cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 191: Deletion or Knockdown of Myotonic Dystrophy Protein Kinase Does Not Affect Cardiac Conduction or Ejection Fraction in Mice

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults, causes dominantly-inherited muscle weakness, defects of cardiac conduction, variable LV dysfunction, and risk of sudden death. The genetic basis is an expanded CTG repeat in the 3’ untranslated region of DMPK. DM1 patients are functionally hemizygous for DMPK protein, due to nuclear retention of mRNA having expanded repeats. The cardiac aspects are attributed to DMPK loss, toxicity of RNA with expanded repeats, or both. Dmpk heterozygous (+/-) and homozygous knockout (-/-) mice were reported to show AV conduction abnormalities resembling DM1 (Berul et al, JCI, 1999). In an effort to reduce RNA toxicity, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting DMPK mRNA have recently entered clinical trials. DM1 phenotypes in skeletal muscle were corrected by ASO knockdown of toxic RNA in mice (Wheeler et al, Nature, 2012). While ASOs may have similar potential to mitigate RNA toxicity in the heart, there is risk of aggravated DMPK deficiency. To reexamine the role of DMPK in the conduction system we studied mice with Dmpk gene deletion or ASO knockdown. We obtained ECGs and echocardiograms on Dmpk -/- and +/- mice, compared to WT littermates. The +/- mice were treated with Dmpk-targeting ASOs or saline. Subcutaneous injection of 50 mg/kg/wk ASO was started at age 2 months, then shifted to biweekly injections after 6 weeks. Dmpk expression in hearts of +/- mice was ~50% of WT, and was further reduced by ASOs (84 ± 3% decrease of mRNA, 93 ± 2% decrease of protein, relative to WT). Surface ECGs and echocardiography at 6 and 10 months showed no differences of heart rate, cardiac conduction, or ejection fraction in WT, saline-treated +/-, ASO-treated +/-, or -/- mice. Conscious, unrestrained ECGs obtained at 11-12 months by radiotelemetry showed no differences among WT, saline-treated +/-, ASO-treated +/-, or -/- mice. We conclude that ASOs can induce posttranscriptional silencing of Dmpk in murine hearts. Constitutive absence of DMPK did not impact cardiac conduction or contractility, and the same was true for ASO knockdown to levels <15% of WT. Our data support the idea that cardiac dysfunction in DM1 results mainly from RNA toxicity, which potentially could be prevented or alleviated by ASOs.
Panelist Number IV

Focuses on the popularity of executive development programs in universities in the United States. Several universities that have started the programs since 1946; Several companies and business grou...
A “Divine” Comedy: Eugénie Grandet

“The ‘Divine’ Comedy” of Eugenie Grandet exploits some of the results of the decisions to strip the church of all material property, if not all of its spiritual authority. Revolutionary dechristianization had infuriated many of the faithful, though Balzac understood that the Church’s real problems came from a competing religion that was strengthening, that of Mammon, the god of material wealth. We watch as Monsieur Grandet becomes enormously rich and increasingly besotted with his worship of gold. When Eugenie falls in love with Charles and is later abandoned, the novel plays on an allusion to Christ’s promised return at the end of the age. On a spiritual level, Eugenie turns from gold to God. The developing maturity of her gentle nature indicates returning force in the Catholic Church of Balzac’s day.
Classification of examples by multiple agents with private features

We consider classification tasks where relevant features are distributed among a set of agents and cannot be centralized, for example due to privacy restrictions. We are motivated by a key classification task that arises in a calendar management domain where software assistants classify new meetings as likely to be difficult to schedule. Accurate prediction of the output class is difficult for an isolated single agent because the target concept may involve features to which the agent does not have access, for example each attendee's willingness to attend the meeting. To increase prediction accuracy, novel learning algorithms are required in which agents collaborate to classify new examples while maintaining the privacy of features. We introduce a novel distributed asynchronous decision-tree inspired algorithm for such tasks named DDT. DDT differs from previous approaches in that it applies to vertically partitioned data with categorical multi-valued features, it requires no explicit hypothesis generation, and there is no a priori restriction on number of agents. We present empirical results in our meeting scheduling domain and show that DDT outperforms a single agent learner and performs as well as a centralized learner with hypothetical access to all the features.
Parallelizing Partial MUS Enumeration

The problem of enumerating minimal unsatisfiable subsets of a constraint system (MUSes) is a natural candidate for parallelization: as an enumeration problem, it allows for concurrent solving of independent subproblems, and as a typically intractable problem w.r.t. completion (which parallelization cannot transcend), the speed or rate of output (which parallelization can improve) is often the most important performance characteristic. In this work, we explore the parallelization of partial MUS enumeration (aiming to enumerate some MUSes within given resource constraints) via two extensions to a recently-developed sequential algorithm – one employing an existing parallel single-MUS extraction algorithm, the other parallelizing the entire enumeration algorithm–– and we discuss variants and implementation details as well. Results of experiments run with up to 16 cores show that the full parallelization of the entire enumeration algorithm scales well, reaching an average of 92% of perfect scaling with 4 cores and 70% at 16 cores. Evaluating variants and implementation details illuminates how those choices impact performance, including a potentially counterintuitive result that sharing results between threads to avoid duplicate work is not beneficial in the general case.
Helminthic Diseases: Dracunculiasis

