cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of mechanical and biochemical properties of developing embryonic tendon

Tendons have uniquely high tensile strength, critical to their function to transfer force from muscle to bone. When injured, their innate healing response results in aberrant matrix organization and functional properties. Efforts to regenerate tendon are challenged by limited understanding of its normal development. Consequently, there are few known markers to assess tendon formation and parameters to design tissue engineering scaffolds. We profiled mechanical and biological properties of embryonic tendon and demonstrated functional properties of developing tendon are not wholly reflected by protein expression and tissue morphology. Using force volume-atomic force microscopy, we found that nano- and microscale tendon elastic moduli increase nonlinearly and become increasingly spatially heterogeneous during embryonic development. When we analyzed potential biochemical contributors to modulus, we found statistically significant but weak correlation between elastic modulus and collagen content, and no correlation with DNA or glycosaminoglycan content, indicating there are additional contributors to mechanical properties. To investigate collagen cross-linking as a potential contributor, we inhibited lysyl oxidase-mediated collagen cross-linking, which significantly reduced tendon elastic modulus without affecting collagen morphology or DNA, glycosaminoglycan, and collagen content. This suggests that lysyl oxidase-mediated cross-linking plays a significant role in the development of embryonic tendon functional properties and demonstrates that changes in cross-links alter mechanical properties without affecting matrix content and organization. Taken together, these data demonstrate the importance of functional markers to assess tendon development and provide a profile of tenogenic mechanical properties that may be implemented in tissue engineering scaffold design to mechanoregulate new tendon regeneration.
Using modified state surface approach to select parameter values in the Barcelona basic model

SUMMARY The Barcelona basic model (BBM) successfully explained many key features of unsaturated soils and received extensive acceptance. It is also one of the few elastoplastic constitutive models for unsaturated soils that have been implemented within finite element codes and applied to the analysis of real boundary value problems. The BBM was proposed in incremental forms according to theories of soil plasticity in which individual aspects of the isotropic virgin behavior are controlled by multiple parameters, whereas at the same time, a single parameter controls more than one aspect of soil behavior. Although a variety of methods have been recently developed for calibrating model parameters for elastoplastic soil models, at present, there are no well-established, simple, and objective methods for selecting parameter values in the BBM from laboratory tests. This has been one of the major obstacles to the dissemination of this constitutive model beyond the research context. This article presents an optimization approach especially developed for simple and objective identification of material parameters in the BBM. This is achieved by combining a modified state surface approach, recently proposed to model the elastoplastic behavior of unsaturated soils under isotropic stress conditions, with the Newton or quasi-Newton method to simultaneously determine the five parameters governing isotropic virgin behavior in the BBM. The comparison between results using the proposed method and an existing method for the same laboratory tests was discussed from which the simplicity and objectivity of the proposed method were evaluated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An evaluation of study habits of third-year medical students in a surgical clerkship.

Abstract Background: This study was developed to assess study habits of medical students in a third-year surgical clerkship and to determine the relationship of these study habits to performance outcomes. Methods: A questionnaire designed to assess medical student study habits was administered at the end of five consecutive 10-week multidisciplinary surgical clerkships. The results of questionnaires from 81 students were analyzed in respect to results on the National Board of Medical Education (NBME) surgical subtest and the multiple stations clinical examination (MSCE) given at the end of each clerkship. Results: Although only 18 of the total 81 students reported studying in formal but self-directed groups, students who reported studying in a group on average scored 4 points higher on the MSCE than those who did not study in a group ( P = 0.001). However, no significant differences or correlations were discovered between any of the study habits and the individual results on the NBME. Conclusion: Students may benefit from collaborative studying when it comes to clinical experience as demonstrated by improved performance on the MSCE.
Efficient 18F-Labeling of Synthetic Exendin-4 Analogues for Imaging Beta Cells

A number of exendin derivatives have been developed to target glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptors on beta cells in vivo. Modifications of exendin analogues have been shown to have significant effects on pharmacokinetics and, as such, have been used to develop a variety of therapeutic compounds. Here, we show that an exendin-4, modified at position 12 with a cysteine conjugated to a tetrazine, can be labeled with 18F-trans-cyclooctene and converted into a PET imaging agent at high yields and with good selectivity. The agent accumulates in beta cells in vivo and has sufficiently high accumulation in mouse models of insulinomas to enable in vivo imaging.
The Genetics of Symptom-Based Phenotypes: Toward a Molecular Classification of Schizophrenia

Objective: Genetic linkage studies in schizophrenia (SZ) have primarily focused on the phenotype of disease susceptibility. A limited number of studies, however, have reported suggestive linkage to specific SZ symptom domains including regions on chromosomes 6, 8, and 20. We examined these chromosomal regions for association to positive, negative, and disorganized symptom clusters, using a dense set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Methods: We ascertained 178 Caucasian patients with SZ for lifetime severity of clinical symptomatology using a structured diagnostic interview. The cohort was genotyped with the Affymetrix 500K microarray, from which we selected, a priori, 4833 intragenic SNPs located within chromosomal regions previously linked to specific SZ symptom clusters. Parametric tests, corrected for multiple testing, were used to compare the effects of allelic variation within these SNPs to the lifetime severity of the specific symptom domain that had been implicated by prior linkage studies. Results: We were able to extend previous reports of linkage between chromosome 6q and both positive and disorganized symptoms. Lifetime severity of positive symptoms was significantly (P = 2.50 × 10−5) associated with a SNP within the origin recognition complex subunit 3–like (ORC3L) gene, a gene implicated in synaptic plasticity. Level of disorganized symptoms was significantly (P < 6.00 × 10−5) associated 2 SNPs within the brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 3 (BAI3) gene, which is highly expressed in brain during development. Conclusions: These data point toward specific candidate genes located within previously implicated linkage peaks for clinical symptomatology. Identification of functional variants within these regions and a characterization of the effect of these risk genotypes on the treatment of specific clinical symptoms are needed.
Cowpox Virus Exploits the Endoplasmic Reticulum Retention Pathway to Inhibit MHC Class I Transport to the Cell Surface

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules assemble with peptides in the ER lumen and are transported via Golgi to the plasma membrane for recognition by T cells. Inhibiting MHC assembly, transport, and surface expression are common viral strategies of evading immune recognition. Cowpox virus, a clinically relevant orthopoxvirus, downregulates MHC class I expression on infected cells. However, the viral protein(s) and mechanisms responsible are unknown. We identify CPXV203 as a cowpox virus protein that associates with fully assembled MHC class I molecules and blocks their transport through the Golgi. A C-terminal KTEL motif in CPXV203 closely resembles the canonical ER retention motif KDEL and is required for CPXV203 function, indicating that a physiologic pathway is exploited to retain MHC class I in the ER. This viral mechanism for MHC class I downregulation may explain virulence differences between clinical isolates of orthopoxviruses.
Shear and compressional velocity models of the mantle from cluster analysis of long-period waveforms

SUMMARY We present a new technique for the efficient measurement of the traveltimes of long period body wave phases. The technique is based on the fact that all arrivals of a particular seismic phase are remarkably similar in shape for a single event. This allows the application of cross-correlation techniques that are usually used in a regional context to measure precise global differential times. The analysis is enhanced by the inclusion of a clustering algorithm that automatically clusters waveforms by their degree of similarity. This allows the algorithm to discriminate against unusual or distorted waveforms and makes for an extremely efficient measurement technique. This technique can be applied to any seismic phase that is observed over a reasonably large distance range. Here, we present the results of applying the algorithm to the long-period channels of all data archived at the IRIS DMC from 1976 to 2005 for the seismic phases S and P (from 23 ◦ to 100 ◦ ) and SS and PP (from 50 ◦ to 170 ◦ ). The resulting large data sets are inverted along with existing surface wave and updated differential traveltime measurements for new mantle models of S and P velocity. The resolution of the new model is enhanced, particularly, in the mid-mantle where SS and PP turn. We find that slow anomalies in the central Pacific and Africa extend from the core‐mantle boundary to the upper mantle, but their direct connection to surface hotspots is beyond our resolution. Furthermore, we find that fast anomalies that are likely associated with subducting slabs disappear between 1700 and 2500 km, and thus are not continuous features from the upper to lower mantle despite our extensive coverage and high resolution of the mid-mantle.
Recursive displacement estimation for use in multiple object tracking

The authors develop a recursive model-based maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator that estimates the displacement vector field (DVF) from a noisy image sequence. To model the DVF, they develop a nonstationary vector field model called the vector coupled Gauss-Markov (VCGM) model. The VCGM model consists of two levels, an upper level, which is made up of several submodels with various characteristics, and a lower level or line process which governs the transitions between the submodels. By estimating the line process the authors segment the DVF along its motion boundaries, which is a critical step in the tracking of objects through a video sequence. >
Schwann Cell Myelination

Myelinated nerve fibers are essential for the rapid propagation of action potentials by saltatory conduction. They form as the result of reciprocal interactions between axons and Schwann cells. Extrinsic signals from the axon, and the extracellular matrix, drive Schwann cells to adopt a myelinating fate, whereas myelination reorganizes the axon for its role in conduction and is essential for its integrity. Here, we review our current understanding of the development, molecular organization, and function of myelinating Schwann cells. Recent findings into the extrinsic signals that drive Schwann cell myelination, their cognate receptors, and the downstream intracellular signaling pathways they activate will be described. Together, these studies provide important new insights into how these pathways converge to activate the transcriptional cascade of myelination and remodel the actin cytoskeleton that is critical for morphogenesis of the myelin sheath.
Health insurance and spending among cancer patients.

ABSTRACT: Over 1.3 million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year. While most cancer patients are older and covered by Medicare, our analysis indicates that 10 percent of cancer patients under ag...
Testing Simple Models of ENSO

The realistic simulation of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (CGCM) is used to test two simple theoretical models of the phenomenon: the recharge oscillator model of Jin and the delayed oscillator model of Schopf, Suarez, Battisti, and Hirst (SSBH). The target for the simple models is provided by the CGCM results prefiltered with singular spectrum analysis to extract the leading oscillatory mode. In its simplest form, the Jin model can be reduced to two first ordinary differential equations. If the parameters of the model are fit in this reduced form, it appears to capture the period of the CGCM oscillatory mode. If the Jin model is instead fit using the individual physical balances that are used to derive it, substantial misfits to the CGCM are encountered. The SSBH model can likewise be expressed either in a condensed form or a larger set of individual physical balances with highly analogous results. It is shown that the misfits in both simple models can be greatly reduced by introducing a spinup timescale for wind stress relative to eastern equatorial Pacific SST. In the CGCM, this spinup time appears to be associated with a combination of atmospheric and ocean mixed layer processes in a way consistent with the ''mixed mode'' regime discussed by Syu and Neelin, which is not included in the Jin and SSBH models. These appear indis- tinguishable in this analysis, although the latter is more sensitive to fitting. This paper provides a bridge between work on ENSO by theoreticians and numerical modelers. The CGCM results validate the conceptual framework of the simple models by demonstrating that they can provide a plausible representation of ENSO with realistic sets of parameters. The results also suggest that, in terms of realistic ENSO variability, the framework of the simple models can be made substantially more complete by including the adjustment time between wind stress and eastern Pacific SST required by the coupled spinup of the atmosphere and the ocean mixed layer processes outside this region.
Kefir Milk Enhances Intestinal Immunity in Young but Not Old Rats

The adjuvant effect of kefir fermented milk on the mucosal and systemic immune systems was examined in young (6 mo old) and old (26 mo old) rats. Kefir-fed rats consisted of young or old rats consuming kefir-fermented milk ad libitum on a daily basis in addition to the standard diet, for 28 d. Control rats consumed only the standard diet. The rats were immunized intraduodenally with cholera toxin (CT) on d 7 and 21 and killed on d 28. The nonspecific serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A titers in kefir-fed and control rats did not differ in either age group. The serum anti-CT IgA antibody concentrations were significantly higher in the kefir-fed young rats compared with their age-matched controls (+86%, P: 120%, P: < or = 0.05) and the anti-CT IgG titer was lower (-80%, P: < or = 0.05), in both young and old kefir-fed rats compared with their respective controls. Nevertheless, these results demonstrate that a kefir-supplemented diet affects the intestinal mucosal and systemic immune responses to intraduodenal CT differently in young and old rats. Most importantly, our data suggest that orally administered kefir enhances the specific intestinal mucosal immune response against CT in young adult, but not in senescent rats.
THE SECOND REAL JOHNSON-WILSON THEORY AND NONIMMERSIONS OF RP n

Hu and Kriz construct the real Johnson-Wilson spectrum, ER(n), which is 2 n+2 (2 n i 1)-periodic, from the 2(2 n i 1)
Impact of derived global weather data on simulated crop yields.

Crop simulation models can be used to estimate impact of current and future climates on crop yields and food security, but require long-term historical daily weather data to obtain robust simulations. In many regions where crops are grown, daily weather data are not available. Alternatively, gridded weather databases (GWD) with complete terrestrial coverage are available, typically derived from: (i) global circulation computer models; (ii) interpolated weather station data; or (iii) remotely sensed surface data from satellites. The present study's objective is to evaluate capacity of GWDs to simulate crop yield potential (Yp) or water-limited yield potential (Yw), which can serve as benchmarks to assess impact of climate change scenarios on crop productivity and land use change. Three GWDs (CRU, NCEP/DOE, and NASA POWER data) were evaluated for their ability to simulate Yp and Yw of rice in China, USA maize, and wheat in Germany. Simulations of Yp and Yw based on recorded daily data from well-maintained weather stations were taken as the control weather data (CWD). Agreement between simulations of Yp or Yw based on CWD and those based on GWD was poor with the latter having strong bias and large root mean square errors (RMSEs) that were 26–72% of absolute mean yield across locations and years. In contrast, simulated Yp or Yw using observed daily weather data from stations in the NOAA database combined with solar radiation from the NASA-POWER database were in much better agreement with Yp and Yw simulated with CWD (i.e. little bias and an RMSE of 12–19% of the absolute mean). We conclude that results from studies that rely on GWD to simulate agricultural productivity in current and future climates are highly uncertain. An alternative approach would impose a climate scenario on location-specific observed daily weather databases combined with an appropriate upscaling method.
Cumulative and Antagonistic Effects of a Mixture of the Antiandrogens Vinclozolin and Iprodione in the Pubertal Male Rat

Vinclozolin and iprodione are dicarboximide fungicides that display antiandrogenic effects in the male rat, which suggests that a mixture would lead to cumulative effects on androgen-sensitive end points. Iprodione is a steroid synthesis inhibitor, but androgen receptor antagonist activity, which is displayed by vinclozolin, has not been fully evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that iprodione binds to the human androgen receptor (IC50 5 86.0mM), reduces androgen-dependent gene expression, and reduces androgensensitive tissue weights in castrated male rats (Hershberger assay). Since vinclozolin and iprodione affect common targets in the pubertal male rat, we tested the hypothesis that a mixture would have cumulative antiandrogenic effects. An iprodione dose, that does not significantly affect androgen-dependent morphological end points, was combined with vinclozolin doses (2 3 5 factorial design). Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed by gavage with vinclozolin at 0, 10, 30, 60, and 100 mg/kg/day with and without 50 mg iprodione/kg/day from postnatal day (PND) 23 to 55‐57 (n 5 8 per group). The age at puberty (preputial separation [PPS]), organ weights, serum hormones, and ex vivo testis steroid hormone production were measured. Vinclozolin delayed PPS, reduced androgen-sensitive organ weights, and increased serum testosterone. The addition of iprodione enhanced the vinclozolin inhibition of PPS (PND 47.5 vs.49.1; two-way ANOVA: iprodione main effect p 5 0.0002). The dose response for several reproductive and nonreproductive organ weights was affected in a cumulative manner. In contrast, iprodione antagonized the vinclozolin-induced increase in serum testosterone. These results demonstrate that these fungicides interact on common targets in
Gender, Marital Closeness, and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Couples

Data from the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE) in New Haven include independent interviews with husbands and wives in 317 community-dwelling older couples. Drawing on these data, we (a) describe the prevalence of three aspects of marital closeness: having a confidant, perceived emotional support, and reciprocity between spouses' reports of marital closeness; (b) evaluate their associations with depressive symptoms according to both a respondent's own and his or her spouse's reports; and (c) examine gender similarities and differences in the prevalence and the associations of the closeness variables. Both husbands and wives responded more strongly to their spouse's than to their own. Different dynamics operate, with husbands having fewest depressive symptoms when they have emotionally independent wives, and wives having low levels when they feel important emotionally to their husbands. Dyadic closeness was associated with fewer symptoms in wives and more symptoms in husbands.
Frictional Unemployment and the Role of Industrial Diversity

Since many individuals are immobile between city labor markets in the short run, the industrial structure of cities plays an important role in determining the national rate of unemployment. This paper argues that a city's frictional unemployment rate will be lower, the more industrially diversified is the city; that is, the more evenly distributed is employment across industries. The empirical work on 91 large SMSAs strongly supports the hypothesis. The difference in frictional unemployment rates between the twenty most and least diverse cities is estimated at about 2.4 percentage points.
Mediastinal epithelioid solitary fibrous tumor.

Abstract We describe the case of a 74-year-old man with a mediastinal tumor composed predominantly of epithelioid cells exhibiting histopathologic and immunohistochemical features intermediate between those of a solitary fibrous tumor and those of a cellular adenomatoid tumor. We discuss the differential diagnosis and possible histogenesis of this unusual neoplasm, and we propose the term epithelioid solitary fibrous tumor for this entity.
Bidirectional peritoneal transport of immunoglobulin in rats: tissue concentration profiles

Protein transport occurs between the blood and the peritoneal cavity during clinical procedures, but events within the surrounding tissue space are poorly understood. We used quantitative autoradiography to examine the tissue concentration profiles of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in regions surrounding the peritoneal cavity. We have varied the route of administration (intravenous or intraperitoneal), the osmolality of the dialysis solution (isotonic or hypertonic), and the time of analysis (20 or 200 min). After intravenous injection, IgG profiles were relatively flat in most tissues and were not affected by time or osmolality. Concentrations corresponded to the capillary density in specific tissues. After intraperitoneal administration, the IgG tissue profiles were significantly steeper than after intravenous administration. The tissue concentrations increased with time but decreased when a hypertonic solution was substituted for an isotonic solution. Hypertonic dialysis causes a water flux into the cavity, which dilutes the contents but does not prevent penetration of protein into the surrounding tissue. Based on IgG movement in tissue during hypertonic dialysis, the peritoneum appears to function as a heterogeneous structure, which allows osmotically induced water transport into the cavity in some regions with simultaneous transport of hydrostatic pressure-driven water and solute flow from the cavity into the tissue in other regions.
Is suicide terrorism really the product of an evolved sacrificial tendency? A review of mammalian research and application of evolutionary theory1

Abstract Academic debates persist about the psychology of suicide terrorists, with one view being that they are psychologically healthy individuals who primarily engage in altruistic self-sacrifice to serve their family, organization, or cause. Some proponents of this view now argue that suicide attackers are actually responding to their evolved sacrificial tendencies. However, the present review questions this hypothesis. For one thing, it appears inconsistent with the evidence on which individuals become suicide bombers and why. More broadly, research from the animal kingdom suggests that there is an important limit to “selfless” or “altruistic” behavior among non-human mammals, which appear to have been naturally selected to save themselves rather than deliberately give up their lives to protect offspring from predation, infanticide, or starvation. Furthermore, kin selection theory suggests that intentional self-sacrifice would be maladaptive for virtually all mammals, including human beings, and that ...
Initiation and propagation of laminar premixed cool flames

Cool flames, being essential features of chemical kinetics of large hydrocarbon fuels, are closely related to the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) phenomenon and engine knock. In this work, the coupling of cool flame chemistry and convective–diffusive transport is computationally and experimentally investigated. A 1-D planar premixed cool flame induced by a hot pocket is first simulated for DME/O2/N2 mixtures with detailed chemistry and transport, demonstrating the existence of a residence time window for quasi-steady propagation. Then with residence time limited by aerodynamic straining, a steady-state premixed cool flame is simulated in a counterflow of heated N2 against a DME/O2/N2 mixture. It is found that with a high strain rate, corresponding to short residence time, low-temperature heat release is suppressed, resulting in a stretched low-temperature S-curve system response; and that with a sufficiently low strain rate, corresponding to long residence time, ignition induced by low-temperature chemistry would transition to a high-temperature, intensely burning flame. Consequently, a steady-state premixed cool flame exists only for residence time in a strain rate window. A symmetric counterflow configuration is then simulated to determine the cool flame temperature and flame speed at a fixed local strain rate, showing very different controlling chemistry and characteristics as compared to the normal laminar flames governed by high-temperature chemistry. In a companion experimental investigation, premixed cool flames in the counterflow were observed with a high-sensitivity CCD camera in the UV spectrum, with/without a bandpass filter corresponding to the characteristic wavelength of excited HCHO. The chemiluminescence from the cool flame is found to become more intense with increasing equivalence ratio, even for rich mixtures, while the position of the cool flame is insensitive to variation in the equivalence ratio at the same strain rate. These observations qualitatively agree with the numerical simulations, demonstrating the essential features of premixed cool flames.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Obese Hospitalized Patients: A Single Center Experience.

Study Objectives:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an important health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This condition often is underrecognized in hospitalized patients. ...
Gabbroic shergottite Northwest Africa 6963: An intrusive sample of Mars

Meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 6963 was classified as a basaltic shergottite based on mineralogy, but here we show that it is a gabbroic rock with a quartz-alkali feldspar intergrowth that represents a late-stage granitic melt. NWA 6963 contains clinopyroxene and maskelynite grains up to 5 mm in length, with minor ferroan olivine, spinel, ilmenite, merrillite, apatite, Fe-sulfides, and high-Si glass. NWA 6963 also contains areas of quartz and alkali-feldspar intergrowths up to ~1 mm in size. Based on mineral abundances and textural analysis, we suggest that NWA 6963 is an intrusive rock similar to a terrestrial gabbro. Infiltration of the martian crust by young gabbroic bodies would suggest that estimates of crustal composition, density, and thickness based on the surface chemistry alone would be problematic and the martian crust may be even more heterogenous than is seen from orbit alone. Investigations of crater walls, where intrusive crustal rocks would be exposed, are needed to discover the launch sites of the shergottites and the full heterogeneity of the martian crust.
Investigation of magnetostrictive sensor capabilities for crack growth prediction in second-layer structure

In this study, magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) technology was used to detect cracks and predict crack length in double lap joint specimens representative of aircraft substructure. It was shown that the MsS system was successful in detecting crack growth, and could predict the second-layer crack length to within 10% of the measured crack length using a simple geometry-based model. Inconsistent sensor placement was determined to be a large source of error; however, this can be easily addressed in the future by bonding the sensor to the test specimen.
Water and Power: The Johnston mission to the Middle East (1953–1956)

In our discussion, in chapter 2, of the environment of conflict, we described the political landscape in the Jordan basin. We suggested that the roots of conflict over the waters of the river system lay in the convergence of two phenomena: (1) the fact of resource scarcity in Palestine, and (2) Zionist efforts to establish a Jewish national home in Eretz Yisrael , where there lived an indigenous Arab population. We then outlined the various efforts at land and water development in the Jordan basin from the beginning of Jewish immigration to Palestine until mid-century. We noted that immediately following the 1948–49 war, both Israel and Jordan experienced massive influxes of population. The resource bases of the two newly founded states were strained considerably. In the aftermath of the war, the concurrence of three critical factors — (1) the absolute need of both Israel and Jordan to develop land and water resources, (2) the fact of water scarcity in the basin relative to needs, and (3) adversarial relations among the riparian states — extended the scope of the Arab—Jewish conflict and crystallized what was to become a central issue in the Jordan waters dispute: on what basis should the waters of the Jordan system be shared? How much water should go to each side, and according to what principle? In this chapter, we focus on the first, and perhaps, most important episode of riparian dispute in the Jordan basin in the post-1949 period: the United States-sponsored Johnston mission to the Middle East.
Oxidation of arsenite to arsenate on birnessite in the presence of light

The effect of simulated solar radiation on the oxidation of arsenite [As(III)] to arsenate [As(V)] on the layered manganese oxide, birnessite, was investigated. Experiments were conducted where birnessite suspensions, under both anoxic and oxic conditions, were irradiated with simulated solar radiation in the presence of As(III) at pH 5, 7, and 9. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to determine the nature of the adsorbed product on the surface of the birnessite. The oxidation of As(III) in the presence of birnessite under simulated solar light irradiation occurred at a rate that was faster than in the absence of light at pH 5. At pH 7 and 9, As(V) production was significantly less than at pH 5 and the amount of As(V) production for a given reaction time was the same under dark and light conditions. The first order rate constant (kobs) for As(III) oxidation in the presence of light and in the dark at pH 5 were determined to be 0.07 and 0.04 h−1, respectively. The As(V) product was released into solution along with Mn(II), with the latter product resulting from the reduction of Mn(IV) and/or Mn(III) during the As(III) oxidation process. Post-reaction XAS analysis of As(III) exposed birnessite showed that arsenic was present on the surface as As(V). Experimental results also showed no evidence that reactive oxygen species played a role in the As(III) oxidation process.
Dyadic exercise to reduce depression and associated inflammatory cytokines among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual cancer survivors.

10069Background: Our previous research shows that lesbian/gay (LG) cancer survivors experience high rates of depression and that standardized aerobic and resistance exercise (EXCAP, Exercise for Cancer Patients) is efficacious in improving depression and inflammation associated with depression in heterosexual survivors. We have now conducted the first, to our knowledge, cancer control trial testing two exercise interventions to reduce depression and inflammation in both LG and heterosexual survivors and their caregivers (CGs). Methods: In this Phase I/II RCT, 42 LG and heterosexual survivors and their CGs were randomized as dyads to: Arm 1) dyadic exercise, involving both survivor and CG; or Arm 2) survivor-only EXCAP. Depression symptoms (from the CES-D) and cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) were measured at baseline and post-intervention (6 wks later). We used t-tests to assess baseline disparities, ANCOVA to assess the effect of dyadic vs. survivor-only exercise on depression and inflammation, and P...
Efficient Quantization for Feedback in MIMO Broadcasting Systems

We consider the problem of joint multiplexer-scheduler design for transmitting independent data streams over a Gaussian multiple-antenna broadcast channel in which feedback is used to convey channel state information from receivers to the transmitter. It is known that various low complexity strategies can achieve the optimal rate scaling as a function of receiver population size. In this work we develop a simple and efficient quantization strategy for use on the feedback link of such architectures.
Demand for Windstorm Insurance Coverage and the Representative Heuristic

With recent research suggesting a behavioral explanation for changes in demand for insurance (e.g., Volkman-Wise (2015)), we study homeowners’ demand for windstorm insurance in the wake of losses. In particular, we examine the representative heuristic’s impact on the demand for homeowners’ insurance, which provides coverage for windstorm losses, in Florida (U.S.). Under this paradigm, individuals underweight prior probabilities and overweight posterior probabilities. This results in an over (under)-weighting of the probability of a loss from a disaster in the event (absence) of a disaster. Using data for new homeowners’ insurance, purchases in Florida’s residual market between 2005 and 2007 (a period of high hurricane activity), we find, subsequent to losses, the demand for coverage limits and the number of policies sold both increase. Further, we find that this effect attenuates as the losses become further away in time. That is, more recent losses have a stronger effect on demand. This attenuation of the demand is also consistent with the representative heuristic.
The Utility of Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Genotype Detection in the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections in Children

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common serious bacterial infection in children with significant morbidity with delayed diagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is very accurate in detecting bacteria and widely available, but has never been evaluated to detect UTIs in children. To assess the utility of PCR as a rapid diagnostic tool, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 193 urine samples from children younger than 36 months undergoing evaluation for UTI in the emergency department over a 10-month period. A quantification cycle (Cq) threshold of 26.15 identified all Escherichia coli positive samples with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.5%, respectively (95% CI = 71.5%-100% and 97.9%-99.5%, respectively). A Cq threshold of 19.03 identified E coli infections >100 000 colony forming units/mL with sensitivity and specificity of 100% (95% CI = 72.2%-100% and 98.6%-100%, respectively). PCR is very accurate in diagnosing E coli UTIs in young children and could be useful as a rapid d...
Landscapes of aging and spirituality: Essays, edited by Kathleen Montgomery: Skinner House Books, Boston, MA, 2015, 168 pp., $11.81 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1558967595

It has been said that people are not intended to walk this journey of life alone. Relationships with another person who is walking in similar phases of life can bring one many benefits. This desire...
Legibility, Erasure, and the Neoliberal Assimilation of Same-Sex Desire in Dostana

After the liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991, scholars pointed out two significant developments in the Hindi film industry: there were more depictions of same-sex desire onscreen; and Bom...
Abstract 13576: Concomitant Valve Intervention During Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation Improves Mid-term Hemodynamics and Survival

Introduction: This is a retrospective single-institutional study to investigate safety and efficacy of concomitant valve procedures in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Methods: From July 2008 to December 2014, 254 patients underwent LVAD implantation. 165 patients had concomitant valve intervention (aortic valve [A], N=3; mitral valve [M], N=78; tricuspid valve [T], N=131; multiple valve intervention, N=67, A+M=3, A+T=11, M+T=44, A+M+T=9). Patients were divided into two groups: Group D, with residual diseased valve, N=97; and Group C, with no-diseased valve, N=157) (see details in figure) and short-/mid-term outcomes were compared. Results: Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes did not differ in two groups except for significantly more concomitant valve procedures (Group D=54 [56%], Group C=111 [70%], P Conclusions: Concomitant valve procedure during LVAD implantation did not increase operative morbidity and mortality. Aggressive valve intervention during LVAD implantation may contribute to improved mid-term hemodynamics and survival.
Preparing Women to be President

With a play on words taken from a famous song from The Who, a 2012 article in The Chronicle of Higher Education begins with, “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.”
Pavlovian and Instrumental Conditioning Within the Spinal Cord: Methodological Issues

The contributors to this volume have uncovered many interesting examples of spinal cord plasticity, from the induction of central sensitization to the recovery of function and the modification of the stepping reflex (e.g., Coderre, 1994; Durkovic, 1975; Edgerton, Roy, de Leon, Tillakaratne, and Hodgson, 1997; Patterson, Cegavske, and Thompson, 1973; Woolf, 1983). This plasticity can be studied from a number of perspectives, views that govern the kinds of questions we ask about the underlying mechanism. These perspectives differ in their relative emphasis on behavior, methodology, function, neurophysiology and neurochemistry. Research within the domain of neuroscience has emphasized the latter two components, yielding a wealth of information on the underlying biological mechanisms. Our training is in the area of learning theory and places greater weight on the former issues: on the behavioral methodologies that can be used to characterize the functional/operational properties of the system. This perspective follows in the tradition of Pavlov, (1927), Hull, (1943), Konorski, (1967) and Rescorla, (1988)), building a literature that spans a century. The field of learning has provided the foundation for characterizing plasticity in other model systems (e.g., Alkon, 1984; Kandel and Schwartz, 1982). In a similar vein, we attempt to characterize the kinds of mechanisms that underlie some simple examples of spinal cord plasticity. Our work illustrates how these mechanisms can be distinguished and suggests a casual theory of how they evolved. However, before we proceed, we must first address some terminological issues and specify our criteria for learning.
Heterotopic Gastric Epithelium in the Rectum: A Report of Three New Cases with a Review of 87 Cases of Gastric Heterotopia in the Alimentary Canal

Adding to the five cases previously reported, three new cases of heterotopic gastric mucosa in the rectum are presented, including the first to show mucosa of purely the pyloric type. The literature pertaining to the subject is reviewed and evidence for both acquired and congenital mechanisms for such heterotopias is evaluated in the light of the findings in 87 cases of gastric heterotopia in the files of this laboratory. It would appear from this study that the etiology of heterotopic gastric epithelium anywhere in the alimentary tract is developmental (1) if more than one type of epithelium participates in the process, or (2) if the heterotopia consists of full thickness, completely structured, gastric fundic mucosa. On the other hand, the heterotopia is probably acquired (1) if the tissue is exclusively pyloric glandular epithelium, or (2) if there are only scattered chief and parietal cells.
Extracting knowledge from gene expression data: a case study of Batten disease

Batten disease is a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by massive neuronal death. The devastating syndrome of Batten disease includes decline in both cognitive and motor skills, seizures, and loss of vision. The mechanism of this disease is not clear. Large-scale gene expression studies provide the possibility of identifying the molecular mechanism of this disease, and thus a first step to finding a cure. We proposed a prototype knowledge discovery and data mining (KDD-g) system to enable scientists to analyze the massive microarray data set creatively, form hypotheses intuitively, and draw insights directly into underlying mechanisms of diseases. The findings from this study establish that at the gene expression level, CLN9 is a unique form of Batten disease. It does not show any similarity with any of the other NCL variants. However, CLN9 share many common disease mechanisms with other types of Batten disease, such as abnormalities in the apoptosis pathway and protein degradation. Based on the results acquired in the preliminary data analysis using KDD, we conclude that this approach could be utilized in the future to study various clinical diseases.
Is heparin administration necessary during induction chemotherapy for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia

The role of heparin in the treatment of the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) remains unclear. Between 1974 and 1985, we treated 27 patients with APL using four different chemotherapeutic regimens; 23/27 (85%) had evidence of DIC either at presentation or following the initiation of induction chemotherapy. The coagulopathy was treated primarily with fresh frozen plasma and platelet transfusions; only 2/27 (7%) patients received heparin. Twenty of 27 patients (74%) entered complete remission. Major bleeding or thrombotic complications occurred in 5/27 patients (19%), but 2 of these 5 patients presented after hemorrhage had already occurred. None of the 5 patients with bleeding or thrombosis entered complete remission. All of the hemorrhagic complications due to DIC in our study occurred before 1979, which may reflect changes in the management of leukemic patients. This observation emphasizes the risks inherent in the use of historical controls in this population. In conclusion the DIC associated with APL can be successfully treated with intensive blood product support without the use of heparin.
Human Problem-Solving

In this chapter, Bowen and Glesson consider the problems of organization and communication, as well as those mytholiminal problems that arise from the characteristic human search for meaning and transcendence. Settlement systems enable, facilitate, and intensify the social interaction necessary for cultural evolution to occur. And yet changes in material systems, living systems, and social systems continue to create ubiquitous problems in human settlements. Humans must solve problems that are rooted in both material and non-material goals in order to adapt to changes within their environments. Sometimes they do so through the use of rationality and conscious purpose, and sometimes through rote application of the routines that are built into cultures and institutions. Yet human problem-solving activities almost invariably produce unintended consequences.
Fibromatosis arising from the pectoralis major muscle mimicking breast cancer

Fibromatoses are soft tissue tumors composed of fibroblasts which commonly appear in the muscular aponeurosis of the abdomen. Mammary fibromatoses occur in only 0.2% of breast neoplasms and have been reported in association with prior breast augmentation and Gardner's syndrome. Multiple imaging modalities have been used to characterize the appearance of breast fibromatosis; however, it remains a tissue diagnosis given the variability both within and across modalities. We present the case of a 25-year-old female with a history of palpable breast mass who was evaluated with ultrasound, diagnostic mammography, MRI, and CT. Ultrasound-guided biopsy revealed fibromatosis, and MRI ultimately revealed that the mass was arising from the pectoralis major muscle and extensively involved the chest wall.
Is HPV‐Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer Becoming More Common in Older Patients?

Objective To evaluate changing age demographics over a 15-year period for patients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Study design Retrospective review of patients identified with p16-positive OPSCC at our institution over a 15-year timeframe. Materials/Methods: p16-positive immunohistochemistry was used as a surrogate for HPV-associated OPSCC. Patients were categorized according to year of diagnosis (2002-2010 versus 2011-2016). Mean age and proportion of patients over age 65 were statistically evaluated and compared. Results From 2002 to 2010, 100 patients were identified with p16-positive OPSCC, mean age at diagnosis was 55.2, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 10.0%. From 2011 to 2016, 188 patients were identified with p16-positive OPSCC, mean age was 58.5, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 19.6%. Both the mean age difference and the difference in proportion of patients over 65 were statistically significant (P = .001 and P = .034, respectively). Conclusion The mean age at diagnosis and proportion of patients over 65 has increased over the past 15 years at our institution. This data suggests that HPV-associated OPSCC is being diagnosed more frequently in older persons and that the age demographic may be shifting. Confirmation of this trend with larger patient numbers on a national level will be valuable. This study highlights the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for HPV-associated OPSCC regardless of patient age. Level of evidence 4.
Do Dyson Orbitals resemble canonical Hartree–Fock orbitals?

Dyson orbitals are overlaps between states with N and N±1 electrons and provide conceptual links between transition probabilities of electron detachment or attachment, density matrices, total energ...