cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sphingosine-1-phosphate: a platelet-activating sphingolipid released from agonist-stimulated human platelets

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (Sph-1-P) is the initial product of catabolism of sphingosine by sphingosine kinase and is cleaved by Sph-1-P lyase to a fatty aldehyde and ethanolamine phosphate. This phosphorylated sphingoid base is not only an intermediary catabolite, but also a bioactive lipid with important functions, including stimulation of cell proliferation in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and inhibition of tumor cell motility. In the present study, we examined functional roles of Sph-1-P in human platelets. Sph-1-P induced platelet shape change and aggregation reactions, although it failed to elicit secretion. Sphingosine, ceramide, sphingomyelin, and N,N-dimethylsphingosine did not mimic the positive effects of Sph-1-P on platelets. Subthreshold concentrations of Sph-1-P and weak platelet agonists such as adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and epinephrine synergistically elicited aggregation, which may be important for efficient amplification of platelet activation. Sph-1-P induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and the dose-response for Ca2+ release correlated closely with the concentration required for induction of shape change. On addition of [3H]sphingosine to intact platelets, the label was rapidly converted to Sph-1-P, and subsequently to ceramide and sphingomyelin. Interestingly, the Sph-1-P formed was specifically released into medium on stimulation of platelets with physiologic agonists. The amount of Sph-1-P in platelets, as measured by its conversion into radiolabeled N-acetyl-Sph- 1-P, was 1.4 nmol/10(9) cells and was about four times higher than the mass of Sph present. When compared by mole percent Sph-1- P/phospholipid, the value for platelets is over 10 times higher than that for neutrophils. Our results suggest that Sph-1-P, rapidly converted from sphingosine, abundantly stored in platelets, and released on the cell activation, may play a physiologic role in thrombosis, hemostasis, and the natural wound-healing processes.
The Ascendancy of the Corporate Elite

Beginning with the Reagan and Thatcher eras, corporate executives grew profits—and their personal income—by shifting to short-termism: encouraging employee layoffs, moving companies to low-wage states or countries, evading corporate taxes in the name of greater profitability, acquiring other companies to raise market share and corporate revenues, and using share buybacks to (artificially) raise share value, which was then linked to executive compensation. By moving employees into short-term or part-time work, or simply calling them self-employed, the wealth of the corporate super-rich was vastly enhanced. Corporations have also repressed the wages of workers by shifting production—in the USA—to right-to-work states, which are difficult to organize, or by shifting production abroad, made easier by trade agreements mostly favorable to corporations, which in fact helped to write those agreements.
High diversity, turnover, and structural constraints characterize TCR α and β repertoire selection

Recognition modes of individual T-cell receptors (TCR) are well studied, but how TCR repertoires are selected during acute through persistent human virus infections is less clear. Here, we show that persistent EBV-specific clonotypes account for only 9% of unique clonotypes but are highly expanded in acute infectious mononucleosis, and have distinct antigen-specific public features that drive selection into convalescence. The other 91% of highly diverse unique clonotypes disappear and are replaced in convalescence by equally diverse de-novo clonotypes. These broad fluctuating repertoires lend plasticity to antigen recognition and potentially protect against T-cell clonal loss and viral escape.
Amish nemaline myopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy caused by a homozygous contiguous gene deletion of TNNT1 and TNNI3 in a Mennonite child

Abstract Amish nemaline myopathy (ANM) is a severe congenital form of NM, known to be fatal in early childhood due to pulmonary insufficiency. Homozygous mutation in TNNT1 was originally ascertained in an Older Amish community in 2000. To date, only five reports with six pathogenic variants in TNNT1 have been described in both Amish and non-Amish families. Here, we describe a 16-month old female from a small Mennonite community from Mexico, presenting with congenital hypotonia and dilated cardiomyopathy, with a novel homozygous deletion of 19q13.42 of about 11 kb in size, encompassing TNNT1 and TNNI3. Cardiomyopathy has not been observed in association with ANM in previous reports. Conversely, homozygous mutation in TNNI3 have been described with dilated cardiomyopathy. Our report underscores the consideration of contiguous gene deletion in children with ANM who present with congenital hypotonia and cardiomyopathy. The report also expands the known spectrum of non-Amish related ANM mutations to include homozygous multi-exonic TNNT1 deletion.
The elusiveness of simulation interoperability: what is different from other interoperability domains?