Since the seminal review by Ralph Muller about Dracunculus and dracunculiasis in this serial publication in 1971, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Carter Center forged during the 1980s a coalition of organizations to support a campaign to eradicate dracunculiasis. Eighteen of 20 countries were known in 1986 to have endemic dracunculiasis: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Transmission of the disease in Yemen was documented in 1995, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Central African Republic endemic in 1995. As of 2006, only 9 countries remained with endemic transmission, and these reported 25 217 cases of dracunculiasis (98% of these cases were from Sudan and Ghana combined), a reduction greater than 99% from the 3.5 million cases of dracunculiasis estimated in 1986 to occur annually; the number of endemic villages has been reduced by 85% from the 23 735 endemic villages in 1993; disease transmission has been interrupted in 11 of the 20 endemic countries; and WHO has certified 168 countries free of dracunculiasis, including Pakistan (1996), India (2000), and Senegal and Yemen (2004). Asia is now free of dracunculiasis.
The Influence of Force Direction on the Fracture Pattern and Fracture Resistance of Canine Teeth in Dogs

Biomechanical studies of the elongated canine tooth of animals are few, and thus our understanding of mechanical and physical properties of animal teeth is limited. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of force direction on fracture resistance and fracture pattern of canine teeth in an ex vivo dog cadaver model. Forty-five extracted canine teeth from laboratory beagle dogs were standardized by hard tissue volume and randomly distributed among 3 force direction groups. The teeth were secured within a universal testing machine and a load was applied at different directions based on testing group. The maximum force to fracture and the fracture pattern classification were recorded for each tooth. After correcting for hard tissue cross-sectional area in a multivariate analysis, no significant difference in the amount of force required for fracture was apparent between the different force direction groups. However, the influence of force direction on fracture pattern was significant. The results of this study may allow the clinician to educate clients on possible causal force directions in clinically fractured teeth and, thus, help prevent any contributing behavior in the future.
Effectiveness of Understanding by Design and Computer-Aided Instruction in Learning Mathematics II

The academic achievements of students in Mathematics greatly depend on the effectiveness of teaching methodologies employed in the classroom. Thus, it is the task of mathematics teachers to evaluate persistently the teaching and learning process in mathematics subjects as part of curriculum development and studentsâ€™ evaluation process. The experimental-descriptive design was used to compare the effectiveness of Understanding by Design (UBD) and Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) on students' test scores and determinants of learning which includes motivation, concept formation, application and retention, in learning special products and factoring. The respondents composed of 50 second-year high school students from Zambales National High School and Botolan National High School. A pretest and a posttest were administered before and after the instruction using UBD and CAI, respectively, to measure the student performance. A Likert-type perception instrument was used to assess the effectiveness of UBD and CAI on the particular learning aspects. The values for the pretest and posttest mean, median and modal scores were significantly higher for CAI than for UBD. There is moderately low positive correlation between the studentsâ€™ performance and perception under UBD instruction and very low positive correlation under CAI instruction. It is recommended that the CAI-based learning method be used to supplement UBD-based instruction to provide students with frequent, immediate and adequate feedback in the traditional classroom practice.
A comprehensive review on biodiesel purification and upgrading

Serious environmental concerns regarding the use of fossil-based fuels have raised awareness regarding the necessity of alternative clean fuels and energy carriers. Biodiesel is considered a clean, biodegradable, and non-toxic diesel substitute produced via the transesterification of triglycerides with an alcohol in the presence of a proper catalyst. After initial separation of the by-product (glycerol), the crude biodiesel needs to be purified to meet the standard specifications prior to marketing. The presence of impurities in the biodiesel not only significantly affects its engine performance but also complicates its handling and storage. Therefore, biodiesel purification is an essential step prior to marketing. Biodiesel purification methods can be classified based on the nature of the process into equilibrium-based, affinity-based, membrane-based, reaction-based, and solid-liquid separation processes. The main adverse properties of biodiesel – namely moisture absorption, corrosiveness, and high viscosity – primarily arise from the presence of oxygen. To address these issues, several upgrading techniques have been proposed, among which catalytic (hydro)deoxygenation using conventional hydrotreating catalysts, supported metallic materials, and most recently transition metals in various forms appear promising. Nevertheless, catalyst deactivation (via coking) and/or inadequacy of product yields necessitate further research. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the techniques and methods used for biodiesel purification and upgrading.
“It was kind of a given that we were all multilingual”: Transnational youth identity work in digital translanguaging

