cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TRANSCRIPTIONAL REPRESSION OF C4 COMPLEMENT BY HEPATITIS C VIRUS PROTEINS

The fourth component of human complement (C4) plays an important role in innate immune function. C4 activity has been observed to be significantly lower in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, although the mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we have examined the mechanisms of C4 regulation by HCV. Liver biopsy specimens from patients with chronic HCV infections displayed significantly lower C4 mRNA levels than liver tissue samples from patients with unrelated liver disease. Further, C4 mRNA levels of the two isoforms (C4A and C4B) were significantly reduced in hepatocytes transfected with RNA from HCV genotype 1a or 2a. Subsequently, a significant C4 regulatory role of HCV core or NS5A upon C4 promoter activity was observed. HCV core or NS5A transgenic mice displayed a reduction in C4 mRNA. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-induced C4 promoter activation was also impaired in the presence of HCV proteins. We further demonstrated that HCV core reduced the expression of upstream stimulating factor 1 (USF-1), a transcription factor important for basal C4 expression. On the other hand, the expression of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1), which is important for IFN-γ-induced C4 expression, was inhibited by hepatocytes expressing HCV NS5A. These results underscore the roles of HCV proteins in innate immune regulation in establishing a chronic infection.
Immunohistochemical Identification of Canine Melanocytic Neoplasms With Antibodies to Melanocytic Antigen PNL2 and Tyrosinase Comparison With Melan A

The immunoreactivity of PNL2 and antityrosinase in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine melanocytic neoplasms (n = 101) was compared with that of Melan A. Of the 113 samples overall, 106 were positive for PNL2, 101 for Melan A, and 90 for tyrosinase. Six melanomas that were positive for PNL2 were negative for Melan A; 1 melanoma that was negative for PNL2 was positive for Melan A. Eighty tumors were positive for all 3 markers; 111 reacted with at least 1 the 3 antibodies. Decalcification with formic acid for up to 1 week did not affect immunoreactivity of any of the markers; however, decalcification with HCl for 1 day or 1 week notably decreased or completely abrogated immunoreactivity for Melan A and PNL2. There was only minor loss of immunoreactivity for tyrosinase in tissues decalcified with HCl for 1 week. Prolonged fixation (up to 2 months) did not affect PNL2 or tyrosinase immunoreactivity; however, Melan A immunoreactivity was reduced after 1 month of fixation. PNL2 was not expressed in 120 nonmelanocytic tumors (carcinomas, sarcomas, steroid-producing tumors, and leukocytic tumors). In summary, antibody PNL2 is slightly more sensitive than Melan A and more sensitive than tyrosinase in the identification of canine melanocytic neoplasms. Furthermore, PNL2 does not appear to cross-react with nonmelanocytic neoplasms. PNL2 is resistant to prolonged fixation but sensitive to strong decalcification. Results indicate that PNL2 is an excellent marker in the identification of canine melanomas and that the sensitivity is close to 100% when used in conjunction with Melan A and tyrosinase.
A Cellular Analysis of Inhibition in the Siphon Withdrawal Reflex of Aplysia

Recent behavioral experiments examining the siphon withdrawal reflex of Aplysia have revealed inhibitory effects of strong tail shock, a stimulus commonly used as an unconditioned stimulus in studies of associative and nonassociative learning in Aplysia. We utilized a reduced preparation to perform a cellular analysis of tail shock- induced inhibition in the siphon withdrawal reflex. First, we carried out behavioral studies that showed that the reduced preparation exhibits a siphon withdrawal reflex to water jet stimuli, and that tail shock produces inhibitory behavioral effects comparable to those in the intact animal: (1) strong shock produces transient inhibition of nonhabituated responses, and (2) a habituated response is facilitated by weak shock, but not by strong shock, suggesting that increasing tail shock intensity recruits the inhibitory process that competes with facilitation of habituated reflexes. Next, we carried out cellular studies that showed that the amplitude of the complex EPSP in siphon motor neurons elicited by water jet stimuli to the siphon also exhibits the inhibitory patterns produced by tail shock: (1) the nondecremented complex EPSP (a neural correlate of a nonhabituated siphon withdrawal reflex) is significantly inhibited 90 sec after strong tail shock and recovers to preshock levels 10 min later, and (2) the decremented complex EPSP (a neural correlate of a habituated reflex) is significantly facilitated by weak shock, but is not facilitated by strong shock. In addition to the complex EPSP, we simultaneously examined the monosynaptic connection between siphon sensory neurons and siphon motor neurons. The monosynaptic EPSP does not show the pattern of inhibitory modulation by tail shock exhibited by the siphon withdrawal reflex and the complex EPSP: (1) the nondecremented monosynaptic EPSP is not inhibited 90 sec after strong shock, but tends to be above preshock levels; and (2) the decremented monosynaptic EPSP is facilitated by weak as well as strong tail shock. Our results suggest that an important component of the inhibitory process triggered by strong tail shock is mediated by neural elements presynaptic to the siphon motor neurons. Because modulation of the monosynaptic connection between identified siphon sensory and siphon motor neurons does not parallel the tail shock-induced inhibitory patterns observed in the siphon withdrawal reflex and in the complex EPSP, other synaptic connections are likely to play an important role in mediating tail shock-induced inhibition in the siphon withdrawal reflex.
Early exercise boundary and option prices in Lévy driven models

