cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of maintenance endocrine therapy after chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer.

Abstract Background For women with oestrogen receptor+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC), the options for systemic treatment include endocrine therapy (ET) and chemotherapy. For women whose disease is also HER2+, anti-HER2 therapies are also routinely used either with chemotherapy or less commonly with ET. Where chemotherapy is used as initial therapy, treatment is often discontinued due to cumulative toxicity in the absence of disease progression. In this setting, there is the option of introducing ET with the aim of prolonging response and delaying relapse. Methods Literature review revealed four trials addressing the question of whether there is a benefit from introducing ET following chemotherapy for MBC. We also sought evidence for alternative approaches, including concurrent chemotherapy and ET and continuing chemotherapy until disease progression. Results The evidence for the use of ET after chemotherapy in MBC is limited, and the trials done were small. Furthermore, they were performed at a time when both the chemotherapy regimens and ET were different from those used currently. Despite these limitations, there is probably a modest improvement in time to progression for the sequential use of ET after chemotherapy but with no overall survival benefit. An alternative approach, particularly considering agents with relatively low toxicity, such as orally bioavailable fluoropyrimidines, is to continue chemotherapy until disease progression. Conclusion Where chemotherapy for MBC is discontinued due to toxicity, in the absence of progression, the use of ET, with its relatively low toxicity, is a reasonable approach with the aim of delaying relapse.
Quasi-single-mode transmission for long-haul and submarine optical communications

Single-mode transmission over few-mode fiber is investigated to enable larger effective area and higher nonlinear tolerance. Multipath interference generated during propagation is modeled. Transmission results illustrate benefits of hybrid spans and multi-subcarrier modulation formats.
Retroviral Gene Transfer with Triple Genetic Reporter Genes into Human Cord Blood CD133+ Cells.

Umbilical cord blood (CB) is used increasingly as a source of hematopoietic support in bone marrow transplant patients lacking family or unrelated donors. Little is known about human CB with respect to in vivo migration, homing, long-term viability, the organ-specific checkpoints and its differentiation. In order to study CB migration and homing, the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV)-pseudotyped retroviral gene transfer technique was developed to genetically modify CB CD133 + cells with triple reporter genes which encode enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), luciferase, and herpes simplex virus type one thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk). The novelty of this approach is that it allows multimodal repetitive non-invasive imaging using fluorescence, bioluminescence (BLI), and nuclear imaging techniques, respectively. CD133 + cell fractions were isolated from human CB using the MidiMACS device (Miltenyi). To facilitate transduction, CB CD133 + cells were stimulated with 100ng/ml each of stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and thrombopoietin (TPO) in alpha-MEM medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum. After 3, 5, 7 or 14 days of stimulation, CB cells were transduced by RetroNectin (TaKaRa)-assisted gene transfer. RetroNectin, recombinant human fibronectin fragment CH-296, can provide colocalization of retroviral particles and target cells. Specifically, 6-well plates were coated with 5ug/cm 2 RetroNectin for 2 hours at room temperature, followed by preloading with fresh virus-containing medium (VCM) for 4 hours at 37°C. VCM was then removed and the CB cells were added in medium containing cytokines for 2 or 3 days. This approach resulted in > 90% transduction of control U87 human glioma cells and up to 36% transduction of CD133 + CB cells. Preliminary experiments suggested that optimal transduction appeared to be at day 7 of CB stimulation. When compared to non-RetroNectin coated plates, this approach showed a 5- to 11- fold increase in eGFP + cells as determined by flow cytometry, increasing the transduction efficiency from + cells in NOD/SCID mice in vivo . The ability to trace the fate of CD133 + cells following transplantation may allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of migration, homing and long-term viability.
Reference evapotranspiration from coarse-scale and dynamically downscaled data in complex terrain: Sensitivity to interpolation and resolution

Abstract The main objective of this study was to investigate whether dynamically downscaled high resolution (4-km) climate data from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model provide physically meaningful additional information for reference evapotranspiration (E) calculation compared to the recently published GridET framework that uses interpolation from coarser-scale simulations run at 32-km resolution. The analysis focuses on complex terrain of Utah in the western United States for years 1985–2010, and comparisons were made statewide with supplemental analyses specifically for regions with irrigated agriculture. E was calculated using the standardized equation and procedures proposed by the American Society of Civil Engineers from hourly data, and climate inputs from WRF and GridET were debiased relative to the same set of observations. For annual mean values, E from WRF (EW) and E from GridET (EG) both agreed well with E derived from observations (r2 = 0.95, bias Δ E = E W - E G were as large as +439 mm year−1 (+26%) in some locations, and Δ E averaged +36 mm year−1. After linearly removing the effects of contrasts in solar radiation and wind speed, which are characteristically less reliable under downscaling in complex terrain, approximately half the residual variance was accounted for by contrasts in temperature and humidity between GridET and WRF. These contrasts stemmed from GridET interpolating using an assumed lapse rate of Γ = 6.5 K km−1, whereas WRF produced a thermodynamically-driven lapse rate closer to 5 K km−1 as observed in mountainous terrain. The primary conclusions are that observed lapse rates in complex terrain differ markedly from the commonly assumed Γ = 6.5 K km−1, these lapse rates can be realistically resolved via dynamical downscaling, and use of constant Γ produces differences in E of order as large as 102 mm year−1.
Mathematical Progress As Increased Scope

