cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ankle control and strength training for children with cerebral palsy using the Rutgers Ankle CP

The purpose of the study described here was to develop and feasibility test the Rutgers Ankle CP, aimed at ankle strengthening and improved control for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The system was an upgrade in hardware (new foot attachment, new robot controller) and software (new games and programming language) of the earlier Rutgers Ankle in order to permit training of children with CP. The new Rutgers Ankle CP was used to train ankle strength and motor control in a 7 year old boy with CP during 36 rehabilitation sessions (12 weeks, 3 times/week). Assessments for impairment, function and quality of life were taken before and after training. Results indicated improvements in both strength and motor control. Gait function improved substantially in ankle kinematics, speed and endurance. Overall function (GMFM) indicated improvements that were typical of other ankle strength training programs. Quality of life increased beyond what would be considered a minimal clinical important difference. While these results are only for a single participant, they are very encouraging toward improving the function and quality of life of children with cerebral palsy. Further research with a larger number of participants is planned.
MR Imaging of Early Hip Joint Degeneration

MR imaging is one of the most commonly used imaging techniques to evaluate patients with hip pain. Intra-articular abnormalities of the hip joint are better assessed with recent advances in MR imaging technology, such as high-field strength scanners, improved coils, and more signal-to-noise ratio-efficient sequences. This article discusses the causes of early hip joint degeneration and the current use of morphologic and physiologic MR imaging techniques for evaluating the articular cartilage of the hip joint. The article also discusses the role of MR arthrography in clinical cartilage imaging.
Two-photon spectroscopy of autoionizing states of Xe2 near threshold

Abstract The two-photon ionization spectrum of Xe 2 in the region of the first ionization threshold is presented. Vibronic bands corresponding to at least four different autoionizing electronic states of Xe 2 are observed for the first time and are tentatively assigned. The observed appearance potential is significantly higher (by 415 cm −1 ) than the earlier single-photon ionization result (C.Y. Ng, D.J. Trevor, B.H. Mahan and Y.T. Lee, J. Chem. Phys. 65 (1976) 4327).
Structural insights into bacterial modulation of the host cytoskeleton

Many bacterial pathogens manipulate the host cell cytoskeleton during infection. Such cytoskeletal modulation can occur at several points of contact between the pathogen and the host, and involves extracellular receptors, intracellular signal transduction and cytoskeletal proteins themselves. The field of bacterial pathogenesis has progressed dramatically over the past decade, such that structural knowledge is both timely and essential for a full appreciation of the biology at the pathogen–host interface. Several recent examples involving bacterial proteins that target actin, Rho family GTPases and extracellular receptors have contributed to a structural understanding of eukaryotic cytoskeletal modulation by pathogens.
Effect Of Diabetes On Gastric Stem Cell Lineage In Rat Models

In 2013, it was estimated that over 382 million people throughout the world suffered from diabetes. Despite the numerous treatment approaches to manage this condition, diabetic patients continue to suffer from various symptoms and complications. These include, but are not limited to, retinopathy, nephropathy, peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, cardiovascular, and cerebral symptoms. In this study, we attempt to investigate the variations in the gastric stem cell lineage in order to further understand the gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by diabetic patients and reveal possible treatment promises. Using rats as an animal model, we divide them into different age groups of 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. For each age group, there were twelve animals, six of which were kept as control. The other six were injected with Streptozotocin to destroy the Beta cells of the Islet of Langerhans in the pancreas. The diabetic rats' plasma glucose was closely monitored; those that naturally recovered from diabetes were researched separately. Antibodies against KI-67 and Oct3/4 are used to examine cellular proliferation, Ghrelin for cells secreting this hormone, H,K-ATPase for parietal cells, UEA and GSII lectins for the surface and neck mucus cells respectively. For more quantitative results, qRTPCR using primers specific for genes of gastric stem cell differentiation pathways was used. Statistical calculations including One-tailed T-test were used to determine whether the changes between the control and diabetic groups were significant. Results suggest an increase in the proliferation activity of stem cells number of some cells like surface mucus cells, and a decrease in the number of ghrelin secreting cells. Future tests to be used in order to support these results include antibodies against gastrin, CCK, and LGR5.
Stochastic difference equations and a stochastic partial differential equation for neutron transport

Stochastic difference equations and a stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) are simultaneously derived for the time-dependent neutron angular density in a general three-dimensional medium where the neutron angular density is a function of position, direction, energy and time. Special cases of the equations are given, such as transport in one-dimensional plane geometry with isotropic scattering and transport in a homogeneous medium. The stochastic equations are derived from basic principles, i.e. from the changes that occur in a small time interval. Stochastic difference equations of the neutron angular density are constructed, taking into account the inherent randomness in scatters, absorptions and source neutrons. As the time interval decreases, the stochastic difference equations lead to a system of Ito stochastic differential equations. As the energy, direction, and position intervals decrease, an SPDE is derived for the neutron angular density. Comparisons between numerical solutions of the ...
Quantitative analysis of endocytosis and turnover of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptor

Binding of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the EGF receptor (EGFR) initiates signal transduction, ultimately leading to altered gene expression. Ligand-activated EGFR is also rapidly internalized and then targeted to lysosomes for degradation or recycled back to the plasma membrane. Endocytosis is a major regulator of EGFR signaling. Therefore, elucidation of the mechanisms of EGFR endocytosis is essential for a better understanding of EGFR biology. In order to achieve a comprehensive analysis of these mechanisms, reliable methods for measuring the rates of EGFR protein turnover and the rate parameters for individual steps of EGFR endocytic trafficking must be employed. The protocols in this unit describe methodologies to measure the rates of EGFR synthesis and degradation, to monitor EGF-induced down-regulation of surface EGFR, to measure the kinetic rate parameters of internalization, recycling, and degradation of radiolabeled EGF, and to perform radioiodination of EGF by the chloramine T method.
Discovery and molecular mapping of a new gene conferring resistance to stem rust, Sr53, derived from Aegilops geniculata and characterization of spontaneous translocation stocks with reduced alien chromatin

This study reports the discovery and molecular mapping of a resistance gene effective against stem rust races RKQQC and TTKSK (Ug99) derived from Aegilops geniculata (2n = 4x = 28, UgUgMgMg). Two populations from the crosses TA5599 (T5DL-5MgL·5MgS)/TA3809 (ph1b mutant in Chinese Spring background) and TA5599/Lakin were developed and used for genetic mapping to identify markers linked to the resistance gene. Further molecular and cytogenetic characterization resulted in the identification of nine spontaneous recombinants with shortened Ae. geniculata segments. Three of the wheat–Ae. geniculata recombinants (U6154-124, U6154-128, and U6200-113) are interstitial translocations (T5DS·5DL-5MgL-5DL), with 20–30% proximal segments of 5MgL translocated to 5DL; the other six are recombinants (T5DL-5MgL·5MgS) have shortened segments of 5MgL with fraction lengths (FL) of 0.32–0.45 compared with FL 0.55 for the 5MgL segment in the original translocation donor, TA5599. Recombinants U6200-64, U6200-117, and U6154-124 carry the stem rust resistance gene Sr53 with the same infection type as TA5599, the resistance gene donor. All recombinants were confirmed to be genetically compensating on the basis of genomic in situ hybridization and molecular marker analysis with chromosome 5D- and 5Mg-specific SSR/STS-PCR markers. These recombinants between wheat and Ae. geniculata will provide another source for wheat stem rust resistance breeding and for physical mapping of the resistance locus and crossover hot spots between wheat chromosome 5D and chromosome 5MgL of Ae. geniculata.
Dynamic Risk-Sharing with Two-Sided Moral Hazard

Abstract A group of risk-averse agents repeatedly produce a perishable consumption good; individual outputs are observable but efforts are not. The contracting problem admits a recursive formulation, and the optimal value function is the fixed point of a contraction mapping. When the agents can be punished to the full extent in a single period, every continuation contract of an optimal contract is itself optimal; the marginal utility ratio between one agent and another is a submartingale. The results imply that it is in general important to restrict an agent whose moral hazard constraint is binding from saving through another agent within the risk-sharing group. Limited commitment and long-run implications of optimal contracting are also examined.
Simple Modules and Primitive Ideals of Non-Noetherian Generalized Down-Up Algebras

Generalized down-up algebras were first introduced in Cassidy and Shelton (2004). Their simple weight modules were classified in Cassidy and Shelton (2004) in the noetherian case, and in Praton (2007) in the non-noetherian case. Here we concentrate on non-noetherian down-up algebras. We show that almost all simple modules are weight modules. We also classify the corresponding primitive ideals.
Purification of small oligonucleotides by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transfer to diethylaminoethyl paper

The application of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with subsequent electroelution onto DEAE paper for the purification of small oligonucleotides is described. We demonstrate that synthetic DNAs and hydrolyzed RNAs as small as three nucleotides in length can be purified by this technique. The product is undegraded and homogeneous in length.
Inversion of ocean color observations using particle swarm optimization

Inversion of ocean color reflectance measurements can be cast as an optimization problem, where particular parameters of a forward model are optimized in order to make the forward-modeled spectral reflectance match the spectral reflectance of a given in situ sample. Here, a simulated ocean color dataset is used to test the capability of a recently introduced global optimization process, particle swarm optimization (PSO), in the retrieval of optical properties from ocean color. The performance of the PSO method was compared with the more common genetic algorithms (GA) in terms of model accuracy and computation time. The PSO method has been shown to outperform the GA in terms of model error. Of particular importance to ocean color remote sensing is the speed advantage that PSO affords over GA.
Experiments on the penetration of thin long-rod projectiles into thick long-cylindrical borosilicate targets under pressure-free polycarbonate, aluminum and steel confinements

Abstract It is well established that confinement pressure inhibits comminution and fragment-flow during projectile penetration of ceramics. Here, a high-pressure gas gun is used to investigate the role of confinement wave impedance on the failure kinetics of ceramics during penetration. Tool-steel rods of fixed lengths and L / D ratios of 12, 16 and 24 impact and penetrate unconfined borosilicate cylinders and those under pressure-free polycarbonate, aluminum and steel confinements. The cylinders are all of the same size with projectile–target diameter ratios lying between 12 and 24, and projectile–target length ratio equal to 8. A stress wave controlling confinement is introduced to approximate an elastic waveguide set-up. Penetration depths into the comminuted borosilicate and the corresponding fragment jet diameters are measured between 168 and 1038 m/s impact velocities with high-speed photography and a witness plate. Expectedly, target resistive pressure increases with confinement impedance but decreases with projectile diameter. However, cylinders confined by steel are less resistive to penetration than those confined by aluminum. This anomalous behavior suggests that comminution increases with dynamic compression and it may be related to densification and the failure wave which occur in silica glasses above certain critical pressures. On this basis, comminution threshold conditions are determined and found to depend strongly on the propagation of stress waves across the target–confinement interface. These results are useful for material selection of impact/penetration-resistant structures with ceramic cores.
Cost Benefit Analysis for Asset Health Management Technology

Individuals who work in the field of prognostics and health management (PHM) technology have come to understand that PHM can provide the ability to effectively manage the operation, maintenance and logistic support of individual assets or groups of assets through the availability of regularly updated and detailed health information. Naturally, prospective customers of PHM technology ask, 'how will the implementation of PHM benefit my organization?' Typically, the response by individuals in the field is, 'anecdotal evidence indicates that PHM decreases maintenance costs, increases operational availability and improves safety'. This information helps the prospective customer understand the practical benefits of the technology but that customer stills needs more information to justify their investment into the technology. The information that is most useful to the customer is a calculated return on investment (ROI) figure for their particular asset that provides financial assessment of the benefit of the investment. The purpose of this paper is to show the advantages of using trade space analysis software to conduct a cost benefit analysis (CBA) for the implementation of PHM technology. The trade space software was designed to graphically display the results of multi-variant problems in a 3-D space made up of discrete solutions. This format provides the ability to evaluate many variables simultaneously, which facilitates data analysis and the ability to detect trends and complex relationships between multiple parameters. Using this tool, we can examine the correlations between several PHM variables including: technology cost, component failure rate, and logistic delay time and their effect on ROI. A CBA model was developed for estimating the benefits of implementing battery prognostics on military ground combat vehicles which was then analyzed using the trade space tool
Housing Attributes and Serious Mental Illness: Implications for Research and Practice

OBJECTIVES: This paper critically reviews studies of the relationship between housing attributes and serious mental illness, highlights important gaps in the research, generates hypotheses to be tested, and suggests a research agenda. METHODS: Studies published between 1975 and March 2000 were identified through computerized searches, previous literature reviews, and consultation with mental health and housing researchers. Criteria for inclusion included the presentation of quantitative evidence, a systematic sample of known generalizability, and systematic analytic techniques. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The 32 studies that met these criteria relied on one or more of three conceptualizations of the role of housing: housing attributes or assessments as an outcome or dependent variable; housing attributes as inputs or independent variables in a model in which the outcome pertains to a nonhousing factor, such as a mental health outcome; or housing as both an input and an outcome. Three studies found no long-te...
COMMENTS ON NUCLEAR-POWERED SURFACE EFFECT SHIP DESIGN PROBLEMS

W an article about a new GEM or SES appears in print, it is a temptation to compare its performance with that of a machine of similar capability that was proposed long ago. In 1937 (before the trans-Atlantic flight of land planes was possible) J. C. Hunsaker of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology described an airship filled with helium which would carry 200 passengers a distance of 3500 miles. Table 1 lists pertinent characteristics and performance. The last item in Table 1 is a measure of efficiency with respect to the load carrying capacity, aerodynamics, and propulsion. In the light of recent improvements in structural materials and turbofan engines and with application of boundary-layer control, the case of the airship becomes even more promising than indicated in Table 1. If nuclear power is contemplated, considering the length of an airship of ± 1000 ft, Table 1 Information regarding a helium-filled airship
Selecting the Optimal Oral Antihistamine for Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is now recognised as a global health problem that affects 10-30% of adults and up to 40% of children. Each year, millions of patients seek treatment from their healthcare provider. However, the prevalence of AR maybe significantly underestimated because of misdiagnosis, under diagnosis and failure of patients to seek medical attention. In addition to the classical symptoms such as sneezing, nasal pruritus, congestion and rhinorrhoea, it is now recognised that AR has a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). This condition can lead to sleep disturbance as a result of nasal congestion, which leads to significant impairment in daily activities such as work and school. Traditionally, AR has been subdivided into seasonal AR (SAR) or perennial AR (PAR). SAR symptoms usually appear during a specific season in which aeroallergens are present in the outdoor air such as tree and grass pollen in the spring and summer and weed pollens in the autumn (fall); and PAR symptoms are present year-round and are triggered by dust mite, animal dander, indoor molds and cockroaches. Oral histamine H(1)-receptor antagonists (H(1) antihistamines) are one of the most commonly prescribed medications for the treatment of AR. There are several oral H(1) antihistamines available and it is important to know the pharmacology, such as administration interval, onset of action, metabolism and conditions that require administration adjustments. When prescribing oral H(1) antihistamines, the healthcare provider must take into account the clinical efficacy and weigh this against the risk of adverse effects from the agent. In addition to the clinical efficacy, potential for improvement in QOL with a particular treatment should also be considered.
ON THE EVOLUTIONARY CONSTRAINT SURFACE OF HYDRA

