cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening for prostate cancer with the prostate-specific antigen test: are patients making informed decisions?

Background The benefits of early detection of prostate cancer are uncertain, and the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend individual decision making in prostate cancer screening. This study reports the knowledge of male primary care patients about prostate cancer and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and examines how that knowledge is related to PSA testing, preferences for testing in the future, and desire for involvement in physician-patient decision making. Methods The sample included 160 men aged 45 to 70 years with no history of prostate cancer who presented for care at a university-based family medicine clinic. Before scheduled office visits, patients completed a questionnaire developed for this study that included a 10-question measure of prostate cancer knowledge, the Deber-Kraestchmer Problem-Solving Decision-Making Scale, sociodemographic indicators, and questions on PSA testing. Results In general, patients who were college graduates were more knowledgeable about prostate cancer and early detection than those with a high school education or less. Aside from college graduates, most patients could not identify the principle advantages and disadvantages of PSA testing. Patients indicating previous or future plans for PSA testing demonstrated greater knowledge than other patients. Desire for involvement in decision making varied by patient education but was not related to past PSA testing. Conclusions Patients lack knowledge about prostate cancer and early detection. This knowledge deficit may impede the early detection of prostate cancer and is a barrier to making an informed decision about undergoing PSA testing.
Bivouacs of the Anthropocene: Urbanization, Landforms, and Hazards in Mountainous Regions

Abstract Since the beginning of human occupation, the face of the planet has been changed by the encroachment of human activities and their built environments and infrastructures on the natural landscape. The expansion of human society has required more natural resources and land, resulting in dramatic modification of the natural landscape. Humans have developed ways, techniques, and technology to extract natural resources, capture and store water, stabilize slopes, modify river floodplains and habitats, create built environments, and facilitate recreational activities. The effects of all of these endeavors have been exacerbated by increased human populations, increased spendable incomes, and increased leisure time, resulting in encroachment into pristine, sometimes vulnerable environments. Throughout all this activities, landforms have been altered or removed as the built environment advances into the alpine mountain region. With all of these modifications, geomorphology plays a pragmatic role. Unfortunately, many times this role is undervalued, not understood, or completely ignored, resulting in consequences of loss of life and loss of or damage to infrastructure. Thus, it is the responsibility of the geomorphologist to use the vehicle of education as a means for understanding changes.
CHAPTER 44 – Inotropic Mechanisms in Cardiac Muscle

This chapter focuses on the main mechanisms of cardiac inotropy, which involve either increasing the force production of the myofilaments for a given [Ca] i or increasing the Ca transient amplitude or duration. Myofilament responsiveness can be modified by increasing myofilament Ca sensitivity, maximal force, or cooperativity, and crossbridge kinetics. The Ca transient can be enhanced by increasing I Ca , Ca entry via Na/Ca exchange, SR Ca-ATPase, SR Ca content, fractional SR Ca release, or by slowing Ca removal from the cytosol and lowering cytosolic Ca buffering. The various Ca transport systems interact in a dynamic yet delicate balance to determine the inotropic state. Altered contractility and their underlying mechanisms with respect to α- and β-adrenergic activation, hypothermia, and cardiac glycosides show the complex interplay of Ca and contractile force regulation in intact cardiac myocytes. The elevated [Ca] i in some cells causes an increase in the average diastolic [Ca] i and can elevate diastolic force. This would create diastolic stiffness and could limit ventricular filling.
Cerebrospinal fluid leaks after spine tumor resection: avoidance, recognition and management

Post-operative CSF leaks are a known complication of spine surgery in general, and patients undergoing surgical intervention for spinal tumors may be particularly predisposed due to the presence of intradural tumor and a number of other factors. Post-operative CSF leaks increase morbidity, lengthen hospital stays, prolong immobilization and subject patients to a number of associated complications. Intraoperative identification of unintended durotomies and effective primary repair of dural defects is an important first step in the prevention of post-operative CSF leaks, but in patients who develop post-operative pseudomeningoceles, durocutaneous fistulae or other CSF-leak-related sequelae, early recognition and secondary intervention are paramount to preventing further CSF-leak-related complications and achieving the best patient outcomes possible. In this article, the incidence, risk factors and complications of CSF leaks after spine tumor surgery are reviewed, with an emphasis on avoidance of post-operative CSF leaks, early post-operative identification and effective secondary intervention.
Energy depletion in culture. Adenine nucleotides are altered as in vivo.

Modeling of ischemic phenomena in vitro has been hindered by the inability to create specific alterations in the variables of interest over a defined time-frame. In particular, changes in the adenine nucleotide pool have been quite difficult to mimic because of the putative low metabolic rate in culture and the long times necessary to achieve even partial chemical energy depletion. Here we present evidence for a rapid method of producing a profound chemical energy depletion with the combination of a NADH dehydrogenase inhibitor (amytal) and a mitochondrial proton ionophore (CCCP). Treatment with our protocol in enriched spinal cultures results in a 40% decrease in ATP within 2 min and a fall to one-third of control values by 15 min. The overall pool size of the total adenine nucleotides is decreased 46% by 15 min and does not completely recover after 5 min of reenergization. The ATP/ADP ratio declines to one-third of control values during deenergization and returns to control values after 5 min in control buffer. Such a loss of the total adenylate pool closely mimics that seen in vivo during ischemia and provides an in vitro model system in which the effects of the combination of this means of cellular injury with others (e.g., excitotoxins) may be examined.
Abstract P2-01-24: Sulindac and triple negative breast cancer progression

In 2018, a total of 266,120 new cases and 40,920 deaths from breast cancer in the United States were estimated by the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of death among American women. In this study, we will focus on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is viewed by oncologists as a problematic and unpredictable sub-category of breast cancer because of higher rates of recurrence and poorer prognosis. TNBC accounts for up to 20% of all breast cancers and is highly prevalent in minority and young women. On average, 70% of women with metastatic TNBC die within 5 years, regardless of chemotherapy or other treatments. As such, there is an urgent medical need to develop more effective drugs to manage this deadly disease that already raised a health disparity concern, especially in the State of Louisiana. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used drugs for the treatment of pain, fever, and inflammation. Epidemiological studies have reported that the long term use of NSAIDs can prevent the occurrence multiple types of cancers, including breast cancer. However, their long term use for chemoprevention is not recommended because of toxicities associated with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition and the suppression of physiologically important prostaglandins. Our results show that the NSAID, sulindac sulfide (SS) and its non-COX inhibitory derivatives, can significantly inhibit the growth of the major subtypes of TNBC cells (basal-like, mesenchymal, and luminal). In addition, the compounds significantly inhibit tumor cell invasion. The animal experiments using Patient Derived Xenograft models supported the in vivo efficacy of these drugs. While studying the mechanism, we found that four oncogenic miRNAs, miR-10b, miR-17, miR-21, and miR-9 can be downregulated by SS and derivatives, and they were reported to promote tumor metastasis exclusively. Therefore, we conclude that those oncogenic miRNAs are involved in anti-metastatic activities of SS and its new non-COX inhibitory derivatives in TNBC. Citation Format: Xi Y, Yi B, Riker A. Sulindac and triple negative breast cancer progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-24.
Effects of porcine somatotropin on growth and carcass composition of Meishan and Yorkshire barrows.

Effects of porcine somatotropin (pST) on growth and carcass characteristics of Meishan (Ms) and Yorkshire (Y) barrows given 3 mg of pST or saline daily were determined for two end points. First, 26 Ms and 26 Y barrows were treated from 119 d of age until the Y barrows reached 108 kg. Second, another 18 Ms barrows were treated to 108 kg BW. Age- and weight-matched treatments were analyzed. Results for both groups indicated pST effects (P < .05) for feed conversion (+) and intake (-), dressing percentage (-), percentage of carcass fat (-) and protein and water (+), leaf fat (-), backfat (BF) thickness (-), longissimus muscle area (LMA; +), skin thickness (+), muscle firmness and marbling scores (-), organ weights (+), belly (-), clear plate (-), ham (+), and total boneless cuts (BC; +). Somatotropin effects were also present for loin (-) and boneless Boston butt (BBB; +) in the age-matched group and for ADG (+), carcass weight (-), loin (-), jowl (-), and tenderloin (+) in the weight-matched group. Breed effects (P < .05), in favor of Y barrows, in both treatments existed for ADG (+) and feed intake (+), carcass weight (+), dressing percentage (+), LMA (+), skin thickness (-), muscle color and firmness scores (-), muscling score (+), all wholesale cuts (WC; +) except clear plate (age-matched), all trimmed cuts (TC; +) except picnic shoulder (weight-matched), and all BC (+). Breed effects, in favor of Y barrows, were also determined for carcass length (+), percentage of carcass ash (-), leaf fat (+), average BF thickness (+), and heart (-) and liver (-) weights in age-matched animals and percentage of carcass fat (-), protein (+), water (+), leaf fat (-), 10th rib, average, and P2 BF thicknesses (-), marbling score (-), femur length (-), and liver weights (+) in weight-matched animals. A higher response to pST (P < .05) was determined in Ms barrows than in Y barrows for percentage of carcass protein (+), liver (+), and heart (+) in the age-matched treatment and 10th rib BF thickness (-) and heart weight (+) in the weight-matched treatment. Yorkshire barrows treated with pST had more improved values for color score (+; age-matched) and BBB (+; weight-matched).
Forest Service fire management and the elusiveness of change

