cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CBX2 identified as driver of anoikis escape and dissemination in high grade serous ovarian cancer

High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Chromobox 2 (CBX2), a polycomb repressor complex subunit, plays an oncogenic role in other cancers, but little is known about its role in HGSOC. We hypothesize that CBX2 upregulation promotes HGSOC via induction of a stem-like transcriptional profile and inhibition of anoikis. Examination of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) established that increased CBX2 expression conveyed chemoresistance and worse disease-free and overall survival. In primary HGSOC tumors, we observed CBX2 expression was significantly elevated compared to benign counterparts. In HGSOC cell lines, forced suspension promoted CBX2 expression. Subsequently, CBX2 knockdown inhibited anchorage-independent proliferation and potentiated anoikis-dependent apoptosis. Furthermore, CBX2 knockdown re-sensitized cells to platinum-based chemotherapy. Forced suspension promoted increased ALDH activity and ALDH3A1 expression and CBX2 knockdown led to a decrease in both ALDH activity and ALDH3A1 expression. Investigation of CBX2 expression on a HGSOC tissue microarray revealed CBX2 expression was apparent in both primary and metastatic tissues. CBX2 is an important regulator of stem-ness, anoikis escape, HGSOC dissemination, and chemoresistance and potentially serves as a novel therapeutic target.
Is Use of Warning Lights and Sirens Associated With Increased Risk of Ambulance Crashes? A Contemporary Analysis Using National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) Data

Study objective We compare reported crash rates for US ambulances responding to or transporting patients from a 911 emergency scene with or without lights and sirens. Our null hypothesis is that there will be no difference in the rate of ambulance crashes whether lights and sirens are used. Methods For this retrospective cohort study, we used the 2016 National EMS Information System data set to identify 911 scene responses and subsequent patient transports by transport-capable emergency medical services (EMS) units. We used the system's "response mode to scene" and "transport mode from scene" fields to determine lights and sirens use. We used the "type of response delay" and "type of transport delay" fields to identify responses and transports that were delayed because of a crash involving the ambulance. We calculated the rate of crash-related delays per 100,000 responses or transports and used multivariable logistic regression with clustered (by agency) standard errors to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for the association between crash-related delays and lights and sirens use for responses and transports separately. Results Among 19 million included 911 scene responses, the response phase crash rate was 4.6 of 100,000 without lights and sirens and 5.4 of 100,000 with lights and sirens (AOR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9). For the transport phase, the crash rate was 7.0 of 100,000 without lights and sirens and 17.1 of 100,000 with lights and sirens (AOR 2.9; 95% CI 2.2 to 3.9). Excluding responses and transports with only partial lights and sirens use did not meaningfully alter the results (response AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9; transport AOR 2.8, 95% CI 2.1 to 3.8). Conclusion Ambulance use of lights and sirens is associated with increased risk of ambulance crashes. The association is greatest during the transport phase. EMS providers should weigh these risks against any potential time savings associated with lights and sirens use.
Streptococcus mutans serotypes and collagen-binding proteins Cnm/Cbm in children with caries analysed by PCR.

Streptococcus mutans, a primary bacterium associated with dental caries, has four known clinical serotypes (c, e, fand k). Certain serotypes, the presence of multiple serotypes and strains with collagen-binding proteins (CBP, Cnm and Cbm) have been linked with systemic disease. Evaluation of S mutans serotype distribution and caries association is needed in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of S mutans serotypes from two cohorts of African-American children in rural Alabama using three sample types (saliva, plaque and individual S mutans isolates) by PCR detection for association with caries. Detection of CBP was also performed by PCR. In total, 129 children were evaluated and overall prevalence of serotypes were: serotype c(98%), e(26%), f(7%) and k(52%). Serotype c was statistically associated with higher caries scores in older children (P < 0.001) and serotype k was statistically more likely in females (P = 0.004). Fourteen per cent of children had CBP. Thirteen S mutans isolates from five children tested positive for both CBP. This study is the first to report on the prevalence of S mutans serotypes in a US population using the PCR-based approach. The frequency of serotype k in this study is the highest reported in any population, illustrating the need for further study to determine the prevalence of this clinically relevant serotype in the US. This is the first study to report S mutans isolates with both Cnm and Cbm in the same strain, and further analysis is needed to determine the clinical significance of these strains.
Statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy: An uncommon complication of a commonly used medication.

