cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kidney Function After the First Kidney Stone Event

Abstract Objective To determine whether there is a persistent decline in kidney function after the first kidney stone event. Patient and Methods Incident symptomatic stone formers and age- and sex-matched controls underwent 2 study visits 90 days apart to assess kidney function, complete a survey, and have their medical records reviewed. Kidney function was compared between stone formers and controls adjusting for clinical, blood, and urine risk factors. Results There were 384 stone formers and 457 controls. At visit 1, a median of 104 days after the stone event, stone formers compared with controls had similar serum creatinine (0.86 vs 0.84 mg/dL; P =.23), higher serum cystatin C (0.83 vs 0.72 mg/L; P P 30 mg: 5.4% vs 2.2%; P =.02). Findings were similar after adjustment for risk factors and at visit 2, a median of 92 days after visit 1. In the 173 stone formers with serum creatinine levels from care before study participation, the mean serum creatinine level was 0.84 mg/dL before the stone event, increased to 0.97 mg/dL ( P P =.38) after the stone event (visit 1). Conclusions Incident symptomatic stone formers have a rise in serum creatinine levels that resolves. However, stone formers have sustained higher cystatin C levels and proteinuria that may affect long-term risk of chronic kidney disease.
Seeing Christ through Hearing the Apocalypse: An Exploration of John’s Use of Ekphrasis in Revelation 1 and 19:

Utilizing rhetorical criticism, this study explores the manner in which Revelation describes two visions of Christ (Rev. 1.12-18; 19.11-16) in order to understand how such descriptions are used in the service of the author’s rhetoric. As a rhetorical technique, ekphrasis mediates what a speaker sees to an audience through descriptive words. A successful ekphrasis bridges the distance between the verbal and the visual, causing hearers to see for themselves, and evokes an emotional response (pathos) in the audience. The visions of Rev. 1 and 19 are thus understood as poetic-rhetorical acts, or mimesis: representations of life that point toward reality beyond the particulars, intended to evoke an emotional response. Such characterization of Christ through ekphrasis moves the audience to embrace the text’s worldview of a critical distance from Roman imperial ideology and a commitment to Jesus as Lord over against the deceitful powers of empire.
Pharmacologic Characterization of Valbenazine (NBI-98854) and Its Metabolites

The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) is an integral presynaptic protein that regulates the packaging and subsequent release of dopamine and other monoamines from neuronal vesicles into the synapse. Valbenazine (NBI-98854), a novel compound that selectively inhibits VMAT2, is approved for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. Valbenazine is converted to two significant circulating metabolites in vivo, namely, (+)-α-dihydrotetrabenazine (R,R,R-HTBZ) and a mono-oxy metabolite, NBI-136110. Radioligand-binding studies were conducted to assess and compare valbenazine, tetrabenazine, and their respective metabolites in their abilities to selectively and potently inhibit [3H]-HTBZ binding to VMAT2 in rat striatal, rat forebrain, and human platelet homogenates. A broad panel screen was conducted to evaluate possible off-target interactions of valbenazine, R,R,R-HTBZ, and NBI-136110 at >80 receptor, transporter, and ion channel sites. Radioligand binding showed R,R,R-HTBZ to be a potent VMAT2 inhibitor in homogenates of rat striatum (Ki = 1.0-2.8 nM), rat forebrain (Ki = 4.2 nM), and human platelets (Ki = 2.6-3.3 nM). Valbenazine (Ki = 110-190 nM) and NBI-136110 (Ki = 160-220 nM) also exhibited inhibitory effects on VMAT2, but with lower potency than R,R,R-HTBZ. Neither valbenazine, R,R,R-HTBZ, nor NBI-136110 had significant off-target interactions at serotonin (5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B) or dopamine (D1 or D2) receptor sites. In vivo studies measuring ptosis and prolactin secretion in the rat confirmed the specific and dose-dependent interactions of tetrabenazine and R,R,R-HTBZ with VMAT2. Evaluations of potency and selectivity of tetrabenazine and its pharmacologically active metabolites were also performed. Overall, the pharmacologic characteristics of valbenazine appear consistent with the favorable efficacy and tolerability findings of recent clinical studies [KINECT 2 (NCT01733121), KINECT 3 (NCT02274558)].
The influence of endophenotypic, disease-specific, and environmental variables on the expression of anxiety in pediatric epilepsy

Abstract Children and adolescents with epilepsy often show higher rates of anxiety, which carries an increased risk for reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The current study assessed the role of parental psychiatric history (i.e., anxiety, depression, and/or bipolar disorder) on the rate of anxiety features in youth seen in a tertiary epilepsy clinic. Data included parental ratings on the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) and the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire for 180 children and adolescents (mean age = 11.40, SD = 3.98). Our results identified clinically elevated anxiety ratings in nearly half the sample (47%) with previous psychiatric history endorsed by 48% of parents. The effect of parental psychiatric history on youth anxiety was found to be significant and associated with a threefold increase in the rate of youth anxiety features. This risk increased to fourfold in refractory epilepsy, and the impact of family psychiatric history is greater in adolescent females and in families that report higher levels of stress. In those families who reported no psychiatric history, anxiety was best predicted by epilepsy-specific factors above and beyond sociodemographic factors. Parental psychiatric history was also identified as a significant risk factor for diminished patient HRQOL, even after accounting for seizure control. These findings highlight the impact of family and epilepsy factors on psychological functioning and offer further support for the strong relationship between parental adjustment and child outcome in pediatric epilepsy.
Daytime Sleep Disturbance in Night Shift Work and the Role of PERIOD3

Study Objectives:Recent evidence indicates that daytime sleep disturbance associated with night shift work may arise from both circadian misalignment and sleep reactivity to stress. This presents a...
Catalysts in metal-air batteries

Metal-air batteries promise higher energy densities than state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries and have, therefore, received significant research attention lately. The most distinguishing feature of this technology is that it takes advantage of reversible conversion reactions of O2 or other air components (such as N2 or CO2) at the cathode. To promote these reactions, catalysts are often needed. A large number of materials have been studied for this purpose. In the present paper, we discuss the roles played by catalysts in metal-air battery systems. In particular, we choose to focus the discussions on the Li-O2 batteries as they are most intensely studied in the literature. Within this context, catalysts are often shown effective to facilitate the oxygen (O2) reduction reactions and/or O2 evolution reactions. The overall cell performance as measured by the round-trip efficiencies and charge/discharge rates can be significantly improved by the incorporation of catalysts. However, the presence of catalysts is also found to complicate the chemical reactions as they often exhibit activities toward parasitic chemical reactions such as electrolyte and electrode decompositions. The issue is especially acute in aprotic Li-O2 batteries, where organic electrolytes and reactive O2 species are mixed. In addition to heterogeneous catalysts, we also discuss the roles played by homogeneous catalysts as redox mediators, which are effective to promote redox reactions that are critical to energy storage applications.
Sotalol : a new class III antiarrhythmic agent

The chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, and dosage of sotalol hydrochloride are reviewed. The chemical name of sotalol hydrochloride is 4'-[1-hydroxy-2-(isopropylamino)ethyl]methanesulfonanilide monohydrochloride. Sotalol is a class III antiarrhythmic that prolongs the action potential and refractoriness of cardiac tissue and has potent nonselective beta-blocking activity. Sotalol is well absorbed after oral administration. The pharmacokinetics of sotalol can be described by an open, linear, two-compartment model. The drug is eliminated primarily by the kidneys; mean elimination half-life is 12 hours. Sotalol has been found to be effective in controlling life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, including sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and premature ventricular complexes. Although sotalol has FDA-approved labeling for use in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias only, it is also effective against a variety of supraventricular arrhythmias. Noncardiac adverse effects include fatigue, impotence, depression, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and increased triglyceride levels. Cardiovascular adverse effects include atrioventricular block, bradycardia, hypotension, exacerbation of heart failure, and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Overall, 11-21% of patients experience adverse effects; 6-18% of these patients have reactions serious enough to warrant the discontinuation of sotalol therapy. The initial dosage of oral sotalol hydrochloride in adults is 80 mg twice daily or 160 mg once daily; the dosage can be increased every three to four days in increments of 40-160 mg/day to a maximum of 480 mg/day. Sotalol is useful in the control of intractable, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, as well as a variety of supraventricular arrhythmias, in patients who do not respond to or are intolerant of more conventional antiarrhythmics.
Phytoextraction of Trace Metals: Principles and Applications

Trace elements (TEs) occur at minor concentration (>1 g kg−1) in the organisms, and some are essential nutrients (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, B, and Cl) for animals and plants. As a consequence of human activities such as industrial production, mining, transport, and agriculture, they are released in the environment at high concentrations. TEs can accumulate over time under specific environmental conditions, thus becoming environmental contaminants (Cs, Cr, W, U, Cd, Hg, Tl, Pb, Sn, As, Sb, Se). The environmental risk of TEs is associated with the mobility and bioavailability of the metals more than their total concentration. When they become environmentally mobile and move between media (i.e. soil to water), they can enter the food chain by being taken up by plants and animals. TEs cannot be degraded or broken down and at high concentration are toxic to organisms and tend to bioaccumulate in the environment. For example, selenium (Se) is a naturally occurring element with a wide distribution in almost all parent materials on Earth. At low concentration, Se is an essential nutrient but at high concentration is toxic. In the western side of the San Joaquin Valley in California, soils contain significant quantities of soluble mineral salts and trace elements such as Se and boron (B) that have been leached into shallow groundwater and/or drainage waters because of irrigation practices at Kesterson Reservoir in California. Soluble Se bioaccumulated in the avian food chain and resulted in an environmental disaster with high mortality and reproduction failure of migratory birds (Letey et al. 2002; Ohlendorf et al. 1986).
Sentiment Asset Pricing Model (SAPM)

Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has been a central theory in financial economics and financial practice for several decades (Sharpe 1964; French 2003). Building on the modern portfolio theory (Markowitz 1952, 1999), asset pricing theories estimate the rate of returns and risks of an asset with statistical metrics like means and standard deviations. With the advent of behavioral finance and investor psychology, more and more people realize that investor sentiment plays a crucial role in asset pricing. Yet one lacks sound real-time measures of the investor sentiment for an asset that matters in the asset's price movement. This piece develops the Sentiment Asset Pricing Model (SAPM) as a package of algorithms for an asset. SAPM calculates the investors' real-time estimates for given asset prices from the asset's option data with large samples. It then computes the asset prices for future dates from the sentiment estimates. The algorithms are implemented as a Web charting application that displays the future dates, asset prices, rate of returns, and detailed estimates for the asset prices in real-time. SAPM extends legacy asset pricing models with real-time empirical investor sentiment.
Biomedical X-ray Imaging Enabled by Carbon Nanotube X-ray Sources †

Although discovered more than 100 years ago, X-ray source technology has evolved rather slowly. The recent invention of the carbon nanotube (CNT) X-ray source technology holds great promise to revolutionize the field of biomedical X-ray imaging. CNT X-ray sources have been successfully adapted to several biomedical imaging applications including dynamic micro-CT of small animals and stationary breast tomosynthesis of breast cancers. Yet their more important biomedical imaging applications still lie ahead in the future, with the development of stationary multi-source CT as a noteworthy example.
Tönnis triple pelvic osteotomy

There are a number of redirectional osteotomies that have been described to treat acetabular dysplasia in patients with an open triradiate cartilage. Classically, these procedures are described by the number of osteotomies made in the ilium and/or the surgeon who described the procedure: single/Salter, double/Sutherland, and triple/Steel, Carlioz, and Tonnis. The most significant alteration in Tonnis’s version of the triple innominate osteotomy, described in 1976, is the location of the ischial osteotomy. This osteotomy is proximal to the sacrospinous ligament, which allows greater freedom of movement and, particularly, medialization of the acetabular block. In addition, this technique preserves the ligaments coursing from the sacrum to the ischium. The original description directs the surgeon to perform the operation in a staged fashion; first, the patient is positioned prone to complete the osteotomy of the ischium and then repositioned supine to perform the iliac and pubic osteotomies. Alternatively, the procedure may be performed with the patient in the semi-lateral position, which is described in the technique below.
Development and biochemical and immunological characterization of early passage and immortalized bovine intestinal epithelial cell lines from the ileum of a young calf

The intestinal epithelium is a major site of interaction with pathogens. In bovine intestinal epithelial cells (BIECs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in innate immune responses against enteric pathogens. This study is aimed at establishing a stable bovine intestinal epithelial cell line that can be maintained by a continuous passage so that studies on innate immune responses against various enteric pathogens can be performed. The main goal was to establish pure cultures of primary and immortalized bovine intestinal epithelial cells from the ileum and then characterize them biochemically and immunologically. Mixed epithelial and fibroblast bovine ileal intestinal cultures were first established from a 2-day old calf. Limiting dilution method was used to obtain a clone of epithelial cells which was characterized using immunocytochemistry (ICC). The selected clone BIEC-c4 was cytokeratin positive and expressed low levels of vimentin, confirming the epithelial cell phenotype. Early passage BIEC-c4 cells were transfected with either simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen or human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), or human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16E6/E7 genes to establish three immortalized BIEC cell lines. The expression of SV40, hTERT and HPV E6/E7 genes in immortalized BIECs was confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence assays also confirmed the expression of SV40, hTERT and HPV E6 proteins. The immortalized BIECs were cytokeratin positive and all except HPV-BIECs expressed low levels of vimentin. A growth kinetics study indicated that there were no significant differences in the doubling time of immortalized BIECs as compared to early passage BIEC-c4 cells. All four BIEC types expressed TLR 1-10 genes, with TLR 3 and 4 showing higher expression across all cell types. These newly established early passage and immortalized BIEC cell lines should serve as a good model for studying infectivity, pathogenesis and innate immune responses against enteric pathogens.
Abstract P166: Subendocardial Viability Ratio Associates With Diastolic Function Parameters: Insights From the Bogalusa Heart Study

Introduction: Recent evidence has linked coronary microvascular dysfunction to impaired diastolic function and severity in heart failure with preserved fraction (HFpEF). While echocardiography rema...
Women’s Health: Contemporary Management of MS in Pregnancy and Post-Partum

Multiple sclerosis (MS) primarily affects women in childbearing age and is associated with an increased risk of adverse post-partum outcomes. Relapses and now fetal exposure to disease modifying treatments in the early phase of pregnancy and thereafter are of concern. Safe and effective contraception is required for women who wish to delay or avoid pregnancy while on disease-modifying treatments. Counseling and planning is essential to assess the risk of both fetal and maternal complications, particularly now in the era of highly efficient and riskier therapies. The purpose of this review is to provide a practical framework using the available data surrounding pregnancy in MS with the goal of optimizing outcomes during this phase in MS.
Polarity Induced in Human Stem Cell Derived Motoneurons on Patterned Self-Assembled Monolayers

The control of polarized human neurite/axon development at the single neuron level is critical in geographically directing signal propagation in engineered neural networks, for both in vitro and in...
Spatial and Contextual Analyses of Stage at Diagnosis

We assess national trends in breast cancer incidence stratified by stage at diagnosis that suggest only a limited benefit to screening mammography. We then use a novel application of the spatial scan statistic to measure spatial patterns in the breast cancer stage distribution within New York State that highlight substantial socioeconomic disparities between locales. Finally, we report stage-specific breast cancer incidence rates as a function of median household income. This last analysis indicates that the greatest difference in early-stage breast cancer rates are found between middle and upper income groups, contradicting conventional wisdom that lack of health care access among the poorer population is the main driver of socioeconomic disparities. Overall, consideration of stage at diagnosis is indispensable to conducting population-based breast cancer surveillance, assessing the efficacy of screening, and identifying geographic and socioeconomic disparities.
Recognition of Listeria Infection by Germline Elements of the Vγ1.1 Vδ6.3 TCR.

γδNKT cells are an abundant γδT cell population with restricted Vγ1.1 Vδ6.3 gene usage and phenotypic and functional similarity to conventional αβ–invariant NKT cells. The γδNKT population responds to Listeria infections, but specific ligands are not known. In this work, we studied the CDR3 requirements of the γδNKT TCR, Vγ1.1Vδ6.3 for recognizing naive macrophages, and macrophages infected with Listeria. We expressed four different variants of the Vγ1.1Vδ6.3 TCR in TCR-deficient hybridomas, one with germline-encoded sequences and three with nongermline-encoded sequences. All of the hybridomas were activated when cultured in the presence of macrophages, and the activation was increased when the macrophages were infected with Listeria. This indicates that these TCRs can recognize a self-ligand present in macrophages and suggests that the ligand is modified or upregulated when the cells are infected with Listeria. One of the three nongermline-encoded Vγ1.1 variants induced a lower activation level compared with the other variants tested in this study, suggesting that recognition of the Listeria-induced ligand involves the CDR3γ region of the TCR.
The CNS can be a safe space for CARs

In this issue of Blood, Frigault et al report that tisagenlecleucel, a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product, has a safety profile in a small series of patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) and secondary central nervous system (CNS) involvement similar to that seen in patients without active CNS disease. 1 The Frigault et al study suggests that this product may benefit this previously excluded group of patients without an increased risk of neurotoxicity.
NHR-14 loss of function couples intestinal iron uptake with innate immunity in C. elegans through PQM-1 signaling

Iron is essential for survival of most organisms. All organisms have thus developed mechanisms to sense, acquire and sequester iron. In C. elegans, iron uptake and sequestration are regulated by HIF-1. We previously showed that hif-1 mutants are developmentally delayed when grown under iron limitation. Here we identify nhr-14, encoding a nuclear receptor, in a screen conducted for mutations that rescue the developmental delay of hif-1 mutants under iron limitation. nhr-14 loss upregulates the intestinal metal transporter SMF-3 to increase iron uptake in hif-1 mutants. nhr-14 mutants display increased expression of innate immune genes and DAF-16/FoxO-Class II genes, and enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These responses are dependent on the transcription factor PQM-1, which localizes to intestinal cell nuclei in nhr-14 mutants. Our data reveal how C. elegans utilizes nuclear receptors to regulate innate immunity and iron availability, and show iron sequestration as a component of the innate immune response.
Actions for the future: determining sustainability efforts in practice in Arizona museums

Increasing concern for sustainability in the museum field has prompted researchers to provide recommended sustainability efforts for museums. Yet many do not implement efforts and the underlying ca...
Motor adaptation via distributional learning.

Both artificial and biological controllers experience errors during learning that are probabilistically distributed. We develop a framework for modeling distributions of errors and relating deviations in these distributions to neural activity. The biological system we consider is a task where human subjects are required to learn to minimize the roll of an inverted T-shaped object with an unbalanced weight (i.e. one side of the object is heavier than the other side) during lift. We also collect BOLD activity during this process. For our experimental setup, we define the state of the system to be the maximum magnitude roll of the object after lift onset and give subjects the goal of achieving the zero state. We derive a model for this problem from a variant of Temporal Difference Learning. We then combine this model with Distributional Reinforcement Learning (DRL), a framework that involves defining a value distribution by treating the reward as stochastic. This model transforms the goal of the controller from achieving a target state, to achieving a distribution over distances from the target state. We call it a Distributional Temporal Difference Model (DTDM). The DTDM allows us to model errors in unsuccessfully minimizing object roll using deviations in the value distribution when the center of mass of the unbalanced object is changed. We compute deviations in global neural activity and show that they vary continuously with deviations in the value distribution. Different aspects might contribute to this global shift or signal difference, including a difference in grasp and lift force at lift onset, as well as sensory feedback of error/roll after lift onset. We predict that there exists a coordinated, global response to errors that incorporates all of this information, which is encoding the DTDM objective and used on subsequent trials enabling success. We validate the utility of the DTDM as a model for biological adaptation by using it to engineer a robotic controller to solve a similar problem. We develop a novel theoretical framework and show that it can be used to model a non-trivial motor learning task. Because this theoretical framework is consistent with state-of-the-art reinforcement learning, we can also use it to program a robot to perform a similar task. These results suggest a way to model the multiple subsystems composing global neural activity in a way that transfers well to engineering artificial intelligence.
Potential Change in Insulin Out-of-Pocket Spending Under Cost-Sharing Caps Among Pediatric Patients With Type 1 Diabetes.

This cross-sectional study estimates the potential change in insulin out-of-pocket spending among privately insured children and young adults with type 1 diabetes if national caps were implemented.
Off the Shelf: Rapid Deployment of an Emergency Department Telemedicine Platform Using Readily Available Consumer Products.

Abstract Background For 20 years, telemedicine has been waiting in the wings for its time in the spotlight. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with its emphasis on personal protective equipment (PPE) and reducing high-risk contacts, was the catalyst needed to bring telemedicine into mainstream consciousness and acceptance. Objectives We first review some of the key factors that precipitated this abrupt alteration of the perception of telemedicine. We then detail the creation of a department-wide telemedicine network using off-the-shelf consumer products. Our goal was to very rapidly install a system that was familiar to end-users for the purpose of reducing high-risk contacts and conserving PPE. Sourcing from the consumer realm proved to be advantageous over enterprise-level equipment when these goals were desired. Discussion After a rollout of 1.5 weeks from zero to fully operational, we showed an immediate decrease in high-risk contacts and PPE use. All 80 rooms plus all triage areas in our department were outfitted with Apple iPads running Zoom. User adoption was high and telemedicine use increased from ∼17 to ∼90 instances a day, a 429% increase. We saw a decrease in high-risk contacts of about 75%, with a concomitant cost savings in PPE. Conclusions We propose that the use of consumer products sourced from local vendors is a viable solution for telemedicine systems focusing on speed, reducing costs, and ease of deployment. Future work will focus on studying its performance characteristics vs. other systems in an evolving landscape.
Advances in protein complex analysis by chemical cross-linking coupled with mass spectrometry (CXMS) and bioinformatics

For the analysis of protein-protein interactions and protein conformations, cross-linking coupled with mass spectrometry (CXMS) has become an essential tool in recent years. A variety of cross-linking reagents are used to covalently link interacting amino acids to identify protein-binding partners. The spatial proximity of cross-linked amino acid residues is used to elucidate structural models of protein complexes. The main challenges for mapping protein-protein interaction are low stoichiometry and low frequency of cross-linked peptides relative to unmodified linear peptides as well as accurate and efficient matches to corresponding peptide sequences with low false discovery rates for identifying the site of cross-link. We evaluate the current state of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry applications with the special emphasis on the recent development of informatics data processing and analysis tools that help complexity of interpreting CXMS data. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled:Physiological Enzymology and Protein Functions.
Air Disinfection for Airborne Infection Control with a Focus on COVID-19: Why Germicidal UV is Essential .

Aerosol transmission is now widely accepted as the principal way that COVID-19 is spread, as has the importance of ventilation-natural and mechanical. But in other than healthcare facilities, mechanical ventilation is designed for comfort, not airborne infection control, and cannot achieve the 6 to 12 room air changes per hour recommended for airborne infection control. More efficient air filters have been recommended in ventilation ducts despite a lack of convincing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads through ventilation systems. Most transmission appears to occur in rooms where both an infectious source COVID-19 case and other susceptible occupants share the same air. Only two established room-based technologies are available to supplement mechanical ventilation: portable room air cleaners and upper room germicidal UV air disinfection. Portable room air cleaners can be effective, but performance is limited by their clean air delivery rate relative to room volume. SARS-CoV-2 is highly susceptible to GUV, an 80-year-old technology that has been shown to safely, quietly, effectively and economically produce the equivalent of 10 to 20 or more air changes per hour under real life conditions. For these reasons, upper room GUV is the essential engineering intervention for reducing COVID-19 spread.
Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers predict the deposition and progression of amyloid-β in cognitively unimpaired older adults.

Abstract Introduction Systemic inflammation has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), yet the mechanistic and temporal specificity of this relationship is poorly understood. We aimed to characterize the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, cognition, and Aβ deposition in oldest-old cognitively unimpaired (CU) adults. Methods A large sample of 139 CU older adults (mean age (range) = 85.4 (82–95)) underwent neuropsychological testing, Pittsburgh compound-B (PiB)-PET imaging and structural MRI. Hierarchical regression models examined associations between circulating inflammatory biomarkers (Interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor receptors 1 and 2 (sTNFr1 and sTNFr2), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14), C-reactive protein (CRP)), cognition, and global and regional Aβ deposition at baseline and over follow-up. Indices of preclinical disease, including pathologic Aβ status and hippocampal volume, were incorporated to assess conditional associations. Results At baseline evaluation, higher concentrations of IL-6 and sTNFr2 were associated with greater global Aβ burden in those with lower hippocampal volume. In longitudinal models, IL-6 predicted subsequent conversion to MCI and both IL-6 and CRP predicted greater change in global and regional Aβ deposition specifically among participants PiB-positive at baseline. These relationships withstood adjustment for demographic factors, anti-hypertensive medication use, history of diabetes, heart disease, APOE e4 carrier status, and white matter lesions. Discussion In a large prospective sample of CU adults aged 80 and over, peripheral inflammatory biomarkers were associated with and predictive of the progression of Aβ deposition. This was specific to those with biomarker evidence of preclinical AD at baseline, supporting recent evidence of disease-state-dependent differences in inflammatory expression profiles. Chronic, low-level systemic inflammation may exacerbate the deposition of Aβ pathology among those with emerging disease processes, and place individuals at a higher risk of developing clinically significant cognitive impairment.
Cellular Mechanisms of FGF-Stimulated Tissue Repair

Growth factors belonging to the FGF family play important roles in tissue and organ repair after trauma. In this review, I discuss the regulation by FGFs of the aspects of cellular behavior important for reparative processes. In particular, I focus on the FGF-dependent regulation of cell proliferation, cell stemness, de-differentiation, inflammation, angiogenesis, cell senescence, cell death, and the production of proteases. In addition, I review the available literature on the enhancement of FGF expression and secretion in damaged tissues resulting in the increased FGF supply required for tissue repair.
Evaluation of comedogenic potential of a paraben-free plant-based butter moisturizing cream: A double-blind, comparative study

Objectives: Comedogenicity is a critical factor in making of cosmetics and skin care products. The term “acne cosmetica” was coined to link the relationship between female acne to the use of cosmetic formulations, stating that the ingredients used in the cosmetic formulations have the potential to evoke a comedogenic response or produce comedones. Therefore, it is important that a skin care product is non-comedogenic and efficacious at the same time. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the comedogenic potential of the test product (Venusia Max Cream – paraben free) when applied topically under occluded patch to the skin. Material and Methods: This was a randomized, double-blinded, comparative study conducted in 24 healthy female participants, with prominent follicular orifices on the upper back region. Comedogenic potential of the test product (Venusia Max Cream – paraben free) was evaluated in comparison to positive (coconut oil) and negative (glycerin) controls in women. Each participant received topical application of test and control products under occluded patch to the skin on the upper aspect of the back, 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. Cyanoacrylate biopsies were performed before and after treatment to determine the microcomedones histologically. Microcomedones were graded using light microscopy and results were analyzed based on scale rating (0–3). Results: The mean comedone grading was assessed between positive versus negative control, and positive control versus test product. The mean comedone grades were significantly less in test product 0.41 ± 0.50 and negative control 0.82 ± 0.73 in comparison to positive control 2.09 ± 0.68. The test product was least comedogenic in this study. Furthermore, no adverse events were reported during the study period. Conclusion: Based on the histological evidence, Venusia Max Cream (paraben free) is a non-comedogenic, plant-based intense moisturizing cream and its use in regular skin care routine can be beneficial, particularly for acne prone and dry skin as it improves the skin hydration levels.
The Role of Physiology in Crop Improvement

Crop yield is controlled by the interaction between the genetic potentialities of crop plants and the environment in which they grow. Variations in the genotype and in the environment, including weather and cultural practices, act through physiological processes to control growth. Thus the physiological processes of plants are the machinery through which both the genetic potentialities and the environment operate to produce the quantity and quality of growth or phenotype which we term yield. This is shown in Figure 1.
Microbial sequence assembly

Microbial genomes are assembled by the whole-genome shotgun method, where random sequencing is performed to high redundancy and the sequencing reads are assembled en masse. Although the early microbial genome projects relied on a large insert clone tiling path and a clone-by-clone sequencing approach, current assembly software makes it possible to overcome challenges posed by repeated sequences and perform whole-genome shotgun assemblies. Keywords: whole-genome shotgun; genome assembly; bioinformatics; draft genome sequence; finished genome sequence
Nanotechnology. Flipping a molecular switch.

Switches lie at the heart of electronics and their design puts a limit on the size of integrated circuits. By harnessing chemistry, researchers have reduced this problem to a molecular level.
Effects of systemic inhibition of Rho kinase on blood pressure and renal haemodynamics in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The RhoA/Rho associated kinases (ROCK) pathway has been implicated in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Early stages of diabetes are associated with renal haemodynamic changes, contributing to later development of DN. However, the role of RhoA/ROCK, known regulators of vascular tone, in this process has not been studied. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Blood pressure (BP), glomerular filtration (GFR), effective renal plasma flow and filtration fraction (FF) in response to the ROCK inhibitors Y27632 (0.1 and 0.5 mg·kg−1) and fasudil (0.3 and 1.5 mg·kg−1) were examined in streptozotocin-diabetic rats and non-diabetic controls. KEY RESULTS Diabetic rats demonstrated baseline increases in GFR and FF. In contrast to similar decreases in BP in diabetic and control rats, renal vasodilator effects and a decrease in FF, following ROCK inhibition were observed only in diabetic rats. The vasodilator effects of Y27632 and a further decrease in FF, were also detected in diabetic rats pretreated with the angiotensin antagonist losartan. The effects of ROCK inhibitors in diabetic rats were modulated by prior protein kinase C (PKC)β inhibition with ruboxistaurin, which abolished their effects on FF. Consistent with the renal vasodilator effects, the ROCK inhibitors reduced phosphorylation of myosin light chain in diabetic kidneys. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The results indicate greater dependence of renal haemodynamics on RhoA/ROCK and beneficial haemodynamic effects of ROCK inhibitors in diabetes, which were additive to the effects of losartan. In this process, the RhoA/ROCK pathway operated downstream of or interacted with, PKCβ in some segments of the renal vascular tree.
Die Sozialleistungen des Wohlfahrtsstaats

Was in Grosbritannien unter dem „Wohlfahrtsstaat“ verstanden wird, ist ein ausgedehntes und ausgebautes System von Sozialleistungen und Sozialdiensten, die einerseits den Bedurftigen und Unbemittelten („persons in need“), andererseits der gesamten Bevolkerung ohne Rucksicht auf die individuellen Einkommensverhaltnisse zustehen. Entweder durch die Einrichtungen der Zentralregierung oder der Lokalverwaltung ist der Staat verpflichtet, vor allem die folgenden Sozialleistungen und Sozialdienste zu gewahren: die eigentliche Sozialversicherung (bei Krankheit, Unfall, Alter); Unbemitteltenunterstutzung; Familienbeihilfen; Mutterhilfe; Hilfe fur Kinder ohne Heim; Sorge fur Kriegsopfer; Krankenpflege oder Gesundheitsdienst fur die Gesamtbevolkerung. Zum Bereich des Wohlfahrtsstaats im weiteren Sinn gehoren ferner auch die allgemein zugangliche und freie Ausbildung der Kinder in offentlichen, d. h. kommunalen Schulen, die Beschaffung billigen Wohnraums fur Burger mit beschranktem Einkommen und Arbeitsvermittlung und -beschaffung.
Assessing Sleep Problems of Older Adults

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the process of age-associated changes in sleep and the multiple causes of sleep disorders in older adults. It examines causal factors of sleep problems and then outlines assessment strategies and specific approaches and measures used to assess sleep. Case examples illustrate how various issues manifest in clinical practice. It concludes with a discussion of trends in the assessment of sleep problems in the context of demographic changes, such as age shifts in the population and increased ethnic diversity, as well as economic factors and technological advances. Experiencing poor sleep appears inevitable with advanced age, and sleep problems tend to compromise a person's quality of life more when they occur in the last decades of life. In a study of 9000 participants over age 65, 80% reported having sleep complaints and more than half reported that they had chronic sleep difficulties. Such high rates of sleep problems appear to reflect physical ailments and psychopathology more than aging per se. As such, the development of a sleep problem for an older adult may signal the need for medical and psychological treatment. Insomnia, which is reported to be experienced by 20–40% of older adults, is associated with shorter survival. Mortality due to common causes of death is up to two times higher for older adults with sleep disorders compared to those who sleep well.
Gram Scale Catalytic Asymmetric Aziridination: Preparation of (2R,3R)‐Ethyl 1‐Benzhydryl‐3‐(4‐Bromophenyl)Aziridine 2‐Carboxylate

N-(4-Bromobenzylidene)-1,1-diphenylmethanamine 4-Bromobenzaldehyde Aminodiphenylmethane Triphenyl borate (S)-VANOL (2R,3R)-Ethyl 1-benzhydryl-3-(4-bromophenyl)aziridine-2-carboxylate Ethyl diazoacetate Keywords: gram scale catalytic asymmetric aziridination; (2R,3R)-Ethyl 1-benzhydryl-3-(4-bromophenyl)aziridine-2-carboxylate; aziridines; benzhydryl imines; ethyl diazoacetate
Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Boise and Spokane River Basins

Jin, Xin and Venkataramana Sridhar, 2012. Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Boise and Spokane River Basins. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(2): 197-220. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00605.x Abstract: In the Pacific Northwest, warming climate has resulted in a lengthened growing season, declining snowpack, and earlier timing of spring runoff. This study characterizes the impact of climate change in two basins in Idaho, the Spokane River and the Boise River basins. We simulated the basin-scale hydrology by coupling the downscaled precipitation and temperature outputs from a suite of global climate models and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), between 2010 and 2060 and assess the impacts of climate change on water resources in the region. For the Boise River basin, changes in precipitation ranged from −3.8 to 36%. Changes in temperature were expected to be between 0.02 and 3.9°C. In the Spokane River region, changes in precipitation were expected to be between −6.7 and 17.9%. Changes in temperature appeared between 0.1 and 3.5°C over a period of the next five decades between 2010 and 2060. Without bias-correcting the simulated streamflow, in the Boise River basin, change in peak flows (March through June) was projected to range from −58 to +106 m3/s and, for the Spokane River basin, the range was expected to be from −198 to +88 m3/s. Both the basins exhibited substantial variability in precipitation, evapotranspiration, and recharge estimates, and this knowledge of possible hydrologic impacts at the watershed scale can help the stakeholders with possible options in their decision-making process.
Are Lead Risk Questionnaires Adequate Predictors of Blood Lead Levels in Children

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of the verbal lead risk assessment tool in identifying the presence of measurable blood lead levels (BLL) in children. Design and Sample: A retrospective analysis comparing results of a verbal lead risk assessment tool intended to identify elevated BLL in children with actual capillary fingerstick lead screening laboratory data. Three hundred and forty-nine children aged 5 years and younger enrolled in Head Start during the 2008–2009 school year were evaluated. Sixty-nine children had complete data and were included for final analysis. Measures: Results of the verbal lead risk assessment and laboratory capillary fingerstick BLL. Results: All 69 children had measurable BLL. The Pass group, 84.3% of the sample, had BLL scores of 2.2±1.5 μg/dl, while the Fail group, 15.7% of the sample, had BLL scores of 1.5±0.65 μg/dl. There was no significant difference in BLL between children that passed the verbal risk assessment and those that failed ( p>.05). Conclusions: The verbal lead risk assessment did not accurately predict measurable BLL in children. Universal BLL screening for children is necessary to identify low levels of lead so that parents and caretakers of children can be notified and assisted in identifying and eliminating sources of lead exposure.
A Statewide Exploration of the Nature and Use of Curriculum in Special Education

This study reports the results of a statewide survey of the beliefs and practices, regarding curriculum, of 341 elementary and secondary special education teachers serving students with a variety of disabilities. Findings indicate that (a) teacher training in curriculum development occurs mostly on the job; (b) teachers want training in teaching compensatory skills and life skills; (c) teachers believe that the IEP constitutes the curriculum for students with disabilities; (d) teacher judgment primarily guides the content of classroom instruction; (e) teachers focus principally on academic remediation versus life-skill or other instruction; (f) curriculum focus varies little across service-delivery models, but does vary by grade level; and (g) minimal articulation of curriculum exists across grade levels.
Becatamide Found in Houttuynia cordata Suppresses P-selectin Expression Via Inhibiting COX Enzyme, Not Increasing cAMP in Platelets.

Atherosclerosis is a well-known inflammatory cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggested potential anti-atherosclerosis effects of becatamide found in Houttuynia cordata. Therefore, in this study, we investigated potential effect of becatamide (1) and its analogues (enferamide (2), veskamide (3), oretamide (4) and amkamide (5)) on cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 and the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which are critically involved in platelet activation. Among them, becatamide was the most potent compound able to inhibit COX-1 (IC50 = 0.27 µm) and -2 (IC50 = 0.78 µm) (p veskamide > enferamide > oretamide > amkamide. As a result of the inhibition, the production of thromboxane B2 and P-selectin expression were suppressed by 35% (p < 0.05) and 28% (p < 0.05), respectively, in mouse blood treated with becatamide (0.25 µm). However, becatamide did not increase intracellular cAMP in platelets. Therefore, the suppression of P-selectin expression was not blocked by beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonists, suggesting that the COX inhibition is likely an underlying mechanism for the P-selectin suppression. In summary, becatamide may be a potent compound to inhibit platelet activation by inhibiting COX enzymes, not by increasing cAMP. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
A new perspective on Estrogen Receptor beta in breast cancer progression.

Commentary to:ERβ and PEA3 co-activate IL-8 expression and promote the invasion of breast cancer cells Ying Chen, Li Chen, Ji-Yu Li, Naofumi Mukaida, Qiaoqiao Wang, Chen Yang, Wen-Jin Yin, Xiao-Hua Zeng, Wei Jin and Zhi-ming Shao
Biopsy technique for pigmented lesions

The biopsy technique that should be used when sampling a pigmented lesion may not always be readily apparent. The final arbiter is whether the specimen that will be generated will be representative of the entire process so that an accurate and complete diagnosis will be able to be rendered. In some cases, melanoma may not be clinically suspected so that it is essential that any biopsy that is performed will detect these lesions.
Correlation of Bendability of Materials With Their Tensile Properties

With the advent of high-temperature-resistant materials in the sheet-metal industry, it is becoming increasingly important to treat the subject of minimum or “critical” bend radius analytically. A simple equation is presented that correlates the minimum bend radius with the percentage reduction of area of the material. The theoretical derivation as well as experimental data are given, with very good agreement between the two. Consequently, it is possible to predict the minimum bend radius for a specific material, provided that the percentage reduction of area, as determined by a standard tensile test, is known. The relationship applies equally well to metals and nonmetals.
Optical writing and erasing with bistable-phosphor storage tubes

Using the photoconductive property of the luminescent screen of bi-stable-phosphor storage tubes, optical writing can be accomplished by projecting an image onto the phosphor layer or exciting local areas with a light pen. A modification of the tube structure to permit selective erasure as well as writing by optical means is also discussed.