cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of type 9 adenylyl cyclase triggers reduced phosphorylation of Hsp20 and diastolic dysfunction.

Adenylyl cyclase type 9 (AC9) is found tightly associated with the scaffolding protein Yotiao and the IKs ion channel in heart. But apart from potential IKs regulation, physiological roles for AC9 are unknown. We show that loss of AC9 in mice reduces less than 3% of total AC activity in heart but eliminates Yotiao-associated AC activity. AC9−/− mice exhibit no structural abnormalities but show a significant bradycardia, consistent with AC9 expression in sinoatrial node. Global changes in PKA phosphorylation patterns are not altered in AC9−/− heart, however, basal phosphorylation of heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) is significantly decreased. Hsp20 binds AC9 in a Yotiao-independent manner and deletion of AC9 decreases Hsp20-associated AC activity in heart. In addition, expression of catalytically inactive AC9 in neonatal cardiomyocytes decreases isoproterenol-stimulated Hsp20 phosphorylation, consistent with an AC9-Hsp20 complex. Phosphorylation of Hsp20 occurs largely in ventricles and is vital for the cardioprotective effects of Hsp20. Decreased Hsp20 phosphorylation suggests a potential baseline ventricular defect for AC9−/−. Doppler echocardiography of AC9−/− displays a decrease in the early ventricular filling velocity and ventricular filling ratio (E/A), indicative of grade 1 diastolic dysfunction and emphasizing the importance of local cAMP production in the context of macromolecular complexes.
Compact and Hilbert–Schmidt Operators

Although compact operators play an important role in many areas of analysis, they appear only rarely in this volume. In particular, we use them in the proof of Theorem 5.26, and the special type of compact operators known as Hilbert–Schmidt operators play a role in some exercises that deal with tensor products. This appendix provides a brief review of the properties of compact and Hilbert–Schmidt operators that are relevant to our uses in this volume. A few proofs are included, and some others are sketched in the Exercises for this appendix.
The Interaction of Recirculation Gyres and a Deep Boundary Current

AbstractMotivated by the proximity of the Northern Recirculation Gyre and the deep western boundary current in the North Atlantic, an idealized model is used to investigate how recirculation gyres ...
The Temperature Dependence of the Grüneisen Ratio of Polymeric Materials Determined by Thermal and Ultrasonic Sound Velocity Measurements

The Gruneisen ratio, γG, often appears as a temperature independent factor in the thermal term of the Mie-Gruneisen equation of state for metals and refractory materials,(1,2,3,4).
Spiders in Conservation Planning: A Survey of US Natural Heritage Programs

Although spiders play important roles in terrestrial ecosystems and are negatively impacted by human activity, they have received little attention from the US conservation community. Information gaps may prohibit the inclusion of spiders in conservation planning. Conservation priority setting, environmental review and local land-use planning activities in the US increasingly rely on information compiled by the Natural Heritage Network. A review of heritage database content and a survey of natural heritage programs both indicate a paucity of compiled data on the US spider fauna. Heritage programs are probably hampered by the unavailability of current species checklists, identification services and keys, and a general unfamiliarity with the fauna. Clearly, further development of information on rare or imperiled spiders will depend on increased communication and collaboration with arachnologists.
The Setting and Initial Events

There are at least three basic factors that must be emphasized in accounting for the development of regional science and the formation of the Regional Science Association International, RSAI. One is the state of affairs at the start of the period when regional science began to develop. Another concerns the events, processes and structural elements of the world that conditioned and led to the entrepreneurial activity of relevant personalities. Still another must account for the existence and provision of resources and the potential for a scientific thrust that made possible the development of a new field of study.
BOOK REVIEW: Cuervo, H., & Wyn, J. (2012). Young People Making it Work: Continuity and Change in Rural Places. Victoria, Australia: Melbourne University Press. 208 pages, ill., ISBN: 9780522860979.

BOOK REVIEW: Cuervo, H., & Wyn, J. (2012). Young People Making it Work: Continuity and Change in Rural Places. Victoria, Australia: Melbourne University Press. 208 pages, ill., ISBN: 9780522860979.
Prevalence of clinically relevant drug-drug interactions in patients enrolled in NCTN clinical trials.

e18819Background: Oncology patients are at high risk of clinically relevant drug-drug interactions (DDIs) due to high rates of polypharmacy. DDIs in patients enrolled in clinical trials can adverse...
Investigation of mechanical torque applied by electron vortex beams in a liquid cell

Electron beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM), or electron vortex beams (EVBs), can be produced in a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) with forked diffraction gratings.1,2 Just as optical vortex beams can be used to trap and rotate particles, EVBs have been reported to transfer their OAM to a nanoparticle on a dry substrate and cause it to spin.3,4 However the results have not been reproduced, perhaps due to contact friction. It has been suggested that a more dramatic effect could be observed by imaging particles levitated in an optical trap or in a liquid environment. 3,5,6 To reproduce these results and demonstrate a more pronounced response, we are performing experiments to transfer OAM from an EVB to a nanoparticle suspended in a fluid. TEM liquid cells consist of a liquid sample sealed against the vacuum of the standard TEM column between two electron-transparent windows. These cells have enabled the study of liquid samples at nanometer to atomic resolution and have applications in the study of microfluidics, electrochemical processes, and biological samples. Electron vortex beams could provide a useful new tool to manipulate nanoparticles and liquids themselves inside such cells. Here we describe an experimental investigation of EVB-induced rotation in a liquid and show that initial results are inconclusive. A theoretical consideration using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem suggests that, unlike in an optical trap, viscous forces and rotational Brownian motion may overwhelm the subtle torqueing effect the EVB has on the particle.
Optical Convolutional Neural Networks with Optimized Phase Masks for Image Classification

Convolutional neural networks excel in many computer vision applications but exert high computational demands. We propose a zero-power optical convolutional layer that can be incorporated for increased efficiency and demonstrate its potential in simulations.
Co-Simulation Testbed for Unbalanced Fault Ride Through Hardware in the Loop Validation

This paper presents the Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platforms validation for a fault ride through control strategy. The proposed fault ride through (FRT) control strategy is to be embedded in the inverter-based interface, based on a phase-coordinating approach. It is conducted on the $abc$ phase coordinates frame rather than the traditional $dq$ synchronous reference frame. A generalized reference current calculation method is developed for tackling the unbalanced FRT scenarios. By utilizing the co-simulation interfaces between Opal-RT and RTDS. This paper validates the proposed FRT control using the combined HIL platforms.
P-033 When to stop: the marginal utility of additional thrombectomy passes

Introduction/purpose Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy is the most effective treatment for patients presenting with acute large vessel occlusion. However, recanalization is sometimes not achieved even after multiple passes of the thrombectomy device. Repeated attempts at clot retrieval come at a cost of increased procedure time and risk of complications. Clear criteria for when to halt attempting recanalization do not currently exist. We address this question by estimating the probability of recanalization after each pass and compare this with the decreased outcomes associated with multiple passes. Materials and methods We studied a retrospective group of patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion at a single center from 2012–2017. For each patient, the TICI reperfusion score after each pass (including aspiration, stentriever, or wire manipulation) was estimated by reviewing the angiography and associated procedure report. Adequate reperfusion was defined as TICI 2b/3. Demographics were obtained from the electronic medical record and included age, gender, vascular risk factors, presenting NIHSS and mRS, procedure time, discharge mRS, and periprocedural complications. Statistics were computed using the open source, R statistics platform. Results Reperfusion with TICI 2b/3 was achieved in 146 of 198 patients (74%) after on average 1.8 thrombectomy passes (median 1, IQR 1–3). Most patients underwent stentriever thrombectomy or some combination of aspiration and stentriever. The probability of achieving TICI 2b/3 peaked on the third pass. Although many patients achieved TICI 2b/3 after three or more passes, the probability of achieving TICI 2b/3 decreased precipitously after the third pass. No patients achieved TICI 2b or 3 on the fifth or sixth pass. Patients were sub-stratified by number of passes (1–3 or >3). The group with greater than 3 passes was less likely to achieve TICI 2b or 3 (7/18 (39%) compared with 139/172 (82%), p=0.003) and less likely to achieve good functional outcome, mRS 0–2 (3/18 (17%) compared with 78/164 (48%), p=0.01). The number of passes was weakly correlated with the procedure duration (R2 0.4). Conclusion With modern aspiration catheters and stentrievers, target reperfusion is usually achieved within 3 passes. Patients who require greater than 3 passes are less likely to achieve TICI 2b/3 reperfusion and more likely to have poor outcomes. Because the probability of recanalization markedly decreases after 3 passes, and is lost after 5 passes, the diminishing benefit of repeated recanalization attempts must be weighed against the additive risks. Disclosures S. Raymond: None. M. Koch: None. J. Rabinov: None. T. Leslie-Mazwi: None. C. Stapleton: None. A. Patel: 2; C; Medtronic, Penumbra.
Proliferating Virtues: A Clear and Present Danger?

The needless proliferation of virtues is a possible pitfall of the explosion of work in virtue ethics. I discuss two positions on proliferation and offer my own. Russell (Practical intelligence and the virtues. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2009) takes the first approach, arguing that virtue ethical right action is impossible unless we adopt a finite and specifiable list of the virtues. I argue against this. Hursthouse (Working virtue: virtue ethics and contemporary moral problems. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2007) offers a second perspective, looking first to standard Aristotelian virtues, and adding virtues only when the standard list fails to capture something of moral importance. Like Hursthouse (Working virtue: virtue ethics and contemporary moral problems. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2007), I believe that questions arising from applied ethics present the real challenge to the adequacy of traditional lists of virtues. These challenges are becoming increasingly urgent. Technologies are not only shaping our conceptions of ourselves, the human good, and virtues, but also, through germline gene editing, have the potential to change human nature. My position takes its cue from Hursthouse (Working virtue: virtue ethics and contemporary moral problems. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2007) but goes beyond her by arguing for an “anthropological turn” in virtue ethics. The anthropological turn examines forms of life, especially those influenced by technology and science, and how they affect articulations of the human good and the virtues needed to attain it. Any new virtues, I argue, should be identified through study of how dispositions conducive to human good arise organically within forms of life. In this way, virtues remain grounded in what is good for humans, yet the anthropological turn recognizes that what counts as human good is now in flux because of science and technology.
Gaze Avoidance Explains the Association Between Anxiety Sensitivity Social Concerns and Social Anxiety

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of fear, has been proposed as a transdiagnostic feature of anxiety disorders. AS social concerns is a dimension of AS that involves worry about the social consequences of anxiety symptoms. Although AS social concerns has been linked to social anxiety both theoretically and empirically, few studies have considered processes that may explain this association. AS social concerns may be associated with avoidance of eye contact (gaze avoidance), which in turn may be associated with greater social anxiety. This hypothesis was tested using a sample of 190 undergraduate students. Self-reported gaze avoidance partially explained the association between AS social concerns and social anxiety. The model remained significant when controlling for other AS dimensions, general anxiety, and depression symptoms. The model was not moderated by race (Black, White), a finding which partially addresses the need to test how well theories apply to diverse populations. The findings advance cognitive frameworks of social anxiety by suggesting that gaze avoidance may explain associations between risk factors and symptoms. Additional research is needed to examine whether interventions that increase eye contact may weaken the association between AS social concerns and social anxiety.
ECM-based scaffolds for pancreas bioengineering

Abstract Diabetes is a metabolic disease of epidemic proportions, which involves loss of function and/or viability of pancreatic islet cells. Current therapies consist of whole pancreas transplantation or transplantation of isolated islets. Islet transplantation is attractive because of its noninvasive surgical procedure; however, transplanted islet grafts tend to fail within 3–5 years. One of the reasons behind islet failure is the significant difference in the microenvironment that the islets are exposed to upon isolation and subsequent implantation. Within the pancreas the islets reside within specific extracellular microenvironment and extracellular matrix molecules, which is completely removed during the process of islet isolation and further implantation. In this chapter, we present a detailed discussion of the extracellular microenvironment of native islets, and present a discussion of upcoming whole organ engineering approach which has the potential to reestablish islet microenvironment upon implantation.
Improved MHC II epitope prediction — a step towards personalized medicine

Numerous neoepitope-based vaccination strategies are in testing for clinical use in the treatment of cancer. Rapid identification of immunostimulatory neoantigen targets hastens neoantigen vaccine development. Papers recently published in Nature Biotechnology describe two independent machine-learning-based algorithms that demonstrate improved identification of MHC class II-binding peptides. Herein, we outline the benefits of these algorithms and their implications for future immunotherapies.
Is the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Feasible in Bundled Payment for Care Improvement in Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients?

Abstract Background Several bundled payment plans, like the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative for total joint arthroplasty, have been introduced to decrease costs and improve clinical care. Measuring clinical outcomes with efficient, standardized methodologies is essential to determine the relative value of total joint arthroplasty care. We investigated feasibility and responsiveness of the recently developed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. Methods We included patients with preoperative and 1-year PROMIS Physical Function (PF), Pain Interference (PI), and Depression (DEP) scores who received unilateral primary TKA. Burden was assessed using the number of questions and time required for PROMIS completion. The minimum clinically important difference was defined as 5. Floor/ceiling effects were noted if more than 15% of patients responded with the lowest/highest possible score, respectively. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare categorical data. Analysis of variance was used for PROMIS comparisons. Results In total, 172 knees (54 BPCI) were included. Floor effects were identified for DEP at baseline (non-BPCI) and follow-up (both groups), and for PI at follow-up only (BPCI). Patients required 140 seconds and 16 questions to answer all 3 PROMIS domains. Sixty-seven percent, 60%, and 44% of knees achieved minimum clinically important difference in PI, PF, and DEP scores respectively, with no significant difference between groups. The BPCI cohort was older (P Conclusion PROMIS is feasible and time-efficient in BPCI patients undergoing primary TKA. There were no significant differences in outcomes between BPCI and non-BPCI knees. Level of Evidence Level III.
Spiritual Values for Those Without Eternal Life

Martin Hagglund’s This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom offers a naturalistic, this-worldly theology with eloquence and heart. Nevertheless, from a religious studies perspective, there is a fair amount to criticize. This review essay identifies two shortcomings in this book and then develops a typology of religious teachings about eternal life in order to assess places where Hagglund’s critique succeeds.
13.08 – Neurotransmitter Receptors*

Neurotransmitter receptors play a vital role in the normal functioning of the nervous system. Controlled modulation of neurotransmitter receptors is critical for proper signaling between nerve cells and effector organs. Factors that disrupt normal neurotransmitter signaling can alter the homeostasis of the cells or tissues, leading to adverse effects. The release of neurotransmitters at the presynaptic neuron and the subsequent activation of postsynaptic receptors lead to stimulation or inhibition of neuronal transmission. The excitatory neurotransmission involves depolarization of the postsynaptic neuron or cell due to a decrease in the polarity of the cells by the influx of cations such as sodium ions. The excitatory neurotransmission is mainly carried out by glutamate receptors in the mammalian nervous system. The inhibitory neurotransmission is due to hyperpolarization of the cells by either influx of anions such as chloride ions or efflux of cations such as potassium ions. The GABA and glycine receptors serve as major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors. Toxins and toxicants can interfere with neuronal transmission by directly binding receptors and modulating their function or by altering transmitter synthesis, release, and reuptake mechanisms. Therefore, neurotoxins can impair neuronal transmission at the synapse by either presynaptic modulation or postsynaptic modifications. Due to the intricate network of the nervous system, impairment of the receptor functions in the synapse can lead to alterations of the neuronal function leading to malfunction of groups of neurons resulting in altered functionality of certain regions of the nervous system. This can eventually lead to adverse effects and behavioral deficits. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of neurotransmitter receptor modulation by toxins and toxicants is essential for future development of therapies against adverse effects of these neurotoxic substances.
Bioluminescence potential modeling during polar night in the Arctic: impact of advection versus local sources

Bioluminescence (BL) potential observations registered high BL potential emissions during the polar night of January 2012 at the mouth of a fjord Rijpfjorden (northern Svalbard, Norway). Notably, observations of BL potential at this location were significantly higher in the upper 50 m than observed BL potential at offshore stations located on the shelf-slope areas and in the deeper water off northern Svalbard. In the present paper, we address questions as to why the values of BL potential in the fjord are higher than at offshore stations and what the role of advection is in the observed elevation of BL potential values in the fjord in comparison to offshore stations. We utilized the ensemble approach when changes in BL potential are modeled with the advection-diffusion-source (ADS) model, and the focus is on modeling and predictions of a large ensemble of averaged values of BL potential over a specific domain of interest at the fjord mouth. Results of the modeling have demonstrated increases in ensemble members with BL potential values larger than or equal to the specific threshold in comparison to corresponding ensemble members in the initial distribution. Even when we introduced mortality rates in our simulations (values from 0.1 to 0.3 day−1), increases in ensemble members with higher than the threshold value were more than 3.7 times larger in comparison to ensemble members in the initial distribution. The interpretation of our results is that during the polar night, the fjord represents an area where bioluminescent organisms from offshore aggregate through advection and mixing.
Meltdown at the Academy of Fine Arts: The Role of Teachers’ Emotional Sensemaking in Planned Change:

Schools are characterized by nearly constant internal and external demands to change, grow, and improve. Past research has found that the way educators “make sense” of what they are being asked to ...
Comparative outcomes of Inferior Vena Cava filters placed at bedside using digital radiography versus conventional fluoroscopy.

Purpose To retrospectively assess the outcomes of Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters placed in critically ill patients in the ICU at bedside using digital radiograph (DR) guidance with previous cross-sectional imaging for planning, compared to IVC filters placed by conventional fluoroscopy (CF). Method and materials The cohort consisted of 129 IVC filter placements; 48 placed at bedside and 81 placed conventionally from July 2015 to September 2016. Patient demographics, indication, radiation exposures, access site, procedural duration, dwell time, and complications were identified by the EMR. IVC Filter positioning with measurements of tip to renal vein distance and lateral filter tilt were performed when cavograms or post placement CTs were available for review. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata IC 11.2. Results Technical success of the procedure was 100% in both groups. Procedural duration was longer at the bedside lasting 14.5 +/- 10.2 versus 6.7 +/- 6.0 ​min (p<0.0001). The bedside DR group had a median radiation exposure of 25 ​mGy (15-35) and the CF group had mean radiation exposure of 256.94 ​mGy +/- 158.6. There was no significant difference in distance of IVC tip to renal vein (p=0.31), mispositioning (p=0.59), degree of filter tilt (p=0.33), or rate of complications (p=0.65) between the two groups. Conclusion IVCF placement at the bedside using DR is comparable to CF with no statistical difference in outcomes based on IVCF positioning, degree of lateral tilt or removal issues. It decreased radiation dose, but with overall increased procedural time.
The Forgotten Lives of Sociology of Death: Remembering Du Bois, Martineau and Wells.

This article seeks to rewrite the genealogy of sociology of death by revisiting the history of sociology, from the 1830s to the early twentieth century. Providing an overview of sociological studies of death that consolidated into a subfield in the 1990s, it shows how recent attempts at including intersectional and decolonial approaches link with considerations of death in sociology’s early history. Engaging sociological thinkers Harriet Martineau, Emile Durkheim, Ida B. Wells, and W.E.B. Du Bois, the article seeks to provide an alternate genealogy of the sociology of death and to make a case for mainstreaming the study of death within the discipline. It shows that questions of suicide and Black death were a significant part of these scholars’ writings and that attention to loss and mourning shaped emergent understandings of the social, sociological frameworks, and methodologies. This view supplements efforts toward encouraging intersectional and geopolitical approaches to the study of death in sociology, approaches that are more needed than ever before to contend with the scale of loss and suffering that is filling lives.
Mental health and economic stressors associated with high-risk drinking and increased alcohol consumption early in the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Physical distancing measures to curb COVID-19 transmission introduced mental health and economic stressors, possibly impacting problematic drinking. This cross-sectional study examines mental health and economic stressors early in the COVID-19 pandemic which may be associated with heavy alcohol use and increased alcohol use. We administered an online survey of U.S. adults via social media April 5 to May 5, 2020. High-risk drinking was defined by WHO risk drinking levels, a daily average of ≥4 drinks for men and ≥3 drinks for women. Participants reported retrospective assessments of increased alcohol use if their past-week alcohol consumption exceeded their past-year average weekly alcohol consumption. We used logistic regression to assess possible covariates of high-risk drinking and increased alcohol use. Among 2175 participants, 10% (n = 222) reported high-risk drinking, and 36% (n = 775) reported increased alcohol consumption. In multivariable analysis, high-risk drinking was significantly associated with household job loss (OR = 1.41, 95%CI = (1.06, 1.88)) and depressive symptoms (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = (1.02, 1.07)), and women had higher odds of high-risk drinking than men (OR = 2.37, 95% CI = (1.32, 4.69)). Previous mental health diagnosis was not significantly associated with high-risk drinking during the pandemic (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = (0.98, 1.76)) in univariable analysis. High-risk drinkers were almost six times as likely to report retrospective assessments of increased alcohol consumption, controlling for mental health and economic stressors (OR = 5.97, 95% CI = (4.35, 8.32)). Findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to address the complex mental health and economic stressors that may increase alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking during and after the pandemic.
River Basin Planning and Urban Development

In a metropolitan nation, the coordination of river basin planning and metropolitan planning becomes important. To achieve this coordination, planning for river basin development must be brought under a unified command and communities in metropolitan areas must find ways to reach consensus on their common objectives and on plans to achieve them. Changing social and economic circumstances are making urban areas more aware of their river resources. As political power shifts to the urban areas, a larger voice in planning the development of river basins will be gained. The increasing Federal emphasis on metropolitan planning and the creation of river basin planning agencies are two promising trends in the development of closer coordination in the planning of river basins and metropolitan areas.
Effect of clinical and semen characteristics on efficacy of ovulatory stimulation in patients undergoing intrauterine insemination.

Purpose: We measured the effect of ovulatory stimulation(OS) upon intrauterine insemination (IUI) success rates,particularly among patients with risk factors for IUI failure.
Cognitive Development and Culture

Cognitive development occurs in cultural context. This chapter describes the complex and multifaceted connection between culture and cognitive development and how it unfolds over ontogenesis. Sociocultural theory, which is unique in its focus on cognitive development in relation to culture, provides the conceptual foundation of the chapter. Following discussion of the historical foundations of contemporary research on culture and cognitive development, we describe how culture has been studied in psychological research, the importance of a developmental approach for understanding culture–cognition connections, and some considerations in studying the sociocultural basis of cognitive development. The capacities that human beings have that underlie participation in culture are discussed, including current understanding of relevant neural functioning and brain maturation and the social-cognitive capabilities through which children learn from others. To illustrate the defining role of culture in human cognition, we describe empirical research in four areas of development: memory, executive functions, spatial cognition, and problem solving. General conclusions on theory and research about culture and cognitive development are offered along with suggestions for future research. Keywords: cognitive development; cross-cultural psychology; cultural context; cultural learning; cultural participation; cultural psychology; cultural tools; executive functions; memory development; problem solving; scaffolding; social brain; social cognition; social interaction; sociocultural theory; spatial cognition; zone of proximal development
A Pilot Exercise Intervention to Enhance Fitness and Quality of Life among African American and White Colorectal Cancer Survivors

As the third most common occurring malignancy and 3rd leading cause of cancer-related mortality, colorectal cancer (CRC) represents as a significant public health concern. CRC affects ~1 in 20 people over their lifetimes and 50,000+ deaths from CRC were expected in 2013. Substantial disparities exist for CRC with elevated incidence rates and mortality among African Americans (AA) compared to Whites (W). Further evidence of a disparity is the 5 year relative survival rate from colon cancer (20022008) which is 56% among AAs compared to 64% among whites. While many reasons have been suggested for these differences, the precise cause remains unknown and is likely multifactorial. As the third most common occurring malignancy and 3rd leading cause of cancer-related mortality, colorectal cancer (CRC) represents an important public health concern. Substantial disparities exist for CRC with elevated incidence and relative survival rate among African Americans (AA) compared to White (W). Purpose: To determine the feasibility of recruiting African Americans (AA) and White (W) subjects into a training intervention study to improve physiologic and quality of life measures. Methods: Former CRC patients were contacted and if available, were consented and screened for eligibility. Eligible patients completed exercise and spirometry tests prior to 12 weeks of progressive exercise training. Results: After fifteen months of recruitment, 119 AA, 125 W patients have been contacted. Of those contacted, 10 AA (8.4%), 5 W (4.0%) patients were available and consented to begin the study. 2 AA (1.7%) and 2 W (1.6%) have completed the entire study with 2 W in progress of completion. Conclusion: Subject recruitment for a twelve week intervention study of colorectal cancer survivors has not been very successful with race not being an issue of consent or study completion.
TMEFF2 and SARDH cooperate to modulate one-carbon metabolism and invasion of prostate cancer cells.

BACKGROUND The transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor and two follistatin motifs, TMEFF2, has been implicated in prostate cancer but its role in this disease is unclear. We recently demonstrated that the tumor suppressor role of TMEFF2 correlates, in part, with its ability to interact with sarcosine dehydrogenase (SARDH) and modulate sarcosine level. TMEFF2 overexpression inhibits sarcosine-induced invasion. Here, we further characterize the functional interaction between TMEFF2 and SARDH and their link with one-carbon (1-C) metabolism and invasion. METHODS RNA interference was used to study the effect of SARDH and/or TMEFF2 knockdown (KD) in invasion, evaluated using Boyden chambers. The dependence of invasion on 1-C metabolism was determined by examining sensitivity to methotrexate. Real-time PCR and Western blot of subcellular fractions were used to study the effect of SARDH KD or TMEFF2 KD on expression of enzymes involved in one-carbon (1-C) metabolism and on TMEFF2 expression and localization. Protein interactions were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Cell viability and proliferation were measured by cell counting and MTT analysis. RESULTS While knocking down SARDH affects TMEFF2 subcellular localization, this effect is not responsible for the increased invasion observed in SARDH KD cells. Importantly, SARDH and/or TMEFF2 KD promote increased cellular invasion, sensitize the cell to methotrexate, render the cell resistant to invasion induced by sarcosine, a metabolite from the folate-mediated 1-C metabolism pathway, and affect the expression level of enzymes involved in that pathway. CONCLUSIONS Our findings define a role for TMEFF2 and the folate-mediated 1-C metabolism pathway in modulating cellular invasion. Prostate 73: 1561–1575, 2013 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alprazolam and depression: a review of risks and benefits

Therapeutic efficacy for depression and panic disorder has been demonstrated with the triazolobenzodiazepine alprazolam. However, potentially serious adverse events, including depression and suicide attempts, have been reported in patients taking this medication. In this paper, reports addressing the association between each of these two events and benzodiazepine use in general and, more specifically, alprazolam use, are reviewed. We conclude that while these adverse events do occur in patients taking alprazolam, the causal relationship remains unclear and requires further study. Fortunately, these events are observed only rarely, so the prudent clinician may continue to safely prescribe this useful medication. Language: en
On representation and weighted utilitarian representation of preference orders on finite streams

In this paper we re-examine the axiomatic basis of the key result on weighted utilitarian representation of preference orders on finite utility streams. We show that a preference order satisfying the axioms of Minimal Individual Symmetry, Invariance and Strong Pareto need not have a representation, and thus in particular a weighted utilitarian representation. The example establishing this result might also be of interest for the literature on the representation of preference orders. We then establish that whenever a preference order satisfying the axioms of Minimal Individual Symmetry, Invariance and Weak Pareto has a representation, it also has a weighted utilitarian representation. Our approach helps us to view the available results on the weighted utilitarian representation theorem from a different perspective.
Dextrous robot hands

Manipulation using dextrous robot hands has been an exciting yet frustrating research topic for the last several years. While significant progress has occurred in the design, construction, and low level control of robotic hands, researchers are up against fundamental problems in developing algorithms for real-time computations in multi-sensory processing and motor control. The aim of this book is to explore parallels in sensorimotor integration in dextrous robot and human hands, addressing the basic question of how the next generation of dextrous hands should evolve. By bringing together experimental psychologists, kinesiologists, computer scientists, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers, the book covers topics that range from human hand usage in prehension and exploration, to the design and use of robotic sensors and multi-fingered hands, and to control and computational architectures for dextrous hand usage. While the ultimate goal of capturing human hand versatility remains elusive, this book makes an important contribution to the design and control of future dextrous robot hands through a simple underlying message: a topic as complex as dextrous manipulation would best be addressed by collaborative, interdisciplinary research, combining high level and low level views, drawing parallels between human studies and analytic approaches, and integrating sensory data with motor commands. As seen in this text, success has been made through the establishment of such collaborative efforts. The future will hold up to expectations only as researchers become aware of advances in parallel fields and as a common vocabulary emerges from integrated perceptions about manipulation.
Comparing Instance-Averaging with Instance-Saving Learning Algorithms

The goal of our research is to understand the power and appropriateness of instance-based representations and their associated acquisition methods. This paper concerns two methods for reducing storage requirements for instance-based learning algorithms. The first method, termed instance-saving, represents concept descriptions by selecting and storing a representative subset of the given training instances. We provide an analysis for instance-saving techniques and specify one general class of concepts that instance-saving algorithms can learn. The second method, termed instance-averaging, represents concept descriptions by averaging together some training instances while simply saving others. We describe why analyses for instance-averaging algorithms are difficult to produce. Our empirical results indicate that storage requirements for these two methods are roughly equivalent. We outline the assumptions of instance-averaging algorithms and describe how their violation might degrade performance. To mitigate the effects of non-convex concepts, a dynamic distance-thresholding technique is introduced and applied in both the averaging and non-averaging learning algorithms. Thresholding increases storage requirements but also increases the quality of the resulting concept descriptions.
Stategic alternatives and inter-organizational system implementations: an overview

Abstract:The potential strategic importance of information systems is now an accepted fact. The context of this importance, however, transcends traditional data processing, user functional departments, and, more importantly, organizational boundaries. Inter-organizational information systems (ios) that automate the flow of information interchange across organizational boundaries are made possible by technological advances in data communications. This paper discusses a range of strategic options and ios implementations.
Devising an architecture for time-critical information services: inter-organizational performance data components for emergency medical service (EMS)

This paper reports on a case study analysis of a county-wide emergency medical services (EMS) system striving to implement information technology across service provider organizations (e.g., fire, ambulance, dispatch center, hospitals) to enhance e-governmental emergency response performance. An analysis of performance data and supplemental interviews from emergency response organizations are used to inform this study. From these data sources, researchers performed process and information flow analysis across a chain of dispatchers, responders, and health care facilities to understand barriers and challenges to accessing and linking time-critical data across service organizations. The analytical lens is a socio-technical framework developed from prior e-government research on time-critical information services (TCIS), or public services highly dependent upon time and information (e.g., emergency response, law enforcement). Findings include inter-organizational gaps in data access across pre-hospital and hospital information systems, the need for patient tracking across organizations and systems to enable end-to-end analysis, and time and quality of care benefits to inter-organizational data access and use. The National Intelligent Transportation System Architecture is applied to the case study location to validate the functionality of the TCIS framework and to provide strategic guidance for the case study locale. Recommendations are provided on how the architecture can be adapted to enhance end-to-end performance of EMS systems.
The case for newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency and related disorders

Early detection of primary immunodeficiency is recognized as important for avoiding infectious complications that compromise outcomes. In particular, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is fatal in infancy unless affected infants can be diagnosed before the onset of devastating infections and provided with an immune system through allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation, enzyme replacement, or gene therapy. A biomarker of normal T cell development, T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs), can be measured in DNA isolated from the dried blood spots routinely obtained for newborn screening; infants identified as lacking TRECs can thus receive confirmatory testing and prompt intervention. Early results of TREC testing of newborns in five states indicate that this addition to the newborn screening panel can be successfully integrated into state public health programs. A variety of cases with typical SCID genotypes and other T lymphocytopenic conditions have been detected in a timely manner and referred for appropriate early treatment.
Production of syntactic stress in alaryngeal speech.

An acoustical investigation of syntactic stress in alaryngeal speech was undertaken. Measurements were made of fundamental frequency, relative intensity, vowel duration, and intersyllable duration from noun compounds and noun phrases spoken by four normal speakers, four esophageal speakers, four Blom-Singer tracheoesophageal speakers, four users of the Western Electric 5A electrolarynx, and one user of the Servox electrolarynx. Results indicated that esophageal and tracheoesophageal speakers were able to manipulate the relative magnitudes of fundamental frequency, intensity, and vowel duration in a manner comparable to those of normal speakers. With the exception of one user of the Western Electric 5A electrolarynx, who manipulated both fundamental frequency and duration, electrolarynx users generally manipulated only duration properties. All alaryngeal speakers manipulated intersyllable duration, whereas normal speakers did not. The degree of acoustical contrast for both peak fundamental frequency and vo...
Defining Morbidity after Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Use of a Prospective Complication Grading System

Background Improving surgical quality of care requires accurate reporting of postoperative complications. Study design Accuracy of a prospective surgical complication grading database was assessed by performing a retrospective review of 204 pancreaticoduodenectomies (PDs) entered into the database from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2003. This updated database was then used to characterize 30-day morbidity and mortality after PD. Results On review, 13% of patients had a complication not identified in the prospective complication database, 8% of patients had a complication reclassified, and 4% of patients had a complication removed. At least 1 postoperative complication was experienced by 47% of patients. After PD, 45 different complications occurred. Postoperative mortality at 30 days was 1%, and 30-day readmission rate was 11%. The 30-day reoperation rate was 9%, and 14% of patients required a percutaneous drainage procedure. Pancreatic anastomotic leak (12%), wound infection (11%), and delayed gastric emptying (7%) were the 3 most common postoperative complications, and all were associated with an increased length of stay. Conclusions Our prospective surgical complication database accurately characterized outcomes after PD and facilitated information gathering and analysis. The accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of a prospective surgical complication database favor its widespread use in postoperative complication reporting.
In situ formation and incorporation of additives into polymers during interfacial polycondensation reactions

One of the objectives of the work was to attempt the in situ formation of inorganic fillers during interfacial polycondensation reactions. The complementary components of the filler were added separately to the organic and aqueous phases of the system so that they formed the insoluble filler at the interface simultaneously with the polymer. Since the polyamide plastics have good molding properties, nylon 610 was selected as the principal model, but some work was also carried out with a urethane polymer. Further, coloring of nylon 610 and of a polyurethane resin was investigated by lake formation at the interface with the help of 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone in the organic phase and a metal salt in the aqueous phase. In this way, red- and blue-colored polymers were prepared. Finally, by adding zinc ions to the aqueous and pentachlorophenol to the organic phase, zinc pentachlorophenate was incorporated into nylon 610 during its formation. The ignition point of the resultant product was significantly higher than that of a sample to which zinc pentachlorophenate had been added by mechanical mixing.
Expression of the neuronal calcium sensor protein NCS-1 in the developing mouse olfactory pathway.

Neuron specific calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1) is widely expressed in the developing and adult nervous system. Like calmodulin, NCS-1 is a member of a family of calcium binding proteins that contain EF-hand motifs, which bind calcium and induce conformational changes in the protein. Their binding varies with calcium concentration, allowing them to act as true calcium sensors rather than just calcium binding proteins. This family of proteins has been implicated in important synaptic events including neurotransmitter release and synapse formation. We examined the expression of NCS-1 in the developing and mature olfactory system to determine whether this molecule may be playing a role in establishing and/or maintaining olfactory circuitry. During development, expression of NCS-1 in the olfactory epithelium was localized in the dendritic knobs and axons of olfactory sensory neurons. Axonal expression was down-regulated after synapse formation. In the developing olfactory bulb, NCS-1 was expressed in the processes of mitral/tufted and granule cells. However, in the adult olfactory bulb, strongest expression was found in a subset of periglomerular cells (PGCs). This subset of PGCs did not express other known markers of PGCs including tyrosine hydroxylase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, calbindin, or calretinin, and only partially overlapped with the subpopulation of PGCs that express parvalbumin. Together, these data suggest multiple and overlapping roles of NCS-1 in the developing and mature olfactory system. J. Comp. Neurol. 482:201–216, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of austenitizing temperature and austenite grain size on the formation of athermal martensite in an iron-nickel and an iron-nickel-carbon alloy

The effects of austenitizing conditions on the kinetics at the start of martensite formation in Fe-31Ni and Fe-31 Ni-0.28C alloys have been studied using electrical-resistance measurements during cooling of the specimens to follow the course of the transformation. The primary object of the study was to decide whether or not a change in austenitizing temperature, in the absence of a change in austenite grain size, has any effect on the Ms temperature or the burst characteristics of athermal martensite. It is concluded that it does not, suggesting that the potential nuclei (embryos) of martensite are mechanically stable crystal defects. Another interesting observation is that when the austenite grain size is small, the Mb temperature increases with increasing grain size and the burst is always small. When the austenite grains are coarse, the Mb temperature is independent of the grain size and the burst is large. It is suggested that this phenomenon is a result of the elastic shear stress concentration being related to the size of the first martensite plate and, in turn, to the size of the austenite grain.