cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Should providers encourage realistic weight expectations and satisfaction with lost weight in commercial weight loss programs? a preliminary study

Attrition is a problem among patients who participate in commercial weight loss programs. One possible explanation is that if patients are unable to reach a weight that they expect to achieve, they may be more likely to drop out of treatment. This study investigated variables associated with attrition among 30 obese patients who completed a liquid meal replacement program (LMR) and enrolled in a 52-week Small Changes Maintenance intervention (SCM). Patients lost a median 18% of body weight during LMR and completed assessments about weight expectations and weight satisfaction pre- and post-SCM. Of the 30 patients who started SCM, 8 (27%) were lost to attrition. Odds of SCM attrition were higher in patients who lost ≤ 18.2% of pre-LMR weight (OR: 12.25, P = 0.035), had lower satisfaction (≤7) pre-SCM (OR: 10.11, P = 0.040), and who expected further weight loss of 9.1 kg or more pre-SCM (OR: 10.11, P = 0.040). SCM completers significantly increased weight loss expectations by a median of 2.3 kg from pre-SCM to post-SCM (WSR P = 0.049) that paralleled weight regained post-SCM (2.7 kg). After completion of a medically-supervised commercial weight loss program, patients with the greatest expectations for further weight loss and the lowest weight satisfaction were more likely to drop out of SCM. Failure to participate in maintenance treatment may lead to regain of greater than half of lost weight over the next year. Among SCM completers, lower expectations for further weight loss and greater weight satisfaction appeared to be associated with continued engagement in maintenance treatment.
The Strength of Polycrystalline Diamond Compacts

Polycrystalline diamond compacts are important tools for new material-working techniques such as turning difficult-to-cut materials, drilling, and wire drawing. Consequently, the properties of such materials are needed to formulate their proper use. This paper deals with the measurement of the mechanical properties of synthetic diamond compacts and other hard materials, both synthetic and natural. The transverse rupture strength (TRS), ultimate compressive strength (UCS), and Young’s modulus of elasticity (E) in tension and compression have been measured. Density and resistivity were also obtained.
Role of cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase metabolites in EGF signaling in renal proximal tubule

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent epithelial cell mitogen and induces eicosanoid production in many cell types. The present study examined signaling mechanisms for EGF in the renal proximal tubule, where high concentrations of cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase have been reported. In primary cultures of rabbit proximal tubule cells, EGF (30 nM) increased endogenous epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) levels 5.3 +/- 1.4-fold within 10 min (n = 6). In these cells EGF-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation was significantly inhibited by the cytochrome P-450 inhibitors ketoconazole or clotrimazole but not by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. In fura 2-loaded proximal tubule cells, EGF caused a concentration-dependent increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), due to Ca2+ influx, which was inhibited by either ketoconazole or SKF-525A but not by indomethacin. Addition of 5,6-EET (0.5 microM) also induced Ca2+ influx in proximal tubule cells, whereas 8,9-11,12-, or 14,15-EET did not. In cells treated with bis(2-amino-5-methylphenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetraacetoxy-methyl ester to chelate [Ca2+]i, EGF-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation. These results indicate that EGF increases EET levels in proximal tubule and suggest that 5,6-EET or its metabolites may be a modulator of EGF-induced [Ca2+]i increases and involved in mitogenesis.
Temperature-sensitive mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MRT4, GRC5, SLA2 and THS1 genes result in defects in mRNA turnover.

In a screen for factors involved in mRNA turnover, four temperature-sensitive yeast strains (ts1189, ts942, ts817, and ts1100) exhibited defects in the decay of several mRNAs. Complementation of the growth and mRNA decay defects, and genetic experiments, revealed that ts1189 is mutated in the previously unknown MRT4 gene, ts942 is mutated in GRC5 (encoding the L9 ribosomal protein), ts817 contains a mutation in SLA2 (encoding a membrane protein), and ts1100 contains a mutation in THS1 (encoding the threonyl-tRNA synthetase). Three of the four mutants ( mrt4, grc5 , and sla2 ) were not defective in protein synthesis, suggesting that these strains contain mutations in factors that may play a specific role in mRNA decay. The mRNA stabilization observed in the ths1 strain, however, could be due to the significant drop in translation observed in this mutant at 37°. While the three interesting mutants appear to encode novel mRNA decay factors, at least one could be linked to a previously characterized mRNA decay pathway. The growth and mRNA decay defects of ts942 ( grc5 ) cells were suppressed by overexpression of the NMD3 gene, encoding a protein shown to participate in a two-hybrid interaction with the nonsense-mediated decay protein Upf1p.
Congenital, Ill-Defined, Yellowish Plaque: The Nasal Dermoid

