cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Large and Small Isoforms of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E6 Bind to and Differentially Affect Procaspase 8 Stability and Activity

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) has developed numerous ways to modulate host-initiated immune mechanisms. The HPV-16 E6 oncoprotein, for example, can modulate the cellular level, and consequently the activity, of procaspase 8, thus modifying the cellular response to cytokines of the tumor necrosis factor family. E6 from HPV-16, but not E6 from the low-risk types 6b and 11, alters the cellular level of procaspase 8 in a dose-dependent manner. Both the large and small (E6*) isoforms of E6, which originate by way of alternate splicing, can modulate procaspase 8 stability. Intriguingly, although both isoforms bind to procaspase 8, the large isoform accelerates the degradation of procaspase 8 while the small isoform stabilizes it. Binding leads to a change in the ability of procaspase 8 to bind either to itself or to FADD (Fas-associated death domain), with the large version of E6 able to inhibit this binding while the small isoform does not. Consistent with this model, knockdown of the large version of E6 by small interfering RNA leads to increases in the levels of procaspase 8 and its binding to both itself and FADD. Thus, these alternatively spliced isoforms can modulate both the level and the activity of procaspase 8 in opposite directions.
MR imaging in the triage of pregnant patients with acute abdominal and pelvic pain

To retrospectively assess the performance of MR imaging in the evaluation and triage of pregnant patients presenting with acute abdominal or pelvic pain. MRI studies of pregnant patients who were referred for acute abdominal pain between 2001 and 2007 were included. MR images were retrospectively reviewed and compared with surgical and pathologic findings and clinical follow-up data. Analysis of imaging findings included evaluation of the visceral organs, bowel and mesentery, appendix (for presence of appendicitis), ovaries (detection and adnexal masses were evaluated), focal inflammation, presence of abscesses, and any other abnormal findings. A total of 118 pregnant patients were included. MR findings were inconclusive in 2 patients and were positive for acute appendicitis in 11 patients (n = 9 confirmed by surgery, n = 2 improved without surgery). One patient with inconclusive MR had surgically confirmed appendicitis; the other patient with inconclusive MR had surgically confirmed adnexal torsion. Other surgical/interventional diagnoses suggested by MR imaging were adnexal torsion (n = 4), abscess (n = 4), acute cholecystitis (n = 1), and gastric volvulus (n = 1). Two patients with MR diagnosis of torsion improved without surgery. One patient with MR diagnosis of abscess had biliary cystadenoma at surgery. The rest of the MR diagnoses above were confirmed surgically or interventionally. MR imaging was normal in 67 patients and demonstrated medically treatable etiology in 28 patients: adnexal lesions (n = 9), urinary pathology (n = 6), cholelithiasis (n = 4), degenerating fibroid (n = 3), DVT (n = 2), hernia (n = 1), colitis (n = 1), thick terminal ileum (n = 1), rectus hematoma (n = 1). Three of these patients had negative surgical exploration and one had adnexal mass excision during pregnancy. Other patients were discharged with medical treatment. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive values (ppv), and negative predictive values (npv) of MR imaging for acute appendicitis, and surgical/ interventional diagnoses were 90.0% vs. 88.9%, 98.1% vs. 95.0%, 97.5% vs. 94.1%, 81.8% vs. 76.2%, 99.1% vs. 97.9%, respectively. MR imaging is an excellent modality for diagnosis of acute appendicitis and exclusion of diseases requiring surgical/interventional treatment. Therefore MR imaging is useful for triage of pregnant patients with acute abdominal and pelvic pain.
Series-Connected Hybrid Outsert Coil Winding Hardware Design

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) has designed and is constructing a Series-Connected Hybrid (SCH) magnet system in Tallahassee, FL. Before the construction of the magnet system can begin many obstacles have to be solved through hardware design and winding practices. The hardware has to have the strength to handle the stresses of winding as well as retaining maximum functionality. The NHMFL will overcome these issues by running several analysis calculations and by producing three model coils for practicing functionality. Two model coils have been built and necessary changes to design and winding procedures have occurred through the practices. These changes will be presented and have been implemented into our winding procedures.
Pursuing gene regulation 'logic' via RNA interference and chromatin immunoprecipitation

RNA interference and chromatin immunoprecipitation are now firmly established as useful methods for studying mechanisms of gene regulation in vivo. Their combined use can help elucidate gene regulation 'logic' by aiding in target gene identification for transcription factors and chromatin-modifying complexes.
Remodeling the Integration of Lipid Metabolism Between Liver and Adipose Tissue by Dietary Methionine Restriction in Rats