Food consumption, body size, and budding rate were measured simultaneously in isolated individual hydra of six strains. For each individual hydra the three measurements define a point in the three dimensional space with axes: food consumption, budding rate, and body size. These points lie on a single surface, regardless of species. Floating rate and incidence of sexuality map onto this surface. We suggest that this surface is an example of a general class of evolutionary constraint surfaces derived from the conjunction of evolutionary theory and the theory of ecological resource budgets. These constraint surfaces correspond to microevolutionary domains.
Statistical Evidence on the Influence of Sunspots and Volcanic Dust on Long-Term Temperature Records

Abstract Over the years many claims have been made of relationships between climate and volcanic dust veils or sunspots. Sunspot proponents have claimed significant climatic variations on the time scales of 11 years, 22 years, and other multiples of the duration of the sunspot cycle (e.g., King, 1973a,b). Current hypotheses of a 22-year drought cycle in the Great Plains area is a contemporary example of such speculations (Thompson, 1973). Supporters of volcanic dust effects point to reportedly marked temperature drops alter large volcanic eruptions followed by a gradual return to preexplosion levels [e.g., Mitchell (1961) or Lamb (1970) or more recently, Oliver (1976)]. For the case of volcanic dust a plausible physical mechanism has always been at hand: the absorptive and scattering properties of volcanic particles. However, proposed mechanisms for the suggested sunspot-climate link have remained highly speculative, underlining the need for particularly critical assessments when such relationships are su...
Information Models for Processing Product Lifecycle Functionalities and Interfaces for Sustainable Manufacturing

There is a dire need for the development of an integrated information model for organizing and managing material and manufacturing related information, required for any product realization. In this paper, such an information framework for product, process, and material modeling has been proposed to support the product's form, function and behavior, its physical and functional decompositions, its design requirements and design rationale, and its material and process needs. A detailed, real-life case study of the waterjet intensifier design system has been presented to show how this proposed framework could support, capture, and utilize all necessary information required for the selection of the intensifier's high-pressure cylinder material. The framework will also be able to provide sufficient information to quantify the ecocompatibility of products.
Chronic high magnitude cyclic stretch stimulates EC inflammatory response via VEGF Receptor 2 dependent mechanism

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is associated with activated inflammatory signaling, such as cytokine production by endothelial and epithelial cells and macrophages, although the precise mechanisms of inflammatory activation induced by VILI-relevant cyclic stretch (CS) amplitude remain poorly understood. We show that exposure of human pulmonary endothelial cells (EC) to chronic CS at 18% linear distension (18% CS), but not at physiologically relevant 5% CS, induces "EC-activated phenotype," which is characterized by time-dependent increase in ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression. A preconditioning of 18% CS also increased in a time-dependent fashion the release of soluble ICAM1 (sICAM1) and IL-8. Investigation of potential signaling mechanisms of CS-induced EC inflammatory activation showed that 18% CS, but not 5% CS, induced time-dependent upregulation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), as monitored by increased protein expression and VEGFR2 tyrosine phosphorylation. Both CS-induced VEGFR2 expression and tyrosine phosphorylation were abrogated by cotreatment with reactive oxygen species inhibitor, N-acetyl cysteine. Molecular inhibition of VEGFR2 expression by gene-specific siRNA or treatment with VEGFR2 pharmacological inhibitor SU-1498 attenuated CS-induced activation of ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression and sICAM1 release. Chronic EC preconditioning at 18% CS augmented EC inflammation and barrier-disruptive response induced by proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. This effect of chronic 18% CS preconditioning was attenuated by siRNA-induced VEGFR2 knockdown. This study demonstrates for the first time a VEGFR2-dependent mechanism of EC inflammatory activation induced by pathological CS. We conclude that, despite the recognized role of VEGF as a prosurvival and angiogenic factor, excessive activation of VEGFR2 signaling by high-tidal-volume lung mechanical ventilation may contribute to ventilator-induced (biotrauma) lung inflammation and barrier dysfunction by augmenting cell response to VILI-associated inflammatory mediators.
Diffusion MRI detects early events in the response of a glioma model to the yeast cytosine deaminase gene therapy strategy

Detection of a therapeutic response early in the course of cancer treatment, before tumor growth delay or regression, is not currently possible in experimental models or clinical medicine. New interim measures of therapeutic response would be particularly useful in the development of cancer chemosensitization gene therapy by facilitating optimization of gene transfer protocols and prodrug dosing schedules. Diffusion MRI is a sensitive technique producing quantitative and noninvasive images of the apparent mobility of water within a tissue. We investigated the utility of diffusion MRI for detecting early changes associated with a refined cytosine deaminase (CD)/5-fluorocytosine (5FC) chemosensitization gene therapy paradigm in orthotopic 9L gliomas stably expressing the recently cloned S. cerevisiae CD gene. Mean tumor diffusion increased 31% within 8 days of initiating 5-FC treatment, preceding tumor growth arrest and regression. Complete regression of the intracranial tumor was observed in four of five treated animals, and recurrent tumor in the remaining animal exhibited water diffusion behavior similar to primary, untreated tumors. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the yCD/5FC strategy for glioma and suggest that increased tumor water diffusion is an indicator of active therapeutic intervention.
Design of Measurement System for Electric Power-Assisted Steering

The article introduces the operating principle and elementary structure of the measurement system for electric power-assisted steering(EPS). Based on the need for EPS performance evaluation and measurement,an approach which is to build the EPS measurement system based on virtual instrument technology is proposed. The measurement system can acquire various signals from electric power-assisted steering system, which supports to do research on control strategy and control parameter. The measurement result indicates that test data is of high accuracy and the measurement system is stable and reliable.
Fascicular Distribution of Shigella Isolates among Diarrhea Patients in Anyang City in 2006

[Objective] To investigate the serotype of Shigella and its transition.[Methods]Collections of Stool specimens from diarrhea patients were conducted Shigellosis separation cultivation,biochemical identification and fascicular serotype classification.[Results] Of 289 specimens,70 were detected Shigellosis,the separation rate was 24.2%.The results of fascicular serotype classification were S.flexneri I 12.9%,S.flexneri II 7.1%,S.flexner x mutation 57.1%,S.sonnei 21.4%. [Conclusion]S.flexneri which took S.flexneri x as major component held the first place of diarrhea in Anyang in 2006.A new type of F4C subtypes was found as the first report in Henan province.
Potential chemical impacts of CO2 leakage on underground source of drinking water assessed by quantitative risk analysis

Abstract Many geologic carbon storage site options include not only excellent storage reservoirs bounded by effective seal layers, but also Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDWs). An effective risk assessment and mitigation plan provides maximum protection for USDWs, to respect not only current policy but also to accommodate likely future USDW-specific regulatory protections. The goal of this study is to quantify possible risks to USDWs, specifically risks associated with chemical impacts on USDWs. Reactive transport models involve tremendous computational expense. Therefore, a secondary purpose of this study is to develop, calibrate and test reduced order models specifically for assessing risks of USDW chemical impacts by CO2 leakage from a storage reservoir. In order to achieve these goals, a geochemical model was developed to interpret changes in water chemistry following CO2 intrusion. A response surface methodology (RSM) based on these geochemical simulations was used to quantify associated risks. The case study example for this analysis is the Ogallala aquifer overlying the Farnsworth unit (FWU), an active commercial-scale CO2-enhanced oil recovery field. Specific objectives of this study include: (1) to understand how CO2 leakage is likely to influence geochemical processes in aquifer sediments; (2) to quantify potential risks to the Ogallala groundwater aquifer due to CO2 leakage from the FWU oil reservoir; and (3) to identify water chemistry factors for early detection criteria. Results indicate that the leakage rate would most likely range between 10−14–10−10 kg/(m2 year) for typical and likely leakage pathway permeability ranges. Within this range of CO2 leakage rate, groundwater quality is not likely to be significantly impacted. The worst-case scenario yields trace metal concentrations approximately twice as much as the initial value, but these predicted concentrations are still less than one-fifth of regulation-stipulated maximum contamination levels and do not exceed the no-impact thresholds. Finally, the results of this analysis suggest that pH may be an effective geochemical indicator of CO2 leakage.
Melting the vacuum

Results presented at the Quark Matter 97 conference, held in December in Tsukuba, Japan, have provided new insights into the confinement of quarks in matter. The current physics paradigm is that the inertial masses of protons and neutrons, and hence of practically all of the matter around us, originate in the zero-point energy caused by the confinement of quarks inside the small volume of the nucleon. Today, 25 years after Harald Fritzsch, Heinrich Leutwyler and Murray Cell-Mann proposed quantum chromodynamics (QCD) as a means for understanding strongly interacting particles such as nucleons and mesons, our understanding of strong interactions and quark confinement remains incomplete.
The effect of aging on the anatomic position of the thyroid gland.

Thyroid disease is common among elderly patients, frequently necessitating thyroid gland examination, imaging, and surgery. However, no prior studies have determined the effect of age on the anatomic position of the thyroid gland in the anterior neck. We hypothesized that the thyroid gland resides at a more caudal position in the neck in elderly patients as compared to younger patients. Head and neck CT scans were collected from 122 atraumatic patients without thyroid disease aged 18-39 years, 40-59 years, 60-79 years, and 80+ years. Measurements of thyroid gland position and other aspects of head and neck anatomy were conducted in the mid-sagittal plane. The distance between the thyroid gland and the sternal notch decreased from 45 ± 10.4 mm in the 18-39 age group to 30.8 ± 9 mm in the 80+ age group (P < 0.001). The position of the gland did not change significantly relative to anatomic landmarks in the head or neck, although the trachea was angled more closely to the horizontal plane in elderly patients (P < 0.001). Cervical spine height was also lower among patients ≥60 years of age compared to those <60 years of age (P < 0.001). Multivariate linear modeling suggested that thyroid gland position was dependent on changes in cervical spine height, hyoid bone to hard palate distance, and tracheal angle (P = 1.7 × 10-11 ; r2 = 0.37). Clinicians should be aware of the more caudad positioning of the gland when planning surgery or screening for thyroid disease in the elderly. Clin. Anat. 30:205-212, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Homosexuality and Evolution: A Critical Appraisal

Abstract Homosexual behavior occurs naturally in many species of mammals. Among primates, homosexuality is an evolutionary innovation originating when the anthropoid lineage split from the prosimian linage, becoming prominent in socially complex old world primates. Many species possess multiple genders: multiple morphs within each sex. Homosexual behavior and transgender expression occur across all present-day human cultures, throughout recorded history, including the Bible, and in Paleolithic drawings and artifacts. A transgender “third sex” has official status in India and its neighbors. Homosexuality became a Western category of personal identity in the mid-1800s. Despite 30 years of research, a gay gene has not been located nor have the brains of homosexual men been shown to resemble the brains of women. The brains of transgender people resemble the brains of the gender they identify with, not with the brains corresponding to their biological sex; this reflects the timing of sex hormones at different stages during fetal growth. Gender identity may exist in the brain as a “cognitive lens” that controls who to focus on as a developmental “tutor.” Transgender identity is the acceptance of a tutor from the opposite sex. Gender identity is developed at birth and sexual orientation develops later during the first few years of infancy. Homosexuality and transgender are too common to be considered genetic diseases. The fertility cost of male homosexuality is as much as 50% in Western culture and often much less elsewhere. The fertility cost of homosexual behavior is not convincingly offset by a fecundity advantage to the mothers of homosexual children. Homosexual behavior is not convincingly selectively neutral. Transgender expression might have evolved through kin selection in some cultures with a third sex. Homosexual behavior is selectively advantageous by producing alliances and partnerships and by promoting cooperation through the reciprocal sharing of pleasure. The homosexual/heterosexual polymorphism may result from frequency-dependent selection between alternative same-sex alliance strategies, with homophobia emerging as a byproduct of competition between these strategies.
Inhibition of DKK1 Activity Is Associated with Increased Osteoblast Numbers and Bone Formation, Reduced Osteoclast Activity and Inhibition of Tumor Growth in the SCID-rab Model for Primary Myeloma.

We have previously demonstrated that myeloma (MM) cells produce the Wnt signaling antagonist, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), and that DKK1 inhibits differentiation of osteoblasts (Tian et al. NEJM 2003). This is thought to result in an uncoupling process that may lead to induction of lytic bone disease in MM and possibly promote tumor growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of DKK1 in our established SCID-rab model for primary MM. Growth of primary MM in this system is restricted to the implanted bone and associated with typical disease manifestations including increased osteoclast activity, reduced osteoblast numbers and induction of osteolytic bone disease (Yata & Yaccoby, Leukemia 2004). In this study, SCID-rab mice were engrafted with MM cells expressing DKK1 (assessed by global gene expression profiling) from 8 patients. The level of DKK1 expression was correlated with numbers of MRI and x-ray focal lesions in these patients. Following establishment of MM growth, as monitored by weekly measurement of human monoclonal immunoglobulins (hIg) in mouse sera and radiographically, mice were injected subcutaneously into the surrounding area of the implanted bone with neutralizing antibody (AB, RD monoclonal AB: n=4, 100 μg/injection/day) or control IgG AB, for 4–6 weeks. Whereas bone mineral density (BMD) in control mice was reduced by 7.1%±4.6% from pre-treatment levels, BMD in mice treated with anti-DKK1 was increased by 5.6%±6.7% from pre-treatment levels (p<0.03). The bone anabolic effect of DKK1 AB was also visualized on x-rays and was detected in mice transplanted with cells from patients with low and high degree of bone disease. Histological examination revealed that myelomatous bones of DKK1 AB-treated mice had increased numbers of osteocalcin-expressing osteoblasts (45±5 vs. 16±2 per mm bone in control mice, p<0.02) and reduced number of multinucleated TRAP-expressing multinucleated osteoclasts (5±3 vs. 13±2 per mm bone in control mice, p<0.004). These results support recent reports demonstrating the critical involvement of Wnt signaling in osteoblasts in regulation of osteoclastogenesis as well (Glass et al., Dev. Cell 2005). Whereas in control mice myeloma burden increased in all experiments, anti-DKK1 treatment was associated with reduced tumor growth from pre-treatment levels in 4 of 8 experiments. Overall, myeloma tumor burden increased by 325%±122% and 165%±53% from pre-treatment levels in control and DKK1 AB-treated mice, respectively (p<0.03). Furthermore, bone marrow areas with locally high numbers of differentiated osteoblasts were depleted of myeloma cells in DKK1 AB-treated hosts. We conclude that DKK1 is a key player in myeloma bone disease and that blocking DKK1 activity in myelomatous bones reduces osteolytic bone resorption, increases bone formation and helps control myeloma progression.
A case of bilateral nursemaid's elbow

Although the case presented was easily treated, it caused anguish and expense that might have been avoided had the diagnosis been entertained initially. Considering the high frequency of occurrence, radial head subluxation should be thought of in young children with upper extremity injuries, typical posturing, and no other evidence of trauma or deformity. A suggestive history should be sought, and an attempt to reduce the subluxation should be made. Parents and caretakers should be advised about the potential for recurrence of this injury, as well as the dangers of sudden traction on a child's arm.
A finite element model to assess transtibial prosthetic sockets with elastomeric liners

People with transtibial amputation often experience skin breakdown due to the pressures and shear stresses that occur at the limb-socket interface. The purpose of this research was to create a transtibial finite element model (FEM) of a contemporary prosthesis that included complete socket geometry, two frictional interactions (limb-liner and liner-socket), and an elastomeric liner. Magnetic resonance imaging scans from three people with characteristic transtibial limb shapes (i.e., short-conical, long-conical, and cylindrical) were acquired and used to develop the models. Each model was evaluated with two loading profiles to identify locations of focused stresses during stance phase. The models identified five locations on the participants’ residual limbs where peak stresses matched locations of mechanically induced skin issues they experienced in the 9 months prior to being scanned. The peak contact pressure across all simulations was 98 kPa and the maximum resultant shear stress was 50 kPa, showing reasonable agreement with interface stress measurements reported in the literature. Future research could take advantage of the developed FEM to assess the influence of changes in limb volume or liner material properties on interface stress distributions.
Growth patterns of survivors of retinoblastoma treated with ophthalmic artery chemosurgery.

Although studies from pediatric cancers (largely acute lymphoblastic leukemia) have shown that patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy may experience decreased growth velocity during the treatment phase, no such data exist for retinoblastoma patients treated with systemic chemotherapy or ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC). The purpose of this study is to report growth patterns of our retinoblastoma (Rb) population who were treated with OAC in a retrospective, single center (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) review of 341 patients treated between 2006 and 2016. Children who only received OAC were classified as naive; those who were treated initially with systemic chemotherapy and subsequently presented to our center for OAC were termed secondary; and a small group of patients who received single-agent systemic chemotherapy prior to OAC were labeled bridge. For all patients, height and weight were recorded at monthly intervals during OAC (short-term) and then annually during a follow-up period (long-term) up to 3 years after treatment. Excluded from this study were children who received external radiation therapy and those with genetic syndromes, which are independently associated with growth derangements. During OAC, there was no significant difference in growth velocity between the naive and secondary groups. In either group, number of treatments also did not affect growth rate. Three years after the end of OAC, naive patients were in the 68th percentile by height (95% CI 61.30, 74.63) compared to secondary patients in the 61st percentile (95% CI 51.1, 71.47). Both groups were in the same weight percentiles during the first two years of follow-up but at the three-year follow-up period, naive patients were in the 63rd percentile (95% CI 57.4, 69.4) and secondary patients were in the 60th percentile (95% CI 50.4, 69.7). OAC for retinoblastoma does not appear to impact short-term growth velocity, weight gain during the treatment period or after three years.
Limited Alzheimer-type neurodegeneration in experimental obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with brain insulin resistance and insulin deficiency, whereas Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with peripheral insulin resistance. This study assesses the degree to which T2DM causes AD-type neurodegeneration. In a C57BL/6 mouse model of obesity and T2DM, we characterized the histopathology, gene expression, and insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-receptor binding in temporal lobe. High fat diet (HFD) feeding for 16 weeks doubled mean body weight, caused T2DM, and marginally reduced mean brain weight. These effects were associated with significantly increased levels of tau, IGF-I receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), IRS-4, ubiquitin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and 4-hydroxynonenol, and decreased expression of beta-actin. HFD feeding also caused brain insulin resistance manifested by reduced BMAX for insulin receptor binding, and modestly increased brain insulin gene expression. However, HFD-fed mouse brains did not exhibit AD histopathology, increases in amyloid-beta or phospho-tau, or impairments in IGF signaling or acetylcholine homeostasis. Obesity and T2DM cause brain atrophy with insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and cytoskeleton degradation, but the absence of many features that typify AD suggests that obesity and T2DM may contribute to, but are not sufficient to cause AD.
Chloroplast biogenesis: Biosynthesis and accumulation of Mg-protoporphyrin IX monoester and longer wavelength metalloporphyrins by greening cotyledons

Abstract Etiolated excised cucumber cotyledons (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Alpha Green), while greening in distilled water, synthesized and accumulated several metalloporphyrins in the absence of added substrates or inhibitors. The metalloporphyrins, undetectable by conventional spectrophotometry, exhibited distinct fluorescence emission and excitation properties in situ and in organic solvents. The metalloporphyrins were partially segregated on thin layers of silica gel H into three Chromatographic bands and the bands were eluted in methyl alcohol:acetone (4:1 v v ). The metalloporphyrins in the eluted bands were characterized by their soret excitation and short-wavelength emission maxima. One of the metalloporphyrins of band 3 (Rf, 0.4−0.56) was identified as Mg-protoporphyrin monoester. It was accompanied by traces of two other metalloporphyrins. Band 2 (Rf, 0.32−0.48) was made up of three metalloporphyrins and had the Chromatographic mobility of endogenous protochlorophyllide. Band 1 (Rf, 0.22−0.43) was made up of two metalloporphyrins; it moved with endogenous chlorophyllide. The metalloporphyrins of band 2 and 1 exhibited fluorescence emission and excitation maxima similar to Mg-protoporphyrin monoester but slightly shifted to longer wavelengths. The Chromatographic and spectral properties of these compounds suggested that they represent intermediates between Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester and protochlorophyllide. The analytical techniques described in this work may prove useful in the elucidation of the enzymology between protoporphyrin IX and protochlorophyllide.
Effects of series compliance on twitches superimposed on voluntary contractions

The activation of skeletal muscle during voluntary isometric contraction has been assessed by measuring the increase in force caused by a superimposed maximal shock to the motor nerve (the twitch-interpolation technique). When the muscle is held isometric, the increase in force with stimulation (superimposed twitch force) decreases with increasing voluntary force, and a line fit through the data can be extrapolated to maximal voluntary force at the zero twitch force axis. In a previous paper we questioned the applicability of this technique in situations where a high series compliance allows the muscle to shorten during the superimposed twitch. To explore effects of series compliance, we measured force of the adductor pollicis during voluntary isometric contractions with noncompliant and compliant loading devices. With the compliant loading device, superimposed twitch force was systematically less than with the noncompliant device, and the plot of superimposed twitch force vs. voluntary force was often concave upward, preventing easy extrapolation to maximal voluntary force. These findings are consistent with force-velocity characteristics of muscle and suggest that twitch-interpolation data must be interpreted with caution when the muscle is not held isometric during the superimposed twitch.
Teaching Behavior and Emerging Adults’ Depressive Symptoms: Effect of Perceived Observer-Model Similarity

Depression rates increase from 2% during childhood, to 22–27% during adolescence, and 50% during college. Previous studies showed an association between teaching behavior and students’ depressive symptoms; however, no research has examined whether all schoolteachers are equally influential in this relation. Social cognitive theory states that an observer’s perceived similarity to a model increases the observer’s ability to learn from that model. Thus, we hypothesized that the association between teaching behavior and students’ depressive symptoms would be strongest with schoolteachers that students perceived as most similar to them. In a retrospective study, a sample of 330 college freshmen aged 18 to 20 (M = 18.31; 56.7% female; 76.7% identifying as White, 9.7% as Black, 4.5% Asian American, 4.5% Latino/a, 3.9% Biracial, and 0.6% not providing information regarding race) completed the Teaching Behavior Questionnaire (TBQ) for the schoolteacher from throughout their schooling whom they perceived to be either most similar or least similar to themselves, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale (CES-D). As predicted, path analyses showed that instructional (p < 0.01), organizational (p < 0.01), and socio-emotional teaching behaviors (p < 0.05) of the most similar schoolteachers were significantly related to students’ depressive symptoms, while these teaching behaviors from least similar schoolteachers were not. Conversely, negative teaching behavior was associated with depressive symptoms independent of teachers’ perceived similarity (p < 0.05). Future longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to replicate our findings.