Abstract A well-known side effect of statin therapy is myopathy. We report a case of statin induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy, a rare variant of statin-induced myopathy. A 64-year-old gentleman on atorvastatin presented with muscle weakness. Initial laboratory results showed elevated liver function tests, a creatine phosphokinase (CPK) of 8200 IU/L, and positive urine myoglobin. Despite discontinuing atorvastatin, his CPK remained persistently elevated. Muscle biopsy was consistent with necrotizing myopathy. Anti-HMG CoA reductase antibody was strongly positive. Steroids followed by intravenous immunoglobulin were given. The patient’s muscle weakness, CPK, and liver functions gradually improved, and he was eventually discharged on oral steroids. Statin induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy should be considered when discontinuing statin does not lead to muscle recovery and improvement in CPK. Diagnosis is confirmed by positive anti-HMG-CoA reductase autoantibody.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Decreases Spatial Information Content and Reduces Place Field Stability of Hippocampal CA1 Neurons

Both clinical and experimental studies have reported that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can result in cognitive impairments in the absence of overt brain damage. Whether these impairments resu...
Effect of Roughness and Elasticity on Interactions between Charged Colloidal Spheres.

The effects of realistic roughness and elasticity on the interactions between charged silica spheres are studied as a function of surface potential, screening length, interfacial energy, and roughness. The repulsive force Frep that must be overcome to bring charged spheres into contact is relatively insensitive to elasticity unless spheres are hundreds of times softer than silica. Frep is also insensitive to roughness and interfacial energy. In contrast, roughness has a large effect on the binding energy of spheres and the force Fsep to separate them. Both are lowered by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude by the measured surface roughness of less than 1 nm on 1 μm silica spheres. The reason is that interactions between rigid spheres are dominated by the highest surface peaks rather than the entire spherical surface. Elasticity can increase the pull-off force of rough spheres by a factor of 2 or more because additional surface area can be brought into contact. The implications of these results for shear-thickening transitions are discussed.
Deterministic tools to predict recovery performance of carbonated water injection

Abstract Carbonated water injection (CWI) is an efficient oil recovery method, which provides solution to the drawbacks of existing related recovery techniques such as water flooding and pure CO2 injection. The recovery factor achieved from CWI is considerably higher than that for related CO2- enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, due to effective transport phenomena involved in the displacement process. Additionally, the sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 makes CWI even more attractive for practical implications. Although CWI has been experimentally proven to be an efficient technique, simulation/mathematical models to capture detailed CWI physics have been unreliable because of the complex recovery mechanisms associated with CWI. A majority of models have been developed based on unrealistic assumptions. Thus, existing models become doubtful and the confidence to apply CWI in the larger scales such as pilot plants becomes low. In this research work, smart methods such as artificial neural network (ANN), least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), and gene expression programming (GEP) are suggested to avoid the impractical and inconclusive assumptions. The connectionist techniques (e.g., ANN, LSSVM, and GEP) relate the recovery factor (RF) to the key input parameters such as pressure, temperature, viscosity, permeability, and injection rate based on pattern recognition without detailed knowledge about the process as well as use of the governing equations. The performance of the deterministic models is evaluated through using statistical parameters such as mean squared error (MSE), maximum absolute percentage error (MAAPE), minimum absolute percentage error (MIAPE), and goodness of fit (R2). The results reveal that the ANN model has the lowest MSE (0.35), MIAPE (0.001), and MAAPE (2.47), and the highest R2 (0.99) in the testing phase. Based on the sensitivity analysis, pressure is recognized as the most important parameter, while temperature has the least rank in terms of significance. The findings of this research study can assist engineers and researchers to provide a reasonable estimation of RF achievable from CWI, which can be an asset in better management and planning of CWI processes toward optimal conditions in terms of technical, economic, and environmental prospects.
Maternal racial and ethnic disparities in glycemic threshold for pharmacotherapy initiation for gestational diabetes.

Objective: To compare the glycemic threshold for pharmacotherapy initiation in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) based on maternal race/ethnicity.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of women ...
Predictors of Emotional Engagement in Online Graduate Nursing Students.

Background Student engagement, specifically emotional engagement, is a predictor to positive learning outcomes and academic success. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness have been associated with engagement; however, these studies have not been done in nursing. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine if autonomy, competence, and relatedness predicted emotional engagement among graduate nursing students in the online learning environment. Methods A descriptive, correlational design was used to determine the levels of and relationships among emotional engagement and autonomy, competence, and relatedness as well as predictors of emotional engagement in students (n = 123) in online nursing programs. Results Findings revealed that students were emotionally engaged in their learning, and competence was the only predictor of emotional engagement. Conclusion Competency-based learning strategies should be implemented in online learning environments to increase the emotional engagement of graduate nursing students.
A Novel DCR Current Sensing Scheme for Accurate Current Readback in Power uModule Applications

Inductors with ultra-low DC resistance (DCR) are preferred in DC-DC converters due to low power loss and high efficiency. Previous lossless DCR current sensing method suffers from bad current readback accuracy for ulta-low DCR inductors, due to leakage pin current of the controller. This paper proposes a novel accurate current sensing scheme to improve the current readback accuracy. Only one resistor and one capacitor are added into previous DCR current sensing scheme to balance the leakage pin current and improve noise immunity performance. The proposed scheme is low cost, and very simple for implementation. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed current sensing scheme. With the proposed current sensing scheme, +-3% current readback accuracy can be achieved in industry power uModule products [1] [2].
A Pilot Study of Cardiac MRI in Breast Cancer Survivors After Cardiotoxic Chemotherapy and Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy.