Abstract Drawing from the framework of translanguaging, this case study counters the notion of separatism in one's multilingual competency as developing separate monolingual capacities in different languages. Building from definitions and integration of theories from translanguaging and digital literacies in the context of transnational connectivity, and using the methodological tools of discourse analysis, this ethnographic case study examined how the case youth drew upon her entire semiotic repertoire in digital spaces to materialize relationships and identities across her local and transnational social fields. Specifically, analyses of the three translanguaging examples demonstrate how the youth progressively expanded her translanguaging scope across contexts of classroom, transnational family, and multilingual youth community, endorsing how the translanguaging approach affords a more comprehensive look into the transnational youth's literacy development and identity work.
Analysis of Ultrasonic Backscatter for Porosity Characterization in Graphite-Epoxy Composites

This paper summarizes recent work on the use of ultrasonic back-scatter for the estimation of porosity levels in continuous-fiber-reinforced, layered graphite-epoxy composites. This work is a continuation of previous work described in Refs. 1–3, which addresses the effect of porosity on (1) azimuthal angle backscatter scans, and (2) the spectral characteristics of backscatter.
Live-Cell Imaging and Analysis with Multiple Genetically Encoded Reporters

Genetically encoded live-cell reporters measure signaling pathway activity at the cellular level with high temporal resolution, often revealing a high degree of cell-to-cell heterogeneity. By using multiple spectrally distinct reporters within the same cell, signal transmission from one node to another within a signaling pathway can be analyzed to quantify factors such as signaling efficiency and delay. With other reporter configurations, correlation between different signaling pathways can be quantified. Such analyses can be used to establish the mechanisms and consequences of cell-to-cell heterogeneity and can inform new models of the functional properties of signaling pathways. In this unit, we describe an approach for designing and executing live-cell multiplexed reporter experiments. We also describe approaches for analyzing the resulting time-course data to quantify correlations and trends between the measured parameters at the single-cell level. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effect of short bouts of high intensity activity on glucose among adults with prediabetes: A pilot randomized crossover study.

Abstract Aim Few data exist on the effects of vigorous-intensity activity on blood glucose. The study aim was to determine the effects of 2-min and 4-min bouts of vigorous-intensity stair climbing on glucose levels. Methods Nine overweight/obese adults with prediabetes (40–64 years, HbA1C 5.7%–6.4%) participated in a randomized cross-over design with three conditions on consecutive days: control; 2-min bouts of stair climbing once per hour for 8 h; and 4-min bouts of stair climbing once every 2 h for 8 h, with the two activity days randomized in order. Continuous glucose monitoring estimated five-minute average interstitial glucose values. Results Total physical activity and 12-h AUC did not differ significantly by condition. The 4-min bout caused a significant decrease in glucose after 30 min (Cohen’s d = −0.91) compared to the control condition, while the 2-min bout did not (Cohen’s d = −0.13). Post-exercise change in glucose varied by pre-exercise glucose and by condition. No significant change in post-exercise glucose with stair climbing was found when pre-exercise glucose was Conclusions These results suggest short, intermittent bouts of vigorous-intensity exercise can be substituted for an equivalent volume of lower-intensity lifestyle activity when glucose is over 90 mg/dl. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials NCT02827383 .
Melanoma In Situ

Melanoma in situ (MIS) is defined as a malignant melanocytic tumor restricted to the epidermis. According to recent database statistics, it is the fastest-growing cancer in the United States with a 9.5% annual incidence increase. Melanoma in situ is not a dangerous tumor and is classified as stage 0. Patients diagnosed with MIS have the same life expectancy as the general population. It is important to remember the ABCDEs of melanoma when evaluating for lesions suspicious of melanoma in situ. There are several clinical subtypes, most notably lentigo maligna, which is found on sun-damaged sites. Diagnosis of MIS is made with histopathology, often with accompanying immunohistochemical stains including SOX 10 and Melan-A. It can be very difficult to determine severely sun-damaged skin versus MIS lesions under the microscope, and this remains a challenge for dermatopathologists. Once a diagnosis of MIS is made, it can be treated with several surgical options. These options include wide local excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, and staged excision or “slow Mohs.” In certain circumstances, imiquimod or radiation could be considered for adjuvant therapy. After diagnosis of MIS, patients should be followed closely with every 3- to 6-month skin checks.
Organisationale Innovationen im Beschaffungsmanagement als Voraussetzung zur Integration von Nachhaltigkeit