Pricing and hedging of European, American, barrier options and interest rate derivatives for wide classes of Levy driven models is considered in situations where qualitative and quantitative differences between Gaussian and Levy modelling are most prominent, and the dependence on the choice of a family of Levy processes is analysed. Asymptotics of option prices near the barrier and expiry are calculated; for American options, two fast numerical methods are constructed. It is shown that for many classes of Levy processes, the early exercise boundary of the American put is separated from the strike by a non-vanishing margin, and as the riskless rate vanishes, the early exercise boundary tends to 0 uniformly over the interval [0, T). Implications for fitting of parameters are discussed.
On the Asymptotic Optimality of the SPT Rule for the Flow Shop Average Completion Time Problem

Consider a flow shop withM machines in series, through which a set of jobs are to be processed. All jobs have the same routing, and they have to be processed in the same order on each of the machines. The objective is to determine such an order of the jobs, often referred to as a permutation schedule, so as to minimize the total completion time of all jobs on the final machine. We show that when the processing times are statistically exchangeable across machines and independent across jobs, the Shortest ProcessingTime first (SPT) scheduling rule, based on the total service requirement of each job on allM machines, is asymptotically optimal as the total number of jobs goes to infinity. This extends a recent result of Kaminsky and Simchi-Levi (1996), in which a crucial assumption is that the processing times on allM machines for all jobs must be i.i.d.. Our work provides an alternative proof using martingales, which can also be carried out directly to show the asymptotic optimality of the weighted SPT rule for the Flow Shop Weighted Completion Time Problem.
A Recipe for Concept Similarity

: Sometimes your concept and mine have exactly the same content. When this is so, it is comparatively easy for me to understand what you say when you deploy your concept, for us to disagree, agree, and so on. But what if your concept and mine do not have exactly the same content? This question has occupied a number of philosophers, including Paul Churchland, Jerry Fodor, and Ernie Lepore. This paper develops a novel and rigorous measure of concept similarity, Proportion, such that concepts with different contents but sufficiently high Proportion scores will also conduce to understanding, agreement, and disagreement.
Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment on Sex Offender Recidivism Preliminary Results of a Longitudinal Study

Preliminary results from a longitudinal study of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatment with sex offenders are presented. The study's research design includes three groups: a treatment...
Bacterial 5'-nucleotidase activity in estuarine and coastal marine waters: Characterization of enzyme activity

We measured S-nucleotidase by following the hydrolysis of ATP and measured alkaline phosphatase by conventional fluorometric techniques. 5’-Nucleotidase (5PN) was found in all estuarine and coastal marine waters where measurements were made, regardless of the degree of eutrophication or phosphate concentrations. Its activity was usually concentrated in the bacterial size fraction. 5PN was competitively inhibited only by 5’-nucleotides and was distinguishable from alkaline phosphatase by both this substrate specificity and the lack of inhibition by low concentrations of orthophosphate. The percent of uptake of orthophosphate regenerated by 5PN was inversely related to the ambient phosphate concentration. Over 99% of the total nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) consumed each year by oceanic primary producers is supplied by regeneration (Harrison 1980), and 80% is provided by in situ regeneration in the upper 200 m. External sources such as riverflow and rainfall supply < 1%. P metabolism is particularly dependent on rapid regeneration of orthophosphate (Pi), because there is no biological P input process analogous to N fixation (Froelich 1984). Finally, since nucleotides and most other phosphorylated compounds do not cross cytoplasmic membranes (Lugtenberg 1987), P regeneration is largely an extracellular process, which is often catalyzed by cell-surface enzymes. In this paper, the term soluble reactive phosphate (SRP) will be used for inorganic P concentrations measured in natural wa
The 9300-Å Absorption Band in the Spectrum of Jupiter

Abstract Low-resolution spectrophotometry of Jupiter by Karkoschka (1994, Icarus 111 , 174–192) revealed a weak apparent absorption feature in the spectrum of Jupiter at 920–940 nm. This is the wavelength of the strong 2ν 1 +ν 3 band of H 2 O, and Karkoschka tentatively identified the feature as jovian H 2 O absorption. If this spectral feature is indeed due to H 2 O absorption, it would offer the exciting possibility of monitoring the jovian H 2 O with visible band spectroscopy. This feature has been seen in previous low-resolution spectroscopy of Jupiter such as that of Woodman et al. (1979, Icarus 37 , 73–83), but was not identified as jovian in origin because of uncertainties in extinction corrections for the very strong telluric H 2 O absorption. Cochran et al. (1995, Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 27 , 66) tentatively identified the feature as due to NH 3 , an identification that was supported by further low-resolution spectrophotometry by Karkoschka (1998, Icarus 133 , 134–146). Here we present high-resolution spectra ( R =155,000) of Jupiter using the 2dcoude spectrometer on the 2.7-m Harlan Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory, in order to make a definitive identification of this absorption feature. Observations were obtained when Jupiter was near quadrature in order to Doppler shift potential jovian H 2 O features away from the corresponding telluric lines. We demonstrate conclusively that the absorption band identified by Karkoschka is not, in fact, due to H 2 O. We present further evidence that it is most likely to be an absorption band of NH 3 . We searched our spectra carefully to attempt to identify absorption lines which are actually due to H 2 O, without success.
Productivity cycles of 200–300 years in the Antarctic Peninsula region: Understanding linkages among the sun, atmosphere, oceans, sea ice, and biota

Compared to the rest of the world9s oceans, high-resolution late Holocene paleoclimatic data from the Southern Ocean are still rare. We present a multiproxy record from a sediment core retrieved from a deep basin on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula that reveals a dramatic perspective on paleoclimatic changes over the past 3700 yr. Analyses completed include measurement of magnetic susceptibility and granulometry, bed thickness, particle size, percent organic carbon, bulk density, and microscopic evaluation of diatom and benthic foraminiferal assemblages and abundances. Downcore variability of these parameters demonstrates the significance of both short-term cycles, which recur approximately every 200 yr, and longer term events (≈2500 yr cycles) that are most likely related to global climatic fluctuations. In the upper 600 cm of the core, lower values of magnetic susceptibility (MS) are correlated with lower bulk density, the presence of thinly laminated units, specific diatom assemblages, and generally higher total organic carbon content. Below 600 cm, magnetic susceptibility is uniformly low, though variability in other parameters continues. The magnetic susceptibility signal is controlled primarily by dilution of ferromagnetic phases with biosiliceous material. This signal may be enhanced further by dissolution of magnetite in the magnetic susceptibility lows (high total organic carbon). The role of variable primary productivity and its relationship to paleoclimate is assessed through the diatom data. In particular, magnetic susceptibility lows are characterized by higher than normal abundances of Chaetoceros resting spores. Corethron criophilum and/or Rhizosolenia spp. also are found, as is a higher ratio of the most common species of Fragilariopsis versus species of Thalassiosira . These assemblages are indicative of periods of high primary productivity driven by the presence of a meltwater stabilized water column. The 200 yr cyclicity noted in other paleoclimatic records around the world suggests a global forcing mechanism, possibly solar variability. In addition to the cyclic changes in productivity, overall elevated productivity is noted below 600 cm, or prior to ca. 2500 yr B.P. This increased productivity may represent the tail end of a Holocene climatic optimum, which is widely recognized in other parts of the world, but as yet is poorly documented in Antarctica.
Structural Modeling of a Five-Meter Thin Film Inflatable Antenna/Concentrator With Rigidized Support Struts

Dynamic characterization of a non-rigidized thin film inflatable antenna/solar concentrator structure with rigidized composite support struts is described in detail. A two-step finite element modeling approach in MSC/NASTRAN is utilized, consisting of: (1) a nonlinear static pressurization procedure used to obtain the updated stiffness matrix, and (2) a modal "restart" eigen solution that uses the modified stiffness matrix. Unique problems encountered in modeling of this large 5-m lightweight inflatable are identified, including considerable difficulty in obtaining convergence in the nonlinear pressurization solution. It was found that the extremely thin polyimide film material (.001 in or I mil) presents tremendous problems in obtaining a converged solution when internal pressure loading is applied. It was concluded that the ratios of film thickness to other geometric dimensions such as torus cross-sectional and ring diameter and lenticular diameter are the critical parameters for convergence of the pressurization procedure. Comparison of finite element predictions for frequency and mode shapes with experimental results indicated reasonable agreement considering the complexity of the structure, the film-to-air interaction, and the nonlinear material properties of the film. It was also concluded that analysis should be done using different finite element to codes to determine if a more robust and stable solution can be obtained.
The L5178Y/TK Gene Mutation Assay System

The L5178Y/TK+ ➙ TK− assay is one of several recognized mammalian cell systems for estimating the genotoxic potential of environmental or commercial chemicals. In a typical test application, thymidine kinase- competent (TK+) 3.7.2C L5178Y cells are exposed to five or more different concentrations of the test substance for 1–4 hr, maintained 48–72 hr in growth medium, then cloned in soft-agar medium in a single-step selection process to detect mutagen-induced thymidine kinase-deficient (TK−) variants. Independent validation studies(11,15,30) have demonstrated that this assay is sensitive to more than 20 known genotoxic chemicals. This short-term mutagenesis assay is a good predictor of mammalian carcinogenicity, with few “false positive” results in those studies where noncarcinogens were tested.(8)
Mesh analysis for extracting the S-parameters of lumped element RF and microwave circuits

This paper demonstrates the applicability of basic mesh current circuit analysis techniques, usually learned in the first year of engineering studies, to lumped element RF circuits, which are usual...
Abstract 3921: Amplification of the TFAP2B gene and upregulation of its gene products promote human bronchial epithelial cell (HBEC) transformation and carcinogenesis

We previously showed that the transcription factor AP2B (TFAP2B) protein could specifically bind to the promoter of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and selectively activate hTERT in lung cancer cells but not in normal cells. The common 5p15.33 and 6p21.33 chromosomal variants that harbor the hTERT and TFAP2B genes, have been identified as susceptibility loci for lung cancer and show a significant autosomal copy number gain in lung adenocarcinoma. We tested the hypothesis that amplification of the TFAP2B gene and up-regulation of its gene products can transform lung cells and promote tumorigenesis. We first analyzed levels of TFAP2B gene expression in human lung cancer cell lines, small-airway epithelial cells (SAECs),primary normal HBEC and in immortalized or transformed HBECs by gene expression profiling on gene microarrays. Levels of TFAP2B gene expression varied significantly between different cell lines but on average were greater than those of primary normal HBECs and SAECs. A linkage distance cluster analysis of the TFAP2B pathway-associated genes showed a significant classification of lung cancer cell types, distinguishing tumor cells from normal ones. Differential expression of the TFAP2B gene in normal lung and cancer cells was confirmed by qRT-PCR. We analyzed copy number variations (CNVs) specifically linked to hTERT and TFAP2B loci by mining the published genome-wide SNP data set from 370 NSCLC tumor samples and confirmed a significant copy number gain for both hTERT and TFAP2B with average copy numbers of 4.5 and 3.5, respectively. We performed immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of TFAP2B protein expression in 30 paired human lung tumors and normal lung tissues that are immediately ( Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3921.
Observations on rats fed with Yellow A.B.

ConclusionUnder the condition of the above experiment, Yellow A. B. (1-phenyl-azo-2-naphthylamine) is not a carcinogenic substance.
Energy component analysis of π interactions

Fundamental features of biomolecules, such as their structure, solvation, and crystal packing and even the docking of drugs, rely on noncovalent interactions. Theory can help elucidate the nature of these interactions, and energy component analysis reveals the contributions from the various intermolecular forces: electrostatics, London dispersion terms, induction (polarization), and short-range exchange–repulsion. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) provides one method for this type of analysis.In this Account, we show several examples of how SAPT pro-vides insight into the nature of noncovalent π-interactions. In cation−π interactions, the cation strongly polarizes electrons in π-orbitals, leading to substantially attractive induction terms. This polarization is so important that a cation and a benzene attract each other when placed in the same plane, even though a consideration of the electrostatic interactions alone would suggest otherwise. SAPT analysis can also support an understanding of sub...
Molecular pathogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma: Mechanistic and prognostic significance of aberrant methylation

3238 Aberrant methylation is implicated in the development of a variety of solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We show here that genome wide hypomethylation and CpG hypermethylation correlate with biological features and clinical outcome of human HCC. Both parameters reached the highest levels in HCCs from patients with shorter survival length, in parallel with increasing genomic instability and upregulation of de novo DNA Methyltransferases (DNMTs) 1, 3A, and 3b. A progressive rise in Interleukin 6 and Fli-1 levels was responsible for upregulation of DNMT1, but not DNMT3s, in surrounding non-neoplastic livers and HCCs. Methylation-specific PCR and combined bisulphite restriction analyses of 100 putative tumor suppressor gene promoters identified the genes both universally and specifically inactivated in distinct subgroups of HCCs based on the length of patient’s survival. In particular, we identified activation of the Ras, Jak/Stat, and canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathways via epigenetic silencing on of Ras (ARHI, LOX, NORE1A, RASSF1A, and RIG), Jak/Stat (CIS, PIAS-1, PIAS-γ, SOCS1, 2, 3, and SHP1), and Wnt/β-catenin (APC, E-cadherin, SFRP1, 2, 4, 5, and WIF-1) inhibitors in the majority of HCCs, regardless of clinicopathological features of HCC patients. Furthermore, selective inactivation of genes controlling EGFR signaling and angiogenesis (e.g. SPRY1, 2, SOCS4, 5, EGLN2, BNIP3) was associated with an unfavorable outcome. Taken together, our results assign a therapeutic significance to methylation patterns in human HCC. Treatment approaches aimed at modifying the methylation status and utilizing novel molecular targets identified in this study may inhibit HCC development and progression.
Telemedicine and Diabetic Retinopathy: Review of Published Screening Programs.

Background Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide even though successful treatments exist. Improving screening and treatment could avoid many cases of vision loss. However, due to an increasing prevalence of diabetes, traditional in-person screening for DR for every diabetic patient is not feasible. Telemedicine is one viable solution to provide high-quality and efficient screening to large number of diabetic patients. Purpose To provide a narrative review of large DR telemedicine screening programs. Methods Articles were identified through a comprehensive search of the English-language literature published between 2000 and 2014. Telemedicine screening programs were included for review if they had published data on at least 150 patients and had available validation studies supporting their model. Screening programs were then categorized according to their American Telemedicine Association Validation Level. Results Seven programs from the US and abroad were identified and included in the review. Three programs were Category 1 programs (Ophdiat, EyePacs, and Digiscope), two were Category 2 programs (Eye Check, NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Program), and two were Category 3 programs (Joslin Vision Network, Alberta Screening Program). No program was identified that claimed category 4 status. Programs ranged from community or city level programs to large nationwide programs including millions of individuals. The programs demonstrated a high level of clinical accuracy in screening for DR. There was no consensus amongst the programs regarding the need for dilation, need for stereoscopic images, or the level of training for approved image graders. Conclusion Telemedicine programs have been clinically validated and successfully implemented across the globe. They can provide a high-level of clinical accuracy for screening for DR while improving patient access in a cost-effective and scalable manner.
Coating Thickness and its Measurement

A measurement of the thickness of a deposited coating is possibly the most important single test to be carried out after the deposition. Sometimes there are locations that are more prone to wear, and at these, above all, an adequate coating thickness is essential. Because this parameter is so critical, an array of measurement methods has evolved over time, and only the most important are described in the chapter. Most such methods can be classified as destructive or non-destructive. In the former case, a distinction can be made between methods where only the coating is destroyed and those where the entire component is sacrificed. Both destructive and nondestructive methods can also be classified in terms of their underlying physical or chemical principles. Destructive methods have the advantage that on the whole they can be carried out with relatively simple methods like microscopic methods, oblique sectioning method, while nondestructive methods like Eddy Current Method and X-ray Fluorescence Techniques are all based on physical properties of the materials involved, whether it is atomic number, electrical conductivity, or magnetic permeability. Microscopic methods for thickness estimation are extremely valuable, especially when the coating is applied over a smooth surface. The main advantage of non-destructive test methods is that one is able to test much larger numbers, so bringing greater confidence to the results obtained. It also makes possible quality control in real time, for example, when large numbers of small parts are being coated.
Translingual Practices and Neoliberal Policies

In this book, I respond to recent criticisms that the research and theorization of multilingualism by applied linguists are in collusion with neoliberal policies and economic interests. While acknowledging that neoliberal agencies can appropriate diverse languages and language practices, including resources and dispositions theorized by scholars of multilingualism, I argue that we have to distinguish the language ideologies informing communicative practices. Those of neoliberal agencies are motivated by distinct ideological orientations that diverge from the theorization of multilingual practices by critical applied linguists. I draw from my empirical research on skilled migration to demonstrate how sub-Saharan African professionals in English-dominant workplaces in UK, USA, Australia, and South Africa resist the neoliberal communicative expectations to deploy alternate practices informed by critical dispositions. These practices have the potential to reconfigure neoliberal orientations to material development. I label the latter as informed by a postcolonial language ideology, to distinguish it from that of neoliberalism. While neoliberal agencies keep languages separated and hierarchical, treating them as instrumental for profit-making purposes, my informants focus on the synergy between languages to generate new meanings and norms, which are strategically negotiated for ethical interests, inclusive interactions, and holistic ecological development. I thus clarify that the way critical scholars and multilinguals relate to language diversity is different from the way neoliberal policies and agencies use multilingualism for their purposes.
Novel tumor suppressor microRNA at frequently deleted chromosomal region 8p21 regulates epidermal growth factor receptor in prostate cancer.

// Nathan Bucay 1, * , Kirandeep Sekhon 1, * , Shahana Majid 1 , Soichiro Yamamura 1 , Varahram Shahryari 1 , Z. Laura Tabatabai 1 , Kirsten Greene 1 , Yuichiro Tanaka 1 , Rajvir Dahiya 1 , Guoren Deng 1 , Sharanjot Saini 1 1 Department of Urology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco and University of California San Francisco, CA, USA * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Sharanjot Saini, email: Sharanjot.Saini@ucsf.edu Keywords: prostate cancer, miR-3622b, EGFR, chr8p21, tumor suppressor Received: May 24, 2016 Accepted: August 13, 2016 Published: September 06, 2016 ABSTRACT Genomic loss of chromosome (chr) 8p21 region, containing prostate-specific NKX3.1 gene, is a frequent alteration of the prostate cancer (PCa) oncogenome. We propose a novel, paradigm shifting hypothesis that this frequently deleted locus is also associated with a cluster of microRNA genes- miR-3622a/b- that are lost in PCa and play an important mechanistic role in progression and metastasis. In this study, we demonstrate the role of miR-3622b in prostate cancer. Expression analyses in a cohort of PCa clinical specimens and cell lines show that miR-3622b expression is frequently lost in prostate cancer. Low miR-3622b expression was found to be associated with tumor progression and poor biochemical recurrence-free survival. Further, our analyses suggest that miR-3622b expression is a promising prostate cancer diagnostic biomarker that exhibits 100% specificity and 66% sensitivity. Restoration of miR-3622b expression in PCa cell lines led to reduced cellular viability, proliferation, invasiveness, migration and increased apoptosis. miR-3622b overexpression in vivo induced regression of established prostate tumor xenografts pointing to its therapeutic potential. Further, we found that miR-3622b directly represses Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). In conclusion, our study suggests that miR-3622b plays a tumor suppressive role and is frequently downregulated in prostate cancer, leading to EGFR upregulation. Importantly, miR-3622b has associated diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic potential. Considering the association of chr8p21 loss with poor prognosis, our findings are highly significant and support a novel concept that associates a long standing observation of frequent loss of a chromosomal region with a novel miRNA in prostate cancer.
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of A beta 42 and tau: potential markers of Alzheimer's disease.

CSF levels of proteins related to the lesions of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) may be informative. These include the microtubule-associated protein tau, an integral component of neurofibrillary tangles, and Aβ, a 4kDa protein that accumulates in senile plaque amyloid. Many studies have found that CSF tau is increased in AD compared to normal controls (NC). CSF tau may be increased in a minority of patients with destructive neurological disorders or several neurodegenerative conditions, making its use in differential diagnosis less clear. CSF tau consists of fragments that lack extensive phosphorylation. CSF levels of Aβ species ending at residue 40 are unchanged in AD. However species ending at residue 42 (Aβ42) are significantly decreased in AD compared to NC. Decreased Aβ42 may be found in patients with other dementias, some of whom may harbor AD pathology. Simultaneous measurement of CSF Aβ42 and tau may improve discrimination between AD and NC, and may facilitate the diagnosis of early stage AD.
Measurement of Antioxidant Activity toward Superoxide in Natural Waters

Antioxidants are a class of molecules that provide a protective function against reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems by out competing physiologically important molecules for ROS oxidation. In natural waters, the reactivity of antioxidants gives an estimate of oxidative stress and may determine the reactivity and distribution of reactive oxidants. We present an analytical method to measure antioxidant activity in natural waters through the competition between ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and MCLA, a chemiluminescent probe for superoxide. A numerical kinetic model of the analytical method has been developed to optimize analytical performance. Measurements of antioxidant concentrations in pure and seawater are possible with detection limits below 0.1 nM. Surface seawater samples collected at solar noon contained over 0.4 nM of antioxidants and exhibited first-order decay with a half-life of 3-7 minutes, consistent with a reactive species capable of scavenging photochemically produced superoxide.
Life-history traits of wild honey bee colonies living in forests around Ithaca, NY, USA

Wild honey bee colonies—both truly wild (in trees and buildings) and simulated wild (in small hives)—were studied to determine their life-history traits, to see if these traits have changed now that these colonies are infested with Varroa destructor. Most colonies (97%) survive summers, but only 23% of founder (first-year) colonies and 84% of established colonies survive winters. Established colonies have a mean lifespan of 5–6 years and most (87%) have a queen turnover (probably by swarming) each summer. A population model shows that these life-history traits produce a stable population of colonies. Remarkably, the suite of colony life-history traits found in the 2010s (with V. destructor) matches that found in the 1970s (without V. destructor). It seems likely that the wild colonies living near Ithaca, NY, possess defenses against V. destructor that are not costly.
Cylindrical Waveguide Problems

In this chapter we consider various problems associated with scattering within a cylindrical waveguide environment. We first discuss some general concepts relating to magnetic potential and electric Green’s dyadics of the first and second kinds. Then, a variety of integral equations are formulated for waveguide scattering problems, including the problem of an infinite waveguide containing perfectly conducting obstacles, an infinite waveguide with apertures that couple energy to the region outside the waveguide, semi-infinite waveguides coupled through apertures in a common ground plane, and semi-infinite waveguides containing perfectly conducting obstacles and coupled through apertures in a common ground plane. In these sections the background waveguide (i.e., the waveguide with all apertures and obstacles removed) contains a homogeneous medium, and all formulations utilize the corresponding dyadic Green’s function for the background waveguide. These Green’s dyadics are developed via a scalar partial eigenfunction expansion method, and explicit forms are provided for the special case of rectangular waveguides.
Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis in Cardiac Surgery Patients: Is Less More?

See related article, p 2769 Carotid stenosis is a known risk factor for stroke after heart surgery1; yet, outcome of surgeries combining carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is worse than after CABG alone.2 It is not clear, however, whether this difference in outcomes is because of inherent differences in those people needing combined surgeries, who likely have more extensive vascular disease, as compared with individuals only requiring isolated CABG procedures. As a result of these differences in outcomes, other management options have been considered: previous studies have evaluated combined CEA or carotid stenting with CABG surgery, or staged surgeries, with some findings suggesting that stenting might be preferred in this population3 and that staged procedures might do better than combined procedures,4 but other studies failing to find a difference in outcome based on staged versus synchronous procedures.5 To date, no large clinical trial had directly compared therapy options head-to-head, which is why the safety of simultaneous CABG and carotid endarterectomy versus isolated CABG (CABACS [Coronary Artery Bypass graft surgery in patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis]) trial by Weimar et al,6 published in this issue of Stroke , is …
Why Parents Should Enhance Their Children

