cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethnic differences in bone geometry and strength are apparent in childhood

Abstract Purpose Ethnic differences in bone strength and structure likely contribute to the disparity in fracture rates, however few studies have assessed bone structure in multiethnic cohorts of children. The purpose of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in bone strength in childhood and to characterize the structural bases for these differences. Methods Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT 3000, Orthometrix) was used to assess bone parameters at the radius and tibia in Caucasian (CA, n = 21), African American (AA, n = 23), and Hispanic (HI, n = 29) children (10.9 ± 0.1 yrs). At the distal site (8%), we measured compressive bone strength (BSI), trabecular and total bone density, and total bone area. Polar strength-strain index, total and cortical bone area, and cortical density were assessed at the midshaft (50%). Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat CSA were measured at the tibia (66%) and the radius (50%). Physical activity and calcium intake were assessed by questionnaire. Analysis of covariance was used to compare bone outcomes among ethnic groups adjusting for age, sex, limb length and muscle CSA. Results Age, BMI, and body composition were similar among the 3 groups, however AA children were taller and had longer bone length. At all sites, AA and HI children had higher bone strength (SSIp and BSI + 10–37%) than CA children due mainly to greater bone tissue density (2–18% > CA) at the distal sites of the radius and tibia. The greater bone strength at the midshaft was due to both a higher bone density (2–5%) and greater bone area than CA (7–18%). Conclusion AA and HI children have significantly higher bone strength than CA children, due to greater bone volumetric density and greater cortical area. AA and HI children also have higher bone strength relative to load. These observations suggest that ethnic differences in bone strength manifest in childhood.
Technical limitations in the rapid infusion of intravenous fluids

We compared fluid delivery, both in vitro and in vivo, using various combinations of fluid sets and intravenous catheters. Administration sets were a minidrip, a maxidrip, and a blood infusion set. The catheters included 14-, 16-, 18-, and 20-gauge short catheters, 16- and 19- gauge long catheters, and an 8 French catheter introducer for flow-directed pulmonary arterial lines. Blood infusion tubing alone delivered fluid at 3.12 ± .07 mL/second, significantly faster than either the maxidrip (2.59 ± .06, P
Concerning the accuracy of Fido and parameter choice

A recent article by Huang and He (2012) illustrates a method for applying linear programming to protein inference and compares this method to a handful of established methods for protein inference: ProteinProphet (Nesvizhskii et al., 2003), MSBayes (Li et al., 2008) and Fido (Serang et al., 2010). Unfortunately, Huang and He (2012) gives the impression that protein probabilities computed by Fido are erratic, yielding either markedly superior performance (e.g. in the Sigma 49 dataset) or inferior performance (e.g. in the HumanMD dataset) compared with the rest of the field; however, this erratic performance is simply the effect of not choosing the parameters by grid search as specified in Serang et al. (2010). Performing a rough grid search (, and ) to jointly optimize discrimination and calibration substantially improves the quality of the probabilities computed (Fig. 1) and makes Fido competitive with ProteinProphet. Performing the grid search takes 4.42 s on a Core i3 laptop. Fig. 1. The accuracy of Fido with poor and well-chosen parameters. Fido’s performance on an example dataset (HumanMD) from Huang and He (2012) is significantly better when choosing parameters as specified in and Serang et al. (2010). ProteinProphet, a ... Not only are Fido’s three parameters important for weighing many pieces of low-scoring peptide evidence against fewer pieces of high-scoring peptide evidence, but they also substantially determine the treatment of shared (i.e. ‘degenerate’) peptides. As a result, the optimal values for these parameters are influenced by many factors (e.g. the coverage of the experiment, the complexity of the sample and so forth), and these parameters are, understandably, dataset-specific; although using blind parameter estimates may give reasonable performance in some situations (particularly when the parameters come from a dataset with similar characteristics), Fido is not intended to be run without these parameters intelligently set (via the grid search noted earlier in the text or manually). To be fair, there are situations where the means to estimate free parameters (i.e. true- and false-positive labels) are not available, and in these cases, it is not unreasonable to try parameters estimated from another similar data set; however, even in this case, the parameters in Fido are not intended to be chosen arbitrarily without regard for their performance. If no labels are available, manual parameter choice is an option (e.g. choosing parameters that rank a known highly abundant protein over others). In the rare case when no information for validation is available, Fido, like all models with free parameters, should not be used. To better enable researchers to use Fido in the way intended and to aid in future comparisons, we have released an updated executable, which automatically performs the grid search as described in Serang et al. (2010) (without need of the previous shell script wrapper). It is available for free download from http://noble.gs.washington.edu/proj/fido/. Funding: This work is funded by NIH grants NS007473 and NS066973. Conflict of Interest: none declared.
Developmental Maturation of Chemosensitivity to Hypoxia of Peripheral Arterial Chemoreceptors – Invited Article