Im Rahmen der Globalisierung ist die Zahl an Lieferanten, auf die ein Unternehmen fur den Bezug seiner Rohstoffe/Vorprodukte zuruckgreifen kann, enorm gestiegen und hat die Komplexitat des Beschaffungsmanagements erheblich gesteigert.1 Dies starkt diejenigen Zulieferer, die in Schwellen- und Entwicklungslandern aufgrund fehlender gesetzlicher Rahmenbedingungen auf Kosten des Umweltschutzes und der Menschenrechte billiger produzieren, da oftmals immer noch der Preis als oberstes Entscheidungskriterium fur die Lieferantenauswahl in der Praxis gilt.2 Die Ausweitung der Beschaffung auf neue Markte und Regionen birgt somit umweltbezogene und vor allem soziale Herausforderungen auf globaler wie nationaler Ebene.3 Daraus ergibt sich fur Unternehmen die Notwendigkeit, Umwelt- und Sozialstandards auch in Lieferantenketten einzufuhren, um nicht nur Verantwortung fur das eigene Handeln, sondern auch fur den gesamten Wertschopfungsprozess ubernehmen zu konnen.4 Fur die Implementierung und Realisierung solcher Leitlinien ist es wichtig, durch organisationale Innovationen diese in die Strukturen und Prozesse des eigenen Unternehmens aufzunehmen, um somit auch die internen Produktvergabeentscheidungen anzupassen.
Volumetric 18 F-FDG-PET parameters as predictors of locoregional failure in low-risk HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer after definitive chemoradiation therapy.

BACKGROUND We sought to investigate the prognostic value of volumetric positron emission tomography (PET) parameters in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and a ≤10 pack-year smoking history treated with chemoradiation. METHODS A total of 142 patients were included. Maximum standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of the primary tumor, involved regional lymph nodes, and total lesion were calculated. Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to evaluate associations of clinical and PET parameters with locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS On univariate analysis, volumetric PET parameters were significantly associated with all endpoints, and 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union Internationale Contre le Cancer staging was significantly associated with DMFS and OS. On multivariate analysis, total lesion TLG was significantly associated with LRFFS, while staging was most significantly prognostic for DMFS and OS. CONCLUSION Volumetric PET parameters are uniquely prognostic of LRFFS in low-risk HPV-related OPSCC and may be useful for directing de-intensification strategies.
Identification of prognostic molecular biomarkers in 157 HPV‐positive and HPV‐negative squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx

The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been increasing due to high-risk HPV infection. We explored the significance of genetic alterations in HPV-positive (HPV-P) and HPV-negative (HPV-N) OPSCC patients on long-term outcome. A total of 157 cases of primary resected OPSCC diagnosed from 1978 to 2005 were subjected to a targeted exome sequencing by MSK-IMPACT™ interrogating somatic mutations in 410 cancer-related genes. Mutational profiles were correlated to recurrence and survival outcomes. OPSCC included 47% HPV-positive (HPV-P) and 53% HPV-negative (HPV-N) tumors arising in the base of tongue (BOT, 43%), palatine tonsil (30%) and soft palate (SP, 27%). HPV negative status, SP location and smoking were associated with poorer outcome. Poorer overall survival was found in NOTCH1-mutated HPV-P (p = 0.039), and in SOX2-amplified HPV-N cases (p = 0.036). Chromosomal arm gains in 8p and 8q, and 16q loss were more common in HPV-P (p = 0.005, 0.04 and 0.01, respectively), while 9p, 18q and 21q losses were more frequent in HPV-N OPSCC (p = 0.006, 0.002 and 0.01, respectively). Novel, potentially functional JAK3, MYC and EP300 intragenic deletions were found in HPV-P, and FOXP1, CDKN2A, CCND1 and RUNX1 intragenic deletions and one FGFR3 inversion were detected in HPV-N tumors. HPV-N/TP53-wild-type OPSCC harbored recurrent mutations in NOTCH1/3/4 (39%), PIK3CA, FAT1 and TERT. In comparison to their oral and laryngeal counterparts, HPV-N OPSCC were genetically distinct. In OPSCC, HPV status, tumor subsite and smoking determine outcome. Risk-stratification can be further refined based on the mutational signature, namely, NOTCH1 and SOX2 mutation status.
The Comparison Principle: Nonlinearity and Nonconvexity

This chapter introduces generalizations and applications of the presented approach prescribed earlier to nonlinear systems, nonconvex reachability sets and systems subjected to non-ellipsoidal constraints. The key element for these issues lies in the Comparison Principle for HJB equations which indicates schemes of approximating their complicated solutions by arrays of simpler procedures. Given along these lines is a deductive derivation of ellipsoidal calculus in contrast with previous inductive derivation.
An 8-b 2b/cycle Asynchronous SAR ADC with Capacitive Divider Based RC-DAC

This paper presents a 2b/cycle asynchronous SAR ADC with a capacitive divider based RC-DAC. The new architecture reduces the number of capacitors and resistors, leading to a smaller die area and lower hardware cost. It also allows for a new timing scheme with a merged samplingconversion cycle to increase the conversion speed. An 8-b SAR ADC with the proposed architecture is designed in 180nm CMOS technology operating at sampling rate of 65MS/s. The postlayout simulation shows the proposed SAR ADC can achieve SNDR of 45.16dB at near-Nyquist frequency and occupies an active area of 0.045mm2. The FOM under a 1.2V&1.8V supply voltage is 216fJ/conversion-step with power consumption of 2.07mW.
Effect of a Commercially Available Low-Dose Capsaicin Supplement on Knee Extensor Contractile Function

Capsaicin, the active pungent ingredient in chili peppers and various spicy foods, is demonstrated to influence a variety of physiological systems including skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine if a chewable capsaicin supplement (1.2 mg) could enhance isokinetic knee extensor contractile performance. Nine young, recreationally active individuals (5 females/4 males; 23.6 ± 1.5 yrs; 24.2 ± 3.3 kg/m2) participated in this randomized, single-blind crossover study. Following a familiarization session, participants completed two isokinetic knee extensor contractile function assessments, 45 minutes after ingesting either a capsaicin fruit gummy or eucaloric placebo, the order of which was randomized. Knee extensor peak torque (strength), summed torque (endurance) and fatigue index (fatigue) were compared between trials. Knee extensor peak torque was significantly greater (p 0.05) were found for summed torque (8012 ± 2771 vs. 7823 ± 2611 N·m-1; d = 0.45) or fatigue index (56.0 ± 17.1 vs. 48.7 ± 21.0 %; d = 0.46) between capsaicin and placebo trials, respectively. These findings, in a relatively modest and mixed-gender sample, suggest that pre-exercise capsaicin ingestion may benefit knee extensor muscle strength but does not appear to affect parameters of skeletal muscle endurance or fatigue.
Prevalence of NAFLD in Guatemala following exposure to a protein-energy nutrition intervention in early life

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is approximately 25%, with Hispanic populations at greatest risk. We describe the prevalence of NAFLD in a cohort of Guatemalan adults and examine whether exposure to a protein-energy supplement from conception to two years is associated with lower prevalence of NAFLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 1969 to 1977, four villages in Guatemala were cluster-randomized to receive a protein-energy supplement (Atole) or a no-protein, low-energy beverage (Fresco). We conducted a follow-up of participants from 2015 to 2017. We assessed blood samples (n=1093; 61.1% women; aged 37-53 years) for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and estimated NAFLD prevalence using the liver fat score. We used generalized linear and logistic models to estimate the difference-in-difference effect of Atole from conception to two years on NAFLD. RESULTS Median ALT and AST were 19.7U/L (interquartile range, IQR: 14.1, 27.4) and 26.0U/L (IQR: 21.4, 32.8), respectively. The median NAFLD liver fat score was 0.2 (IQR: -1.2, 1.6) in women and -1.2 (IQR: -2.2, 0.5) in men (p<0.0001). The prevalence of NAFLD was 67.4% among women and 39.5% among men (p<0.0001). The association between Atole exposure from conception to two years and NAFLD was not significant (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.50-1.63). CONCLUSIONS NAFLD prevalence among Guatemalan adults exceeds the global average. Protein-energy supplementation in early life was not associated with later NAFLD. There is a need for further studies on the causes and onset of NAFLD throughout the life course.
Development of an Algorithm for Identifying Changes in System Dynamics from Time Series

The development of an algorithm with related mathematical concepts and supporting hypothesis for detecting changes in system dynamics from time series along with empirical analysis and theoretical justification is presented. For the method, changes in the second largest eigenvalue of Markov Chain (SLEM) or mixing rate, is observed as an indicator of the changes in system dynamics. The Markov chain is created from empirical transition probabilities of a time series. The method is developed for the application of detecting hemorrhage from arterial blood pressure in anesthetized swine. The rationale of the change in the SLEM is investigated empirically with an artificial blood pressure model and, by studying correlations with other measures such as smoothness of time series, and density of the transition probability matrix of the Markov chain. The mathematical analysis shows that the change in the SLEM is a consequence of the change in the transition probabilities between different states and reflects information about the system dynamics.
Getting to net-zero emissions

Abstract Towards a deeper understanding of viable energy transitions. As we embark on a new decade, the challenges of establishing and maintaining economic wellbeing while confronting a range of sustainability challenges remain ever-present. Four socioeconomic megatrends are at play: population growth, rising gross domestic product (GDP), urbanization, and connectedness. Collectively, these trends will fuel a tremendous increase in the consumption of almost every conceivable commodity, such as energy, food, and materials. It will also increase the pressures on our planet through climate change, biodiversity loss, and increasingly vulnerable supplies of food and fresh water.
Photopolymerization shrinkage-stress reduction in polymer-based dental restoratives by surface modification of fillers.

