cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Lung Fibrogenesis with an Oxyamine‐Based Probe

Fibrogenesis is the active production of extracellular matrix in response to tissue injury. In many chronic diseases persistent fibrogenesis results in the accumulation of scar tissue, which can lead to organ failure and death. However, no non-invasive technique exists to assess this key biological process. All tissue fibrogenesis results in the formation of allysine, which enables collagen cross-linking and leads to tissue stiffening and scar formation. We report herein a novel allysine-binding gadolinium chelate (GdOA), that can non-invasively detect and quantify the extent of fibrogenesis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We demonstrate that GdOA signal enhancement correlates with the extent of the disease and is sensitive to a therapeutic response.
Recombinant cytokines and hematopoietic growth factors in allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplantation.

In 1991, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the commercial sale of colony-stimulating factors for use in cancer patients receiving cytotoxic agent therapy. Many of the data to support the licensure of the two approved agents, G-CSF (filgrastim) and GM-CSF (sargramostim), were derived from studies conducted in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. This group of agents, predominantly glycoproteins in nature, controls the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of the various hematopoietic blood cell lineages [1–5]. These agents act on both early and committed progenitors and enhance the function of mature effector cells [6].
Extending a Tandem Mass Spectral Library to Include MS 2 Spectra of Fragment Ions Produced In-Source and MS n Spectra

Tandem mass spectral library searching is finding increased use as an effective means of determining chemical identity in mass spectrometry-based omics studies. We previously reported on constructing a tandem mass spectral library that includes spectra for multiple precursor ions for each analyte. Here we report our method for expanding this library to include MS2 spectra of fragment ions generated during the ionization process (in-source fragment ions) as well as MS3 and MS4 spectra. These can assist the chemical identification process. A simple density-based clustering algorithm was used to cluster all significant precursor ions from MS1 scans for an analyte acquired during an infusion experiment. The MS2 spectra associated with these precursor ions were grouped into the same precursor clusters. Subsequently, a new top-down hierarchical divisive clustering algorithm was developed for clustering the spectra from fragmentation of ions in each precursor cluster, including the MS2 spectra of the original precursors and of the in-source fragments as well as the MSn spectra. This algorithm starts with all the spectra of one precursor in one cluster and then separates them into sub-clusters of similar spectra based on the fragment patterns. Herein, we describe the algorithms and spectral evaluation methods for extending the library. The new library features were demonstrated by searching the high resolution spectra of E. coli extracts against the extended library, allowing identification of compounds and their in-source fragment ions in a manner that was not possible before. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
Bioreactor design for oral and dental tissue engineering

Abstract Bioreactors are devices that mimic human body by creating its physiological conditions in a more confined and controllable environment. Application of bioreactors in tissue engineering (TE) has led to efficient formation of tissue equivalents with high qualities. Following a brief introduction on TE and the molecular and cellular biology of dental morphogenesis in this chapter, fundamental design considerations and the most popularly used bioreactors have been discussed. The attempts on the utilization of bioreactors for oral and dental tissue regeneration and defect reconstruction have also been reviewed.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa defense systems against microbicidal oxidants

The most abundant oxidants controlling bacterial colonization on mucosal barrier epithelia are hypochlorous acid (HOCl), hypobromous acid (HOBr) and hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN). All three oxidants are highly antimicrobial but little is known about their relative efficacies, their respective cellular targets, or what specific responses they elicit in bacteria. To address these important questions, we directly tested the individual oxidants on the virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14. We discovered that HOCl and HOBr work almost interchangeably, impacting non-growing bacterial cultures more significantly than actively growing bacteria, and eliciting similar stress responses, including the heat shock response. HOSCN treatment is distinctly different, affecting primarily actively growing PA14 and evoking stress responses suggestive of membrane damage. What all three oxidants have in common, however, is their ability to cause substantial protein aggregation. This effect became particularly obvious in strains lacking polyphosphate, a newly recognized chemical chaperone. Treatment of PA14 with the FDA-approved anti-inflammatory drug mesalamine, which has recently been shown to attenuate polyP production in a wide range of bacteria, effectively decreased the resistance of PA14 toward all three oxidants, suggesting that we have discovered a novel, targetable defense system in P. aeruginosa.
Assessment of Human Adipose Tissue Microvascular Function Using Videomicroscopy

While obesity is closely linked to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease, little is known about mechanisms that govern these processes. It is hypothesized that pro-atherogenic mediators released from fat tissues particularly in association with central/visceral adiposity may promote pathogenic vascular changes locally and systemically, and the notion that cardiovascular disease may be the consequence of adipose tissue dysfunction continues to evolve. Here, we describe a unique method of videomicroscopy that involves analysis of vasodilator and vasoconstrictor responses of intact small human arterioles removed from the adipose depot of living human subjects. Videomicroscopy is used to examine functional properties of isolated microvessels in response to pharmacological or physiological stimuli using a pressured system that mimics in vivo conditions. The technique is a useful approach to gain understanding of the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms that contribute to vascular dysfunction locally within the adipose tissue milieu. Moreover, abnormalities in the adipose tissue microvasculature have also been linked with systemic diseases. We applied this technique to examine depot-specific vascular responses in obese subjects. We assessed endothelium-dependent vasodilation to both increased flow and acetylcholine in adipose arterioles (50 - 350 µm internal diameter, 2 - 3 mm in length) isolated from two different adipose depots during bariatric surgery from the same individual. We demonstrated that arterioles from visceral fat exhibit impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation compared to vessels isolated from the subcutaneous depot. The findings suggest that the visceral microenvironment is associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction which may be relevant to clinical observation linking increased visceral adiposity to systemic disease mechanisms. The videomicroscopy technique can be used to examine vascular phenotypes from different fat depots as well as compare findings across individuals with different degrees of obesity and metabolic dysfunction. The method can also be used to examine vascular responses longitudinally in response to clinical interventions.
Viking-2 Seismometer Measurements on Mars: PDS Data Archive and Meteorological Applications

A data product has been generated and archived on the NASA Planetary Data System (Geosciences Node), which presents the seismometer readings of Viking Lander 2 in an easy-to-access form, for both the raw (“high rate”) waveform records and the compressed (“event mode”) amplitude and frequency records. In addition to the records themselves, a separate summary file for each instrument mode lists key statistics of each record together with the meteorological measurements made closest in time to the seismic record. This juxtaposition facilitates correlation of the seismometer instrument response to different meteorological conditions, or the selection of seismic data during which wind disturbances can be expected to be small. We summarize data quality issues and also discuss lander-generated seismic signals, due to operation of the sampling arm or other systems, which may be of interest for prospective missions to other bodies. We review wind-seismic correlation, the “Martian solar day (sol) 80” candidate seismic event, and identify the seismic signature of a probable dust devil vortex on sol 482 : the seismometer data allow an estimate of the peak wind, occurring between coarsely spaced meteorology measurements. We present code to generate the plots in this paper to illustrate use of the data product.
Quantifying optical properties with visible and near-infrared optical coherence tomography to visualize esophageal microwave ablation zones.

Microwave ablation is a minimally invasive image guided thermal therapy for cancer that can be adapted to endoscope use in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Microwave ablation in the GI tract requires precise control over the ablation zone that could be guided by high resolution imaging with quantitative contrast. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides ideal imaging resolution and allows for the quantification of tissue scattering properties to characterize ablated tissue. Visible and near-infrared OCT image analysis demonstrated increased scattering coefficients (μs ) in ablated versus normal tissues (Vis: 347.8%, NIR: 415.0%) and shows the potential for both wavelength ranges to provide quantitative contrast. These data suggest OCT could provide quantitative image guidance and valuable information about antenna performance in vivo.
An Improved Shape Reconstruction Methodology for Long Rod Like Structures Using Cosserat Kinematics- Including the Poisson’s Effect

In this paper, we present an improved methodology for the global shape reconstruction of rod-like structures that capture the effect of curvature, shear, torsion, axial deformation, and Poisson’s transformation. The inclusion of Poisson’s effect relaxes Euler-Bernoulli’s rigid cross-section assumption such that the cross-section could now undergo planar deformation (shrinking or expansion in the same plane). This scenario is particularly useful for the inflatable structures and pipelines subjected to large radial pressure.
Clinical coding - an insight into healthcare data

Clinical coding is an important function within healthcare informatics. Coding datasets have various statistical and clinical uses: a high level of accuracy, completeness and specificity is paramount. Preventable errors can accumulate along the coding pathway and may have significant implications for health care management worldwide. Relevance Amongst other functions, clinical coding datasets are used for policy creation, clinical audit and finance. Both clinical staff and coding professionals play an equally important role in ensuring accurate reporting of hospital activity, but the nature and importance of the clinician’s role is often misunderstood and underappreciated. The coding pathway is highly susceptible to human error with clinician-based errors ranging from incorrectly defining a clinical entity to underreporting comorbidities. Clinical staff should be aware of the importance of clinical coding, its uses and the role they play in ensuring accuracy: a hospital is measured by its output data. High-quality data leads to well-informed service provision, resource allocation and business planning which cumulates into enhanced patient outcomes. Take Home Messages Errors occurring along the coding pathway can have significant financial and statistical ramifications. Clinicians and coding professionals must work collaboratively to improve the quality of healthcare data flows. Regular engagement between all influential parties along the coding pathway is vital, with frequent reviews of clinical documentation and coding reports a firm foundation for continual improvement. Accurate and reliable healthcare data supports the optimisation of patient care.
Collagen as a Determinant of Ultrasonic Attenuation in Myocardial Infarcts