Congenital midline nasal masses are rare anomalies, of which dermoid cysts are the most common type. Nasal dermoids have been classically described in the literature as pale, flesh-colored, pearly, or erythematous nodules or masses. The presentation of a nasal dermoid as an ill-defined, yellowish plaques has not been emphasized previously. We describe three infants who presented with congenital, ill-defined, yellowish plaques of the midline nasal dorsum. We attribute the yellowish color to the relative prominence of sebaceous glands within the cyst, given the nasal location. Recognition of this unusual presentation of a nasal dermoid is important in order that appropriate imaging and intervention be undertaken.
Modulation of Epstein-Barr Virus Glycoprotein B (gB) Fusion Activity by the gB Cytoplasmic Tail Domain

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), along with other members of the herpesvirus family, requires a set of viral glycoproteins to mediate host cell attachment and entry. Viral glycoprotein B (gB), a highly conserved glycoprotein within the herpesvirus family, is thought to be the viral fusogen based on structural comparison of EBV gB and herpes simplex virus (HSV) gB with the postfusion crystal structure of vesicular stomatitis virus fusion protein glycoprotein G (VSV-G). In addition, mutational studies indicate that gB plays an important role in fusion function. In the current study, we constructed a comprehensive library of mutants with truncations of the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail domain (CTD) of EBV gB. Our studies indicate that the gB CTD is important in the cellular localization, expression, and fusion function of EBV gB. However, in line with observations from other studies, we conclude that the degree of cell surface expression of gB is not directly proportional to observed fusion phenotypes. Rather, we conclude that other biochemical or biophysical properties of EBV gB must be altered to explain the different fusion phenotypes observed. IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), like all enveloped viruses, fuses the virion envelope to a cellular membrane to allow release of the capsid, resulting in virus infection. To further characterize the function of EBV glycoprotein B (gB) in fusion, a comprehensive library of mutants with truncations in the gB C-terminal cytoplasmic tail domain (CTD) were made. These studies indicate that the CTD of gB is important for the cellular expression and localization of gB, as well as for the function of gB in fusion. These studies will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of EBV-induced membrane fusion and herpesvirus-induced membrane fusion in general, which will ultimately lead to focused therapies guided at preventing viral entry into host cells.
The Whittier Narrows, California Earthquake of October 1, 1987—Damage to the I‐5/I‐605 Separator

Abstract The I‐5/I‐605 separator, a major nine span bridge, was severely damaged in the Whittier earthquakes. All columns of Bent 6, which is supported on the median strip of the Santa Ana Freeway (I‐5) suffered shear failures, and the supported spans came close to collapse. Other minor damage included minor column hinging at more flexible bents, abutment pounding, and fracture of keeper plates at abutment rockers. Apparently much of this minor damage occurred during a major aftershock. Preliminary calculations indicate that the shear failures of Bent 6 resulted from disproportionate flexural and shear strengths of the columns, attributable to the working stress philosophy adopted in design, and the much greater stiffness of Bent 6 than adjacent bents. Movement joints with cable restrainers, at both ends of spans founded on Bent 6, make estimation of lateral load transfer from more flexible regions difficult.
Clusters of Multiple Complex Chronic Conditions: A Latent Class Analysis of Children at End of Life

Abstract Context Children at end of life often experience multiple complex chronic conditions with more than 50% of children reportedly having two or more conditions. These complex chronic conditions are unlikely to occur in an entirely uniform manner in children at end of life. Previous work has not fully accounted for patterns of multiple conditions when evaluating care among these children. Objectives The objective of the study was to understand the clusters of complex chronic conditions present among children in the last year of life. Methods Participants were 1423 pediatric decedents from the 2007 to 2008 California Medicaid data. A latent class analysis was used to identify clusters of children with multiple complex chronic conditions (neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, hematologic, metabolic, congenital, cancer). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and class membership. Results Four latent classes were yielded: medically fragile (31%); neurological (32%); cancer (25%); and cardiovascular (12%). Three classes were characterized by a 100% likelihood of having a complex chronic condition coupled with a low or moderate likelihood of having the other eight conditions. The four classes exhibited unique demographic profiles. Conclusion This analysis presented a novel way of understanding patterns of multiple complex chronic conditions among children that may inform tailored and targeted end-of-life care for different clusters.
Identification of mitochondrial DNA of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) subspecies groups by multiplex allele-specific amplification with competing fluorescent-labeled primers