Abstract Objectives This research explores the use of polymer brushes for surface treatment of fillers used in polymer-based dental restoratives with focus on shrinkage stress reduction. The influence of interfacial reactive groups on shrinkage stress is explored. Methods Oligomers of varying lengths and with varying number of reactive groups along the length were synthesized by modifying commercial oligomers. Surface of silica fillers (OX50) was treated with methylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane and this was further reacted with the synthesized oligomers to obtain a series of polymer brushes on the surface. Fillers modified with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane were used as a control. Filler surface treatment was confirmed using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Fillers were added at 30 wt % to a resin made of BisGMA/TEGDMA and polymerization kinetics, shrinkage stress, volumetric shrinkage, flexural strength and modulus, viscosity were measured. Results Composites with polymer brush functionalized fillers showed up to a 30 % reduction in shrinkage stress as compared to the control, with no reduction in flexural strength and modulus. Shrinkage stress reduced with increasing length of the polymer brush and increased with increase in number of reactive groups along the length of the polymer brush. Significance The interface between inorganic fillers and an organic polymer matrix has been utilized to reduce shrinkage stress in a composite with no compromise in mechanical properties. This study gives insights into the stress development mechanism at the interface.
Surviving and Thriving: Qualitative Results from a Multi-Year, Multidimensional Intervention to Promote Well-Being among Caregivers of Adults with Dementia.

(1) Introduction: Caring for an adult with dementia is both challenging and rewarding. Research indicates that community-based, social support, and/or arts engagement interventions can play a key role in ameliorating the negative outcomes associated with caregiving while enhancing its more positive attributes. This study explores the psychosocial outcomes experienced by dementia caregivers who participated in a multi-year, multidimensional intervention aimed at promoting caregiver and care recipient well-being. This intervention included bringing caregivers and people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (ADRD) to local symphony performances, hosting a social reception prior to the performance, and assessing the outcomes of participation for both caregiver and the care recipient. (2) Materials, Methods, and Analysis: Qualitative data from participant phone interviews (n = 55) as well as focus groups are analyzed using thematic analysis from a phenomenological perspective. (3) Results: Across three years of participation, caregivers reported three main program benefits: relationship building (both with other participants as well as within the broader community); restored humanity (experiencing a greater sense of personal dignity and momentary return to normalcy), and positivity (experiencing positive emotions during the program). (4) Discussion: These findings point to the value of creating caregiver programming that brings together multiple dimensions of successful interventions in order to enhance caregiver experiences and positive intervention outcomes.
Diet-dependent acid load associates with mean arterial pressure in a cohort of non-obese, non-black, post-menopausal women.

Higher sodium (Na+) intakes are associated with higher blood pressure (BP). Whether this relationship is stronger with diet-dependent acid load (DAL) and in patients with diagnosed hypertension or ...
Arteriovenous malformation within an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutated anaplastic oligodendroglioma

Background The co-occurrence of intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and cerebral neoplasms is exceedingly rare but may harbor implications pertaining to the molecular medicine of brain cancer pathogenesis. Case description Here, we present a case of de novo AVM within an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutated anaplastic oligodendroglioma (WHO Grade III) and review the potential contribution of this mutation to aberrant angiogenesis as an interesting case study in molecular medicine. Conclusion The co-occurrence of an IDH1 mutated neoplasm and AVM supports the hypothesis that IDH1 mutations may contribute to aberrant angiogenesis and vascular malformation.
Isolation of D-galacturonic acid 1-phosphate from hydrolysates of cell wall lipopolysaccharide extracted from Xanthomonas campestris.

Abstract d-Galacturonic acid 1-phosphate was found to be one of the products formed during hydrolysis of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide of Xanthomonas campestris in 0.01 n acetic acid at pH 3.3. The molecule was shown to consist of equimolar amounts of d-galacturonic acid and phosphate. Resistance to borohydride reduction before, but not after, treatment with Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase indicated that the phosphate group is attached to carbon-1 of the galacturonic acid. The presence of an additional phosphate group in the heteropolysaccharide of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide was also demonstrated. This phosphate group was considerably more resistant to acid hydrolysis than was the phosphate associated with the galacturonic acid. It is suggested that the more resistant phosphate is attached to either mannose or glucose, or to both.
Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndromes I & II). Genetics, pathology, natural history, and cancer control, part I

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is common, accounting for about 4-6% of the total colorectal cancer burden. It is heterogeneous and appears to be delineated into two clinical subsets, Lynch syndromes I and II. Lynch syndrome I is characterized by an autosomal dominantly inherited proclivity to early onset colonic cancer with proximal predominance and an excess of multiple primary colonic cancer. Lynch syndrome II has all of these features plus extracolonic cancer sites, the most common of which is endometrial carcinoma. The lack of premonitory physical signs or biomarkers of HNPCC makes diagnosis difficult. A careful family history, tempered by an understanding of the clinical and pathologic features of HNPCC, is the key to its assessment. This paper reviews HNPCC's natural history, its integral extracolonic cancer associations, its differential diagnosis, surveillance, and management strategies. Attention is focused upon the need for biomarker research in the interest of improving control of HNPCC.
Two actin-interacting protein 1 isoforms function redundantly in the somatic gonad and are essential for reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The somatic gonad of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits highly regulated contractility during ovulation, which is essential for successful reproduction. Nonstriated actin filament networks in the myoepithelial sheath at the proximal ovary provide contractile forces to push a mature oocyte for ovulation, but the mechanism of assembly and regulation of the contractile actin networks is poorly understood. Here, we show that actin-interacting protein 1 (AIP1) is essential for the assembly of the contractile actin networks in the myoepithelial sheath. AIP1 promotes disassembly of actin filaments in the presence of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin. C. elegans has two AIP1 genes, unc-78 and aipl-1. Mutation or RNA interference of a single AIP1 isoform causes only minor impacts on reproduction. However, simultaneous depletion of the two AIP1 isoforms causes sterility. AIP1-depleted animals show very weak contractility of the myoepithelial sheath and fail to ovulate a mature oocyte, which results in accumulation of endomitotic oocytes in the ovary. Depletion of AIP1 prevents assembly of actin networks and causes abnormal aggregation of actin as well as ADF/cofilin in the myoepithelial sheath. These results indicate that two AIP1 isoforms have redundant roles in assembly of the contractile apparatuses necessary for C. elegans reproduction. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Marrow granulomas in coal workers' pneumoconiosis. A histologic study with elemental analysis