Christopher Freiman argues that parents have a defeasible moral obligation to use biotechnological enhancements to improve their children’s health and well-being. Freiman is skeptical that the distinction between an environmental enhancement and a biological enhancement is morally significant in its own right. Freiman also rejects the claims that parents must only pursue treatment but not enhancement, as well as the claim that parents should avoid enhancement on the grounds that they are likely to do more harm than good by attempting to actively control their children. Freiman concludes by considering the social costs and benefits of allowing parents to enhance their children, and ultimately maintains that even if there are some social costs and if enhancement strikes some people as repugnant, concerns about costs and feelings of repugnance do not undermine the case in favor of enhancing one’s children.
Social Security and Saving: A Time-Series Econometrics Pedagogical Example (With "R" Code).

ABSTRACTIn 1974, and then again in 1996, Martin Feldstein published studies of the impact of the Social Security system on private saving in the U.S. economy. He found that Social Security depressed personal saving by a substantial amount—up to 50 percent. The author uses the Feldstein data and empirical models in this article to illustrate the steps in analyzing distributed lag problems. These particular data and methods exemplify, among other things, unit roots, autocorrelated residuals, spurious regression, trend breaks, and cointegration. As such, they provide an excellent pedagogical case study. All R code for this article is provided so that students may replicate and extend the included models and results.
Genitourinary Tract Infections Due to Atypical Mycobacteria

AbstractA patient with chronic prostatitis caused by Mycobacterium kansasii is reported, demonstrating that these organisms occasionally cause urinary tract infections. Criteria useful in evaluating the clinical significance ofatypical mycobacteria isolated from the urine are suggested. Application of these criteria to 19 patients encounteredinroutine clinical practice demonstrates their usefulness.
Feeling normal: sexuality and media criticism in the digital age

Where did you get your first glimpse of sexuality? For many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens the answer is through media consumption. As Griffin states in, Feeling normal: Sexuality an...
A virtual pointer to support the adoption of professional vision in laparoscopic training

To assess a virtual pointer in supporting surgical trainees’ development of professional vision in laparoscopic surgery. We developed a virtual pointing and telestration system utilizing the Microsoft Kinect movement sensor as an overlay for any imagine system. Training with the application was compared to a standard condition, i.e., verbal instruction with un-mediated gestures, in a laparoscopic training environment. Seven trainees performed four simulated laparoscopic tasks guided by an experienced surgeon as the trainer. Trainee performance was subjectively assessed by the trainee and trainer, and objectively measured by number of errors, time to task completion, and economy of movement. No significant differences in errors and time to task completion were obtained between virtual pointer and standard conditions. Economy of movement in the non-dominant hand was significantly improved when using virtual pointer ( $$p = 0.012$$ ). The trainers perceived a significant improvement in trainee performance in virtual pointer condition ( $$p < 0.001$$ ), while the trainees perceived no difference. The trainers’ perception of economy of movement was similar between the two conditions in the initial three runs and became significantly improved in virtual pointer condition in the fourth run ( $$p = 0.017$$ ). Results show that the virtual pointer system improves the trainer’s perception of trainee’s performance and this is reflected in the objective performance measures in the third and fourth training runs. The benefit of a virtual pointing and telestration system may be perceived by the trainers early on in training, but this is not evident in objective trainee performance until further mastery has been attained. In addition, the performance improvement of economy of motion specifically shows that the virtual pointer improves the adoption of professional vision— improved ability to see and use laparoscopic video results in more direct instrument movement.
Heterogeneity in Metastatic Breast Cancer 18F-Fluoroestradiol Uptake: Clinically Actionable, Biologically Illuminating?

> See the associated article on page [1212][1]. Metastatic breast cancer from an estrogen receptor (ER)–positive primary tumor is rarely cured, but patients often live for many years with their disease ([1][2]). A wide range of therapy regimens are available, including endocrine therapy,
Behavioral State and Cardiac Arrhythmias

experimental study of the influence of behavioral states such as sleep and wakefulness on susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias constitutes an area in which notable advances have been made. This has been largely due to the development of well-defined behavioral models and to the evolution of quantitative methods for assessing myocardial electrical stability. The advent of improved pharmacological probes to factor out the effects of the various components of the nervous system and the refinement of selective denervation procedures have contributed further to elucidation of mechanisms.
An Introduction to the Synthesis of Block- and Graft Copolymers

This chapter concerns the synthesis of sequential copolymers, i.e., copolymers comprising at least two reasonably long sequences of uniform repeat units. Sequential copolymers are generally subdivided into block and graft copolymers. Random, statistical and alternating copolymers will not be considered in this chapter.
Some recent developments in elastic waves in solids

Three topics on recent developments in elastic waves which are of special interest to researchers in experimental mechanics are discussed. They are: (1) the elastic waves in anisotropic media with particular reference to waves in fiber-reinforced composite materials; (2) the coupled thermoelastic waves in isotropic or anisotropic media; and (3) the interaction of elastic waves with magnetic fields in nonferrous metals, polycrystalline ferromagnetic alloys and saturated ferrimagnetic crystals.
Existence and stability of spatially localized patterns

Abstract Spatially localized patterns have been observed in numerous physical contexts, and their bifurcation diagrams often exhibit similar snaking behavior: symmetric solution branches, connected by bifurcating asymmetric solution branches, wind back and forth in an appropriate parameter. Previous papers have addressed existence of such solutions; here we address their stability, taking the necessary first step of unifying existence and uniqueness proofs for symmetric and asymmetric solutions. We then show that, under appropriate assumptions, temporal eigenvalues of the front and back underlying a localized solution are added with multiplicity in the right half plane. In a companion paper, we analyze the behavior of eigenvalues at λ = 0 and inside the essential spectrum. Our results show that localized snaking solutions are stable if, and only if, the underlying fronts and backs are stable: unlike localized non-oscillatory solutions, no interaction eigenvalues are present. We use the planar Swift–Hohenberg system to illustrate our results.
Rapid Prototyping of Constrained Linear Quadratic Optimal Control with Field Programmable Analog Array

Recent advances in embedded model predictive control (MPC) have paved the way for MPC technology in highspeed systems and resource-constrained applications. In this paper, we exploit analog circuit emulation of constrained Linear Quadratic (LQ) problem for rapid prototyping of MPC on fast reconfigurable analog processors such as Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA). The inherent massively parallel structure of the underling solution dynamics and the possibility of signal scaling through appropriate pre-conditioning mean that MPC can be reliably implemented using low-power ultrafast analog circuits. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated for a two-integrator MPC problem.
A Farewell to Air Gaps, Part 2

Air gaps have never been an effective deterrent to a determined state-sponsored aggressor. This is just one of the lessons we learned from Stuxnet and the Farewell incident, and I will describe a few others. This is the second part of a two-part series. Part 1 is in the June 2015 issue at 10.1109/MC.2015.179.
Neonatal Obstructive Uropathy

Obstructive uropathy describes a condition where renal function has been adversely affected by impairment of flow of urine within the collecting system. This condition can be congenital, acquired, reversible, and irreversible. Peters proposed a similar definition for congenital urinary obstruction in children of “a condition of impaired urinary drainage which, if uncorrected, will limit the ultimate functional potential of a developing kidney” [32]. Obstructive uropathy is an important cause of end-stage renal disease in newborns and children [38]. Identification of obstruction and relief of it can minimize its deleterious effect on renal function. This seems obvious, however current clinical criteria, in the form of laboratory or radiographic investigations, to recognize this category of patients is challenging.
Combining Standard Essential Patents: Bargaining in the Market for Technology

The market for technology makes "new combinations" of Standard Essential Patents to form complex innovations, such as smart phones or connected cars. Bargaining fosters efficient combinations of inventions. With bargaining and upward-sloping supply curves, royalties do not distort producer decisions and product markets attain efficiency. Royalties with bargaining are less than with bundled inventions. Bundling inventions increases incentives to invent because the incremental returns to invention with bundled inventions exceed average returns when there are independent inventors. Downstream competition can increase (decrease) incentives to invent as in Arrow (Schumpeter) depending on elasticities of demand and supply.
Sensing a change in the wind

A review is presented of new airborne sensors that enable better prediction of dangerous low-altitude windshear and microburst conditions. This research includes studies of the basic atmospheric physics and meteorology of microbursts that create windshear conditions; numerical simulation of windshear velocity, precipitation, and thermal fields; and simulation of the measurement performance of candidate sensor technologies. Based on this research, lidar, Doppler radar, and passive IR technologies all show promise for providing airborne forward-looking windshear detection.
Where Do We Go Next

In conclusion, this chapter first ties together these disparate activities in the period since 1990: urban legend debunking, political fact-checking, public service sites intended to protect people against computer viruses, academic study of contemporary legends, grade B horror movies, and truth-or-fiction television programming. The chapter then identifies six ways to build on this study: first, other topics involving scrutiny in the United States in the period 1990–2015, such as consumer protection in a world dominated by advertising; second, extension of coverage to events outside the United States, such as urban legends or political fact-checking in other countries; third, extending the coverage back in time prior to 1990, such as scrutiny during the early twentieth century in connection with Progressivism; fourth, a deeper analysis of the concept of authenticity, which so far has been most studied in the context of art forgery and is otherwise relatively unstudied; fifth, connecting this study to the emerging field of information history, for this study has close ties to two main topics of information history – misinformation and overabundance of information; and finally, sixth, tying this work more closely to computing history, both by examining the use of computing technologies and not the technologies themselves, and by examining the pre-history of the Internet more closely by examining bulletin boards, Usenet, and online service providers that predate the public Internet.