In previous reports from our laboratory, significantly increased ultrasonic attenuation was demonstrated in regions of scarred myocardium studied 4 to 11 weeks after infarction was produced by coronary occlusion.1 Although mechanisms responsible for the ultrasonic attenuation of soft tissue have not been adequately defined, the observations by Fields and Dunn2 and by O’Brien3 suggest that collagen may be a primary determinant. Because it is well established that increased collagen occurs following coronary occlusion and the evolution of a myocardial infarct,4 it would appear that increased collagen content might result in increased ultrasonic attenuation in myocardial infarcts. Accordingly, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between the attenuation of infarcted myocardium and collagen concentration quantitatively.
Mathematical Modelling of Ductile and Time-Dependent Fracture

The two papers by Griffith [1,2] provided the mathematical basis for explaining fracture in solids. Griffith bypassed the problem of an infinitely large stress, predicted at the tip of a sharp crack within the framework of the linear theory of elasticity, by employing the energy balance approach. Considering the two distinctly different states, in the thermodynamic sense, Griffith was able to discern a propagating crack from a nonpropagating crack. This “before” and “after” approach does not allow, however, to take into consideration any intermediate “activated state” which would provide a vehicle or, if you like, a mechanism to transform the “before” into the “after”. In this way the detailed mechanism by which the crack opens up and begins to propagate is totally left out from the theory.
The Cisplatin-Induced Cellular Injury Response

Treatment of cells with clinically relevant exposures to cisplatin (DDP) activates an injury response that eventually induces death via an apoptotic mechanism. The activation of apoptosis involves generation of a signal from a detector that senses the presence of DDP-induced damage, and the integration of this signal with information arriving from receptors on both the cell surface and in the interior of the cell. The ability of the cell to trigger apoptosis appears to be dependent on the integrity of these signal transduction pathways, and on the ratio of various members of the bcl-2 family of proteins and their heterodimerization partners in the cell. The molecular dissection of the signal transduction pathways involved has identified numerous opportunities where pharmacologic intervention may enhance the selectivity of the platinum-containing compounds.
Desalination and Water Security: The Promise and Perils of a Technological Fix to the Water Crisis in Baja California Sur, Mexico

Across the globe, desalination is increasingly being considered as a new water supply source. This article examines how the introduction of desalinated water into the municipal water supply portfolio has affected water security in the coastal tourist city of Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico. It also analyses the competing discourses surrounding desalination in the region and discusses alternative water management options for achieving water security. This article challenges the notion that desalination is an appropriate and sufficient technological solution for arid regions. The findings provide evidence of increased yet delimited water security at a neighbourhood scale while identifying new vulnerabilities related to desalination, particularly in the context of the global South. This article concludes that implementing a technological fix on top of a water management system that is plagued with more systemic and structural problems does little to improve long-term water management and is likely to foreclose or forestall other water management options. This multi-scalar analysis contributes to the emerging literature on water security by considering both a narrow and broad framing of water security and identifying a range of factors that influence water security.
Physical punishment against the early childhood in Colombia: National and regional prevalence, sociodemographic gaps, and ten-year trends

Abstract Physical punishment is prevalent throughout the world and has been prohibited in only 53 countries despite evidence showing its detrimental effects on child development. This study examines the prevalence of physical punishment, particularly of spanking and hitting with objects, in Colombia, a country where children suffer from multiple stressors of civil conflict, community violence, and poverty. Findings suggest that about 1.7 million Colombian children younger than five are exposed to physical punishment, which correspond to a prevalence of almost 40%; specifically, more than 1 million children (23.8%) are hit with objects, and 887 thousand (20.4%) are spanked. Moreover, the results show that the proportion of 0- to- 4-y-olds exposed to physical punishment is higher than the one found for younger children, whereas a higher proportion of children living in multidimensionally poor households and in rural areas were hit with objects than those living in non-poor households and in urban areas. Yet, results show that physical punishment has steadily decline throughout the country between 2005 and 2015. Implications for legislation, policy, and practice aimed at protecting Colombian children from physical punishment are discussed.
Anesthetic-sensitive ion channel modulation is associated with a molar water solubility cut-off.