The differential diagnosis of bone marrow granulomas is lengthy but has not previously included coal workers' pneumoconiosis. This report describes the first case in which noncaseating epithelioid granulomas containing anthracotic pigment and birefringent silica containing crystals were discovered in the marrow of a patient with progressive massive fibrosis of coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The silicotic nature of the crystals was confirmed using energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. There was no evidence of a mycobacterial, fungal, or other etiology for the granulomas. This case demonstrates that coal workers' pneumoconiosis should be added to the differential diagnosis of bone marrow granulomas and that marrow examination may be a source of tissue for documentation of specific occupational exposures.
Chlorine dioxide inactivation of bacterial threat agents.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) against seven species of bacterial threat (BT) agents in water. Methods and Results: Two strains of Bacillus anthracis spores, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia mallei and Brucella species were each inoculated into a ClO2 solution with an initial concentration of 2·0 (spores only) and 0·25 mg l−1 (all other bacteria) at pH 7 or 8, 5 or 25°C. At 0·25 mg l−1 in potable water, six species were inactivated by at least three orders of magnitude within 10 min. Bacillus anthracis spores required up to 7 h at 5°C for the same inactivation with 2·0 mg l−1 ClO2. Conclusions: Typical ClO2 doses used in water treatment facilities would be effective against all bacteria tested except B. anthracis spores that would require up to 7 h with the largest allowable dose of 2 mg l−1 ClO2. Other water treatment processes may be required in addition to ClO2 disinfection for effective spore removal or inactivation. Significance and Impact of Study: The data obtained from this study provide valuable information for water treatment facilities and public health officials in the event that a potable water supply is contaminated with these BT agents.
Realization Spaces for Tropical Fans

We introduce a moduli functor for varieties whose tropicalization realizes a given weighted fan and show that this functor is an algebraic space in general, and is represented by a scheme when the associated toric variety is quasiprojective. We study the geometry of these tropical realization spaces for the matroid fans studied by Ardila and Klivans, and show that the tropical realization space of a matroid fan is a torus torsor over the realization space of the matroid. As a consequence, we deduce that these tropical realization spaces satisfy Murphy’s Law.
Intrarater test-retest reliability of an instrument used to measure back and leg strength

Although investigations have been performed establishing the reliability of portable instruments designed to measure upper extremity strength, little research exists concerning the reliability of portable back and lower extremity "isometric dynamome­ ters. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish the intrarater reliability of one commercially available isometric dynamometer: the TEC isometric back, leg, and chest dynamometer. Subjects consisted of 27 volunteers (14 males and 13 females), with a mean age of 26.3 ± 4.5 years, who reported no back or lower extremity pathologies. Back and leg strength were measured standing in three positions: (1) knees extended, hips flexed, maintaining lumbar lordosis; (2) knees extended, hips flexed, spine flexed; (3) knees flexed, hips flexed, maintaining lumbar lordosis. The testing occurred on two occasions, separated by 1 week. Data analysis using intraclass correlations indicated reliability coefficients for all positions were over 0.97. These results indicate excellent intrarater reliability in each of the three testing positions using the TEC isometric back, leg, and chest dynamometer to evaluate healthy individuals.
Probiotic L. reuteri treatment prevents bone loss in a menopausal ovariectomized mouse model.

Estrogen deficiency is a major risk factor for osteoporosis that is associated with bone inflammation and resorption. Half of women over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime, thus novel therapies are needed to combat post-menopausal bone loss. Recent studies suggest an important role for gut-bone signaling pathways and the microbiota in regulating bone health. Given that the bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 (L. reuteri) secretes beneficial immunomodulatory factors, we examined if this candidate probiotic could reduce bone loss associated with estrogen deficiency in an ovariectomized (Ovx) mouse menopausal model. Strikingly, L. reuteri treatment significantly protected Ovx mice from bone loss. Osteoclast bone resorption markers and activators (Trap5 and RANKL) as well as osteoclastogenesis are significantly decreased in L. reuteri-treated mice. Consistent with this, L. reuteri suppressed Ovx-induced increases in bone marrow CD4+ T-lymphocytes (which promote osteoclastogenesis) and directly suppressed osteoclastogenesis in vitro. We also identified that L. reuteri treatment modifies microbial communities in the Ovx mouse gut. Together, our studies demonstrate that L. reuteri treatment suppresses bone resorption and loss associated with estrogen deficiency. Thus, L. reuteri treatment may be a straightforward and cost-effective approach to reduce post-menopausal bone loss.
Automorphisms of G-Structures

Let M be a differentiable manifold of dimension n and L(M) the bundle of linear frames over M. Then L(M) is a principal fibre bundle over M with group GL(n; R). Let G be a Lie subgroup of GL(n; R). By a G-structure on M we shall mean a differentiable subbundle P of L(M) with structure group G.
CMOS device noise considerations for terabit lightwave systems

An improved model to predict sensitivity of p-i-n lightwave receivers using CMOS technology is proposed. This model incorporates the latest understanding of excess channel noise observed in nanoscale MOSFETs. For the case of an ideal channel filter, the results are presented in an analytical closed form. For nonideal channels, the concept of higher order Personick integrals is introduced. Up to 10 Gb/s, the results predicted by the above model closely mimic the existing CMOS data published over the last 20 years. Above 10 Gb/s, due to lack of CMOS data, projections are evaluated against the nonsilicon technologies. The predictions compare very favorably with the measured system performance using high electron mobility transistors and heterojunction bipolar transistors. The findings thus indicate that CMOS should claim its status as the low-cost high-performance highly integrated technology of choice for lightwave applications beyond 10 Gb/s.
The variable order fast multipole method for boundary integral equations of the second kind

We discuss the variable order Fast Multipole Method (FMM) applied to piecewise constant Galerkin discretizations of boundary integral equations. In this version of the FMM low-order expansions are employed in the finest level and orders are increased in the coarser levels. Two versions will be discussed, the first version computes exact moments, the second is based on approximated moments. When applied to integral equations of the second kind, both versions retain the asymptotic error of the direct method. The complexity estimate of the first version contains a logarithmic term while the second version is O(N) where N is the number of panels.
Construction of Hadamard phase-codes for holographic memories

In order to accommodate to the available pixel numbers of spatial light modulators and to achieve the maximum possible storage capacity of a phase-code multiplexed holographic memory, it is often required to generate orthogonal phase- codes whose length (or order) is not a power of 2. This paper reviews various methods for the construction of Hadamard matrices of order n equals 4 m (with m a positive integer). It is meant to be tutorial in nature and useful in scope. No attempt is made to be exhaustive in the mathematic treatment. A complete list of Hadamard matrices for all orders n equals 4 m < 400 is given. The list can certainly be extended to even higher orders.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vapor Adsorption onto Metal and Modified Interfaces: Evidence for Adsorbate Penetration of an Alkanethiol Monolayer on Gold

We have studied the adsorption of organic molecules from the vapor phase onto bare gold, n-octadecanethiol-modified, and 11-mercapto-1-undecanol-modified gold surfaces using a controlled atmosphere chamber with an ellipsometer and a quartz crystal microbalance for simultaneous in-situ determination of adsorbate thickness and mass. Our experimental data are fit by the BET adsorption isotherm, and results from these fits place limits on the ways in which the adsorbates can interact with the selected substrates. Ellipsometric data, in combination with the mass adsorption data, demonstrate that n-octadecanethiol self-assembled monolayers on gold experience penetration by adsorbates, where the 11-mercapto-1-undecanol-modified surfaces and the gold surface do not. We compare these findings to other literature reports that bear on the permeability of the alkanethiol/gold interface.
Coronary artery dilatation requiring high inflation pressure

A patient with rigid coronary lesions refractory to balloon dilatation is described. A Cordis Orion fixed wire balloon able to withstand 20 bar was required for successful dilatation.
Derivation of the Baleriaux formula of expected production costs based on chronological load considerations

Abstract Production simulation models are extensively used in the electric power industry. In these models, the expected energy produced by each unit is commonly calculated using a method due to Baleriaux. This formulation ignores the chronological sequence of load levels and performs the computations based on the load duration curve (LDC). This paper rederives this formula first based on a deterministic chronological load distribution. It is shown that in order for the Baleriaux formula to hold, it is necessary that the distributions of the operating states of the generating units have reached a steady state. When the chronological load is itself distributed as a stochastic process, the Baleriaux formula is shown to hold with a different definition of the LDC; it is shown to be related to the time average of the cumulative distribution functions of the loads.
Erratum to “Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency—Insights from liver transplantation” [Mol. Genet. Metab. 77 (2002) 143–149]

a Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA b Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA c Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA d Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA e Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA