cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Granuloma Transplantation: An Approach to Study Mycobacterium–Host Interactions

The host-pathogen biology during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is incredibly complex and despite accelerating progress in research, remains poorly understood. Our limited understanding hinders the development of new drugs, next generation vaccines, and novel therapies. The granuloma is the site where mycobacteria are both controlled and allowed to persist, but it remains one of the least studied aspects of the host-pathogen relationship. Here, we review the development, application, potential uses, and limitations of a novel model of granuloma transplantation as a tool to study specific host-pathogen interactions that have been difficult to probe. Application of this new model has already contributed to our understanding of granuloma cell traffic, repopulation, and the relationship between systemic immunity and mycobacteria-containing granulomas. The data collected highlight the dynamic interaction between systemic and local immune processes and support a paradigm that defines the granuloma as a highly dynamic structure. Granuloma transplantation also has special potential as a novel latency model that can contribute to our understanding of host protection factors and bacterial mutants, and serve as a platform for drug testing.
Estimating Electromechanical Mode Shape From Synchrophasor Measurements

A theoretical basis and signal-processing approach for estimating a power system's electromechanical mode-shape properties using time-synchronized phasor measurements are presented. The relationship between modal eigenvectors and measurable power system quantities are derived. Spectral correlation analysis is used to implement the approach with demonstrative examples. This includes simulation examples as well as measured data from the western North American power system.
THE INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGIST'S JOB

Summary This paper presents the results from the sections of Dunnette's (1961) survey of one-half of the Division 14 membership which solicited job description information. Results are summarized in terms of frequencies with which the respondents indicate that nineteen job descriptive categories make up an important part of their jobs. A factor analysis of the intercorrelations among these categories reveals five factors: (I) a general factor, psychological work in industry, (II) personnel administration, (III) test research, (IV) working with people, and (V) a factor labeled, variously, organizational analysis, morale measurement, or advising management.
Calcium-permeable AMPA/kainate receptors mediate toxicity and preconditioning by oxygen-glucose deprivation in oligodendrocyte precursors.

Hypoxic–ischemic brain injury in premature infants results in cerebral white matter lesions with prominent oligodendroglial injury and loss, a disorder termed periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). We have previously shown that glutamate receptors mediate hypoxic–ischemic injury to oligodendroglial precursor cells (OPCs) in a model of PVL in the developing rodent brain. We used primary OPC cultures to examine the mechanism of cellular toxicity induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) to simulate brain ischemia. OPCs were more sensitive to OGD-induced toxicity than mature oligodendrocytes, and OPC toxicity was attenuated by nonselective [2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo[f]quinoxaline (NBQX), 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione], α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-preferring (GYKI 52466), kainate-preferring (γ-d-glutamylaminomethanesulfonic acid), or Ca2+-permeable AMPA/kainate receptor antagonists (joro spider toxin, JSTx) administered either during or after OGD. Furthermore, NBQX or JSTx blocked OGD-induced Ca2+ influx. Relevant to recurrent hypoxic–ischemic insults in developing white matter, we examined the effects of sublethal OGD preconditioning. A prior exposure of OPCs to sublethal OGD resulted in enhanced vulnerability to subsequent excitotoxic or OGD-induced injury associated with an increased Ca2+ influx. AMPA/kainate receptor blockade with NBQX or JSTx either during or after sublethal OGD prevented its priming effect. Furthermore, OGD preconditioning resulted in a down-regulation of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 on cell surface that increased Ca2+ permeability of the receptors. Overall, these data suggest that aberrantly enhanced activation of Ca2+-permeable AMPA/kainate receptors may be a major mechanism in acute and repeated hypoxic–ischemic injury to OPCs in disorders of developing cerebral white matter, such as PVL.
Efficient expression of gene variants that harbour AGA codons next to the initiation codon

In an effort to improve the knowledge about the rules which direct the effect of the early ORF sequences on translation efficiency, we have analyzed the effect of pairs of the six arginine codons at the second and third positions on the expression of lacZ variants. Whereas the pairs of identical AGA or AGG codons were favorable for the gene expression, identical pairs of each of the four CGN codons were very inefficient. This result was unexpected because tandems of AGA or AGG codons located in more internal gene positions provoke deficient expression whilst internally located CGU and CGC are the most abundant and efficiently translated arginine codons. The mixed combinations of AGA and each of the CGN codons usually resulted in efficient rates of lacZ expression independently of the peptidyl-tRNA propensity to dissociate from the ribosome. Thus, the variant harboring the pair of AGA codons was expressed as efficiently as the variant carrying a pair of AAA codons in the same positions, a configuration reported as one of the most common and efficient for gene expression. We explain these results assuming that the presence of adenines in these early positions enhance gene expression. As expected, specific mRNA levels correlated with the intensity of lacZ expression for each variant. However, the induction of lacZ AGA AGA gene in pth cells accumulated peptidyl-tRNA(Arg4) as well as a short 5'-proximal lacZ mRNA fragment suggesting ribosome stalling due to depletion of aminoacylated-tRNA(Arg4).
The rationale for primary spine care employing biopsychosocial, stratified and diagnosis-based care-pathways at a chiropractic college public clinic: a literature review

Current management practices for low back pain have led to rising costs without evidence of improvement in the quality of care. Low back pain remains a diagnostic and management challenge for practitioners of many types and is now thought to be a leading global cause of disability. Beyond many published clinical practice guidelines, there are emerging, evidence-based care-pathways including stratification according to the patient's prognosis, classification-based management, diagnosis-based clinical decision guides and biopsychosocial models of care. A proposed solution for successfully addressing low back pain is to train residents at a chiropractic college public clinic to function as primary spine care practitioners, employing evidence-based care-pathways. The rationale for such is described with expected benefits to patient care, improved financial health of medical delivery systems and the training of chiropractors to successfully fill a niche in the healthcare system.
Identification of a Novel Single-Stranded Circular DNA Virus in Pig Feces

ABSTRACT Porcine stool-associated circular virus 5 (PoSCV5) was detected in the feces of a pig with diarrhea. The complete 3,062-nucleotide genome contains two bidirectionally transcribed open reading frames (ORFs). Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced replication initiator protein (Rep) places PoSCV5 alone on a deep branch among the small circular Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA viruses.
Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Receptor CCR2B Is a Glycoprotein That Has Tyrosine Sulfation in a Conserved Extracellular N-Terminal Region

Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) binding to its receptor, CCR2B, plays an important role in a variety of diseases involving infection, inflammation, and/or injury. In our effort to understand the molecular basis of this interaction and its biological consequences, we recognized a conserved hexad of amino acids at the N-terminal extracellular domain of several chemokine receptors, including CCR2B. Human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing Flag-tagged CCR2B containing site-directed mutations in this region, 21-26, including a consensus tyrosine sulfation site were used to determine MCP-1 binding and its biological consequences. The results showed that several of these amino acids are important for MCP-1 binding and consequent lamellipodium formation, chemotaxis, and signal transduction involving adenylate cyclase inhibition and Ca(2+) influx into cytoplasm. Mutations that prevented adenylate cyclase inhibition and Ca(2+) influx did not significantly inhibit lamellipodium formation and chemotaxis, suggesting that these signaling events are not involved in chemotaxis. CCR2B was found to be sulfated at Tyr(26); this sulfation was abolished by the substitution of Tyr with Ala and severely reduced by substitution of Asp(25), a part of the consensus sulfation site. The expressed CCR2B was found to be N:-glycosylated, as N:-glycosidase F treatment of the receptor or growth of the cells in tunicamycin reduced the receptor size to the same level, from 50 to 45 kDa. Thus, CCR2B is the first member of the CC chemokine receptor family shown to be a glycoprotein that is sulfated at the N-terminal Tyr. These post-translational modifications probably have significant biological functions.
Arranjos de vida de idosos nos Estados Unidos

This article reviews the current literature regarding living arrangements among older adults in the United States. The reasons for studying living arrangements are outlined and the aggregate trends are summarized. Then, the two commonly used conceptual models in this area of research are presented. These models identify the individual level characteristics that influence living arrangements in later life. It is argued that a more dynamic perspective is needed to explain the living arrangement transition process. This perspective builds on Lawton's person-environment theory and relies on longitudinal data analysis. Finally, directions for future research are discussed.
Synectin, syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain binding PDZ protein, inhibits cell migration

Syndecan-4, a member of the syndecan gene family of proteoglycans, is an important regulator of bFGF signaling. In particular, bFGF-dependent regulation of cell growth and migration has been linked to syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain-mediated interactions. Screening of a yeast two-hybrid library with a cytoplasmic domain of rat syndecan-4 identified a novel binding partner, here termed synectin. Synectin is highly homologous to semaphorin F binding protein semcap1, glucose 1 transporter binding protein glut1cbp, and RGS-GAIP/neuropilin-1 binding protein GIPC. Overexpression of synectin in ECV304 cells in culture led to a dose-dependent inhibition of migration while not affecting cell adhesion or growth rate. We conclude that synectin is involved in syndecan-4–dependent interactions and may play a role in the assembly of syndecan-4 signaling complex. J. Cell. Physiol. 184:373–379, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Nahua calli of ancient Mexico: household, family, and gender

The Nahua (Aztecs) of ancient Mexico lived in large, extended family households (calli). A fundamental tenet of family history is that in the past high mortality was a major obstacle to household complexity. This was not the case for the Nahua, whose life expectancy was probably worse than any seen in Europe since the Black Death. Nahua populations were characterized by patriarchy, child marriage and greater proportions of complex and more diverse households than in regions of Europe which historians have identified as containing many complex households. Among the Nahua, although relationships within the household could be either uxorilocal or virilocal (relationship through the wife or the husband), subordination of women to male patriarchs was extensive. Most girls were married (cohabiting) well before the age of puberty. Thus, childless couples were common, but males without children rarely attained headship. While neither polygamy nor abandonment was widespread, their significance for gender oppression should not be denied. Widowhood offered new opportunities for companionship, but only for widowers. For widows, remarriage was infrequent and subordination to a male relative was inevitable. In modern Mexico, few remnants of this pre-conquest household system remain. According to the 1990 census, fewer than 10 per cent of Mexicans live as extended kin or as non-relatives in a household, even in rural Morelos where four centuries ago the compound family was the norm. The few modern examples of multiple family households tend to be Hispanic-like virilocal, patrilineal extended families.
Second Order Conformal Symplectic Schemes for Damped Hamiltonian Systems

Numerical methods for solving linearly damped Hamiltonian systems are constructed using the popular Stormer---Verlet and implicit midpoint methods. Each method is shown to preserve dissipation of symplecticity and dissipation of angular momentum of an N-body system with pairwise distance dependent interactions. Necessary and sufficient conditions for second order accuracy are derived. Analysis for linear equations gives explicit relationships between the damping parameter and the step size to reveal when the methods are most advantageous; essentially, the damping rate of the numerical solution is exactly preserved under these conditions. The methods are applied to several model problems, both ODEs and PDEs. Additional structure preservation is discovered for the discretized PDEs, in one case dissipation in total linear momentum and in another dissipation in mass are preserved by the methods. The numerical results, along with comparisons to standard Runge---Kutta methods and another structure-preserving method, demonstrate the usefulness and strengths of the methods.
Gene Therapy and Protection from Stress-Induced Brain Damage

Stress, particularly in the form of chronic psychosocial stressors, can have pathogenic effects throughout the body. As a facet of this, stress, via excessive release of the adrenal steroid hormone glucocorticoids (GCs), can have adverse neurobiological effects. These are centered in the hippocampus, a primary GC target in the brain, and include disruption of hippocampal-dependent cognition, impaired synaptic plasticity, inhibition of neurogenesis, atrophy of dendritic processes, compromise of the ability of neurons to survive neurological insults, and overt neuron death. The cellular bases of some of these actions are understood, and such adverse effects may be relevant to hippocampal dysfunction in Cushing’s syndrome, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and administration of synthetic GCs. Among a number of interventions developed to block these adverse effects of stress and GCs in the brain, some gene therapy strategies have been shown to be effective in experimental settings.
Understanding the Experiences of Professional Women Leaders Living and Working in Sweden

The ProblemWomen working across the globe have struggled to achieve positions of leadership while also taking parental leave, accessing affordable child care, and maintaining work–life balance. Alt...
Evaluation of Variously Doped BaCeO3 Ceramics as Protonic Conductors

Nd-doped BaCeO3 is reported to be an excellent high-temperature protonic conductor, while the Gd-doped material is not. In order to better understand the role of different dopants, we have studied BaCeO3 doped with 5 mol% of each Nd3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Yb3+ and Ca2+. In each case samples were treated in an appropriate gas atmosphere at 900°C followed by measurement from 25 to 200°C in a “frozen-in” state. Protonic conduction was deduced from the isotope effect, i.e. comparing conductivity after treatment in D2O-saturated gas with that for H2O,as well as by the change between wet and dry treatments. In addition, we measured H2O uptake by observing the weight change between wet and dry treatments, and also carried out some galvanic cell measurements. It was concluded that, of the above dopants, only Nd and Ca give rise to appreciable protonic conduction. In the Nd case, the low activation energy of 0.54 eV is probably the proton hopping energy. On the other hand, Eu, Gd and Yb-doped materials appear to show the dominance of oxygenion conduction in the low temperature range and mixed oxygen-ion and electron-hole conductivity at elevated temperatures. The most likely reason for these differences seems to be centered on the ionic radii of the dopants.
Fumigants for quarantine control of the adult brown dog tick: laboratory studies.

Small-scale laboratory fumigations in 1972 indicated that comparatively high dosage schedules of methyl bromide applied at both normal atmospheric pressure (NAP) and at a reduced pressure of 105–110 mm Hg were required to provide quarantine control (100% mortality) of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille). At NAP, 64 mg/liter for 3.5 h at 22.2°C and 96 mg for 5.5-6 h at 11.1° gave control. Sulfuryl fluoride 16-32 mg/liter for 16-24 h and ethylene oxide-carbon dioxide (1:9) mixture 160 mg/liter for 16-24 h also appeared effective at NAP. Ethylene dibromide 16 mg/liter for 2 h and aluminum phosphide 52.17 pellets/m3 for 72 h were ineffective at 22.2°C. Saturated atmosphere of carbon tetrachloride was effective even with an exposure as short as 1.5 h at near 22°C. Fumigation below 10°C does not appear practical for the fumigants tested because of the high dosages required.
A shift from exploitation to interference competition with increasing density affects population and community dynamics

Intraspecific competition influences population and community dynamics and occurs via two mechanisms. Exploitative competition is an indirect effect that occurs through use of a shared resource and depends on resource availability. Interference competition occurs by obstructing access to a resource and may not depend on resource availability. Our study tested whether the strength of interference competition changes with protozoa population density. We grew experimental microcosms of protozoa and bacteria under different combinations of protozoan density and basal resource availability. We then solved a dynamic predator–prey model for parameters of the functional response using population growth rates measured in our experiment. As population density increased, competition shifted from exploitation to interference, and competition was less dependent on resource levels. Surprisingly, the effect of resources was weakest when competition was the most intense. We found that at low population densities, competition was largely exploitative and resource availability had a large effect on population growth rates, but the effect of resources was much weaker at high densities. This shift in competitive mechanism could have implications for interspecific competition, trophic interactions, community diversity, and natural selection. We also tested whether this shift in the mechanism of competition with protozoa density affected the structure of the bacterial prey community. We found that both resources and protozoa density affected the structure of the bacterial prey community, suggesting that competitive mechanism may also affect trophic interactions.
Randomized, Paired-Site Comparison of Autologous Engineered Skin Substitutes and Split-Thickness Skin Graft for Closure of Extensive, Full-Thickness Burns.

Stable closure of full-thickness burn wounds remains a limitation to recovery from burns of greater than 50% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Hypothetically, engineered skin substitutes (ESS) consisting of autologous keratinocytes and fibroblasts attached to collagen-based scaffolds may reduce requirements for donor skin, and decrease mortality. ESS were prepared from split-thickness skin biopsies collected after enrollment of 16 pediatric burn patients into an approved study protocol. ESS and split-thickness autograft (AG) were applied to 15 subjects with full-thickness burns involving a mean of 76.9% TBSA. Data consisted of photographs, tracings of donor skin and healed wounds, comparison of mortality with the National Burn Repository, correlation of TBSA closed wounds with TBSA full-thickness burn, frequencies of regrafting, and immunoreactivity to the biopolymer scaffold. One subject expired before ESS application, and 15 subjects received 2056 ESS grafts. The ratio of closed wound to donor areas was 108.7 ± 9.7 for ESS compared with a maximum of 4.0 ± 0.0 for AG. Mortality for enrolled subjects was 6.25%, and 30.3% for a comparable population from the National Burn Repository (P < .05). Engraftment was 83.5 ± 2.0% for ESS and 96.5 ± 0.9% for AG. Percentage TBSA closed was 29.9 ± 3.3% for ESS, and 47.0 ± 2.0% for AG. These values were significantly different between the graft types. Correlation of % TBSA closed with ESS with % TBSA full-thickness burn generated an R value of 0.65 (P < .001). These results indicate that autologous ESS reduce mortality and requirements for donor skin harvesting, for grafting of full-thickness burns of greater than 50% TBSA.
Sexual Assault/Sexual Violence

This entry reviews recent research on the prevalence and health impact of global sexual violence, including sexual assault and harassment of women. Definitions of sexual violence are provided and studies are cited showing significant prevalence of this problem worldwide. Health-related consequences of partner and non-partner sexual violence are noted. Issues related to reporting and underreporting and lack of prosecution and sentencing for this crime are discussed, as well as recent media attention to the problem of rape and other sexual violence against women globally. Finally, it is noted that activism and organizing are needed to continue to fight this gendered form of violence that is perpetuated by patriarchal societies. Keywords: health; sexual assault/sexual violence; violence against women
Is percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption a better predictor of survival than peak exercise oxygen consumption for patients with severe heart failure

Background : Peak exercise oxygen consumption provides valuable short-term prognostic information in patients with heart failure. However, peak exercise oxygen consumption is determined not only by the cardiac output response to exercise but also by age, gender, and muscle mass. We investigated whether percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption rather than an absolute value may be a better predictor of survival. Methods : Peak exercise oxygen consumption was measured and percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption was derived from two standard formulas (Wasserman and Astrand) in 272 ambulatory patients referred for transplant evaluation. The predictive ability of these variables was determined by comparison of Kaplan-Meier curves, univariable proportional-hazards models, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results : Neither method of determining percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption significantly improved the prediction of survival over peak exercise oxygen consumption alone. Overall model discrimination, as assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, was not significantly improved with percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption (Wasserman) rather than weight-normalized peak exercise oxygen consumption (0.71 ± 0.04 versus 0.66 ± 0.04 ; Z = 1.60, p = 0.11). All of the difference between percentage of predicted maximal exercise oxygen consumption-Wasserman and peak exercise oxygen consumption resulted from differences in women (areas under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.68 ± 0.09 and 0.74 ± 0.09 ; p = 0.14) ; results for men were the same (both areas = 0.68 ± 0.04). Conclusions : Normalization of peak exercise oxygen consumption for predicted values adds only minimal prognostic information. A peak exercise oxygen consumption < 14 ml/kg/min remains a reasonable guideline by which to time heart transplantation.
Transmission of light through pigmented polyethylene milk bottles.

Light transmissions through white and yellow pigmented polyethylene milk bottles were measured in the 350- to 800-nm region. The bottles were opaque below 400 nm. Light transmission at 550 nm was 13 and 17% for the white and yellow pigmented bottles, respectively, compared to 72 and 2% for an unpigmented polyethylene bottle and a paperboard milk carton, respectively. The 400- to 550-nm wavelengths, which apparently are harmful to milk quality, were not entirely blocked by the pigmented bottles. A plastic sleeve for fluorescent tubes in dairy cases was opaque below 385 nm and had 92% transmission in the 440- to 800-nm region.
Applicability of remote sensing policies to space situational awareness

Abstract While humans have been utilizing space for almost sixty years, bringing numerous benefits to society globally, the international community faces several key issues: the hazards posed by space debris, a lack of consensus on international regulations for the long term sustainable development of outer space activities, and limited capabilities for understanding space environment and activities in space, or space situational awareness (SSA) capabilities. In order to maintain the sustainable development of outer space activities for the interest of all nations and future generations, enhancing SSA capabilities is the first and most important step, and international cooperation is a crucial factor to achieve this goal. Thus, the space community must develop international norms of behavior focusing on SSA. In doing so, the Principles relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space of 1986 could serve as useful reference points to facilitate discussion of developing such norms of behavior since satellite remote sensing share several common characteristics with SSA in terms of their missions and developmental histories. In addition to this, privatization might be vital in the development of international SSA capabilities as seen in the satellite remote sensing arena. It might be useful to consider how to promote SSA privatization, particularly in the United States, where many private entities have recently emerged in the SSA field, by examining US national policies for commercializing satellite remote sensing activities.
Multispectral Imaging Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells in Negatively Enriched Peripheral Blood Samples

A variety of biomarkers are present on cells in peripheral blood of patients with a variety of disorders, including solid tumor malignancies. While rare, characterization of these cells for specific protein levels with the advanced technology proposed, will lead to future validation studies of blood samples as "liquid biopsies" for the evaluation of disease status and therapeutic response. While circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been isolated in the blood samples of patients with solid tumors, the exact role of CTCs as clinically useful predictive markers is still debated. Current commercial technology has significant bias in that a positive selection technology is used that preassumes specific cell surface markers (such as EpCAM) are present on CTCs. However, CTCs with low EpCAM expression have been experimentally demonstrated to be more likely to be missed by this method. In contrast, this application uses a previously developed, technology that performs a purely negative enrichment methodology on peripheral blood, yielding highly enriched blood samples that contain CTCs as well as other, undefined cell types. The focus of this contribution is the use of multispectral imaging of epifluorescent, microscopic images of these enriched cells in order to help develop clinically relevant liquid biopsies from peripheral blood samples.
Schritt 4: VUKA-Audit – den Blick auf das eigene Betriebssystem richten

Wir kennen jetzt die externen Referenzen, d. h. die Probleme, die damit auf unsere Unternehmen zukommen. Wir haben die Komplexitat der Probleme bestimmt und schon einen ersten Blick darauf geworfen, mit welchen Strukturelementen komplexe Probleme angegangen werden konnen.
Breakout Session: New and Notable in Copyright Law. Presented by Nathaniel Edwards, counsel, Lewis, Roca, Rothgerber, and Christie.

U.S. copyright law is a continually changing landscape, especially for educators and librarians. To help update those working in educational institutions, this report showcases new developments in federal case law regarding fair use. The three cases profiled show the courts current tendency to favor fair use. Other topics presented comprise new U.S. Copyright Office procedures for designating DMCA agents and ways to best respond to demand letters sent by photo licensing houses.
Investigation of Break-Induced Replication in Yeast.

Abstract Break-induced replication (BIR) is an important mechanism aimed to repair one-ended double-strand DNA breaks. BIR is initiated by invasion of a broken DNA end into a homologous template followed by DNA synthesis that can proceed for hundreds of kilobases to the end of the chromosome. Unlike S-phase replication, BIR is carried out by a migrating DNA bubble and is associated with conservative inheritance of newly synthesized DNA. The unusual mode of DNA synthesis during BIR leads to an increased level of genetic instabilities including increased mutagenesis and chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we describe our experimental system in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae where BIR is initiated by a site-specific DNA break and where the repair involves two copies of chromosome III. This system allows investigation of BIR using genetic and molecular biology approaches, and can be used for characterization of the BIR mechanism, roles of individual proteins in BIR, and for the analysis of genetic instabilities associated with BIR.
Indications for biopsy of imaging‐detected intramammary and axillary lymph nodes in the absence of concurrent breast cancer

To evaluate the prevalence of malignancy in imaging-detected abnormal lymph nodes (LNs) in women without concurrent cancer and to identify imaging features predictive of malignancy in this population. This is an IRB-approved study with waived informed consent. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all image-guided LN FNAs and CNBs performed at our institution from 1/1/08 through 12/31/10. LNs sampled in patients without concurrent breast cancer comprised our study group (SG; n = 77), and with concurrent breast cancer our reference group (RG; n = 124). Blinded to cytology/histology, imaging features of the LNs including size, loss of fatty hilum, and cortical thickness were reviewed. A low/high suspicion category was then assigned based on LN appearance. The prevalence of malignancy in LNs in SG was 6% (5/77) and in RG 52% (64/124; P < .0001). Complete loss of fatty hilum had 100% (5/5) sensitivity, and 100% (56/56) NPV for detecting cancer in SG, compared to 39% (25/64) sensitivity and 61% (60/99) NPV in RG. When a “high suspicion” imaging feature was used as a threshold to biopsy, the sensitivity (5/5) and NPV (45/45) in SG were 100%, and in RG 78% (50/64) and 77% (47/61), respectively. The prevalence of cancer in imaging-detected abnormal LNs in patients without concurrent breast cancer is low. In the absence of concurrent cancer, using highly suspicious features of loss of fatty hilum or cortical thickness ≥ 5 mm as a threshold to biopsy will maintain high sensitivity with lower false-positive biopsy rate.
Patterns of Injury: Blunt and Sharp

The pathologist, by virtue of his or her observations and documentation of injuries with concomitant attempts to discern patterns of injury and correlate autopsy findings with investigative details, will often play an integral and primary role in the death investigation process. The information gleaned during this process, both pertinent positive and pertinent negative findings, however unimportant or insignificant they may seem during the initial examination, may potentially be of critical importance in answering future questions of a wide variety of interested parties, including law enforcement officials, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, loved ones of the deceased, insurance companies, organ procurement officials, and news media. The pathologist, by virtue of his or her position in the process, is often the one best individual to collate and synthesize all findings of the process, both medical and investigative.
Non-binary neural networks

On capacity considerations it is clear that it is advantageous to use non-binary neural networks.
Entertainment Use and Political Ideology: Linking Worldviews to Media Content:

This study integrates and builds upon research on moral psychology, entertainment media selection, and political communication that has established a link between political ideology and moral senti...
Photochemistry of common spacecraft outgassing contaminants: a review (Conference Presentation)

Molecular contamination of optical surfaces, thermal control components, or other spacecraft components can lead to end-of-life performance degradation. In particular, exposure to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation is known to enhance contaminant deposition rates. Known mechanisms for photodeposition and photopolymerization of contaminants are here reviewed to provide insight into the underlying chemistry and reaction mechanisms. Previous works have shown that many variables influence the rate of contaminant uptake, including temperature, VUV energy, and material properties of both the contaminant molecules and the substrate. Additionally, the photochemistries of three common spacecraft outgassing contaminants (DOP, BPA, and DC 704) are discussed to provide insight into future modeling efforts.
Food Footprint as a Measure of Sustainability for Grazing Dairy Farms

Livestock productions require significant resources allocation in the form of land, water, energy, air, and capital. Meanwhile, owing to increase in the global demand for livestock products, it is wise to consider sustainable livestock practices. In the past few decades, footprints have emerged as indicators for sustainability assessment. In this study, we are introducing a new footprint measure to assess sustainability of a grazing dairy farm while considering carbon, water, energy, and economic impacts of milk production. To achieve this goal, a representative farm was developed based on grazing dairy practices surveys in the State of Michigan, USA. This information was incorporated into the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) to estimate the farm carbon, water, energy, and economic impacts and associated footprints for ten different regions in Michigan. A multi-criterion decision-making method called VIKOR was used to determine the overall impacts of the representative farms. This new measure is called the food footprint. Using this new indicator, the most sustainable milk production level (8618 kg/cow/year) was identified that is 19.4% higher than the average milk production (7215 kg/cow/year) in the area of interest. In addition, the most sustainable pasture composition was identified as 90% tall fescue with 10% white clover. The methodology introduced here can be adopted in other regions to improve sustainability by reducing water, energy, and environmental impacts of grazing dairy farms, while maximizing the farm profit and productions.
The Profound Effects of Automation on Stock Markets

We document the profound impact of technology on the functioning of financial markets around the world. Specially, we report a strong trend towards fully automated trading systems. This trend is associated with a significant decline in the cost of equity capital. These findings are consistent with the notion that computerization enhances liquidity, informativeness, and valuations in the stock markets. These results have practical significance for investors routing their trades, firms choosing their listing venues, stock exchanges crafting their competitive organizational strategies, and regulators contemplating policy initiatives.
Antecedents in the Government - Nonprofit Relationship: The Case of Hospice

This paper analyzes, across time, the government-nonprofit relationship in the hospice program. Specifically, it frames the relationship within the context of the supplementary, complementary, and adversarial framework developed by Young (1999). The developed study sheds light on the effects of government entry, spending, and regulation on market share in nonprofit organizations. The outcomes indicate that nonprofit market share is negatively affected by government entry into the market place and increased government spending, providing evidence of a supplementary relationship. Given the budgetary challenges and growing cost of healthcare, the outcomes of this analysis begins a discussion of the affects of government entry, spending and regulation on the wellbeing of healthcare providing nonprofit organizations.
Neuromodulatory control of localized dendritic spiking in critical period cortex

Sensory experience in early postnatal life, during so-called critical periods, restructures neural circuitry to enhance information processing1. Why the cortex is susceptible to sensory instruction in early life and why this susceptibility wanes with age are unclear. Here we define a developmentally restricted engagement of inhibitory circuitry that shapes localized dendritic activity and is needed for vision to drive the emergence of binocular visual responses in the mouse primary visual cortex. We find that at the peak of the critical period for binocular plasticity, acetylcholine released from the basal forebrain during periods of heightened arousal directly excites somatostatin (SST)-expressing interneurons. Their inhibition of pyramidal cell dendrites and of fast-spiking, parvalbumin-expressing interneurons enhances branch-specific dendritic responses and somatic spike rates within pyramidal cells. By adulthood, this cholinergic sensitivity is lost, and compartmentalized dendritic responses are absent but can be re-instated by optogenetic activation of SST cells. Conversely, suppressing SST cell activity during the critical period prevents the normal development of binocular receptive fields by impairing the maturation of ipsilateral eye inputs. This transient cholinergic modulation of SST cells, therefore, seems to orchestrate two features of neural plasticity-somatic disinhibition and compartmentalized dendritic spiking. Loss of this modulation may contribute to critical period closure.
Motor cortical neuromodulation of pelvic floor muscle tone: Potential implications for the treatment of urologic conditions.

Aims In the human brain, supplementary motor area (SMA) is involved in the control of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). SMA dysfunction has been implicated in several disorders involving PFMs, including urinary incontinence and urologic pain. Here, we aimed to provide a proof-of-concept study to demonstrate the feasibility of modulating resting PFM activity (tone) as well as SMA activity with noninvasive stimulation of SMA. Methods We studied six patients (3 women + 3 men) with Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was applied to SMA immediately after voiding. We tested two rTMS protocols: high-frequency (HF-rTMS) which is generally excitatory, and low-frequency (LF-rTMS) which is generally inhibitory. PFM activity was measured during rTMS using electromyography. Brain activity was measured immediately before and after rTMS using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results The rTMS protocols had significantly different effects on resting activity in PFMs (P = 0.03): HF-rTMS decreased and LF-rTMS increased pelvic floor tone. SMA activity showed a clear trend ( P = 0.06) toward the expected differential changes: HF-rTMS increased and LF-rTMS decreased SMA activity. Conclusions We interpret the differential effects of rTMS at the brain and muscle level as novel support for an important inhibitory influence of SMA activity on pelvic floor tone after voiding. This preliminary study provides a framework for designing future studies to determine if neuromodulation of SMA could augment therapy for chronic urologic conditions.
Delivery of Euthyroid Baby following Hyperthyroidism in Twin Gestation with Coexisting Complete Hydatidiform Mole.

Context. Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a rare complication of pregnancy, ranging from molar pregnancy to choriocarcinoma. Twin pregnancies with GTD and coexisting normal fetus are extremely rare with an estimated incidence of 1 case per 22,000–100,000 pregnancies. Molecular mimicry between human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) leads to gestational trophoblastic hyperthyroidism (GTH) which is further associated with increased maternal and fetal complications. This is the first reported case in literature describing the delivery of a baby with biochemical euthyroid status following a twin pregnancy with hydatidiform mole (HM) associated with gestational trophoblastic hyperthyroidism (GTH). Case Description. A 24-year-old G4 P3 Caucasian female with twin gestation was admitted to hospital for gestation trophoblastic hyperthyroidism. She was later diagnosed to have twin pregnancy with complete mole and coexisting normal fetus complicated by gestational trophoblastic hyperthyroidism (GTH). Despite the risk associated with the continuation of molar pregnancy, per patient request, pregnancy was continued till viability of the fetus. The patient underwent cesarean section due to worsening preeclampsia and delivered a euthyroid baby at the 24th week of gestation. Conclusions. Twin pregnancy with gestational trophoblastic disease and coexisting normal fetus is associated with high risk of hyperthyroidism, and careful monitoring of the thyroid function test along with dose titration of thionamides is of utmost importance throughout the gestation. If normal thyroid hormone levels are maintained during the pregnancy, euthyroidism could be successfully achieved in the baby.
Inhomogeneous He ii reionization in hydrodynamic simulations

The reionization of the second electron of helium shapes the physical state of intergalactic gas at redshifts between 2 < z < 5. Because performing full in situ radiative transfer in hydrodynamic simulations is computationally expensive for large volumes, the physics of HeII reionization is often approximated by a uniform UV background model that does not capture the patchiness of reionization. We have devised a model that implements the effects of HeII reionization using semi-analytic calculations of the thermal state of intergalactic gas-- a way to bypass a full radiative transfer simulation while still realizing the physics of HeII reionization that affects observables such as the Lyman alpha forest. Here we present a publicly-available code that flexibly models inhomogeneous HeII reionization in simulations at a negligible computational cost. Because many of the parameters of HeII reionization are uncertain, our model is customizable from a set of free parameters. We show results from this code in MP-Gadget, where this model is implemented. We demonstrate the resulting temperature evolution and temperature-density relation of intergalactic gas-- consistent with recent measurements and previous radiative transfer simulations. We show that the impact of HeII reionization gives rise to subtle signatures in the one-dimensional statistics of the Lyman alpha forest at the level of several per cent, in agreement with previous findings. The flexible nature of these simulations are ideal for studies of HeII reionization and future observations of the HeII Lyman alpha forest.
Four new Scopalina from Southern California: the first Scopalinida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Eastern Pacific

Sponges (phylum Porifera) are common inhabitants of kelp forest ecosystems in California, but their diversity and ecological importance are poorly characterized in this biome. Here I use freshly collected samples to describe the diversity of the order Scopalinida in California. Though previously unknown in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, four new species are described here: Scopalina nnnn1 sp. nov., S. kkkk sp. nov., S. gggg sp. nov., and S. jjjj sp. nov.. These discoveries illustrate the considerable uncharacterized sponge diversity remaining in California kelp forests, and the utility of SCUBA-based collection to improve our understanding of this diversity.
Antimicrobial Bacteria and Viruses Detected Through Systematic Sampling in the Childcare Environment

Background: Approximately two-thirds of children aged <5 years receive out-of-home child care. Childcare attendees have an increased risk of infections compared to children not in childcare settings, possibly due to their close contact in a shared environment. As multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) increasingly move from healthcare-associated to community settings, childcare can provide a venue for further transmission of these pathogens. Our objective was to evaluate the bioburden of pathogens present on fomites in childcare centers and how surface contamination changes over time. Methods: The study was conducted in the single-room play area of an Ypsilanti, Michigan, childcare center caring for children aged 3–5 years. Polyester swabs were used to collect surface samples from 16 locations in the room, including (1) laminate, wood and plastic tabletops and furniture; (2) a stainless steel sink and adjacent plastic trash bin; and (3) wood, metal and plastic toys. A water sample was also collected at a 17th site. Samples were collected twice weekly for 5 of 6 weeks, followed by 1 additional collection (September–October 2019). Tryptic soy agar was used for standard plate counts and selective media were used to identify methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vvancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Enterobacteriaceae. Single-plex RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus and adenovirus. Results: Among 175 samples collected on 11 days, MRSA and ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were detected from 10.3% (18 of 175) and 8.0% (14 of 175), respectively, of environmental specimens. No specimens were positive for VRE or norovirus. Adenovirus was detected in 20 of 175 specimens (11.4%). Median bioburden by site ranged from 85 CFU/mL to 2,510 CFU/mL. The highest median bioburden was observed at the sink (2,510 CFU/mL), followed by the plastic building block table (1,620 CFU/mL), the small wood blocks (1,565 CFU/mL) and water from a water play area and an adjacent tabletop (1,260 and 1,100 CFU/mL respectively). The highest single day bioburden was 273,000 CFU/mL at the sink. Conclusion: The presence of MDROs on childcare center fomites raised concern for exposure to these pathogens among vulnerable populations. More study is needed to determine the degree to which these contaminated fomites drive transmission between children. We found the highest bioburdens on sites where children played or washed with water, identifying potential targets for more frequent cleaning. Funding: None Disclosures: Emily T. Martin reports a consulting from Pfizer.
POLLEN GRAIN MORPHOLOGY OF PHYSARIA KINGII SUBSP. KAIBABENSIS AND TWO CONGENERS

In this study we focus on the pollen morphology of Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis and two congeners, Physaria arizonica and P. kingii subsp. latifolia, found on the Kaibab Plateau, Arizona, to differentiate further among these species. We collected plant material from 2 sites/species, with 10 plants/site used to image 10 pollen grains/plant. We described pollen grains (i.e., polar axis [P], equatorial diameter [E], P/E ratio, shape, exine structure, and aperture number) using scanning electron microscopy. All species imaged had pollen grains with reticulate surfaces and were pentacolpate. We found significant differences among species for equatorial diameter and P/E ratio, but not for polar axis. This study provides additional information that can be incorporated in species descriptions.