Dietary methionine restriction (MR) produces an integrated series of biochemical and physiological responses that improve biomarkers of metabolic health, limit fat accretion, and enhance insulin sensitivity. Using transcriptional profiling to guide tissue-specific evaluations of molecular responses to MR, we report that liver and adipose tissue are the primary targets of a transcriptional program that remodeled lipid metabolism in each tissue. The MR diet produced a coordinated downregulation of lipogenic genes in the liver, resulting in a corresponding reduction in the capacity of the liver to synthesize and export lipid. In contrast, the transcriptional response in white adipose tissue (WAT) involved a depot-specific induction of lipogenic and oxidative genes and a commensurate increase in capacity to synthesize and oxidize fatty acids. These responses were accompanied by a significant change in adipocyte morphology, with the MR diet reducing cell size and increasing mitochondrial density across all depots. The coordinated transcriptional remodeling of lipid metabolism between liver and WAT by dietary MR produced an overall reduction in circulating and tissue lipids and provides a potential mechanism for the increase in metabolic flexibility and enhanced insulin sensitivity produced by the diet.
The Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Protein Confers CBP/p300 Recruitment and Transcriptional Activation Properties to Phosphorylated CREB

The human T-cell leukemia virus-encoded oncoprotein Tax is a potent activator of viral transcription. Tax function is strictly dependent upon the cellular transcription factor CREB, and together they bind cAMP response elements within the viral promoter and mediate high-level viral transcription. Signal-dependent CREB phosphorylation at Ser 133 (pCREB) correlates with the activation of transcription. This activation has been attributed to recruitment of the coactivators CBP/p300 via physical interaction with the KIX domain. Here we show that the promoter-bound Tax/pCREB complex strongly recruits the recombinant, purified full-length coactivators CBP and p300. Additionally, the promoter-bound Tax/pCREB (but not Tax/CREB) complex recruits native p300 and potently activates transcription from chromatin templates. Unexpectedly, pCREB alone failed to detectably recruit the full-length coactivators, despite strong binding to KIX. These observations are in marked contrast to those in published studies that have characterized the physical interaction between KIX and pCREB and extrapolated these results to the full-length proteins. Consistent with our observation that pCREB is deficient for binding of CBP/p300, pCREB alone failed to support transcriptional activation. These data reveal that phosphorylation of CREB is not sufficient for CBP/p300 recruitment and transcriptional activation. The regulation of transcription by pCREB is therefore more complex than is generally recognized, and coregulators, such as Tax, likely play a critical role in the modulation of pCREB function.
Demography of Unexploited Beavers in Southern Illinois

Abstract Beavers (Castor canadensis) are important in ecosystems and to humans. Although beavers are increasingly protected from harvest, relatively few studies of unexploited beaver populations have been reported. Furthermore, few radiotelemetry studies exist for beavers because no practical method of attaching a radiotransmitter to beavers was available until recently. We used radiotelemetry, remote videography, and trapping data to quantify survival, dispersal, and natality of unexploited beavers in southern Illinois, USA, during 2004 to 2006. Beaver colony density was one of the highest reported in the wildlife literature at 3.27 colonies/km2. We monitored 62 beavers for survival; all mortalities (n = 15) occurred during the fall and winter seasons. The pooled annual survival rate for adult and juvenile females was (x¯ ± SE) 0.76 ± 0.05. Annual survival rates for adult and juvenile males were 0.87 ± 0.04 and 0.55 ± 0.07, respectively. Seasonal survival only differed among sex classes and age classes...
Combined Antiviral Effects of Interferon, Adenine Arabinoside, Hypoxanthine Arabinoside, and Adenine Arabinoside-5′-Monophosphate in Human Fibroblast Cultures

Adenine arabinoside and human interferon are currently being evaluated in clinical trials against herpes- and poxvirus infections. Interferon production is also a normal antiviral response. It is therefore important to examine the combined actions of interferon and antiviral arabinosides for possible synergy or antagonism. We have examined the antiviral activities of human fibroblast interferon, adenine arabinoside, hypoxanthine arabinoside, and adenine arabinoside 5′-monophosphate individually, using plaque inhibition of vaccinia and herpes simplex type 2 viruses in human skin fibroblast cultures. By combining doses of interferon and arabinosides that, acting alone, give intermediate degrees of plaque inhibition, we were able to compare the combined antiviral activity with that calculated from the activity of each inhibitor alone, assuming that the activities are statistically independent. Our results show that the plaque-inhibitory activities of interferon and the arabinosides tested are statistically independent. The results also show that the arabinosides do not destabilize the antiviral state previously induced by interferon, and that interferon pretreatment does not interfere with subsequent arabinoside action in infected cells. We have also found that arabinosides do not affect the induction of interferon synthesis by either Newcastle disease virus or double-stranded ribonucleic acid, and are not themselves interferon inducers.
Epidemiology of Fusarium Diseases and their Mycotoxins in Maize Ears

Fusarium species cause two distinct diseases on ears of maize, Fusarium ear rot (or pink ear rot) and Gibberella ear rot (or red ear rot), both of which can result in mycotoxin contamination of maize grain. The primary causal agent for Fusarium ear rot is Fusarium verticillioides, but F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum are also important. Gibberella ear rot is caused primarily by F. graminearum, but F. culmorum can also be important, especially in Europe. Aspects of the epidemiology of both diseases have been studied for decades, but only recently have efforts been made to synthesize this information into comprehensive models of disease development. Much of the work on F. graminearum has focused on Fusarium head blight of small-grain crops, but some of the results obtained are also relevant to maize. The primary mycotoxins produced by these fungi, fumonisins and deoxynivalenol, have differing roles in the disease-cycle, and these roles are not completely understood, especially in the case of fumonisins. Progress is being made toward accurate models for risk assessment of both diseases, but key challenges remain in terms of integrating models of pre- and post-infection events, quantifying the roles of insects in these diseases, and characterizing interactions among competing fungi and the environment.
Quilombismo and the Afro-Brazilian Quest for Citizenship

Between the radicalism of Black Brazilian movements of the 1980s, an aftermath of the negation and rejection of the myth of “racial democracy” that denies Brazilian subtle racism, the rise of re- Africanization sensibilities among Afro-Carnival groups, and the current ambivalent co-optation that has been packaged as “affirmative action” in the new millennium, a missing link to the many quests for Afro-Brazilianness lies in the (dis)locations that permeate the issues of identity, consciousness, and Africa-rootedness. Recent studies have remained invested in the polarity between the rigidity of “race” (one-drop rule) from the North American perspective and the fluidity of identity as professed by the South American miscegenation thesis. Regardless of the given schools of thought, or discourses, that have not resolved the oppressive sociopolitical realities on the ground, one must face the many levels of (dis)locations that define Afro-Brazilian identities. This essay draws upon the cultural productions of f...
The Effect of Histones and Other Basic Macromolecules on Cell Permeability and Elongation of Barley Roots

Low exogenous concentrations of calf-thymus histone, poly-l-lysine and lysozyme inhibit root elongation. These basic macromolecules (polycations) also affect cell permeability resulting in a leakage of ultraviolet light (UV)-absorbing materials and chloride ion from cells. Adenosine 5′-monophosphate was identified as one of the UV-absorbing compounds in the root exudate, by thin layer chromatography. These deleterious effects of polycations on root growth and permeability are reduced in the presence of calcium and other divalent cations. Calcium ion-histone interaction appears to exhibit competitive kinetics and suggests that both calcium and histone compete for attachment to negative sites on cell membrances.
Rapid Quantification of the Latent Reservoir for HIV-1 Using a Viral Outgrowth Assay

HIV-1 persists in infected individuals in a stable pool of resting CD4+ T cells as a latent but replication-competent provirus. This latent reservoir is the major barrier to the eradication of HIV-1. Clinical trials are currently underway investigating the effects of latency-disrupting compounds on the persistence of the latent reservoir in infected individuals. To accurately assess the effects of such compounds, accurate assays to measure the frequency of latently infected cells are essential. The development of a simpler assay for the latent reservoir has been identified as a major AIDS research priority. We report here the development and validation of a rapid viral outgrowth assay that quantifies the frequency of cells that can release replication-competent virus following cellular activation. This new assay utilizes bead and column-based purification of resting CD4+ T cells from the peripheral blood of HIV-1 infected patients rather than cell sorting to obtain comparable resting CD4+ T cell purity. This new assay also utilizes the MOLT-4/CCR5 cell line for viral expansion, producing statistically comparable measurements of the frequency of latent HIV-1 infection. Finally, this new assay employs a novel quantitative RT-PCR specific for polyadenylated HIV-1 RNA for virus detection, which we demonstrate is a more sensitive and cost-effective method to detect HIV-1 replication than expensive commercial ELISA detection methods. The reductions in both labor and cost make this assay suitable for quantifying the frequency of latently infected cells in clinical trials of HIV-1 eradication strategies.
Foxm1 transcription factor is required for lung fibrosis and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition

Alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) participate in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, producing pro‐inflammatory mediators and undergoing epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). Herein, we demonstrated the critical role of Forkhead Box M1 (Foxm1) transcription factor in radiation‐induced pulmonary fibrosis. Foxm1 was induced in AECs following lung irradiation. Transgenic expression of an activated Foxm1 transcript in AECs enhanced radiation‐induced pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis, and increased the expression of IL‐1 β, Ccl2 , Cxcl5 , Snail1 , Zeb1 , Zeb2 and Foxf1 . Conditional deletion of Foxm1 from respiratory epithelial cells decreased radiation‐induced pulmonary fibrosis and prevented the increase in EMT‐associated gene expression. siRNA‐mediated inhibition of Foxm1 prevented TGF‐β‐induced EMT in vitro . Foxm1 bound to and increased promoter activity of the Snail1 gene, a critical transcriptional regulator of EMT. Expression of Snail1 restored TGF‐β‐induced loss of E‐cadherin in Foxm1‐deficient cells in vitro . Lineage‐tracing studies demonstrated that Foxm1 increased EMT during radiation‐induced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo . Foxm1 is required for radiation‐induced pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing the expression of genes critical for lung inflammation and EMT.
Big Steel, Invention, and Innovation

Introduction: the â€œSchumpeterianâ€ hypothesis, 167. â€” I. Oxygen steelmaking: the history of its invention and innovation, 169. â€” II. Some cost and profit implications of innovative lethargy, 184. â€” III. Conclusion, 188.
Efficient cooperative backup with decentralized trust management

Existing backup systems are unsatisfactory: commercial backup services are reliable but expensive while peer-to-peer systems are cheap but offer limited assurance of data reliability. This article introduces Friendstore, a system that provides inexpensive and reliable backup by giving users the choice to store backup data only on nodes they trust (typically those owned by friends and colleagues). Because it is built on trusted nodes, Friendstore is not burdened by the complexity required to cope with potentially malicious participants. Friendstore only needs to detect and repair accidental data loss and to ensure balanced storage exchange. The disadvantage of using only trusted nodes is that Friendstore cannot achieve perfect storage utilization.Friendstore is designed for a heterogeneous environment where nodes have very different access link speeds and available disk spaces. To ensure long-term data reliability, a node with limited upload bandwidth refrains from storing more data than its calculated maintainable capacity. A high bandwidth node might be limited by its available disk space. We introduce a simple coding scheme, called XOR(1,2), which doubles a node's ability to store backup information in the same amount of disk space at the cost of doubling the amount of data transferred during restore. Analysis and simulations using long-term node activity traces show that a node can reliably back up tens of gigabytes of data even with low upload bandwidth.
Optimal Sensor Density in a Distortion-Tolerant Linear Wireless Sensor Network

The optimum sensor node density in a large linear wireless sensor network with spatial source correlation is studied. Unlike most previous works that rely on the design metric of network capacity with an error-free communication assumption, this paper performs analysis under a distortion-tolerant communication framework, where controlled distortion in the recovered information is allowed as long as the information can be recovered beyond a certain fidelity. The impacts of node density and spatial data correlation on the information distortion are investigated asymptotically by considering a large network with infinite area, infinite node numbers, but finite node density. Under fixed energy per unit area, it is discovered that: 1) for applications that only need to recover data at discrete locations, placing exact one sensor at the desired measurement locations will generate the optimum performance; 2) for applications that need to recover data at arbitrary locations in the measurement field, the optimum node density is a function of the spatial data correlation.
Impact of Transmammary-Delivered Meloxicam on Biomarkers of Pain and Distress in Piglets after Castration and Tail Docking

To investigate a novel route for providing analgesia to processed piglets via transmammary drug delivery, meloxicam was administered orally to sows after farrowing. The objectives of the study were to demonstrate meloxicam transfer from sows to piglets via milk and to describe the analgesic effects in piglets after processing through assessment of pain biomarkers and infrared thermography (IRT). Ten sows received either meloxicam (30 mg/kg) (n = 5) or whey protein (placebo) (n = 5) in their daily feedings, starting four days after farrowing and continuing for three consecutive days. During this period, blood and milk samples were collected at 12-hour intervals. On Day 5 after farrowing, three boars and three gilts from each litter were castrated or sham castrated, tail docked, and administered an iron injection. Piglet blood samples were collected immediately before processing and at predetermined times over an 84-hour period. IRT images were captured at each piglet blood collection point. Plasma was tested to confirm meloxicam concentrations using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Meloxicam was detected in all piglets nursing on medicated sows at each time point, and the mean (± standard error of the mean) meloxicam concentration at castration was 568.9±105.8 ng/mL. Furthermore, ex-vivo prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis inhibition was greater in piglets from treated sows compared to controls (p = 0.0059). There was a time-by-treatment interaction for plasma cortisol (p = 0.0009), with meloxicam-treated piglets demonstrating lower cortisol concentrations than control piglets for 10 hours after castration. No differences in mean plasma substance P concentrations between treatment groups were observed (p = 0.67). Lower cranial skin temperatures on IRT were observed in placebo compared to meloxicam-treated piglets (p = 0.015). This study demonstrates the successful transfer of meloxicam from sows to piglets through milk and corresponding analgesia after processing, as evidenced by a decrease in cortisol and PGE2 levels and maintenance of cranial skin temperature.
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine, But Not Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Protects Against Increased Density and Duration of Pneumococcal Carriage After Influenza Infection in Pneumococcal Colonized Mice

Secondary bacterial infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, responsible for excess morbidity and mortality during influenza epidemics, are often preceded by excess bacterial density within the upper respiratory tract. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines reduce secondary infections within the lungs; however, their effects on upper respiratory tract carriage remain unknown. We demonstrate that a live attenuated influenza vaccine significantly reduces pneumococcal growth and duration of carriage during subsequent influenza to levels seen in influenza-naive controls. No benefit was seen after pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Our results suggest that live attenuated influenza vaccines may significantly reduce bacterial disease during influenza epidemics.
Suicidality in the Deep South: risks for adolescent Mississippians

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to better understand suicidality among adolescent Mississippians. Design/methodology/approach – Mississippi-specific data were obtained from an existing national health data set and utilized for two hierarchal linear regressions. Findings – Highest risk for adolescent suicidality is for females with poor body image and a history of traumatic experiences. Research limitations/implications – This study demonstrates the need for further research into unique suicide risk factors for adolescents in Mississippi. Causality cannot be inferred due to the correlational nature of this study, and direct comparison of the findings to adolescents from other states cannot be made. Originality/value – This exploratory study employed a holistic, inclusive approach toward better identifying adolescent Mississippians most at-risk for suicidality; findings lead to future, targeted research efforts for better understanding specific suicide risk factors in this population.
Postmodern Public Administration: In the Shadow of Postmodernism

(2005). Postmodern Public Administration: In The Shadow of Postmodernism. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 517-532.
Diagnostic, treatment, and surgical imaging in epilepsy ☆

Dedicated epilepsy centers are growing in hospitals throughout the USA and abroad, with a continuously increasing role of imaging in multidisciplinary meetings. Imaging is paramount in diagnosis, treatment, and surgical decision-making in lesional and nonlesional epileptic disease. Besides being up-to-date with technical developments in imaging that may make an impact in patient care, familiarity with clinical and surgical aspects of epilepsy is fundamental to better understanding of patient management. The present article intends to revisit diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical imaging in epilepsy. Finally, with the increase in frequency of epilepsy management-related procedures and their hardware, MRI safety issues are discussed.
Trichostatin A induces a unique set of microRNAs including miR-129-5p that blocks cyclin-dependent kinase 6 expression and proliferation in H9c2 cardiac myocytes

The pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI), trichostatin A (TSA), was shown to normalize interleukin-18-induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro; evidently, this occurred via epigenetic mechanisms that profoundly altered cardiac gene expression (Majumdar et al. in, Physiol Genom, 43: 1392, 2011; BMC Genom, 13: 709, 2012). Here, we tested the hypothesis that TSA-induced changes in chromatin architecture also led to altered expression of microRNAs that in turn, contributed to the unique transcriptome of cardiac myocytes exposed to the HDACI. Using miRCURY LNA™ Universal microRNA PCR system, we demonstrate that H9c2 cells exposed to TSA for 6 and 24 h elicited differential expression of 19 and 16 microRNAs, respectively. H9c2 cells incubated in medium-containing 100 nM of TSA elicited a rapid and robust induction of miR-129-5p. Enhanced expression of miR-129-5p was also observed in the hearts of TSA-treated mice. Induction of miR-129-5p in H9c2 cells was accompanied by reduced expression of its direct target, cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) that is a key regulator of cell cycle. Using cell division-dependent dilution of Cell Trace™ violet measurements we showed that concomitant induction of miR-129-5p and reduced CDK6 expression were mechanistically involved in TSA-induced inhibition of proliferation of H9c2 cells. Consistent with this scenario, cells expressing an antagomiR of miR-129-5p were resistant to the anti-proliferative actions of TSA. These data indicate that although TSA treatment led to altered expression of several microRNAs, the overarching action of TSA (i.e., inhibition of cell division) in H9c2 cells was achieved via miR-129-5p.
An analysis of prognostic factors associated with recurrence in the treatment of atypical meningiomas

Abstract Background There has been increased reporting of atypical meningioma (grade II) since the World Health Organization reclassification in 2000, and the use of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of these tumors is controversial. We evaluated patients treated at our institution to identify patient subgroups with increased risk of recurrence that may benefit from adjuvant RT. Methods and materials We retrospectively assessed 50 patients treated for World Health Organization grade II meningiomas between March 2000 and February 2013. Sex, race, age of diagnosis, tumor location, performance status, size of tumor, MIB-1 index, resection status, and RT were recorded. Patient follow-up, recurrence, and vital status were measured to assess 3-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence free survival (RFS). Results The median follow-up was 37 months (range, 1-148). Female sex was associated with decreased RFS compared with male sex (86.1% vs 100%, P = .047). Subtotal resection demonstrated both inferior RFS (67.5% vs 96.6%, P = .025) and OS compared with gross total resection (70.0% vs 100%, P 4.5 cm had worse RFS than tumors ≤4.5 cm (85.4% vs 100%, P = .025). Patient OS was lower in tumors with an MIB-1 index >5% than ≤5% (89.7% vs 100%, P = .008). Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 2-4 negatively impacted OS relative to patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0-1 (66.7% vs 100%, P Conclusions Significantly higher rates of recurrence occurred in female sex, subtotal resection, and tumors larger than 4.5 cm. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine whether patients without any of these risk factors can undergo surgical resection without adjuvant radiation therapy.
Simulation of the diffusion process in composite porous media by random walks

A new random-walk interpolation scheme was developed to simulate solute transport through composite porous media with different porosities as well as different diffusivities.The significant influences of the abrupt variations of porosity and diffusivity on solute transport were simulated by tracking random walkers through a linear interpolation domain across the heterogeneity interface.The displacements of the random walkers within the interpolation region were obtained explicitly by establishing the equivalence between the Fokker-Planck equation and the advection-dispersion equation.Applications indicate that the random-walk interpolation method can simulate one- and two-dimensional,2nd-order diffusion processes in composite media without local mass conservation errors.In addition,both the theoretical derivations and the numerical simulations show that the drift and dispersion of particles depend on the type of Markov process selected to reflect the dynamics of random walkers.If the nonlinear Langevin equation is used,the gradient of porosity and the gradient of diffusivity strongly affect the drift displacement of particles.Therefore,random-walking particles driven by the gradient of porosity, the gradient of diffusivity,and the random diffusion,can imitate the transport of solute under only pure diffusion in composite porous media containing abrupt variations of porosity and diffusivity.
Heterogeneity of renin substrate in human plasma: effect of pregnancy and oral contraceptives.

SummaryThe electrophoretic mobility of renin substrate in human plasma was determined by electrophoresis of the plasma on a cylinder of polyacrylamide gel, followed by slicing the gel, incubation of each slice with human renin, EDTA, and BAL, and determination of the angiotensin formed by radioimmunoassay. In the plasma of normal males and females, a single large peak of renin substrate was found with an electrophoretic mobility somewhat less than that of albumin. In addition, a series of three or four very small peaks of renin substrate with lesser electrophoretic mobility were also observed, the second peak from the origin being the largest of the minor peaks. The peaks, in order of increasing mobility were labeled A through E, E being the large major peak of renin substrate. Occasionally, but not consistently, observed were two or three small peaks of renin substrate with electrophoretic mobilities greater than that of the major peak. Thus, there are five and possibly as many as eight electrophoretical...
Death of a President

It was the best of times. The last war had ended a generation earlier, and a European war had just been avoided. Prosperity was visible. There were new medicines for frightening diseases. As snow blanketed the Virginia countryside, the young nation's future seemed bright. It was the last month of the century: December 1799. But on a frigid afternoon, three physicians, gathered around a dying man, were not so optimistic. The man's wife looked on as he gasped for air, constantly shifting position. His aide lay on the bed beside him, repositioning him, propping up his exhausted frame. Christopher Sheels, . . .
Adults Atrial Fibrillation and Relative Risk Factors in Rural Area of Mianzhu City

Objective To get the information about the current situation and relative risk factors of atrial fibrillation among adults in the rural area of Mianzhu City, and to provide scientific evidences for the prevention and treatment of cardio-cerebro vascular disease. Method By means of cluster sampling, 2 083 rural habitants aged over 35 year old were selected from 10 villages of 2 towns among who a cardio-vascular epidemiology investigation focusing on atrial fibrillation was carried out. Results The average prevalence of atrial fibrillation was 0.8%. According to the single factor analysis, the prevalence of male was higher than that of female, and the prevalence tends to rise with the increase of the age. The prevalence of the group of very light manual labor workers was apparently higher than that of the other groups. The prevalence of those with the record of heart disease and those suffering from high-blood pressure was higher than that of the normal group. The pulse of the atrial fibrillation group was lower than that of the other groups, and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation among those with arrhythmia was 17.9%. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was closely related to cerebral stroke. According to the multi-factor logistic analysis, the OR value between atrial fibrillation and age, heart disease, cerebral stroke and arrhythmia was 1.081,16.357,26.048,and 15.966, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of atrial fibrillation of the sample is close to the result of domestic relative researches, and the main relative risk factors of atrial fibrillation are age, record of heart disease, record of cerebral stroke, and blood pressure, etc. Therefore, it is advisable to strengthen the control of atrial fibrillation.
Genetic Disease: The Present Status of Treatment

At least partial correction of many recessively inherited metabolic disorders is now possible, as a catalogue of treatable diseases in this category makes clear. But while therapeutic nihilism need no longer prevail with regard to such conditions, prevention is still to be preferred—and remains the only present approach to the important chromosomal disorders and to practically all dominantly inherited diseases.
The lncRNA SLNCR1 Mediates Melanoma Invasion through a Conserved SRA1-like Region

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in numerous physiological processes and diseases, most notably cancers. However, little is known about the mechanism of many functional lncRNAs. We identified an abundantly expressed lncRNA associated with decreased melanoma patient survival. Increased expression of this lncRNA, SLNCR1, mediates melanoma invasion through a highly conserved sequence similar to that of the lncRNA SRA1. Using a sensitive technique we term RATA (RNA-associated transcription factor array), we show that the brain-specific homeobox protein 3a (Brn3a) and the androgen receptor (AR) bind within and adjacent to SLNCR1's conserved region, respectively. SLNCR1, AR, and Brn3a are specifically required for transcriptional activation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and increased melanoma invasion. Our observations directly link AR to melanoma invasion, possibly explaining why males experience more melanoma metastases and have an overall lower survival in comparison to females.
Hepatic manifestations of congenital and perinatal disease.

“Neonatal hepatitis” may result from a variety of metabolic and toxic causes as well as infection. Recent interest has evolved from study of the neonatal-hepatitis-biliary atresia symptom complex. New information about the development of hepatic function has provided insights into the mechanisms of biliary lipid secretion, the regulation of protein synthesis, and the processing and excretion of whole proteins or exogenously derived antigens in the bile.
The Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Nonlinear Systems—II: Illustrative Application to a Nonlinear Heat Conduction Problem

This work presents an illustrative application of the second-order adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology (2nd-ASAM) to a paradigm nonlinear heat conduction benchmark, which models a conceptual e...
Taxonomies of Terror

The dogs of Hurricane Katrina, citizens turned refugees in the United States, disappeared “ghost-detainees” held incommunicado in prolonged detention, sick cows kicked and prodded in slaughter, nooses found in trees, in university offices, bombs dropped in residential areas of Gaza, the rationales and rituals of terror proliferate. The story I want to tell is not easily narrated, since the events do not move forward but keep repeating themselves, backtracking into a past that won’t quit. In this reenactment, random details, little things like spirits, pieces of wood or dirt, bones, blood, and skin matter. These remnants have a strange staying, or, to put it another way, saving power.
Who is the engineering technology graduate and where do they go

Those formally educated in engineering identify themselves as engineers. How do those with degrees in engineering technology identify themselves? The lack of differentiating research between these two groups of graduates often leads to engineering technology students being taught or researched in the same manner as their engineering peers. This is problematic. As differing populations, they react to stimuli differently, as well as make different choices related to career trajectory. Those who work with both groups recognize the differences and are concerned about the engineering technology graduates as they move through their undergraduate programs and then into their post-graduation career paths. The engineering technology graduate is not often recognized as an engineer by some industries, therefore they assume different titles and career trajectories than their peers in engineering. Ultimately, when reviewed as a group, career trajectories for the engineering technology graduate are not well understood.
Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Increase NMDAR-GluN2B Synaptic Currents in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons

The psychostimulants amphetamine (AMPH) and methamphetamine (MA) are widely abused illicit drugs. Here we show that both psychostimulants acutely increase NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated synaptic currents and decrease AMPA receptor (AMPAR)/NMDAR ratios in midbrain dopamine neurons. The potentiation depends on the transport of AMPH into the cell by the dopamine transporter. NMDAR-GluN2B receptor inhibitors, ifenprodil, RO 25-6981, and RO 04-5595, inhibit the potentiation without affecting basal-evoked NMDA currents, indicating that NMDAR-GluN2B receptors are activated by AMPH. A selective peptide inhibitor of AMPH-dependent trafficking of the neuronal excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3) blocks potentiation, suggesting that EAAT3 internalization increases extracellular glutamate concentrations and activates GluN2B-containing NMDARs. Experiments with the use-dependent NMDAR blocker, MK-801, indicate that potentiated NMDARs reside on the plasma membrane and are not inserted de novo. In behavioral studies, GluN2B inhibitors reduce MA-mediated locomotor activity, without affecting basal activity. These results reveal an important interaction between dopamine and glutamatergic signaling in midbrain dopamine neurons in response to acute administration of psychostimulants.
Stakeholder Education and Community Mobilization Garner Support for Sex Education.

Abstract Purpose The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio UT Teen Health (UTTH) implemented a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) initiative in south San Antonio. This article describes how UTTH staff educated community stakeholders and mobilized community members to support implementation of evidence-based TPP interventions. Methods UTTH educated key stakeholders about the need for TPP efforts, strong local support for such efforts, and the value of evidence-based interventions (EBIs). The process of stakeholder education and partnership development leading to implementation of EBIs was lengthy with, for example, an average of 11 meetings and 13.5 months between the initial meeting and formal approval of EBI implementation among school partners. UTTH also mobilized the community by engaging community members on leadership teams that actively supported the initiative efforts. Results Partnerships to implement EBIs were developed with 16 middle and high schools across five local school districts, two divisions of the juvenile justice system, and five youth-serving organizations. From 2011 to 2015, more than 12,500 youth (51% female) aged 11 to 19 years received EBIs. Of the total served, 95% were served through partnerships with local schools, 4% by juvenile justice, and 1% by youth-serving organizations. Conclusions Engaging and educating members of the community require notable time and resource investments up front; however, once strong partnerships are built, there is an ongoing opportunity to reach youth. In south San Antonio, schools provided the opportunity to reach the largest numbers of youth.
Gender differences in response to a school-based mindfulness training intervention for early adolescents.

Mindfulness training has been used to improve emotional wellbeing in early adolescents. However, little is known about treatment outcome moderators, or individual differences that may differentially impact responses to treatment. The current study focused on gender as a potential moderator for affective outcomes in response to school-based mindfulness training. Sixth grade students (N = 100) were randomly assigned to either the six weeks of mindfulness meditation or the active control group as part of a history class curriculum. Participants in the mindfulness meditation group completed short mindfulness meditation sessions four to five times per week, in addition to didactic instruction (Asian history). The control group received matched experiential activity in addition to didactic instruction (African history) from the same teacher with no meditation component. Self-reported measures of emotional wellbeing/affect, mindfulness, and self-compassion were obtained at pre and post intervention. Meditators reported greater improvement in emotional wellbeing compared to those in the control group. Importantly, gender differences were detected, such that female meditators reported greater increases in positive affect compared to females in the control group, whereas male meditators and control males displayed equivalent gains. Uniquely among females but not males, increases in self-reported self-compassion were associated with improvements in affect. These findings support the efficacy of school-based mindfulness interventions, and interventions tailored to accommodate distinct developmental needs of female and male adolescents.
The regulatory functions of proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the recent work on the regulatory functions of proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylate and presents a synthesis of these functions within the framework of biologic regulation. As a redox couple, proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylate provide a mechanism for the inter-compartmental and intercellular transfer of redox potential. The transfer of redox potential alters the ratio of NADP + /NADPH, thereby activating certain metabolic pathways. Although the reduction of pyrroline-5-carboxylate is the central mechanism in the transfer of redox potential, the metabolic interconversions of proline, ornithine, and glutamate with pyrroline-5-carboxylate as the obligate intermediate can also play a role. The end point of this regulation is the formation of purine ribonucleotides by both salvage and de novo mechanisms. Proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylate are metabolic signals that can be fine-tuned by humoral factors to coordinate the metabolism of amino acids and ribonucleotides. When the transfer is from cell to cell, proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylate can function as intercellular communicators.
IONOSPHERIC AND RADIO PHYSICS IN AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE SINCE THE EARLY DAYS

Ionospheric physics is a part of the international field of geophysics. Its history can be traced to the late nineteenth century, to the efforts of geomagneticians and to the first radio experiments. In 1902, in the very early days of radio, a high altitude conducting layer was suggested as a mechanism to allow for long distance propagation of radio signals travelling far around the curvature of the Earth. Theoretical efforts to explain this phenomenon attracted only moderate attention until about 1920. At this time, the development of radio vacuum tubes, piezo-electric crystal circuits, the amazing long-distance radio signalling feats of amateur ‘ham’ operators and the emergence of radio broadcasting turned world attention to questions of skipping, swinging and strays (long-distance radio propagation over ‘dead’ zones, fading of signals, and atmospheric interference).1 Ionospheric physics was effectively established in 1925, when E.V. Appleton and M.A.F. Barnett in England and M.A. Tuve and G. Breit in the United States demonstrated that medium-frequency radio waves could be reflected off an ionized region or regions lying 100 kilometres or more above the Earth’s surface. The ionosphere and its much larger outer region, the magnetosphere, extend from about 60 kilometres to thousands of kilometres above the Earth’s surface - that is, from the lowest altitude where enough ions and electrons exist in the atmosphere to affect significantly the propagation of radio waves, up to the magnetopause, the boundary where the Earth’s magnetic field ceases to control the dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere.