cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ovarian hormone-induced reorganization of oxytocin-labeled dendrites and synapses lateral to the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus in female rats

Central oxytocin (OT) modulates many social behaviors, including female rat sexual receptivity, quantified as the copulatory stance known as lordosis. The expression of the lordosis response is modulated by OT action in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH), as demonstrated by behavioral pharmacology experiments. However, the subcellular localization of OT in this brain region has been unclear. We tested the hypothesis that ovarian hormones reorganize OT-labeled pre- or postsynaptic elements in the fiber complex lateral to the VMH by using immunoelectron microscopy. OT immunolabeling occurred in axonal boutons identified by the presence of small, clear synaptic vesicles and double labeling with the presynaptic markers synaptophysin and vesicular glutamate transporter 2. OT immunoreactivity also was observed in dendritic profiles, verified with double labeling for the dendrite-specific marker microtubule-associated protein 2. Ovarian hormones did not alter the density of axonal boutons; however, estradiol treatment reduced the density of dendritic profiles by 34%. This effect was reversed when progesterone was given subsequent to estradiol. The effect of estradiol treatment was specific to dendrites that lacked OT immunostaining; the density of OT-labeled dendritic profiles remained constant during estradiol treatment. With the estradiol-induced exit of non-OT-labeled dendritic profiles, the remaining OT-labeled dendritic profiles experienced an increase in their number of synaptic contacts. Thus, hormone treatments that mimic the 4-day rat estrous cycle provoke a chemically coded reorganization of dendrite innervation in the fiber plexus lateral to the VMH that may underlie the hormone-specific effect of OT on reproductive behavior.
Spectroscopy of Metal Adsorbates on the GaAs(110) Surface Studied with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

The geometric and electronic structure of metal adsorbates on cleaved GaAs(l10) surfaces is studied with the scanning tunneling microscope. For the metals Sb and Bi, an ordered monolayer is formed, although in the case of Bi a series of misfit dislocations appear in the overlayer. In the case of Au, individual atoms are observed on the surface, forming clusters at higher metal coverage. Spectroscopic measurements reveal the presence of a state within the GaAs band gap. This state is observed near individual metal adsorbates (for Au and Sb), and near the edge of metal terraces (for Sb and Bi). The observed state is responsible for determining the position of the Fermi-level at the surface.
Stem cell factor is expressed by and may affect vascular SMC’s through an autocrine pathway

Abstract Introduction: Stem cell factor (SCF) is a 45 kDa membrane bound growth factor that is expressed by numerous cell types. SCF is cleaved and released from cell membranes in its active form by proteases such as matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9). Soluble SCF induces cellular proliferation by binding the c-kit receptor, a tyrosine kinase closely related to the platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (which is an important mediator of SMC proliferation). Because of the similarities between these receptors we hypothesized that SCF may also play a role in SMC function and thus the development of intimal hyperplasia. Methods: SMC were explanted from human saphenous veins. Expression of SCF and c-kit was measured by immunohistochemistry and/or Western blotting. Results: In order to determine whether human SMC might express SCF, we performed immunohistochemistry on cultured primary cells. We found that SCF was widely expressed on cell membranes (Figure 1A). To determine whether SCF bound to SMC membranes can be cleaved and released by matrix metalloproteinases, we incubated SMC for 6 hours at 37 degrees with 1 μM of MMP-9. Following MMP-9 treatment, SMC bound SCF (cell lysate) decreased by 50% (Figure 1B). Furthermore, MMP-9 treatment resulted in a dramatic increase in soluble SCF (both the 31 and 45 kDa forms) (Figure 1B). To establish if SCF may have an autocrine effect on SMC we searched for expression of its receptor (c-kit protein) in vascular SMC. Using Western blotting we found that the c-kit receptor, measuring 125 kDa, was prominently expressed in primary cultured SMC. Conclusion: Human vascular SMC express membrane bound SCF ligand. SMC exposed to proteases such as MMP-9 release SCF which through an autocrine pathway may affect SMC function via the c-kit receptor. Download : Download high-res image (73KB) Download : Download full-size image
The Abundance of Deuterium and He3 in the Solar Wind

The relative abundance of deuterium (D) in the solar atmosphere is not known. D is not only destroyed in stars, it is also synthesized in the atmospheres of active stars (Prodanovic & Fields 2003). In several cases, production of D in the sun has been detected when solar flares occur, using both energetic particle measurements (Anglin 1975) and by detection of 2.223 MeV gamma rays emitted by D (Terekhov et al. 1996; Shih et al. 2009). We describe a project to measure the abundance of deuterium in the solar wind, and to monitor its evolution during a several-year period. The instrument consists of two grids, a tritium target, and semiconductor particle detectors. The grids, which are hemispherical and concentric, accelerate the incident solar wind ions using a potential difference on the order of ~80 to 100 kV and concentrate the ions on the tritium target. A fraction of the solar wind deuterons thus accelerated interact with the target to produce 3.6 MeV alpha particles, some of which are recorded by adjacent semiconductor detectors. A similar instrument was successfully tested in space in 1975 in order to observe positive auroral ions in a hydrogen aurora.
Electrochemistry of Polyaniline: Consideration of a Dimer Model

