cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Genome of the Common Marmoset

Abstract The completion of the common marmoset genome marked an entry into a new era for the species as an animal model. It allows for the full toolset of the postgenomic era to be applied to biomedical and ecological genetics studies. Here, the marmoset genome is discussed in terms of its genic and nongenic content. The unique challenges of marmoset genetics due to hematopoietic chimerism are considered, as well as approaches to ameliorating these effects in future studies. The role of marmosets in comparative genetics and molecular evolution is examined with a particular focus on the uniquely marmoset suite of traits: reduced body size, alterations in breeding and pregnancy, reduction in immunogenetic diversity, and pronounced social behaviors. The utility of the marmoset for future genetic and genomic studies, particularly in relation to population genetic variation, transcriptomics, and genetic manipulation is also discussed. The publication of the genome of the marmoset is an important milestone for the species, greatly improving understanding of species-specific biology and enhancing the power of comparative studies going forward.
Correctional Officer Fatalities in Line of Duty During 2005 to 2015: A Survival Analysis:

Using correctional officer data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOMF) database, we describe the characteristics of U.S. correctional officers killed in line of duty in the pa...
Academic Honesty, Linguistic Dishonesty: Analyzing the Readability and Translation of Academic Integrity and Honesty Policies at U.S. Postsecondary Institutions

A large body of research has indicated international students in the United States (U.S.) and abroad experience difficulties understanding what academic integrity is and how to avoid academic misconduct (Bista To Improve The Academy, 30(1), 159–172 2011; Brown & Howell, 2001; Gullifer and Tyson Studies in Higher Education, 39(7), 1202-1218 2014). While most studies focus on academic misconduct and academic corruption in research ethics (Macfarlane et al. Studies in Higher Education, 39(2), 339-358 2014), this study analyzes the length, English-language readability, and translation of academic integrity policies of 453 four-year U.S. institutions of higher education. Findings indicate average academic integrity policies are over 2000 words long, are written above the 16th-grade reading level, and are very rarely translated into a language other than English (0.06% of the sample). In addition, no institutions published their academic integrity policies in full on their institutional international student website, possibly rendering the policy difficult to locate on the institution’s website for international students. Implications for research, policy, and practice are addressed.
Risk factors associated with significant bleeding events after ultrasound-guided percutaneous native renal biopsies: a review of 2204 cases.

To review the incidence of significant bleeding complications after ultrasound-guided percutaneous core native renal biopsies at a single center using a standardized technique. A retrospective review of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous native renal core biopsies done at our institution from September 2005 to December 2015 was performed. Demographic and clinical data were collected at the time of biopsy, with additional clinical information recorded 24 h and 3 months after the biopsy. Bleeding complications were defined using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 4.0) created by the National Institutes of Health. 2204 US-guided native renal core biopsies were performed during the study period, with 37 hemorrhages (1.64%) that were CTCAE grade 3 or higher. The rate of inadequate sampling as reported by pathology was extremely low (1.1%). Factors demonstrating a significant association with bleeding risk included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), specifically when the eGFR was less than 60 (p = 0.025), platelet count (p = 0.002), including a statistically significant decreased risk of bleeding with a platelet count greater than 100 (109/L) (p = <0.001), and performing four or more needle passes (p = 0.012). While female gender was also associated with an increased bleeding risk (p = 0.05), there was a significant association between females with a BMI ≥ 25 and a decreased bleeding risk (0.034). No statistically significant association between post-biopsy hemorrhage and aspirin use within 10 days prior to biopsy or a prior diagnosis of amyloidosis was demonstrated. US-guided native renal biopsy is a safe procedure with a low rate of significant bleeding complications and a high tissue adequacy rate using an 18-gage spring-loaded biopsy device. Factors associated with increased bleeding risk include female gender, lower platelet counts, decreased eGFR and performing four or more needle passes, which has not been reported previously. Interestingly, females with a BMI ≥ to 25 demonstrated a decreased bleeding risk, and aspirin (81 mg or 325 mg) within 10 days of the procedure did not demonstrate a significant effect. While not shown in this current study, the relationship of very recent aspirin therapy with bleeding is yet to be defined. Similarly, the statistically significant decreased risk of bleeding complications in overweight or obese females requires further investigation.
Hydrogen production from aluminum-water reactions subject to varied pressures and temperatures

Abstract The production of hydrogen via an aluminum-water reaction is explored at temperatures and pressures ranging from 273.15 to 600 K and 0.1–10 MPa, respectively. Across this range, aluminum and water can react to form different aluminum oxide and hydroxide species, resulting in differences in the release of thermal energy, as well as the amount of water required stoichiometrically for the reaction to proceed. A model presented in this work uses the Gibbs free energy to predict the favorability of these byproducts as a function of temperature and pressure. At 0.1 MPa, this model predicts the primary favorability of A l ( O H ) 3 (gibbsite) below 294 K, A l O O H (boehmite) from 294 to 578 K, and A l 2 O 3 (corundum) above 578 K. The results of this model were tested using a previously established technique for activating bulk aluminum via infusion of a gallium-indium eutectic into its grain boundary network. Reaction tests were performed at the extremities of the operating range of interest, and the composition of the byproducts from each test, determined via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, were all in alignment with the model. Furthermore, reaction tests above 423 K at 0.1 MPa indicate limited reactivity of steam with aluminum activated in this manner. Consequently, the model is modified accordingly to show that A l 2 O 3 cannot be achieved in practice with this method as its transition remains above the saturation temperature of water at the pressures studied here.
Rituximab in late‐onset myasthenia gravis is safe and effective

Introduction Late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG; onset after 50 years of age) has different therapeutic decisionmaking challenges than MG in younger patients. Methods This is a retrospective series of seven patients with acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive MG, all treated with rituximab. Results The mean age of onset was 66 years. Three patients were nonresponders to previous therapy and six had developed side effects to prednisone. All patients were treated with at least one dose of rituximab. The MG Foundation of America Post-Intervention Status ranged from MM-0 to MM-3 within a mean of 18.5 weeks. All patients were able to reduce or discontinue maintenance medications. No significant adverse events occurred. Discussion This series highlights the safety and efficacy of rituximab in LOMG. The presence of multiple comorbidities and the risks of other immunotherapy in older patients makes rituximab an attractive option. More experience is needed to clarify the use of rituximab for patients in this age group.
Implementation of a Multi-Component School Lunch Environmental Change Intervention to Improve Child Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Nudge interventions are widely used to promote health in schools, yet implementation metrics are seldom used to understand intervention outcomes. A multi-component intervention consisting of cafeteria decorations, creative names, social norming taste tests, and flavor station components was implemented in three rural elementary school cafeterias by school nutrition services (SNS) and extension staff. Selection and consumption of fruits and vegetables at lunch were measured through monthly plate waste assessments over eight months (n = 1255 trays). Interviews were conducted with SNS staff (n = 3) upon completion of the intervention to assess implementation outcomes using validated acceptability and feasibility metrics. Consumption findings were generally inconsistent across schools and time points, yet fruit consumption increased at School 1 (p < 0.05) during the taste test and flavor station intervention months and School 2 (p < 0.001) during the creative names intervention months compared to baseline. Odds of selecting a vegetable at School 3 were three times higher than baseline during the taste test intervention months (odds ratio (OR), 3.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3–6.5). Cafeteria decorations and taste tests had higher reported implementation metrics for acceptability and feasibility than other interventions. Thematic analysis underscored the facilitating role of extension support, as well as systems factors, which served as facilitators and barriers across schools and interventions. These findings suggest that nudge interventions are a promising strategy to improve vegetable selection and fruit consumption in school meal programs.
PARP inhibitors in prostate cancer: time to narrow patient selection?

Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) enzymes are critical to base excision repair of single-stranded DNA breaks. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have been shown to induce synthetic lethality in some patients ...
Food Insecurity and Cognitive Impairment in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) Cohort.

Background Food insecurity is a social determinant of health associated with cognitive impairments in older adults and people living with HIV (PLWH). Few studies have examined this relation longitudinally, and no studies have explored how the frequency of food insecurity over time may impact cognitive impairment. Objective This study aimed to examine the impact of food insecurity on cognitive impairment over a 2-y follow-up period in a cohort of people living with and without HIV. Methods This was a 2-y longitudinal analysis of primarily economically disadvantaged, middle-aged, Black, and Hispanic participants from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort. Food insecurity was assessed with the USDA Household Food Security Module at baseline and 12- and 24-mo follow-ups. Food insecurity in all 3 assessments was considered persistent food insecurity. Cognitive impairment was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Statistical analyses consisted of logistic regressions. Results A total of 394 participants (247 HIV positive) with 2-y follow-up data were included in this analysis. At baseline, 104 (26.4%) were food-insecure and 58 (14.7%) had cognitive impairment. Very low food security was associated with cognitive impairment at baseline (OR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.08, 9.65). PLWH not virally suppressed had higher risk for cognitive impairment compared with HIV-uninfected participants (OR: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.15, 7.18). Additionally, baseline food insecurity (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.81) and the frequency of food insecurity over time (OR: 1.50 per year; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.10), particularly persistent food insecurity (OR: 3.69; 95% CI: 1.15, 11.83), were associated with cognitive impairment at 2-y follow-up; the results were consistent after excluding cognitively impaired participants at baseline. Conclusions Food insecurity is a significant risk factor for cognitive impairment, particularly among individuals who experience food insecurity frequently or persistently. Screening for food insecurity and interventions to secure access to sufficient, nutritious foods may help delay cognitive decline among socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.
Stability of the particle-hole Pfaffian state and the 5 2 -fractional quantum Hall effect

After decades since its discovery, a complete understanding of the topological phase of matter at $\frac{5}{2}$ filling appears to be lacking. Previous numerical studies have narrowed the candidates to the Moore-Read Pfaffian or the anti-Pfaffian. Recent thermal transport measurements point to another variant, the particle-hole Pfaffian, which has a nonholomorphic pairing part that complicates comparison with other competing states. Here, the authors have constructed the exact holomorphic particle-hole Pfaffian wave function with full particle-hole symmetry and compared its energetics with the Moore-Read Pfaffian and the anti-Pfaffian.
Uncertainty in El Niño-like warming and California precipitation changes linked by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation.

Marked uncertainty in California (CA) precipitation projections challenges their use in adaptation planning in the region already experiencing severe water stress. Under global warming, a westerly jet extension in the North Pacific analogous to the El Nino-like teleconnection has been suggested as a key mechanism for CA winter precipitation changes. However, this teleconnection has not been reconciled with the well-known El Nino-like warming response or the controversial role of internal variability in the precipitation uncertainty. Here we find that internal variability contributes > 70% and > 50% of uncertainty in the CA precipitation changes and the El Nino-like warming, respectively, based on analysis of 318 climate simulations from several multi-model and large ensembles. The Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation plays a key role in each contribution and in connecting the two via the westerly jet extension. This unifying understanding of the role of internal variability in CA precipitation provides critical guidance for reducing and communicating uncertainty to inform adaptation planning. There is a strong disagreement between climate models on how precipitation in California will change. Here, the authors show that much of this uncertainty originates from internal variability with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation linking the precipitation changes with the El Nino-like warming pattern through the westerly jet extension
The association between physical health-related quality of life, physical functioning, and risk of contralateral breast cancer among older women.

Background Physical limitations prior to cancer diagnosis may lead to suboptimal health outcomes. Our objective was to evaluate the impacts of poor physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical functioning (PF) on the risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC). Methods We performed a nested case-control study of women with invasive unilateral breast cancer (UBC) who did not receive prophylactic contralateral mastectomy using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Medicare Health Outcomes Survey data resource. Among 2938 women aged ≥ 65 years diagnosed with first stage I-III UBC between 1997 and 2011, we identified 100 subsequent CBC cases and 915 matched controls without CBC using incidence density sampling without replacement. Pre-diagnosis physical HRQOL and PF were determined using Medical Outcomes Trust Short Form-36 (SF-36)/Veterans Rand 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) responses within 2 years prior to first UBC diagnosis. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using conditional logistic regression models. Results Cases and controls were similar with respect to comorbidities, stage, surgery, and radiation treatments, but differed by hormone receptor status (ER/PR-negative, 23% and 11%, respectively) of first UBC. Cases had modestly lower mean pre-diagnosis physical HRQOL (- 1.8) and PF (- 2.2) scores. In multivariable models, we observed an increased CBC risk associated with low physical HRQOL (lowest vs. highest quartile, OR = 1.8; 95% CI 0.8-4.3), but CIs included 1.0. Low PF was associated with a 2.7-fold (95% CI 1.1-6.7) increased CBC risk. Conclusions Findings indicate that low physical HRQOL, specifically poor PF, is associated with CBC risk. Efforts to understand and minimize declines in PF post-breast cancer are well motivated.
Vector and Matrix Concepts from a Geometric Viewpoint

This chapter discusses vector and matrix concepts from a geometric viewpoint. The length of a vector's projection is given by the vector's coordinate on the x, y, and z axes, respectively, and the sign of its projection on x, y, and z depends on where the projection terminates, relative to the origin. A Euclidean space of n dimensions is the collection of all n -component vectors for which the operations of vector addition and multiplication by a scalar are permissible. For any two vectors in the space, there is a nonnegative number, called the Euclidean distance between the two vectors. By appropriate parallel displacement to a position vector, any vector in the space can be represented by its direction angles and length. Any position vector is uniquely determined by knowledge of its magnitude and direction. For any triangle, the square of any side is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides minus twice the product of the other two sides and the cosine of their included angle θ.
Wage Compression and the Division of Returns to Productivity Growth: Evidence from EOPP.

This paper analyzes the relationship between wages and productivity during the early years of an employment relationship. Data from the Employment Opportunity Pilot Project show that worker productivity grows substantially during the first two years on the job, with most of the growth in productivity occurring at the very start of the job. Correcting for measurement error and the fact that expected productivity beyond the start of the job may be folded into the starting wage if wage revisions are not instantaneous, one finds that variation in productivity is only partially reflected in wages. Not only is productivity growth stemming from human capital accumulation while on the job only partially reflected in wage growth, but starting productivity differences for workers in the same job – in large part driven by differences in relevant experience - are only partially reflected in starting wage differences. Our empirical findings can be explained by a simple model of employer – worker cost sharing in which (a) the cost to a worker of locating and moving to a new job increases with the worker's stock of human capital and (b) equity norms prevent employers from paying senior workers lower wages than junior workers who are no more productive.
Taking Advantage of Symmetry in the Automatic Generation of Numerical Programs for Finite Element Analysis

The automatic generation of FORTRAN code for finite element analysis is described. A software system running under the VAXIMA system is constructed to perform the analytical derivation and the FORTRAN code generation. Techniques for generating efficient code based on symmetries in the given problem are presented. Symmetry must be extracted and preserved in the analytical derivation phase. One such derivation for the isoparametric formulation in finite element analysis is presented. To gain more control over the code generated, mathematical derivation is interleaved with code generation actions. The ability to automatically generate functions and subroutines is important. An example is given to show how FORTRAN functions and function calls are generated under program control. Techniques discussed should be useful in other applications when a symbolic computation system is used to derive and generate code for numerical computation.
Educational Decentralization in Communist and Post-Communist Hungary.

National political reorganization in a post-communist era has reconceptualized both the societal role of education and the cultural significance of schooling for citizens in emerging democracies. To date, attention has focused primarily on changing structures rather than on participant perceptions within those structures. In this policy analysis of Hungary's overlapping decentralization and de-sovietization process, the author constructs macro and micro depictions of contemporary social and educational change. These two columns of inquiry illuminate the interactive dynamics between political, economic, and educational systems and the reidentification process of individuals within evolving systems. Because the decentralization of Hungary's educational system began long before the political break with Moscow in 1989, this case enables a more comprehensive and comparative perspective regarding the reorganization of power between school and state.
Particle Production in Deep Inelastic Muon Scattering

The E665 spectrometer at Fermila.b measured Deep-Inelastic Scattering of 490 GeV /c muons off several targets: Hydrogen, Deuterium, and Xenon. Events were selected from the Xenon and Deuterium targets, with a range of energy exchange, $\nu$, from 100 GeV to 500 GeV and for large ranges of $Q^2$ and $X_{Bj}$: 0.1 (GeV /$c)^2$ < $Q^2$ < l00(GeV /$c)^2$ and 0.001 < $X_{Bj}$; < 0.1. The presented results include comparisons of distributions .of produced hadrons, as functions of the hadron variables $Z$ and $\phi$. In both variables, the dependence of the distributions upon the rank of the hadrons, in terms of their momenta., has been examined. The longitudinal energy distributions (Z) show no nuclear dependence, even in the kinematic region of Shadowing. The asymmetry of the distribution of hadron azimuthal angle is demonstrated, but no nuclear dependence is observed in this asymmetry. The asymmetry exhibits strong dependence upon the rank of the hadron.
Wine and Five Percent Ethanol Are Potent Stimulants of Gastric Acid Secretion in Humans

Previous studies reported that intragastric ethanol was not a stimulus of gastric acid secretion in humans. The effect of 240 ml of 5%, 10%, and 20% ethanol (vol/vol), equicaloric-equiosmolar control solutions, white wine (12% ethanol), bourbon whiskey (1:4 dilution with water, 10% ethanol), and water on gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin concentrations were evaluated in 8 healthy subjects. Also, to stimulate the before-meal cocktail, white wine, whiskey, or water was administered 30 min before a 50-g liquid protein meal. Five percent ethanol and white wine significantly (p less than 0.01) increased basal secretion to 58% and 82%, respectively, of the peak pentagastrin response (24.2 +/- 1.6 mmol/h). After each of the 5%, 10%, and 20% ethanol solutions, 3-h acid outputs were significantly greater than their respective equicaloric-equiosmolar controls, but only the responses to 5% and 10% ethanol were significantly greater than water alone. Total 3-h responses to white wine, 5% ethanol, and 10% whiskey, respectively, were 5, 4.5, and 2 times greater than water (p less than 0.05). Although serum gastrin was not altered by any of the ethanol solutions or bourbon whiskey, white wine significantly increases serum gastrin concentration, similar to the 50-g protein meal. These results indicate that 5% ethanol and 10% bourbon whiskey increase gastric acid secretion by a mechanism other than gastrin release. White wine markedly stimulates both an increase in acid secretion and serum gastrin concentration. The constituent(s) in wine responsible for the marked acid secretory and gastrin response is unknown.
Utilization of Bamboo by the Giant Panda

Two giant pandas were used to assess the utilization of bamboo as a feedstuff. Three 1-week-long digestion trials were conducted during which feed intake and fecal output were recorded. Passage of digesta was measured from both fluid and particulate markers administered at feeding. Results indicate that the giant panda, although highly specialized for the consumption of bamboo, is a very inefficient digester of bamboo. The pandas consumed up to 6% of body weight in dry matter per day, with bamboo dry matter digestibility averaging less than 20%. Apparent digestion coefficients for the structural carbohydrates of bamboo (27% for hemicellulose and 8% for cellulose) indicate that, unlike most herbivores, pandas do not rely heavily on the microbial degradation of plant material to fulfill their nutritional requirements. Additionally, the passage of digesta through the gastrointestinal tract of the panda was extremely rapid, with complete clearance of markers in less than 12 hours. The giant panda seems to have specialized to a feed source high in plant fiber without extensive modification of the digestive tract by selectivity in feeding, effective mastication, ingestion of large quantitA©s,digestion of cellular contents rather than cell walls and rapid fecal excretion of the undigested residue. J. Nutr. 112: 636-641, 1982.
Mitochondrial Uptake of Thiamin Pyrophosphate: Physiological and Cell Biological Aspects

Mammalian cells obtain vitamin B1 (thiamin) from their surrounding environment and convert it to thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) in the cytoplasm. Most of TPP is then transported into the mitochondria via a carrier-mediated process that involves the mitochondrial thiamin pyrophosphate transporter (MTPPT). Knowledge about the physiological parameters of the MTPP-mediated uptake process, MTPPT targeting and the impact of clinical mutations in MTPPT in patients with Amish lethal microcephaly and neuropathy and bilateral striatal necrosis are not fully elucidated, and thus, were addressed in this study using custom-made 3 H-TPP as a substrate and mitochondria isolated from mouse liver and human-derived liver HepG2 cells. Results showed 3 H-TPP uptake by mouse liver mitochondria to be pH-independent, saturable (Km=6.7960.53 mM), and specific for TPP. MTPPT protein was expressed in mouse liver and HepG2 cells, and confocal images showed a human (h)MTPPT-GFP construct to be targeted to mitochondria of HepG2 cells. A serial truncation analysis revealed that all three modules of hMTPPT protein cooperated (although at different levels of efficiency) in mitochondrial targeting rather than acting autonomously as independent targeting module. Finally, the hMTPPT clinical mutants (G125S and G177A) showed proper mitochondrial targeting but displayed significant inhibition in 3 H-TPP uptake and a decrease in level of expression of the MTPPT protein. These findings advance our knowledge of the physiology and cell biology of the mitochondrial TPP uptake process. The results also show that clinical mutations in the hMTPPT system impair its functionality via affecting its level of expression with no effect on its targeting to mitochondria.
RCMAT: a regularized covariance matrix approach to testing gene sets.

Background: Gene sets are widely used to interpret genome-scale data. Analysis techniques that make better use of the correlation structure of microarray data while addressing practical "n<p" concerns could provide a real increase in power. However correlation structure is hard to estimate with typical genomics sample sizes. In this paper we present an extension of a classical multivariate procedure that confronts this challenge by the use of a regularized covariance matrix. Results: We evaluated our testing procedure using both simulated data and a widely analyzed diabetes data set. We compared our approach to another popular multivariate test for both sets of data. Our results suggest an increase in power for detecting gene set differences can be obtained using our approach relative to the popular multivariate test with no increase in the false positive rate. Conclusion: Our regularized covariance matrix multivariate approach to gene set testing showed promise in both real and simulated data comparisons. Our findings are consistent with the recent literature in gene set methodology.
Clinical trial: a randomized, study comparing meperidine (pethidine) and fentanyl in adult gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Summary Background There is little evidence to guide choice between meperidine (pethidine) and fentanyl for sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopy. Aim To compare meperidine with fentanyl in terms of procedure time and analgesia. Methods Single centre randomized controlled trial. Patients received narcotic doses and midazolam at the discretion of the attending endoscopist who was unaware of narcotic assignment. Endoscopy and recovery times were then recorded. The main outcome was total procedure time, defined as endoscopy time plus recovery time. Patient discomfort was assessed prior to discharge via visual analogue scale (VAS). Results In total, 55 patients were randomized to meperidine [44 colonoscopy and 11 esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)] and 56 to fentanyl (45 colonoscopy and 11 EGD). Total procedure time was shorter for those receiving fentanyl (mean = 87.7 min) than for those receiving meperidine (mean = 102.9 min) (P = 0.05). The difference between the groups was explained by a shorter mean recovery time in the fentanyl group (63.0 min) than in the meperidine group (76.2 min) (P = 0.07). Based on post procedure pain scores, examinations with meperidine (mean = 1.99) were less painful when compared with those receiving fentanyl (mean = 2.86, P = 0.03). Conclusions Fentanyl shortened total procedure time by reducing recovery time. A simple change in narcotic choice could increase endoscopy unit efficiency.
Intrauterine progesterone treatment of early endometrial cancer

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to assess the feasibility of using a progesterone-containing intrauterine device (IUD) to treat presumed Federation Internationale Gynecologie et d'Obstetrique (FIGO) stage IA, grade 1 endometrioid cancer in women at high risk for perioperative complications. Study design: Candidates were women with American Society of Anesthesiologists class III or IV grade 1 endometrioid cancer and no imaging evidence of myometrial invasion. Subjects underwent hysteroscopy, curettage, and IUD placement, followed by endometrial biopsy every 3 months for 1 year. The records of similar patients treated surgically during the 3 years before protocol initiation were reviewed for comparison. Results: Sixteen patients fulfilled study criteria. Fourteen consented to participation; one was excluded at the time of IUD placement (grade 2 disease identified) and one was lost to follow-up. Twelve subjects have been followed up to 36 months; results of biopsies were negative in 7 of 11 at 6 months and 6 of 8 at 12 months. No IUD-related complications, except for expulsion, occurred. Sixteen complications (one fatal) occurred in 9 of the 15 control patients. Conclusion: Intrauterine progesterone appears to eradicate some cases of presumed stage IA, grade 1 endometrioid cancer in women at high risk for perioperative morbidity. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:651-7.)
Receptor-mediated nonproteolytic activation of prorenin and induction of TGF-β1 and PAI-1 expression in renal mesangial cells

While elevated plasma prorenin levels are commonly found in diabetic patients and correlate with diabetic nephropathy, the pathological role of prorenin, if any, remains unclear. Prorenin binding to the (pro)renin receptor [(p)RR] unmasks prorenin catalytic activity. We asked whether elevated prorenin could be activated at the site of renal mesangial cells (MCs) through receptor binding without being proteolytically converted to renin. Recombinant inactive rat prorenin and a mutant prorenin that is noncleavable, i.e., cannot be activated proteolytically, are produced in 293 cells. After MCs were incubated with 10−7 M native or mutant prorenin for 6 h, cultured supernatant acquired the ability to generate angiotensin I (ANG I) from angiotensinogen, indicating both prorenins were activated. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against the (p)RR blocked their activation. Furthermore, either native or mutant rat prorenin at 10−7 M alone similarly and significantly induced transforming growth factor-β1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and fibronectin mRNA expression, and these effects were blocked by (p)RR siRNA, but not by the ANG II receptor antagonist, saralasin. When angiotensinogen was also added to cultured MCs with inactive native or mutant prorenin, PAI-1 and fibronectin were further increased significantly compared with prorenin or mutant prorenin alone. This effect was blocked partially by treatment with (p)RR siRNA or saralasin. We conclude that prorenin binds the (p)RR on renal MCs and is activated nonproteolytically. This activation leads to increased expression of PAI-1 and transforming growth factor-β1 via ANG II-independent and ANG II-dependent mechanisms. These data provide a mechanism by which elevated prorenin levels in diabetes may play a role in the development of diabetic nephropathy.
Upregulation of acid-sensing ion channel 1 protein expression by chronic administration of cocaine in the mouse striatum in vivo.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are ligand-gated cation channels activated by a drop in extracellular pH. They are enriched in the mammalian brain with a high synaptic density. Accumulating evidence suggests that ASIC1 contributes to synaptic activity related to learning/memory and fear conditioning, and also plays critical roles in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we explored the effect of the psychostimulant, cocaine, on protein expression of ASICs in the mouse forebrain in vivo. We found that chronic systemic injection of cocaine (20 mg/kg, once daily for 5 consecutive days; 14 days of withdrawal) increased ASIC1, but not ASIC2, protein levels in the striatum, including the dorsal (caudate putamen) and the ventral (nucleus accumbens) striatum. No significant changes in ASIC1 or 2 protein levels in the median prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus were observed following the chronic cocaine administration. These data demonstrate that chronic cocaine exposure can upregulate ASIC expression in the striatum in a subunit-selective manner.
Giving and receiving gifts: one perspective.

Oseibo and ochugen are gift-giving traditions in Japan during winter and summer, respectively. The Japanese distribute gifts to friends, relatives, and others who have helped them during the year. Such practices play an important role in lubricating relationships, including those between patients and physicians. During these seasons, physicians' offices often fill with colorfully wrapped boxes containing a variety of gifts. At other times, patients or family members may leave another type of gift, the orei—10,000 yen ($100) or more of cash in an unmarked envelope. This token of appreciation is often provided in advance of major surgical procedures.1 What are the effects of such practices, and how should physicians respond? Having been born and raised in Japan before moving to the United States for college and medical school, I consider myself bicultural and bilingual. Because I am a clinician in San Francisco, which has a large Japanese community, a proportion of my practice is composed of families from Japan. Many such families continue the gift-giving practice, leaving boxes of chocolates or rice crackers that I routinely distribute to staff in my office. Although no one has ever left envelopes of cash, I have become increasingly uncomfortable about receiving personal and expensive gifts—for example, clothing for my child and a fine bottle of sake (Japanese wine). How do such gifts affect my relationships with patients? I don't keep track of which families have brought what gifts and which haven't. My patient care manners usually reflect how overbooked I am. Yet, I am beginning to wonder, do I treat some families differently? Do I spend more time with them? And what do staff, other patients, and my trainees perceive? Just as important, what are the motivations for families to bring gifts? Is a gift a simple sign of appreciation, or is something expected in return? Could it be to ask for fair treatment in a society dominated by a majority culture and the English language? For a health care provider, the space between a giver's gratitude and a receiver's obligation can be narrow and murky. Yet, refusing a gift born out of cultural tradition can be interpreted as impolite. In fact, gift sharing may reinforce a sense of community. A sensible compromise may be to adopt the purposefully vague recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and attempt to appreciate appropriate gifts and graciously refuse those that are not: “Under most circumstances, gifts have a far more symbolic than material value. For most pediatricians, accepting modest gifts does not involve a serious conflict. In fact, a refusal of a gift may constitute a social or cultural affront.”2
Using Quantile Smoothing Splines to Identify Employment Subcenters in a Multicentric Urban Area

Abstract The goal of this paper is to provide a statistically based definition of employment subcenters for multicentric urban areas. In particular, we examine the shape of the employment density function using quantile smoothing splines as a nonparametric empirical specification. This approach allows inspection of the employment gradient at the upper tail rather than the center of the employment density distribution. As a result, our definition of employment subcenters extends previous work as it allows us to condition on distance from the central business district, relies on the extent to which a subcenter influences surrounding areas, yet still emphasizes areas with high employment densities.
Graphite-Coated Nanoelectrospray Emitter for Mass Spectrometry

A new, more rapid method for coating nanoelectrospray emitters with graphite is to use a vacuum deposition chamber and a graphite carbon electrode. This method allows for mass production of nanoelectrospray emitters in a short period of time. The emitters are laser-pulled borosilicate glass micropipets and have tapers of around 4 μm i.d. The conductive coating applied to the emitter is only 20−30 nm thick, allowing for optical transparency with the borosilicate emitters. The conductive coating is stable for a number of hours at the high voltages used for nanoelectrospray ionization and is durable in both positive and negative ion modeseven during electrical discharge. This stability will make it possible to couple these emitters with online separations such as capillary liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis.
ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6 Delineates Separate Pathways Used by Endothelin 1 and Insulin for Stimulating Glucose Uptake in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, both insulin and endothelin 1 stimulate glucose transport via translocation of the GLUT4 glucose carrier from an intracellular compartment to the cell surface. Yet it remains uncertain as to whether both hormones utilize identical pathways and to what extent each depends on the heterotrimeric G protein Galphaq as an intermediary signaling molecule. In this study, we used a novel inducible system to rapidly and synchronously activate expression of a dominant inhibitory form of ADP-ribosylation factor 6, ARF6(T27N), in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and assessed its effects on insulin- and endothelin-stimulated hexose uptake. Expression of ARF6(T27N) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was without effect on the ability of insulin to stimulate either 2-deoxyglucose uptake or the translocation of GLUT4 or GLUT1 to the plasma membrane. However, the same ARF6 inhibitory mutant blocked the stimulation of hexose uptake and GLUT4 translocation in response to either endothelin 1 or an activated form of Galphaq, Galphaq(Q209L). These results suggest that endothelin stimulates glucose transport through a pathway that is distinct from that utilized by insulin but is likely to depend on both a heterotrimeric G protein from the Gq family and the small G protein ARF6. These data are consistent with the interpretation that endothelin and insulin stimulate functionally different pools of glucose transporters to be redistributed to the plasma membrane.
A fluorescent sterol probe study of cholesterol/phospholipid membranes

Abstract The behavior of dehydroergosterol in l -α-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) unsonicated multilamellar liposomes was characterized by absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence measurements. Dehydroergosterol exhibited a lowered absorption coefficient in multilamellar liposomes whiel the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of dehydroergosterol in these membranes decreased significantly with increasing dehydroergosterol concentration, suggesting membrane sterol-sterol interactions. The comparative steady-state anisotropy of 0.9 mole percent dehydroergosterol in multilamellar liposomes was lower than in small unilamellar vesicles suggesting different sterol environments for dehydroergosterol. Dehydroergosterol fluorescence lifetime was relatively independent of membrane sterol content and yielded similar values in sonicated and unsonicated model membranes. In multilamellar liposomes containing 5 mole percent cholesterol, the gel-to-liqui crystalline phase transition of DMPC detected by 0.9 mole percent dehydroergosterol was significantly broadened when compared to the phase transition detected by dehydroergosterol in the absence of membrane cholesterol (Smutzer, G. et al. (1986) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 862, 361–371). In multilamellar liposomes containing 10 mole percent cholesterol, the major fluorescence lifetime of dehydroergosterol did not detect the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition of DMPC. Time-correlated fluorescence anisotropy decays of dehydroergosterol in DMPC multilamellar liposomes in the absence and presence of 5 mole percent cholesterol exhibited a single rotational correlation time near one nanosecond that was relatively independent of temperature and low concentrations of membrane cholesterol. The limiting anisotropy of 0.9 mole percent dehydroergosterol decreased above the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition in membranes without cholesterol and was not significantly affected by the phase transition in membranes containing 5 mole percent cholesterol. These results suggested hindered rotational diffusion of dehydroergosterol in multilamellar liposomes. Lifetime and time-correlated fluorescence measurements of 0.9 mole percent dehydroergosterol in multilamellar liposomes further suggested this fluorophore was detecting physical properties of the bulk membrane phospholipids in membranes devoid of cholesterol and was detecting sterol-rich regions in membranes of low sterol concentration.
Induction and maintenance of an experimental model of severe cardiomyopathy with a novel protocol of rapid ventricular pacing

Abstract Objective: An animal model of chronic severe heart failure is needed to evaluate new mechanical devices, surgical procedures, and medical therapies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a unique new model of severe heart failure developed by means of a novel protocol of rapid ventricular pacing. Methods: Heart failure was induced in 8 mongrel dogs by means of rapid ventricular pacing (230 beats/min) for 4 weeks. After a sham operation, maintenance pacing at a reduced rate (190 beats/min) was continued for another 4 weeks. Results: Left ventricular systolic function was significantly reduced at week 4 and remained low at week 8, including the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (2.4 ± 1.0 vs 0.7 ± 0.2 vs 0.8 ± 0.3 mm Hg/mL [baseline vs week 4 vs week 8, respectively]), ejection fraction (63% ± 5% vs 28% ± 7% vs 33% ± 5%), and cardiac output (3.1 ± 0.7 vs 2.0 ± 0.3 vs 2.2 ± 0.7 L/min). Significant ventricular remodeling changes took place with increased ventricular volumes and circumferential wall stress, which were stable between weeks 4 and 8. Serum catecholamine and atrial natriuretic polypeptide levels also increased from baseline but stabilized between weeks 4 and 8. The end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship also showed stable diastolic function between weeks 4 and 8. Conclusions: Induction pacing at 230 beats/min readily created severe heart failure in all animals, and a new technique of maintenance pacing provided a consistent model of severe heart failure. This model can be used to study a variety of new interventions for heart failure. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;123:544-9
A Sex-linked Lethal Gene in the Single Comb White Leghorn Fowl

Abstract THREE embryonic lethal characters have been identified previously in the domestic fowl and a fourth sub-lethal character affecting chicks has been reported. Dunn (1923) reported a recessive lethal factor linked with recessive white plumage color. Landauer and Dunn (1930) have offered conclusive proof that the creeper character, which is determined by a single dominant gene, is lethal in homozygous condition. “Stickiness,” an inherited recessive character investigated by Byerly and Jull (1930), is likewise lethal in homozygous condition. Upp (1934) has shown that a recessive character “dwarfism” exerts a delayed lethal action upon chicks homozygous for this trait. Materials The data presented are taken from examinations of dead embryos from matings of closely inbred White Leghorn stock at the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station. Aberrant sex ratios in dead embryos sired by certain males used in 1932 and similar ratios from some of their sons used in 1933 prompted this study. Breeding . . .
A model of thermally induced strain development in coke oven walls during carbonization

Abstract During the carbonization of coal, the thermal conditions within the supporting coke oven walls vary substantially. This gives rise to a continually developing strain field within the walls which could cause cracks to occur in the refractory materials and, thus, shorten the operating life of the oven. Since a more precise knowledge of the location of high strain regions should help in improving the design of coke ovens, a mathematical study was initiated to identify the conditions under which high strain gradients are induced during carbonization. As such, this paper outlines the construction and application of a mathematical model to evaluate the strain distribution and its development in coke oven walls during carbonization. The model includes the influence of all the main thermal and physical properties of silica refractory bricks within a finite element formulation to evaluate the temperature and thermally induced strain distributions in a cross-section of a coke oven wall. The thermal strain field for a typical oven design is calculated at a number of stages throughout the carbonization cycle. The model results provide a clear picture of the nature of the thermal strain distribution and its development, highlighting three areas where the strain conditions in the wall will be most severe.
Instructional Issues and Retention of First-Year Students.

Literature on retention for first-year students appears to focus on the emotional, interpersonal, and financial problems these students face when beginning their post-secondary education. The article accepts the importance of these issues and their effect on retention. However, the article suggests that there are other issues that should be addressed when we try to uncover reasons why some students lack the persistence and do not complete their degrees. They are respectively the cognitive development of these students, their perception of teaching and learning, and most importantly the type of instruction they receive in their beginning classes. Each of these areas is discussed and a model of instruction is presented that calls for this cohort of students to receive instruction that actively engages them in their own learning. Suggestions are provided for instructors in an effort to help them make their students more active and engaged learners.