Allele-specific amplification (ASA) tests are described that facilitate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) identification of 3 major groups of honey bee, Apis mellifera L., subspecies: African, west European, and east European. At each of 3 polymorphic regions, 1 of 2 allelic sequences (representing the presence or absence of a restriction enzyme site) is specific to a different subspecies group. For each region, 3 primers are synthesized: 2 that differ by 1 nucleotide at the 3′ end, representing the 2 allelic forms, and 1 that serves as a common primer for the distal end of the region to be amplified. In 1 type of ASA test, the allelic primers are used in separate polymerase chain reactions, together with the common primer, for each of the 3 regions. Significant amplification is achieved only in those reactions that have primers that match the mtDNA sequence, thereby identifying the mtDNA type. In another type of ASA test, the allelic primers are differentially labeled with fluorescent dyes, and both are included as competitors in the same reaction along with the common primer. The primers that match the mtDNA sequences preferentially support amplification, and the colors of the amplified products identify the mtDNA type. The 3 polymorphic regions of honey bee mtDNA can be amplified in a single multiplex reaction. Advantages and limitations of ASA tests, as well as instrumentation and modifications which would enable automation, are discussed.
Pinus plantation establishment in Queensland: II Site preparation classes

Summary The silviculture of Pinus plantation establishment in Queensland is site-based. Knowledge of both Pinus growth requirements and site capability are used to define site preparation classes (SPCs), the basic planning units used in plantation development. A specific silvicultural system, which incorporates measures for soil conservation and environmental protection, is prescribed for each SPC. The object is to optimise Pinus productivity within the constraints of minimising soil loss and not exceeding a prescribed tolerable soil loss limit.
Abstract 87: Sestrin2 Promotes LKB1-Mediated AMPK Activation in the Ischemic Heart

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has emerged as a pertinent stress-activated protein kinase shown to have substantial cardioprotective capabilities against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. When activated during ischemia, AMPK produces effects that have been demonstrated to be beneficial to the myocardium by means of increasing GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake, activating eNOS, decreasing apoptosis, and increasing autophagic flux. However, the molecular basis behind the regulation of AMPK activity in the ischemic and reperfused heart remains incompletely understood. Recent evidence implicates the role of Sestrin2 in the AMPK signaling pathway and it is hypothesized that Sestrin2 plays an influential role during myocardial ischemia in order to promote AMPK activation. Sestrin2 protein was found to be expressed in adult cardiomyocytes and accumulated in the heart during ischemic conditions. Sesn2 KO mice were used to determine the importance of Sestrin2 during I/R injury. Sesn2 KO cardiac phenotype analysis indicated no significant difference in left ventricular function as measured by a pressure-volume loop catheter. When wild type (WT) and Sesn2 KO mice were subjected to in vivo I/R, myocardial infarct size was significantly greater in Sesn2 KO compared to WT hearts. Similarly, Langendorff perfused hearts indicated exacerbated post-ischemic contractile function in Sesn2 KO hearts when compared to WT. Ischemic AMPK activation was found to be impaired in the Sesn2 KO hearts. Immunoprecipitation of Sestrin2 demonstrated an association with AMPK. Moreover, LKB1, a major AMPK upstream kinase was associated with the Sestrin2-AMPK complex in a time-dependent manner during ischemia while this interaction was nearly abolished in Sesn2 KO hearts. Thus, Sestrin2 plays an important role in cardioprotection against I/R injury by acting as an LKB1-AMPK scaffold to initiate AMPK activation during ischemic insults.
Improved optical positioning for GPR-based structure mapping

Existing positioning technologies used in conjunction with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) are generally too time-consuming or insufficiently accurate for high resolution, high frequency, 3-d structural investigations. In this paper we present an optical positioning system for use in GPR surveys. This system uses a camera mounted on the GPR antenna that takes video of the surface beneath it and calculates the relative motion of the antenna based on the differences between successive frames of video. Positioning using this technology can provide positioning accuracy to within several millimeters. Because the antenna can be moved free hand the procedure is orders of magnitude faster than surveying a grid of data points or laying out parallel lines and surveying each line with an antenna and odometer wheel. Time domain synthetic aperture radar algorithms reconstruct an image of the subsurface using this data. This is a new technology, but one which has potential for future research, improvements, and practical use.
Epidemical Status of HIV/AIDS Among Commercial Sex Women in Low-grade Places in Nanning

Objective To investigate the epidemical status of HIV,TP and HCV among low-end commercial sex women(CSW),so as to provide a scientific basis for AIDS prevention and control.Methods A total of 117 low-end CSWs collected with peer-recommending and snowball sampling were surveyed with anonymous questionnaire and were conducted test jointly.Results The in-marriage ratio was 62.4%.The awareness rate of HIV/AIDS was 88.0%.The usage rate of condom in the last commercial sex was 85.5%,and the every-time usage rate in the last month was 65.8%.A proportion of 2.6% of the CSWs had a history of drug abuse.The positive rates of HIV and TP were respectively 6.84% and 11.11%.Conclusion The awareness rate of HIV/AIDS among low-end CSWs in Nanning is comparatively low,and high risk behaviors among them exist,calling for more strengthened intervention.
Effects of weaning method and preconditioning period on calf performance, haptoglobin concentrations, feedlot health and performance, and carcass traits

A 2-yr experiment evaluated weaning method and preconditioning period on calf preconditioning and feedlot performance, and carcass traits. Cross-bred steers from the Central (n = 142; BW = 280 ± 34.8 kg) and Hill Farm (n = 149; BW = 232 ± 25.3 kg) Research Stations in Louisiana were stratified by preweaning BW and breed within location into a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments included fenceline (began on d 0) or abrupt (began on d 7) weaning and a 21- or 42-d preconditioning period to yield 4 treatments. All calves were supplemented with an 18% CP feed fed at 1.5% of BW beginning at weaning. Blood samples (analyzed for haptoglobin concentrations) and BW were collected from all calves on d 0, 7, 28, and 49. Feedlot performance; morbidity; mortality; and the carcass traits HCW, carcass fat thickness, marbling, LM area, and YG were collected. Calf was the experimental unit. A year effect (P 0.10) on preconditioning calf performance, haptoglobin levels, feedlot entry BW, ADG; however, shrink, final BW, days on feed, HCW, and carcass fat thickness were greater (P < 0.01) for the 42-d preconditioned calves. Fenceline weaning did not positively influence postweaning performance; however, a longer preconditioning period did result in an increase in final BW, shrink, HCW, and carcass fat thickness.
Activation of endothelial cell phospholipase D by polycations.

Naturally occurring polycations and cationic proteins are implicated in vascular disorders. It is known that activated leukocytes and platelets release polycations, such as polylysine (PLys), of va...
Business and the Roberts Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roberts is often described as a “pro-business” court, favouring the interests of business groups and large corporations over those of consumers, workers, and the public at large. Such accusations are often based on the selective citation of individual cases in which business interests prevailed without considering the cumulative content of the Court’s decisions and their implications for American law. This book provides a thorough examination of the Roberts Court’s approach to business-related cases and the first critical examination of the thesis that the Roberts Court is “pro-business.” Chapter authors consider the Roberts Court’s approach in specific areas of the law, including antitrust, securities regulation, and pre-emption, as well as the Court’s combined decisions across business-related issues. Taken together, the analyses in this book suggest that there are aspects of the Court’s approach to business-related cases that are definitely advantageous to business groups, but that this appears to be the result of other doctrinal commitments and legal policy preferences, and not the result of favortism toward business litigants and their interests.
Mitochondria‐specific antioxidant supplementation does not influence endurance exercise training‐induced adaptations in circulating angiogenic cells, skeletal muscle oxidative capacity or maximal oxygen uptake

Key points Reducing excessive oxidative stress, through chronic exercise or antioxidants, can decrease the negative effects induced by excessive amounts of oxidative stress. Transient increases in oxidative stress produced during acute exercise facilitate beneficial vascular training adaptations, but the effects of non-specific antioxidants on exercise training-induced vascular adaptations remain elusive. Circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) are an exercise-inducible subset of white blood cells that maintain vascular integrity. We investigated whether mitochondria-specific antioxidant (MitoQ) supplementation would affect the response to 3 weeks of endurance exercise training in CACs, muscle mitochondrial capacity and maximal oxygen uptake in young healthy men. We show that endurance exercise training increases multiple CAC types, an adaptation that is not altered by MitoQ supplementation. Additionally, MitoQ does not affect skeletal muscle or whole-body aerobic adaptations to exercise training. These results indicate that MitoQ supplementation neither enhances nor attenuates endurance training adaptations in young healthy men. Abstract Antioxidants have been shown to improve endothelial function and cardiovascular outcomes. However, the effects of antioxidants on exercise training-induced vascular adaptations remain elusive. General acting antioxidants combined with exercise have not impacted circulating angiogenic cells (CACs). We investigated whether mitochondria-specific antioxidant (MitoQ) supplementation would affect the response to 3 weeks of endurance exercise training on CD3+ , CD3+ /CD31+ , CD14+ /CD31+ , CD31+ , CD34+ /VEGFR2+ and CD62E+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), muscle mitochondrial capacity, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max ) in healthy men aged 22.1 ± 0.7 years, with a body mass index of 26.9 ± 0.9 kg m-2 , and 24.8 ± 1.3% body fat. Analysis of main effects revealed that training induced 33, 105 and 285% increases in CD14+ /CD31+ , CD62E+ and CD34+ /VEGFR2+ CACs, respectively, and reduced CD3+ /CD31- PBMCs by 14%. There was no effect of MitoQ on CAC levels. Also independent of MitoQ supplementation, exercise training significantly increased quadriceps muscle mitochondrial capacity by 24% and VO2 max by roughly 7%. In conclusion, endurance exercise training induced increases in multiple CAC types, and this adaptation is not modified by MitoQ supplementation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant does not influence skeletal muscle or whole-body aerobic adaptations to exercise training.
Evaluating Elections: Easily Available Data for Performance Evaluation