Poly aniline (PAn) is the electroactive polymer obtained by the oxidation of aniline in acidic media [1]. In the free base form the polymer structure is that of a poly(p-phenyleneamineimine) [2] with repeat units. The oxidation state of polyaniline depends on the relative proportions of the amine and quinone-diimine units in the free base form. The emeraldine oxidation state corresponds to an equal number of amine and imine nitrogens in the polymer backbone.
Hierarchical Built-in Self-testing and FPGA Based Healing Methodology for System-on-a-Chip

Advances in VLSI technology have led to fabrication of chips with number of transistors reaching a billion figure and projected to be 10 billion in the near future. Affordable and fault tolerant solutions transparent to applications with minimal hardware overhead in the micro architecture are necessary to mitigate component level errors for emerging system-on-chip (SoC) platforms. Paper addresses built-in self-testing and fault detection, isolation and recovery capabilities to offer 100% system availability. We reduce the complexity of testing with a two-phase hierarchical approach that first detects fault at component level and then locates it at sub-component level. Proposed approach reduces the amount of test patterns required to detect a fault. Secondly size of the circuit to be replaced is greatly reduced. We then introduce a novel self-healing on the fly mechanism for SoC using field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology that localizes and isolates the faulty area and then replaces the functionality through partial configuration of the FPGA. Even though isolation mechanism requires additional control circuitry, overall area overhead is greatly reduced by eliminating the need for redundant components on the chip. In case of no fault, FPGA resources are available for additional functionality that might be required in time.
The Structure and Function of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone

Smith demonstrated in 1926 that hypophysectomy in rats resulted in the atrophy of the gonads. The occurrence of gonadotropic hormone activity in human urine led Aschheim and Zondek (1928) to indicate that the anterior pituitary gland might be the source of gonadotropins. Between 1928 and 1932, Smith and Engle (1927a-c), Collip et al. (1933), and Fevold et al. (1931) extended studies on pituitary gonadotropins in rats, mice, and sheep, and on human pregnancy urine. Lack of complete separation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH, follitropin) and luteinizing hormone (LH) suggested that one gonadotropin may exist with dual activity. The development of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) augmentation assay for FSH (Steelman and Pohley, 1953) and the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion test for LH (Parlow, 1961) further accelerated the purification of FSH from LH. The development of more refined techniques for the separation of proteins and mostly the collection of a large number of glands by the National Pituitary Agency in the United States led to the isolation of human FSH (hFSH) in quantities sufficient for structure-function studies.
Some Remarks about Linguistic Expressions in Writings about Ethnicity and Conflict: The Case of Yugoslavia

The paper suggests that the extensive and frequently controversial literature about the 1990s Yugoslav crisis can be viewed as an opportunity for reflection on the discourse itself. The article examines the role of ethnonyms and some related linguistic expressions used in scholarly and other writings about the demise of Yugoslavia. The examination has shown that the linguistic simplifications covering different social groups with umbrella expressions such as the Croats, the Serbs, etc. may constitute a source of puzzlement and even inaccuracy. It is argued that ethnic studies in general would gain much by paying more attention to nuances than by relying on ethnonyms as if they were clear-cut concepts. [Article copies available for a fee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: journal@transformativestudies.org Website: http://www.transformativestudies.org ©2011 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved.]
Effects of Carbide Addition on the Mechanical Properties of the Ti(C0.5, N0.5)-30wt% TiB2-Carbide Sintered Compacts

Hot presseed Ti (C, N)-30wt% TiB2 ceramics have an average bending strength of 900MPa, but have a wide distribution of bending strength. The additive effects of carbide, namely ZrC, HfC and NbC, were examined in order to improve the distribution, Addition of these carbides caused that the recommendable sintering temperature is lower than that of Ti(C, N)-30wt% TiB2 system. The addition of 5wt% HfC improved the Weibull coefficient from 8 to 12. Ti(C, N)-30wt% TiB2-5wt% HfC materials had the Vickers hardness of 2100 and the fracture toughness KIC of 4MPa·m1/2. The hardness and KIC values were same as those of Ti(C, N)-30wt% TiB2 materials. These phenomena can be explained by the following facts. Added HfC particles react with the Ti(C, N) particles to form Ti rich or Hf rich solid solution of (Ti, Hf) (C, N). These solid solutions limit the grain growth of Ti(C, N). The lower sintering temperature of this system is also effective to suppress the grain growth. The limited grain growth makes higher transverse rupture strengths and their minimized distribution. However, no change in hardness and KIC occurred because of the formation of Ti rich or Hf rich solid solution of (Ti, Hf) (C, N).
Efficacy of Ganciclovir in the Treatment of Infectious Mononucleosis: A Meta -Analysis

Objective: To perform a meta-analysis of all retrieved data from ublished or unpublished randomized controlled trials (RCT) worldwide, which compares the efficacy of early administration of Ganciclovir (GCV) and traditional anti-viral agents in patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM), and to provide evidences for improved outcomes of IM with GCV therapy. Methods:Target papers were retrieved in Medline (1963 through Dec 2007), OVID database (1993 through Dec 2007), Springer (1994 through Dec 2007), CNKI database (1994 through Dec 2007) using
Small RNA sequencing and degradome analysis of developing fibers of short fiber mutants Ligon-lintles-1 (Li 1 ) and -2 (Li 2 ) revealed a role for miRNAs and their targets in cotton fiber elongation.

The length of cotton fiber is an important agronomic trait that directly affects the quality of yarn and fabric. Understanding the molecular basis of fiber elongation would provide a means for improvement of fiber length. Ligon-lintless-1 (Li 1 ) and −2 (Li 2 ) are monogenic and dominant mutations that result in an extreme reduction in the length of lint fiber on mature seeds. In a near-isogenic state with wild type cotton these two short fiber mutants provide an effective model system to study the mechanisms of fiber elongation. Plant miRNAs regulate many aspects of growth and development. However, the mechanism underlying the miRNA-mediated regulation of fiber development is largely unknown. Small RNA libraries constructed from developing fiber cells of the short fiber mutants Li 1 and Li 2 and their near-isogenic wild type lines were sequenced. We identified 24 conservative and 147 novel miRNA families with targets that were detected through degradome sequencing. The distribution of the target genes into functional categories revealed the largest set of genes were transcription factors. Expression profiles of 20 miRNAs were examined across a fiber developmental time course in wild type and short fiber mutations. We conducted correlation analysis between miRNA transcript abundance and the length of fiber for 11 diverse Upland cotton lines. The expression patterns of 4 miRNAs revealed significant negative correlation with fiber lengths of 11 cotton lines. Our results suggested that the mutations have changed the regulation of miRNAs expression during fiber development. Further investigations of differentially expressed miRNAs in the Li 1 and Li 2 mutants will contribute to better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of cotton fiber development. Four miRNAs negatively correlated with fiber length are good candidates for further investigations of miRNA regulation of important genotype dependent fiber traits. Thus, our results will contribute to further studies on the role of miRNAs in cotton fiber development and will provide a tool for fiber improvement through molecular breeding.
Oxygen Toxicity: The Complication of Oxygen Use in the Newborn Infant

This discussion reviews cellular mechanisms underlying the development of oxygen toxicity and the antioxidant defenses that are present to counter the toxic effects of oxygen. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary oxygen toxicity in the newborn infant are presented and suggestions are offered for its prevention.
Sport Psychology in the 1980s: Status, Direction, and Challenge in Youth Sports Research1

Past youth sports research studies that have had significant practical and theoretical impact were identified. These investigations were characterized by several features: (a) asking questions of practical importance, (b) integrating previous research or theory into the designs, (c) employing adequate methodological procedures and sample sizes, and (d) answering questions through series of interrelated investigations. In contrast, youth sports studies that did not have as much impact did not reflect many of these characteristics. Based on these findings, future directions in youth sports research were identified. It was concluded that if the sport psychologist is to conduct socially significant research that will make contributions to those involved in youth sports, three issues must be addressed. First, critical questions of practical significance must be identified. In an effort to identify these issues the results of a survey on psychological topics of practical significance to youth sport personnel wa...
Dynamic optimization for the management of stochastic generation and storage

In order to increase the amounts of renewable energy accommodated in the system, new tools that take into account the horizon of the decision taken are necessary. Feature like the availability of new information can be included in a dynamic optimization framework and therefore help mitigate congestion in the system and have positive effects on distribution systems. This study proposes a new algorithm and shows some preliminary results for the use of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) interacting with stochastic sources of generation. The initial motivation came from the study of the adoption of renewables for electricity, and how to better harness the power of sources that are inherently oscillatory in power output. The benefits of ESS in a dynamic optimization go beyond the amount of renewable energy actually dispatched in the system. The current debate and probable adoption of electrified transportation will most likely increase the pressure on local distribution systems. However, the availability of distributed energy will also increase, in the form of energy storage, once the interface between the grid and the power sources in the vehicles is developed in a mass scale.
The Influence of Table Top Technology in Full-service Restaurants