Well-chosen languages contribute to problem-solving success in the history of mathematics. Innovations in notation may not constitute progress on their own for philosophers who reject formalism. Yet successful languages are important concomitants of progress insofar as they enable mathematicians to state claims more broadly and recognize obscure relationships between different branches of mathematics. Platonists recognize the importance of Poincare’s ’happy innovations of language’ as a means whereby ever more mathematical reality is revealed. However, the distinction between what mathematics is about and the formal means used to study mathematics can rarely be made precise outside of isolated historical contexts. Understanding mathematical progress as increased scope is thus an alternative to Platonism’s “mathematical progress as genuine discovery” and formalism’s “mathematical progress as clever invention.”
Understanding Interleukin 33 and Its Roles in Eosinophil Development

Over the last decade, significant interest in the contribution of three “epithelial-derived cytokines,” thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), Interleukin 25 (IL-25), and Interleukin 33 (IL-33) has developed. These cytokines have been strongly linked to the early events that occur during allergen exposures and how they contribute to the subsequent type 2 immune response. Of these three cytokines, IL-33 has proven particularly interesting because of the strong associations found between both it and its receptor, ST2, in several genome wide association studies (GWAS) of allergic diseases. Further work has demonstrated clear mechanisms through which this cytokine might orchestrate allergic inflammation, including activation of several key effector cells that possess high ST2 levels, including mast cells, basophils, innate lymphoid cells, and eosinophils. Despite this, controversies surrounding IL-33 seem to suggest the biology of this cytokine might not be as simple as current dogmas suggest including: the relevant cellular sources of IL-33, with significant evidence for inducible expression in some hematopoietic cells; the mechanistic contributions of nuclear localization versus secretion; secretion and processing mechanisms; and the biological consequences of IL-33 exposure on different cell types. In this review, we will address the evidence for IL-33 and ST2 regulation over eosinophils and how this may contribute to allergic diseases. In particular, we focus on the accumulating evidence for a role of IL-33 in regulating hematopoiesis and how this relates to eosinophils as well as how this may provide new concepts for how the progression of allergy is regulated.
Strong Frequency Dependence of the Third Order Kerr Nonlinear Susceptibility in a Silica Fiber

Spectral measurements on spontaneous four-wave mixing side-bands in a multimode silica optical fiber with large spectral shifts show that the third order Kerr nonlinear susceptibility is a strong function of the frequency separation.
Incorporating Comprehensive Counselling and Guidance Models into School Curricula in Sub-Saharan Africa

There is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating the psychological and social challenges that afflict school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of widespread calls to provide counselling and guidance services in schools, efforts at expanding these services remain fragmented and under-resourced. Grounded in both empirical and theoretical literature, this article calls for integration of counselling and guidance through a whole-school approach. Utilizing critical aspects of child and adolescent developmental theory, we summarize the current state of counselling and guidance in the region, evaluate attempts at integration, and propose adoption of a comprehensive guidance and counselling model into school curricula.
Retinal Ganglion Cells: Receptive Fields

An overview of the history of receptive field mapping of mammalian retinal ganglion cells is given in this article. The receptive field concept is described, along with how this concept has been applied to retinal ganglion cells. A brief description of different types of retinal ganglion cell receptive fields is given and an outline provided of widely accepted receptive field models. The various terminologies in use for naming different classes of retinal ganglion cells and their receptive field structures is discussed, and a summary of the current state of this field of research is presented.
Reaction Time and Intelligence

Measurements of various parameters derived from different reaction time (RT) paradigms are found to be correlated with psychometric measurements of general mental ability. Such RT-derived measurements, when combined in a multiple regression equation, predict some 50 percent or more of the variance in IQ or This relationship of IQ or g to RT parameters indicates that our standard IQ tests tap fundamental processes involved in individual differences in specific knowledge, acquired skills, or cultural background.
Action and Agency in The Red Shoes

In this paper, I argue that Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's ballet musical The Red Shoes (1948) is concerned with topics surrounding phenomenology, action, and embodied agency, and that it ...
25th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference

ABSTRACT The 25th annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) was held at the University of Iowa from 28 to 30 September 2018. The conference has a long-standing tradition of providing scientists from the Midwest with a forum to present and discuss cutting-edge advances in microbial pathogenesis with particular focus on bacterial interactions with the environment, host, and other microbes. This review summarizes the genesis of the MMPC, topics presented at the conference, and articles found in the special MMPC sections of this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology.
Iridolactones fromAlyxia reinwardti

Abstract Investigation of the leaves ofAlyxia reinwardti led to the isolation of two iridolactones, alyxialactone and 4-epi-alyxialactone, whose structures were determined through 2D NMR spectroscopy.
A numerical framework for computing steady states of structured population models and their stability

Structured population models are a class of general evolution equations which are widely used in the study of biological systems. Many theoretical methods are available for establishing existence and stability of steady states of general evolution equations. However, except for very special cases, finding an analytical form of stationary solutions for evolution equations is a challenging task. In the present paper, we develop a numerical framework for computing approximations to stationary solutions of general evolution equations, which can \emph{also} be used to produce approximate existence and stability regions for steady states. In particular, we use the Trotter-Kato Theorem to approximate the infinitesimal generator of an evolution equation on a finite dimensional space, which in turn reduces the evolution equation into a system of ordinary differential equations. Consequently, we approximate and study the asymptotic behavior of stationary solutions. We illustrate the convergence of our numerical framework by applying it to a linear Sinko-Streifer structured population model for which the exact form of the steady state is known. To further illustrate the utility of our approach, we apply our framework to nonlinear population balance equation, which is an extension of well-known Smoluchowski coagulation-fragmentation model to biological populations. We also demonstrate that our numerical framework can be used to gain insight about the theoretical stability of the stationary solutions of the evolution equations. Furthermore, the open source Python program that we have developed for our numerical simulations is freely available from our GitHub repository (github.com/MathBioCU).
Neuron-Derived Plasma Exosome Proteins after Remote Traumatic Brain Injury.

To identify long-term effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on levels of plasma neuron-derived exosome (NDE) protein biomarkers of cognitive impairment (CI), plasmas were obtained from four group...
Graph Representation Learning via Multi-task Knowledge Distillation.

Machine learning on graph structured data has attracted much research interest due to its ubiquity in real world data. However, how to efficiently represent graph data in a general way is still an open problem. Traditional methods use handcraft graph features in a tabular form but suffer from the defects of domain expertise requirement and information loss. Graph representation learning overcomes these defects by automatically learning the continuous representations from graph structures, but they require abundant training labels, which are often hard to fulfill for graph-level prediction problems. In this work, we demonstrate that, if available, the domain expertise used for designing handcraft graph features can improve the graph-level representation learning when training labels are scarce. Specifically, we proposed a multi-task knowledge distillation method. By incorporating network-theory-based graph metrics as auxiliary tasks, we show on both synthetic and real datasets that the proposed multi-task learning method can improve the prediction performance of the original learning task, especially when the training data size is small.
Asymptotic Normality of Sequential Stopping Times with Applications: Confidence Intervals for an Exponential Mean:

In sequential methodologies, finally accrued data customarily look like {Nν,X1,...,XNν} where N≡Nν is the total number of observations collected through termination. Under mild regulatory condition...
Theory of Inelastic Neutron Scattering in the Itinerant Model Antiferromagnetic Metals. I

The susceptibility functions ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{-}+}(\mathrm{K}, \ensuremath{\omega})$ and ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{zz}}(\mathrm{K}, \ensuremath{\omega})$ are calculated in the random-phase approximation at zero temperature for the Slater model of itinerant antiferromagnetism using the Hubbard Hamiltonian; from these susceptibility functions the neutron-scattering cross section is calculated. A pole is found in ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{-}+}(\mathrm{K}, \ensuremath{\omega})$ corresponding to a spin-wave model As in the Heisenberg model of spin waves, the residue of this pole approaches zero as the scattering vector K approaches a chemical reciprocal lattice vector $\ensuremath{\tau}$, and becomes infinite as K approaches a magnetic reciprocal-lattice vector Q. The non-spin-flip single-particle-mode scattering is found to become infinite at an energy corresponding to the magnetic splitting of the bands at the boundary of the magnetic Brillouin zone if the Fermi level lies in this gap. If the Fermi level does not lie in the gap, then there is a pole in ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{zz}}(\mathrm{K}, \ensuremath{\omega})$ for K near a magnetic reciprocal-lattice vector, at an energy equal to the gap energy when K = Q, corresponding to a collective excitation. Acoustic plasmon poles in ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{zz}}(\mathrm{q}, \ensuremath{\omega})$ are also discussed.
The impact of future carbon prices on CCS investment for power generation in China