Simulation interoperability is a recurring theme in simulation conferences and workshops for more than 20 years. With the IEEE Standards 1278 and 1516, two simulation interoperability standards were introduced, and both were adapted and implemented by the community. Nonetheless, the simulation community is still struggling with interoperability challenges that are not solved. Why is this the case? This paper gives an overview of the current approaches to simulation interoperability, including the standardized approaches as well as contributions of simulation formalism. It then addresses the mathematical foundations of simulation interoperability, including model theory. As a result, the need for the consistency in the representation of truth in all participating simulation systems emerges as the concept that needs to be addressed by interoperability solutions.
Detecting clear sky images

Abstract Many solar forecast algorithms based on ground based sky imagery apply the red-blue ratio (RBR) method to classify image pixels as clear or cloudy, by comparing the current image with the corresponding image from a clear sky library (CSL). The CSL needs to be updated regularly due to changes in clear sky readings over time caused by aerosols and imager dome properties. This clear sky library is typically created by visually scrutinizing daily sky videos and selecting appropriate clear sky periods. This practice takes a significant amount of time and manual intervention can result in human errors. To avoid this, an automated CSL algorithm (ACSL) was developed which filters each image for clear sky features including maximum green pixel brightness, average RBR, and red channel difference by pixel with respect to the previous image. The root mean square difference (RMSD) between the image RBR of the manually created CSL and the ACSL for November and April 2013 at UC San Diego were observed to be less than 6% over the full range of solar zenith angles. The ACSL was found to be more representative of clear conditions than its manual counterpart.
Methods and effects of priming a teloperator's perception of robot capabilities

Priming is the influence of external stimuli on a person's behavior and thoughts, where the effect is related to some quality of that stimuli. In this work, we explore three methods of priming teleoperator's expectations about robot capability and investigate how this may impact driving behavior and perceptions of the robot. We tested priming impressions of robot ability by the stiffness of the robot controller, additionally describing the changes in stiffness verbally to operators and simply describing the robots' abilities on paper and verbally. Our results found that all priming methods affected the perception of the robot including its speed, weight, or overall safety. Further, we confirmed that some priming methods lowered operator collisions by over 40%. Thus, interface and product designers should consider priming as a tool to leverage to improve operator performance and perception of the robot.
Putting Logic in Its Place: Formal Constraints on Rational Belief

I. Logic and Rational Belief II. Two Models of Belief III. Deductive Constraints: Problem Cases, Possible Solutions IV. Arguments for Deductive Cogency V. Logic, Graded Belief, and Preferences VI. Logic and Idealization
Hip external rotation and extension angles for exposure and preparation of the proximal femur in direct anterior total hip arthroplasty: A cadaveric study.

Abstract Introduction The direct anterior approach (DAA) to total hip arthroplasty (THA) has a known learning curve, largely due to difficulty achieving exposure and visualization of the acetabulum and proximal femur for joint preparation. There is paucity of information on limb positioning and the degree of angulation at which the limb is positioned for adequate visualization. This study aimed to identify the mean angles of limb positioning necessary for adequate exposure when using two Mueller retractors for femoral preparation using traditional table. Materials & methods A surgeon performed a DAA THA on 11 cadaveric hemipelves, exposing the femoral canal with two simple, robust Mueller retractors. The degree of external rotation and extension of the hip was measured. Results Of the 11, the mean age was 77.6 years and mean BMI was 27.95. The mean external rotation angle was 56.5 ± 13.5°. The mean extension angle was 19.9 ± 6.6°. Discussion & conclusion The key technical step in this study incorporated a second robust Mueller retractor on the posterior aspect of the greater trochanter, providing maximum leverage to deliver the femur and achieve visibility while reducing angles of limb positioning thereby reducing complications, and ultimately lessening the learning curve.
Impact of Parental Communication on African American Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Mini Literature Review

Many adolescents are engaging in risky sexual behaviors, which can ultimately lead to adverse health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections and/or teen pregnancy. Research has shown that youth aged 15–24 account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections acquired each year in the United States. This paper examined the effect of parental communication on African American adolescent sexual behaviors. A narrative literature review was completed in order to identify common themes across articles. Analyses indicated parental communication is associated with increased safe sex practices. More specifically, breadth of content, and open parental communication style were shown to be associated with safer sex practices. However, frequency/timing of parental teen sexual communication (PTSC) was not examined within the selected articles. Additionally, results indicated significant differences in PTSC topics discussed between male and female adolescents. Researchers and health educators alike should consider parental involvement in community and school-based sex education programs to help increase adolescent safe sex practices.
Comparison of artificial neural network configurations to extract micro-architectural properties of cortical bone using ultrasonic attenuation: a 2-D numerical study

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disorder. It affects both cortical and trabecular bone and is characterized by low bone mass, tissue degradation, deteriorated macroscopic mechanical properties, and altered micro-architecture [1], [2], [3], [4]. Loss in bone mass leads to frequent fracturing, higher mortality rates and reduction in life expectancy [5], [6], [7]. The goal of this study is to move towards better diagnosis of osteoporosis through a data driven approach. Two different configurations of the same artificial neural network were used to take advantage of the relationship between frequency dependent attenuation and micro-structural properties such as porosity, pore density, pore diameter, and standard deviation of pore diameter. Finite difference simulation were conducted using in the 1-8MHz frequency range. The frequency-dependent attenuation data was used to create a 1x8 feature vector that was inputted into the neural network. Then a recursive feature elimination was used to optimize the network and identify the most relevant frequencies. Our results indicate that the most important frequencies are 1, 3, 4, and 8 MHz. A new 1x4 feature vector containing only data from these frequencies was used. Both configurations accurately predict pore diameter, porosity, and standard deviation but were less accurate on pore density. Overall the network using the 1x4 feature vector outperformed the one using the 1x8 when comparing results, computational efficiency, and accuracy.
Demo: Device-free Activity Monitoring Through Real-time Analysis on Prevalent WiFi Signals

In this demo, we present a device-free activity monitoring platform exploiting the prevalent WiFi signals to enable real-time activity recognition and user identification in indoor environments. It supports a broad array of real-world applications, such as senior assistance services, fitness tracking, and building surveillance. In particular, the proposed platform takes advantage of channel state information (CSI), which is sensitive to environmental changes introduced by human body movements. To enable immediate response of the platform, we design a real-time mechanism that continuously monitors the WiFi signals and promptly analyzes the CSI readings when the human activity is detected. For each detected activity, we extract representative features from CSI, and exploit a deep neural network (DNN) based scheme to accurately identify the activity type/user identity. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed platform could perform activity/user identification with high accuracy while offering low latency.
A minimally invasive and safe surgical approach to resect anterior superior sulcus tumors.

Abstract Introduction Superior sulcus tumors (SSTs) are a wide range of tumors invading a section of the apical chest wall called the thoracic inlet. The unique characteristics of SSTs lie in the anatomy of the region where these tumors occur. For this reason, a surgical approach to treating these tumors is technically demanding, and complete resection may be difficult to accomplish. Case presentation A 71-year-old Japanese man presented at our hospital due to left anterior chest pain and an abnormal chest CT scan showing a 40 × 33 × 30-mm tumor located in the left anterior apex of the thoracic inlet. This tumor had invaded the first and second rib and was located near the subclavian vein. There was no significant distant metastasis. Therefore, we performed surgical resection. The surgical procedure included three steps. First, we performed VATS observation via the left thoracic cavity. Second, via the transmanubrial approach, we obtained tumor-free margins of the anterior cervical structures. Third, through VATS in the left lateral decubitus position, we performed left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. This surgery was successful, with no postoperative complications. Disucussion This surgical approach was effective and safe for treating a superior sulcus tumor located the anterior apex of the thoracic inlet. Next, VATS lobectomy is minimally invasive and safe after the transmanubrial approach for managing anterior superior sulcus tumor. Conclusion We experienced a case of locally advanced superior sulcus tumor located at the anterior apex of the thoracic inlet and performed complete resection.
A family of viral satellites manipulates invading virus gene expression and affects cholera toxin mobilization

Many viruses possess temporally unfolding gene expression patterns aimed at subverting host defenses, commandeering host metabolism, and ultimately producing a large number of progeny virions. High throughput -omics tools, such as RNA-seq, have dramatically enhanced resolution of expression patterns during infection. Less studied have been viral satellites, mobile genomes that parasitize viruses and have far reaching effects on host-cell fitness. By performing RNA-seq on infection time courses, we have obtained the first time-resolved transcriptomes for bacteriophage satellites during lytic infection. Specifically, we have acquired transcriptomes for the lytic Vibrio cholerae phage ICP1 and all five known variants of ICP1s parasite, the Phage Inducible Chromosomal Island-Like Elements (PLEs). PLEs rely on ICP1 for both DNA replication and mobilization, and abolish production of ICP1 progeny in infected cells. We investigated PLEs impact on ICP1 gene expression and found that PLEs did not broadly restrict or reduce ICP1 gene expression. A major exception occurred in ICP1s capsid morphogenesis operon, which was downregulated by each of the PLE variants. This transcriptional manipulation, conserved among PLEs, has also evolved independently in at least one other phage satellite, suggesting that viral satellites may be under strong selective pressure to reduce the capsid expression of their larger host viruses. Surprisingly, PLEs were also found to alter the gene expression of CTXΦ, the integrative phage that encodes cholera toxin and is necessary for virulence of toxigenic V. cholerae. One PLE, PLE1, upregulated CTXΦ genes involved in replication and integration, and boosted CTXΦ mobility following induction of the SOS response. Our data show that PLEs exhibit conserved manipulation of their host-phages gene expression, but divergent effects on CTXΦ, revealing that PLEs can influence both their hosts resistance to phage and the mobility of virulence encoding elements.
A Phylogenetic Approach to Inferring the Order in Which Mutations Arise during Cancer Progression

Although the role of evolutionary processes in cancer progression is widely accepted, increasing attention is being given to evolutionary mechanisms that can lead to differences in clinical outcome. Recent studies suggest that the temporal order in which somatic mutations accumulate during cancer progression is important. Single-cell sequencing provides a unique opportunity to examine the mutation order during cancer progression. However, the errors associated with single-cell sequencing complicate this task. We propose a new method for inferring the order in which somatic mutations arise within a tumor using noisy single-cell sequencing data that incorporates the errors that arise from the data collection process. Using simulation, we show that our method outperforms existing methods for identifying mutation order in most cases, especially when the number of cells is large. Our method also provides a means to quantify the uncertainty in the inferred mutation order along a fixed phylogeny. We apply our method to empirical data for colorectal and prostate cancer.
Evaluation of solar photovoltaic systems to shade cows in a pasture-based dairy herd

The combined use of solar photovoltaics and agriculture may provide farmers with an alternative source of income and reduce heat stress in dairy cows. The objective of this study was to determine the effects on grazing cattle under shade from a solar photovoltaic system. The study was conducted at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, Minnesota on a grazing dairy. Twenty-four crossbred cows were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (shade or no shade) from June to September in 2019. The replicated (n = 4) treatment groups of 6 cows each were provided shade from a 30-kW photovoltaic system. Two groups of cows had access to shade in paddocks, and 2 groups of cows had no shade in paddocks. All cows were located in the same pasture during summer. Behavior observations and milk production were evaluated for cows during 4 periods of summer. Boluses and an eartag sensor monitored internal body temperature, activity, and rumination on all cows, respectively. Independent variables were the fixed effects of breed, treatment group, coat color, period, and parity, and random effects were replicate group, date, and cow. No differences in fly prevalence, milk production, fat and protein production, or drinking bouts were observed between the treatment groups. Shade cows had more ear flicks (11.4 ear flicks/30 s) than no-shade cows (8.6 ear flicks/30 s) and had dirtier bellies and lower legs (2.2 and 3.2, respectively) than no-shade cows (1.9 and 2.9, respectively). During afternoon hours, shade cows had lower respiration rates (66.4 breaths/min) than no-shade cows (78.3 breaths/min). From 1200 to 1800 h and 1800 to 0000 h, shade cows had lower body temperature (39.0 and 39.2°C, respectively) than no-shade cows (39.3 and 39.4°C, respectively). Furthermore, between milking times (0800 and 1600 h), the shade cows had lower body temperature (38.9°C) than no-shade cows (39.1°C). Agrivoltaics incorporated into pasture dairy systems may reduce the intensity of heats stress in dairy cows and increase well-being of cows and the efficiency of land use.
From Footnote to Footprint: Obergefell's Call to Reconsider Immigration Law as Family Law

This chapter is an engagement with the Obergefell decision to suggest one way in which the decision’s articulation of the citizen’s relationship with the government (or ‘the State,’ as is the preferred nomenclature among some) is quite groundbreaking. American law — and American values — has a mythical and actual embrace of privacy as a valued and near-inviolable right. The belief that American citizens have a zone of privacy, a right to remain free from government intervention, has captured the imagination of both liberals and conservatives when embracing the rights to abortion, family planning, and gun ownership. However, instead of recognizing the harm that the State can have when intruding on a citizen’s fundamental right, Obergefell is predicated upon a recognition that some harms — such as humiliation — are inflicted when the State fails to intervene and recognize a same-sex couple (and their child) as a family. Obergefell’s remarkable anointment of privacy as a guarantor of rights is a major departure from the position widely accepted before 2000, and this chapter asks how this newly minted right — or “Obergefell’s sword” as phrased by Justice Roberts — might be applied to families in which some members are U.S. citizens and some are not.
Safety and feasibility of using acellular sterile filtered amniotic fluid as a treatment for patients with COVID-19: protocol for a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Introduction Human amniotic fluid (hAF) has been shown to reduce inflammation in multiple experimental models. hAF has previously been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a human cellular and tissue product for tissue injury for human administration, and used safely in thousands of patients as a therapeutic treatment for diverse conditions. Given the profound inflammatory response observed in patients with COVID-19, and the successful completion of 10-patient pilot study of intravenous hAF, we present a trial design for a larger clinical trial of intravenous hAF for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods and analysis This paper describes the methodology of a phase I/II randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the safety and feasibility of using acellular sterile filtered amniotic fluid as a treatment for patients with COVID-19. Primary outcome will be the change in C-reactive protein. Secondary outcomes include safety, biomarker inflammatory levels and clinically relevant outcomes at 30 days, including mortality, ventilator-free days and hospital and intensive care unit length of stay. Exploratory outcomes of health-related quality-of-life patient-reported outcomes will be collected. Hospitalised patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 will be recruited. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the University of Utah Institutional Review Board (IRB_0013292), approved by the US FDA under Investigational New Drug (No 23369) and is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number NCT04497389; Pre-results.
Deep graph transformation for attributed, directed, and signed networks

Generalized from image and language translation, the goal of graph translation or transformation is to generate a graph of the target domain on the condition of an input graph of the source domain. Existing works are limited to either merely generating the node attributes of graphs with fixed topology or only generating the graph topology without allowing the node attributes to change. They are prevented from simultaneously generating both node and edge attributes due to: (1) difficulty in modeling the iterative, interactive, and asynchronous process of both node and edge translation and (2) difficulty in learning and preserving the inherent consistency between the nodes and edges in generated graphs. A general, end-to-end framework for jointly generating node and edge attributes is needed for real-world problems. In this paper, this generic problem of multi-attributed graph translation is named and a novel framework coherently accommodating both node and edge translations is proposed. The proposed generic edge translation path is also proven to be a generalization of existing topology translation models. Then, in order to discover and preserve the consistency of the generated nodes and edges, a spectral graph regularization based on our nonparametric graph Laplacian is designed. In addition, two extensions of the proposed model are developed for signed and directed graph translation. Lastly, comprehensive experiments on both synthetic and real-world practical datasets demonstrate the power and efficiency of the proposed method.
THE US MIDLIFE MORTALITY CRISIS CONTINUES: INCREASED DEATH RATES FROM CAUSES OTHER THAN COVID-19 DURING 2020

COVID-19 has prematurely ended many lives, particularly among the oldest Americans, but the pandemic has also had an indirect effect on health and non-COVID mortality among the working-age population, who have suffered the brunt of the economic consequences. This analysis quantifies the changes in mortality for selected causes of death during the COVID-19 pandemic up to December 31, 2020, and investigates whether the levels of excess mortality varied by age group. The data comprise national-level monthly death counts by age group and selected causes of death from January 1999 to December 2020 combined with annual mid-year population estimates over the same period. A negative binomial regression model was used to estimate monthly cause-specific excess mortality during 2020 controlling for the pre-pandemic mortality patterns by age, calendar year, and season. To determine whether excess mortality varied by age, we tested interactions between broad age groups and dichotomous indicators for the pre-pandemic (January-February) and the pandemic (March-December) portions of 2020. In relative terms, excess all-cause mortality (including COVID-19) peaked in December at ages 25-44 (RR=1.58 relative to 2019, 95% CI=1.50-1.68). Excluding COVID-19, all of the excess mortality occurred between ages 15 and 64, peaking in July among those aged 25-44 (RR=1.45, 95% CI 1.37-1.53). We find notable excess mortality during March-December 2020 for many causes (i.e., influenza/pneumonia, other respiratory diseases, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, kidney disease, and external causes), but almost exclusively among young and midlife (aged 25-74) Americans. For those aged 75 and older, there was little excess mortality from causes other than COVID-19 except from Alzheimers disease. Excess non-COVID mortality may have resulted, at least partly, from incorrectly classified COVID-19 deaths, but neither misclassification nor an atypical flu season that disproportionately affected younger people is likely to explain the increase in mortality from external causes, which was evident even during January-February 2020. Exploratory analyses suggest that drug-related mortality may be driving the early rise in external mortality. The growth in drug overdoses well before there was any hint of a pandemic suggests it is probably not solely an indirect effect of COVID-19, although the pandemic may have exacerbated the problem.
The 'Forest Roads' Case: A Stormy Approach to Judicial Review of Environmental Regulations

Although Congress routinely places limits on the ability of courts to review agency actions, courts have long expressed their discomfort with being told they cannot engage in judicial review. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the validity of these statutory restrictions on review, and Congress has inserted them into literally hundreds of environmental statutes. However, even in the face of express-preclusion statues, courts are often reluctant to accept these limitations. In Northwest Environmental Defense Center v. Brown, the Ninth Circuit invalidated the Environmental Protection Agency’s 36-year-old “silviculture rule” — which exempted from the Clean Water Act’s permitting requirements all runoff from forest logging roads — despite the statute’s strict 120-day deadline for review. The regulatory and legislative backlash to the decision is precisely what Congress sought to avoid by placing statutory limits on judicial review of agency actions.
Riccati’s differential equation in birth-death processes

This note reviews the occurrence of Riccati’s equation in three birth-death type processes, and outlines their solutions.
Design of Tire Tread Elements for Optimum Thin Film Wet Traction

In the paper, flexible tread element squeeze film analysis is applied to the design of individual tread elements for optimum thin film wet traction. In particular, the effects of tread element shape and dimensions, tread element wear, and the elastic modulus of the tread rubber compound on the rate of fluid film penetration are presented and discussed. The changes sugested herein are made solely on the basis of thin film wet traction--their effect on other important performance variables such as tire noise and wear has not been evaluated, which evaluation is an essential aspect of the total tire design process. /GMRL/
Measuring positive emotionality: A review of instruments assessing love

Love is a multidimensional construct that has proven difficult to define and, consequently, challenging to measure. A variety of available instruments purport to measure aspects of love, 9 of which are reviewed and discussed in this article. Researchers and practitioners are advised to study definitions of the love construct as well as psychometric properties of instruments in selecting measures of love appropriate to their purposes.
Building-Tax Abatements

AS an incentive for development, tax abatements for new buildings may be similar to a graduated tax system For macroeconomic reasons, this statement is especially true in the 1980s Unlike a graduated tax system, however, tax abatements for businesses help to offset the pro-housing bias of the Federal income tax
Making fly-by-light a reality

McDonnell Douglas, Douglas Aircraft Company, has constructed and integrated a fly-by-wire-by-light test and integration facility to aid in the development of advanced design flight control systems. The author describes this facility, its capabilities, and the Douglas fly-by-light development approach. A summary of the Douglas Aircraft Advanced Flight Control Systems Development Program is also provided. >
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Paleopathology

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Paleopathology. Arthur C. Aufderheide and Conrado Rodriguez-Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1998. 478 pp.
Patterns of epithelial metaplasia in malignant gliomas. II. Squamous differentiation of epithelial-like formations in gliosarcomas and glioblastomas.

Six cases are reported (four gliosarcomas and two glioblastomas) in which the epithelial-like areas of glial anaplasia showed focal squamous cell differentiation, characterized by the development of epithelial whorls, keratin pearls and immunopositivity for cytokeratin. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and the development of squamous metaplasia usually were mutually exclusive. Autopsy findingsin two patients and clinical work-up in five failed to disclose a primary extraneural malignancy. It is suggested that squamous differentiation may represent an extreme form of epithelial metaplasia in a malignant glioma. This possibility should be kept in mind in the diagnostic evaluation of such cases, especially in view of the current emphasis on the immunomorphologic demonstration of intermediate filament tumor markers.
Regulation of Cardiac L-Type Ca2+ Current in Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger Knockout Mice: Functional Coupling of the Ca2+ Channel and the Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger

L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) is reduced in myocytes from cardiac-specific Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) knockout (KO) mice. This is an important adaptation to prevent Ca2+ overload in the absence of NCX. However, Ca2+ channel expression is unchanged, suggesting that regulatory processes reduce ICa. We tested the hypothesis that an elevation in local Ca2+ reduces ICa in KO myocytes. In patch-clamped myocytes from NCX KO mice, peak ICa was reduced by 50%, and inactivation kinetics were accelerated as compared to wild-type (WT) myocytes. To assess the effects of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration on ICa, we used Ba2+ instead of Ca2+ as the charge carrier and simultaneously depleted sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ with thapsigargin and ryanodine. Under these conditions, we observed no significant difference in Ba2+ current between WT and KO myocytes. Also, dialysis with the fast Ca2+ chelator BAPTA eliminated differences in both ICa amplitude and decay kinetics between KO and WT myocytes. We conclude that, in NCX KO myocytes, Ca2+-dependent inactivation of ICa reduces ICa amplitude and accelerates current decay kinetics. We hypothesize that the elevated subsarcolemmal Ca2+ that results from the absence of NCX activity inactivates some L-type Ca2+ channels. Modulation of subsarcolemmal Ca2+ by the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger may be an important regulator of excitation-contraction coupling.
Current research in otosclerosis.

Purpose of review The aim of this article is to summarize and put into historical perspective current advances in research in otosclerosis, a disorder of the human temporal bone with a hereditary predisposition that is among the most common causes of acquired hearing loss. Recent findings Genetic studies have revealed that otosclerosis is heterogeneous, with evidence for defects in at least seven genes associated with six distinct chromosomal loci. Measurements of high levels of osteoprotegerin expression in the normal otic capsule and soft tissues of the cochlea provide the first molecular insight as to why the normal otic capsule remodels minimally, if at all. Osteoprotegerin knockout mice provide the best available animal model to date to study abnormal otic capsule remodeling that closely resembles otosclerosis. There is mounting evidence that the measles virus plays an important role in pathogenesis of otosclerosis although the mechanisms by which the virus results in otosclerosis remain unknown. Quantitative measures of angiogenesis can reliably distinguish between clinical and histological otosclerosis. Advances in the emerging field of osteoimmunology will likely impact and benefit from the research in otosclerosis. Summary Insights into molecular mechanisms that inhibit extensive remodeling in the normal otic capsule, and understanding of how these mechanisms are dysregulated in otosclerosis will allow future design of rational treatment strategies for otosclerosis.
Low Socioeconomic Status and Mental Health Care Use Among Respondents With Anxiety and Depression in the NCS-R

Objective: This study sought to determine whether previously reported poor outcomes among patients of low socioeconomic status who have depression and anxiety could result from not receiving mental health treatment or from receiving minimally adequate treatment. Methods: The study sample consisted of 1,772 participants in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) who met criteria for a mood or anxiety disorder. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between education, income, and assets and receipt of treatment and quality of treatment (minimally adequate treatment) for mood and anxiety disorders in sectors with the capacity to deliver evidence-based treatments (the general medical and mental health specialty sectors). Multivariate analyses controlled for age, gender, race-ethnicity, marital status, health insurance, and urbanicity. Results: Age, gender, marital status, and race-ethnicity were strong and fairly consistent predictors of mental health services use, with some modest variations by sector. In contrast, in bivariate and multivariate analyses, education, income, and assets were minimally related to use of mental health care and to receipt of minimally adequate care in both general medical and mental health specialty sectors. Conclusions: Socioeconomic status does not appear to play a major role in determining aspects of treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. Poor outcomes of depressed and anxious patients with low socioeconomic status may be due to differences in quality of care beyond the minimally adequate level assessed in this study or to factors unrelated to quality of care that could counteract effective treatments, such as the presence of ongoing chronic stress. (Psychiatric Services 60:1190–1197, 2009)
The rabbit 15-lipoxygenase preferentially oxygenates LDL cholesterol esters, and this reaction does not require vitamin E.

The oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) by mammalian 15-lipoxygenases (15-LOX) was implicated in early atherogenesis. We investigated the molecular mechanism of 15-LOX/LDL interaction and found that during short term incubations, LDL cholesterol esters are oxygenated preferentially by the enzyme. Even when the LDL particle was loaded with free linoleic acid, cholesteryl linoleate constituted the major LOX substrate. In contrast, only small amounts of free oxygenated fatty acid isomers were detected, and re-esterification of oxidized fatty acids into the LDL ester lipid fraction was ruled out. When LDL was depleted from α-tocopherol, specific oxygenation of the cholesterol esters was not prevented, and the product pattern was not altered. Similar results were obtained at low (LDL/LOX ratio of 1:1) and high LOX loading (LDL/LOX ratio of 1:10) of the LDL particle. During long term incubations (up to 24 h), a less specific product pattern was observed. However, when the hydroperoxy lipids formed by the 15-LOX were immediately reduced by the phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, when the reaction was carried out with vitamin E-depleted LDL, or when the assay sample was diluted, the specific pattern of oxygenation products was retained over a long period of time. These data suggest that mammalian 15-LOX preferentially oxidize LDL cholesterol esters, forming a specific pattern of oxygenation products. During long term incubations, free radical-mediated secondary reactions, which lead to a more unspecific product pattern, may become increasingly important. These secondary reactions appear to be suppressed when the hydroperoxy lipids formed are immediately reduced, when α-tocopherol-depleted LDL was used, or when the incubation sample was diluted. It may be concluded that 15-LOX-initiated LDL oxidation constitutes a dual-type oxygenase reaction with an initial enzymatic and a subsequent nonenzymatic phase. The biological relevance of this dual-type reaction for atherogenesis will be discussed.
Iatrogenic Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysm.

A small (< 6 cm3 in volume or 1.8 cm in diameter), uncomplicated iatrogenic femoral artery pseudoaneurysm in a reliable patient not requiring anticoagulation can be safely observed with weekly physical examinations and ultrasound evaluations until full thrombosis is documented. The patient should be informed that any symptoms or complications should be reported to a physician immediately. A pseudoaneurysm associated with limb ischemia, severe infection, neurologic deficit, skin necrosis, rapid expansion, or hemorrhage should be treated surgically. Also, surgery is recommended if less invasive treatment strategies have failed, or if a planned surgical procedure involving the groin is anticipated. Given its high success rate, low complication rate, and cost-effectiveness, ultrasound-guided thrombin injection should be considered as first-line treatment for uncomplicated iatrogenic femoral pseudoaneurysm. Ultrasound-guided compression repair is an effective alternative to thrombin injection, especially in institutions that have little or no experience with thrombin injection. Alternative treatment strategies, such as percutaneous endovascular stenting and perfusion ballooning, are generally not recommended as first-line treatment options, because they have not been studied as extensively as ultrasound-guided compression repair or thrombin injection. If no other options are available, however, these alternative approaches may be appropriate in certain clinical situations.
Accumulation and toxicity of antibody-targeted doxorubicin-loaded PEG–PE micelles in ovarian cancer cell spheroid model