Peripheral arterial chemoreceptors, particularly the carotid body chemoreceptors, are the primary sites for the detection of hypoxia and reflexly increase ventilatory drive and behavioral arousal during hypoxic or asphyxial events. Newborn infants are at risk for hypoxic and asphyxial events during sleep, yet, the strength of the chemoreceptor responses is low or absent at birth and then progressively increases with early postnatal development. This review summarizes the available data showing that even though the “oxygen sensor” in the glomus cells has not been unequivocally identified, it is clear that development affects many of the other properties of the chemoreceptor unit (glomus cell, afferent nerve fibers and neurotransmitter profile at the synapse) that are necessary and essential for the propagation of the “sensing” response, and exposure to hypoxia, hyperoxia and nicotine can modify normal development of each of the components leading to altered peripheral chemoreceptor responses.
The Neural Bases of Emotion Regulation: Reappraisal and Suppression of Negative Emotion

Background Emotion regulation strategies are thought to differ in when and how they influence the emotion-generative process. However, no study to date has directly probed the neural bases of two contrasting (e.g., cognitive versus behavioral) emotion regulation strategies. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine cognitive reappraisal (a cognitive strategy thought to have its impact early in the emotion-generative process) and expressive suppression (a behavioral strategy thought to have its impact later in the emotion-generative process). Methods Seventeen women viewed 15 sec neutral and negative emotion-eliciting films under four conditions—watch-neutral, watch-negative, reappraise-negative, and suppress-negative—while providing emotion experience ratings and having their facial expressions videotaped. Results Reappraisal resulted in early (0–4.5 sec) prefrontal cortex (PFC) responses, decreased negative emotion experience, and decreased amygdala and insular responses. Suppression produced late (10.5–15 sec) PFC responses, decreased negative emotion behavior and experience, but increased amygdala and insular responses. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the differential efficacy of reappraisal and suppression on emotional experience, facial behavior, and neural response and highlight intriguing differences in the temporal dynamics of these two emotion regulation strategies.
Longitudinal coupling impedance of the APS storage ring

The three-dimensional wake potentials of the APS storage ring have been reconstructed according to the impedance database concept. Every wakefield-generating component in the ring was considered including small-gap insertion device (ID) chambers, rf cavities, shielded bellows, beam position monitors, synchrotron radiation absorbers, scrapers, flags, various chamber transitions, septum chambers, and pulsed kickers. In this paper the result for the longitudinal wake potentials and its impedance are presented. The total impedance is not model-based but the direct sum of numerical functions. The fit parameters for the broadband resonator model are also included as a convenient representation. We used this impedance model to investigate the observed microwave instability, namely bunch lengthening, anomalous energy spread, and coherent excitation at high synchrotron sideband.
Utilization of nitrogen from storage and current-year uptake in walnut spurs during the spring flush of growth

[15N]-depleted (NH4)2SO4 applied to the soil in 1985 resulted in residual labeling of about 16% of the storage nitrogen (N) pool of mature walnut (Juglans regia L. cv. Serr) trees in 1987. Application of [15N]-depleted (NH4)2SO4 fertilizer to a different set of mature walnut trees in 1987 allowed monitoring of the kinetics and utilization of N from current year uptake in 1987 and resulted in >20% labeling of fruit N following completion of leaf expansion. Redistribution of storage N to the new growth predominated during the spring flush of growth although N derived from the soil during current-year uptake contributed increasingly during leaf expansion. Labeled N from current year uptake accumulated preferentially in the leaves as compared with reproductive organs during leaf expansion but subsequent to leaf expansion, fruit were more highly labeled with N derived from current-year uptake than leaves. Pistillate flower abortion was coincident with an apparent competition for N among developing vegetative and reproductive organs and preceded the period of significant N contribution from current-year uptake.
Near-field millimeter wave non-contact measurement of step and gap mismatch in aircraft and automotive panels

In this paper the capabilities of near-field and non-contact millimeter wave measurements for the purpose of accurately determining step and gap dimensions between two painted aircraft panels is demonstrated. Millimeter wave reflectometer with a single and a dual-differential open-ended rectangular waveguide probes were used in this investigation. It was shown that the dual-differential probe provides higher sensitivity than the single probe. A combination of a dual-differential and a single probe may be used to uniquely determine the step and gap dimensions from a combined set of output information.
Geometry of the Hanging Wall Above a System of Listric Normal Faults--A Numerical Solution

The process of hanging-wall deformation above a system of listric faults is controlled by the local stress field, rock properties, and fault geometry. Although fault geometry provides a boundary condition, the strained hanging wall can be adequately described by a process of simple shear during hanging-wall collapse. A numerical solution of hanging-wall deformation above a set of listric normal faults clearly demonstrates the importance of inclined simple shear. The true amount of horizontal extension and sense of inclined shear is estimated based on both rollover and fault geometry. This forward modeling technique treats listric faults as continuously curved surfaces, and may incorporate any number of faults, even or unevenly spaced, with variable fault geometry and near surface dip. Basin width is quite sensitive to sense of shear within the hanging wall and depth of detachment, as well as the apparent horizontal extension calculated solely upon the basis of bed-length balance. The model also indicates that antithetic shear is likely to occur near steeply dipping normal faults, whereas geologically reasonable basin geometries are generated under synthetic shear for low-angle normal faults. Ramp and flat listric-fault geometries can be modeled with inclined simple shear to generate basins. Care must be taken when assessing the amount of horizontal extension in extended terranes because the percentage of horizontal extension is quite sensitive to fault geometry and angle of internal shear. Arrays of listric normal faults may develop extensional geometries that resemble domino-style extension. If an apparent planar fault geometry observed near the surface assumes a listric shape downward and distributed deformation occurs within the hanging wall, the resulting estimation of extension based on the angular relationship between faults and beds is likely to be wrong. The model successfully describes the overall geometry of half-graben-type basins, and indicates an important link between fault geometry and sense of shear within the hanging wall of listric normal faults. Near-vertical and synthetic shear are determined near low-angle normal faults, whereas antithetic shear is likely to be observed near steeply dipping normal faults.
Cerium Doped Bismuth Antimony

Bismuth-Antimony alloys have been shown to have high ZT values below room temperature, especially for single crystals. For polycrystalline samples, impurity doping and magnetic field have proven to be powerful tools in the search for understanding and improving thermoelectric performance. Nanopolycrystalline Bi0.88Sb0.12 doped with 0.05, 0.5 and 3 % Ce were prepared by ball milling and dc hot pressing techniques. Electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, carrier concentration, mobility, and magnetization are measured in a temperature range of 5-350 K and in magnetic fields up to 9 Tesla. The effects of Ce doping on the thermoelectric properties of Bi0.88Sb0.12 in zero magnetic field are discussed.
The child as living donor: parental consent and child assent.

Despite the much-discussed court cases in the 1970s that permitted some sibling-to-sibling kidney donations from minors,1 principles that can guide parental, medical, or judicial decisionmaking are neither clearly articulated nor uncontroversial.
Hierarchical test generation: Where we are, and where we should be going

Complex VLSI (very large scale integration) system design with VHDL requires test generation techniques that work at different levels in the abstraction hierarchy. The author discusses approaches to test generation which attempt to address this issue. Areas of test generation considered are behavior-assisted gate-level and switch-level test generation, test construction from sub-component tests, and test generation from behavioral models. The status of these methods and recommendations for future research and development are given, so that effective hierarchical test generation can become a reality. >
Fourth ventricular solitary fibrous tumor: a case report and review of the literature

Solitary fibrous tumors of the central nervous system usually present as dura-based masses and clinically resemble meningiomas. There are very few reported cases of intra-ventricular solitary fibrous tumors, particularly in the fourth ventricle. Our patient was a 52-year-old African-American man, who presented to our facility with a two-month history of progressive weakness and numbness in all extremities. A computed tomography scan and brain magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a homogeneous, avidly enhancing 4.5 × 3.7 × 2.7cm fourth ventricular mass, with compression of adjacent medulla and cerebellum and extension into the foramen of Luschka. Our patient underwent a suboccipital craniotomy and resection of the tumor. A histological examination showed a spindle cell neoplasm with prominent collagenized stroma. The neoplastic cells were strongly and diffusely positive for CD34, vimentin and Bcl-2, and negative for S-100, CD99 and epithelial membrane antigen. The molecular immunology Borstel-1 (MIB-1) proliferation index was low (1%). CD31 immunostain highlighted the endothelial cells but the spindle cells were negative. Reticulin stain demonstrated a moderate reticulin network but individual cells were not invested by reticulin fibers. The histological features and immunoprofile was consistent with a solitary fibrous tumor. In the central nervous system, solitary fibrous tumors are usually indolent tumors, with only rare examples showing hypercellularity and increased mitotic activity; features that were absent in our patient’s case. We present an uncommon central nervous system neoplasm in a rare location. Although uncommon, solitary fibrous tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis of intra-ventricular tumors in adults.
NeuroPedia : neuropeptide database and spectral library

Summary: Neuropeptides are essential for cell–cell communication in neurological and endocrine physiological processes in health and disease. While many neuropeptides have been identified in previous studies, the resulting data has not been structured to facilitate further analysis by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), the main technology for high-throughput neuropeptide identification. Many neuropeptides are difficult to identify when searching MS/MS spectra against large protein databases because of their atypical lengths (e.g. shorter/longer than common tryptic peptides) and lack of tryptic residues to facilitate peptide ionization/fragmentation. NeuroPedia is a neuropeptide encyclopedia of peptide sequences (including genomic and taxonomic information) and spectral libraries of identified MS/MS spectra of homolog neuropeptides from multiple species. Searching neuropeptide MS/MS data against known NeuroPedia sequences will improve the sensitivity of database search tools. Moreover, the availability of neuropeptide spectral libraries will also enable the utilization of spectral library search tools, which are known to further improve the sensitivity of peptide identification. These will also reinforce the confidence in peptide identifications by enabling visual comparisons between new and previously identified neuropeptide MS/MS spectra. Availability: http://proteomics.ucsd.edu/Software/NeuroPedia.html Contact: ude.dscu@ariednab Supplementary information: Supplementary materials are available at Bioinformatics online.
Threatened by the unexpected: physiological responses during social interactions with expectancy-violating partners.

Individuals who violate expectations increase uncertainty during social interactions. Three experiments explored whether expectancy-violating partners engender “threat” responses in perceivers. Participants interacted with confederates who violated or confirmed expectations while multiple measures were assessed, including cardiovascular reactivity, task performance, appraisals, and behavior. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants interacted with White or Latino confederates who described their family backgrounds as either high or low socioeconomic status. In Experiment 3, participants interacted with Asian or White confederates who spoke with expected accents or southern accents. Participants interacting with expectancy-violating partners (e.g., Asians with southern accents) exhibited cardiovascular responses consistent with threat, poorer task performance, and manifested negative and defeat-related behavior. Implications for decreasing prejudicial responses via uncertainty reduction are discussed.
Familial Paroxysmal hypnogenic dystonia

We studied a family with dystonic spasms that occurred with non-REM sleep. This familial disorder may be related to the sporadic cases reported previously.
Standardized Comparison of the Relative Impacts of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase (RT) Mutations on Nucleoside RT Inhibitor Susceptibility

Determining the phenotypic impacts of reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations on individual nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs) has remained a statistical challenge because clinical NRTI-resistant HIV-1 isolates usually contain multiple mutations, often in complex patterns, complicating the task of determining the relative contribution of each mutation to HIV drug resistance. Furthermore, the NRTIs have highly variable dynamic susceptibility ranges, making it difficult to determine the relative effect of an RT mutation on susceptibility to different NRTIs. In this study, we analyzed 1,273 genotyped HIV-1 isolates for which phenotypic results were obtained using the PhenoSense assay (Monogram, South San Francisco, CA). We used a parsimonious feature selection algorithm, LASSO, to assess the possible contributions of 177 mutations that occurred in 10 or more isolates in our data set. We then used least-squares regression to quantify the impact of each LASSO-selected mutation on each NRTI. Our study provides a comprehensive view of the most common NRTI resistance mutations. Because our results were standardized, the study provides the first analysis that quantifies the relative phenotypic effects of NRTI resistance mutations on each of the NRTIs. In addition, the study contains new findings on the relative impacts of thymidine analog mutations (TAMs) on susceptibility to abacavir and tenofovir; the impacts of several known but incompletely characterized mutations, including E40F, V75T, Y115F, and K219R; and a tentative role in reduced NRTI susceptibility for K64H, a novel NRTI resistance mutation.
A comparative study of cricotracheal resection and staged laryngotracheoplasty for adult subglottic stenosis.

Objective:Cricotracheal resection (CTR) and laryngotracheoplasty (LTP) are open surgical treatments for severe subglottic stenosis. This study aims to compare the applications and outcomes of these techniques.Method:Patients with subglottic stenosis at a tertiary academic institution from 2000 to 2012 were identified by diagnosis codes. Patients who underwent LTP or CTR were included. Records were reviewed for treatment data and outcomes. Patients with a history of head and neck malignancy or stenosis without cricoid involvement were excluded.Result:Sixty-one and 20 patients underwent LTP and CTR, respectively. When comparing patients receiving LTP and CTR, there was a significant difference in stenosis etiology (P = .014). The groups were similar in Cotton-Myer grade (P = .102). At last follow-up, 80.3% of LTP patients and 90.0% of CTR patients were decannulated. On multivariate analysis, there was a significant association between stenosis grade and decannulation in the LTP group (P = .01). Decannulatio...
The Dilemma of Performance-Approach Goals: The Use of Multiple Goal Contexts to Promote Students' Motivation and Learning.

The study examines the effects of a quasi-experimental classroom goal condition (mastery, performanceapproach, combined mastery/performance-approach) and entering personal goal orientations on motivation, emotional well-being, help seeking, cognitive engagement, and achievement for 237 upper elementary students during a 5-week math unit emphasizing small groups. The classroom goal condition had a significant effect on help seeking and achievement, with the combined condition showing the most beneficial pattern. Personal mastery goals were beneficial for 11 of 12 outcomes including achievement; personal performance-approach goals were detrimental for achievement and test anxiety and unrelated to the remaining outcomes. The effect of the classroom goal condition did not vary on the basis of entering personal goal orientations. Implications for the current achievement goal theory debate regarding multiple goals are discussed.
Conformational diversity in prion protein variants influences intermolecular β‐sheet formation

A conformational transition of normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) to its pathogenic form (PrPSc) is believed to be a central event in the transmission of the devastating neurological diseases known as spongiform encephalopathies. The common methionine/valine polymorphism at residue 129 in the PrP influences disease susceptibility and phenotype. We report here seven crystal structures of human PrP variants: three of wild-type (WT) PrP containing V129, and four of the familial variants D178N and F198S, containing either M129 or V129. Comparison of these structures with each other and with previously published WT PrP structures containing M129 revealed that only WT PrPs were found to crystallize as domain-swapped dimers or closed monomers; the four mutant PrPs crystallized as non-swapped dimers. Three of the four mutant PrPs aligned to form intermolecular β-sheets. Several regions of structural variability were identified, and analysis of their conformations provides an explanation for the structural features, which can influence the formation and conformation of intermolecular β-sheets involving the M/V129 polymorphic residue.
Ecdysone-dependent proteolysis of an apical surface glycoprotein may play a role in imaginal disc morphogenesis in Drosophila.

An apical surface glycoprotein, designated gp125 for its apparent molecular weight of 125,000, appears in Ca2(+)-free, ionic detergent extracts of imaginal discs of Drosophila melanogaster in response to the steroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE). Gp125 is not synthesized in response to 20-HE, but results from modification of an existing macromolecule. Treatment of discs or larval epidermis with serine protease (e.g., trypsin) results in hormone-independent production of gp125. Antiserum raised to electrophoretically purified gp125 recognizes, in addition to gp125, two closely related glycoproteins with higher apparent molecular weights, gp200 and gp180. This family of glycoproteins is localized at the apical surface of imaginal disc cells and of the epidermal epithelium in embryos, larvae and prepupae. Ca2+ affects both the solubility and the proteolytic products of this family of glycoproteins. We discuss the possibility that gp125 is generated through the action of a hormonally controlled serine protease in a process that is necessary for disc morphogenesis.
Convergence of Sequences of Integrals

In this lesson, we will specialize the results of the previous lesson to consider sequences of integrals like \(\int {g(x)d{F_{n}}(x)}\) as opposed to the convergence theorems of Lesson 11, Part II, which dealt with integrals like \(\int {{g_{n}}(x)dF(x)}\) .The results to follow were all inspired by and usually named for, two early discoverers, Helly and Bray.
Select Injury-Related Variables Are Affected by Stride Length and Foot Strike Style During Running

Background:Some frontal plane and transverse plane variables have been associated with running injury, but it is not known if they differ with foot strike style or as stride length is shortened.Purpose:To identify if step width, iliotibial band strain and strain rate, positive and negative free moment, pelvic drop, hip adduction, knee internal rotation, and rearfoot eversion differ between habitual rearfoot and habitual mid-/forefoot strikers when running with both a rearfoot strike (RFS) and a mid-/forefoot strike (FFS) at 3 stride lengths.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:A total of 42 healthy runners (21 habitual rearfoot, 21 habitual mid-/forefoot) ran overground at 3.35 m/s with both a RFS and a FFS at their preferred stride lengths and 5% and 10% shorter.Results:Variables did not differ between habitual groups. Step width was 1.5 cm narrower for FFS, widening to 0.8 cm as stride length shortened. Iliotibial band strain and strain rate did not differ between foot strikes but decreased ...
Preparative electrophoresis in liquid columns stabilized by electromagnetic rotation

Abstract A horizontal buffer column shaped as an annular cylinder serves as an electrophoretic column. It is stabilized against thermal convection by electromagnetically maintained rotation. The solution to be analyzed is injected as a thin streak which follows a helical path of different pitch for each electrophoretically distinct component. The separated components can be collected separately in a continuous fashion. Separation can be based on differences in electrophoretic mobilities or in isoelectric points. Discontinuous zonal separation is also possible on a micro-scale. The method is effective for separation of molecular components as well as of microbiological particles.
Atomic Force Microscopy Shows Connexin26 Hemichannel Clustering in Purified Membrane Fragments

Connexin proteins form hexameric assemblies known as hemichannels. When docked to form gap junction (GJ) channels, hemichannels play a critical role in cell-cell communication and cellular homeostasis, but often are functional entities on their own in unapposed cell membranes. Defects in the Connexin26 (Cx26) gene are the major cause of hereditary deafness arising from dysfunctional hemichannels in the cochlea. Structural studies of Cx26 hemichannels properly trafficked and inserted in plasma membranes, including their clustering that forms a plaque-like feature in whole gap junctions, are limited. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the surface topography of Cx26 hemichannels using two different membrane preparations. Rat Cx26 containing appended carboxy terminal V5 and hexahistidine tags were expressed in baculovirus/Sf9 cell systems. The expressed Cx26 proteins form hemichannels in situ in Sf9 cells that were then purified either as (1) Sf9 membrane fragments containing Cx26 hemichannels or (2) solubilized hemichannels. The latter were subsequently reconstituted in liposomes. AFM images of purified membrane fragments showed clusters of protein macromolecular structures in the membrane that at higher magnification corresponded to Cx26 hemichannels. Hemichannels reconstituted into DOPC bilayers displayed two populations of channel heights likely resulting from differences in orientations of inserted hemichannels. Hemichannels in the protein rich portions of purified membranes also showed a reduced channel height above the bilayer compared to membranes with reconstituted hemichannels perhaps due to reduced AFM probe access to the lipid bilayer. These preparations of purified membranes enriched for connexin hemichannels that have been properly trafficked and inserted in membranes provide a platform for high-resolution AFM imaging of the structure, interconnexon interactions, and cooperativity of properly trafficked and inserted noncrystalline connexin hemichannels.
Nickel(II) Complexes Containing a Pyrrole–Diphosphine Pincer Ligand

A new pincer ligand, (P2PhPyr)−, based on the anion of 2,5-bis[(diphenylphosphino)methyl]pyrrole has been prepared in four steps from pyrrole. The ligand undergoes oxidation to diphosphine oxide under ambient conditions and was therefore isolated as its borane adduct, H(P2PhPyr)·2BH3 (2). Delivery of the ligand to nickel(II) was accomplished by the direct reaction of NiCl2 with 2 in the presence of Et2NH to afford [NiCl(P2PhPyr)]. Salt metathesis reactions of the chloro complex afford new compounds including [Ni(CH3)(P2PhPyr)] and [Ni(NCCH3)(P2PhPyr)](OTf). In all cases, the ligand gives rise to diamagnetic square-planar complexes, which have been fully characterized in solution and the solid state. All complexes examined display an irreversible oxidation to nickel(III) according to cyclic voltammetry. Reduction of the chloro complex in dichloromethane results in an electrocatalytic process, whereas reduction in tetrahydrofuran leads to the irreversible formation of a nickel(I) species.
Merkel cell carcinoma: demographic, clinical, and treatment parameters of prognostic significance

We aimed to define the impact of patient, tumor, surgical, and radiotherapy (RT) treatment parameters on Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) recurrence and survival. The study was a retrospective review of 45 patients with primary disease evaluated between 1981 and 2012 at a single U.S. institution and treated with curative intent. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage was I in 42.2 %, II in 8.9 %, III in 26.7 %, and unknown in 22.2 %. 95.6 % underwent primary lesion excision and 69.8 % received adjuvant RT to the tumor bed. Regional management included sentinel lymph node biopsy (35.6 %) and lymph node dissection (28.9 %) with adjuvant RT in 11.1 % and 13.3 %, respectively. 24 patients recurred, mostly at locoregional (LR) (50.0 %) and distant (41.7 %) sites. Only one in-field recurrence occurred after primary site RT. In univariate analysis, RT was associated with reduced (p = 0.003) and head and neck tumors with increased (p = 0.01) risk of LR recurrence. Higher AJCC and nodal stage patients were more likely to receive nodal dissection (p < 0.01) and had a decreased risk of LR recurrence (p < 0.05), but had a median survival time that was nearly half that of lower stage patients. No tested RT parameter was associated with outcomes. Our study supports the efficacy of RT in improving LR control in MCC compared to excision alone and emphasizes the importance of surgical nodal evaluation.
Dynamics of paramagnetic squares in uniform magnetic fields

Abstract The magnetic forces between paramagnetic squares cannot be calculated using a classic dipolar model because the magnetic field distribution is not uniform within square particles. Here, we present the calculation of magnetic forces and torques on paramagnetic squares in a uniform 2-D magnetic field using a Laplace's equation solver. With these calculations, we simulate the variations in equilibrium configurations as a function of number of interacting squares. For example, a single square orients with its diagonal directed to the external field while a system of multiple squares will assemble into chain-like structures with their edges directed to the external field. Unlike chains of spherical magnetic particles, that easily stagger themselves to aggregate, chains consisting of magnetic squares are unable to aggregate due to interchain repulsion.
G391(P) A case report highlighting unusual benign radiological lesions in a hydronephrotic kidney

Aim A case report to highlight the benign nature of unusual radiological lesions in single functioning hydronephrotic kidneys in patients with chronic kidney disease. This was undertaken in national centre of excellence for renal services and renal transplant centre. Method At the age of eight years a male patient with a known solitary hydronephrotic kidney and chronic kidney disease stage four had a renal ultrasound following a urinary tract infection. The ultrasound scan showed ‘presence of multiple large rounded hyperechoic areas within the renal parenchyma’ of the left kidney. This was of concern and therefore an MRI scan was carried out which confirmed four mass like structures in the left kidney of undetermined nature. A renal biopsy was conducted by interventional radiology of the largest of these lesions. Histology was benign and showed mild focal inflammation with fibrosis and tubular atrophy with a degree of glomerulosclerosis. To establish whether this lesion was functioning renal tissue, a DMSA was performed which showed ‘good uptake in the regions of the renal mass lesions visualised in the MRI’. In fact, the areas of intervening on the DMSA were poorly functioning which confirmed that the lesions were in fact areas of focal hypertrophied renal tissue. Therefore despite the initial differential diagnosis being lymphoma or malakoplakia, we were confident to say that this was functioning renal tissue. Results The abnormal radiological lesions were shown to be areas of functional renal tissue with thinning of the rest of the parenchyma. Subsequently we have identified a further three patients have presented with similar radiological appearances and these patients have therefore been prevented from having invasive biopsies and instead have surveillance renal ultrasounds. The patient subsequently developed end stage renal failure 3 years later and now has a functioning renal transplant with the native kidney in situ which has now atrophied. Conclusion Better resolution of ultrasound scanning showing unusual radiological lesions in hydronephrotic dysplastic kidneys are in fact functioning areas of hypertrophic renal parenchymal tissue, which do not require any further invasive investigations.
The effect of arterial oxygen tension on antipyrine half‐time in plasma

Hospital patients with depressed arterial oxygen tensions (PaO2) from pulmonary disease were given antipyrine orally or intravenously. The half-time (t1/2) of disappearance from plasma was measured. Other patients with normal PaO2 measurements were treated similarly. Patients whose PaO2 was 55 or below had longer t1/2 times than those of patients with a PaO2 above 55. This observation parallels that made previously in rats.
The Renal Hemodynamic Response to Endothelin in Chronic Cyclosporine-Treated Dogs

AbstractUse of the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine A (CyA) is limited by its associated nephrotoxicity, characterized by an increase in renal vascular resistance (RVR) and reductions in renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The vascular endothelium produces vasoactive substances including endothelium derived relaxation factor (EDRF) and endothelin (ET), which modulate vascular tone. Since CyA has been shown to damage the endothelium, we examined the renal hemodynamic response to intrarenal ET infusion (4μg./kg./minute) in chronic cyclosporine-treated dogs.Prior to ET infusion, CyA-treated dogs had a lower RBF and a greater RVR than normal dogs. In normal dogs, after ET infusion RVR increased from 30.24 ± 0.64 to 44.60 ± 1.66mmHg./ml./minute (p < 0.001), RBF decreased from 4.26 ± 0.28 to 2.90 ± 0.30ml./min./g. (p < 0.001) and GFR decreased from 50.20 ± 5.90 to 36.50 ± 7.90ml. per minute (p < 0.001). In contrast, there was no change in RBF, GFR and RVR after intrarenal ET infusio...
Metaphorical and literal trans* journeys are chronicled in Transgender Experience: Place, Ethnicity, and Visibility

ABSTRACTThe 2013 book Transgender Experience: Place, Ethnicity, and Visibility, edited by Chantal Zabus and David Coad, contributes a multinational perspective to the extant trans* scholarly literature. The editors have assembled a collection of personal narratives, scholarly essays, and a photographic narrative that introduce the reader to aspects of the trans* experience that are likely to be novel and enlightening.
Control and Self-Assuredness: Healthy Coping Mechanisms

For most people, it’s very difficult to place your loved one with dementia in a nursing home that you can tolerate. Not only must he or she be comfortable there, you must also be comfortable there. In New York City, Marty and I had many choices of nursing homes. Most of the places were intolerable with stenches of urine and feces; unkind, overworked staff; and disgruntled patients. After much research, I found a decent one on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Global dynamics of selective attention and its lapses in primary auditory cortex

Previous research demonstrated that while selectively attending to relevant aspects of the external world, the brain extracts pertinent information by aligning its neuronal oscillations to key time points of stimuli or their sampling by sensory organs. This alignment mechanism is termed oscillatory entrainment. We investigated the global, long-timescale dynamics of this mechanism in the primary auditory cortex of nonhuman primates, and hypothesized that lapses of entrainment would correspond to lapses of attention. By examining electrophysiological and behavioral measures, we observed that besides the lack of entrainment by external stimuli, attentional lapses were also characterized by high-amplitude alpha oscillations, with alpha frequency structuring of neuronal ensemble and single-unit operations. Entrainment and alpha-oscillation-dominated periods were strongly anticorrelated and fluctuated rhythmically at an ultra-slow rate. Our results indicate that these two distinct brain states represent externally versus internally oriented computational resources engaged by large-scale task-positive and task-negative functional networks.
Progression from low-grade dysplasia to malignancy in patients with Barrett's esophagus diagnosed by two or more pathologists

Progression from low-grade dysplasia to malignancy in patients with Barrett's esophagus diagnosed by two or more pathologists
Does Religious Belief Matter for Grief and Death Anxiety? Experimental Philosophy Meets Psychology of Religion

It is commonly reasoned that religious belief moderates death anxiety and aids in coping with loss. However, a philosophical perspective known as meta-atheism includes the claim that avowed religious believers grieve deaths and experience death anxiety as intensely as avowed atheists. Thus, we report a study comparing religious believers and nonbelievers on measures of death anxiety and grief. We further investigated the relationships between certain religious beliefs (views of God, afterlife belief, religious orientation) and death anxiety, as well as both painful grief reactions and grief-related growth. We surveyed 101 participants across the United States, ranging in age (19 to 57), education, and ethnicity. Participants avowing some form of religious belief, in comparison to those not, did not demonstrate lower levels of death anxiety. They did, however, display higher levels of a certain type of death acceptance. Additionally, those professing belief reported less grief and greater growth in response to loss. Greater afterlife belief was not associated with less grief; however, it was associated with both greater grief-related growth and lower death anxiety.
Ethics and Oncofertility: A Call for Religious Sensitivity.

For patients of reproductive age, treating cancer may come at the price of infertility. Literature regarding fertility preservation recommendations in this population has increased significantly, but this literature too often overlooks or insufficiently considers the relevance of religious preferences. Similarly, practice guidelines do not address the role of religion in the oncofertility discussion. The acceptance of oncofertility practices varies significantly among Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. A patient’s faith-based spirituality or secular morality may enhance his or her interpretation of the meaning of illness and should be incorporated into the informed-consent process. In this article, we describe the role of religious sensitivity in oncofertility care and argue for its importance in such care. We briefly summarize the views and moral reasoning about oncofertility in a few religions commonly encountered in many patient populations today. We recommend that clinicians discuss fertility options e...
Higher-spin Witten effect and two-dimensional fracton phases

In addition to the familiar Maxwell terms, the Lagrangian for a three-dimensional U(1) gauge theory can have an extra ``theta'' term which has two effects: attaching electric charge to magnetic monopoles in the bulk, and generating a Chern-Simons term on the boundary. This work studies theta terms in the context of higher rank tensor U(1) gauge theories, which host gapless higher-spin gauge modes and subdimensional charge excitations. There are multiple different varieties of theta terms, enforcing different types of charge attachment in the bulk. These terms also lead to generalized tensor Chern-Simons theories on the boundary, bringing about the existence of two-dimensional fracton phases.
Coastal knickpoints and the competition between fluvial and wave-driven erosion on rocky coastlines

Abstract Active margin coastlines are distinguished by rock erosion that acts in two different directions: waves erode the coast horizontally or landwards, a process that creates sea cliffs; and rivers and streams erode the landscape vertically via channel incision. The relative rates of each process exert a dominant control on coastline morphology. Using a model of river channel incision and sea-cliff retreat, we explore how terrestrial and marine erosion compete to shape coastal topography, and specifically what conditions encourage the development of coastal knickpoints (i.e., a river or stream channels that end at a raised sea-cliff edge). We then compare results to actual landscapes. Model results and observations show that coastal knickpoint development is strongly dependent on drainage basin area, where knickpoints typically occur in drainage basins smaller than 5 × 105–6 × 106 m2, as well as channel geometry and sea-cliff retreat rate. In our study area, coastal knickpoints with persistent flow (waterfalls) are uncommon and form only within a small morphological window when 1) drainage basin area is large enough to sustain steady stream discharge, but not large enough to out-compete sea-cliff formation, 2) sea-cliff retreat is rapid, and 3) channel concavity is low so that channel slopes at the coast are high. This particular geomorphic combination can sustain sea-cliff formation even when streams tap into larger drainage basins with greater discharge and more stream power, and provides an initial explanation of why persistent coastal waterfalls are, along many coastlines, relatively rare features.
THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH LDL-C >= 190 MG/DL IN A LARGE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Current lipid guidelines recommend high-intensity statins for patients with low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥190 mg/dL since a significant proportion have familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an inherited condition with severe elevations in LDL-C and accelerated deposition of
Music and Speech Perception in Children Using Sung Speech.

This study examined music and speech perception in normal-hearing children with some or no musical training. Thirty children (mean age = 11.3 years), 15 with and 15 without formal music training pa...
Strain Dependent Diffusion During Dry Thermal Oxidation of Crystalline Si

The effect of strain on the rate of dry thermal oxidation of silicon has been investigated. Local atomic strain in SiO2 films, grown in two steps separated by an intermediate anneal, was determined by infrared spectroscopy. The results support an oxidation model based on strain dependent diffusion of oxygen to the growth interface. In this interpretation, the intermediate annealing step enhances the diffusion of oxygen through the oxide grown before the anneal, and therefore increases the oxidation rate.
Validation of computerized episodic memory measures in a diverse clinical sample referred for neuropsychological assessment.

Objective: To examine the convergent and discriminant validity of two brief computerized episodic memory measures in a large, diverse clinical sample of adults undergoing neuropsychological assessm...
Functional metabolomics approach reveals the reduced biosynthesis of fatty acids and TCA cycle is required for pectinase activity in Bacillus licheniformis

Increase of pectinase activity is especially important in fermentation industry. Understanding of the metabolic mechanisms can find metabolic modulation approach to promote high yield of pectinase. Higher activity of pectinase was detected in DY1 than DY2, two strains of Bacillus licheniformis. GC–MS-based metabolomics identified differential metabolome of DY2 compared with DY1, characterizing the increased TCA cycle and biosynthesis of fatty acids. Elevated activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), α-ketoglutaric dehydrogenase (KGDH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) showed global elevation of carbon metabolism, which is consistent with the result that lowers glucose in DY2 than DY1. Inhibitors malonate, furfural and triclosan, of PDH, SDH and biosynthesis of fatty acids, promoted pectinase activity, where triclosan increased pectinase activity by 179%. These results indicate that functional metabolomics is an effective approach to understand metabolic mechanisms of fermentation production and provides clues to develop new methods for changing bacterial physiology and production.