Abstract Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in China is currently discussed extensively but few in-depth analyses focusing on economics are observed. In this study, we answer two related questions about the development of CCS and power generation technologies in China: (1) what is the breakeven carbon-dioxide price to justify CCS installation investment for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and pulverized coal (PC) power plants, and, (2) what are the risks associated with investment for CCS. To answer these questions, we build a net present value model for IGCC and PC plants with capacity of 600 MW, with assumptions best representing the current technologies in China. Then, we run a sensitivity analysis of capital costs and fuel costs to reveal their impact on the carbon price, and analyze the risk on investment return caused by the carbon price volatility. Our study shows that in China, a breakeven carbon price of $61/tonne is required to justify investment on CCS for PC plants, and $72/tonne for IGCC plants. In this analysis, we also advise investors on the impact of capital and fuel costs on the carbon price and suggest optimal timing for CCS investment.
Forming Product Design Specifications

Design teams commonly form quantitative functional specification lists that define performance targets for a product. Meeting these specifications ensures that the customer needs are satisfied. A central difficulty is to identify the relevant metrics to use as specifications. A working methodology is presented here to establish relevant, quantitative, measurable performance specifications. To start, customer needs, their importances, and the customer use patterns are gathered for the product. Voice-ofthe- customer methods are augmented to distinguish nocompromise constraints that must be met. Next, a design is analyzed to establish a representative function structure, applying Pahl and Beitz's systematic design approach. An optimal function structure can now be defined by a condition of simultaneous maximum simplicity and comprehensive coverage of the gathered customer needs. The function structure can then be used as a list over which specifications are to be made, with at least one specification per sub-function. Having a rational function structure allows a team to more easily determine variables on which to make specifications. A team can then use the House of Quality to document and form consensus over these specifications in the typical way.
Is There a Brain Microbiome

Numerous studies have identified microbial sequences or epitopes in pathological and non-pathological human brain samples. It has not been resolved if these observations are artifactual, or truly represent population of the brain by microbes. Given the tempting speculation that resident microbes could play a role in the many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack clear etiologies, there is a strong motivation to determine the "ground truth" of microbial existence in living brains. Here I argue that the evidence for the presence of microbes in diseased brains is quite strong, but a compelling demonstration of resident microbes in the healthy human brain remains to be done. Dedicated animal models studies may be required to determine if there is indeed a "brain microbiome."
Improving safety of robotic major hepatectomy with extrahepatic inflow control and laparoscopic CUSA parenchymal transection: technical description and initial experience

Blood loss is a major determinant of outcomes following hepatectomy. Robotic technology enables hepatobiliary surgeons to mimic open techniques for inflow control and parenchymal transection during major hepatectomy, increasing the ability to minimize blood loss and perform safe liver resections. Initial experience of 20 consecutive major robotic hepatectomies from November 2018 to July 2020 at two co-located institutions was reviewed. All cases were performed with extrahepatic inflow control and parenchymal transection with the laparoscopic cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA), and a technical description is illustrated. Clinical characteristics, operative data, and surgical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. The median (range) patient age was 58 years (20–76) and the majority of 14 (70%) patients were ASA III–IV. There were 12 (60%) resections for malignancy and the median tumor size was 6.2 cm (1.2–14.6). Right or extended right hepatectomy was the most common procedure (12 or 60% of cases). There were 7 (35%) left or extended left hepatectomies and 1 (5%) central hepatectomy. The median operative time was 420 (177–622) minutes. Median estimated blood loss was 300 mL (25–800 mL). One (5%) case was converted to open. Two (10%) patients required blood transfusion. The median length of stay was 3 (1–6) days. Major complications included 1 (5%) Clavien–Dindo IIIa bile leak requiring percutaneous drainage placement. There was no 90-day mortality. Advanced techniques to reduce blood loss in robotic hepatectomy may optimize safety and minimize morbidity in these complex minimally invasive procedures.
The Ambulance Chaser

There is perhaps no lawyer more despised and disdained than the ambulance chaser. In contrast, even the member of the bar found guilty of accepting a bribe or engaging in fraud, does not have quite the same negative aura about him. The downright thief can at least claim a bit of class; not so—at least in the perception of a large proportion of the public—for the ambulance chaser.
ENERGETICS AND STATISTICS OF ORDER IN ALLOYS WITH APPLICATION TO OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTORS

Now that first-principles calculations of ordering transformations are becoming increasingly accurate, the deficiencies of earlier mean field methods are becoming increasingly apparent. New techniques, based on cluster expansions, are now alleviating many of the earlier problems and are producing very satisfactory results. These ideas will be illustrated for the case of oxygen ordering in the YBa2Cu3Oz superconducting compound, for which a very simple two-dimensional Ising model has been developed. The model features nearest-neighbor repulsive effective pair interactions and anisotropic (attractive/repulsive) next-nearest-neighbor interactions. CVM (cluster variation method) calculations based on this model have produced a phase diagram in remarkable agreement with experimentally determined phase boundaries. Monte Carlo simulations have confirmed the validity of the model and have provided a rationalization for the influence of oxygen order on the value of Tc (superconducting transition temperature) in off-stoichiometric compounds.
Bioinformatics and Database Searching

