cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-changes in gene expression in primary mixed glia cultures from young vs. old rat cerebral cortex are modified by interactions with neurons.

Abstract Astrocytic GFAP expression increases during normal aging in many brain regions and in primary astrocyte cultures derived from aging rodent brains. As shown below, we unexpectedly found that the age-related increase of GFAP expression was suppressed in mixed glia (astrocytes + microglia). However, the age-related increase of GFAP was observed when E18 neurons were co-cultured with mixed glia. Thus, the presence of microglia can suppress the age-related increase of GFAP, in primary cultures of astrocytes. To more broadly characterize how aging and co-culture with neurons alters glial gene expression, we profiled gene expression in mixed glia from young (3 mo) and old (24 mo) male rat cerebral cortex by Affymetrix microarray (Rat230 2.0). The majority of age changes were independent of the presence of neurons. Overall, the expression of twofold more genes increased with age than decreased with age. The minority of age changes that were either suppressed or revealed by the presence of neurons may be useful to analyze glial-neuron interaction during aging. Some in vitro changes are shared with those of aging rat hippocampus in studies from the Landfield group ( Rowe et al., 2007 , Kadish et al., 2009 ).
Esophageal reflux disease proton pump inhibitor therapy impact on sleep disturbance: a systematic review

Objective. To perform a systematic literature review that eval- uates the impact of proton pump inhibitor treatment of gas- troesophageal reflux disease on sleep disturbance-related outcomes. Data Sources. PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane data- bases were searched from 1989 (when omeprazole became available) to present; additional references gleaned from citations. Review Methods. The search strategy identified all randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials published in English; both proton pump inhibitor use and outcome measures of sleep dis- turbance were reported for esophageal reflux disease patients. Using a preestablished systematic review protocol and data extraction format, 4 coauthors independently reviewed all articles. Results. The original search identified 20 articles; 9 were not directly relevant, and 3 were not placebo controlled. Sample sizes varied from 15 to 642; mean age was 47.4 6 4.56 years; mean body mass index was 29.4 6 2.9; the propor- tion of women varied widely across studies. Esomeprazole was studied most frequently. More than 50% of publications permitted rescue antacids. Two studies reported polysom- nography outcomes, without statistically significant improve- ment. All studies reported non-polysomnography outcomes; 7 identified statistically significant improvements demon- strating drug treatment superiority over placebo. Conclusion. The existing evidence supports the use of proton pump inhibitors as a treatment for esophageal reflux disease to improve quality-of-life sleep disturbance-related out- comes. Given the wide variability in proton pump inhibitor treatments and sleep disturbance-related outcomes reported, however, study-specific results cannot be directly compared or aggregated. This conclusion appears robust not only for 7 of 8 studies included but also for the 3 high- est quality studies.
Relationship of Consumer Characteristics and Service Provision to Income of Successfully Rehabilitated Individuals Who Are Deaf

The purpose of this study was to identify higher levels of income, based on consumer characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, Hispanic origin) and service variables (i.e., assessment, restoration, job placement), for persons who are deaf and closed rehabilitated (Status 26). A split-half cross-validation research design was used to evaluate 2,422 case records obtained from the RSA-911 database for fiscal year 1996 on three consumer and eight service variables. Results are presented for income, and the implications of findings for research and practice are discussed.
Application of Social Network Analysis to Collaborative Team Formation

Team formation is a challenging problem in many large organizations in which it is entirely possible for two individuals to work on similar projects without realizing it. By applying social network analysis to mappings of co-authors and to mappings of related research paper keywords, we are able to help generate teams of diverse individuals with similar interests and aptitudes.
Fabrication process of microsurgical tools for single-cell trapping and intracytoplasmic injection

We introduce chemical etching-based processes for fabricating micromanipulators from fused silica microcapillary tubing. The resulting devices are capable of manipulating individual cells and can be used for intracytoplasmic injection. Two types of micromanipulating tools: single-cell trappers and micro-injectors, were fabricated with two single-step etching processes. These etching mechanisms, which are either surface tension controlled or diffusion rate limited, are discussed in detail with experimental verifications. The fabrication processes are reproducible and amenable to mass production due to their simplicity and low fabrication cost. Single cell capture and intracytoplasmic injection have been successfully demonstrated on brassica oleracea protoplasts.
Digestive rhythms in the mussel Mytilus edulis

Mytilus edulis L., collected from a mid-tide level on the shore, showed rhythmic changes in mantle fluid pH, crystalline style pH, style length and total protein, and in the amylase activity in the digestive gland. These changes were correlated with the changes in tidal height. Style size may be related to extracellular digestion in the stomach. Style size and amylase content of the style were not significantly correlated with each other. The changes in amylase activity in the digestive gland confirmed the existence of a tidal rhythm for intracellular digestion in M. edulis.
Pinched optical-vortex soliton