We describe the evaluation of doxorubicin-loaded PEG-PE micelles targeting using an ovarian cancer cell spheroid model. Most ovarian cancer patients present at an advanced clinical stage and develop resistance to standard of care platinum/taxane therapy. Doxorubicin is also approved for ovarian cancer but had limited benefits in refractory patients. In this study, we used drug-resistant spheroid cultures of ovarian carcinoma to evaluate the uptake and cytotoxicity of an antibody-targeted doxorubicin formulation. Doxorubicin was encapsulated in polyethylene glycol-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PEG-PE) conjugated micelles. The doxorubicin-loaded PEG-PE micelles (MDOX) were further decorated with a cancer cell-specific monoclonal 2C5 antibody to obtain doxorubicin-loaded immunomicelles (2C5-MDOX). Targeting and resulting toxicity of doxorubicin-loaded PEG-PE micelles were evaluated in three dimensional cancer cell spheroids. Superior accumulation of 2C5-MDOX compared to free doxorubicin or untargeted MDOX in spheroids was evidenced both by flow cytometry, fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Interestingly, even higher toxicity was measured by lactate dehydrogenase release and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling of targeted doxorubicin micelles in Bcl-2 overexpressing adriamycin-resistant spheroids. Overall, these results support use of spheroids to evaluate tumor targeted drug delivery.
Influenza-related morbidity and mortality among children in developed and developing countries

Abstract More than 20% of all childhood deaths are thought to be acute respiratory (ARI) deaths; most of these occur in developing countries. Bacterial pathogens are implied in 70–90% of pediatric ARI deaths, while 10–30% are attributed to respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV). This implies that influenza is not an important cause of severe pediatric ARI. Influenza A,B virus infections may nevertheless cause ARI deaths by triggering bacterial superinfections. The mechanism of triggering is still poorly understood, as well as the consequences in terms of disease burden. However, recent studies have shed additional light on the triggering mechanism and provided an example of an influenza-triggered outbreak of severe pediatric pneumococcal disease. Further, new studies have quantified the impact of influenza on pediatric hospitalizations in the US—and argued that they may be similar in magnitude to that of RSV. In the tropics, the year-round circulation of influenza viruses prohibits the use of traditional tools to observe and quantify the attributable burden as the increase in severe ARI outcomes during influenza periods. Also, several studies of pathogens isolated from ARI-hospitalized children suggest a minor role of influenza viruses. However, since influenza may trigger bacterial super infections it is likely that undiagnosed influenza infections cause a significant subset of ARI deaths in developing countries. The void of data demonstrating the impact on ARI hospitalizations and deaths in the tropics has put influenza viruses at a disadvantage in terms of being recognized as serious pathogens. With the availability of new mucosal live-attenuated influenza vaccine formulations, it may be prudent to re-examine this issue for children living in tropical developing countries. Vaccine probe studies are needed to assess the true influenza-related disease burden.
For juice or money: the neural response to intertemporal choice of primary and secondary rewards.

Studies of reward processing in humans often focus on secondary rewards or reinforcers such as money. In contrast, studies in nonhuman primates typically focus on primary rewards such as food or juice. Both approaches implicate the mesolimbic dopamine system and associated structures (termed the “
Deducing answers to english questions from structured data

We describe ongoing research using natural English text queries as an intelligent interface for inferring answers from structured data in a specific domain. Users can express queries whose answers need to be deduced from data in different databases, without knowing the structures of those databases nor even the existence of the sources used. Users can pose queries incrementally, elaborating on an initial query, and ask follow-up questions based on answers to earlier queries. Inference in an axiomatic theory of the subject domain links the natural form in which the question is posed to the way relevant data is represented in a database, and composes information obtained from several databases into an answer to a complex question. We describe the status of a prototype system, called Quadri, for answering questions about HIV treatment, using the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database [8] and European resources. We discuss some of the problems that need to be solved to make this approach work, and some of our solutions.
Two-dimensional soot distributions in buoyant turbulent fires

Abstract Spatially resolved two-dimensional soot volume fractions were measured using laser-induced incandescence in 7.1 cm methane and ethylene turbulent buoyant flames to study the distributions of soot in vertical and horizontal planes, and to provide data for soot model validation. Factors affecting the LII signals were considered including the laser energy profile and the laser attenuation effects. The absolute soot volume fractions were obtained by comparison to existing extinction measurements. The instantaneous soot images were collected to cover the entire flame height. Statistical quantities of soot volume fractions including mean, root mean square, probability density function, and spatial correlation coefficient were calculated at five downstream locations. The results show that instantaneous distributions of soot volume fractions exhibit significant differences compared to the ensemble averages, strong fluctuation around the mean, relatively homogeneous probability density function, and highly anisotropic spatial correlation.