Shotgun proteomics has become the method of choice for identifying proteins in biological samples. This strategy relies on digesting proteins into peptides and sequencing them by using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Peptides for which product-ion spectra are captured are then identified using a database search engine. Resulting peptide identifications are filtered to retain the most reliable candidates. To complete this process, a list of protein identifications is inferred from filtered peptide identifications. In this chapter, we introduce basic concepts of peptide sequencing usingMS/MS.Weprovide a detailed picture of automated peptide identification using the MyriMatch database search engine. Finally, we present the process of identification filtering and protein inference using IDPicker software.
Antenatal Steroids Are Associated With Less Need for Blood Pressure Support in Extremely Premature Infants

Objective. To determine if antenatal steroids decrease the amount of blood pressure support required by extremely premature infants between 23 and 27 weeks9 gestation. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Texas Children9s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit from January 1986 to December 1991. Participants. Two hundred forty premature infants between 23 and 27 weeks9 gestation who survived at least 48 hours. Main outcome measures. The amount of blood pressure support received in the form of dopamine and colloid. Secondary analysis investigated differences in mortality, respiratory support requirements, the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, infection, retinopathy of prematurity requiring surgery, and the length of hospitalization. Results. During the first 48 hours of life, premature newborns exposed to antenatal corticosteroids were less likely to receive dopamine for blood pressure support (47% vs 67%), and if they did, the amount of dopamine expressed as a dopamine score was less than that received by those infants not exposed to antenatal corticosteroids (281 ± 240 vs 407 ± 281). Those exposed to antenatal corticosteroids also had a lower mortality rate (8% vs 24%) and lower respiratory support requirements. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage was 8% in infants exposed to antenatal corticosteroids and 17% in infants not exposed. No difference was found in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, infection, or retinopathy of prematurity requiring surgery, or length of hospitalization. Conclusion. Receipt of antenatal corticosteroids is associated with less need for blood pressure support during the first 48 hours after birth in premature infants between 23 and 27 weeks9 gestation.
Midplane neutral density profiles in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Atomic and molecular density data in the outer midplane of NSTX [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] are inferred from tangential camera data via a forward modeling procedure using the DEGAS 2 Monte Carlo neutral transport code. The observed Balmer-β light emission data from 17 shots during the 2010 NSTX campaign display no obvious trends with discharge parameters such as the divertor Balmer-α emission level or edge deuterium ion density. Simulations of 12 time slices in 7 of these discharges produce molecular densities near the vacuum vessel wall of 2–8 × 1017 m−3 and atomic densities ranging from 1 to 7 × 1016 m−3; neither has a clear correlation with other parameters. Validation of the technique, begun in an earlier publication, is continued with an assessment of the sensitivity of the simulated camera image and neutral densities to uncertainties in the data input to the model. The simulated camera image is sensitive to the plasma profiles and virtually nothing else. The neutral densities at the vessel wall depend most strongly on the spatial distribution of the source; simulations with a localized neutral source yield densities within a factor of two of the baseline, uniform source, case. The uncertainties in the neutral densities associated with other model inputs and assumptions are ≤50%.
An adaptive SPWM technique for cascaded multilevel converters

An adaptive carrier based sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) technique for cascaded h-bridge (CHB) multilevel converters is presented in this paper. The proposed technique enables the CHB topology to provide a symmetrical ac voltage from a set of time-variant input dc source voltages. Two alternative approaches, namely the single-carrier and dual-carrier algorithms, are described for implementing the adaptive SPWM technique. The two algorithms differ in the number of voltage sensors required, leading to differences in transient behavior and implementation, though they produce identical steady-state results. The voltage level diagram as a tool to facilitate the customization of adaptive SPWM steady-state behavior is also introduced. The techniques presented in this paper generalize to any number of cells and are inherently tolerant to faults in power sources and cells, i.e. a source or cell fault causes the necessary switching states to be bypassed. Software simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the presented algorithms.
A plane grating monochromator for the new undulator at Aladdin: 8–240 eV

Abstract A comparative study on the expected performance of two monochromator designs for the new undulator beamline at the Aladdin storage ring is reported. The undulator, a 3.5 m device, will cover the energy range 8–240 eV in the first and third harmonic. The flux and resolution of a stigmatic plane grating monochromator (PGM) equipped with an entrance slit and of a spherical grating monochromator (SGM) with a movable exit slit were calculated analytically and by means of ray-tracings. The PGM design, tuned to a resolving power of 10 4 , can deliver more than 10 12 photons/s at the sample position in the photon energy range 20–170 eV. The illuminated spot size at the sample position will be less than 500 μm (horizontal) by 50 μm (vertical). This performance is not achieved with the SGM design.
Differential Effects of Integrin α Chain Mutations on Invasin and Natural Ligand Interaction