The first question that arose in the immediate aftermath of the 2000 presidential election, when we started to study the performance of election processes in the United States, was a simple one: what data were readily available that could be used to assess the problems seen in the election, especially in Florida? That question led those of us who were involved in the early stages of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP) to focus on the measure called the residual vote – a measure that we now see as a vital and readily available gauge of the accuracy and reliability of voting technologies. However, as we discussed in the first two chapters of this book, there are other readily available sources of election performance data that election officials routinely collect but typically do not employ in a broader and more comprehensive performance-based management and evaluation process. These data form the basis for developing a set of indicators that can be used to assess the performance of elections in a given jurisdiction and the backbone for a performance-based management system that can be used to engage in ongoing quality improvements of the electoral process.
Funders' positive affective reactions to entrepreneurs' crowdfunding pitches: The influence of perceived product creativity and entrepreneurial passion

Abstract This study draws upon affective events theory, research regarding funders' perceptions, and research regarding expectation alignment between products and their presenters to develop and test an indirect effects model of crowdfunding resource allocation decisions. To test our hypothesized relationships, we drew upon a sample of 102 participants who each assessed ten different product pitches made by ten different entrepreneurs. Results from the study indicate that perceived product creativity is positively related to crowdfunding performance, both directly and indirectly, via positive affective reactions of prospective funders. Moreover, we find the indirect effect of product creativity is contingent upon the extent to which funders perceive an entrepreneur to be passionate, such that perceived entrepreneurial passion increases the positive nature of the indirect effect. Implications for future theory development, empirical research and implications for practitioners are discussed as well.
Can (should) theories of crowding be unified

Objects in clutter are difficult to recognize, a phenomenon known as crowding. There is little consensus on the underlying mechanisms of crowding, and a large number of models have been proposed. There have also been attempts at unifying the explanations of crowding under a single model, such as the weighted feature model of Harrison and Bex (2015) and the texture synthesis model of Rosenholtz and colleagues (Balas, Nakano, & Rosenholtz, 2009; Keshvari & Rosenholtz, 2016). The goal of this work was to test various models of crowding and to assess whether a unifying account can be developed. Adopting Harrison and Bex's (2015) experimental paradigm, we asked observers to report the orientation of two concentric C-stimuli. Contrary to the predictions of their model, observers' recognition accuracy was worse for the inner C-stimulus. In addition, we demonstrated that the stimulus paradigm used by Harrison and Bex has a crucial confounding factor, eccentricity, which limits its usage to a very narrow range of stimulus parameters. Nevertheless, reporting the orientations of both C-stimuli in this paradigm proved very useful in pitting different crowding models against each other. Specifically, we tested deterministic and probabilistic versions of averaging, substitution, and attentional resolution models as well as the texture synthesis model. None of the models alone was able to explain the entire set of data. Based on these findings, we discuss whether the explanations of crowding can (should) be unified.
Barn Swallows: Sexual and Social Behavior

Barn swallows Hirundo rustica are well known throughout their nearly worldwide distribution, in no small part because of their close association with human settlements. A tractable species for both individual-based and population-level studies, barn swallows are prominent research subjects at the interface of behavioral, ecological, and evolutionary biology. In this short article, I review a fraction of what we have learned from studies of barn swallows, with a special focus on discoveries related to sexual selection and variation in social behavior.
Low glycemic load diets protect against metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the male Nile rat.

Abstract Background Dietary modification helps prevent and manage Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in humans and Nile rats. Specifically fibrous legumes, like lentils, benefit humans, but whether this reflects a specific change in the Glycemic Load (GLoad) remains controversial. Accordingly, low-GLoad foods were tested in the glucose-sensitive Nile rat. Methods 131 male Nile rats aged 3 weeks to 15 months were challenged during four experiments with 15 dietary exposures that varied Glycemic Index (GI, 36–88), GLoad (102–305/2000 kcal), and cumulative GLoad ( Cum GLoad=days×GLoad, 181–537g total glucose). Results Lentil diets with low GLoads (102, 202) prevented, delayed, reduced, even reversed the progress of MetS and T2DM as measured by blood glucose (fasting, random, and oral glucose tolerance test) and plasma lipid parameters (plasma cholesterol and triglycerides) plus necropsy findings (liver and kidney pathology plus adipose reserves). The benefit from lentils exceeded dietary factors such as macronutrient composition (%Energy from carbohydrate:fat:protein, between 70:10:20 to 40:40:20), total fiber (0–24%), or dietary caloric density (2.9–4.7 kcal/g). The benefit of a low GLoad applied equally to rats inherently susceptible or resistant to T2DM, based on random glucose above or below 75 mg/dl, respectively, during interventions of 7-17 weeks. Conclusions Measuring total food intake and the novel concept of Cum GLoad during growth generated strong correlations (up to r=0.93) between Cum GLoad and parameters of MetS and T2DM, especially during sexual maturation. The present experiments confirm the applicability of male Nile rats to diet-induced human T2DM, and suggest dietary compositions to deter MetS and T2DM in humans.
Tumor Tissue Analogs for the Assessment of Radioresistance in Cancer Stem Cells

Over the years, radiotherapy-related research has been based on local tumor control as an experimental endpoint, yielding a wealth of data demonstrating the importance of cancer stem cells in tumor reoccurrence after radiotherapy. Literature is replete with experimental and clinical evidence that the cancer stem cell population in a tumor affects its radiocurability. An important consideration for radiotherapy is the microenvironmental stimuli in the CSC niche that results from factors such as hypoxia, extracellular matrix (ECM) elements and their intercellular interaction with non-stem cells and other cell types that prevail in the tumor milieu. In this chapter, we have described the methodology to develop in vitro 3D tumor models that incorporate these microenvironmental characteristics and design experiments that generate endpoints for understanding radioresistance in cancer stem cells.
Acute and Subacute Toxicity Evaluation of Alkaloids of Peganum harmala L. in Experimental Mice

The objective of the study was to evaluate the acute and subacute toxicity of total alkaloids seeds of Peganum harmala in female mice. All morphological, biochemical, hematological, histopathological changes, in addition to mortality and bodyweight changes were recorded. After acute intraperitoneal administration of dose118 mg/kg, there were no any remarkable changes in general appearance and mortality. After 24h, a significant increase in relative weights of heart and brain with no change in hematological, biochemical parameter compared to the normal group. For 5 days a significant reduction in the relative weights of the kidneys and increase of brain with significant change in hematological (MCHC, MCV) and biochemical parameter (AST, ALP and Urea). Subacute study of dose (18 mg/kg) for 28 days showed no remarkable changes in general appearance and deaths occurred in experimental group. A significant increase in relative weight of brain compared to the normal group was observed. In biochemical parameters, a significant increase was seen in both ALT and AST enzyme activities. There was no significant change in hematological parameters. Histopathological examination revealed a ground glass appearance of hepatocytes and the vascular congestion. Alkaloids seeds of P.harmala showed significant toxicity in female mice.
Rituximab Induced Pulmonary Edema Managed with Extracorporeal Life Support

Though rare, rituximab has been reported to induce severe pulmonary edema. We describe the first report of ECLS utilization for this indication. A 31-year-old female with severe thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura developed florid pulmonary edema after rituximab infusion. Despite advanced ventilatory settings, she developed severe respiratory acidosis and remained hypoxemic with a significant vasopressor requirement. Since her pulmonary insult was likely transient, ECLS was considered. Due to combined cardiorespiratory failure, she received support with peripheral venoarterial ECLS. During her ECLS course, she received daily plasmapheresis and high dose steroids. Her pulmonary function recovered and she was decannulated after 8 days. She was discharged after 23 days without residual sequelae.
Linear-Time List Decoding in Error-Free Settings

This paper is motivated by the program of constructing list-decodable codes with linear-time encoding and decoding algorithms with rate comparable to or even matching the rate achieved by the best constructions with polynomial encoding/decoding complexity. We achieve this for three basic settings of list decoding, and view these as the first promising steps in the above general program.
Flow measurement in sodium and water using pulsed-neutron activation: Part 2, experiment

A measurement of water flow on the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) evaporator downcomers, a measurement of sodium flow on the EBR-II secondary sodium system, and a calibration experiment at the University of Utah Water Research Laboratory are three experiments using the pulsed neutron activation (PNA) technique to determine flow rate. The EBR-II data permit calculation of flow rates and comparisons with instrumentation and the Water Research Laboratory data permit investigation of different weighting schemes for determining the flow rates. The PNA technique is an accurate and convenient procedure that yields flow rates without accompanying system disturbance. Pipe size is not a factor except that corrections may be needed for asymmetry of larger pipes. Accuracy is adequate for most applications and indicates the PNA technique is most useful as a calibration device.
DETECTION AND GENERATION OF ELECTRIC SIGNALS | Detection and Generation of Electric Signals in Fishes: An Introduction

Strongly electric fish that use electricity as a weapon have been recognized since antiquity, and they played a key role in the discovery of the electrical nature of neuromuscular signaling. More recent discoveries include low-frequency ampullary electroreceptors used for passive electrolocation, as well as weak electric organs and high-frequency tuberous electroreceptors used for active electrolocation and electrocommunication. Modern research on electrosensory organisms is diverse and continues to play an important role in the development of fundamental principles in areas such as sensory processing, motor control, sensorimotor integration, neuronal plasticity, animal communication, and diversification.
Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management