The use of tabletop technology continues to grow in the restaurant industry, and this study identifies the strengths and weakness of the technology, how it influences customers, and how it can improve the bottom line for managers and business owners. Results from two studies involving a full-service casual dining chain show that dining time was significantly reduced among patrons who used the tabletop hardware to order or pay for their meals, as was the time required for servers to meet the needs of customers. Also, those who used the devices to order a meal tended to spend more than those who did not. Patrons across the industry have embraced guest-facing technology, such as online reservation systems, mobile apps, payment apps, and tabletbased systems, and may in fact look for such technology when deciding where to dine. Guests’ reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with 70 to 80 percent of consumers citing the benefits of guest-facing technology and applications. The introduction of tabletop technology in the full-service segment has been slower than in quick-service restaurants (QSRs), and guests cite online reservation systems, online ordering, and tableside payment as preferred technologies. Restaurant operators have also cited benefits of guest-facing technology, for example, the use of electronic ordering, which led to increased sales as such systems can induce the purchase of more expensive menu items and side dishes while allowing managers to store order and payment information for future transactions. Researchers have also noted the cost of the technology and potential problems with integration into other systems as two main factors blocking adoption.
Abstract 3874: Galectin-3 Enhances Post Ischemic Angiogenesis Via Modulation Of Integrin And Akt Pathways.

Introduction: As restoration of blood flow is critical for improved functional recovery following ischemic stroke, enhancing cerebral angiogenesis might be immensely helpful. Galectin-3 (gal-3) is ...
Combined NDT techniques in civil engineering applications: Laboratory and real test

Abstract The damage of concrete structures calls for effective methods for condition evaluation and maintenance. The usual destructive testing has many disadvantages in Civil Engineering because involves the physical destruction of specimens to evaluate mechanical and structural characteristics. On the contrary, Non-Destructive Tests (NDT) are able to investigate different structures with high resolution, low time consuming and relative few costs. This resulted in development of several NDTs techniques for monitoring civil infrastructures. Accurate analysis of the physical parameters that characterize the structures is made possible by the spread of instruments that are actually more precise and economical. However, failure to use non-destructive tests effectively can be disastrous in operation of structures restoration or buildings rehabilitation. Applied geophysics is able to provide many information on the state of preservation and quality of engineering work. This work has investigated the skill of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) also applied in tandem with Infrared Thermography (IR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomographies (ERT) for the characterization and monitoring of building structures in laboratory and in-situ conditions. Two experimental cases are realized: in the first one GPR and ERT were performed in full scale laboratory conditions where a road segment was investigated in different conditions; in the second test, a radiant floor was investigated with comparison of results obtained with GPR and IR. The study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating the collected data obtained with non-destructive testing to enhance knowledge of engineering issues.
Technical Note: False low turbidity readings during high suspendedsediment concentrations

Turbidity, a measure of water clarity, is monitored for a variety of purposes including: 1) to help determine whether water is safe to drink; 2) to establish background conditions of lakes and rivers and detect pollution caused by construction projects and storm water discharge; and 3) to establish connections with aquatic biological properties, such as primary production and predator-prey interactions. Turbidity is normally measured with an optical probe that detects light scattered from particles in the water. Probes have defined upper limits of the range of turbidity that they can measure. The general assumption is that when turbidity exceeds this upper limit, the values of turbidity will be constant, i.e., the probe is pegged ; however, this assumption is not necessarily valid. In cases where turbidity greatly exceeds the upper measurement limit, turbidity probes can falsely report incorrectly low values of turbidity that appear to be within the limits of the probe. In rivers with limited variation in the physical properties of the suspended sediment, an increase in suspended-sediment concentration will initially cause a linear increase in turbidity. When the suspended-sediment concentration in these rivers causes turbidity levels that exceed the upper measurement limit of a probe, turbidity probes do not necessarily peg at a constant value. Data from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA and a laboratory experiment both demonstrate that when turbidity exceeds instrument-pegged conditions, increasing suspended-sediment concentration (and thus increasing turbidity) may cause optical probes to record decreasing false turbidity values that appear to be within the valid measurement range of the probe. Therefore, under high turbidity conditions, other surrogate measurements of turbidity (e.g., acoustic attenuation measurements or suspended-sediment samples) are necessary to correct these low turbidity measurements and accurately measure turbidity.
Prognostic Value of the Neurological Examination in Cardiac Arrest Patients After Therapeutic Hypothermia.

Objectives:Current prognostication guidelines for cardiac arrest (CA) survivors predate the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). The prognostic value and ideal timing of the neurological examinatio...
Introspective Computing

We live in an advent of specialized tasks ranging from graphics, to networking and graph processing, to machine learning and more. While hardware accelerators cater to mainstream demands, general purpose units will always be challenged to run new software. Introspective Computing focuses on building a feedback mechanism to tune dynamic hardware features in real-time. Unlike most prior work, our study is done completely on a real system using hardware resources tunable in most modern Intel processors.
Cold Hardiness of Weigela (Weigela florida Bunge) Cultivars

Abstract Factual information regarding the low-temperature tolerances of weigela (Weigela florida Bunge) cultivars is essential for identifying cultivars to grow and sell in northern regions of the country [USDA Hardiness Zone 4a;−32 to−34C (−25 to−30F) average annual minimum temperature]. In this study, laboratory freezing tests and a replicated field trial were utilized to compare the relative stem hardiness of 11 recent weigela introductions with that of four standard cultivars representing a known range of hardiness. Freezing tests were conducted monthly from October 2005 to April 2006 on containerized plants over-wintered in a minimally-heated greenhouse under a non-lethal temperature regime conducive to cold acclimation. The cultivars differed substantially in both timing and rates of cold acclimation and de-acclimation in the fall and spring, respectively, as well as maximum midwinter hardiness levels. All of the cultivars, including the cold-hardy standards ‘Minuet’ and ‘Java Red’, were relatively...
Oxidative stress induces senescence and sterile inflammation in murine amniotic cavity.

Abstract Objective A physiologic increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is observed through pregnancy. ROS-induced damage to major cellular elements, specifically protein peroxidation, can lead to fetal and placental tissue senescence and inflammation often associated with normal parturition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of oxidative stress (OS) in inducing changes in proteins, senescence, and sterile inflammation in pregnant mice. Methods CD-1 mice (n = 5/group) on day 14 of gestation were subjected to minilaparotomy and the uterine horn between gestational sacs was injected with the following: saline (control), cigarette smoke extract (CSE) CSE diluted in saline and CSE + SB 203580 (SB) (a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor). Mice were sacrificed on day 18, and amniotic sacs, placentas and amniotic fluid (AF) were collected. Protein damage was evaluated by immunostaining for 3-Nitrotyrosine modified proteins (3-NT). Activation of prosenescence p38MAPK was evaluated by western blot. Senescence features, β-galactosidase (SA-β−Gal) and AF inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by immunostaining and multiplex luminex-based immunoassays, respectively. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test, p Results Amniotic sac from CSE-treated animals showed significant protein peroxidation compared to control as indicated by 3-NT staining. CSE activated p38MAPK phosphorylation in amniotic sac but not in placenta. Membrane p38MAPK activation was reduced after treatment with SB. CSE increased fetal membrane senescence (staining for SA-β−Gal) and increased AF concentrations of all evaluated cytokines. High inflammation correlated with pup loss and a decrease in placental weight. Treatment with p38MAPK inhibitor (SB) minimized damages, senescence and sterile inflammation. Conclusion OS induction by cigarette smoke extract cause fetal tissue protein damage, p38MAPK activation, senescence and sterile inflammation in the amniotic cavity of mouse. Prevention of p38MAPK activation can be a novel approach to prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes related to OS induced premature senescence.
Development of the American College of Rheumatology Electronic Clinical Quality Measures for Gout.

Objective Electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) are increasingly used by health registries and third parties to evaluate and improve the quality of health care. To complete these eCQMs, data are extracted from electronic health records (EHRs). The treatment of gout has been an area identified with gaps in quality of care. On behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), we sought to develop and test eCQMs to evaluate gout care. Methods Drawing from the 2012 ACR gout guidelines, a working group developed candidate gout process measures that were evaluated by an interdisciplinary panel of health care stakeholders, the ACR Quality Measures Subcommittee (QMS), and ultimately the ACR Board of Directors for formal validity testing. For each of the selected gout eCQMs, 3 clinical sites using different EHR systems tested the scientific feasibility and validity of the measures. Measures appropriate for accountability were presented for national endorsement. Results Of the 10 proposed eCQMs, 4 were endorsed by the ACR QMS, 3 were incorporated into the ACR's Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) Registry, and 2 were endorsed by the National Quality Forum. The 3 eCQMs incorporated into RISE (evaluating indications for urate-lowering therapy [ULT]), monitoring serum urate, and treat-to-target outcome) demonstrated high validity and reliability. Proportions of patients passing these 3 eCQMs in RISE and at the 3 clinical testing sites ranged between 32% and 58%, indicating significant room for improvement in care. Conclusion Three eCQMs have been validated and implemented into RISE. Two of these measures (evaluating indications for ULT and monitoring serum urate) are available for use in federal quality reporting programs. Performance on these measures suggests there is significant room for improvement in the management of gout.
Genetic manipulation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains to improve transformation of recalcitrant plant species

During the past ten years, the Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-DNA-mediated gene transfer system has been developed to such an extent that the genetic transformation of many plant species has become routine. The tumorigenic host range of A. tumefaciens is broad, encompassing a large number of species of dicotyledonous plants and some monocots and Gymnosperms [8]. Many plant species have been transformed using T-DNA-derived vectors (for a recent list, see [51]). Despite the broad host range of A. tumefaciens (and the closely related bacterium Agrobacterium rhizogenes), a number of agronomi-cally important plant species remain recalcitrant to transformation and regeneration using this system. Among those plants that are difficult to transform and regenerate using A. tumefaciens are bean, pea, soybean, sunflower, cereal species (including maize, rice, wheat, and other cereals), and many tree species, including Gymnosperms and hardwoods, important for forestry. For species such as tobacco, tomato, potato, and oilseed rape that are amenable to transformation and regeneration using A. tumefaciens, T-DNA-mediated gene transfer remains the method of choice because of its simplicity, efficiency, and the relatively ‘neat’ package of DNA that is transferred to and integrated into the plant genome. Other species, such as cotton, are more difficult to transform and regenerate using A. tumefaciens. For such plants, and for those that are highly recalcitrant to T-DNA-mediated transformation, gene transfer may be effected using electroporation, microinjection, direct DNA uptake, or particle bombardment. Many of these latter techniques suffer from a relatively low efficiency of transformation, and from the observation that frequently large amounts of catenated, rearranged DNA sequences are eventually integrated into the plant chromosomes. Thus, the generation of improved A. tumefaciens strains (and T-DNA vector systems) that would more efficiently transform these ‘recalcitrant’ species would be a welcome addition to the arsenal of techniques for plant genetic engineering.
Agile Clinical Decision Support Development and Implementation

Designing effective Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools in an Electronic Health Record (EHR) can prove challenging, due to complex real-world scenarios and newly-discovered requirements. Deploying new CDS tools shares much in common with new product development, where "agile" principles and practices consistently prove effective. Agile methods can thus prove helpful on CDS projects, including time-boxed "sprints" and lightweight requirements gathering with User Stories. Modeling CDS behavior promotes unambiguous shared understanding of desired behavior, but risks analysis paralysis: an Agile Modeling approach can foster effective rapid-cycle CDS design and optimization. The agile practice of automated testing for test-driven design and regression testing can be applied to CDS development using open-source tools. Ongoing monitoring of CDS behavior once released to production can identify anomalies and prompt rapid-cycle redesign to further enhance CDS effectiveness. The tutorial participant will learn about these topics in interactive didactic sessions, with time for practicing the techniques taught.
Illness representations and coping strategies during exacerbation of COPD: A qualitative descriptive study

Background: How individuals with COPD recognize and respond to symptoms of impending exacerbation is important to understand in order to develop appropriate self-care interventions. Aims: The aim of this study was to describe illness representation, coping strategies and subsequent appraisal by patients during an acute exacerbation of COPD. Methods: Fourteen patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of COPD participated in this qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following an interview guide informed by Leventhal’s Common-Sense Model of Illness Representation. The 5 dimensions of illness representation identity, cause, consequence, timeline and control were explored. Interviews were transcribed and underwent content analysis. Findings: Although all patients recognized a change in their baseline health status, only four participants identified the change as a COPD exacerbation at the outset of the event. Most participants took a wait and see approach and managed symptoms with rest and inhalers until they could no longer control symptoms and required emergency healthcare services. The emotional processing dimension of illness representation greatly influenced coping behavior. Anticipated stigma, distain for hospitals, and scheduled social engagements influenced coping strategies and contributed to treatment delay (mean = 7 days). Conclusions: The Common-Sense Model was a useful framework for exploring patient recognition and response to COPD exacerbation. Nursing interventions aimed at improving self-care monitoring, self-care management and early treatment seeking for exacerbation of COPD are needed to improve health outcomes.
Phenotypic MicroArray Screening of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Chemically Defined Liquid Medium

Phenotype MicroArrays (PMs) provide a considerable benefit to the evaluation of potential vaccine/drug targets and the assessment of hypothetical protein function. Nearly 2000 conditions can be screened relatively quickly either to search for phenotypes associated with the loss of a protein or to understand metabolic differences between closely related bacterial isolates. The fastidious organism Neisseria gonorrhoeae presents an experimental challenge for phenotypic screening due to its nutrient restrictions and its autolytic activity upon reaching the stationary phase of growth. These limitations can be mitigated by modulating screening parameters. In this chapter, we describe a technique optimized for the phenotypic screening of N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 and isogenic mutant strains. Inoculum size and culturing times have been adjusted for growth in chemically defined, protein-free Graver-Wade liquid medium in the 96-well microtiter plate format employed by the PMs. With the conditions presented, highly reproducible gonococcal growth is achieved, and autolysis prior to the experimental endpoint is minimized.
Abstract 2712: Effect of combined PD-1 and IL-6 blockade on K-ras mutant lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide in both males and females. K-ras gene mutations are among the most common mutations encountered in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), encompassing up to 30% of them, and are unfortunately associated with chemoresistance and poor prognosis. Recently, immunotherapy treatment of several cancers including NSCLC, particularly by targeting the co-inhibitory molecules program cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and program death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have shown promising results given either in combination with standard chemotherapy or as neoadjuvant therapy. We have previously shown an important role for IL-6 in K-ras mutant lung tumorigenesis by reprogramming myeloid contexture in the lung tumor microenvironment (TME) and promoting tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis through the activation of STAT3 pathway. Accordingly, we hypothesized that targeting both immunosuppressive TME and IL-6 driven pro-tumor immune response, through the use of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and inhibition of IL-6 would give us a synergistic/additive response and increases the tumor inhibitory effect of ICB. Briefly, starting at the age of 6 weeks, 4 cohorts of K-ras mutant mice (LSL-K-rasG12D/ CCSPCre) (CC-LR) were injected intraperitoneally with vehicle alone (PBS1x), anti-PD-1 (CD279) antibody alone (Clone: 29F.1A12- Bioxcell - BE0273-CUST) (200µg), anti-IL-6 antibody alone (Clone: MP5-20F3 - Bioxcell - BE0046-CUST) (20 mg/kg), or a combination of both. After 8 weeks of treatment, tumor burden and inflammation were studied and quantified. We found a significant (2-fold) decrease in tumor burden in the anti-PD1 alone treated group which was further reduced in the combined anti-PD-1 and anti-IL-6 treated group compared to age and sex matched vehicle treated group. There was also a significant difference in the lung macrophage infiltration in combined anti-PD1/anti-IL-6 treated group similar to what we previously observed in anti-IL-6 alone treated group. Our results suggest that immunomodulatory approaches by targeting cytokine networks like IL-6 blockade could be used to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy, i.e. PD-1 blockade, as a preventive and/or therapeutic strategy for K-ras mutant lung cancer. Citation Format: Marco A. Ramos-Castaneda, Neha Daga, Stephen Peng, Shanshan Deng, Walter Velazco, Mauricio Da Silva Caetano, Seyed Moghaddam. Effect of combined PD-1 and IL-6 blockade on K-ras mutant lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2712.
Presentation of Early Heart Failure Phenotypes in βII-Spectrin Conditional Knockout Mice

Background βII spectrin is an actin associated protein which regulates the localization of cytoskeletal and plasma membrane protein complexes necessary for normal cellular function. In cardiac myocytes βII spectrin recruits ankyrin-B to the cardiac dyad and modulates the functions of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, ryanodine receptor 2, ankyrin-B, actin, and αII spectrin. Disruption of the βII spectrin/ankyrin-B complex due to genetic mutation results in the onset of fatal arrhythmias. This was associated to the dysregulation of Ca2+ channels via ryanodine receptor 2 which forms the cardiac dyad. We hypothesize that loss of spectrin leads to acceleration of heart failure (HF), and plays a critical role in the SMAD pathway in the heart, and spectrin based arrhythmias are caused by abnormalities with the cardiac dyad. Methods Transgenic βII conditional knockout (cKO) mice were regenerated with a cleaner genetic profile (C57BL/6J) via Cre/LoxP system. Cardiac function of flox and cKO confirmed mice is assessed every 4 weeks via transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and electrocardiogram. We used the following antibodies: βII-spectrin (lab created), Ankryin B (lab created), βI (Novos), Nav (Abcam), Cav1.2 (Abcam), RyR receptor 2 (Abcam), Girk1 (alomone), Girk4 (alomone). A 2-tailed Student's t-test was performed on all data obtained from immunoblots. A p value of Results βII spectrin cKO mice display HF phenotypes as early as 4 weeks, verified by TTE. The observed ejection fraction is notably lower in the βII spectrin cKO mice compared to control (Flox) mice (LVEF 46.2% vs 57.8%, p=0.046). Expression of ankyrin-B was lower in the conditional knockout mice cardio myocytes relative to flox control (55.6 % vs 76.5%, n=3, p=0.38). Consistent with our previous work, expression of Ryanodine receptor 2 is significantly decreased in cKO relative to flox control (0.78 % vs 2.02, n=3, p=0.036). Conclusions The regeneration of cardiac specific βII-spectrin knockout mice model using the genetically homogenous C57BL/6J mice has been successful and confirmed to have decreased βII spectrin expression. Of note, these cKO mice do not require an external stressor for the development of heart failure phenotypes and exhibit this phenotype quite early on. Future studies we will explore other spectrin based regulatory pathways (SMADs) and assess the role of spectrins in organizing the cardiac dyad.
The occurrence of an immunopathologic vascular lesion in normal and abnormal pregnancies

Abstract Evidence has been presented supporting the concept that an immune reaction occurs during pregnancy. Such evidence consists of the occurrence of a proliferative vascular lesion on the maternal, but not on the fetal, side of the placenta, which increases in frequency during the first trimester, appears to fall off subsequently, only to rise again at term, although not to the initial level of frequency and intensity. Such lesions bind antihuman globulin and complement, showing more intense binding of the latter than of the former. This concept is also supported by fluctuation in the level of certain globulins, particularly the alpha 1 and alpha 2 fractions, which corresponds roughly to the fluctuations in frequency of the vascular lesions. It is also supported by the occurrence of nodular collections of lymphocytes which is most intense in the term uterus. Evidence is discussed which indicate that there is a partial suppression of this immune reaction in normal pregnancy, probably by the maternal hormones, thus permitting the fetus to develop to term.
Introduction to Palliative Care

Palliative care is a relatively modern field of medicine that focuses on relieving suffering for patients with serious illness. Palliative care integrates easily with geriatric medicine, as all providers caring for older adults need to feel comfortable managing symptoms and discussing prognosis with patients. Palliative care has been shown to decrease healthcare costs and improve quality of life for patients and their families, and in some studies, patients lived longer with concurrent palliative care.
The Limit of Infinite Reynolds Number for Incompressible Fluids

The Reynolds number defined by ( 2.8) is the dimensionless parameter appearing in the momentum balance (2.7) of the Navier–Stokes equations that indicates the fundamental character of the flow of an incompressible fluid. The parameters determining this number are the length scale L, the velocity scale U and the kinematic viscosity \(\tilde{\nu }\) as measure of resistance to shearing motion or the dynamic viscosity \(\tilde{\mu }=\tilde{\rho }\tilde{\nu }\) plus density. This number can be computed, if the following condition is satisfied: Length and velocity scales characteristic for the flow can be identified. The definition of length and velocity scales is in general not unique and in some cases there is no obvious a priori choice for them. The present arguments and conjectures for the limit of infinite Reynolds numbers are discussed.
Placental site trophoblastic tumor: Successful treatment of 13 cases.

Abstract Placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) is a rare variant of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) that is characterized by slow growth resulting in mostly uterine-confined disease, low human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels, and resistance to chemotherapy. Our objective was to update our center’s experience with PSTT with respect to presentation, prognostic factors, treatment, and outcomes from 2003 to 2019. Thirteen women with PSTT were identified. Mean age was 32 years. The most frequent presenting symptom was abnormal uterine bleeding (69%). A uterine mass was noted in 62%. The diagnosis was usually established by endometrial biopsy or curettage (62%). Nonmolar pregnancy was the preceding gestation in 85%. Median time from last pregnancy to diagnosis was 13 months (range 0–240 months). Serum hCG levels at diagnosis ranged from 1 to 2606 mIU/mL (median 98 mIU/mL). Three women (23%) presented with metastatic disease. All 13 women underwent surgery: 12 had a hysterectomy, 1 had a fertility-sparing hysteroscopic resection, and 2 underwent pulmonary metastatectomy. Nine women (69%) also received chemotherapy for persistently elevated hCG levels after hysterectomy (2), high-risk factors (4), or metastatic disease (3). Overall survival was 100% with a median survival of 65 months (range 30–167 months). Survival for PSTT increased from 57% to 100%, including from 33% to 100% for metastatic disease, at our center from 1982 to 2003 to 2003–2017. Surgery is the most important component in the treatment of women with PSTT. Multidrug platinum/etoposide- chemotherapy should be used in women with metastatic disease and considered in women with nonmetastatic disease with high-risk features.
An Adaptive Machine Learning Strategy for Accelerating Discovery of Perovskite Electrocatalysts

We develop an adaptive machine learning strategy in search of high-performance ABO3-type cubic perovskites for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The strategy has two essential compone...
Assessing Telemedicine Unreadiness Among Older Adults in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This cross-sectional study uses 2018 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study to assess the prevalence among older adults in the United States of unreadiness to access video or telephone telemedicine because of disability or inexperience with technology.
Organic Photoredox-Catalyzed Cycloadditions under Single-Chain Polymer Confinement

Cooperative catalysis enables synthetic transformations that are not feasible using monocatalytic systems. Such reactions are often diffusion controlled and require multiple catalyst interactions a...
Genome-Wide Architecture of Adaptation in Experimentally Evolved Drosophila

The molecular basis of adaptation remains elusive even with the current ease of sequencing the genome and transcriptome. We used experimentally evolved populations of Drosophila in conjunction with statistical learning tools to explore interactions between the genome, the transcriptome, and phenotypes. Our results indicate that transcriptomic measures from adult samples can predict phenotypic characters at many adult ages. Importantly, when comparing the genome and transcriptome in predicting phenotypic characters, we find that the two types of data are comparably useful. When using genome sites as predictors for the expression of the transcriptome, we find that gene expression is influenced by genomic regions across all large chromosome arms. Conversely, we found many genomic regions influencing the expression of numerous genes, which is consistent with widespread pleiotropy. Our results also highlight the power of the combination of experimental evolution, next-generation sequencing, and statistical learning tools in exploring the molecular basis of adaptation.
Purification and Use of tRNA for Enzymatic Post-translational Addition of Amino Acids to Proteins.

Summary Post-translational addition of amino acids to proteins by enzymes using aminoacyl-tRNA is an emerging regulatory mechanism. Examples include Arg transfer in eukaryotes, Leu/Phe transfer in bacteria, and tRNA-synthetase-mediated addition of amino acids to Lys side chains. Here, we present a method of purification and use of tRNA for such reactions, focusing on tRNAArg and its use for arginylation. This method can also be used for other tRNA-mediated reactions. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Avcilar-Kucukgoze et al. (2020)