To determine if recognition of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin protein and natural substrates requires identical integrin residues, a region of the human alpha3 integrin chain predicted to be involved in substrate adhesion was targeted for mutation. One point mutation located in a region of the third N-terminal repeat of the alpha3 chain, alpha3-W220A, failed to promote adhesion to the natural alpha3 beta1 substrate epiligrin but maintained near wild type levels of adhesion to invasin. A second nearby mutation, alpha3-Y218A, which showed no detectable adhesion to epiligrin, was only partially attenuated for invasin binding as well as invasin-mediated bacterial uptake. A third substitution, alpha3-D154A, predicted to be in the second N-terminal repeat not known to be implicated in cell adhesion, was competent for invasin-promoted adhesion events and appeared to encode a receptor of increased activity, as it had a higher efficiency than wild type receptor for adhesion to epiligrin. Cell lines expressing this derivative were not recognized by a function blocking anti-alpha3 antibody, indicating that the second and third repeats of the alpha3 chain are either closely linked in space or the second repeat can modulate activity of the third. Differential effects on substrate adhesion do not appear to be associated with all integrin alpha chain mutations, as alpha4 chain mutations affecting the divalent cation binding domains depressed adhesion to invasin to a significant extent.
Depressive Distress and Prevalence of Common Problems Among Homosexually Active African American Women in the United States

SUMMARY We report findings from a national survey of 603 homosexually experienced African American women who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Levels of psychological distress greatly exceeded population norms for African American women. The most frequent problems participants reported were romantic relationship and financial difficulties. Problems with using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate psychological distress were the most chronic stressors. Although 31% of women indicated they received emotional support from a counselor or other professional in the prior month, the least likely to receive support were those reporting chronic financial, housing, anger, or substance use problems. These findings underscore the vulnerability of African American women, who navigate the triple stigma of having a minority ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender.
The relationship between the concentrations of amino acids in the ocular fluids and blood plasma of dogs.

The concentrations of 16 amino acids, and of glutamine, were determined in individual samples of posterior and anterior aqueous humor, posterior and anterior portions of the vitreous body, plasma and its in vivo dialysate of dogs. The results have been discussed in comparison with an earlier study on pooled samples from rabbits ( Reddy, Rosenberg and Kinsey, 1961 ).
Optimizing temperature program and flow rates for apillary GC analysis of EPA-608 pesticides

An approach is described for optimizing chromatographic conditions for dual-column analysis of U.S. EPA Method 608 pesticides. Sample throughput for environmental analysis of pesticides can be increased by performing the screening and confirmation analyses at the same time. This requires simultaneous injection, separation, and detection in a GC with dual inlets, columns, and detectors. Resolution maps for flow rate and temperature relationships of poorly resolved peak pairs for 5%-phenyl methyl silicone and 7%-cyanopropyl 7%-phenyl methyl silicone capillary columns are presented. Resolution of target pesticides on the 5%-phenyl methyl silicone column was much more sensitive to changes in flow and temperature-ramp rates than was the 7%-cyanopropyl 7%-phenyl methyl silicone column. Optimal conditions resulted in a run time of approximately 20 min.
Anomalies of the inferior vena cava and renal veins and implications for renal surgery

Abnormalities of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and renal veins are extremely rare. However, with the increasing use of computed tomography (CT), these anomalies are more frequently diagnosed. The majority of venous anomalies are asymptomatic and they include left sided IVC, duplicated IVC, absent IVC as well as retro-aortic and circumaortic renal veins. The embryological development of the IVC is complex and involves the development and regression of three sets of paired veins. During renal surgery, undiagnosed venous anomalies may lead to major complications. There may be significant hemorrhage or damage to vascular structures. In addition, aberrant vessels may be mistaken for lymphadenopathy and may be biopsied. In this review we discuss the embryology of the IVC and the possible anomalies of IVC and its tributaries paying particular attention to diagnosis and implications for renal surgery.
Experimental and theoretical study of multiple cations intermixing in InP-based quantum dot-in-well structure

We investigated the multiple cations intermixing in InAs/InGaAlAs quantum dot-in-well laser structure grown on InP substrate using impurity-free vacancy disordering (IFVD) technique. Selective control of the bandgap shifts has been achieved using SiO 2 and Si x N y annealing caps. A differential wavelength shift of 76 nm has been observed after a rapid thermal annealing step at 750 °C for 30 s. In contrast to most IFVD results in other materials, we observed a larger bandgap shift from the Si x N y capped samples than from the SiO 2 capped samples. Based on theoretical calculations, we attribute this to the different effective interdiffusion rates of group-Ill cations. The demonstrated intermixing process provides an effective method for fine tuning the bandgap of InAs QDs around 1.55 μm as an alternative to the growth manipulation, as well as for realizing photonics integrated circuits.
Comparative mobility of sulfonamides and bromide tracer in three soils.

Abstract In animal agriculture, sulfonamides are one of the routinely used groups of antimicrobials for therapeutic and sub-therapeutic purposes. It is observed that, the animals when administered the antimicrobials, often do not completely metabolize them; and excrete the partially metabolized forms into the environment. Due to the continued use of antimicrobials and disposal of untreated waste, widespread occurrence of partially metabolized antimicrobials in aquatic and terrestrial environments has been reported in various scientific journals. In this research, the mobility of two sulfonamides – sulfamethazine (SMN), sulfathiazole (STZ) and a conservative bromide tracer was investigated in three soils collected from regions in the United States with large number of concentrated animal-feed operations. Results of a series of column studies indicate that the mobility of these two sulfonamides was dependent on pH, soil charge density, and contact time. At low pH and high charge density, substantial retention of sulfonamides was observed in all three soils investigated, due to the increased fraction of cationic and neutral forms of the sulfonamides. Conversely, enhanced mobility was observed at high pH, where the sulfonamides are predominantly in the anionic form. The results indicate that when both SMN and STZ are predominantly in anionic forms, their mobility approximates the mobility of a conservative bromide tracer. This observation is consistent for the mobility of both SMN and STZ individually, and also in the presence of several other antimicrobials in all three soils investigated. Higher contact time indicates lower mobility due to increased interaction with soil material.
Impact of beta-myosin heavy chain expression on cardiac function during stress.

Objectives In failing mouse and human hearts, a shift in myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform content from alpha to beta can occur. However, the impact of this phenomenon on disease progression is not well understood. Therefore, using transgenic (TG) mice, we tested how a pre-existing shift from alpha- to beta-MHC affects cardiac function under chronic mechanical or pharmacologic cardiovascular stress. Background Expression of beta-MHC is considered to be energetically favorable, but this might be offset by depressed cardiac function. Methods Transgenic mice with near-complete replacement of the normally predominant alpha- with beta-MHC were subjected to cardiac stress. Results At baseline, TG mice show moderately reduced cardiac contractile function but are otherwise healthy with normal ventricular morphology. After four weeks of swimming, both TG and non-TG animals showed a 20% increase in left ventricular (LV)/body weight ratios. The TG hearts displayed mildly greater end-diastolic and end-systolic LV diameters than nontransgenic hearts after training, but no signs of LV failure were observed. However, chronic stimulation with isoproterenol resulted in augmented LV hypertrophy with signs of LV decompensation in TG mice. Furthermore, in a post-infarction failure model, TG hearts displayed accelerated LV dilation and a faster decline of shortening fraction. Conclusions Expression of beta-MHC appears to be disadvantageous to the mice under severe cardiovascular stress, implying that the alpha→beta-MHC isoform shift observed in cardiac disease may be a maladaptive response.
A sand-zeolite culture system for simulating plant acquisition of potassium from soils

A sand-zeolite culture system simulating plant acquisition of K from soils has been developed. The system, a mixture of synthetic zeolite IE-96 and coarse-sand, provides K concentrations comparable to soils depending on the K concentration ratios of solutions loaded onto the cation-exchange sites of the zeolite and the ionic strengths of the nutrient solutions supplied during the period of plant growth. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) strain 203, PI 124163, was used in this study. An increase in the amount of the loaded zeolite per culture pot did not shift solution phase K activity ratios (ARk) of the culture system but did result in a linear increase of plant dry matter accumulation, indicating that K bioavailability is diffusion-limited in the sand-zeolite culture system as in soils.
Validation of Turbine Airfoil Leading Edge Pressure and Skin Friction Modeling and Measurement

New pressure and skin friction measurements on a cylinder were made and compared with analytical and computational modeling. The measurements were made in what we call the stagnation region, such as exists on the leading edge of a turbine airfoil. The new skin friction measurements were made with an oil film interferometry technique that has been used in earlier turbine cascade studies, and the accuracy of the technique is demonstrated by comparisons with the analytical and computational modeling. The analytical model is an exact solution for laminar stagnation point or Hiemenz flow, and it is based solely on a reference velocity and a length scale, both which describe the free stream acceleration and pressure gradient in the stagnation region. Comparisons were made between the analytical model and measurements of preasure and skin friction from other cylinder studies in the open literature. These comparisons were used to demonstrate that the analytical model accounts for variations in the free stream pressure gradient and acceleration of the flow due to blockage, separation location, and compressibility. The simplicity of the analytical model allows one to quickly characterize stagnation region aerodynamics based only on a pressure profile, which can be used, for example, to assess the computational grid density in the stagnation region of a turbine airfoil. This basic cylinder experiment along with the analytical modeling are shown to be particularly effective for the validation of skin friction techniques, and this study serves to validate the OFI method used in earlier cascade studies.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The Sex-Determining Factors SRY and SOX9 Regulate Similar Target Genes and Promote Testis Cord Formation during Testicular Differentiation

Male sex determination is mediated sequentially by sex-determining region Y (SRY) and related SRY-box 9 (SOX9) transcription factors. To understand the gene regulatory hierarchy for SRY and SOX9, a series of chromatin immunoprecipitation and whole-genome promoter tiling microarray (ChIP-Chip) experiments were conducted with mouse gonadal cells at the time of sex determination. SRY and SOX9 bind to the promoters of many common targets involved in testis differentiation and regulate their expression in Sertoli cells. SRY binds to various ovarian differentiation genes and represses their activation through WNT/β-catenin signaling. Sertoli cell-Sertoli cell junction signaling, important for testis cord formation, is the top canonical pathway among the SRY and SOX9 targets. Hence, SRY determines Sertoli cell fate by repressing ovarian and activating testicular differentiation genes, promotes early Sertoli cells to form testis cord, and then passes on its functions to SOX9, which regulates common targets and activates its own gene regulatory program, beyond SRY actions, in sex determination.
Alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated Hyperpolarization of Locus Coeruleus Neurons: Intracellular Studies in Vivo

Intracellular recordings in vivo from noradrenergic neurons in the rat locus coeruleus showed that membrane potential was hyperpolarized by the administration of clonidine (an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist) or after a burst of spikes evoked by intracellular pulses; both types of hyperpolarization were associated with a decrease in membrane input resistance, and both could be blocked by the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist piperoxane. These results suggest that a hyperpolarization of membrane potential mediated by an alpha 2-adrenoceptor underlies both clonidine- and activation-induced inhibition of locus coeruleus cell firing.
Chromosomal localization and genomic organization of cloned repetitive DNA fragments in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

The chromosomal localization and genomic organization of three cloned repetitive DNA fragments (viz., H-76, H-61, and H-19) isolated from theAedes albopictus genome have been examined inAe. albopictus and six otherAedes species:Ae. aegypti, Ae. seatoi, Ae. flavopictus, Ae. polynesiensis, Ae. alcasidi andAe. katherinensis. The results fromin situ and Southern hybridization analyses show that the sequences homologous to cloned repetitive DNA fragments are dispersed throughout the genome in each species. The sequences homologous to these cloned repetitive DNA fragments are also found inHaemagogus equinus, Tripteroides bambusa andAnopheles quadrimaculatus and are dispersed in their genomes. Data indicate divergence in the amount and the structural organization of sequences homologous to these cloned fragments among mosquito species.
On the animalian values of the human spirit: the foundational role of affect in psychotherapy and the evolution of consciousness

This essay summarizes recent conceptual and empirical advances in understanding basic emotional systems of the mammalian brain and implications for understanding the nature of affective feelings in humans and other animals. Some implications of this knowledge for therapeutic practice are discussed, especially with regard to childhood disorders such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.
The mediating role of depressive symptoms in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and smoking.

Abstract Purpose of the Study Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including various types of abuse and other forms of household dysfunction (i.e. witnessing domestic violence, parental substance abuse, etc.), have been consistently linked to increased rates of health risk behaviors and negative health outcomes in adulthood. Using data from the 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) annual, nationwide Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) telephone survey, this study tested whether self-reported symptoms of depression mediate the significant relationship between the number of ACEs an individual reports (expressed as an “ACE score”) and whether they are a current or past smoker. Methods A path model was produced using multiple regression, and indirect effects were tested using bootstrapping of 2000 samples. Results Results of analyses indicated that, among White, Asian, and Hispanic participants, self-reported depressive symptoms are indeed a significant, but only partial, mediator between participants' ACE score and their smoking status. Conclusions These results suggest that for smokers of White, Hispanic, and Asian ethnicity, screening for a history of ACEs and treatment for depressive symptoms may be indicated. However, while depressive symptoms may explain some of the associations between ACEs and smoking, these results suggest that other, unexamined factors also contribute to this pathway.
What Accounts for the Growth of Trade In Differentiated Goods: Economic Causes or Technological Imperatives?

Abstract This paper finds that income growth and technological factors are the major contributors to the growth of trade in differentiated goods. In contrast, tariff reduction seems to have little impact in the past two decades.