The fast contraction, or pinching, of optical vortices in both thermal and Kerr self-defocusing media is investigated by numerical techniques. For the thermal case, heat diffusion across the vortex core is described, and the heretofore unexplained stability of optical-vortex solitons in thermal media is explained.
Performance analysis of virtual cut-through switching in HARTS: a hexagonal mesh multicomputer

The authors present a formal analysis of virtual cut-through in a C-wrapped hexagonal mesh multicomputer, called the HARTS (hexagonal architecture for real-time systems). In virtual cut-through, packets arriving at an intermediate node are forwarded to the next node in the route without buffering if a circuit can be established to the next node. The hexagonal mesh is first characterized using a combinatorial analysis to determine the probability that a packet will establish a cut-through at an intermediate node. Given this parameter the probability distribution function for packet delivery times in HARTS is derived. The delivery times obtained from the analytic model are then compared against results collected from a simulator of the routing hardware designed for use in HARTS. The results from both the analytic model and the simulator further reinforce the choice of the virtual cut-through routing scheme for use in HARTS. >
Corticotropic activity of human blood.

PREVIOUS workers in this laboratory have investigated the presence of corticotropin in the blood and urine of man. Contrary to earlier reports, no corticotropic activity could be consistently demonstrated in the urine of healthy persons and of patients with a variety of disorders [Locke, Albert and Kepler (I)].1 However, corticotropin was consistently found in the serum of patients with untreated Addison's disease, but was not found in the serum of normal persons or of those with Cushing's syndrome [Taylor, Albert and Sprague (2)]. Since our two reports, numerous publications dealing with corticotropic activity of the blood in normal and in pathologic states have appeared. These publications report extremely variable and contradictory results. For this reason, and because our interest in the problem has continued, it seemed worth while to report data obtained since the publication of Taylor and associates (2) and to review the present status of assays for corticotropin in human blood.
Nvj1p is the outer-nuclear-membrane receptor for oxysterol-binding protein homolog Osh1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

OSH1 belongs to a seven-member gene family in yeast that is related to mammalian oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP). Here, we investigate the targeting of Osh1p to nucleus-vacuole (NV) junctions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. NV junctions are interorganelle interfaces mediated by Nvj1p in the nuclear envelope and Vac8p on the vacuole membrane. Together, Nvj1p and Vac8p form Velcro-like patches through which teardrop-like portions of the nucleus are pinched off into the vacuolar lumen and degraded by a process termed piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus (PMN). Osh1p is targeted to NV junctions proportional to NVJ1 expression through a physical association with Nvj1p. NV junctions per se are not required for this targeting because Osh1p colocalizes with Nvj1p in the absence of Vac8p. NV-junction-associated Osh1p is also a substrate for PMN degradation. Although OSH1 is not required for NV-junction formation or PMN, PMN is defective in cells lacking the yeast OSBP family (Osh1p to Osh7p). By contrast, the vesicular targeting of aminopeptidase I to the vacuole by macroautophagy is not dependent on the Osh protein family. We conclude the formation of nuclear PMN vesicles requires the overlapping activities of Osh1p and other Osh family members.
Small molecules aimed at type III secretion systems to inhibit bacterial virulence.

The development of new anti-bacterial compounds presents a major challenge to modern medicine as bacterial strains resistant to traditional antibiotics are constantly emerging. Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are essential for virulence mechanisms of many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens and have therefore emerged as an attractive target for small molecule anti-virulence therapeutics. This has led to several high-throughput screens in search for specific chemicals that inhibit the secretion and translocation of bacterial effector proteins. Several classes of small molecules have now been identified from these screens and this review focuses on their discovery and discusses their potential mechanisms of action and prospects for clinical development.
Development of a neutralization assay for influenza virus using an endpoint assessment based on quantitative reverse-transcription PCR.

A microneutralization assay using an ELISA-based endpoint assessment (ELISA-MN) is widely used to measure the serological response to influenza virus infection and vaccination. We have developed an alternative microneutralization assay for influenza virus using a quantitative reverse transcription PCR-based endpoint assessment (qPCR-MN) in order to improve upon technical limitations associated with ELISA-MN. For qPCR-MN, infected MDCK-London cells in 96-well cell-culture plates are processed with minimal steps such that resulting samples are amenable to high-throughput analysis by downstream one-step quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR; SYBR Green chemistry with primers targeting a conserved region of the M1 gene of influenza A viruses). The growth curves of three recent vaccine strains demonstrated that the qRT-PCR signal detected at 6 hours post-infection reflected an amplification of at least 100-fold over input. Using ferret antisera, we have established the feasibility of measuring virus neutralization at 6 hours post-infection, a duration likely confined to a single virus-replication cycle. The neutralization titer for qPCR-MN was defined as the highest reciprocal serum dilution necessary to achieve a 90% inhibition of the qRT-PCR signal; this endpoint was found to be in agreement with ELISA-MN using the same critical reagents in each assay. qPCR-MN was robust with respect to assay duration (6 hours vs. 12 hours). In addition, qPCR-MN appeared to be compliant with the Percentage Law (i.e., virus neutralization results appear to be consistent over an input virus dose ranging from 500 to 12,000 TCID50). Compared with ELISA-MN, qPCR-MN might have inherent properties conducive to reducing intra- and inter-laboratory variability while affording suitability for automation and high-throughput uses. Finally, our qRT-PCR-based approach may be broadly applicable to the development of neutralization assays for a wide variety of viruses.
The Essentials of Peridischarge Patient Education

Adverse events related to peridischarge management can result in serious harm and inconvenience to patients. The rate of adverse events can be reduced by enhancing the partnership between the medical team and patients through patient education. By introducing a new streamlined and comprehensive discharge checklist, we aimed to improve patient education with regard to peridischarge issues, thereby reducing the occurrence of serious reportable events related to peridischarge management. …
The isolated systolic click with bacterial endocarditis

Abstract The mitral valve and its supporting structures have been convincingly implicated as a source of late systolic murmurs as well as mid to late systolic (nonejection) clicks. Although attention has been called to theoretical susceptibility to endocarditis in subjects with these auscultatory signs, the patient whose case is described here represents the first example of the occurrence of endocarditis in this context. The endocarditis had its inception when only an isolated systolic click was heard. A late systolic murmur appeared for the first time during the course of treatment. In view of the difficulty in distinguishing intracardiac from extracardiac systolic clicks, consideration must be given to prophylaxis for endocarditis even when these mid to late systolic clicking sounds occur without an accompanying late systolic murmur.
Surface chemical reactivity of ultrathin Pd(111) films on Ru(0001): Importance of orbital symmetry in the application of the d-band model

The chemical bonding of adsorbate molecules on transition-metal surfaces is strongly influenced by the hybridization between the molecular orbitals and the metal d-band. The strength of this interaction is often correlated with the location of the metal d-band center relative to the Fermi level. Here, we exploit finite size effects in the electronic structure of ultrathin Pd(111) films grown on Ru(0001) to tune their reactivity by changing the film thickness one atom layer at a time, while keeping all other variables unchanged. Interestingly, while bulk Pd(111) is reactive toward oxygen, Pd(111) films below five monolayers are surprisingly inert. This observation is fully in line with the d-band model prediction when applied to the orbitals involved in the bonding. The shift of the d-band center with film thickness is primarily attributed to shifts in the partial density of states associated with the 4dxz and 4dyz orbitals. This study provides an in-depth look into the orbital specific contributions to the surface chemical reactivity, providing new insights that could be useful in surface catalysis.
Memory Factors in Consumer Choice: A Review:

This paper reviews research and theory on human memory, emphasizing key findings and concepts of importance to marketing and consumer choice. Several implications for promotional decisions are disc...
DFT Analysis of NO Oxidation Intermediates on Undoped and Doped LaCoO3 Perovskite

Perovskites are of interest as low-cost replacements for Pt-based NO oxidation catalysts. While the mechanism of Pt-catalyzed NO oxidation is fairly well understood, such is not the case for the oxides. The perovskite LaCoO3 itself has been shown to have good NO oxidation activity, and Sr substitution improves NO oxidation rates and reduces NO2 inhibition. In this work, we report density functional theory (DFT) results for the adsorption of NOx (x = 1, 2) to the undoped and Sr doped (100) LaO and CoO2 terminated LaCoO3. Further, we used first-principles thermodynamic models to determine the most common surface species under NO oxidation conditions. Nitrates and adsorbed NO are most stable on the LaO and CoO2 terminations, respectively. We explored the relative free energies of surface and vacancy-mediated pathways for NO oxidation. The vacancy-mediated pathways suffer from energetically costly removal of surface oxygen, while the surface pathway is most feasible for NO oxidation to occur. The perovskite s...
A Comparative Analysis of the Insoluble Brain Proteome in Alzheimer's Disease, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Frontotemporal Dementia (P4.038)

