cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Rectal Cancer After Neoadjuvant Treatment: FOLFOX, 5-FU, or Observation

A multimodality approach incorporating concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy prior to surgery has become the standardized approach in the management of localized rectal cancer. However, it is unknown whether any further therapy after surgery may be beneficial in improving patient outcomes. Previous completed randomized clinical trials have not added any clarity in this regard, whether adjuvant chemotherapy or intensified chemotherapy regimens improve patient outcomes in those who have previously received neoadjuvant therapy. Despite the lack of evidence, based off the survival data in stage III colon cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy has become a standardized practice in the management of resected rectal cancer. Furthermore, recommendations include the consideration of added oxaliplatin to adjuvant therapy in this disease. While it is unclear whether all patients should receive adjuvant chemotherapy, a subset of patients, including those who achieve a pathologic response may benefit from further treatment. Ongoing studies utilizing an individualized, stepwise multimodality approach may define the role of adjuvant therapy and the appropriate regimen in patients with resected rectal cancer.
Mec1/ATR, the Program Manager of Nucleic Acids Inc.

Eukaryotic cells are equipped with surveillance mechanisms called checkpoints to ensure proper execution of cell cycle events. Among these are the checkpoints that detect DNA damage or replication perturbations and coordinate cellular activities to maintain genome stability. At the forefront of damage sensing is an evolutionarily conserved molecule, known respectively in budding yeast and humans as Mec1 (Mitosis entry checkpoint 1) and ATR (Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein). Through phosphorylation, Mec1/ATR activates downstream components of a signaling cascade to maintain nucleotide pool balance, protect replication fork integrity, regulate activation of origins of replication, coordinate DNA repair, and implement cell cycle delay. This list of functions continues to expand as studies have revealed that Mec1/ATR modularly interacts with various protein molecules in response to different cellular cues. Among these newly assigned functions is the regulation of RNA metabolism during checkpoint activation and the coordination of replication–transcription conflicts. In this review, I will highlight some of these new functions of Mec1/ATR with a focus on the yeast model organism.
Comparison of Tc-99m maraciclatide and Tc-99m sestamibi molecular breast imaging in patients with suspected breast cancer.

Molecular breast imaging (MBI) performed with 99mTc sestamibi has been shown to be a valuable technique for the detection of breast cancer. Alternative radiotracers such as 99mTc maraciclatide may offer improved uptake in breast lesions. The purpose of this study was to compare relative performance of 99mTc sestamibi and 99mTc maraciclatide in patients with suspected breast cancer, using a high-resolution dedicated gamma camera for MBI. Women with breast lesions suspicious for malignancy were recruited to undergo two MBI examinations—one with 99mTc sestamibi and one with 99mTc maraciclatide. A radiologist interpreted MBI studies in a randomized, blinded fashion to assign an assessment score (1–5) and measured lesion size. Lesion-to-background (L/B) ratio was measured with region-of-interest analysis. Among 39 analyzable patients, 21 malignant tumors were identified in 21 patients. Eighteen of 21 tumors (86%) were seen on 99mTc sestamibi MBI and 19 of 21 (90%) were seen on 99mTc maraciclatide MBI (p = 1). Tumor extent measured with both radiopharmaceuticals correlated strongly with pathologic size (99mTc sestamibi, r = 0.84; 99mTc maraciclatide, r = 0.81). The L/B ratio in detected breast cancers was similar for the two radiopharmaceuticals: 1.55 ± 0.36 (mean ± S.D.) for 99mTc sestamibi and 1.62 ± 0.37 (mean ± S.D.) for 99mTc maraciclatide (p = 0.53). No correlation was found between the L/B ratio and molecular subtype for 99mTc sestamibi (r s = 0.12, p = 0.63) or 99mTc maraciclatide (r s = −0.12, p = 0.64). Of 20 benign lesions, 10 (50%) were seen on 99mTc sestamibi and 9 of 20 (45%) were seen on 99mTc maraciclatide images (p = 0.1). The average L/B ratio for benign lesions was 1.34 ±0.40 (mean ±S.D.) for 99mTc sestamibi and 1.41 ±0.52 (mean ±S.D.) for 99mTc maraciclatide (p = 0.75). Overall diagnostic performance was similar for both radiopharmaceuticals. AUC from ROC analysis was 0.83 for 99mTc sestamibi and 0.87 for 99mTc maraciclatide (p = 0.64). 99mTc maraciclatide offered comparable lesion uptake to 99mTc sestamibi, in both malignant and benign lesions. There was good correlation between lesion extent and uptake measured from both radiopharmaceuticals. 99mTc maraciclatide offered a marginal (but not significant) improvement in sensitivity over 99mTc sestamibi. Our findings did not support an association between the uptake of either radiopharmaceutical and tumor molecular subtype. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00888589
One Cycle Fuels Another: The Energetics of Neurotransmitter Release

In this issue of Neuron, Ashrafi et al. (2017) show that activity induces translocation of the insulin-regulated glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane, where it sustains the ATP production required for synaptic vesicle cycling. However, translocation occurs from presynaptic membranes other than synaptic vesicles and involves a distinct molecular mechanism.
Methodology: Mixed-Methods Research Design

This chapter refines the principal research question introduced initially in Chap. 1, viz: What is the relationship between Greater Seattle’s smart growth plans and territorial programs and the shifting geographies of work, home, and mobility? These questions include both quantitative and qualitative dimensions and suggest a mix-methods research approach based on a what is called here an “abductive” philosophy on inquiry. The chapter discusses this approach, highlighting the use of interview data, documentary review, census and GIS analysis, and other visualization techniques. The chapter also discuss the main data sources, including quantitative data on jobs, housing, and transportation and qualitative data that help interpret, visualize, and contextualize major quantitative trends, including interviews, site visits, analysis of public documents, newspaper and activist accounts, and drone imagery.
Neighborhood and Individual Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated with Disparities in Adult Obesity and Perceptions of the Home Food Environment.

Abstract Purpose: Multiple studies have demonstrated significant disparities in the relationship between individual sociodemographic characteristics and risk of overweight or obesity. However, little information is available for assessing the complex associations among being overweight or obese with neighborhood and individual sociodemographic factors and the measured and perceived community food environment. Methods: Using 2014 national evaluation data from 20 communities (analyzed 2015–2016) that participated in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Community Transformation Grants Program, we used multilevel multivariable models to assess associations among factors at the individual, census tract, and county levels with being overweight or obese and with the perceived home food environment. Results: Individual level factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income, and education) were significantly associated with the likelihood of being overweight or obese in every model tested. Census...
Some concerns with Polger and Shapiro’s view

This paper provides some responses to Tom Polger and Larry Shapiro’s The Multiple Realization Book (2016). I first provide a description of the authors’ framework for thinking about multiple realiz...
Affinity-Enhanced Luminescent Re(I)- and Ru(II)-Based Inhibitors of the Cysteine Protease Cathepsin L

Two new Re(I)- and Ru(II)-based inhibitors were synthesized with the formulas [Re(phen)(CO)3(1)](OTf) (7; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) and [Ru(bpy)2(2)](Cl)2 (8; bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine), where 1 and 2 are the analogues of CLIK-148, an epoxysuccinyl-based cysteine cathepsin L inhibitor (CTSL). Compounds 7 and 8 were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis; 7 and 8 both show exceptionally long excited state lifetimes. Re(I)-based complex 7 inhibits CTSL in the low nanomolar range, affording a greater than 16-fold enhancement of potency relative to the free inhibitor 1 with a second-order rate constant of 211000 ± 42000 M–1 s–1. Irreversible ligation of 7 to papain, a model of CTSL, was analyzed with mass spectroscopy, and the major peak shown at 24283 au corresponds to that of papain-1-Re(CO)3(phen). Compound 7 was well tolerated by DU-145 prostate cancer cells, with toxicity evident only at high concentrations. Treatment of DU-145 cells wit...
Trends in Healthcare Provider Advice on Youth Tobacco Use, 2011-2015.

Introduction The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement to recommend screening all adolescents for tobacco and other drug use in 2011. This study sought to evaluate the trends of health professional screening and advice on youth tobacco use since then. Methods Data from the 2011, 2013, and 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey were analyzed to report the changes in tobacco screening and advice among 46,554 U.S. middle and high school students. Logistic regressions were used to assess trends and factors associated with screening or advice on tobacco use and to examine whether screening or advice on tobacco use was associated with quit behaviors. Analyses were conducted in 2017. Results Overall, the prevalence of tobacco screening significantly increased from 32.0% in 2011 to 37.9% in 2013 but had no significant change after that. The increase was largest among females and blacks, but there was no significant increase among e-cigarette users. By contrast, the prevalence of being advised not to use tobacco significantly decreased from 31.4% in 2011 to 26.9% in 2015. The decrease was largest among females, younger students, and e-cigarette users. Current cigarette smokers were more likely than nonsmokers to be advised on tobacco use, but no significant difference was found between e-cigarette only users and noncurrent users. Being advised not to use tobacco was associated with higher odds of planning to quit tobacco use among current tobacco users and current e-cigarette users, respectively. Conclusions Continued efforts to increase tobacco use interventions by healthcare providers are needed.
Bridging the gap between enterprise and tactical networks via mission- and network-sensitive adaptation

Providing actionable information to soldiers in a timely manner remains one of the primary goals of information management systems. Unfortunately, the challenging tactical networking environment composed of wireless links that are unreliable, prone to disconnection, present high latencies, and constrained in available bandwidth make information management for the tactical domain a difficult problem. The problem is exacerbated by the enterprise-style systems that are often used in operations centers that need to exchange information with the tactical edge. These enterprise systems typically rely on Service-Oriented Architectures and enterprise message / service buses to rapidly integrate capabilities and services for information management. However, the architectures and protocols utilized here do not transition very well into the tactical domain. This paper describes new capabilities that have been developed to help bridge the impedance mismatch between enterprise and tactical domains and support the information management needs of the warfighter in the tactical domain.
Eating disorders and substance use: An examination of behavioral associations

The association between the eating disorders of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) and substance use disorder (SUD) has been widely investigated, however, our understanding of the relationship between the disorders remains unclear. Explanatory models have tended to focus on behaviors, yet, little is currently known about the patterns of association among disordered eating and substance use behaviors. In this exploratory study, a behavioral approach was used to investigate the cooccurrence of seven disordered eating and three substance use behaviors in women meeting current DSM-III-R criteria for AN (n=12), subthreshold AN (n=14), BN (n=29), and subthreshold BN (n=24). Results suggest that disordered eating behaviors are differentially associated with substance use behaviors. The most robust finding was that diuretic use positively predicted the current level of alcohol use regardless of diagnostic group. The findings for marijuana and tobacco use were less consistent. Results suggest that rather than being pervasive in all eating disordered women, higher levels of alcohol use may be found in those women who use diuretics.
Refractive status in the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of refractive errors in a population of adult Americans. METHODS: From 1988 to 1990, 4926 adults who were 43 to 84 years of age and living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin at the time of the 1987-1988 census were examined. Refractions were performed according to a modification of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol. Included in this study were 4533 people who had not undergone cataract surgery and who had a best corrected visual acuity better than 20/40 in at least one eye. Myopia was defined as a refractive error less than -0.50 diopters; hyperopia was defined as a refractive error greater than +0.50 diopters. RESULTS: Hyperopia was more frequent than myopia in the study group (age-adjusted of 49.0% and 26.2% in right eyes, respectively, P = 0.0001). The prevalence of hyperopia in the right eye increased with increasing age from 22.1% in those 43 to 54 years of age to 68.5% in those 75 years of age or older. The prevalence of myopia in the right eye decreased from 43.0% in those 43 to 54 years of age to 14.4% in those 75 years of age or older. There was significant relationship between education level and refractive error (age adjusted r = -0.32, P = 0.0001). Neither household income nor occupation was associated with refractive error in our data. CONCLUSION: These cross-sectional data indicate age-related differences in refractive status in an adult population and suggest that education is associated with myopia independent of age.
Byssus Formation in Mytilus

The ability of the Mytilus genus of mussels (Phylum Mollusca, Class Bivalvia, and Family Mytilidae) to adhere in marine environments has fascinated researchers from numerous disciplines of science for decades. These relatively small, sessile bivalves attach to a wide range of surfaces present in their natural intertidal and subtidal ocean habitats (rocks, wood, seaweed, other animals, and ship hulls, for example) as well as to surfaces commonly tested in research laboratory settings (glass, plastics [including Teflon®], metals, and biological materials such as teeth, bones, cells, and tissues). No single man-made product on the market to date can claim to possess such a vast application range. An understanding of the unique biological adhesive system in Mytilus species (sp.) will undoubtedly aid in the development of biomimetic glues and related products for use in virtually every industry requiring bonding of two materials.
Molecular Biology of Hantaviruses

The genus Hantavirus includes several of the most significant human patho-gens in the family Bunyaviridae. Certain hantaviruses are known to cause such deadly illnesses as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Unlike viruses in other genera, hantaviruses are not transmitted by arthropods, but instead, persistently infect rodents and are transmitted in infectious aerosols of the animals’ excreta. A wide array of antigenically and genetically distinct hantaviruses have been detected in numerous rodent species throughout the world (Lee and van der Groen, 1989; Chu et al., 1994; Liang et al., 1994; Xiao et al., 1994). Among the hantaviruses described to date at least nine antigenically and genetically distinct viruses have been propogated in cell culture. HTN, Seoul (SEO), Puumala (PUU), and Dobrava (DOB) viruses have all been incrimi-nated in HFRS, and Sin Nombre (SN)⋆ and Black Creek Canal (BCC) viruses are linked to HPS. Prospect Hill (PH), Thailand (THAI), and Thottapalayam (TPM) viruses are not known to cause human disease. Interestingly, serologically distinct viruses are usually isolated from different rodent species. Thus, most viruses closely related to HTN virus have been isolated from Apodemus agrarius (striped field mice) and those most similar to SEO, PUU, DOB, and PH viruses from Rattus norvegicns (domestic rats), Clethrionomys glareolus (bank voles), Apodemus flavicollis (yellow-necked mouse), and Microtus pennsylvanicus (meadow voles), respectively. Two hantavirus isolates from Thailand, from Bandicota (bandicoot) or Rattus (Elwell et al., 1985), can be distinguished from SEO virus by PRNT (Chu et al., 1994). An Indian isolate from Suncus (tree shrew), TPM virus (Carey et al., 1971), the most unique hantavirus isolated to date, does not cross-react with other hantaviruses by PRNT (Chu et al., 1994), and has a clearly different genetic lineage (Xiao et al., 1994). The primary rodent host of SN virus is Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) and that of BCC virus, Sigmodon hispidus (cotton rat) (Chapman and Khabbaz, 1994; Childs et al., 1994; Nerurkar et al., 1994; Ravkov et al., 1995; Turell et al., 1995). A number of other hantaviruses that appear genetically distinct, but have not yet been isolated in cell culture include El Moro Canyon (ELMC), Rio Segundo (RIOS), and New York-1 (NY-1)⋆ viruses in the U.S. (Hjelle et al., 1994; Song et al., 1994; Hjelle et al., 1995), and Tula (TUL) virus in Europe (Plyusnin et al., 1994).
Becoming a Clinical Supervisor

Supervision is a critical function in the training of counselors and psychotherapists1. As a supervisor, you will be responsible for a significant part of training the next generation of therapists.
Depression in children and adolescents: REBT approaches to assessment and treatment

From a REBT perspective, “individuals who can accept events and attributes, no matter now negative, will experience natural feelings of disappointment and frustration, but will rarely manifest clinical depression” (DiGiuseppe et al., 2002, p. 224). Given the increasing prevalence of depression in the child and adolescent population, practitioners would be well advised to consider this approach in the prevention and treatment of depression in young clients. Obviously more effort and research is needed to determine particular strategies that work best with this population, but a concerted effort to promote school-based prevention programs that teach the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, combined with a comprehensive intervention approach will hopefully empower young people to deal with this serious mental health problem.
Abstract 95: EMS Triage to CSC Reduces Time to Treatment and Improves Outcomes in Patients With Large Vessel Occlusion

Introduction: Treatment for large vessel occlusion is profoundly time dependent. Two potential mechanisms to reduce time to treatment are optimizing transfers from Primary Stroke Centers (PSC) and transporting selected patients directly to a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC). In our region, we sequentially implemented both interventions. We sought to evaluate the impact of 1) Optimization of PSC transfer protocols and 2) implementation of a severity based EMS triage protocol on times to treatment and outcomes. Methods: All thrombectomy patients in our state treated over 24 months were retrospectively reviewed. We included patients with anterior circulation LVO, presenting within 6 hours, with an NIHSS of 6 or higher. An EMS protocol was introduced such that patients with a field LAMS score of 4 or higher, within 30 minutes of the CSC, would be directly transported to the CSC. Patients from adjacent states (where the EMS protocol would not apply) as well as inpatient strokes were excluded. We examined the proportion of patients who were directly transported to the CSC, as well as trends in time to treatment with IV tPA and thrombectomy from the time of first hospital arrival (PSC or CSC). Time periods were as follows: 7/1/2015 to 12/31/2015 (Pre-optimization and pre-triage); 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016 (PSC optimization; pre-triage) and 1/1/2017 to 6/30/2017 (PSC optimization and triage). Primary outcome measures were times to treatment, discharge to home, and in-hospital mortality. Results: The results are summarized in the table below. Marked decreases in median time from first hospital arrival to recanalization were seen, from 156 to 109 minutes over time. In addition, there were increases in discharge home, and decreases in in-hospital mortality across each of the time periods. Conclusions: Through a combination of field triage and optimization of PSC workflow, it is possible to reduce times to thrombectomy and improve outcomes across an entire region.
Goji Berry Modulates Gut Microbiota and Alleviates Colitis in IL-10-Deficient Mice.

Scope This study examines the beneficial effects of Goji berry against spontaneous colitis and its prebiotic role in IL-10-deficient mice. Methods IL-10-deficient mice are assigned to a standard rodent diet (control) or a control diet supplemented with Goji (1% of dry feed weight) for 10 weeks, at which point colonic tissues and fecal contents are collected. Results Goji supplementation decreases colonic pathobiological scores and mRNA expression of Il17a and Tgfb1, while it enhances Muc1 expression and fecal IgA content. Illumina MiSeq sequencing reveals that Goji supplementation increases Actinobacteria phylum, resulting in a bloom of Bifidobacteria in gut microbiota. Additionally, dietary Goji promotes butyrate-producing bacteria including Lachnospiraceae-Ruminococcaceae family and Roseburia spp. under Clostridium cluster XIVa. Furthermore, butyrate-producers Clostridium leptum and its dominant constituent Fecalibacterium prazusnitzii are markedly increased in the Goji group. Moreover, the gene-encoding butyryl-coenzyme A CoA transferase, a key enzyme responsible for butyrate synthesis in butyrate-producing bacteria, is increased sixfold in the fecal samples of Goji group associated with increased fecal butyrate content. Conclusion Data collectively show that dietary Goji results in the blooming of Bifidobacteria and butyrate-producing bacteria. These bacteria may cross-feed each other, conferring preventative effects against colitis in IL-10-deficient mice.
What Experts Could Not Be

A common philosophical account of expertise contends that (a) the good of expertise lies in the fact that it is grounded in reliably true beliefs or knowledge in a domain and (b) rejecting this tru...
Abstract 225: Electronic Cigarettes Induced Exacerbation of Atherosclerosis: Contribution of MicroRNA-21

Smoking is the foremost cause of preventable disease and pre-mature deaths. Although the rates of smoking have declined in the recent past, advent of electronic cigarettes (e-cig) pose new challeng...
Age-associated changes in the impact of sex steroids on influenza vaccine responses in males and females

Vaccine-induced immunity declines with age, which may differ between males and females. Using human sera collected before and 21 days after receipt of the monovalent A/Cal/09 H1N1 vaccine, we evaluated cytokine and antibody responses in adult (18-45 years) and aged (65+ years) individuals. After vaccination, adult females developed greater IL-6 and antibody responses than either adult males or aged females, with female antibody responses being positively associated with concentrations of estradiol. To test whether protection against influenza virus challenge was greater in females than males, we primed and boosted adult (8-10 weeks) and aged (68-70 weeks) male and female mice with an inactivated A/Cal/09 H1N1 vaccine or no vaccine and challenged with a drift variant A/Cal/09 virus. As compared with unvaccinated mice, vaccinated adult, but not aged, mice experienced less morbidity and better pulmonary viral clearance following challenge, regardless of sex. Vaccinated adult female mice developed antibody responses that were of greater quantity and quality and more protective than vaccinated adult males. Sex differences in vaccine efficacy diminished with age in mice. To determine the role of sex steroids in vaccine-induced immune responses, adult mice were gonadectomized and hormones (estradiol in females and testosterone in males) were replaced in subsets of animals before vaccination. Vaccine-induced antibody responses were increased in females by estradiol and decreased in males by testosterone. The benefit of elevated estradiol on antibody responses and protection against influenza in females is diminished with age in both mice and humans.
Reaction of β″-Sodium Gallate With Water

The interaction of moisture with the rhombohedral β″ form of sodium gallate (β″-Na2O·5.7Ga2O3) has been studied. This material is completely analogous to β″-Al2O3. Moisture pickup at room temperature from humid atmospheres is extremely rapid in fine powders of this material until it reaches about 1 molecule of water per sodium atom. Further takeup is very slow.
Neuro-Behcet Disease Mimicking Lymphoma of the Brain and Coexisting with A Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: A Case Report.

Background Diverse clinical manifestations have characterized reports of central nervous system involvement in Behcet disease. There is a limited number of published case reports of neuro-Behcet disease mimicking brain tumor. Case Description We present a rare case of neuro-Behcet disease exhibiting mixed systemic and neurological symptoms mimicking malignant lymphoma. Delayed presentation of oral aphthae and rapid improvement of symptoms with steroid treatment led to a diagnosis of neuro-Behcet disease without brain biopsy. The patient also underwent surgery for the resection of an arterio-venous fistula. Conclusions We recommend management of neuro-Behcet disease based on perceived natural history risks, with the understanding that no data exist on this within patients population. A multidisciplinary team approach is always recommended because neuro-Behcet disease is an uncommon condition, especially in neurosurgical practice.
Status, Institutions, and Prospects for Global Capture Fisheries

We compile global data to examine the current status, trends, threats, and opportunities in the world's wild-capture fisheries. We find that global fisheries have largely diverged—well-managed, oft...
Exposure to atmospheric metals using moss bioindicators and neonatal health outcomes in Portland, Oregon.

Abstract Studying the impacts of prenatal atmospheric heavy-metal exposure is challenging, because biological exposure monitoring does not distinguish between specific sources, and high-resolution air monitoring data is lacking for heavy metals. Bioindicators - animal or plant species that can capture environmental quality - are a low-cost tool for evaluating exposure to atmospheric heavy-metal pollution that have received little attention in the public-health literature. We obtained birth records for Portland, Oregon live births (2008–2014) and modeled metal concentrations derived from 346 samples of moss bioindicators collected in 2013. Exposure estimates were assigned using mother's residential address at birth for six metals with known toxic and estrogenic effects (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, lead). Associations were evaluated for continuous (cts) and quartile-based (Q) metal estimates and three birth outcomes (preterm birth (PTB;
Models of Chemical Gradient Sensing by Cells

This paper first provides a review of probabilistic models which have been proposed to understand various aspects of how receptor-sensing of chemoattractant influences directional movement. These all share a common premise, that directional orientation is determined by a spatial or temporal difference in receptor-measured concentrations, which fluctuate in time because receptor binding is inherently a stochastic process. After discussing the limitations of these models, a stochastic model recently proposed by the author is reviewed in detail. It is again based on fluctuations in receptor binding, but, in contrast to the simpler premise above, directional movement is regulated by the spatiotemporal pattern of a receptor signal and integrated signal-response coupling. The formulation of the modeling stochastic differential system and its analytical and numerical analysis are described in detail.
Home Activity-based Interventions for the Neurologically Impaired Upper Extremity: A Scoping Review:

Background:Activity-based therapy (ABT) for the upper extremity (UE) enables neurologic recovery with tasks that are functional, intense, and highly repetitive. A large proportion of rehabilitation...
The European Commission's Sustainable Corporate Governance Report: A Critique

In July 2020, the European Commission published the “Study on directors’ duties and sustainable corporate governance” by EY. The Report purports to find evidence of debilitating short-termism in EU corporate governance and recommends many changes to support sustainable corporate governance. In this paper, we point out deep flaws in the Report’s evidence and analysis. We recently submitted the content of this paper in response to the European Commission’s call for feedback. First, the Report defines the corporate governance problem as one of pernicious short-termism that damages the environment, the climate, and stakeholders. But the Report mistakenly conflates time-horizon problems with externalities and distributional concerns. Cures for one are not cures for the others and a cure for one may well exacerbate the others. Second, the Report’s main ostensible evidence for an increase in corporate short-termism is rising gross payouts to shareholders (dividends and stock repurchases). However, the more relevant payout measure to assess corporations’ ability to fund long-term investment is net payouts (gross payouts minus equity issuances), which is much lower and has left plenty of funds available for long-term and short-term investment. Third, when the Report turns to other evidence for short-termism, it selectively picks academic studies that support its views on short-termism, while failing to engage substantial contrary literature. Significant studies fail to detect short-termism and some substantial studies show excessive long-termism. Conceptually, some short-termism is an unfortunate but an inevitable side effect of effective corporate governance and may not be a first-order problem warranting wholesale reform. Finally, the Report touts cures whose effectiveness has little evidentiary support and, for some, there is real evidence that the cures could be counterproductive and costly.
Assessment of the Maximum Temperature of Simplified High Heat Radioactive Glass in Interim Storage and Deep Geological Disposal

Ensuring the thermal stability of heat-generating nuclear waste glass canisters in interim storage and the thermal stability of bentonite in the deep geological repository are crucial to preserving...
EBA: Efficient Bandwidth Aggregation for Connected Vehicles with MPTCP

Multi-path TCP (MPTCP) recently emerges as a promising tool to improve the network service to vehicles through transparent aggregation of wireless infrastructures on earth (e.g., current terrestrial BSs) and over the air (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-based BSs), e.g., using both LTE and WiFi at the same time for a data transfer. Currently, such an approach is challenged by the fast dynamism of wireless link characteristics (e.g., RTT and loss rate) during the handoff between wireless access points under vehicle mobility, which could easily cause head-of-line (HoL) blocking at the receiver and significantly lower the overall network performance. Existing solutions generally rely on asynchronous scheduling at the sender to tackle the HoL blocking. However, they fall short in handling the packet losses and excessive delay during the handoff. In this paper, we propose a unique MPTCP scheduling scheme named Efficient Bandwidth Aggregation (EBA) to tackle the drawback in current approaches. EBA adaptively enables packet duplication over parallel paths (i.e., redundant scheduling), which can effectively prevent the HoL blocking but losses some bandwidth. Thus, we carefully model the conditions under which packet duplication can improve network performance. We then dynamically turn on and off redundant scheduling based on the modeling to achieve the best bandwidth performance for vehicles. We have implemented EBA inside the current Linux kernel MPTCP and tested it extensively through simulated scenarios. Experimental results show that EBA can effectively enhance the network service for connected vehicles.
Prescriptions and Drug Distribution

Laws concerning drug distribution involving veterinarians vary from state to state. The best ones are created when both veterinarians and pharmacists creating the laws understand each other. This manuscript discusses how state pharmacy statutes and regulations pertain to veterinarians and veterinary practice, and how to make sure veterinarians have a voice in the process.
Vid22p, a novel plasma membrane protein, is required for the fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase degradation pathway

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), an important enzyme in the gluconeogenic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , is expressed when cells are grown in media containing a poor carbon source. Following glucose replenishment, FBPase is targeted from the cytosol to intermediate Vid (vacuole import and degradation) vesicles and then to the vacuole for degradation. Recently, several vid mutants that are unable to degrade FBPase in response to glucose were identified. Here, we present VID22 , a novel gene involved in FBPase degradation. VID22 encodes a glycosylated integral membrane protein that localizes to the plasma membrane. Newly synthesized Vid22p was found in the cytoplasm and then targeted to the plasma membrane independent of the classical secretory pathway. A null mutation of VID22 failed to degrade FBPase following a glucose shift and accumulated FBPase in the cytosol. Furthermore, the majority of FBPase remained in a proteinase K sensitive compartment in the Δvid22 mutant, implying that VID22 is involved in FBPase transport from the cytosol to Vid vesicles. By contrast, starvation-induced autophagy and peroxisome degradation were not impaired in the Δvid22 mutant. This strain also exhibited the proper processing of carboxypeptidase Y and aminopeptidase I in the vacuole. Therefore, Vid22p appears to play a specific role in the FBPase trafficking pathway.
Influence of Drawdown Period on Overflow Volume and Pollutant Treatment for Detention-Based Stormwater Control Measures in Raleigh, North Carolina

AbstractThe drawdown rate of detention-based stormwater control measures (SCMs) influences both the treatment capability of the device and the volume of runoff that becomes untreated overflow. Currently, hydrologic design goals set by the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources and other mid-Atlantic U.S. state agencies (e.g., those in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania) require stormwater practices to treat, e.g., 90% of stormwater runoff (or similar). This equates to a 10% overflow volume, defined as the percentage of inflow volume that bypasses the SCM and therefore receives minimal treatment. For detention-based SCMs, this design goal is met by sizing the outlet to release runoff generated from the water quality event (in North Carolina, either 25 or 38 mm) over a required minimum period of 2 days. Previous studies have not shown whether rainfall patterns in North Carolina and other east coast United States states justify a 2-day drawdown rate of the water quality event to l...
The Synthesis and Degradation of Fructose Diphosphate-Aldolase and Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase in Rabbit Liver

Abstract Fructose diphosphate aldolase and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase have been crystallized from rabbit livers after single or sequential injections of [14C]- and [3H]-lysine. The specific radioactivity of the lysine in the dehydrogenase rises continuously and reaches a maximum during the 5th day after injection, whereas that of the aldolase declines exponentially from the middle of the 1st day. There is sufficient information in the concurrent time curves to permit a numerical solution of the simultaneous equations for the time dependence of activity decay of the free lysine precursor pool and the rate constants for the synthesis and degradation of both proteins, internally corrected for the recycling of isotope. The first order rate constants of degradation of aldolase and the dehydrogenase are 0.62 and 0.25 day-1 corresponding to half-lives of 1.1 and 2.8 days, respectively. Following an initial rapid decline, the specific activity of the effective free lysine pools tends to plateau at a level intermediate between those of the lysines in aldolase and the dehydrogenase and becomes equal to that of the dehydrogenase when the latter reaches its maximum. During this period, the radioactivity of the free lysine is replenished by the breakdown of the most rapidly metabolized fraction of liver proteins. As measured by the uncorrected raw data, the apparent half-life of lysine-labeled aldolase is 3.86 days and of leucine-labeled aldolase 1.48 days. Leucine is less extensively recycled. In contrast with efforts to obtain true pulse labeling conditions by using a rapidly cleared isotope, the present analysis is facilitated by the use of lysine, an amino acid that is most extensively reutilized.
Using National Survey Data to Estimate Lifetimes of Residential Appliances

This article summarizes a rigorous method for estimating the lifetimes of household appliances. The method utilizes data from public surveys regarding appliances in residences combined with manufacturer data on historical shipments. Errors inherent in the survey sampling and analytical methods also are examined. Average lifetimes are estimated for residential central air-conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, water heaters, room air-conditioners, refrigrators, and freezers.
Uncovering the Roots of American Political Corruption: An Analysis

This work seeks to explore the relationship between political corruption as defined by cases brought to the United States Department of Justice against individuals holding public office from the fifty American states. An comparative analysis of determined state-by-state corruptions rates and external factors such as the net legislative salary in a given state, executive to legislative pay ratio (E/L ratio) in a given state, and the pay determinant factor. A state-by-state analysis is done to determine correlation of these variables relative to their corresponding corruption rates and the departure from average in those rates.
Histamine Release in the Dog After Leukocyte Lysate Injection

Abstract Mixed leukocyte suspensions, containing 106 leukocytes per ml, were prepared from dog peripheral blood by dextran sedimentation. Lysates of these suspensions, prepared by sonification, were administered intravenously to the autologous dogs. The plasma histamine levels were increased to an average value 320% above the control values (P < 0.001). The individual elements in the mixed leukocyte suspensions were separated by sucrose gradient and glass bead column fractionation procedures, and purified suspensions of platelets (no other formed elements present), lymphocytes (95 to 100%), and granulocytes (90 to 98%) were obtained. Lysates of these suspensions all had significant histamine-releasing activity when administered intravenously to dogs. Although leukocytes and platelets from other species are known to harbor mediators of histamine release, this study provides the first demonstration of the histamine-releasing activity of dog leukocytes and platelets. Many of the studies of leukocyte and platelet histamine-releasing factors have employed in vitro systems leaving the in vivo role of these factors in doubt. The present studies provide evidence that leukocyte and platelet histamine-releasing factors have in vivo activity.
Software and VLSI algorithms for recursive median filters

The authors point out that, in one-dimensional (1-D) recursive median (RM) filtering, all of the previous outputs except the most recent output are redundant in determining the present output. On the basis of this observation, efficient software and VLSI algorithms for 1-D RM filters are presented. It is shown that the implementation of RM filtering based on the proposed algorithms is simpler than that of standard median filtering. >
Quality of Life of Latina Breast Cancer Survivors: From Silence to Empowerment

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Latinas living in the United States. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study aimed at understanding the experiences of 25 Latinas between the ages of 28 and 83 who are long-term (at least five years post diagnosis) breast cancer survivors. The findings show three key issues and concerns: (a) fear of being stigmatized and being treated differently if they talked about their breast cancer experience; (b) overcoming the perceived negative effects that breast cancer has on their femininity; (c) the effects of breast cancer recovery and survivorship on social relationships of family and community. Family support and peer advocacy helped survivors in several areas: (a) to cope with the fear of recurrence; (b) to combat the fear of social stigma; (c) to become stronger as they dealt with the permanent life changes as a Latina breast cancer survivor; (d) to support them in the struggle for the provision of culturally sensitive health care; and (e) to provide social support in the form of advocacy for other Latina breast cancer survivors.
Calcium intake influences the association of protein intake with rates of bone loss in elderly men and women

Background There is currently no consensus on the effect of dietary protein intake on the skeleton, but there is some indication that low calcium intakes adversely influence the effect of dietary protein on fracture risk. Objective The objective of the present study was to determine whether supplemental calcium citrate malate and vitamin D influence any associations between protein intake and change in bone mineral density (BMD). Design Associations between protein intake and change in BMD were examined in 342 healthy men and women (aged > or = 65 y) who had completed a 3-y, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Protein intake was assessed at the midpoint of the study with the use of a food-frequency questionnaire and BMD was assessed every 6 mo by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results The mean (+/-SD) protein intake of all subjects was 79.1 +/- 25.6 g/d and the mean total calcium intakes of the supplemented and placebo groups were 1346 +/- 358 and 871 +/- 413 mg/d, respectively. Higher protein intake was significantly associated with a favorable 3-y change in total-body BMD in the supplemented group (in a model containing terms for age, sex, weight, total energy intake, and dietary calcium intake) but not in the placebo group. The pattern of change in femoral neck BMD with increasing protein intake in the supplemented group was similar to that for the total body. Conclusion Increasing protein intake may have a favorable effect on change in BMD in elderly subjects supplemented with calcium citrate malate and vitamin D.
Pop Brands: Branding, Popular Music, and Young People, by Nicholas Carah

Nicholas Carah's Pop Brands is a valuable critical inquiry into the marketing of popular music to young people. Although the book focuses mainly on festivals and live concerts in Australia, its cas...
PHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF COLOR CHANGE IN THE SAND FLOUNDER SCOPTHALAMUS AQUOSUS1

An elucidation of the mechanisms of chromatophore control in teleost fishes involves consideration of the participation of the nervous system (pigment concentrating and dispersing fibers) and an evaluation of influences mediated by pituitary hormones. The sand flounder, Scopthalamus aquasus Norman (Lophosetta muculatu Gill) was investigated by neurological and pharmacological methods. Nerve cutting, blocking and stimulation experiments revealed unequivocally functional pigment aggregating but not dispersing fibers. Acetyl choline and eserine when injected into the spinal cord bring about excitation of pigment concentrating nerve fibers but have no local effect on melanocytes. Drugs causing local pigment aggregation are aromatic ethyl amines or hydrazines. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine are extremely active. The most potent pigment dispersing drugs were certain phenothiazine tranquilizers. Pretreatment with pyrogallol markedly potentiated epinephrine and norepinephrine but raised the effective dose of five of the drugs having pigment dispersing properties. The pharmacological data suggest a catechol amine as the transmitter at concentrating nerve fiber endings, and that the enzyme catechol-o-methyl transferase is involved in the physiology of color change in the sand flounder.
The role of O-GlcNAc transferase in regulating the gene transcription of developing and failing hearts

ABSTRACT Heart failure treatment currently centers on symptom management, primarily through reductions in systemic blood pressure and fluid retention. The O-linked attachment of β-N-acetylglucosamine to cardiac proteins is increased in cardiovascular disease and heart failure, and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is the enzyme that catalyzes this addition. Deletion of OGT is embryonically lethal, and cardiomyocyte-specific OGT knockdown causes the exacerbation of heart failure. Stem cell therapy is currently a major focus of heart failure research, and it was recently discovered that OGT is intricately involved with stem cell differentiation. This article focuses on the relationship of OGT with epigenetics and pluripotency, and integrates OGT with several emerging areas of heart failure research, including calcium signaling.
An Analysis of Gene-Enzyme Variability in Natural Populations of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans

Nine populations of D. melanogaster and two populations of D. simulans were analyzed for polymorphism in 10 gene-enzyme systems by the technique of gel electrophoresis. In the eight natural populations of D. melanogaster, an average of 54% of the enzymes were polymorphic, and the average heterozygosity was 22.7%. An experimental population of D. melanogaster, which has been maintained in a laboratory cage for 20 years, showed levels of polymorphism equivalent to those of natural populations. The D. simulans populations had much less variability. The possible factors involved in maintaining these polymorphisms are discussed.
ClassX Mobile: region-of-interest video streaming to mobile devices with multi-touch interaction

Small screen sizes, limited bandwidth, and low computational power often prohibit streaming of high-resolution videos to mobile devices over a wireless network. Recent advances in interactive region-of-interest (IRoI) video streaming technology enable users to interactively control pan/tilt/ zoom, while provide bit-rate and complexity savings. One recent application of IRoI video streaming is ClassX developed at Stanford University. It offers an open-source experimental platform for interactive online lecture streaming. In this technical demonstration, we present ClassX Mobile, which extends the current ClassX system and delivers high-quality interactive video to smartphones and tablets with multi-touch screens.