cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4448: Overexpression of ECT2 promotes proliferation and metastasis of UPSC

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Introduction: UPSC is a rare but aggressive malignancy that accounts for no more than 5 to 10% of uterine cancers, but more than 40% of associated uterine cancer deaths. The molecular events responsible for the poor clinical outcomes observed with UPSC are largely unknown. Epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 oncogene (ECT2) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (Rho-GEF) that catalyzes the exchange of GDP for GTP by Rho family GTPases. High levels of ECT2 expression have been reported in brain, lung and breast cancers, where they were shown promote metastasis. However, the role of ECT2 in UPSC has not been previously explored. Methods: After obtaining IRB permission, ECT2 mRNA and protein expression were measured in flash frozen specimens of normal proliferative endometrium (n=8) and UPSC (n =8) by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Established cultures of UPSC cell lines (UPSC-ARK1, UPSC-ARK2) were transfected with either an siRNA targeting ECT2 or a non-targeting control (Dharmacon) using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen). Reduced expression of ECT2 following transfections with ECT2 siRNAs was confirmed by qPCR and Western blot. Standard MTS and Caspase 3/7 assays (Promega) were utilized to measure proliferation and apoptosis. Colony formation and Boyden chamber assays were used to measure metastatic capacity, migration and invasion in vitro. Results: Our data indicate that ECT2 is overexpressed >4-fold in nearly all UPSC specimens tested (n=8, p<0.001). We also found that ECT2 is robustly expressed in both the UPSC-ARK1 and UPSC-ARK2 cell lines. Utilizing these 2 cell lines, we found that knockdown of ECT2 significantly decreased proliferation (UPSC-ARK1: 0.62-fold versus control; n=3, p<0.05; UPSC-ARK2: 0.34-fold versus control, p<0.05) and increased rates of apoptosis (UPSC-ARK1: 1.3-fold; n=3, p<0.05; UPSC-ARK2: 2.2-fold, n=3, p<0.05) in both cell lines tested. Decreased ECT2 expression targeted by transfection with siRNAs led to decreased rates of colony formation in UPSC-ARK1 and UPSC-ARK2 cell lines. Knockdown of ECT2 also significantly reduced rates of migration and invasion observed in vitro with both cell lines. Conclusions: Overexpression of ECT2 plays a critical role in promoting the growth and metastasis of UPSC. Targeting ECT2 expression may provide an effective strategy for improving outcomes for UPSC and other human cancers where hyperactivation of metastasis-promoting Rho GTPases are observed. Citation Format: Claire M. Mach, Thomas J. Magliaro, Matthew L. Anderson. Overexpression of ECT2 promotes proliferation and metastasis of UPSC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4448. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4448
Biomechanical Evaluation of Capsulotomy, Capsulectomy, and Capsular Repair on Hip Rotation

Purpose To determine the effect of different types of capsulotomies on hip rotational biomechanical characteristics. Methods Seven fresh-frozen cadaveric hip specimens were thawed and dissected, leaving the hip capsule and labrum intact. The femur was transected and potted, and each specimen was placed in a custom loading apparatus that allowed for adjustment of flexion, extension, and axial rotation of the femur. Six reflective infrared markers were attached to the specimens to track the motion of the femoral head with respect to the acetabulum in real time, and external rotation was produced by applying a torque of 10 Nm to the hip specimens. Data analysis was performed using the 3-dimensional position of the markers in space. The specimens were tested in neutral flexion and 40° of flexion in the following capsular states: intact, interportal capsulotomy, T-capsulotomy, repaired capsulotomy, and capsulectomy. Paired t tests and analysis of variance were used with an α value of .05 set as significant. Results With the hip in neutral flexion, there was increased external rotation with a T-capsulotomy (91.1° ± 20.3°, P = .029) and capsulectomy (91.9° ± 19.6°, P = .015) compared with the intact hip (83.2° ± 20.5°). After complete repair of the T-capsulotomy (87.4° ± 20.6°), there was no significant difference in external rotation compared with the intact hip. No significant differences were seen between groups at 40° of hip flexion. Conclusions A T-capsulotomy showed significantly increased external rotation versus the intact and interportal capsulotomy states. The repaired T-capsulotomy restored the rotational profile back to the native state. Clinical Relevance Many methods of capsular treatment during hip arthroscopy exist. Capsulotomy and capsulectomy do not restore the external rotation restraint of the hip back to its native state.
Magnetic sensitivity of the 3330.8 Å state of s-triazine

We report more precise measurements of the magnetic field effect on the supposed first singlet state of s-triazine at 3330.8 A, and find a g-factor of 0.11 ± 0.08 assuming the observed effects are caused by a splitting. We also report new results that are in agreement with previous work on the magnetic dipole nature of the transition, but a concern about the assumed cylindrical symmetry of the 4.2°K s-triazine crystal is raised.
Defining shape measures for 3D star-shaped particles: Sphericity, roundness, and dimensions

Abstract Truncated spherical harmonic expansions are used to approximate the shape of 3D star-shaped particles including a wide range of axially symmetric ellipsoids, cuboids, and over 40.000 real particles drawn from seven different material sources. This mathematical procedure enables any geometric property to be calculated for these star-shaped particles. Calculations are made of properties such as volume, surface area, triaxial dimensions, the maximum inscribed sphere, and the minimum enclosing sphere, as well as differential geometric properties such as surface normals and principal curvatures, and the values are compared to the analytical values for well-characterized geometric shapes. We find that a particle's Krumbein triaxial dimensions, widely used in the sedimentary geology literature, are essentially identical numerically to the length, width, and thickness dimensions that are used to characterize gravel shape in the construction aggregate industry. Of these dimensions, we prove that the length is a lower bound on a particle's minimum enclosing sphere diameter and that the thickness is an upper bound on its maximum inscribed sphere diameter. We examine the “true sphericity” and the shape entropy, and we also introduce a new sphericity factor based on the radius ratio of the maximum inscribed sphere to the minimum enclosing sphere. This bounding sphere ratio, which can be calculated numerically or approximated from macroscopic dimensions, has the advantage that it is less sensitive to surface roughness than the true sphericity. For roundness, we extend Wadell's classical 2D definition for particle silhouettes to 3D shapes and we also introduce a new roundness factor based on integrating the dot product of the surface position unit vector and the unit normal vector. Limited evidence suggests that the latter roundness factor more faithfully captures the common notion of roundness based on visual perception of particle shapes, and it is significantly simpler to calculate than the classical roundness factor.
For the law, neuroscience changes nothing and everything.

The rapidly growing field of cognitive neuroscience holds the promise of explaining the operations of the mind in terms of the physical operations of the brain. Some suggest that our emerging understanding of the physical causes of human (mis)behaviour will have a transformative effect on the law. Others argue that new neuroscience will provide only new details and that existing legal doctrine can accommodate whatever new information neuroscience will provide. We argue that neuroscience will probably have a transformative effect on the law, despite the fact that existing legal doctrine can, in principle, accommodate whatever neuroscience will tell us. New neuroscience will change the law, not by undermining its current assumptions, but by transforming people’s moral intuitions about free will and responsibility. This change in moral outlook will result not from the discovery of crucial new facts or clever new arguments, but from a new appreciation of old arguments, bolstered by vivid new illustrations provided by cognitive neuroscience. We foresee, and recommend, a shift away from punishment aimed at retribution in favour of a more progressive, consequentialist approach to the criminal law.
Molecular biological aspects of alcohol-induced liver disease

Molecular biological investigations have become a predominant methodology applied to the study of alcohol-induced liver disease. The enzymatic pathways responsible for ethanol metabolism, and their genetic as well as environmental control, have become the focus of detailed investigation. More recently, the significance of cytokines in the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver disease has also become a major area of speculation. This review focuses on the advances made in studies of two important enzymes responsible for alcohol metabolism, alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, as well as the investigation of the proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines involved in the process of hepatic fibrogenesis. The quality and quantity of new discoveries made in the field of alcohol-induced liver disease is impressive, especially when one realizes that molecular biological approaches have been employed in this area for only 15 years. However, in most cases the studies have been predominantly descriptive, with little direct relevance to the therapeutics of alcoholism and alcohol-induced organ injury. Because the groundwork has been laid, one hopes that the next 15 years will rectify this failure.
Human Cytomegalovirus UL69 Protein Induces Cells To Accumulate in G1 Phase of the Cell Cycle

Earlier studies have revealed that human cytomegalovirus rapidly inhibits the growth of fibroblasts, blocking cell cycle progression at multiple points, including the G1-to-S-phase transition. The present study demonstrates that the UL69 protein, a virus-encoded constituent of the virion, is able to arrest cell cycle progression when introduced into uninfected cells. Expression of the UL69 protein causes U2 OS cells and primary human fibroblasts to accumulate within the G1 compartment of the cell cycle, and serum fails to induce the progression of quiescent human fibroblasts into the S phase when the protein is present. Therefore, the UL69 protein is at least partially responsible for the cell cycle block that is instituted after infection of permissive cells with human cytomegalovirus.
Non-linear propagation of directional cylindrical waves

Abstract The method of renormalization is used to determine a uniformly valid expansion for the problem of non-linear waves produced in a fluid by the harmonic pulsations of a finite circular cylinder. For a uniform expansion, both the radial and axial distances need to be strained. The effect of dimensionless quantities upon the acoustic shock-formation distance is examined. The results show that the wave produced consists of a number of groups that propagate without any mutual interaction.
Power-conscious joint scheduling of periodic task graphs and aperiodic tasks in distributed real-time embedded systems

In this paper, we present a power-conscious algorithm for jointly scheduling multi-rate periodic task graphs and aperiodic tasks in distributed real-time embedded systems. While the periodic task graphs have hard deadlines, the aperiodic tasks can have either hard or soft deadlines. Periodic task graphs are first scheduled statically. Slots are created in this static schedule to accommodate hard aperiodic tasks. Soft aperiodic tasks are scheduled dynamically with an on-line scheduler. Flexibility is introduced into the static schedule and optimized to allow the on-line scheduler to make dynamic modifications to the static schedule. This helps minimize the response times of soft aperiodic tasks through both resource reclaiming and slack stealing. Of course, the validity of the static schedule is maintained. The on-line scheduler also employs dynamic voltage scaling and power management to obtain a power-efficient schedule. Experimental results show that the flexibility introduced into the static schedule helps improve the response times of soft aperiodic tasks by up to 43%. Dynamic voltage scaling and power management reduce power by up to 68%. The scheme in which the static schedule is allowed to be flexible achieves up to 3.2% more power saving compared to the scheme in which no flexibility is allowed, when both schemes are power-conscious. Our work gives an average architecture price saving of 30% over a previous approach for embedded system architectures synthesized with execution slots for hard aperiodic tasks present.
Synthesis and structural characterization of copper complexes of N4 tetradentate Schiff bases derived from N-alkylated 2-aminobenzaldehyde. Effects of cyclization, oxidation, and dinucleation

Abstract The structures of the copper complexes of 7,8,15,16,17,18-hexahydro-dibenzo[e,m][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclotetradecine (Cu(2,2 mac)) 7,8,15,18-tetrahydro-dibenzo[e,m][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclotetradecine-16,17-dionato (Cu(2,2 oxomac)) and Cu(NCH3 amben) and Cu(2,2 oxomac)Ni(hfa)2 are reported. The three copper complexes containing a 14-membered macrocycle are essentially square planar complexes and exhibit no short axial interactions. The analogous acyclic complex, Cu(NCH3 amben), exhibits an average tetrahedral distortion of 34.35° which appears to be due to steric repulsion between the two methyl groups. The dinuclear complex, which exhibits a planar exchange coupled oxamido core, was prepared by reaction of Cu(2,2 oxomac) with Ni(hfa)2. The analogous complex, Cu(2,2 oxomac)Cu(hfa)2, can be prepared by the same procedure or by reaction of Cu(2,2 mac) with Cu(hfa)2. The former method is a general synthetic route while the latter is specific for Cu(hfa)2 relying on its ability to catalyze the oxidization of the ethylene unit between the anilino nitrogen atoms to the oxamide (NCH2CH2N to NCOCON) under ambient conditions.
Nucleoli in low-grade prostate adenocarcinoma and adenosis

Abstract This study compares the frequency of prominent nucleoli in low-grade adenocarcinoma with that of its frequent mimicker, adenosis. One hundred thirteen transurethral resection specimens of stage A purely low-grade adenocarcinoma (only Gleason score 1 or 2) were evaluated. Eighteen cases of adenosis were evaluated for comparison. Prominent nucleoli were defined as those with a greatest dimension more than 1.6 μm as measured with an ocular micrometer. The frequency of prominent nucleoli in each focus was estimated as (1) none, (2) rare ( 50% of epithelial cells). Twenty percent of cases of adenocarcinoma had, at most, rare prominent nucleoli. Eight percent of adenocarcinoma cases had no prominent nucleoli. Twenty-eight percent of cases of adenosis had at least one focus of occasional or frequent prominent nucleoli. We conclude that a small but significant subset of low-grade prostatic adenocarcinomas lack prominent nucleoli and, likewise, a significant proportion of cases of adenosis have prominent nucleoli. Like many other histologic features of these lesions, we feel there is a spectrum of frequency of prominent nucleoli, with overlap between the two. The significance of nucleoli should be taken in context with other cytologic and architectural features characteristic of prostatic adenocarcinoma and adenosis. In difficult cases basal cell-specific immunohistochemical stains may be helpful.
A phase I study of prolonged infusion 5-fluorouracil and concomitant radiation therapy in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

Abstract The radiosensitization properties of 5-FU are well documented, and clinical trials have suggested improved local control and survival in head and neck cancer. Clinical trials to date have used bolus injection or short term (⩽5 days) 5-FU infusions. To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of 5-FU given as continuous intravenous infusion for 12 weeks concomitant with conventional radiation therapy, 18 patients with advanced inoperable head and neck cancers were treated with conventional irradiation and 100, 200, 250, or 300 mg/m 2 /day of 5-FU. A dose of 250 mg/m 2 /day was determined to be the maximum tolerated dose and is recommended for Phase 11 studies.
Characterization of Salmonella bacteriophages isolated from swine lagoon effluent.

Four Salmonella bacteriophages that had been originally isolated from swine manure lagoons were char- acterized and compared to each other and to well-known Salmonella phages P22 and Felix 01. Host ranges of the lagoon phages were similar to each other in spot tests on reference strains of Salmonella, but differed slightly from each other on a panel of Salmonella lagoon strains. In single-step growth at 35C the lagoon phages had latent periods of 15 to 20 min and burst sizes from 100 to 230. The lagoon phages and P22 were purified by cesium chloride (CsCl) gradient centrifugation and used to produce specific antisera and DNA. The lagoon phages were indistinguishable from each other but distinct from P22 and Felix 01 in immunodiffusion and infectivity neutralization tests and in restriction digest analysis.
Phytate as the Sole Phosphate Source for Growth of Tetrahymena

Phytate, the storage form of phosphate in seeds and grains, is a major form of environmental phosphate loading from fertilizer inputs and agricultural runoff. We have investigated the ability of Tetrahymena populations to grow on phytate as their sole phosphate source. Populations grew equally well in chemically defined medium with phosphate and medium in which the phosphate was replaced with phytate in comparable concentrations between 0.5 mM and 6 mM. Intracellular phytate concentrations of cells grown in phytate showed a 4-6-fold increase over those grown in phosphate when measured during the late stage of exponential growth. These results demonstrate that phytate can provide a source of adequate phosphate for sustained growth in phytate-rich environments.
Joint Estimation and Correction of Geometric Distortions for EPI Functional MRI Using Harmonic Retrieval

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses applied spatial variations in the magnetic field to encode spatial position. Therefore, nonuniformities in the main magnetic field can cause image distortions. In order to correct the image distortions, it is desirable to simultaneously acquire data with a field map in registration. We propose a joint estimation (JE) framework with a fast, noniterative approach using harmonic retrieval (HR) methods, combined with a multi-echo echo-planar imaging (EPI) acquisition. The connection with HR establishes an elegant framework to solve the JE problem through a sequence of 1-D HR problems in which efficient solutions are available. We also derive the condition on the smoothness of the field map in order for HR techniques to recover the image with high signal-to-noise ratio. Compared to other dynamic field mapping methods, this method is not constrained by the absolute level of the field inhomogeneity over the slice, but relies on a generous pixel-to-pixel smoothness. Moreover, this method can recover image, field map, and T2* map simultaneously.
Validation of 3 Food Outlet Databases: Completeness and Geospatial Accuracy in Rural and Urban Food Environments

Despite interest in the built food environment, little is known about the validity of commonly used secondary data. The authors conducted a comprehensive field census identifying the locations of all food outlets using a handheld global positioning system in 8 counties in South Carolina (2008-2009). Secondary data were obtained from 2 commercial companies, Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. (D&B) (Short Hills, New Jersey) and InfoUSA, Inc. (Omaha, Nebraska), and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Sensitivity, positive predictive value, and geospatial accuracy were compared. The field census identified 2,208 food outlets, significantly more than the DHEC (n = 1,694), InfoUSA (n = 1,657), or D&B (n = 1,573). Sensitivities were moderate for DHEC (68%) and InfoUSA (65%) and fair for D&B (55%). Combining InfoUSA and D&B data would have increased sensitivity to 78%. Positive predictive values were very good for DHEC (89%) and InfoUSA (86%) and good for D&B (78%). Geospatial accuracy varied, depending on the scale: More than 80% of outlets were geocoded to the correct US Census tract, but only 29%-39% were correctly allocated within 100 m. This study suggests that the validity of common data sources used to characterize the food environment is limited. The marked undercount of food outlets and the geospatial inaccuracies observed have the potential to introduce bias into studies evaluating the impact of the built food environment.
Interactions between salt and acid stimuli: a lesson in gustation from simultaneous epithelial and neural recordings.

If for no other reason than the fact that eating and drinking gives us pleasure, it is of interest to understand the physiology of gustation. In this issue, [Lyall et al. (2002a)][1] have uncovered the key cellular mechanisms that occur in taste receptor cells (TRCs) when certain mixtures of
Unraveling the Basis of Neurodegeneration using the Drosophila Eye

Research progress over the last 20 years has identified misfolded proteins and RNAs bearing noncoding repeat expansions as the culprits in most neurodegenerative diseases. This is the diverse group of brain disorders that typically strikes in mid-to-late life causing progressive loss of motor and/or cognitive functions. Pathologically, these diseases are characterized by the aberrant accumulation of protein (amyloids) and RNA (nuclear foci) in brain neurons. It is unclear, though, how these pathogenic assemblies ultimately cause cell death. To fill this gap, these rogue proteins and RNAs have been expressed in transgenic animal models, including the little fly Drosophila melanogaster. In most cases, these neurotoxic agents preserved their intrinsic pathogenicity, resulting in relevant models to understand how they induce neuronal loss. In this regard, the fly eye has become an invaluable research tool because (i) the precise arrangement of its 800 ommatidia facilitates the detection of structural perturbations and (ii) the eye, unlike the brain, is not required for viability. In addition, the unmatched arsenal of genetic tools enables the validation of candidate genes as well as the discovery of unsuspected molecular mechanisms through genetic interactions. Moreover, the recent combination of in silico and in vitro screens followed by validation in the fly eye has provided a wealth of new targets with potential therapeutic application. This chapter describes the Drosophila eye as a powerful tool in the identification of the genetic mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative processes and the discovery of neuroprotective drugs.
Cellular, genetic and molecular mechanisms of axonal guidance in the zebrafish.