Now in a thoroughly revised and refreshed fourth edition, Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management is beloved by students and professors alike for its exceptional clarity and accessibility and plentiful illustrations. This new edition integrates quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, as well as specific up-to-date instruction in the use of statistical software programs such as Excel and SPSS. Changes to this edition include: A new section, featuring two new chapters, to explore mixed-methods approaches to research, including fundamentals, research design, data collection, and analyzing and interpreting findings A new, dedicated chapter on Big Data research Updated exhibits and examples throughout the book A new companion website to accompany the book containing PowerPoint slides for each chapter New exhibits, tables, figures, and exercises, as well as key terms and discussion questions at the end of each chapter Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management, 4e is an ideal textbook for use in all research methods courses in undergraduate and graduate public administration, public affairs, and nonprofit management courses.
An accessible and high-throughput strategy of continuously monitoring apoptosis by fluorescent detection of caspase activation.

We present a real-time, high-throughput, and cost-effective method of detecting apoptosis in vitro using a previously developed reagent that detects caspase activation by fluorescence. Current methods of assessing apoptosis fail to account for the dimension of time, and thus are limited in data yielded per sample. This reagent allows real-time detection of apoptosis, but until now has been restricted to a costly automated detection system. Here, we describe apoptosis detection with the Essen Bioscience IncuCyte® Caspase-3/7 Reagent using a multimode microplate reader, a common instrument in biological laboratories, which may be used prior to or in lieu of the automated system. This modified microplate reader apoptosis assay was validated against the established automated system, and was shown to detect a strong dose-response relationship (automated system r2 = 0.9968, microplate reader r2 = 0.9924). We also propose a quick and reliable method of quantifying cell density by Hoechst 33342 nuclear staining in microplates (r2 = 0.8812 between Hoechst signal and cell density). We assert that the dimension of time should not be overlooked, and that the method presented here is an accessible strategy for many researchers due to low startup cost and precise detection of apoptosis in real time.
Anatomy of the nervous system

Pain is transmitted along a three-neuron pathway that relays pain signals from the periphery to the cerebral cortex. First order neurons are located in the dorsal root ganglia. Each neuron has a single short axon that bifurcates, sending one end to the peripheral tissues it innervates and the other end to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord where it synapses with the second order neuron. Pain fibers may ascend several segments in Lissauer’s tract before synapsing with second order neurons in the grey matter of ipsilateral dorsal horn. Third order neurons are located in the thalamus and send fibers to somatosensory areas I and II in the post-central gyrus of the parietal cortex as well as the superior wall of the sylvian fissure.
Conservation Equations for Unsteady Flow

The description of nearshore currents is of primary importance to the development of littoral transport models. The bases are given here for the current models to be described in Chapter 15. A convenient starting point for the study of unsteady flow phenomenon is a statement of the general conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy, following, for example, Mei (1983). In the first part of this chapter, the conservation equations are examined and discussed. A basic element of the NSTS dynamics task was to develop longshore current formulae for the case of statistically stationary waves (statistics do not change with time) propagating over straight and parallel contours. Making these assumptions, the momentum balances are simplified and compared with some of the NSTS field data in the second part of this chapter.
In Content We Trust: Network-Layer Trust in Content-Centric Networking

Content-Centric Networking (CCN), an instance of information-centric networking, is a candidate next-generation Internet architecture that emphasizes on content distribution by making it directly addressable and routable. By opportunistically caching content within the network, CCN appears to be well-suited for a large-scale content distribution and for meeting the needs of increasingly mobile and bandwidth-hungry applications that dominate today’s Internet. To provide content authentication, CCN dictates that each content object must be digitally signed by its respective producer. All entities (consumers and routers) must, in principle, verify the content signature before processing it. However, in practice, this poses two challenges for routers: (1) overhead due to signature verification, key retrieval, and potential certificate chain traversal; and (2) lack of trust context, i.e., determining which public keys are trusted to verify the content signature. This renders signature verification impractical in routers, opening the door for the so-called content poisoning attacks. We study the root causes of the content poisoning attacks and reach the conclusion that meaningful mitigation of content poisoning is contingent upon a network-layer trust management architecture. We propose two approaches: deterministic and probabilistic, that allow routers to detect fake (aka “poisoned”) content objects. The usages of each approach depend on the location and role of routers in the network, as well as their computational capabilities.
The interaction between inhibitory control and corrective feedback timing

This article reports a study investigating the role of inhibitory control in the acquisition of Spanish noun-adjective gender agreement under different feedback timing conditions. Forty-three Spanish learners completed a communicative task through synchronous computer-mediated communication. The immediate group received reformulations immediately after their errors, whereas the delayed group received reformulations at the end of the task. The control group did not receive any feedback. Learners’ knowledge of the target form was assessed using oral production and grammaticality judgment tests at three different times: once before the treatment, once immediately after the treatment, and once ten days after the treatment. Inhibitory control was measured with the Flanker test. Results did not show a statistically significant interaction between inhibitory control and feedback timing group on either outcome measure even though the correlations between learners’ gains and inhibitory control were different across groups.
A Bi-quintic Latitude/Longitude Spline and Lunar Surface Modeling for Spacecraft Navigation