NMDA receptor modulation by hydrocarbons is associated with a molar water solubility cut-off. Low-affinity phenolic modulation of GABAA receptors is also associated with a cut-off, but at much lower molar solubility values. We hypothesized that other anesthetic-sensitive ion channels exhibit distinct cut-off effects associated with hydrocarbon molar water solubility, and that cut-off values are comparatively similar between related receptors than phylogenetically distant ones. Glycine or GABAA receptors or TREK-1, TRESK, Nav1.2, or Nav1.4 channels were expressed separately in frog oocytes. Two electrode voltage clamp techniques were used to study current responses in the presence and absence of hydrocarbon series from eight functional groups with progressively increasing size at saturated aqueous concentrations. Null response (cut-off) was defined by current measurements that were statistically indistinguishable between baseline and hydrocarbon exposure. Ion channels exhibited cut-off effects associated with hydrocarbon molar water solubility in the following order of decreasing solubility: Nav1.2 ≈ Nav1.4 ≳ TRESK ≈ TREK-1 > GABAA >> glycine. Previously measured solubility cut-off values for NMDA receptors were intermediate between those for Nav1.4 and TRESK. Water solubility cut-off responses were present for all anesthetic-sensitive ion channels; distinct cut-off effects may exist for all cell surface receptors that are sensitive to volatile anesthetics. Suggested is the presence of amphipathic receptor sites normally occupied by water molecules that have dissociation constants inversely related to the cut-off solubility value. Poorly soluble hydrocarbons unable to reach concentrations sufficient to out-compete water for binding site access fail to modulate the receptor.
Accuracy of Medical Marijuana Claims Made by Popular Websites

BackgroundWith increasing popularity of marijuana, consumers are likely turning to the internet for information regarding medical marijuana. Accuracy of medical marijuana claims is a significant co...
Automated Vision-Based High Intraocular Pressure Detection Using Frontal Eye Images

Glaucoma, the silent thief of vision, is mostly caused by the gradual increase of pressure in the eye which is known as intraocular pressure (IOP). An effective way to prevent the rise in eye pressure is by early detection. Prior computer vision-based work regarding IOP relies on fundus images of the optic nerves. This paper provides a novel vision-based framework to help in the initial IOP screening using only frontal eye images. The framework first introduces the utilization of a fully convolutional neural (FCN) network on frontal eye images for sclera and iris segmentation. Using these extracted areas, six features that include mean redness level of the sclera, red area percentage, Pupil/Iris diameter ratio, and three sclera contour features (distance, area, and angle) are computed. A database of images from the Princess Basma Hospital is used in this work, containing 400 facial images; 200 cases with normal IOP; and 200 cases with high IOP. Once the features are extracted, two classifiers (support vector machine and decision tree) are applied to obtain the status of the patients in terms of IOP (normal or high). The overall accuracy of the proposed framework is over 97.75% using the decision tree. The novelties and contributions of this work include introducing a fully convolutional network architecture for eye sclera segmentation, in addition to scientifically correlating the frontal eye view (image) with IOP by introducing new sclera contour features that have not been previously introduced in the literature from frontal eye images for IOP status determination.
Cost of Aseptic Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty at a Tertiary Medical Center.

Abstract Background Revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) involves varying levels of case complexity and costs depending on the following: (1) number of components revised, (2) duration of operating room time, and (3) length of hospital stay. However, the cost associated with different types of aseptic TKA revisions, based on number and type of components revised, is not well described. We sought to determine differences in cost associated with different revision types, and to correlate this with average national hospital and surgeon reimbursement based on current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data. Methods This is a retrospective review of aseptic revision TKAs performed at a single tertiary referral center from 2015 to 2018. Patient demographic data, operating room time, and direct surgery and total hospital costs obtained from an internal accounting database (Enterprise Performance Systems, Inc) were collected. Patients were stratified by the components revised (polyethylene liner only, tibia only, femur only, or both femur and tibia). We hypothesized that direct surgery and total hospital costs would increase as case complexity increased from poly exchange to single-component revisions and both-component revisions. Results In total, 106 patients were included (19 poly exchanges, 10 tibia-only revisions, 13 femur-only revisions, and 64 both-component revisions). Operating room time was significantly lower for poly exchange than all other groups (P Conclusion There are significant differences in cost associated with aseptic TKA revisions based on number and type of components revised. These differences may not be accurately reflected in reimbursement, and often represent a burden to those who treat complex revisions.
A Non-Probiotic Fermented Soy Product Reduces Total and LDL Cholesterol: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Traditional Asian fermented soy food products are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk in prospective studies, but few randomized controlled trials have been conducted in at-risk populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a commercial non-probiotic fermented soy product on blood lipids in adults with cardiovascular risk biomarkers. In a randomized, crossover, intervention study, 27 men and women (aged 29-75 y) exhibiting at least two risk factors, consumed two packets (12.5 g each) daily of a fermented powdered soy product, or an isoenergic control powder made from germinated brown rice for 12 weeks each. The consumption of the fermented soy product resulted in a significantly greater mean change from baseline (compared to the germinated rice, all p < 0.05) in total cholesterol of -0.23 mmol/L (CI: -0.40, -0.06) compared with 0.14 mmol/L (CI: -0.03, 0.31), respectively; and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol -0.18 mmol/L (CI: -0.32, -0.04) compared with 0.04 mmol/L (CI: -0.01, 0.018) respectively. This was accompanied by an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the germinated rice group, a decrease in apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in the fermented soy group, and a between-treatment effect in apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1); however, the ratio of the LDL:HDL and of Apo B:ApoA1 did not differ between the groups. The ratio of total cholesterol:LDL decreased in men in the fermented soy group (p < 0.001). Twenty-four-hour urine collection at the end of each treatment period resulted in an increased excretion expressed as a ratio in μmol/d between treatments of 10.93 (CI: 5.07, 23.54) for daidzein; 1.24 (CI: 1.14, 4.43) for genistein; and, 8.48 (CI: 4.28, 16.80) for glycitein, all p < 0.05. The fermented soy powder consumed by participants in this study without implementing other changes in their typical diets, decreased the total and LDL cholesterol, and may serve as a dietary strategy to manage blood lipids. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03429920.
Hospitalization for Heart Failure Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus and Reduced Kidney Function Treated With Metformin Versus Sulfonylureas: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Metformin and sulfonylurea are commonly prescribed oral medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The association of metformin and sulfonylureas on heart failure outcomes in patients wit...
Abstract 15301: Peripheral CD56 bright Natural Killer Cells Associate With Increased Atheroburden and Unstable Plaque Features in Humans

Background: Atherosclerotic plaques in mice and humans contain natural killer (NK) cells. Data on the role of NK cells in atherosclerosis using different transgenic mice models is inconsistent. Som...
ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF WEB VS. TELEPHONE BASED INTERVENTIONS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASE COLORECTAL AND BREAST CANCER SCREENING AMONG WOMEN.

Screening for colorectal and breast cancer is considered cost effective, but limited evidence exist on cost-effectiveness of screening promotion interventions that simultaneously target both cancers. Project COBRA, Increasing Colorectal and Breast Cancer Screening, a randomized controlled trial conducted in the community, examined the cost-effectiveness of an innovative tailored web-based intervention compared to tailored telephone counseling and usual care. Screening status at 6 months was obtained by participant surveys plus medical record reviews. Cost was prospectively measured from the patient and provider perspectives using time logs and project invoices. Relative efficiency of the interventions was quantified by the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Non-parametric bootstrapping and net benefit regression analysis were used to assess statistical uncertainty of the results. The average cost per participant to implement the Phone counseling, Web-based and Web + Phone counseling interventions were $277, $314 and $337, respectively. Comparing Phone counseling to usual care resulted in an additional cost of $300 (95% confidence interval (CI): $283-$320) per cancer screening test and $421 (95% CI: $400-$441) per additional person screened in the target population. Phone counseling alone was more cost-effective than the Web + Phone intervention. Web-based intervention alone was more costly but less effective than the Phone counseling. When simultaneously promoting screening for both colorectal and breast cancer the Web-based intervention was less cost-effective compared to Phone and Web + Phone strategies. The results suggest that targeting multiple cancer screening may improve the cost-effectiveness of cancer screening interventions.
Transfer and Expression of Human Non-A,B,C Class I Genes in Human HLA A,B,C Null Lymphoblastoid Cells

Southern blotting analysis indicates that there are more class I genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) than antigens that have been defined serologically (1,2). In the mouse, some of these class I genes have been shown to encode the Qa and TL antigens (3,4). The identification of similar class I antigens in the human is much less defined. We report here the identification of three expressible human leukocyte antigen (HLA) non-A,B,C class I genes on Hind III-generated 5.4-kb (HLA-5.4), 6.0-kb (HLA-6.0), and 6.2-kb (HLA-6.2) DNA fragments derived from lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) 721. Each gene was transferred into LCL. 221, which does not express HLA-A,B,C antigens because of γ-ray-induced mutations in the HLA complex. Although cell surface expression of only the HLA-6.0 antigen was observed, each gene produced a distinct gene class I α chain that coprecipitated with 132-microglobulin. These results demonstrate that at least three HLA non-A,B,C class I genes encode class I α chains that can be expressed in human cells.
A Chinese perspective on pain.

Pain is a biochemical phenomenon, a neurophysiological occurrence, a simple sensation, but it is also a complex experience of far-reaching ethico-religious implications (Keefe 1982, Kleinman 1982, Melzack and Wall 1965, 1970, Merskey and Spear 1967). Although all major historical religions recognize pain as an important and irreducible aspect of the human condition, its cognitive and affective significance varies from culture to culture. For example, the Christian characterization of pain as a form of retributive punishment that can awaken us to the possibility of redeeming our original goodness sharply contrasts with the Buddhist perception of pain as a defining quality of human life (Conze 1951, Lewis 1962, Ricoeur 1976, Tu 1980). In this short presentation, I will focus on the Chinese view of pain as a complex experience.
The field domain FMR linewidth measurement by a microstrip line transmission resonator perturbation technique

Layers of magnetic materials from several nanometers to several micrometers in thickness are in wide use for applications including electronics, and magnetic recording media. In the last two decades the areal density of data storage and the data transfer rate in magnetic recording systems have been drastically improved. The magnetic damping remains among the factors that limit the switching speed of the magnetic elements in data storage systems and, therefore, an understanding of damping mechanisms is crucial for further advances. The magnetic-resonance properties of materials, such as ferrites, garnets, and metallic ferromagnetic thin films depend on a combination of assorted factors, for example chemical composition, microstructure, shape anisotropy, and surface finish and, therefore, may vary from one batch to another. Hence, accurate but simple and inexpensive measurement setups are required not only for general material information, but for device applications as well.
Increased radiosensitivity of a subpopulation ot T-lymphocyte progenitors from patients with Fanconi's anemia

In vitro radiation survival of peripheral blood T lymphocytes was studied in 15 clinically normal adults and 4 patients with Fanconi's anemia. Tritiated thymidine incorporation in a whole blood lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) and a newly developed whole blood T-lymphocyte colony assay were used to measure lymphocyte blastogenesis and colony formation in response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin-A (Con-A) stimulation. Lymphocyte colony formation was found to be consistently more sensitive than the LST for detection of low-level radiation effects using both normal cells and lymphocytes from Fanconi's anemia patients. Lymphocytes from patients with Fanconi's anemia were significantly more sensitive to in vitro x-irradiation than lymphocytes from clinically normal individuals as measured by their ability to divide when stimulated by PHA in the LST (patients, D37 = 198 R; normals, D37 = 309 R, p = 0.057) and colony formation assay (patients, D37 = 53 R; normals, D37 = 109 R, p = 0.016). No significant difference in the radiosensitivity of the Con-A response was observed between the two groups. The PHA-responsive T-lymphocyte subpopulation in Fanconi's anemia patients appears to be intrinsically defective. The nature of this defect, significance in the disease process, and relevancy of these findings to the establishment of radiation protection standards are discussed.
Self and Other in SF: Alien Encounters

-Alien-encounterSFinvolves the introduction of sentient alien beings into the actantial system of the fictional universe; one or more of the actants are nonhuman or superhuman or subhuman. By staging a confrontation between an alien actant and a terran representative, alien-encounter SF broaches the question of Self and the Other. The reader ecuperates thisfiction by comparing human and alien entities, measuring the Self by examining the Other. Alien encounters can be discriminated according to the extent o which the alien actant adheres to or departs from anthropocentnic norms; in simple tenns, we can distinguish between "human aliens" and "alien aliens." This artick eramines the nature of human aliens by anal&ng Orson Scott Card's Ender trilogy, a work which theorizes and surveys possible sets of relations between terran and alien actants. It explores the problematics of alien aliens by looking at appropriate texts by Lem, Benfor4 and Clarke. (CDM)
International best practices for MD&A

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering whether to endorse international financial reporting standards (IFRSs) or support convergence of US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) with IFRSs. But it is important for preparers of financial reports to keep this in mind: financial statements are only part of the financial reporting package that investors in many countries have grown to expect. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Creating Powerful and Persuasive Charts

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to create powerful charts that present your data clearly and persuasively. You’ll also learn how to use sparklines, which are miniature charts that fit inside individual cells.
INFRARED OBSERVATIONS OF THE TRANSITION FROM CHAOTIC TO CRYSTALLINE SILICATES VIA THERMAL ANNEALING IN THE LABORATORY

Chaotic silicates condense in the outflows of oxygen-rich, mass-losing, red giant and AGB stars and immediately begin the transformation to crystalline grains. The transformation is kinetically controlled and dependent on the composition and morphology of the initial grains as well as on the subsequent thermal history and environment of the condensate as it flows away from the star. We have followed the infrared spectral changes induced in initially chaotic magnesium silicate smokes as a function of time and temperature in vacuum in our laboratory and have found several diagnostic spectral indicators of the degree of thermal processing experienced by individual grains. These indicators can be used to constrain the thermal history of the grains and should therefore be useful in understanding the temperature profile of individual stellar outflows when combined with additional information such as the optical depth and velocity of the shell.
Abstract 5046: Amphiregulin is a key effector of estrogen receptor in breast cancer

Estrogen is an essential hormone for mammary gland development and is a key driver of proliferation during the development of estrogen receptor positive breast tumors. The actions of estrogen are primarily mediated by its receptor, the ERα transcription factor, which regulates several hundred estrogen-responsive genes in breast cancer cells. However, despite much investigation, the identity of the key effectors of this proliferative signal in breast cancer remains unclear. Amphiregulin (AREG) is a ligand of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. It is transcriptionally regulated by estrogen and is required for estrogen-dependent mouse mammary gland development. In this study, we have tested whether Amphiregulin is a key effector of estrogen in breast cancer. shRNA-mediated knockdown of Amphiregulin in MCF7 cells strongly attenuated ER+ breast cancer cell line growth in vivo. Conversely, expression of Amphiregulin from an estrogen-insensitive promoter allowed MCF7 xenografts to escape the therapeutic effects of tamoxifen. Thus, Amphiregulin expression is both necessary and sufficient for the proliferative response to estrogen in MCF7 cells in vivo, and downregulation of Amphiregulin in response to tamoxifen is required for a therapeutic benefit. After initially responding to endocrine therapy, many ER+ tumors progress to resistance to these therapies. Our model predicts that breast tumors which either (1) express AREG in an estrogen-insensitive manner or (2) have elevated levels of alterative ERBB family ligands, will be endocrine resistant. We present experimental and clinical evidence demonstrating that these features contribute to at least some examples of endocrine resistance. Firstly, in MCF7 cells selected for resistance to fulvestrant, we show that AREG expression is no longer regulated by estrogen or its antagonists, but the cells remain AREG-dependent. Secondly, in a series of 52 ER+ breast cancer patients treated with neo-adjuvant letrozole, we show that the downregulation of Amphiregulin in response to endocrine therapy observed in our mouse studies is recapitulated in human breast cancer patients, and that tumors in which alternate ERBB ligands (TGFalpha, Epiregulin, and Neuregulins 1 & 2) are expressed at high levels are least likely to respond to letrozole. In summary, these data underline the importance of ERBB signaling in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and implicate Amphiregulin as the primary ERBB ligand in mediating the effects of estrogen in these tumors. Citation Format: Esther A. Peterson, Natasha Chandiramani, Evelyn J. Aranda Jaque, E. Charles Jenkins, Paraic A. Kenny. Amphiregulin is a key effector of estrogen receptor in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5046. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5046
The effect of change in body mass index on volumetric measures of mammographic density.

Background: Understanding how changes in body mass index (BMI) relate to changes in mammographic density is necessary to evaluate adjustment for BMI gain/loss in studies of change in density and breast cancer risk. Increase in BMI has been associated with a decrease in percent density, but the effect on change in absolute dense area or volume is unclear. Methods: We examined the association between change in BMI and change in volumetric breast density among 24,556 women in the San Francisco Mammography Registry from 2007 to 2013. Height and weight were self-reported at the time of mammography. Breast density was assessed using single x-ray absorptiometry measurements. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between BMI and dense volume (DV), non-dense volume (NDV), and percent dense volume (PDV) were assessed using multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for demographics, risk factors, and reproductive history. Results: In cross-sectional analysis, BMI was positively associated with DV [β, 2.95 cm3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.69–3.21] and inversely associated with PDV (β, −2.03%; 95% CI, −2.09, −1.98). In contrast, increasing BMI was longitudinally associated with a decrease in both DV (β, −1.01 cm3; 95% CI, −1.59, −0.42) and PDV (β, −1.17%; 95% CI, −1.31, −1.04). These findings were consistent for both pre- and postmenopausal women. Conclusion: Our findings support an inverse association between change in BMI and change in PDV. The association between increasing BMI and decreasing DV requires confirmation. Impact: Longitudinal studies of PDV and breast cancer risk, or those using PDV as an indicator of breast cancer risk, should evaluate adjustment for change in BMI. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(11); 1724–30. ©2015 AACR .
H2A histone-fold and DNA elements in nucleosome activate SWR1-mediated H2A.Z replacement in budding yeast.

A DNA molecule can be several meters long and to fit this length inside a cell, it is wrapped around proteins called histones. This compacts the DNA to form a structure known as chromatin; complexes of DNA and histones, called nucleosomes, serve as the building blocks of chromatin. Cells regulate the organization of chromatin to switch genes ‘on’ and ‘off’. Complexes of proteins, such as SWR1, alter the packing of chromatin and are known as ‘chromatin modifiers’. To express a gene, parts of the chromatin have to unpack to allow various proteins and other factors to access to the underlying DNA. Chromatin remodeling enzymes can loosen chromatin by sliding nucleosomes away from each other, removing them altogether, or replacing one type of histone with another. For example, a histone variant called H2A.Z appears to poise genes for expression and is enriched near the start sites of most genes in the genome. The SWR1 complex evicts the conventional, ‘canonical histone’ called H2A that is already present at these sites and replaces them with H2A.Z. H2A.Z is related to H2A, and the SWR1 complex can interact with both of these proteins. However, it remains poorly understood how SWR1 can discriminate between the two at the molecular level. Ranjan et al. have now addressed this in budding yeast cells, by constructing hybrids that contain parts of H2A combined with H2A.Z. The experiments revealed that the SWR1 complex recognizes key elements within the histone H2A protein itself that differ from H2A.Z. Binding to H2A activates SWR1 and causes it to replace H2A with H2A.Z. Ranjan et al. next looked to see if the SWR1 complex also interacts with the DNA present within a nucleosome and whether any gaps in the DNA interfere with histone replacement. The experiments revealed that gaps in DNA at a specific region of the nucleosome prevent SWR1 from depositing H2A.Z. Therefore, close contact between SWR1 and a nucleosome's DNA is another factor that is required for SWR1 activity. These findings provide new insights as to how SWR1 recognizes histone and DNA elements of a canonical nucleosome. Further work is needed to understand how SWR1 acts to replace H2A with H2A.Z.
Micrococcic (staphylococcic) enteritis following the use of aureomycin or terramycin.

Summary We have accumulated evidence that resistant strains of Micrococcus pyogenes have developed in our hospitalized patients as a result of administration of aureomycin or terramycin and that these resistant strains of micrococci, when present in the intestine in more or less pure culture, may produce varying degrees of gastrointestinal and systemic reactions. The administration of erythromycin by mouth in doses of 300 to 400 mg., four times daily, will eliminate the micrococci from the intestine and alleviate the untoward symptoms.
Impaired Fas-Fas Ligand Interactions Result in Greater Recurrent Herpetic Stromal Keratitis in Mice

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection of the cornea leads to a potentially blinding condition termed herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK). Clinical studies have indicated that disease is primarily associated with recurrent HSK following reactivation of a latent viral infection of the trigeminal ganglia. One of the key factors that limit inflammation of the cornea is the expression of Fas ligand (FasL). We demonstrate that infection of the cornea with HSV-1 results in increased functional expression of FasL and that mice expressing mutations in Fas (lpr) and FasL (gld) display increased recurrent HSK following reactivation compared to wild-type mice. Furthermore, both gld and lpr mice took longer to clear their corneas of infectious virus and the reactivation rate for these strains was significantly greater than that seen with wild-type mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that the interaction of Fas with FasL in the cornea restricts the development of recurrent HSK.
Least-squares solution of equations of motion under inconsistent constraints

Abstract Udwadia and Kalaba have obtained explicit equations for the motion of discrete mechanical systems under consistent holonomic or nonholonomic constraints. Using the extremal property of the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse, a direct proof now shows that the UK equations also determine the least-squares solution for motion under inconsistent constraints.
Patterns and weak optical turbulence in wide-aperture lasers

Complex pattern formation is commonly observed in spatially extended, continuous, dissipativesystems which are driven far from equilibrium by an external stress. Under the influence of thisstress, the system can undergo a series of symmetry breaking bifurcations or phase transitions andthe resulting patterns become more and more complicated, both temporally and spatially, as thestress is increased. Examples abound in ordinary and binary fluids, in liquid crystals and chemicallyreacting media1. Optical systems, both passive and active, are no exception and considerable efforthas been expended recently to predict2'3 and observe4'5 pattern forming instabilities in both passiveand active nonlinear optical systems.Wide aperture gas and semiconductor lasers offer the possibility of producing high power stablecoherent outputs ranging from tens of watts to kilowatts and possibly higher. These lasers also pro-vide ideal physical scenarios for the observation of spatio-temporal complexity in spatially extendeddissipative systems.
An experimental study of stress wave transmission at a metallic-rock interface and dynamic tensile failure of sandstone, limestone, and granite

Abstract An experimental technique is described for determination of dynamic tensile fracture strength of brittle solids. This technique has been used to determine the dynamic tensile fracture strength of several types of rock. The rocks studied were granite, limestone, and sandstone; the specimens were cored perpendicular to the bedding plane for these rocks. The quasi-static fracture strengths of the same solids were also determined for comparison with the dynamic strengths. The dynamic strengths have been found to be several times the quasi-static strengths, thus showing a strong dependence of fracture strength on strain rate.