Purpose/Objectives Node-positive breast cancer patients often receive chemotherapy and regional nodal irradiation. The cardiotoxic effects of these treatments, however, may offset some of the survival benefit. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an emerging modality to assess cardiac injury. This is a pilot trial assessing cardiac damage using CMR in patients who received anthracycline-based chemotherapy and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) regional nodal irradiation using heart constraints. Materials and Methods Node-positive breast cancer patients (2000-2008) treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy and 3DCRT regional nodal irradiation (including the internal mammary chain nodes) with heart ventricular constraints (V25 < 10%) were invited to participate. Cardiac tissues were contoured and analyzed separately for whole heart (pericardium) and for combined ventricles and left atrium (myocardium). CMR obtained ventricular function/dimensions, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), global longitudinal strain (GLS), and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) as measures of cardiac injury and/or early fibrosis. CMR parameters were correlated with dose-volume constraints using Spearman correlations. Results Fifteen left-sided and five right-sided patients underwent CMR. Median diagnosis age was 50 (32-77). No patients had baseline cardiac disease before regional nodal irradiation. Median time after 3DCRT was 8.3 years (5.2-14.4). Median left-sided mean heart dose (MHD) was 4.8 Gy (1.1-11.2) and V25 was 5.7% (0-12%). Median left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 63%. No abnormal LGE was observed. No correlations were seen between whole heart doses and LVEF, LV mass, GLS, or LV dimensions. Increasing ECV did not correlate with increased heart or ventricular doses. However, correlations between higher LV mass and ventricular mean dose, V10, and V25 were seen. Conclusion At a median follow-up of 8.3 years, this cohort of node-positive breast cancer patients who received anthracycline-based chemotherapy and regional nodal irradiation had no clinically abnormal CMR findings. However, correlations between ventricular mean dose, V10, and V25 and LV mass were seen. Larger corroborating studies that include advanced techniques for measuring regional heart mechanics are warranted.
Revised non-ordinary state-based peridynamics and a new framework for coupling with finite element method

Abstract In this paper, we present a revised non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (RNOSBPD), which works for the arbitrary interaction domain and does not require surface correction and volume correction. For the spherical interaction domain, RNOSBPD recovers non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (NOSBPD) of the published work. This current work also presents a new approach to couple the RNOSBPD with FEM (RNOSBPD-FEM). This new coupling approach is straightforward and is easily introduced into commercial finite element codes. With this coupling method, special techniques, such as overlapping regions, interface elements, or fictitious nodes, that have published in the literature for coupling PD with FEM are not needed. Four static applications are performed and the results show the accuracy and efficiency of the RNOSBPD-FEM.
Interrogation of clonal tracking data using barcodetrackR

Clonal tracking methods provide quantitative insights into the cellular output of genetically labeled progenitor cells across time and cellular compartments. In the context of gene and cell therapies, clonal tracking methods have enabled the tracking of progenitor cell output both in humans receiving therapies and in corresponding animal models, providing valuable insight into lineage reconstitution, clonal dynamics and vector genotoxicity. However, the absence of a toolbox for analysis of clonal tracking data has precluded the development of standardized analytical frameworks within the field. Thus, we developed barcodetrackR, an R package and accompanying Shiny app containing diverse tools for the analysis and visualization of clonal tracking data. We demonstrate the utility of barcodetrackR in exploring longitudinal clonal patterns and lineage relationships in a number of clonal tracking studies of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in humans receiving HSPC gene therapy and in animals receiving lentivirally transduced HSPC transplants or tumor cells. The R package barcodetrackR facilitates the analysis and visualization of clonal tracking data, and it includes a graphical user interface to allow researchers without programming experience to utilize various quantitative tools.
ITrackU: tracking a pen-like instrument via UWB-IMU fusion

High-precision tracking of a pen-like instrument's movements is desirable in a wide range of fields spanning education, robotics, and art, to name a few. The key challenge in doing so stems from the impracticality of embedding electronics in the tip of such instruments (a pen, marker, scalpel, etc.) as well as the difficulties in instrumenting the surface that it works on. In this paper, we present ITrackU, a movement digitization system that does not require modifications to the surface or the tracked instrument's tip. ITrackU fuses locations obtained using ultra-wideband radios (UWB), with an inertial and magnetic unit (IMU) and a pressure sensor, yielding multidimensional improvements in accuracy, range, cost, and robustness, over existing works. ITrackU embeds a micro-transmitter at the base of a pen which creates a trackable beacon, that is localized from the corners of a writing surface. Fused with inertial motion sensor and a pressure sensor, ITrackU enables accurate tracking. Our prototype of ITrackU covers a large 2.5m × 2m area, while obtaining around 2.9mm median error. We demonstrate the accuracy of our system by drawing numerous shapes and characters on a whiteboard, and compare them against a touchscreen and a camera-based ground-truthing system. Finally, the produced stream of digitized data is minuscule in volume, when compared with a video of the whiteboard, which saves both network bandwidth and storage space.
Multipoint Data Transmission Using Li-Fi with LGS Formation

Life without the Internet would be hard to imagine. The essential purpose of the Internet is sharing data and communications. Due to the high demand, people start to use different technologies to accesses the Internet. Li-Fi is one of the efficient wireless technologies for sharing data and communications. Professor Harald Haas introduced it in July 2001 at TED Global talk. Compared to Wi-Fi and other wireless technology, Li-Fi is made more secure and high-speed data transmission. This paper focused on using Li-Fi with laser diode, glass prism and solar panel (LGS) formation to experiment single source to multi-destination. The experiment further split into two parts; one is sending the audio-to-text message from a single source to transfer more than one receiver who received the text message from the start. The second one is sending the file from a single source to more than one receiver who received the source’s file. The study of the experiment understands various characteristics of Li-Fi with LGS formations.
A multi-scale computational approach for nanoparticle growth in combustion environments

In this paper a new and powerful computer simulation capability for the characterization of carbonaceous nanoparticle assemblies across multiple, connected scales, starting from the molecular scale is presented. The goal is to provide a computational infrastructure that can reveal through multi-scale computer simulation how chemistry can influence the structure and function of carbonaceous assemblies at significantly larger length and time scales. Atomistic simulation methodologies, such as Molecular Dynamics and Kinetic Monte Carlo, are used to describe the particle growth and the different spatial and temporal scales are connected in a multi-scale fashion so that key information is passed upward in scale. The modeling of the multiple scales are allowed to be dynamically coupled within a single computer simulation using the latest generation MPI protocol within a grid-based computing scheme.
Divergence of the aerobactin iron uptake systems encoded by plasmids pColV-K30 in Escherichia coli K-12 and pSMN1 in Aerobacter aerogenes 62-1.

Although the aerobactin-mediated iron uptake system has been characterized genetically in Escherichia coli, the siderophore aerobactin was chemically characterized after purification from culture supernatants of Aerobacter aerogenes 62-1, a member of the Klebsielleae. We have cloned and mapped the genes encoding the aerobactin system genes of A. aerogenes 62-1 and begun characterization of the relevant proteins and enzymatic activities of this plasmid-mediated aerobactin system. Published chemical data indicate that the siderophore aerobactin of E. coli is the same molecule as the aerobactin of Aerobacter aerogenes 62-1, but we have found that both the genes and the complement of proteins making up the biosynthetic enzymes in the two systems have diverged. In contrast, the outer membrane receptors for ferric aerobactin of the two systems showed immunologic cross-reactivity, were of the same molecular size (74 kilodaltons), and were encoded by homologous DNA sequences. Images
Rights of Inclusion: Integrating Identity at the Bottom of the Dispute Pyramid

Rights of Inclusion: Law and Identity in the Life Stories of Americans with Disabilities argues that the legal consciousness of individuals is formed and changed throughout the life course. Employing the life-history method, authors David Engel and Frank Munger detail the narrative, interactive processes through which people with disabilities make sense of their rights and develop ideas about fair and unfair treatment at different stages of their lives and in different social contexts-such as in the workplace and in school. In so doing, they provide important new insights into the lived experiences of people with disabilities, how people with disabilities understand rights, and, ultimately, some of the prospects and pitfalls of using law for social change. Rights of Inclusion assumes an important place among a growing body of research on the ways in which ordinary people think about rights, invoke rights discourse, and make rights claims, as well as the conditions under which those rights claims may or may not succeed.
A Thirst for the Real Thing in Themed Retail Environments: Consuming Authenticity in Irish Pubs

ABSTRACT The restaurant industry is experiencing a trend toward “authentic” ethnic restaurants that promise not only authentic food from a specific culture, but also an authentic dining experience and decor. For many consumers, these ethnic dining experiences constitute their sole contact with foreign cultures. This paper explores the importance of authenticity in ethnicthemed restaurants. It considers the methods employed and the frames of reference used to create these themed environments, consumers' abilities to delineate the real from the fake and the importance of authenticity as a component of the consumption experience. This exploratory study used qualitative research methods to report emerging themes derived from one type of ethnic restaurant, Irish pubs in Savannah, Georgia during St. Patrick's Day festivities. Managerial and research implications are offered.
Measurement of the (199)Hg+ 5d9 6s2 (2)D(5/2) electric quadrupole moment and a constraint on the quadrupole shift.

The electric-quadrupole moment of the state is measured to be . This value was determined by measuring the frequency of the optical clock transition for different applied electric-field gradients. An isolated, mechanically stable optical cavity provides a frequency reference for the measurement. We compare the results with theoretical calculations and discuss the implications for the accuracy of an atomic clock based upon this transition. We now expect that the frequency shift caused by the interaction of the quadrupole moment with stray electric-field gradients will not limit the accuracy of the optical clock at the level.
New scalability frontiers in ab initio electronic structure calculations using the BG/L supercomputer

In recent years the BlueGene/L supercomputer (BG/L) has significantly extended the computational frontiers in several important problems of science and engineering. In this paper we focus on ab initio electronic structure calculations, which have enabled accurate modeling and prediction of the properties of materials by using first principle quantum-mechanical calculations. We report our progress in scaling the CPV code on EPFL's recently installed BG/L system using a Task Group (TG) hierarchical parallelization strategy for 3D FFTs. We illustrate that TG permits scaling of the 3D FFTs to the extent that the dense linear algebra kernels dominate in the overall cost.
Tissue-specific expression in transgenic mice directed by the 5′-flanking sequences of the human gene encoding interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein.

Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) is an extracellular protein that has been suggested to participate in the visual process as a carrier for visual retinoids. A chimeric gene composed of the human IRBP promoter fused to the bacterial reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) was used to generate transgenic mice. Analysis of six transgenic families revealed that the CAT gene, concomitant with the endogenous IRBP gene, was expressed primarily in the retina and, to a lesser extent, in the pineal gland. These results establish that a 1.3-kilobase fragment from the 5' end of the human IRBP gene is sufficient to direct transgene expression to a visual subdivision of the central nervous system.
Epidemiology and survival outcomes of ocular and mucosal melanomas: a population-based analysis.

Extracutaneous melanomas are poorly characterized tumors that include ocular (OM), mucosal (MM) and leptomeningeal melanomas, often lacking standardized staging and treatment guidelines. We analyzed cases of cutaneous melanoma (CM, N = 219,890), OM (N = 7,069) and MM (N = 2,755) of different anatomical origins, diagnosed between 1988 and 2010, recorded in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Relative survival was studied in patients grouped by summary stage classification (localized, regional or distant disease) and in multivariate models adjusting for varying distribution of baseline factors. Unlike in CM, the incidence rate in MM increased exponentially with age. Five-year relative survival was significantly worse for OM (78%) and for most mucosal sites (aggregate 34%, range 3–69%) compared with CM (89%). The differences between primary sites were particularly pronounced in localized disease, with a hazard ratio of 5.7 for OM, 4.3–9.0 for external genital or oral cavity MM and 19.8–90.4 for other mucosal locations. Melanomas of the pharynx, gastrointestinal, urinary tract and vagina had poor outcomes regardless of clinical stage. In contrast to CM, there was no evidence of improved survival in OM and MM during the study period. A substantial proportion of patients with operable OM or MM underwent radical organ resections (13–88% depending on site and stage) or perioperative radiotherapy (0–66%). In conclusion, extracutaneous melanomas have a markedly worse survival than CM and aggressive locoregional management appears to be insufficient for their control. Because of poor outcomes in MM, studies of systemic therapy are warranted regardless of the extent of disease at presentation.
Sexual Harassment, Sexual Coercion, and HIV Risk Among U.S. Adults 18-49 Years

Sexual harassment and sexual coercion have received considerable public attention. However, the extent of these problems nationally and the breadth of their health consequences are not fully understood. We estimated the national prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual coercion, and examined their relationship to HIV risk in the general U.S. population. Data came from a 1992 telephone survey of a random probability sample of 2,030 U.S. adults aged 18–49 years. Nationally, 16% of men and 33% of women reported having been sexually harassed, and 4% of men and 16% of women reported having been sexually coerced. Significantly higher HIV risk was observed among male victims of sexual harassment compared to nonvictims (32% vs. 22%), but not among women (17% vs. 14%). HIV risk for men did not differ by having experienced sexual coercion (31% vs. 23%), but female victims reported more risk behavior than nonvictims (26% vs. 13%). Greater HIV risk found among victims argues for prevention efforts that focus on their particular needs.
Physical Degradation Models

Many physical systems degrade over time. Recent advances in sensing and measurement technologies are making it feasible to collect extensive amounts of data on physical degradation. Degradation data are a rich source of reliability information and offer many advantages over time-to-failure data. We present some common physical degradation models and describe their applications for reliability inference. Keywords: degradation data; gamma process; random-effect model; reliability inference; Wiener process
Retrometabolism‐Based Drug Design and Targeting

Retrometabolic drug design (RMDD) approaches are systematic methodologies aimed to design safe compounds with an improved therapeutic index. RMDDs thoroughly integrate structure– activity and structure-metabolism considerations into the entire design process and incorporate two major concepts aimed to design soft drugs and chemical delivery systems, respectively. Soft drugs (SDs) are new, active therapeutic agents designed to undergo predictable metabolism resulting in inactive metabolites after exerting their desired therapeutic effect(s). Chemical delivery systems (CDSs) are biologically inert molecules that provide enhanced and targeted delivery of an active drug to a particular organ or site through a designed sequential metabolism that involves several steps. Here, we present a comprehensive review including a general overview of the RMDD principles and a large number of specific examples from various pharmacological areas, including many recent developments, to illustrate RMDD concepts. Whenever possible, the rationale for the design as well as the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the new therapeutic agents are briefly summarized and compared to those of the other compounds used in the same field. Keywords: β-blockers; brain-targeted delivery; corticosteroids; estradiol; hydrolysis; loteprednol etabonate; metabolism; neuropeptides; organ targeting; prodrug; soft drug
Consuming Citizenship? The Archaeology of Mexican Immigrant Ambivalence in Early Twentieth-Century Los Angeles

In late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century America, the consumption of American-made goods was seen as an expression of one’s patriotism and loyalty to the nation. According to a number of historical archaeological case studies, racialized groups, such as African Americans and Chinese Americans, used consumption as a way of gaining access to the full benefits of American citizenship typically reserved for individuals deemed “white” by law. The material culture of Mexican immigrants living in early twentieth-century Los Angeles tells a slightly different tale. Despite being ascribed a legal whiteness, archaeological and documentary data suggest that Mexican immigrants expressed ambivalence toward their consumption of American goods and outright rejected the notion that exerting such buying power would lead to a broader acceptance in Anglo American society.
A Speech-Language Pathologist’s Guide to Creating a Support Group for Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

The purpose of this article is to provide basic guidelines to successfully establish a support group for caregivers of persons with dementia. Support groups should provide its members with a community of support, as well as coping and management strategies to improve daily function of loved ones. This should improve the care provided, and the quality of life for the caregiver and the care recipient. Suggestions related to establishing the foundation and creating a meeting agenda are discussed with examples from a recently established group. The appropriateness of the speech-language pathologist as a support group facilitator and the application of these guidelines to establishing support groups for other clinical populations are discussed.
Cytomegaloviral virus infection in bone marrow transplantation recipients: strategies for prevention and treatment.

Cytomegalovirus is major infectious pathogen following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In infected recipients, the virus is generally detected between 4 and 10 weeks after transplantation. Historically, CMV disease developed in 30–40% of seropositive recipients, the predominante manifestation being interstitial pneumonitis, which was generally lethal. Therapeutic interventions are discussed with special reference to the use of antiviral therapy for both treatment and prevention of CMV disease. The strategies developed in the bone marrow transplantation population to treat or prevent the development of CMV disease can be extrapolated to other patients groups who are immunosuppressed and at risk for developing clinical manifestations of CMV infection.
Black hole-neutron star mergers in globular clusters

We model the formation of black hole-neutron star (BH-NS) binaries via dynamical interactions in globular clusters. We find that in dense, massive clusters, 16-61% of the BH-NS binaries formed by interactions with existing BH binaries will undergo mergers driven by the emission of gravitational radiation. If the BHs are retained by the cluster after merging with a NS, the BHs acquire subsequent NS companions and undergo several mergers. Thus, the merger rate depends critically upon whether or not the BH is retained by the cluster after the merger. Results from numerical relativity suggest that kick imparted to a ~7 M_sun BH after it merges with a NS will greatly exceed the cluster's escape velocity. In this case, the models suggest that the majority of BH-NS mergers in globular clusters occur within 4 Gyrs of the cluster's formation and would be unobservable by Advanced LIGO. For more massive BHs, on the other hand, the post merger kick is suppressed and the BH is retained. Models with 35 M_sun BHs predict Advanced LIGO detection rates in the range 0.04 - 0.7 per year. On the pessimistic end of this range, BH-NS mergers resulting from binary-single star interactions in globular clusters could account for an interesting fraction of all BH-NS mergers. On the optimistic end, this channel may dominate the rate of detectable BH-NS mergers.
An evaluation of cumulative probability distribution of force (CPDF) as an exposure assessment method during isometric non-isotonic shoulder abductions

A study was conducted with an objective of evaluating cumulative probability distribution of force (CPDF) as a method for assessing exposures to mechanical workload during dynamic activities. In a supine posture, participants adopted 90° shoulder abductions, and maintained this posture against time-varying resistance until exhaustion (1 hr max.). External forces were generated by a mechanism consisting of a rotating dynamometer connected to a set of springs and light steel cables, with the other end of the mechanism connected to an elbow strap. Since the participant's arm was held at a fixed location, cyclic rotating movements of the dynamometer resulted in repetitive, isometric non-isotonic exertions. The 10th and the 90th percentiles of the external CPDF were set at 2.5% or 10% and 20% or 30% of maximum strength, respectively. The dynamometer angular velocity was set at 20° or 45°/s, to impose different rates of muscle contraction. Response variables included endurance time, rates of muscle strength reduction, and rates of perceived discomfort increase. The findings indicated that the CPDF method reflected differing exposures to mechanical workload, but failed to capture information on task repetitiveness. Additionally, the findings suggested the potential benefit of shorter work cycles and the use of subjective ratings for rapid assessments of short-term performance outcomes.
Positive and negative mechanical Kerr nonlinearities in periodically-patterned silicon waveguides

We design periodic silicon waveguides with mechanical Kerr coefficients of positive or negative sign. The mechanical Kerr coefficient is >3 orders of magnitude larger than the Kerr coefficient of silicon for suspended lengths ∼30 µm.
A bargain between the secular state and Turkish Islam: politics of ethnicity in Central Asia

. This paper reveals and analyses the ethnic politics mobilised by a fast-growing Islamic movement, the Gulen movement, which emerged in the 1980s in Turkey and expanded to Central Asia in the mid-1990s. Following the micro-sites, where nationness is reproduced as an everyday practice, my ethnographic research in Almaty-Kazakhstan explored the emergent Islamic sensibilities for the nation and ethnic identity. Revivalist Islam has often been essentialised as incompatible with nationalism, since it has been widely associated with the Muslim community rather than nations and nation-states. I argue that this bias is facilitated and maintained by the deep division in the literature. Scholarly work on both Islam and nationalism are split into two opposing approaches, state-centered and culture-centered. The findings of the present study challenge the binary thinking that juxtaposes politics against culture and dichotomises ethnic and state-framed base of nationalism and nationhood. My major finding is that the Gulen movement has not only inherited the symbols and myths of descent from the founding fathers of the Turkish state, but it is also currently reproducing the related ethnic politics in cooperation with–not in opposition to–the secular states in the post-Soviet Turkic world. The study reconciles ethno-symbolic and state-centered approaches in explaining the convergence between Islamic and secular nationalism in the formation of ethnic politics in Almaty-Kazakhstan.
Changes in statistics of the instantaneous Stokes parameters of a quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic beam on propagation

The changes in the probability density functions (PDFs) are discussed, of the instantaneous Stokes parameters of a quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic beam propagating in free space. Such changes may be caused by correlations between the components of the electric field at a pair of points in the source plane. When the fluctuations of the electric field are governed by Gaussian statistics the PDFs of the instantaneous Stokes parameters at any distance from the source are completely determined by the two-point correlation properties of the field in the source plane. These results can be used for synthesis of sources generating random beams with prescribed statistical properties. They also may find applications in remote sensing, tomography and communications with partially coherent and partially polarized light.
Postcoital Contraception: Student Choices and Effectiveness

Abstract A five-semester study was undertaken to obtain information about the selections patients make when given a choice of postcoital contraceptives and the effectiveness of those choices. Three postcoital contraceptive (PCC) regimens were used: a copper intrauterine device (IUD), high-dose estrogen (HDE), and an estrogen/progestin combination (E/P). Four hundred eighty-two patients requested PCC. Two percent selected an IUD, 9% HDE, and 89% chose E/P. There were 8 pregnancies–7 in the E/P group and 1 in the HDE group. It is concluded that PCC is an effective second chance to prevent unintended pregnancy. When given a choice, most patients will select E/P. During this same time span, 931 other students requested pregnancy tests. Forty-four percent (416) of those tests were positive, and 62% (254) of those with positive tests had a voluntary interruption of pregnancy (VIP). “Yogurt–An Autodigesting Source of Lactose,” JOSEPH C. KOLARS, MICHAEL D. LEVITT, MOSTAFA AOUJI, DENNIS A. SAVAIANO. Large quantiti...
The Electrocardiogram in Pericarditis

HE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM is abnormal in many, perhaps in most, cases of clinically significant pericardial disease . Frequently the electrocardiographic abnormalities are characteristic of or strongly suggestive of pericarditis, but only rarely, if ever, are they in themselves diagnostic . Nor arc such clectrocardiographic changes present in all cases of pericardial disease, since none of them is due directly to involvement of the pericardial membranes per se . The characteristic electrocardiographic abnormalities include: 1. Displacement of the RS-T junction,attributable to incomplete recovery (repolarization) of myocardial fibers subjacent to the epicardium-suhepicardial injury . function displacement is observed only in cases of acute, or at least active pericarditis . 2. Abnormalities of the T wave, due to delay in recovery (repolarization) of suhepicardial fibers of the n-wocardium. Such T wave abnormality, occurring for the most part in acute or active pcricarditis but not rarely in chronic inactive disease, represents a lesser degree of subepicardial injury than that which leads to RS-T junction displacement-the so-called "ischemia" effect which in this instance is a misnomer . 3. Low voltage (small amplitude)of the waves and complexes clue either to (a) altered transmission of the electric potentials of the heart to the body surface because of the interposition of pericardial fluid, or (b) diminution of the electromotive forces incident to the heart beat related to atrophy of the myocardium in cases of concretio cordis . HISTORY
Effects of aging on antibody avidity to Mycoplasma pulmonis