A new bi-quintic latitude/longitude spline is developed and applied to the problem of Lunar surface modeling. The new spline provides a singularity-free parameterized function over an oblate spheroid. The bi-quintic spline uses 9 parameters at each of its regular latitude/longitude nodes. At the two poles there are only 6 parameters. The resulting function is continuous and has continuous first and second partial derivatives. Latitude and longitude partial derivatives go to zero at the poles in ways that guarantee continuous first and second partial derivatives of the function when evaluated with respect to Cartesian coordinates as its underlying inputs. The new spline model has been applied to the problem of navigating a Lunar lander. The lander measures slant-ranges to points on the Lunar surface. Its navigation filter uses a model of how the slant-ranges vary with its location and orientation. This model is based on a bi-quintic spline of the Lunar surface, and it returns slant-ranges and their first partial derivatives with respect to spacecraft position and sensor line-of-sight direction. The new sensor model works well in truth-model simulation tests of the navigation filter.
Characterizing Performance of Imbalanced Collectives on Hybrid and Task Centric Runtimes for Two-Phase Reduction

As clusters of multicore nodes become the standard platform for HPC, programmers are adopting approaches that combine multicore programming (e.g. OpenMP) for on-node parallelism with MPI for inter-node parallelism—the so-called “MPI+X”. In important use cases, such as reductions, this hybrid approach can necessitate a scalability-limiting sequence of independent parallel operations, one for each paradigm. For example, MPI+OpenMP typically performs a global parallel reduction by first performing a local OpenMP reduction followed by an MPI reduction across the nodes. If the local reductions are not well balanced, which can happen in the case of irregular or dynamic adaptive applications, the scalability of the overall reduction operation becomes limited. In this paper, we study the impact of imbalanced reductions on two different execution models: MPI+X and Asynchronous Many Tasking (AMT), with MPI+OpenMP and HPX-5 as concrete instances of these respective models. We explore several approaches to maximizing asynchrony with the HPX-5 and MPI+OpenMP collective programming interfaces and characterize the imbalance using a specialized set of microbenchmarks. Despite maximizing MPI+OpenMP asynchrony, we find situations where scalability of the MPI+X programming model is significantly impaired for two-phase reductions. We report from 0.5X to 6.5X relative performance degradation of MPI+X in the AMT instance.
ROSALIE RAHAL HADDAD, Bernard Shaw in Brazil. The Reception of Theatrical Productions, 1927-2013

ROSALIE RAHAL HADDAD, Bernard Shaw in Brazil. The Reception of Theatrical Productions, 1927-2013. Bern: Peter Lang, 2016. 276 pp.
Flow cytometric evaluation of TRBC1 expression in tissue specimens and body fluids is a novel and specific method for assessment of T-cell clonality and diagnosis of T-cell neoplasms

Background Flow cytometric detection of T-cell clonality is challenging. The current available methodology for T-cell receptor (TCR) Vβ repertoire evaluation is a complex assay and has limited sensitivity especially for detecting low levels of disease. Therefore, there is an unmet need for a reliable, simple, and rapid assay to identify T-cell clonality. The rearrangement of the TCRB gene involves the random and mutually exclusive expression of one of two constant β chain genes (TRBC1 and TRBC2), analogous to the kappa and lambda gene utilization by B cells. Methods Here, we used a single TRBC1 antibody, in conjunction with other T-cell associated markers, to detect T-cell clonality in tissue biopsies and body fluids. A total of 143 tissue/body fluid specimens from 46 patients with a definitive diagnosis of a T-cell neoplasm and 97 patients with no T-cell malignancy were analyzed with a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies including CD2/CD3/CD4/CD5/CD7/CD8/CD45/TCRγδ/TRBC1. Results We examined TRBC1 expression on neoplastic T-cell populations identified based on their immunophenotypic aberrancies, and monotypic TRBC1 expression was identified in all 46 known T-cell lymphoma cases. We applied a similar gating strategy to the 97 cases without T-cell neoplasms, and arbitrarily dissected T-cell populations into immunophenotypically distinct subsets; in this group, we found that all cases revealed an expected polytypic TRBC1 expression in all subsets. Conclusions Single TRBC1 antibody detection of T-cell clonality by flow cytometry is a simple, rapid, and robust assay that could be routinely utilized in flow cytometric laboratories.
College Students’ Intention to Select Healthy Snacks: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

As snacking has become an increasingly important part of adult diet over the past decades, better understanding of the intent to choose healthy snacks is crucial for promotion of healthy eating. Pu...