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to identify unique and common proteins that contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (MAPT mutation carriers). BACKGROUND: We previously utilized proteomic sequencing of the insoluble fraction from postmortem human brain to identify pathological markers of Alzheimer’s disease. We found classic hallmarks like insoluble tau and β-amyloid as well as novel targets like the RNA processing factor U1-70k. Further studies even demonstrated evidence for RNA processing dysfunction in AD, thus suggesting a novel mechanism of disease. Therefore, we hypothesized that this method would allow us to identify novel targets in other tauopathies like CTE and FTD-tau. DESIGN/METHODS: We prepared insoluble brain fractions from 6 controls, 8 AD, 11 CTE and 4 FTD-tau cases. The samples were labeled to allow for multiplexing followed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Data was analyzed for enriched proteins across the different tauopathies. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was also performed to identify affected molecular pathways or cell subtypes. RESULTS: We identified over 4000 different proteins in these samples. As compared to controls, we found uniquely enriched insoluble proteins (AD: 52, CTE: 87, FTD: 50) as well as eight proteins that were significantly enriched in all three. There were twice as many enriched proteins in common with CTE and FTD-tau (38) as compared to CTE and AD (19). WGCNA demonstrated several up and down regulate molecular modules. Significant proteins were classified to mitochondria, endosome-lysosome, chromatin remodeling and other cellular pathways. CONCLUSIONS: These studies demonstrated unique insoluble proteomic signatures as well as common targets in AD, CTE and FTD-tau. Further studies will be needed to determine how these proteins contribute to protein aggregation or disease pathogenesis. Study Supported by: NINDS, Emory University Disclosure: Dr. Hales has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dammer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Duong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Webster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zeineddin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Seyfried has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lah has received research support from Elan, Medivation, Merck, and Ceregene.
Beyond academic tracking: using cluster analysis and self-organizing maps to investigate secondary students' chemistry self-concept

Academic tracking, placing students in different classes based on past performance, is a common feature of the American secondary school system. A longitudinal study of secondary students' chemistry self-concept scores was conducted, and one feature of the study was the presence of academic tracking. Though academic tracking is one way to group data for analysis, since students are naturally grouped in their classes, we aimed to uncover other groupings characterized by their self-concept scores. A cluster analysis was performed using scores from the chemistry and mathematics subscales of the chemistry self-concept inventory. The analysis yielded five clusters, four of which demonstrate a positive relationship between chemistry and mathematics self-concept scores. One cluster, however, was composed of students with low chemistry self-concept scores and high mathematics self-concept scores. Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs), new to chemistry education research (CER), were used to identify smaller groupings of students within the clusters to better understand students' self-concept. This technique was also used to explore longitudinal trends in students' chemistry self-concept data. This work has important implications for tracking in chemistry, the value of considering the affective characteristics of chemistry students, and the prospect of SOMs as a new CER tool.
Management of cardiac arrhythmias.

Ventricular ectopic activity that is not associated with symptoms may be an indicator of underlying coronary heart disease and should alert the physician to the need for a full evaluation of the patient's cardiovascular status and prognosis. The factors that increase the risk of sudden cardiac death are discussed, as is appropriate antiarrhythmic therapy.
No signatures of black hole spin in the X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Fairall 9

Fairall 9 is one of several type 1 active galactic nuclei for which it has been claimed that the angular momentum (or spin) of the supermassive black hole can be robustly measured, using the Fe K$\alpha$ emission line and Compton-reflection continuum in the X-ray spectrum. The method rests upon the interpretation of the Fe K$\alpha$ line profile and associated Compton-reflection continuum in terms of relativistic broadening in the strong gravity regime in the innermost regions of an accretion disc, within a few gravitational radii of the black hole. Here, we re-examine a Suzaku X-ray spectrum of Fairall 9 and show that a face-on toroidal X-ray reprocessor model involving only nonrelativistic and mundane physics provides an excellent fit to the data. The Fe K$\alpha$ line emission and Compton reflection continuum are calculated self-consistently, the iron abundance is solar, and an equatorial column density of $\sim 10^{24} \ \rm cm^{-2}$ is inferred. In this scenario, neither the Fe K$\alpha$ line, nor the Compton-reflection continuum provide any information on the black-hole spin. Whereas previous analyses have assumed an infinite column density for the distant-matter reprocessor, the shape of the reflection spectrum from matter with a finite column density eliminates the need for a relativistically broadened Fe K$\alpha$ line. We find a 90 per cent confidence range in the Fe K$\alpha$ line FWHM of $1895$-$6205 \ \rm km \ s^{-1}$, corresponding to a distance of $\sim 3100$ to $33,380$ gravitational radii from the black hole, or $0.015$-$0.49$ pc for a black-hole mass of $\sim 1-3 \times 10^{8} \ M_{\odot}$.
Using Awareness to Promote Richer, More Human-Like Behaviors in Artificial Agents

The agents community has produced a wide variety of compelling solutions for many real-world problems, and yet there is still a significant disconnect between the behaviors that an agent can learn and those that exemplify the rich behaviors exhibited by humans. This problem exists both with agents interacting solely with an environment, as well as agents interacting with other agents. The solutions created to date are typically good at solving a single, well-defined problem with a particular objective, but lack in generalizability.
Synthesis of Ag nanoparticles on oxide and carbon supports from Ag diammine precursor

Abstract To determine whether the method of “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA) can be extended to the preparation of uniform and highly dispersed supported Ag catalysts, the adsorption of silver diammine, Ag(NH3)2+, also known as Tollen’s reagent, has been examined over five supports (i.e., SiO2, γ-Al2O3, ZrO2, Nb2O5, and carbon) with different surface areas and PZCs. The speciation of Ag in solution was followed by UV–vis spectroscopy, Ag uptake as a function of the solution pH was determined by atomic absorption, and Ag particle size was determined by powder XRD and STEM. At the Ag concentrations, pH, and surface loadings employed, silver diammine complexes convert into soluble Ag(H2O)2+ aquo complexes below pH 11 and hydrolyze to insoluble Ag2O above pH 11. The deposition of either Ag species over carbon at any pH appears to be reactive and results in large particles. The silver aquo complexes appear to adsorb via ion exchange near the PZC of alumina, zirconia, and niobia but not silica, while the silver diammine complexes appear to adsorb electrostatically at high pH over all the oxides tested - niobia, silica, zirconia, and alumina in the order of ascending PZC. Niobia, which has the lowest PZC, adsorbs the highest surface density of Ag via both mechanisms. The particles obtained via electrostatic adsorption of Ag(NH3)2+ at high pH are somewhat smaller than those formed from Ag(H2O)2+ ions at the lower pH values. In the absence of ammonia in solution at high pH, deposition of Ag aquo complexes occurs via surface precipitation and gives large particles. In sum, SEA of silver ammine is demonstrated to be a simple, reproducible way to synthesize small particles on all supports but carbon.
Multielectrode impedance tuning: reducing noise and improving stimulation efficacy

Multielectrode arrays (MEAs) have emerged as a leading technology for extracellular, electrophysiological investigations of neuronal networks. The study of biological neural networks is a difficult task that is further confounded by mismatches in electrode impedance. Electrode impedance plays an important role in shaping incoming signals, determining thermal noise, and influencing the efficacy of stimulation. Our approach to optimally reduce thermal noise and improving the reliability of stimulation is twofold minimize the impedance and match it across all electrodes. To this aim, we have fabricated a device that allows for the automated, impedance-controlled electroplating of micro-electrodes. This device is capable of rapidly (minutes) producing uniformly low impedances across all electrodes in an MEA. The need for uniformly low impedances is important for controlled studies of neuronal networks; this need will increase in the future as MEA technology scales from tens of electrodes to thousands.
Feature Based Grid Event Classification from Synchrophasor Data

Abstract This paper presents a method for automatic classification of power disturbance events in an electric grid by means of distributed parameter estimation and clustering techniques of synchro-phasor data produced by phasor measurement units (PMUs). Disturbance events detected in the PMU data are subjected to a parameter estimation routine to extract features that include oscillation frequency, participation factor, damping factor and post and pre-event frequency offset. The parameters are used to classify events and classification rules are deduced on the basis of a training set of known events using nonlinear programming. Once the classification rules are set, the approach can be used to automatically classify events not seen in the training set. The proposed algorithm is illustrated on a Power Standards Lab microPMU system data for which frequency disturbance events were measured at UCSD over several months.
Abstract 4374: Chromosome 3q22-29 amplification is linked to increased expression of multiple genes in key pathways deregulated in head and neck cancer tumors and cell lines

As part of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Network, our comprehensive genomic analysis of 279 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) found frequent chromosomal copy number variation (CNV) and mutations of potential biologic and therapeutic importance. This underscored an urgent need to identify cell line models that harbor genomic alterations representative of HNSCC. We performed whole exome-DNA and transcriptome RNA sequencing on 15 human papillomavirus HPV(−) and 11 HPV(+) HNSCC cell lines. HNSCC lines harbored chromosome gains (3q, 5p, 7p, 8q, 11q) and losses (3p, 5q, 8p, 9p, 18q), consistent with those found in HNSCC tumors by TCGA and previous karyotype studies. Integrative genome-wide analysis of CNV with gene expression uncovered over 1500 genes that display significant correlation between CNV and gene expression in both TCGA tumors and cell lines. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed multiple genes that converge on key pathways and functions deregulated in HNSCC, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, RAS/MAPK, TP53, death receptor signaling, inflammation, and differentiation. Intriguingly, 103 genes displaying significant amplification and increased expression were predominately located on chromosome 3q22-29. These genes encode components involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Hippo, TGF-beta and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways, cell cycle, translational and post-translational regulation, and mitochondrial biosynthesis. Fisher’s exact test and survival analysis showed significant co-occurrence and worse overall survival of 3q26.3 amplification and TP53 mutation in HNSCC patients from TCGA datasets; 3q26.3 encompasses 53 genes including PIK3CA, PLD1, ACTL6A and SOX2. HNSCC cell lines also harbor common mutations found in TCGA, such as TP53, FAT1 and NOTCH1, and novel and rare tumor suppressor genes, such as MYH9. Our findings suggest that these cell lines could serve as models for mechanistic studies and pharmacologic screening, and investigation of genomic and expression alterations as potential biomarkers for precision diagnosis and prognosis of HNSCC. (Supported by NIDCD/NIH intramural projects ZIA-DC-000073, ZIA-DC-000074. This study utilized the high-performance computational capabilities of the Biowulf Linux cluster at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. (http://biowulf.nih.gov).) Citation Format: Hui Cheng, Xinping Yang, Han Si, Anthony Saleh, Jamie Coupar, Robert L. Ferris, Wendell G. Yarbrough, Mark E. Prince, Thomas E. Carey, Carter Van Waes, Zhong Chen. Chromosome 3q22-29 amplification is linked to increased expression of multiple genes in key pathways deregulated in head and neck cancer tumors and cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4374. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4374
Shrinkage in oral squamous cell carcinoma: An analysis of tumor and margin measurements in vivo, post-resection, and post-formalin fixation.

Abstract Purpose To quantify changes in tumor size and tumor-free margins following surgical resection and formalin fixation of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and methods Nineteen patients were studied via cohort design. Between May and December 2011, measurements of tumor size and tumor-free margin were made in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Mucosal reference points were marked with sutures, representing tumor diameter and two separate resection margins. Measurements were recorded immediately before resection, after resection, and following fixation in formalin. Results The overall mean shrinkage in tumor size was 10.7% (95% CI 3.4–18.0, p = 0.006). When comparing mean tumor measurements, most of the tumor size decrease (6.4%, 95% CI 0.4–12.4, p = 0.039) occurred between pre- and post-excision measurements. To a lesser extent, tumor size decreased following formalin fixation. Comparison of tumor-free margin measurements revealed a pre-excision to post-fixation mean decrease of 11.3% (95% CI 2.9–19.6%, p = 0.011), with a statistically significant decrease of 14.9% (95% CI 8.5–21.3%, p Conclusion Mucosal dimensions of both tumor and tumor-free margins in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma specimens decrease between surgical resection and pathologic analysis. Most of this decrease occurs prior to fixation, especially for margins, and may be due to intrinsic tissue properties rather than formalin effects.
Quantifying the Fracture Behavior of Brittle and Ductile Thin Films of Semiconducting Polymers

One of the primary complications in characterizing the mechanical properties of thin films of semiconducting polymers for flexible electronics is the diverse range of fracture behavior that these materials exhibit. Although the mechanisms of fracture are well understood for brittle polymers, they are underexplored for ductile polymers. Experimentally, fracture can be characterized by observing the propagation of cracks and voids in an elongated film. For brittle polymers, we find that films bifurcate in such a way that the crack density increases linearly with applied strain (R2 ≥ 0.91) at small strains. Linear regression is used to estimate the fracture strength and strain at fracture of each material using an existing methodology. For the case of ductile polymers, however, we find that diamond-shaped microvoids, which originate at pinholes and defects within the film, propagate with an aspect ratio that increases linearly with applied strain (R2 ≥ 0.98). We define the rate of change of the aspect ratio ...
Empiric Antibiotics for Sepsis.

Abstract Background: Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Early recognition and treatment are the cornerstones of management. Methods: R...
Abstract 20151: Supplementation of Carnosine Improves Wound Healing Responses

Introduction: Critical Limb ischemia (CLI) is a serious manifestation of peripheral artery disease. Advanced CLI patients are poor candidates for vascular surgeries. Numerous studies have shown that Hypoxia inducible factor 1α plays an important role in recovery. HIF1-α is regulated by oxygen dependent prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs). Previous studies had shown that inhibition of PHDs by metal quenchers and viral delivery of HIF1-α iimproves blood flow to the ischemic limb. However clinical trials with these therapies were largely negative. Hypothesis: Based on recent observations that endogenous histidyl dipeptides such as carnosine a food constituent can quench metals we hypothesize that supplementation of carnosine can inhibit PHDs, stabilize HIF1-α and attenuate ischemic injury. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were subjected to hindlimb ischemia (HLI) surgery by ligating the femoral artery and vein and supplemented with carnosine (1g/L) for 21 days. Results: Laser Doppler analysis showed that blood flow in the carnosine treated was significantly increased (31±2%) compared with the non-treated (20±2%) after 14 and 21 days (carnosine 50±6% vs non-treated 28±4%; p + /Sca + ) in the blood and VEGF expression in the ischemic limb was significantly increased by carnosine supplementation. Levels of carnosine in the ischemic muscle were increased 2 fold compared with non-treated HLI mice. Pre-treatment of C2C12 cells with carnosine and its analogue methyl carcinine that lacks the ability to quench metals showed increased HIF1-α nuclear translocation and VEGF secretion in hypoxic carnosine treated cells compared with carcinine treated hypoxic cells. Conclusions: Collectively our results demonstrate that carnosine treatment improves blood flow by increasing HIF1-α stabilization and EPC mobilization and thus can be used as a safe therapeutic intervention for CLI patients
Auto-antibody detection of ovarian cancer with paraneoplastic antigens.

70Background: The high mortality rate of ovarian cancer (OVCA) is due to late detection and high incidence of recurrence. Autoantibody diagnostic tests for early detection and prediction of recurre...
Knowledge by Hearsay

Language matters to epistemology for two separate reasons (although they are no doubt connected).
The Collection Due Process Rights: A Misstep or Step in the Right Direction?

This article defends one of the more controversial parts of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA 98) the collection due process (CDP) provisions. CDP gives taxpayers the right to independent administrative and judicial review of IRS decisions to use its awesome administrative collection powers, powers that have long made the IRS a feared creditor. Prior to CDP's enactment, the IRS had the power to collect taxes from taxpayers without judicial review of administrative collection determinations. This power, atypical for creditors which often must get judicial approval for summary collection action, led many observers to criticize the IRS's powers as dangerous to individuals, even when there was no dispute that taxpayers owed back taxes. Notwithstanding this criticism, CDP's formalizing parts of the administrative collection process and interposing judicial review of certain IRS collection actions has itself been controversial for its draining of administrative resources from compliance, an issue of even greater importance in times of budget deficits. This article reveals how administrative and constitutional law principles that provide checks on arbitrary government determinations have largely been absent from tax collection adjudications. The adoption of CDP serves as a progression toward adopting broader rule of law principles in the tax system. Fidelity to rule of law has come to dominate the American legal landscape in the past century, but has been slow to make inroads in the tax system. The article addresses this challenging topic by considering IRS collection procedures, and the changes that CDP brought to that process. Second, it examines principles from administrative and constitutional law, and reveals how tax adjudications have largely been outside the mainstream of these two important external checks on agency behavior. In light of the tax law's isolation from these disciplines, it reveals that Congress and the Supreme Court have implicitly and explicitly overstated the government's interest in the collection process and understated the individual's interest. Third, in light of these administrative and constitutional law principles, it makes specific proposals to improve CDP, including a consideration of the proper standard of review that courts should employ in review of collection determinations. These proposals provide the means for policymakers to appreciate the potential for CDP to provide more meaningful taxpayer protections and minimize the aspects of CDP that are imposing significant systemic costs and straining valuable tax compliance resources.
Women Succeeding in Science in the Twentieth Century

Athena Unbound: The Advancement of Women in Science and Technology. Henry Etzkowitz, Carol Kemelgor, and Brian Uzzi. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Gender and Career in Science and Engineering. Julia Evetts. Bristol, PA: Taylor & Francis, 1996. Who Succeeds in Science? The Gender Dimension. Gerhard Sonnert and Gerald Holton. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1995. Women Becoming Mathematicians: Creating a Professional Identity in Post– World War II America. Margaret A. M. Murray. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2000. Women in Mathematics: The Addition of Difference. Claudia Henrion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997.
Bridge-based remote sensing of NOx emissions from locomotives

Abstract While emissions from nonroad mobile sources, such as locomotives, have gained increased regulatory scrutiny, a surprisingly few number of real-world, in-use measurements exist. This paper reports the use of a Remote Sensing Device (RSD) to measure emissions from locomotives. This noninvasive technique measured NO and NO2 emissions from individually identified locomotives as their exhaust plumes passed through the sensing beam of the RSD on a bridge directly above the moving sources. NOx emissions from 143 in-use, predominantly line-haul locomotives were measured from two bridges near Tacoma, WA. Locomotive NOx emission factors were within levels reported in previous studies. While there is a 26% difference in certification standards, the real-world NOx measurements reported here found no statistical difference between mean emission factors for Tier 1 and Tier 2 locomotives. With the 2015 implementation of stringent Tier 4 emissions standards, remote sensing of NOx emissions by RSD would provide a useful, real-world, check on the expected in-use NOx reductions.
Long-term landslide monitoring using soil-water relationships and electrical data to estimate suction stress

Abstract Soil-moisture fluctuation in the unsaturated zone of shallow colluvial landslides is influenced by many geologic, geomorphic, and seasonal conditions. Long-term field monitoring of variables such as water content, water potential, and electrical conductivity that can establish relationships used for geotechnical and landslide hazard investigations is deficient, particularly in regard to the shallow unsaturated zone. In addition, using electrical-conductivity data as a means to calculate related parameters such as shear strength and suction stress is even less common. The hydrologic conditions in the soil, rainfall, and movement were monitored within an active landslide in southeastern Kentucky to (1) assess soil moisture fluctuations within the landslide and (2) establish soil-water relationships across the slope using constitutive models and a new equation for predicting suction stress. In-situ measurements of volumetric water content and water potential were used in a framework that incorporates electrical conductivity to estimate unsaturated soil properties (soil-water characteristic curves) and suction stress. The framework proves that the relative constitutive equations are valid for long-term soil hydrologic monitoring and that electrical data can be used as a predictor of suction stress. The practical application of developing this framework is to further the understanding of the dynamic movement of water through shallow colluvial soils, which can support landslide hazard and geotechnical investigations.
Assessing Participants’ Experiences in a Service-Learning Program: A Psychometric Evaluation

There is currently a gap in the literature regarding the creation of psychometrically sound measurement tools assessing service-learning programs in health-related fields. Without comprehension of a survey's psychometric properties, evaluators cannot ensure that survey instruments are reliable or valid. This study describes the psychometric evaluation of the Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) Service-Learning Scale (PSLS). PSLS assesses participant experience in PHAP, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program. This paper explains survey development, scale validity and reliability, and the internal factor structure of the PSLS. The final scale consisted of 22 items with a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=.90). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to determine the scale’s factor structure; five factors comprising of all 22 items were retained. The factors, or subscales, were Learning Outcomes, Mentoring, Experiential Assignment, Self-Efficacy in Program Competency Domains, and Program Satisfaction. All were also found to have adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α >.70). Service-learning is vital in developing the next generation of the workforce. These study findings suggest the PSLS fills a critical gap in the literature by providing a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate experiences and satisfaction in service-learning programs and other fellowships.
Developing a team science workshop for early-career investigators.

Introduction High impact biomedical research is increasingly conducted by large, transdisciplinary, multisite teams in an increasingly collaborative environment. Thriving in this environment requires robust teamwork skills, which are not acquired automatically in the course of traditional scientific education. Team science skills training does exist, but most is directed at clinical care teams, not research teams, and little is focused on the specific training needs of early-career investigators, whose early team leadership experiences may shape their career trajectories positively or negatively. Our research indicated a need for team science training designed specifically for early-career investigators. Methods To address this need, we designed and delivered a 2-day workshop focused on teaching team science skills to early-career investigators. We operationalized team science competencies, sought the advice of team science experts, and performed a needs assessment composed of a survey and a qualitative study. Through these multiple approaches, we identified and grouped training priorities into three broad training areas and developed four robust, hands-on workshop sessions. Results Attendees comprised 30 pre- and post-doc fellows (TL1) and early-career faculty (KL2 and K12). We assessed impact with a pre- and post-workshop survey adapted from the Team Skills Scale. Results from the pre- and post-test Wilcoxon signed-rank analysis (n = 25) showed statistically significant improvement in team science skills and confidence. Open-ended responses indicated that the workshop focus was appropriate and well targeted to the trainees' needs. Conclusions Although team science education is still very much in its infancy, these results suggest that training targeted to early-career investigators improves team skills and may foster improved collaboration.
Tumor Microenvironment, Metabolism, and Immunotherapy

Targeting Tumor and T-Cell Together The newly diversified experimental strategies to treat cancer include those that involve tweaks to host immunity. A recently described strategy, conducted in mou...
Evaluating hypoxia alleviation through induced downwelling.

Abstract Hypoxia, a condition of low dissolved oxygen concentration, is a widespread problem in marine and freshwater ecosystems. To date, prevention and mitigation of hypoxia has centered on nutrient reduction to prevent eutrophication. However, nutrient reduction is often slow and sometimes insufficient to remedy hypoxia. We investigate the utility of a complementary strategy of pumping oxygenated surface water to depth, termed induced downwelling, as a technique to remedy hypoxia in the bottom water of marine and freshwater ecosystems. We introduce simple energy-based models and apply them to depth profiles in hypoxic estuaries, lakes, and freshwater reservoirs. Our models indicate that induced downwelling may be ~3 to 102 times more efficient than bubbling air, and 104 to 106 times more efficient than fountain aerators, at oxygenating hypoxic bottom waters. A proof-of-concept downwelling field experiment highlighted potential advantages and shortcomings. We estimate that regional-scale downwelling for continual hypoxia avoidance would require 0.4 to 4 megawatts per cubic kilometer of water (depending on local conditions), or 50 to 500 US dollars per hour per cubic kilometer of water (assuming 125 USD MWh−1 of electricity). Many potential side effects of downwelling are discussed, each of which would need to be explored and assessed before implementation. Downwelling does not replace nutrient management strategies, but under some circumstances may provide an efficient means to augment these strategies.
Stage-specific muscle wasting mechanisms in a novel cancer cachexia mouse model for ovarian granulosa cell tumor

Abstract Cachexia is a progressive muscle wasting syndrome that increases mortality risk in cancer patients, while there are still no effective treatment due to the complexity of syndrome and the lack of preclinical models. We identified a transgenic mice model with ovarian granulosa cell tumors mimic the progression of cachexia seen in humans, including drastic weight loss, skeletal muscle wasting and increased serum cachexia biomarker activin A and GDF15. Hypercatabolism was detected in skeletal muscle, having upregulation of E3 ligases Atrogin-1 and Murf-1. Our cachexia model exhibited stage-specific muscle wasting mechanisms. At precachexia stage, elevation of activin A activates p38 MAPK. Inhibition of activin A with Follistatin reversed weight loss at precachexia stage. At cachexia stage, energy stress in skeletal muscle activates AMPKα and leads to upregulation of FoxO3. Our results indicate this novel preclinical cancer cachexia model is exploitable for studying pathophysiological mechanisms and testing therapeutic agents of cachexia.