Antibody avidity of serum and lung lavage responses was examined in rats to determine aging effects on functional differences in antibody to Mycoplasma pulmonis. Three age groups of animals (weanling, adult and senescent) were immunized with either of two doses of formalinized M. pulmonis as the antigen, or a placebo control. Total immunoglobulin levels and specific antibody responses were examined in serum and lung lavage fluids and subsequently avidity measurements of the same samples were made for the specific antibody to M. pulmonis. The concentration of NH4SCN that dissociated 50% of the antibody was used to determine the avidity index of the serum and lung lavage samples. Total serum IgG and IgA were decreased in the weanling animals when compared to the other two age groups of animals. In contrast, serum IgA levels were substantially increased in senescent animals. Significant increases in serum IgA levels were noted following immunization that was not observed for IgG levels. Substantial increases in both serum antibody and lung lavage antibody were observed in response to immunization with either dose of antigen, but only the lung lavage samples showed both IgG and IgA isotypes differences that were attributable to age. Serum IgG avidity indices gradually increased over time following immunization with higher indices being observed in the weanling animals immunized with the higher M. pulmonis dose. Serum IgA avidity indices also increased over time with no significant differences noted among the age groups. Lung lavage IgG avidity demonstrated slightly higher indices in the weanling animals, while lung lavage IgA avidity showed higher avidity indices in the senescent animals at the higher antigen dose. These data suggest that senescent animals are capable of producing an apparently functional antibody response and that differences noted in increased disease susceptibility in older animals may be attributed to mechanisms other than a dysfunctional humoral immune response at mucosal surfaces.
Decreasing sympathetic sprouting in pathologic sensory ganglia: a new mechanism for treating neuropathic pain using lidocaine

Lidocaine brings relief to those suffering from certain neuropathic pain syndromes in humans and in animal models. Evidence suggests that some neuropathic pain behaviors are closely associated with extensive sprouting of noradrenergic sympathetic fibers in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Using immunohistochemistry, we examined lidocaine's effects on abnormal sprouting of sympathetic fibers in two animal models: rats with unilateral spinal nerve ligation (SNL) and rats with complete sciatic nerve transection (CSNT). For the first time, we have demonstrated that systemic lidocaine beginning at the time of surgery via an implanted osmotic pump remarkably reduces sympathetic sprouting (2-3 fold) (e.g. the density of sympathetic fibers and the number of DRG neurons surrounded by sympathetic fibers) in axotomized DRGs in SNL rats. The effects of systemic lidocaine lasted more than 7 days after the termination of lidocaine administration. Similar results were obtained after topical application of lidocaine to the nerve trunk to block abnormal discharges originating in the neuroma in CSNT rats. Results strongly suggest that sympathetic sprouting in pathologic DRG may be associated with abnormal spontaneous activity originating in the DRG or the injured axons (e.g. neuroma). This finding provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying sympathetic sprouting and increases our current understanding of the prolonged therapeutic effects of lidocaine on neuropathic pain syndromes.
There's more to menu systems than meets the screen

Love playing with those fancy menu-based graphical user interfaces, but afraid to program one yourself for your own application? Do windows seem opaque to you? Are you scared of mice? Like what-you-see-is-what-you-get but don't know how to get what you want to see on the screen?Everyone agrees using systems like graphical document illustrators, circuit designers, and iconic file systems is fun, but programming user interfaces for these systems isn't as much fun as it should be. Systems like the Lisp Machines, Xerox D-Machines, and Apple Macintosh provide powerful graphics primitives, but the casual applications designer is often stymied by the difficulty of mastering the details of window specification, multiple processes, interpreting mouse input, etc.This paper presents a kit called EZWin, which provides many services common to implementing a wide variety of interfaces, described as generalized editors for sets of graphical objects. An individual application is programmed simply by creating objects to represent the interface itself, each kind of graphical object, and each command. A unique interaction style is established which is insensitive to whether commands are chosen before or after their arguments. The system anticipates the types of arguments needed by commands, preventing selection mistakes which are a common source of frustrating errors. Displayed objects are made "mouse-sensitive" only if selection of the object is appropriate in the current context. The implementation of a graphical interface for a computer network simulation is described to illustrate how EZWin works.