There is organization and pattern in the intricate network of axons that comprise the nervous system. This organization is essential to ensure the establishment of appropriate connections between neurons and their targets. Between the initiation of axonogenesis and the point where an axon reaches its target, is the process of axon guidance. In both invertebrates and vertebrates, axon guidance occurs in a stereotyped manner resulting in the formation of patterned nerves. The growing tip of the axon, the growth cone, responds to cues in the environment. These cues, both attractive and repulsive, dictate where growth cones extend and thus where nerves will form (Tessier-Lavigne and Goodman 1996).
Life is More than a Survey: Understanding Attitudes toward Euthanasia in Japan

Empirical studies in bioethics, as well asclinical experience, demonstrate the existenceof inter- and intra-cultural diversity invalues and perspectives on end-of-life issues. This paper argues that while survey researchcan describe such diversity, explaining itrequires ethnographic methodology that allowsordinary people to frame the discussion intheir own terms. This study of attitudestoward euthanasia in Japan found that peopleface conflicts between deeply held values suchas life versus pain, self versus other, andburden versus self-reliance that make itdifficult to rely on a ``rational person''approach to decision-making. An inductiveethnographic approach grounded in people's lifeexperiences can indicate the reasons forvariation in responses to surveys, and canclarify the nature of ethical conflict in aparticular cultural setting.
Sustained Mesozoic–Cenozoic diversification of marine Metazoa: A consistent signal from the fossil record

Paleobiological data provide a key historical record of global biodiversity dynamics, but their interpretation is controversial due to geological and sampling biases. Raw data suggest that marine metazoans diversified dramatically during the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic, whereas bias-corrected analyses based on occurrence-level data in the Paleobiology Database (PBDB) have indicated much less Cenozoic diversification. These standardized analyses are cited as evidence that biases strongly conceal underlying patterns in the global fossil record. However, we show that marine diversity did increase substantially and continuously from the Jurassic to the Neogene, even after correcting for biases in PBDB data. Previous standardized analyses did not capture this diversification in full because they were based on incomplete data. In the Cenozoic, observed richness rose to twice the Paleozoic average, which is within the range of values seen in analyses of raw data, suggesting that even the raw global marine fossil record preserves first-order signals of diversity history.
Oxidation behavior of sintered tubular silicon carbide in pure steam Ι: Experiments

Abstract Experimental investigations are conducted on sintered tubular SiC in oxidizing environments containing pure steam at 1 atm with temperature range of 1140–1500 °C and velocity between 0.8 and 10 m/s. Linear weight loss was observed with time. The linear weight loss rates exhibit sensitive dependence on flow rate at a given temperature, demonstrating effects of flow boundary-layer diffusion rate on silica volatilization kinetics. Silica scale exhibits morphology change with respect to exposure time in an oxidizing environment, progressively demonstrating bubble formation and surface smoothing, extensive formation of cracks and pores, and crack reduction. Yet, strength measurements of pressure-less sintered SiC show no significant change after oxidation in the tested conditions. Hence, the primary life-time limiting factor for structural application of pressure-less sintered SiC in the tested environments is anticipated to be the loss of the material.
Astigmatism after cataract extraction: 6-year follow up of 6.5- and 12- millimeter incisions.

BACKGROUND: Cataract surgery and cataract surgeons have long realized that the surgical wound induces a significant change in the astigmatic properties of the eye postoperatively. In efforts to avoid or minimize these changes, there has been a progressive shift toward smaller incision sizes. However, that incision size which renders the eye astigmatically neutral has yet to be completely defined. This article will examine the long-term behavior of planned extracapsular surgical wounds (chord length 12 mm) and phacoemulsification wounds (chord length 6.5 mm), as well as look at potential animal models for defining how smaller incisions behave. METHODS: One hundred thirty-eight eyes of patients whose average age was 75 years have been followed for up to 6 years. Both vector and scalar analyses of the induced postoperative cylinder were evaluated. Additionally, the astigmatic properties of 10 nonhuman primate eyes which had phacoemulsification surgery were followed for 1 year. Finally, incisions of smaller chord lengths, as small as 2.5 mm, were examined in the nonhuman primate model. RESULTS: We demonstrated that with vector analysis, the induced cylindrical change with phacoemulsification wounds (6.5 mm) was 1.20 +/- 0.60 diopters and with planned extracapsular wounds was 2.20 +/- 1.30 D. In all cases, a significant against-the-rule shift was observed which was independent of the amount of surgically induced with-the-rule astigmatism at the time of surgery. Vector analysis was more appropriate because it demonstrated the against-the-rule shift for both patients whose preoperative cylinder was "with-the-rule" as well as those who were preoperatively "against-the-rule." In humans with 6.50-millimeter scleral incisions, these changes were completely stable 2 to 6 months postoperatively depending on the cylinder induced at the time of surgery. Experiments were also carried out in monkeys demonstrating that similar types of surgical wounds induced roughly the same amount of induced against-the-rule cylindrical shift (1.40 +/- 1.00 D), suggesting that this model is appropriate for looking at the behavior of cataract wounds in general. Smaller wounds in the nonhuman primate showed that 3.5- and 2.5-millimeter wounds were astigmatically neutral whereas 4.5-millimeter wounds and larger were not. Although the later study was performed with corneal incisions, whereas the studies mentioned earlier were all performed with scleral incisions, it is felt that this model could define that incision size which is neutral and that further work utilizing this model with other wound locations might be clinically helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Although the long-term behavior of 6.5-millimeter phacoemulsification wounds was generally stable, a small clinically insignificant shift did occur several years after the initial surgical procedure (0.30 D). Animal modeling, although difficult and costly, could provide relevant data in defining the specific size and placement of surgical wounds for cataract surgery.
THE GENETICS AND EVOLUTION OF CANNIBALISM IN FLOUR BEETLES (GENUS TRIBOLIUM).

Cannibalism plays a major role in population regulation in Tribolium confusum, accounting for up to tenfold differences in population size between different genetic strains. I characterized the within- and between-strain genetic variation for cannibalism using standard quantitative-genetic methods. The four laboratory strains studied have similar birth and death rates but differ in their strain-specific cannibalistic tendencies. The cannibalism rates of the strains were stable for more than 60 generations of laboratory husbandry. I found considerable genetic variation for cannibalism within each strain. A genetic analysis of the between-strain differences in each of three types of cannibalism (larvae eating eggs, adults eating eggs, and adults eating pupae) showed that all three cannibalism pathways are autosomally inherited and exhibit minor degrees of dominance. Adult cannibalism of eggs and larval cannibalism of eggs appear to be genetically correlated. The differences between the "high" and "low" cannibalism strains appear to be polygenic for two kinds of cannibalism, larvae eating eggs and adults eating pupae. However, strain differences in adult cannibalism of eggs may be due to only two loci. The stability of the between-strain differences for more than 60 generations, the additive nature of inheritance, and the demonstration of considerable within-strain genetic variation suggest that cannibalism may be selectively neutral or under stabilizing selection with many adaptive peaks.
Persistence of immunophenotypically aberrant CD34+ myeloid progenitors is frequent in bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms treated with hypomethylating agents

Aims Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) exhibit clinical efficacy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN). This study was performed to assess residual disease status by flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCI) methods in patients with MDS or MDS/MPN treated with HMAs, and correlate the findings with clinical response. Methods CD34+ myeloid precursors were assessed in 85 patients with MDS and MDS/MPN treated with HMAs using FCI methods. Morphological, cytogenetic and molecular assessments were performed to evaluate the responses. Results After a median six cycles (3–19) of HMAs, 40 (47%) patients showed haematological improvement, 26 (63%) showed bone marrow (BM) and 20 (39%) cytogenetic response. However, CD34+ myeloid progenitors showed persistent immunophenotypic aberrancies in 72 (85%) patients, indeterminate in four (5%) and negative in nine (10%). Compared with pretreatment BM in a given patient, FCI abnormalities were reduced in 15 (20%) patients, similar in 37 (48%), increased in 15 (20%) and showed antigenic shift in nine (12%). Patients who achieved immunophenotypic improvement had a superior progression-free survival (p=0.031). In the subgroup of patients who underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), 16/19 (84%) patients who had a pre-HSCT positive FCI study became normal. Conclusions These findings show the difficulty in eradicating neoplastic myeloid precursors by HMA therapy, thereby resulting in ultimate treatment failure in most patients. Achieving immunophenotypic improvement helps to identify patients who may benefit from continuous HMA treatment. HSCT provides a potential cure for these patients by replenishing BM with normal haematopoietic stem cells.
Philosophy, Theology, and the Core Curriculum: Case Studies at the University of St. Thomas

Catholic colleges and universities tend to have a strong set of core course requirements, not unlike non-Catholic liberal arts institutions. Catholic schools, however, frequently include as part of the core a number of theology and philosophy courses. This course of study, the liberal arts with strong theology/philosophy requirements, is said by some to be the Catholic intellectual tradition. At the heart of this view is the idea that theology and philosophy provide some context to understand and to integrate the other disciplines. Unfortunately, it is the experience of many students in Catholic colleges and universities that the core required courses are discrete and unrelated hurdles to jump over on the way to one's major. 1 (emphasis added)
61 – Membrane Transport of Nutrients

This chapter provides descriptions and recipes to choose the appropriate model system to investigate nutrient transport events, and has compared and contrasted the menu of tools used to quantify and evaluate data. The importance of investigating solute transport is reflected in the rapid pace of reported discoveries in the literature. Cloning and characterizing new transporters is an especially exciting field of basic biomedical physiology, and the time is ripe to approach nutrient transport from a surgical perspective. Nutrient transport can be easily measured by applying a set of basic tools in a variety of cell types, ranging from in vitro single-cell suspensions to in vivo preparations. The transport of nutrients obeys the thermodynamic and kinetic rules of general solute movement across a membrane, and thus the tools exploit these physical and physiologic events to yield meaningful data. Nutrient transport data can describe normal physiologic events of cells and tissues, and are especially useful in describing the physiologic events in the body responding to surgical interventions.
Detection of special nuclear material from delayed neutron emission induced by a dual-particle monoenergetic source

Detection of unique signatures of special nuclear materials is critical for their interdiction in a variety of nuclear security and nonproliferation scenarios. We report on the observation of delayed neutrons from fission of uranium induced in dual-particle active interrogation based on the 11B(d,n γ)12C nuclear reaction. Majority of the fissions are attributed to fast fission induced by the incident quasi-monoenergetic neutrons. A Li-doped glass–polymer composite scintillation neutron detector, which displays excellent neutron/γ discrimination at low energies, was used in the measurements, along with a recoil-based liquid scintillation detector. Time-dependent buildup and decay of delayed neutron emission from 238U were measured between the interrogating beam pulses and after the interrogating beam was turned off, respectively. Characteristic buildup and decay time profiles were compared to the common parametrization into six delayed neutron groups, finding a good agreement between the measurement and nu...
Stabilization of benthic algal biomass in a temperate stream draining agroecosystems.

Abstract Results of the present study quantified carbon sequestration due to algal stabilization in low order streams, which has not been considered previously in carbon stream ecosystem studies. The authors used empirical mode decomposition of an 8-year carbon elemental and isotope dataset to quantify carbon accrual and fingerprint carbon derived from algal stabilization. The authors then applied a calibrated, process-based stream carbon model ( ISOFLOC ) that elicits further evidence of algal stabilization. Data and modeling results suggested that processes of shielding and burial during an extreme hydrologic event enhance algal stabilization. Given that previous studies assumed stream algae are turned over or sloughed downstream, the authors performed scenario simulations of the calibrated model in order to assess how changing environmental conditions might impact algae stabilization within the stream. Results from modeling scenarios showed an increase in algal stabilization as mean annual water temperature increases ranging from 0 to 0.04 tC km −2 °C −1 for the study watershed. The dependence of algal stabilization on temperature highlighted the importance of accounting for benthic fate of carbon in streams under projected warming scenarios. This finding contradicts the evolving paradigm that net efflux of CO 2 from streams increases with increasing temperatures. Results also quantified sloughed algae that is transported and potentially stabilized downstream and showed that benthos-derived sloughed algae was on the same order of magnitude, and at times greater, than phytoplankton within downstream water bodies.
Infrared absorption and visible transparency in heavily doped p-type BaSnO3

The recent experimental work shows that perovskite BaSnO3 can be heavily doped by K to become a stable p-type semiconductor. Here, we find that p-type perovskite BaSnO3 retains transparency for visible light while absorbing strongly in the infrared below 1.5 eV. The origin of the remarkable optical transparency even with heavy doping is that the interband transitions that are enabled by empty states at the top of the valence band are concentrated mainly in the energy range from 0.5 to 1.5 eV, i.e., not extending past the near IR. In contrast to n-type, the Burstein-Moss shift is slightly negative, but very small reflecting the heavier valence bands relative to the conduction bands.
{1,1'-Bis[(pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]-2,2'-bipiperid-yl}(perchlorato)copper(II) perchlorate.

The title complex, [CuII(ClO4)(mesoPYBP)](ClO4) {PYBP = 1,1′-bis­[(pyridin-2-yl)meth­yl]-2,2′-bipiperidyl, C22H30N4}, was prepared and found to crystallize with two crystallographically independent complex salt moieties. The metal atoms of the cations adopt a pseudo-square-pyramidal coordination geometry, where the tetra­dentate amino­pyridine ligands (PYBP) are wrapped around the Cu atoms in the equatorial plane. The Cu—O bonds involving an O atom of the coordinating perchlorate anion are approximately perpendicular to the plane. The two remaining non-coordinating perchlorate anions are involved in several C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with the PYBP ligand and balance the total charge of the complex salt. The two crystallographically independent moieties are related to each other via a pseudo-translation along the a-axis direction. Exact translational symmetry is broken by (i) a difference in the conformation of one of the piperidine rings, featuring a chair conformation in one of the cations, and a sterically disfavored boat conformation in the other; and (ii) by modulation of the non-coordinating perchlorate anions.
Myasthenia gravis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A comprehensive review (P5.073)

Objective: To describe the clinical features of 34 cases of myasthenia gravis (MG) that developed after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Background: Neurologic complications may occur in up to 16% of patients undergoing HSCT. The incidence is higher after allogenic HSCT, usually in the setting of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Neuromuscular disorders account for 3 to 8% of all neurologic complications, and myositis is the most common manifestation. MG is rare, with an overall frequency of Design/Methods: We searched PubMed for cases of myasthenia gravis associated with HSCT and/or graft-versus-host disease. Results: Thirty-four cases were analyzed (3 of our own and 31 from the literature). Median age at diagnosis of MG was 24 years (2–61). There were 21 males and 11 females, of which 23 were adult and 9 were pediatric cases ( Conclusions: MG is a rare late complication of HSCT. Compared to idiopathic MG, it affects younger patients and seems to be more severe as evidenced by the high proportion of respiratory failure. Treatment can be challenging as patients may already be on immunosuppression for GVHD, which limits the therapeutic options. Disclosure: Dr. Avila has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bucelli has nothing to disclose. Dr. Varadhachary has nothing to disclose.
‘You Exile them in their Own Countries’: The Everyday Politics of Reclaiming the Disappeared in Libya

Located in Libya’s capital city of Tripoli, Abū Salīm Prison has become suspended in Libya’s national collective memory as the site of a contested prison killing in 1996. During the late 1980s and ...
Racial ideology and hiring decisions in Silicon Valley

This article examines the hiring practices of assembly workers in the high technology industry in Silicon Valley. While recent works have viewed “the significance of race” question with empirical analysis of the labor force, this study focuses on the employers and their subjectivity in making recruitment and hiring decisions. The ethnographic data reveals the central role of racial ideology in the recruitment and hiring process. Furthermore, the data demonstrates how racial ideology can have both an exclusionary and an inclusionary function in shaping the composition of the workforce. Based on the findings, I propose a greater sensitivity to employer racial bias in recruitment and hiring decision making and call for a more nuanced approach to examining racial inequality.
Improved Cosmetic Outcome With Bilateral Paraspinal Muscle Flap Closure Following Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion.

BACKGROUND Poor cosmetic results following cervical laminectomy and fusion (CLF) are rarely considered in assessing surgical complications. Atrophy from muscle denervation and posterior bone loss may result in a sunken appearance; relative tension may lead to wide, unsightly scars. Paraspinal muscle flaps are routinely employed by plastic surgeons for closure of wound infection and dehiscence. OBJECTIVE To assess clinical and cosmetic results of CLF with/without a paraspinal muscle flap closure technique. METHODS A retrospectively collected cohort analysis was undertaken for a 12-yr period in CLF patients. During the study period, a paraspinal muscle flap closure technique was adopted. Wounds were inspected for scar width and depth using a scale devised to categorize the posterior neck contour. Minimum follow-up was 12 mo. RESULTS Of 159 patients, 94 wounds were evaluated of which 34 had muscle flap closure. There were no differences in age, sex, body mass index, mJOA scores, diabetes status, or number of spinal levels treated. Mean follow-up was 18.6 (12-48) and 49.8 (12-130) mo in the muscle flap and conventional closure groups respectively; contour scores were 1.20 vs 2.65 (P < .00001) and scar width was 2.8 vs 4.9 mm (P < .0001). No patient had a wound complication in the muscle flap group and 4 (7%) in the conventional closure group. CONCLUSION Paraspinal muscle flap closure of CLF improved cosmetic appearance in terms of wound contour and scar width. Further investigation is needed to determine any effect upon wound infection and dehiscence rates.
Defining, Aligning, and Negotiating Futures: New Forms of Identity Work in an Urban Farming Project:

Collective identity is critical to motivating and sustaining participation in social movement groups. What organizes and sustains collective action when a group’s members do not share common identity traits such as race, class, religion, or gender? This paper argues that shared ideas about the future, or future projections, are overlooked bases of collective identity in social movement groups, and that the processes of defining, aligning with, and negotiating future projections constitute previously unrecognized forms of identity work. I support this argument with ethnographic, interview, and archival data from a nascent urban farming project. After describing how project founders defined a compelling future of “sustainable community,” I identify a process called imaginative imputation through which a diverse set of participants aligned themselves with the project. Coordination problems created critical points for negotiating new properties of the imagined future, ultimately weakening some individuals’ id...
Defining the survival benefit of adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy and chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in stages III-IVA endometrial carcinoma.

Abstract Objectives To determine which patients with locoregionally advanced endometrial cancer may benefit from pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in addition to chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone. Methods Patients with FIGO stages III–IVA endometrial carcinoma between 2004 and 2016 who underwent at least total hysterectomy and adjuvant multiagent chemotherapy were identified in the National Cancer Database. The primary outcome was overall survival according to receipt of pelvic EBRT, analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox multivariable regression. Results In total, 13,270 patients were identified (62% pure endometrioid, 38% serous/clear cell or mixed histology; 22.6% stage IIIA, 4.7% stage IIIB, 71.2% stage IIIC, 1.5% stage IVA), of whom 40% received pelvic EBRT. In univariable analysis, EBRT was associated with absolute 5-year survival increases of 5% and 9% in the endometrioid and non-endometrioid cohorts, respectively (P Conclusions Stages III–IVA endometrial cancer comprised a heterogeneous population with respect to the added benefit of radiotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone. Patients with stage IIIC2 endometrioid and stages IIIB–C non-endometrioid cancer may be most likely to benefit from pelvic EBRT.