cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of α and β integrins during terminal differentiation of cardiomyocytes

Background: In the myocardium, myocyte cell division is irreversibly blocked shortly after birth. The signal that initiates cell cycle withdrawal is unknown. The purpose of this study was to relate changes in expression of β1 integrin and its associated α subunits to cardiomyocyte cell cycle progression during the fetal-to-neonatal developmental transition in rat. Methods and results: The developmental expression pattern and function of β1 integrin and several of its associated α subunits were examined using reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and β1 blocking antibodies. During the fetal to neonatal transition, a dramatic shift occurred in the levels of β1 and α isoforms. At the 17-day fetal stage only β1A was present, which remained relatively constant until immediately after birth then decreased by 30% at the adult stage. By contrast, β1D appeared at fetal day 18, increased at neonatal day 2, and afterwards remained constant. This resulted in a ratio of β1A to β1D of about 1:1 in the adult heart. The integrin β1-associated subunits, α3, α6, and α7, were expressed at extremely low levels in 17-day fetal cardiomyocytes. After birth α3 and α6 transiently increased at the 2-day neonatal stage, while α7 isoforms B, C, and X2 progressively increased to the adult stage. Unlike skeletal muscle cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis (FACS) showed no down regulation of the α5β1 fibronectin receptor during cell cycle withdrawal. Treatment of cultured cardiomyocytes with β1 blocking antibody inhibited the cell cycle in fetal but not in neonatal cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that progression through the cardiomyocyte cell cycle may be dependent upon cell attachment via integrin β1 and correlate with changes that occur in β1 spliced variants and their respective α isoforms.
Advances in the development and growth of functional materials: Toward the paradigm of materials by design

Research in functional materials is frequently driven by a desire to make informed choices in the quest for better, more effective materials. A great deal of recent attention has been focused on the modalities of how such informed choices can themselves be made in a better, more effective manner. The examples presented here examine some of these modalities, emphasizing the nexus between new synthesis, computational design and analysis, growth in high purity forms, and finally, end-use in terms of either application or of significant property measurement. The illustrations, many drawn from the recent literature, commence with the role that theory has played, both in property prediction and concomitant materials selection, in the areas of multiferroics and topological insulators. The importance of materials quality is emphasized, using examples from observation of the fractional Quantum Hall Effect, where new science has emerged as a result of improved materials. In the area of organic electronics, prospects for advancing the field are suggested, as are future directions in nanoscience. While the examples chosen here point to developments that require a highly collaborative “systems” approach to materials, the role that serendipity plays is not ignored.
Feature selection for ranking

Ranking is a very important topic in information retrieval. While algorithms for learning ranking models have been intensively studied, this is not the case for feature selection, despite of its importance. The reality is that many feature selection methods used in classification are directly applied to ranking. We argue that because of the striking differences between ranking and classification, it is better to develop different feature selection methods for ranking. To this end, we propose a new feature selection method in this paper. Specifically, for each feature we use its value to rank the training instances, and define the ranking accuracy in terms of a performance measure or a loss function as the importance of the feature. We also define the correlation between the ranking results of two features as the similarity between them. Based on the definitions, we formulate the feature selection issue as an optimization problem, for which it is to find the features with maximum total importance scores and minimum total similarity scores. We also demonstrate how to solve the optimization problem in an efficient way. We have tested the effectiveness of our feature selection method on two information retrieval datasets and with two ranking models. Experimental results show that our method can outperform traditional feature selection methods for the ranking task.
Building the Spine: The Vertebrate Segmentation Clock

Abstract One of the most striking characteristics of many animal and plant species is their organization in a series of periodically repeated anatomical modules. In animals, this particular patterning strategy of the body axis is termed segmentation, and it is observed in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Vertebrate segmentation has been associated with a molecular oscillator-the segmentation clock-whose existence had been predicted on theoretical grounds in the clock and wave-front model. The segmentation clock is proposed to generate pulses of signaling used for the positioning of segmental boundaries. Whereas several models have proposed that simple negative autoregulatory circuits involving the transcription repressors of the hairy and enhancer of split family constitute the clock pacemaker, recent microarray studies in mouse have identified a large network of oscillating signaling genes belonging to the Notch, Wnt, and FGF (fibroblast growth factor) pathways. Thus, significant progress has been made, but the molecular nature of the clockwork underlying the oscillator remains poorly understood. Few examples of oscillators exist in developmental biology, and the segmentation clock provides a unique model of periodic regulation in patterning.
Complementary Equations and Wythoff Sequences

The lower Wythoff sequence a = (a(n)) and upper Wythoff sequence b = (b(n)) are solutions of many complementary equations f(a, b) = 0. Typically, f(a, b) involves composites such as a(a(n)) and a(b(n)), and each such sequence is treated as a binary word (e.g., aa and ab). Conversely, each word represents a sequence and, as such, is a linear combination of a, b, and 1, in which the coefficients of a and b are consecutive Fibonacci numbers. For example, baba = 3a + 5b − 6.
Can they hear me now?: a case for a client-assisted approach to monitoring wide-area wireless networks

We present WiScape, a framework for measuring and understanding the behavior of wide-area wireless networks, e.g., city-wide or nation-wide cellular data networks using active participation from clients. The goal of WiScape is to provide a coarse-grained view of a wide-area wireless landscape that allows operators and users to understand broad performance characteristics of the network. In this approach a centralized controller instructs clients to collect measurement samples over time and space in an opportunistic manner. To limit the overheads of this measurement framework, WiScape partitions the world into zones, contiguous areas with relatively similar user experiences, and partitions time into zone-specific epochs over which network statistics are relatively stable. For each epoch in each zone, WiScape takes a minimalistic view --- it attempts to collect a small number of measurement samples to adequately characterize the client experience in that zone and epoch, thereby limiting the bandwidth and energy overheads at client devices. For this effort, we have collected ground truth measurements for up to three different commercial cellular wireless networks across (i) an area of more than 155 square kilometer in and around Madison, WI, in the USA, (ii) a road stretch of more than 240 kilometers between Madison and Chicago, and (iii) locations in New Brunswick and Princeton, New Jersey, USA, for a period of more than 1 year. We justify various design choices of WiScape through this data, demonstrate that WiScape can provide an accurate performance characterization of these networks over a wide area (within 4% error for more than 70% of instances) with a low overhead on the clients, and illustrate multiple applications of this framework through a sustained and ongoing measurement study.
Use of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Reflectance in Extracting the Spectral Volume Absorption Coefficient for Phytoplankton in Coastal Water: Remote Sensing Relationships for the Inherent Optical Properties of Coastal Water

Abstract We use Remote Sensing Reflectance (Rrs) measurements from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) to produce maps of the absorption coefficient, aph(λ), by phytoplankton in Great Bay, New Jersey. First, the near-infrared data are used to determine the total scattering coefficient b(λ) for λ > 730 nm at all points of the image. Then, the infrared b(λ) is extended smoothly to the visible region of the spectrum and is in turn used to determine ad(λ) and ay(λ), the respective volume absorption coefficient by detritus and colored dissolved organic material (CDOM). The determination of b(λ), ad(λ), and ay(λ) allows us to simulate what Rrs(λ) should be in the absence of phytoplankton. Subsequently, the simulated Rrs(λ) without phytoplankton is compared with the measured Rrs(λ) to “black out” the spectrum of aph(λ) at any point of the image. By applying this procedure in the form of remote sensing algorithms, we can map out the distribution of aph(λ) at any given wavelength over the optic...
Silicon carbide as a material for biomedical microsystems

Silicon Carbide (SiC) is emerging as an enabling material for biomedical microsystems due to its unique combination of electrical, mechanical and chemical properties combined with its compatibility with Si micromachining techniques. This paper presents an overview of the latest advancements in this area including on-going research to develop SiC for biosensing, bio-microdevice packaging, bio-filtering, biomedical imaging and other related biomedical applications.
Talk and chalk: The blackboard as an intellectual tool

Why does the classroom chalkboard persist in an electronic world? Should we free ourselves of this primitive technology, or is it still a useful tool? If the latter, why is it rare in business facilities, and in teaching spaces like hotel conference rooms where mid-career training occurs? These questions occurred to me as I spent several hours outside my own classroom in the space of a month (teaching a group of third graders how an airplane flies, watching some high school history and English classes, and being trained in media and press skills by the experienced staff of a large public affairs firm). Forced to cope with alternatives at conferences and invited presentations, I have long realized how much variation exists among the information-carrying capacities of the blackboard and its competition-the newsprint tablet on an easel, the slide projector, and the overhead projector. (For reasons that will become clear, when I speak of blackboards or chalkboards, I include wipe-off markerboards.) I only recently realized how differently a blackboard functions in the different institutions that use it, or even how diversely it is used by individuals similarly situated-for example, teachers in classrooms. Since I recall little conversation about this among colleagues, it seems worth recording some reflections on this venerable technology and its alternatives. The following is much in debt to the kind of exploration Erving Goffman demonstrated in Forms of Talk [1983] and elsewhere.
Contribution of Caveolin Protein Abundance to Augmented Nitric Oxide Signaling in Conscious Dogs With Pacing-Induced Heart Failure

Abstract—Myocardial NO signaling appears elevated in heart failure (HF). Whether this results from increased NO production, induction of the high-output NO synthase (NOS)2 isoform, or changes in NOS regulatory pathways (such as caveolae) remains controversial. We tested the hypothesis that increased abundance of caveolin-3 and/or sarcolemmal caveolae contribute to increased NO signaling in pacing-induced HF. Abundance of caveolin-3 (0.59±0.08 versus 0.29±0.08 arbitrary units, P=0.01) but not caveolin-1 was increased in HF compared with control conditions, assessed by Western blot. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy revealed increased caveolae (2.7±0.4 versus 1.3±0.3 per micrometer myocyte membrane, P<0.005). The association between caveolin-3 and NOS3 at the sarcolemma and T tubules was unchanged in HF compared with control myocytes. The impact of NOS inhibition with l-NG-methylarginine hydrochloride (L-NMMA) on β-adrenergic inotropy was assessed in conscious dogs before and after HF. In contr...
Population recovery in the moustached tamarin (Saguinus mystax): Management strategies and mechanisms of recovery

In 1978, 66% of the individuals of Saguinus mystax and 9.5% of Saguinus fuscicollis were cropped from a population at the Yarapa river, Peru. The effects of cropping on the remaining tamarin population were evaluated by conducting censuses in 1981 and 1982 and by trapping and release of Saguinus mystax in 1981. Three hundred kilometers of trail were covered in the censuses, and all the groups within the 1.9-km2 study area were located. Within three years after cropping, the population of S. mystax had increased by 124%, more than double the size left in 1978. Increased reproductive rate, early breeding, and reduced infant mortality contributed to the recovery. On the other hand, S. fuscicollis had decreased by 12% in the three years following the cropping but had increased in the fourth year to a level slightly below the precropping density. The cropping of more S. mystax than S. fuscicollis might have contributed to the decline of the latter. The cropping of a sizable percentage of S. mystax from a natural population does not seem to impair its recuperative powers. It may take longer than four years for a population exhibiting high density, such as that at the Yarapa site, to recover completely.
Total Cerebral Volume Is Reduced in Patients With Localization-Related Epilepsy and a History of Complex Febrile Seizures

Context Febrile seizures may lead to later epilepsy. They have been associated with hippocampal atrophy but their effect on total cerebral volume is unknown. Objective To compare total cerebral volume in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with and without a history of complex febrile seizures (CFS). Design Survey. Setting Epilepsy monitoring center. Subjects Forty patients with localization-related epilepsy and temporal lobe onset determined by video electroencephalogram and 20 controls. Intervention Magnetic resonance imaging measurement of cerebral volume. Main Outcome Measure Total cerebral volume. Results Patients with a history of CFS had significantly reduced total cerebral volume compared with patients without CFS. In addition, male patients with CFS had significantly lower total cerebral volume than male normal controls. There was no significant difference between patients without CFS, or all patients, and controls. Conclusion Complex febrile seizures may have a global effect on brain development.
Relationship of high intensity step-up lighting to bone ash and growth plate closure of the tarso-metatarsus in turkeys.

Abstract 1. The reduced lameness observed in turkeys reared in a high intensity step‐up (HISU) lighting programme as compared to a low intensity step‐down (LISD) lighting regimen cannot be explained by differences in the inorganic matrix of the bone, because the proportions of bone ash, bone ash calcium, and bone ash phosphorus did not differ between lighting programmes. 2. At 17 weeks of age, there was a significant difference in the proportion of closed growth plates in males reared on the HISU programme rather than on LISD lighting. 3. These results support the hypothesis that HISU lighting reduces lameness by promoting earlier growth plate closure of long bones.
A theory of testing for real-time

A framework for generating testing preorders that relate processes on the basis of their timing behavior as well as their degree of relative nondeterminism is developed. The basic concepts of transition systems and testing are reviewed, and timed testing, which takes account of the delay exhibited by a process as it attempts to pass a test, is introduced. The framework is then applied to two different scenarios. In the first, relations are constructed that relate processes on the basis of all timing considerations. In the second, relations are constructed that relate processes on the basis of their relative speeds. In both cases, alternative denotational characterizations of the resulting preorders are presented, and examples are given to illustrate the utility of the approach. >
A Quantitative Trait Locus (LSq-1) on Mouse Chromosome 7 Is Linked to the Absence of Tissue Loss After Surgical Hindlimb Ischemia

Background— Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) caused by occlusive atherosclerosis of the lower extremity has 2 major clinical manifestations. Critical limb ischemia is characterized by rest pain an...
Modifications of U2 snRNA are required for snRNP assembly and pre-mRNA splicing

Among the spliceosomal snRNAs, U2 has the most extensive modifications, including a 5' trimethyl guanosine (TMG) cap, ten 2'-O-methylated residues and 13 pseudouridines. At short times after injection, cellularly derived (modified) U2 but not synthetic (unmodified) U2 rescues splicing in Xenopus oocytes depleted of endogenous U2 by RNase H targeting. After prolonged reconstitution, synthetic U2 regenerates splicing activity; a correlation between the extent of U2 modification and U2 function in splicing is observed. Moreover, 5-fluorouridine-containing U2 RNA, a potent inhibitor of U2 pseudouridylation, specifically abolishes rescue by synthetic U2, while rescue by cellularly derived U2 is not affected. By creating chimeric U2 molecules in which some sequences are from cellularly derived U2 and others are from in vitro transcribed U2, we demonstrate that the functionally important modifications reside within the 27 nucleotides at the 5' end of U2. We further show that 2'-O-methylation and pseudouridylation activities reside in the nucleus and that the 5' TMG cap is not necessary for internal modification but is crucial for splicing activity. Native gel analysis reveals that unmodified U2 is not incorporated into the spliceosome. Examination of the U2 protein profile and glycerol-gradient analysis argue that U2 modifications directly contribute to conversion of the 12S to the 17S U2 snRNP particle, which is essential for spliceosome assembly.
Voltammetric and amperometric analyses of electrochemical nucleation: electrodeposition of copper on nickel and tantalum

We present theoretical and experimental results demonstrating how the techniques of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potential step (PS) amperometry can be combined for quantitative analysis of electrochemical nucleation reactions. We have integrated two existing technique-specific (PS or CV) theoretical models of 3-D nucleation in a single framework of the general nucleation rate law. This framework provides a phenomenological basis for combining CV and PS for nucleation studies. We report two experimental systems, involving electrodeposition of Cu 2þ on Ni and Ta, that exhibit nucleation behaviors predicted from these theoretical considerations. Deposition and stripping of Cu 2þ are found to be reversible at the Ni surface, and irreversible at the (naturally oxidized) Ta surface. For both the Ni/Cu 2þ and Ta/Cu 2þ systems, distinct features of 3-D nucleation are detected in CV. These features are investigated further through detailed examination of PS-induced current transients. The common links between the nucleation currents observed in the CV and PS experiments are discussed in detail. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Cat and the Fiddle: Images of Musical Humour from the Middle Ages to Modern Times – By Jeremy Barlow

Although scholars have studied specific sources or genres of music that contain humor (e.g., sheet music, minstrel shows, operettas, musical comedy), this book is the first modern effort to attempt...
Pharmacology of argatroban

Argatroban, a synthetic peptidomimetic antithrombin agent, is the first clinical anticoagulant solely to target thrombin. For some time, this drug has been used in Japan for the management of thromboembolic disorders. Recently, it has been approved in Japan for use in thrombotic and ischaemic stroke. Despite a large number of preclinical studies on the pharmacology of this agent, clinical trials in Europe and North America were only initiated in 1996. Argatroban produces anticoagulant effects comparable to therapeutic heparinisation at concentrations of ~ 1 μg/ml. At concentrations of 5 - 10 μg/ml, this agent produces adequate anticoagulation for inteventional cardiovascular procedures and prolongs the activated clotting time (ACT) to 400 - 600 s. The predictable anticoagulant effect of this agent is relatively short lasting, and may not warrant pharmacologic neutralisation in the majority of patients. However, patients with hepatic dysfunction may need some means of neutralisation. Unlike heparin, this d...
Three dimensional nanoscale fabrication and modeling of dynamic mode multidirectional UV lithography

Three dimensional (3-D) nanofabrication using the dynamic mode multidirectional ultraviolet (UV) lithography has been explored, where the size of the photomask pattern is compatible to or smaller than the wavelength of the UV source and therefore the diffraction effect is prominent in photopatterning. Ray trace taking into account the effect of refraction, diffraction, and absorption has been simulated using an optical numerical analysis tool (COMSOL, Inc.). Subwavelength patterning with a pattern diameter of 300nm has been performed on a chromium coated glass substrate using E-beam lithography to form a photomask. A thin layer of SU-8, a negative tone photoresist, with a thickness of 1∼10 microns has been coated on the photomask and multidirectional UV lithography is performed through the mask, where the photomask servs as a substrate as well. Nanoscale pillars with a pattern diameter of 300nm have been fabricated with different optical doses and simulation results show good correlation with simulation results in terms of the shape and the height. Various 3-D structures including an inclined pillar array, a vertical triangular slab, a tripod embedded horn, and a triangular slab embedded horn have been successfully fabricated. A vertical triangular slab array has been demonstrated for a terahertz (THz) selective surface application.
Focal Gene Misexpression in Zebrafish Embryos Induced by Local Heat Shock Using a Modified Soldering Iron

Misexpression of genes in a temporally and spatially controlled fashion is an important tool for assessing gene function during development. Because few tissue-specific promoters have been identified in zebrafish, inducible systems such as the Cre/LoxP and Tet repressor systems are of limited utility. Here we describe a new method of misexpression: local heat shock using a modified soldering iron. Zebrafish carrying transgenes under the control of a heat shock promoter (hsp70) are focally heated with the soldering iron to induce gene expression in a small area of the embryo. We have validated this method in three stable transgenic lines and at three developmental timepoints. Local heat shock is a fast, easy, and inexpensive method for gene misexpression. Developmental Dynamics 236:3071–3076, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Building Community:: Developing skills for interprofessional health professions education and relationship-centered care

In 1995, the National League for Nursing commissioned a Panel on Interdisciplinary/Transdisciplinary Education. The focus of the Panel's work was to examine educational issues that transcend the health professions and to make recommendations for future implementation of an interdisciplinary approach to addressing them. This article is being simultaneously published by several professional journals. The goal is to seek as much feedback as possible.
Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Indigenous people traditionally acquire knowledge from two spheres; via an axis from above, that is, from the spirit world, and from the earth below. Within this system of learning, science, art, and religion are integrated, and education brings knowledge of how to live and how to be moral. This is a simple model of being human.
Hutton Production Risers—A Novel Cleaning Problem (an up-to-the-moment case history)

Conoco’s novel Tension Leg Platform in the northern North Sea has presented the industry with a novel cleaning problem. Production risers transport reservoir fluids from sea bed to surface on Hutton. The novel cleaning problem arises because these risers are protected from corrosion by a thin, and relatively fragile, coating of flame-sprayed aluminium (FSA). There is a requirement to keep these risers free of marine growth, and the challenge was offered to a wide spectrum of UK-based companies to come up with a viable, and necessarily innovative, system to remove this marine growth without damaging the FSA.
The purification of acidic glutathione S-transferases from pea seeds and their activity with lipid peroxidation products

fractionated on a C18-Lichrosorb column a t low pressure into unmetabolized parent compound, intermediateand high-polarity metabolites eluted with 60%, 30-50% and 20% (v/v) MeCN/water, respectively. Metabolites were further separated on 5 and 3pm ODs-Hypersil h.p.1.c. columns eluted with 40% (v/v) MeCN/water. Metabolites collected from the column were freeze-dried, dissolved in C'HCI, and identified by H-n.m.r. (Bruker WM360) and ammonia-CI mass spectrometry (Finnigan 10-20 with desorption probe). The retention times of identified metabolites were measured relative to the respective parent compounds and compared with those measured in a similar way for radiolabelled fly metabolites. Both lipid amides penetrated rapidly into flies with very similar penetration curves (Fig. la). However, a 3-fold greater internal concentration was achieved for I than for I1 (Fig. lb). From h.p.1.c. of the extracts ofwashed flies, I1 was metabolized more extensively than I giving rise to a more complex pattern of metabolites. In rat liver microsomes, major metabolites were produced by epoxidation of either the 6,7or 8,9-double bonds of 11, hydration of these epoxides to diols and also aliphatic hydroxylation, principally a t C4. It seems likely that the extra unsaturation in I1 compared to I leads to more rapid metabolism via initial epoxidation since the relative retention times of fly metabolites strongly suggest the production of epoxides and diols. Although I1 was metabolized faster than I , there was no difference in the rate of excretion (Fig. la) implying a rate-limiting step in metabolism and excretion. This may be caused by slow conjugation of primary metabolites: highly polar metabolites which could not be identified were a major component in fly extracts.
Increased Anoxic Resistance Resulting from Short Period Heat Adaptation

SummaryMice were exposed to heat in an incubator kept ait 36-37°C for periods of 10 and 14 days. When removed from the incubator the mice were drowned in water of approximately body temperature and survival determined to the nearest second as witnessed by at least 2 observers. Heat adaptation increased anoxic resistance to drowning by 14.5% after 10 days and by 28.9% after 14 days. The mice kept at high temperature for 2 weeks lost approximately 10% of their weight but showed no change in body temperature.
Pulsed Laser Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon Films: Effects of Substrate Temperature and Laser Shot Density

A recent report on pulsed laser crystallization of a-Si thin films concluded that substrate bias temperatures up to 400°C in combination with laser fluences below 500 mJ/cm2 had little effect on grain size and transport properties. The current report describes the effects of substrate bias temperature up to 500°C and laser fluence up to 540 mJ/cm2 on grain size, mobility and Si (111) x-ray peak intensities. Results indicate that substrate bias temperatures above 400°C, in combination with high laser shot densities and large laser beam spot energies (> 500 mJ/cm2), are a factor in Improving these film properties.
Towards ultrahigh resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain using photoacoustic microscopy

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies, coupled with the fact that existing high-resolution functional imaging modalities cannot be easily applied to mice, presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Utilizing both mechanical and optical scanning in the photoacoustic microscopy, we can image spontaneous cerebral hemodynamic fluctuations and their associated functional connections in the mouse brain. The images is going to be acquired noninvasively with a fast frame rate, a large field of view, and a high spatial resolution. We developed an optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) with diode laser. Laser light was raster scanned due to XY-stage movement. Images from ultra-high OR-PAM can then be used to study brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, autism, and epilepsy.
Crosslinking Mechanism of Polyacrylamide with Multivalent Ions

The crosslinking mechanism of polyacrylamide (PAM) with multivalent ions (Cr() and Zr()) is studied.The study results demonstrate that the hydrolysis level of PAM is a key factor affecting gelation.No gel is formed at a too high or too low hydrolysis level of PAM.The crosslinking characteristics of PAM with Zr() is almost the same as that of PAM with Cr().Therefore,the crosslinking of PAM with multivalent ions is accomplished only through its carboxyl groups.
MACROKINES: INVERTEBRATE CYTOKINE-LIKE MOLECULES?

My laboratory is applying contemporary techniques of biochemistry and molecular biology to an important emerging field in biomedicine: the evolution of the immune system. Our investigations will build upon the discoveries that key immunoregulatory molecules (i.e., cytokines), that function in the mammalian immune response appear to be present in phylogenetically distinct invertebrate species. Herein, we propose the term macrokine to describe invertebrate proteins that have vertebrate cytokine-like activities. The wide distribution of such basic elements of innate host defense responses demonstrates its antiquity in animal evolution. Through these studies we hope to identify the more ancient facets of the vertebrate innate immune response. In turn, these observations may help clarify host defense functions and responses not yet appreciated in the vertebrate immune system.
EVALUATION OF ROSELLE (HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA) LEAF AND POMEGRANATE (PUNICA GRANATUM) FRUIT RIND FOR ACTIVITY AGAINST MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) leaves have been used in traditional medicine, including as anthelmintics. Methanolic extracts from these plants were investigated for activity against the southern root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita. Dried, ground powders were prepared from pomegranate fruit rinds and from roselle leaves. In in vitro assays, methanolic extracts from both powders, dried and dissolved in water, inhibited egg hatch and viability of second-stage juveniles (J2). Some of the effect of these extracts on J2 was nematostatic, depending on the extract concentration. The pomegranate extract (pH 3.4 to 3.8) was effective at the tested concentrations of 0.45% to 1.8% (volume extract per volume water), reducing egg hatch up to 93.9%, and killing more than 30% of the J2. Roselle extract concentrations of 4.5% and higher (pH 2.8 to 3.6) suppressed egg hatch by up to 97.4%, and 100% J2 mortality occurred in concentrations of 22.5% and 45.0% extract. Pomegranate and roselle extracts with pH adjusted to higher values (5.9 and 5.0, respectively) were also active against RKN. Pomegranate extract, pH 5.9, resulted in 96.5% to 99.7% egg hatch suppression and 100% J2 mortality at concentrations of 22.5% to 33.8%. Pomegranate fruit rind powder was also tested as a soil amendment in greenhouse trials, and was phytotoxic to cucumber seedlings at application rates of 5.0% and 10.0% (weight dried pomegranate rind/weight dried soil), resulting in plant death. Shoot heights and fresh weights were reduced at 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1.0% powder application rates, and root fresh weights also tended to be lower at these concentrations. The numbers of galls per root system and galls per g root fresh weight were suppressed in the 1.0% application rate. Amendment with pomegranate fruit rind powder resulted in rapid growth of Rhizopus sp. and Aspergillus sp. on the soil. Suppression of RKN egg hatch and J2 activity by extracts from pomegranate fruit rinds and roselle leaves indicate that these plant-derived products are potential candidates for future studies of nematode-antagonistic compounds.
Clinical Features and Spectrum of Light Microscopic Changes in Interstitial Cystitis

Transurethral resection material from a series of 64 patients with classical (ulcer) interstitial cystitis (60 women and 4 men, with a mean age of 64 years), 44 with nonulcer interstitial cystitis (40 women and 4 men, with a mean age of 39 years) and 20 control women (mean age 49 years) were studied by light microscopy. Patients with classical disease had mucosal ulceration and hemorrhage, granulation tissue, intense inflammatory infiltrate, elevated mast cell counts and perineural infiltrates. Patients with nonulcer disease, despite the same severe symptoms, had a relatively unaltered mucosa with a sparse inflammatory response, the main feature being multiple, small, mucosal ruptures and suburothelial hemorrhages that were noted in a high proportion of the patients. It is suggested that these features are characteristic, specific and prevalent enough to allow for morphological differentiation of the 2 clinical subtypes of interstitial cystitis.
Oncologic Emergencies of the Central Nervous System (CNS)

In this chapter, we succinctly describe and explain the major complications in the central nervous system of patients with cancer seen in emergency areas. Many patients present with more than one of these problems and with more than one cause. This multiplicity can make the diagnosis and management of these neurologic conditions complex. The ideal outcome is to preserve life and function, many times determined by an early, correct diagnosis and management that begins in the emergency department. Unfortunately many patients come late in the disease course, or these neurological complications develop quickly and catastrophically despite the best effort. A change in mental status is the most frequent neurological symptom in cancer patients, and its correct diagnosis is challenging as there are many possible causes including increased intracranial pressure, epileptic seizures, infection, electrolyte abnormalities, intracranial hemorrhage, and adverse effects from drugs including opioids, benzodiazepines, antihistaminics, chemotherapy agents, immunosuppressors, and antibiotics. Finally, it is important to remember that in many cases, recognition of poor prognosis and institution of advance care planning, supportive care, and ultimately hospice case are the right interventions to make even in the emergency department.
Decision Support on the HELP System

One of the prime motivations for the development and continued expansion of the HELP system has been to assist decision makers at LDS Hospital through improved data management. Decision making is ubiquitous in all medical settings and is performed by both clinical and administrative personnel. Since the HELP system manages clinical as well as administrative data, it is able to assist clinicians as well as administrators in their tasks. This chapter begins with an introduction to the concepts of data, information, and knowledge in the medical setting and shows how the HELP system manages each of these to assist decision makers in their tasks.
A Review of “Ethnic Conflicts: Their Biological Roots in Ethnic Nepotism”

This book is deeply flawed, although it has some useful aspects. It claims to present an analysis that supports a primordialist and sociobiological conception of ethnicity but instead merely assert...
Wrecking the Curve: Altered Functional Response of Tetragoneuria (Odonata: Corduliidae) Naiads Infected with Metacercariae of Haematoloechus floedae

Abstract The ubiquity of host–parasite interactions and their potential for substantial representation, in terms of overall biomass, within ecosystems suggests that parasites have the capacity to influence energy flow within an ecosystem. Although the influence of certain parasites on prey behavior has been well documented, parasites could also exert an influence on ecosystem dynamics by influencing predator feeding behavior. The functional response of Tetragoneuria naiads was characterized by presenting naiads with varying abundances of Daphnia magna, after which a subset of the naiads were exposed to cercariae of Haematoloechus floedae, and the feeding trials repeated for both the control and exposed odonates. A type II functional response was chosen as an appropriate model for comparison. An indicator variable approach to nonlinear regression of the functional response data indicated that infected odonate naiads spent significantly more time foraging than they did before infection, whereas there was no...
Gene Regulation during the Erythrocytic Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells.

We have studied the in vitro differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells (ES cells) towards erythropoiesis and expression of genes during this process. It has been reported that dexamethasone directs ES cells towards erythrocytic differentiation but the mechanism of gene regulation induced by dexamethasone is not well understood. We hypothesized that dexamethasone induces upregulation of erythropoietic genes such as GATA-1, FLK-1, EPO-R and directs ES cells towards erythropoietic differentiation. Murine ES cells (129 CCE) obtained from Dr. Nagy laboratory, Canada (Nagy et al., Histochem Cell Biol., 2001; 115:49–58) were subjected to the in vitro primary hematopoietic differentiation media containing methylcellulose, IMDM, IL -3, IL-6 and SCF (stem cell factor) without LIF (leukemia inhibitory factor) to promote embryoid body (EB) formation. Total RNA was collected on day 3, 5 and 9 EBs for gene expression studies using RT-PCR. On day 9 EBs were subjected to secondary differentiation using three different cytokines and growth factors combination 1) SCF, EPO, dexamethasone, IGF, 2) SCF, IL-3, IL-6, TPO, 3) SCF IL-3, IL-6, TPO, EPO. Total RNA from day12 of secondary differentiated ES cells was collected to study cytokines and growth factors dependent erythrocytic differentiation and gene regulation, using RT-PCR. Our results demonstrate upregulation of Gata-1, Flk-1, HoxB-4, Epo-R and globin genes (α-globin, BH-1 globin, β-major globin, e -globin and z-globin) in the 9 days old EBs, whereas, RNA collected from 5 days old EBs showed expression of HoxB-4, e-globin, γ-globin, BH1-globin and FLK-1. Three days old EBs showed only HoxB-4 and FLK-1 gene expression and lack of expression of globin genes, indicating that erythtropoiesis-specific genes activate later. Gene expression studies of RNA collected from secondary differentiated ES cells and media containing dexamethasone showed downregulation of GATA-3 and upregulation of GATA-1, Flk-1 and Epo-R in comparison to the two other cytokines and growth factors media combination. These results confirm our hypothesis that dexamethasome induces erythropoiesis by down regulating GATA -3 and upregulating erythropoietic-related genes such as GATA-1, Flk-1 and Epo-R. The morphological characteristics of cells after secondary differentiation showed enhanced production of erythrocytic precursors in dexamethasone containing media, which corresponded with molecular studies. Further studies will address the role of wnt/β-catenin and E-cadherin in this process.
Spectroscopic Identification of Surface Intermediates in the Decomposition of Methylamine on Ru(001)

The thermal decomposition of methylamine on Ru(001) was studied with reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy (TPRS). After the multilayer methylamine desorbs at 150 K, the RAIR spectra of the remaining monolayer methylamine undergo small changes due to structural rearrangements but do not indicate any chemical changes until 250 K. The results are in agreement with recent theoretical investigations indicating that CH3 dehydrogenation to produce HxCNH2 species occurs before N–H and C–N bond scission. Experimental spectra of 13C- and 15N-substituted methylamine combined with DFT calculations of HxCNHy fragments attached to a Ru19 cluster to simulate the RAIR spectra, including isotopic shifts, clarified the spectral assignments.
Left frontal pole theta burst stimulation decreases orbitofrontal and insula activity in cocaine users and alcohol users.

Abstract Background Preclinical research has demonstrated a causal relationship between medial prefrontal cortex activity and cocaine self-administration. As a step towards translating those data to a neural circuit-based intervention for patients, this study sought to determine if continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) to the left frontal pole (FP), would attenuate frontal-striatal activity in two substance-dependent populations. Methods Forty-nine substance dependent individuals (25 cocaine, 24 alcohol) completed a single-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study wherein they received 6 trains of real or sham cTBS (110% resting motor threshold, FP1) each visit. Baseline evoked BOLD signal was measured immediately before and after real and sham cTBS (interleaved TMS/BOLD imaging: single pulses to left FP; scalp-to-cortex distance covariate, FWE correction p Results Among cocaine users, real cTBS significantly decreased evoked BOLD signal in the caudate, accumbens, anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal (OFC) and parietal cortex relative to sham cTBS. Among alcohol users, real cTBS significantly decreased evoked BOLD signal in left OFC, insula, and lateral sensorimotor cortex. There was no significant difference between the groups. Conclusions These data suggest that 6 trains of left FP cTBS delivered in a single day decreases TMS-evoked BOLD signal in the OFC and several cortical nodes which regulate salience and are typically activated by drug cues. The reliability of this pattern across cocaine- and alcohol-dependent individuals suggests that cTBS may be an effective tool to dampen neural circuits typically engaged by salient drug cues. Multiday studies are required to determine it this has a sustainable effect on the brain or drug use behavior.
The Efficacy of Anastrozole and Growth Hormone Therapy on Adult Height in Six Adolescent Males with Growth Hormone Deficiency or Idiopathic Short Stature

Background. Data on adult height outcomes of the use of Anastrozole and Growth Hormone (GH) in pubertal males with Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and Idiopathic short stature (ISS) are limited. Objective. We examined the effect of Anastrozole and GH therapy on near adult height (NAH) with pubertal males with GHD or ISS. Methods. Retrospective review of 419 charts from 2008 to 2015. The primary outcomes are NAH compared to mid-parental target height (MPTH) and predicted adult height (PAH). Results. We identified 23 patients (5 SGA/IUGR, 1 Noonan syndrome, 6 GHD, and 11 ISS). Six patients (4 GHD; 2 ISS) achieved NAH. Prior to Anastrozole treatment, the mean chronological age was years (range 13.7–14.4), bone age was years (range 12.5–14), mean height SDS was (range −0.8 to −2.3), and mean PAH was cm (range 153.5–168.6). MPTH was 173.6 cm ± 7 (range 161.8–181.6). Patients received Anastrozole for an average of 30.5 months (range 19–36 months). At NAH, the mean chronological age was years (range 15.9–18.1 years) and height was cm (range 168.5–173.4 cm). The mean height SDS improved to (range
Incomplete dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab.

AbstractContext: With increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), urgent reversal of these agents becomes a growing concern. Idarucizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody fragment that specifically binds to dabigatran with higher affinity than thrombin, rapidly neutralizing its anticoagulant effect without increased risk of thrombosis.Case details: We describe two cases in which the recommended dose of idarucizumab was unsuccessful in completely reversing the anticoagulant effects of dabigatran. Both of these patients were noted to have supratherapeutic international normalized ratios (INRs) and high dabigatran concentrations. In the first case, an 86-year-old male underwent an emergent procedure and experienced excessive hemorrhaging refractory to blood product repletion, idarucizumab, and factor eight inhibitor bypass activity (FEIBA). In the second case, a 62-year-old female in shock was found to have elevated dabigatran concentrations despite two doses of idarucizumab, continuous renal rep...
Processing (multiple) spatio-temporal range queries in multicore settings

Research in Moving Objects Databases (MOD) has addressed various aspects of storing and querying trajectories of moving objects: from modelling, through linguistic constructs and formalisms/ algebras, to indexing structures and efficient processing of different querycategories have been subjects to a large body of works. Given the architectural trends of multicore CPUs becoming a commonplace, in this work we focus on efficient processing of spatio-temporal range queries in such settings. We postulate that coupling the semantics of the problem domain into the query processing algorithms in a manner that is aware of the multicore features, can yield performance improvements that surpass the gains obtained by relying solely on the compiler-generated threads parallelization. Towards that end, we present and evaluate heuristics for processing variants spatio-temporal range queries in multicore settings by partitioning the load (i.e., data set) and assigning partial tasks to the individual cores. Our experiments demonstrate that 5-fold speed-ups can be achieved, when compared to the (semi) naive approach which relies on the compiler to generate the multicore-compatible code.
Of a bread-loaf missile: the shaming of Brooklyn’s 13th Regiment of the National Guard during the Spanish–American War

ABSTRACTThe Spanish–American War constituted a pressure point in American military history. The citizen-soldier tradition in the United States—a tradition based on a reliance on state militias rath...
Preoperative Imaging Evaluation of Living Liver Transplant Donors

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) requires a thorough preoperative imaging assessment of both the donor and recipient, used for candidate selection and surgical planning. This is accomplished with a combination of contrast-enhanced CT and MRI; these modalities provide complimentary information and together provide a complete evaluation of the vascular, biliary, and liver parenchymal anatomy. Given the healthy living donor population, radiation-reducing CT protocols are paramount. Advanced imaging techniques for quantification of parenchymal fat and iron and use of 3D and volumetric reformations are also routinely employed to enhance candidate selection and surgical planning. In addition to state-of-the-art imaging protocols, radiologists must also understand the indications and contraindications for living donor liver transplantation, know how to interpret posttreatment imaging for the purposes of bridging or downstaging in the setting of hepatocellular carcinoma, and understand the basics of the different transplant operations. Armed with this knowledge, radiologists can produce thorough, relevant reports to help hepatobiliary surgeons plan both the donor and recipient transplant operations.