulation of transfected Galpha(q/11) deficient cells with GRP and thapsigargin (TG) induced the COX-2 promoter. Activation of endogenous Rho by expression of Onco-lbc or expression of Rho A Q63L resulted in COX-2 promoter activation in Galpha(q/11) deficient cells. Inhibition of Rho by Clostridium botulinum C3 toxin blocked COX-2 promoter induction. Expression of Galpha(q) Q209L in the well-characterized fibroblast cell line, NIH3T3, induced the COX-2 promoter which was blocked by expression of C3 toxin. These results demonstrate that calcium signaling mediated by Galpha(q) and Rho play critical roles in GRP-dependent COX-2 expression in fibroblasts.
Maximum-likelihood estimation for hidden Markov models

Hidden Markov models assume a sequence of random variables to be conditionally independent given a sequence of state variables which forms a Markov chain. Maximum-likelihood estimation for these models can be performed using the EM algorithm. In this paper the consistency of a sequence of maximum-likelihood estimators is proved. Also, the conclusion of the Shannon-McMillan-Breiman theorem on entropy convergence is established for hidden Markov models.
Scalable model predictive control of demand for ancillary services

In this paper, we develop an integrated decision making framework for the planning and real-time control decisions made by a Load Serving Entity (LSE) providing ancillary services to the wholesale market. Due to the multi-settlement structure of the energy market, planning decisions by the LSE are naturally made at multiple temporal stages. The tight interdependence among decisions demands an integrated approach to minimize the overall costs of operation. In order to model the dynamics of the load at large-scales when making these decisions, we propose a classification-based model that captures the effect of scheduling decisions made for individual appliances at aggregate levels, with reasonable effort. To provide a tangible example of how this load aggregation technique can be applied, we study the case of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in detail.
Liposomes as carriers for polypeptides

Abstract In light of the increasing research focus on intravenous liposomes for altering drug toxicity and efficacy, their use in sustained release applications is overshadowed. For example, though known for more than 12 years, the employment of intramuscular or subcutaneous routes as depot sites for prolonging delivery has only been peripherally examined with few applications to drugs of importance. Furthermore, an even smaller subset of those studies has examined the properties of specific peptide formulations. Likewise, information about use of liposome preparations to enhance peptide absorption from other sites of application is both fleeting and controversial. Nonetheless, enough of a research foundation exists to justify future investigations of these modes. This review has taken a practical approach toward identifying those factors which must be considered to permit development of successful liposomal peptide formulations. The questions addressed are of both a scientific and a commercial nature: Can peptides be slowly delivered in active form given the adjuvant potential of liposomes? How efficient is the delivery? What liposome process methods adapt well to peptide technology? How costly is it to produce a liposome peptide formulation? What parameters of stability must be monitored? What mechanisms govern the release of peptide from the liposome? How important is liposome clearance from the injection site in establishment of blood levels? What biocompatibility issues need be addressed for future clinical applications? What delivery periods should be expected? It is hoped that the answers to these questions plus some newer perspectives will provide a more coherent picture of the past, present, and future uses of liposomes in peptide delivery.
Visualization of conflicts and resolutions in a “free flight” scenario (case study)

“Free Flight” will change today's air traffic control system by giving pilots increased flexibility to choose and modify their routes in real time, reducing costs and increasing system capacity. This increased flexibility comes at the price of increased complexity. If Free Flight is to become a reality, future air traffic controllers, pilots, and airline managers will require new conflict detection, resolution and visualization decision support tools. This paper describes a testbed system for building and evaluating such tools, including its current capabilities, lessons we learned, and feedback received from expert users. The visualization system provides an overall plan view supplemented with a detailed perspective view, allowing a user to examine highlighted conflicts and select from a list of proposed solutions, as the scenario runs in real time. Future steps needed to improve this system are described.
Mechanical Properties of Heat‐cured Whey Protein‐based Edible Films Compared with Collagen Casings under Sausage Manufacturing Conditions

ABSTRACT: Edible films were produced using whey protein isolate (WPI) (5%, w/v), glycerol (3.3%, w/v) and candelilla wax (0.8%, w/v). One set of films was heat cured at 90°C for 12 h and another at 80°C for 24 h. WPI-based films, together with collagen films, were put through a meat-processing scheme typical of Polish sausage manufacture. Meat-processing conditions were stage 1: 57°C/60 min/36% RH; stage 2: 65°C/90 min/60% RH; and stage 3: 77°C/30 min/80% RH. Effects of meat-processing conditions on mechanical properties: tensile strength (TS), elongation (%E), and apparent modulus (AM) were determined. All films remained intact throughout the process. TS, %E, and AM of collagen films did not change during the multistage cooking process. The %E of heat-cured WPI films was similar to that of collagen films and also did not change during the cooking stages. The TS and AM of both heat-cured WPI-based films were initially lower than collagen films and continued to decline during the cooking stages. TS and AM of both films at the end of cooking were lower (P < 0.05) than films that did not go through the multistage cooking process.
Extracellular calcium-sensing receptors in fishes.

Abstract The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in fishes, like the CaSRs of tetrapod vertebrates, is a dimeric seven transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptor. The receptor is expressed on the plasma membranes of a variety of tissues and cells where it functions as a sensor of extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] o ) in the physiological range. In the context of systemic calcium homeostasis, CaSR expressed in endocrine tissues that secrete calciotropic and other hormones (pituitary gland and corpuscles of Stannius) may play a central role in global integrative signaling, whereas receptor expressed in ion-transporting tissues (kidney, intestine, gills, and elasmobranch rectal gland) may have local direct effects on monovalent and divalent ion transport that are independent of endocrine signaling. In fishes, specifically, CaSR expression at the body surface (at the gills and olfactory tissues, for example) may permit direct sensing of environmental Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ concentrations, especially in the marine environment. Additionally, CaSRs may have other widespread and diverse roles in extracellular Ca 2+ sensing related both to organismal calcium homeostasis and to intercellular Ca 2+ signaling. As a consequence of the broad spectrum of recognized ligands, including polyvalent cations and amino acids, and of binding site shielding by monovalent cations, additional receptor functionalities related to salinity and nutrient detection are proposed for CaSRs. CaSR expression in the gastrointestinal tract may be multifunctional as a sensor for polyvalent cations and amino acids. Structural and phylogenetic analyses reveal strongly conserved features among CaSRs, and suggest that calcium sensing by mammalian parathyroid gland-type CaSR proteins may be restricted to chordates. Comparative functional and genomic studies that include piscine CaSRs can be useful model systems for testing existing hypotheses regarding receptor function, and will shed light on the evolutionary developmental history of calcium homeostasis in the vertebrates.
Identification of CD44v6(+)/CD24- breast carcinoma cells in primary human tumors by quantum dot-conjugated antibodies.

Breast carcinoma cells with the CD44+/CD24low phenotype have been reported to exhibit ‘cancer stem cell’ (CSC) characteristics on the basis of their enhanced tumorigenicity and self-renewal potential in immunodeficient mice. We used immunohistochemistry to study the expression of these proteins in whole tissue sections of human breast carcinoma. We found that the fraction of CD44v6+ cells is higher in estrogen receptor-positive carcinomas after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We also performed double immunohistochemistry for CD44v6 and for the proliferation marker Ki67. We found that the relative number of quiescent carcinoma cells is higher in the CD44v6+ population than in the CD44v6− population in specific carcinoma subtypes. We then used quantum dots and spectral imaging to increase the number of antigens that could be visualized in a single tissue section. We found that anti-CD44v6 and CD24 antibodies that were directly conjugated to quantum dots retained their ability to recognize antigen in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. We then performed triple staining for CD44v6, CD24 and Ki67 to assess the proliferation of each sub-population of breast carcinoma cells. Our results identify differences between CD44v6-positive and CD44v6-negative breast carcinoma cells in vivo and provide a proof of principle that quantum dot-conjugated antibodies can be used to study specific sub-populations of cancer cells defined by multiple markers in a single tissue section.
3 Growth of the Dentition and Its Supporting Structure

Frequently there is a tendency to assume that only ideal occlusion is normal, and all deviations are abnormal. A more realistic view postulates that most change is normal, and the clinician who understands growth changes provides his patients with better therapy. In addition to the rapid alterations achieved by surgical procedures, greater long-term stability may be expected from certain man-made dental changes if surgical alteration of muscular supporting structures of the dentition are given as much consideration as the bony structures.
The real exchange rate conundrum: The case of Central America

Abstract This paper evaluates alternative measures of the real exchange rate for Mexico and Central American countries. Bilateral and multilateral real exchange rates using the consumer price index, wholesale price index and gross domestic product deflator are calculated. There are often significant differences between the bilateral and multilateral measures of the real exchange rate. Real exchange rates based on consumer price indexes and gross domestic product deflators were found to be more closely related to each other than either one was to the wholesale price index.
Restoration of shock‐suppressed behavior by treatment with (+)‐5‐methyl‐10,11‐dihydro‐5H‐dibenzo[a, d]cyclohepten‐5, 10‐imine (MK‐801), a substance with potent anticonvulsant, central sympathomimetic, and apparent anxiolytic properties

MK-801 was evaluated in rats for “antipunishment” and “anticonflict” activity in two procedures: (1) A conditioned emotional response (CER) test involving the suppression of lever-pressing by unaviodable shock and (2) a simple conflict test in water-deprived animals that were shocked for licking water. The effect of MK-801 in both procedures was qualitatively similar to the benzodiazepines. Lever-pressing in the CER test was increased by MK-801 at doses ranging from 50–400 μg/kg administered orally (p.o.) at either 0.5 or 2 hours prior to testing. The number of shocks received in the “thirsty rat” conflict procedure was increased by MK-801 at doses from 110–1,000 μg/kg p.o., providing the compound was given 2 or more hours before test. MK-801 was without anticonflict activity when administered 1 hour prior to study. In squirrel monkeys trained in a response-contingent conflict paradigm, a specific anticonflict effect for MK-801 (50–400 μ/kg p.o.) was not demonstrable. As assessed by observing the overt behavior of squirrel monkeys, MK-801 at doses greater than 100 μg/kg p.o. caused apparent “taming” or “tranquilization.” Chlordizepoxide and diazepam given, respectively, at doses above 1 and 2 mg/kg p.o. had a similar “taming” action. The benzodiazepines possessed a greater separation between doses producing “taming” and those causing ataxia than did MK-801. The mode of action for the antipunishment effect of MK-801 in rats is not known, but it was found that naloxone (2 or 5 mg/kg SC) antagonized the anticonflict actions of both MK-801 and chlordiazepoxide. In vitro, MK-801 was inactive (IC50 > 2 μM) with respect to competing for binding to rat brain tissue by various radioligands (diazepam, muscimol, apomorphine, spiroperidol, serotonin, LSD, WB-4101, dihydroalprenolol, QNB, and 2-chloroadenosine). An increase in 3H-diazepam binding in vitro in rat brain tissue was detected following acute, but not chronic, treatment in vivo with MK-801.
A New, Inexpensive, Nitrogen-pumped Dye Laser with Subnanosecond Pulses

A simple, inexpensive design for the generation of subnano-second pulses from an N2-pumped dye laser is given. The critical alignment necessary for most dye lasers is minimized because the dye laser is entirely self-contained. The dye laser, operating at 18 Hz, produced intense broad band emission pulses of ~0.2-0.4 ns in the visible region.
Scission of non‐interpenetrating macromolecules in transient extensional flows

Solutions of the random coiling polymers; polystyrene, poly (methylmethacrylate), and sodium polystyrene sulfonate (NaPSS), all at concentrations well below the critical value for entanglement, were subjected to transient, high, elongational strain rates by passage from a cylinder through an orifice into a gently diverging section, driven by a piston at constant, high velocity over a short stroke. It is shown that a critical orifice flow velocity Vc. exists for each polymer species, above which scission of polymer molecules occurs creating new molecules. By gel permeation chromatography, the number of additional polymer molecules created per initial polymer molecule, the scission index, was determined as Mn,0/Mn – 1 where Mn is the number average molecular weight, and Mn,0 is the initial value thereof. Vc is found to vary as approximately M. Above Vc the scission index was found to be proportional to M, to the difference: orifice velocity V less Vc, and to the number of passes N of the polymer solution through the orifice. Expansion of NaPSS coils by reducing ionic strength of their aqueous solutions, at constant polymer molecular weight, decreases the scission index, The hypothesis is proposed that intramolecular entanglements are responsible for scission. The random coiling macromolecules in the solution cannot respond to the strain rate (imposed in ca, 100 microseconds) so as to avoid having internal sections, caught by loop entanglement, pulled to nearly full extension and thus broken.
Cyclin D1 (PRAD1) alternative transcript b: full-length cDNA cloning and expression in breast cancers

The cyclin D1/PRAD1 protooncogene is a key regulator of the G1 phase of the cell cycle and has been incriminated in the pathogenesis of a variety of primary human tumors. Recently, part of a novel alternatively spliced cyclin D1 transcript, called transcript b, has been identified. This variant transcript showed a failure of splicing at the 3' end of exon 4 and as a result, the expected protein product is altered at its C-terminus. Because of similar transcript sizes, previous Northern analyses would not have been expected to distinguish the two variants, and the relative levels of the two cyclin D1 transcripts in human tumors is unknown. To elucidate the role of cyclin D1 transcript b, we have isolated cDNA clones of this variant transcript from human breast cancer cell lines and report the sequence of the entire coding region of the cDNA. The protein predicted from the cDNA sequence consists of 274 amino acid residues and lacks a PEST sequence in its C-terminus. Examination of the levels of the two alternative cyclin D1 transcripts in primary breast cancers and breast cancer cell lines by Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays showed that the variant transcript b is indeed expressed in primary breast cancers and breast cancer cell lines, but the level of transcript b is dramatically lower than that of the originally reported transcript a of the cyclin D1 gene. In breast cancers, oncogenic overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA appears to consist overwhelmingly of transcript a, and the role of transcript b, if any, in oncogenesis remains to be established. Science Ireland Ltd.
A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial of Vincristine versus Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Acute Adjunctive Management of Presumptive Primary Immune‐Mediated Thrombocytopenia in Dogs

Background Dogs with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) are at risk of hemorrhage when platelet count is <50,000/μL. Treatment with vincristine (VINC) or human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG) decreases platelet recovery time compared with treatment with corticosteroids alone. Objectives To compare the effect of hIVIG versus VINC on platelet recovery in dogs with ITP. Methods Prospective, randomized study. Twenty dogs with idiopathic ITP (platelet count <16,000/μL) were enrolled. All dogs were treated with corticosteroids. Dogs were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of hIVIG (0.5 g/kg) or VINC (0.02 mg/kg). Outcome measures were platelet recovery time, duration of hospitalization, and survival to discharge. Results There was no significant difference in age, sex, weight, or initial platelet count between dogs treated with hIVIG (n = 10) and dogs treated with VINC (n = 10). Median platelet recovery time for both groups was 2.5 days (P = .51). Median hospitalization time for all dogs that survived to discharge was 4 days and not different between groups (P = .29). Seven of 10 dogs in the hIVIG group and 10 of 10 in the VINC group survived to discharge. Survival analysis did not identify any significant difference between the groups at discharge, 6 months, and 1 year after entry into the study. No adverse effects were reported in either group. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Vincristine should be the first-line adjunctive treatment for the acute management of canine ITP because of lower cost and ease of administration compared with human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG).
Surface morphology of platinum catalysts

Surface morphologies of small (< 0.06 cm diameter) single crystal spheres of Pt and other transition metals are examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) following their use as catalysts in NH3, C3H8, and CO oxidation reactions and in NH3 decomposition at a total pressure of 1 atm. The stabilities of all regions of the stereographic triangle are examined from SEM micrographs and reflectance patterns, and relative areas of planes are estimated. Between one and five stable crystal planes are observed for these reactions, and the planes formed and their relative areas depend strongly on the reaction and reactant composition. Unstable planes break up into facets of these planes, but smooth curved regions and pits are observed under certain conditions. Dependences on time, temperature, sphere diameter, and flow velocity are examined for NH3 oxidation. It is found that the rate of facet formation is larger on small spheres and that the stable planes and their relative areas are influenced by both sphere diameter and flow velocity. Facet dimensions are 1 to 5 μm for all reactions under most conditions, and facet size increases slowly with reaction time. It is shown that metal transport by either surface diffusion or volatile oxide formation is possible in most cases and that minimum surface free energy considerations can account for unstable and metastable regions and faceting rates. Boundary layer influences on metal transport and the dependence of etching on sphere diameter and flow velocity are also considered.
Functional MRI Predicts Memory Performance after Right Mesiotemporal Epilepsy Surgery

Summary: Purpose: Anterior temporal lobe resection (ATR) is a treatment option in drug-resistant epilepsy. An important risk of ATR is loss of memory because mesiotemporal structures contribute substantially to memory function. We investigated whether memory-activated functional MRI (fMRI) can predict postoperative memory loss after anterior temporal lobectomy in right-sided medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Methods: We included 16 patients (10 women) aged 16–54 years. The mean age at epilepsy onset was 12.5 years (range, 1–26 years). The patients' mean Wechsler IQ score was 95.2 (range, 62–125). The activation condition of fMRI consisted of retrieval from long-term memory induced by self-paced performance of an imaginative walk. All but one patient had left-sided speech dominance according to speech-activated fMRI. Outside the scanner, we evaluated the pre- and postoperative visual memory retention by using Rey Visual Design Learning Test. Results: We found a correlation between the preoperative asymmetry index of memory-fMRI and the change between pre- and postsurgical measures of memory retention. Reduced activation of the mesiotemporal region ipsilateral to the epileptogenic region correlated with a favorable memory outcome after right-sided ATR. Conclusions: In light of the postoperative results, the theoretical implication of our study is that fMRI based on a simple introspective retrieval task measures memory functions. The main clinical implication of our study is that memory-fMRI might replace the invasive Wada test in MTLE by using a simple fMRI paradigm. Predictive power, however, will be studied in larger patient samples. Other studies are required for left-sided MTLE and neocortical epilepsies to assess the clinical usefulness of memory-fMRI.
495. Transfer of LEDGF to the Mouse Retina Via Systemic AAV Vector Administration

Administration of AAV vector into small rodent eyes, because of the large injection volumes relative to the size of the eye, may damage and/or evoke stress responses not seen in larger eyes. In order to test the therapeutic usefulness of lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF) in murine models of retinal degeneration, we employed two alternative, systemic routes of vector administration, either intra-muscular or intra-peritoneal.
Subjective value determines initial dominance in binocular rivalry

Abstract Does subjective reward value influence early visual perception? During binocular rivalry, one eye receives an image that is incompatible with the image the other eye receives. People consciously experience perceiving one image; the other image is suppressed from conscious awareness. We tested if subjective value functions as an endogenous influence (i.e., one internal to the perceiver) on dominance during rivalry. Images associated with rewards achieved initial perceptual dominance more often than images associated with cost ( Study 1 , Methods , Participants and procedures , Stimuli and presentation , Experimental counterbalancing conditions , Results , Study 2 , Methods , Participants , Stimuli and presentation , Procedure , Results , Reports of letters v. numbers seen as initial percept , Reports of dot location , Study 3 ). Value facilitated perception of rewarding images but did not inhibit perception of costly images ( Study 3 ). Additionally, when rewards benefited a disliked person, no bias in perceptual dominance was observed. Subjective value biased dominance despite accuracy incentives and was not explained by frequency of exposure, implicit learning, response bias, or task-specific accessibility. We discuss implications for the influence of motivated influences on perception, a phenomenon we call wishful seeing.
Characterization of humidity-sensing NiONi(OH)2 nanocomposites by impedance spectroscopy

Abstract Nanocomposites of NiO and Ni(OH)2 prepared by compaction of powders synthesized by rapid thermal decomposition of precursors in solution (RTDS) were characterized by impedance spectroscopy at room temperature. The marked decrease of resistivity with increasing humidity was attributed to an increase of the water phase and ionic transport therein. Electrical behavior was modeled in terms standard electrocomposite mixing laws.
Correlation of meniscal T2* with multiphoton microscopy, and change of articular cartilage T2 in an ovine model of meniscal repair.

Summary Objective To correlate meniscal T2* relaxation times using ultra-short echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with quantitative microscopic methods, and to determine the effect of meniscal repair on post-operative cartilage T2 values. Design A medial meniscal tear was created and repaired in the anterior horn of one limb of 28 crossbred mature ewes. MR scans for morphological evaluation, meniscal T2* values, and cartilage T2 values were acquired at 0, 4 and 8 months post-operatively for the Tear and Non-Op limb. Samples of menisci from both limbs were analyzed using multiphoton microscopy (MPM) analysis and biomechanical testing. Results Significantly prolonged meniscal T2* values were found in repaired limbs than in control limbs, P ρ = −0.48, P = 0.06). Conclusions T2* mapping is sensitive to detecting temporal and zonal differences of meniscal structure and composition. Meniscal MPM and cartilage T2 values indicate changes in tissue integrity in the presence of meniscal repair.
Measurement of dust exposures in the asbestos textile industry.

Abstract Data obtained from environmental surveys of nine asbestos textile mills, which represent the baseline for the textile segment of the Public Health Service epidemiological study of asbestos processing industries, are presented. From these data concentration ranges are derived which yield significant differences between typical sample groups. Variance ratio tests of different methods of counting and analysis were made and count weight ratios based on magnesium analyses for asbestos were calculated.
Coordinating the Initial Steps of Base Excision Repair: APURINIC/APYRIMIDINIC ENDONUCLEASE 1 ACTIVELY STIMULATES THYMINE DNA GLYCOSYLASE BY DISRUPTING THE PRODUCT COMPLEX*

DNA glycosylases initiate base excision repair by removing damaged or mismatched bases, producing apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) DNA. For many glycosylases, the AP-DNA remains tightly bound, impeding enzymatic turnover. A prominent example is thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG), which removes T from G·T mispairs and recognizes other lesions, with specificity for damage at CpG dinucleotides. TDG turnover is very slow; its activity appears to reach a plateau as the [product]/[enzyme] ratio approaches unity. The follow-on base excision repair enzyme, AP endonuclease 1 (APE1), stimulates the turnover of TDG and other glycosylases, involving a mechanism that remains largely unknown. We examined the catalytic activity of human TDG (hTDG), alone and with human APE1 (hAPE1), using pre-steady-state kinetics and a coupled-enzyme (hTDG-hAPE1) fluorescence assay. hTDG turnover is exceedingly slow for G·T (kcat = 0.00034 min-1) and G·U (kcat = 0.005 min-1) substrates, much slower than kmax from single turnover experiments, confirming that AP-DNA release is rate-limiting. We find unexpectedly large differences in kcat for G·T, G·U, and G·FU substrates, indicating the excised base remains trapped in the product complex by AP-DNA. hAPE1 increases hTDG turnover by 42- and 26-fold for G·T and G·U substrates, the first quantitative measure of the effect of hAPE1. hAPE1 stimulates hTDG by disrupting the product complex rather than merely depleting (endonucleolytically) the AP-DNA. The enhancement is greater for hTDG catalytic core (residues 111–308 of 410), indicating the N- and C-terminal domains are dispensable for stimulatory interactions with hAPE1. Potential mechanisms for hAPE1 disruption of the of hTDG product complex are discussed.
Responses of mouse fast and slow skeletal muscle to streptozotocin diabetes: Myosin isoenzymes and phosphorous metabolites

A condition similar to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was induced in male CD-1 mice by injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Five weeks after treatment, the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow-twitch soleus (SOL) muscles were isolated for analysis. Phosphorous metabolites were quantified by31P-NMR and HPLC, native myosin was characterized electrophoretically, and activities of metabolic enzymes were measured spectrophotometrically. Relative to control animals, STZ-diabetes resulted in a significant 32% decrease in the FM1 isoform of myosin in EDL and a 24% decrease in IM myosin of SOL. Mass-specific activities of phosphofructokinase, citrate synthase, and cytochrome oxidase were significantly lower in SOL from STZ-diabetic mice than in controls by 23, 18, and 36%, respectively. Intracellular ATP was significantly lower in SOL from STZ-diabetic mice than in controls (3.44±0.20 μmol g−1 wet weight vs. 4.61±0.20 μmol g−1, respectively), as was creatine phosphate (11.98±0.80 μmol g−1 wet weight vs. 14.22±0.44 μmol g−1). In contrast to results from SOL, there were no significant changes in phosphorus metabolites or enzyme activity in EDL. These results show that the effects of IDDM on levels of phosphorus containing metabolites and maximal activities of key regulatory enzymes in muscle are markedly fibertype specific. It is suggested that the muscle type-specific effects of STZ-diabetes may be a consequence of differential accumulation of intracellular fatty acids.
Antiarrhythmic actions of propranolol in the dog heart-lung preparation.

Abstract The antiarrhythmic activity of propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, was investigated against epinephrine induced and ouabain-induced ventricular tachycardia in the dog heart-lung preparation. Propranolol, in a 0.5-mg. dose, effectively blocked the myocardial stimulant and arrhythmogenic actions of epinephrine, although an average dose of 9.5 mg. was needed to suppress ouabain-induced ventricular tachycardia in this preparation. Propranolol belongs to the category of beta-adrenergic blocking agents which suppress both adrenergically induced and ouabain induced arrhythmias, and, as with other drugs in this group, the mechanism of suppression of the two types of arrhythmias appears to be different.
A Developmental Study of the Effect of Familiarity on Short-Term Visual Memory.

Abstract An attempt was made to specify whether previously reported limitations on young children's full-report capacity lay in a smaller amount of available information, in a shorter trace duration of information in visual information storage (VIS), or in poorer coding of information into permanent storage. Five- and 8-year-olds and adults were shown an eight-item array of figures. followed at varying intervals by an indicator signaling the subject to report the figure to which the indicator had pointed. The effects of three levels of familiarity or “labelability” were examined. While no age differences were revealed in amount of information available nor in the trace duration of information in VIS, strong age differences emerged in coding of information into permanent storage. Data on latency to verbal labeling and familiarity suggested that verbal labeling could not account for the age trends. Rather, the differences seemed to lie in the use of organized visual coding and rehearsal strategies by adults and their relative lack of use by children.
Stage-specific expression of plasmodial proteins containing an antigenic marker of the intraerythrocytic cisternae.

Abstract A monoclonal antibody, LWLI, recognized 3 proteins of 45, 50 and 102 kDa in Plasmodium falciparum -infected erythrocytes. The 45- and 50-kDa proteins were parasite-encoded and displayed markedly different peptide maps, indicating that they were distinct plasmodial polypeptides with a common antigenic epitope rather than differentially processed forms of a primary translational product. The 45-kDa protein was present throughout intraerythrocytic growth, while the 50-kDa molecule was not detected earlier than 11 h in the life cycle. The 102-kDa protein was only expressed in trophozoite- and schizont-infected red cells: its structural relationship to the 45- and 50-kDa proteins, if any, remains undefined. By indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, LWLI bound to flattened intraerythrocytic cisternae exported into the erythrocyte cytoplasm. The results support the theory that proteins recognized by the antibody were concentrated in these compartments and their common antigenic epitope may serve as a marker for the cisternae. Stage-specific expression of LWLI reactive proteins implicates developmental regulation of cisternal functions during asexual parasite development.
Flow characteristics of rock-reed filters for treatment of landfill leachate

Abstract To characterize the flow patterns of wastewater through subsurface-flow rock-reed filters, a combination of tracer studies and specific conductance measurements were used. Neither the tracer study nor the specific conductance measurements alone provided the necessary information to understand the flow of wastewater through the system. However, the data taken together indicate that preferential flow occurred due to density effects and surface flow. In gravel substrates, dense wastewater flowed beneath the less dense rainwater and influent, resulting in a decrease in the residence time. Sand-and-gravel substrates, which experienced a great deal of surface flow as a result of clogging, were shown to have very little, if any, flow through the subsurface. The results of this study indicate that both preferential and overland flow should be taken into account for the proper design of rock-reed filters.