There is broad recognition that fire management in the United States must fundamentally change and depart from practices that have led to an over-emphasis on suppression and limited the presence of fire in forested ecosystems. In this paper, we look at competing problem definitions in US Forest Service policy for fire management, the presence of goal ambiguity, and how these factors can explain why changes in fire management have been elusive, despite policy change. We consider US Forest Service fire policies, performance incentives, and decision-making processes for two sides of the agency: the National Forest System, which is responsible for land management on the national forests, and Fire and Aviation Management, which oversees response to wildland fire. We find that both sides of the agency acknowledge a complex problem definition for fire—one that recognizes fire as a natural ecological process, and also as a threat to personnel, communities, and natural resources. However, we raise the question of whether the agency is adequately addressing competing problem definitions in fire policy, particularly given its largely separated structure between land and fire management. We suggest that, in the face of goal ambiguity, factors such as performance measurement, a preference for minimizing short-term risk, and professional expertise drive decisions that perpetuate the status quo. Opportunities exist to bridge more effectively across land and fire management and reduce incentives to focus on short-term risks during fire events. These include creating a meta-frame for fire management, improving performance measurement, supporting greater integration of fire and land management planning, increasing transparency and collaboration, and arming agency personnel with the core competencies needed to effectively tackle the complex problem of fire management.
Information technology and the management of instructional programs: meeting the challenge of curriculum-time compression in schools

Presently there exists an important need for employing information technologies to assist educators in the complex task of monitoring and supporting instructional programs. Using technology to enhance a comprehensive low cost and mass scale formative evaluation of student attainment is one mechanism for achieving this elusive goal. Recent global trends toward compressing school curricula to include more advanced academic topics taught at lower levels of instruction (elementary, secondary, college), or teaching the same topics in shorter time periods has served to underscore the need for technology based instructional support. This paper reports the results of recent research with a technology based, formative evaluation procedure called Information Referenced Testing (IRT). With information technologies, not only is one able to better assess individual student attainment, but to simultaneously better assess the quality of the instructional program itself.
Viscosity of a Magnetic Fluid in a Strong Magnetic Field

The paper presents an estimate for the viscosity and its increment (“magneto-viscous” effect) in a thin wall layer of a magnetic fluid column oscillating in a tube under the action of a strong transverse magnetic field. The viscosity is calculated using an expression derived with two different theoretical approaches. For calculations, published experimental results are used, discussed previously under the assumption of no field-dependent viscosity. A comparative analysis is performed for the estimates of the “wall viscosity” obtained using dynamic elasticity along with the magnetization curve and static elasticity coefficient. The meaning of the obtained results on the magneto-viscous effect for detecting interparticle aggregation is pointed out.
Maintaining Information Freshness under Jamming

In UAV communication with a ground control station, mission success requires maintaining the freshness of the received information, especially when the communication faces hostile interference. We model this problem as a game between a UAV transmitter and an adversarial interferer. We prove that in contrast with the Nash equilibrium, multiple Stackelberg equilibria could arise. This allows us to show that reducing interference activity in the Stackelberg game is achieved by higher sensitivity of the transmitter in the Stackelberg equilibrium strategy to network parameters relative to the Nash equilibrium strategy. All the strategies are derived in closed form and we establish the condition for when multiple strategies arise.
Oral Iron Replacement Normalizes Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 in Iron-Deficient Patients With Autosomal Dominant Hypophosphatemic Rickets.

Autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) is caused by mutations impairing cleavage of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 gene expression increases during iron deficiency. In humans and mice with the ADHR mutation, iron deficiency results in increased intact FGF23 concentrations and hypophosphatemia. We conducted a prospective open label pilot clinical trial of oral iron replacement over 12 months in ADHR patients to test the hypothesis that oral iron administration would normalize FGF23 concentrations. Eligibility criteria included: FGF23 mutation; and either serum iron 30 pg/mL at screening. Key exclusion criteria were kidney disease and pregnancy. Oral iron supplementation started at 65 mg daily and was titrated based on fasting serum iron concentration. The primary outcome was decrease in fasting intact FGF23 by ≥20% from baseline. Six adults (three male, three female) having the FGF23-R176Q mutation were enrolled; five completed the 12-month protocol. At baseline three of five subjects had severely symptomatic hypophosphatemia (phosphorus <2.5 mg/dL) and received calcitriol with or without phosphate concurrent with oral iron during the trial. The primary outcome was met by 4 of 5 (80%) subjects all by month 4, and 5 of 5 had normal intact FGF23 at month 12. Median (minimum, maximum) intact FGF23 concentration decreased from 172 (20, 192) pg/mL at baseline to 47 (17, 78) pg/mL at month 4 and 42 (19, 63) pg/mL at month 12. Median ferritin increased from 18.6 (7.7, 82.5) ng/mL at baseline to 78.0 (49.6, 261.0) ng/mL at month 12. During iron treatment, all three subjects with baseline hypophosphatemia normalized serum phosphorus, had markedly improved symptoms, and were able to discontinue calcitriol and phosphate. Oral iron repletion normalized FGF23 and phosphorus in symptomatic, iron-deficient ADHR subjects. Thus, the standard approach to ADHR should include recognition, treatment, and prevention of iron deficiency. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Organizational responses to performance feedback: A meta-analytic review:

Performance feedback theory has been recognized as a generative theory in organization and management studies that explains why, when, and how organizations initiate or discontinue specific strateg...
A distinct inhibitory mechanism of the V-ATPase by Vibrio VopQ revealed by cryo-EM

The Vibrio parahaemolyticus T3SS effector VopQ targets host-cell V-ATPase, resulting in blockage of autophagic flux and neutralization of acidic compartments. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of VopQ bound to the Vo subcomplex of the V-ATPase. VopQ inserts into membranes and forms an unconventional pore while binding directly to subunit c of the V-ATPase membrane-embedded subcomplex Vo. We show that VopQ arrests yeast growth in vivo by targeting the immature Vo subcomplex in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thus providing insight into the observation that VopQ kills cells in the absence of a functional V-ATPase. VopQ is a bacterial effector that has been discovered to inhibit a host-membrane megadalton complex by coincidentally binding its target, inserting into a membrane and disrupting membrane potential. Collectively, our results reveal a mechanism by which bacterial effectors modulate host cell biology and provide an invaluable tool for future studies on V-ATPase-mediated membrane fusion and autophagy.
BMI is Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Intensive Care Unit Admission in African Americans.

Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disproportionately impacted the African American community. This study aims to identify the risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease in African American patients. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of African American patients with COVID-19 treated between March 12 and April 9, 2020, at a single tertiary center. The primary outcome of interest was severe disease defined as those requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Results The study included 158 consecutive patients. The mean age was 57 years, and 61% were women. The mean (SD) of BMI was 33.2 (8.6) kg/m2 . Overall, patients admitted to the ICU were older (62 vs. 55 years, P = 0.003) and had higher BMI (36.5 kg/m2 vs. 31.9 kg/m2 , P = 0.002). In unadjusted and adjusted analysis, the factors most associated with ICU admission in this sample were age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.073; 95% CI: 1.033-1.114), BMI (aOR: 1.115; 95% CI: 1.052-1.182), and lung disease (aOR: 3.097; 95% CI: 1.137-8.437). Conclusions This study identified risk factors for severe disease in COVID-19, specifically in an African American population. Further inclusive research aimed at optimizing clinical care relevant to the African American population is critical to ensure an equitable response to COVID-19.
The Entorhinal Cortical Alvear Pathway Differentially Excites Pyramidal Cells and Interneuron Subtypes in Hippocampal CA1

The entorhinal cortex alvear pathway is a major excitatory input to hippocampal CA1, yet nothing is known about its physiological impact. We investigated the alvear pathway projection and innervation of neurons in CA1 using optogenetics and whole cell patch clamp methods in transgenic mouse brain slices. Using this approach, we show that the medial entorhinal cortical alvear inputs onto CA1 pyramidal cells (PCs) and interneurons with cell bodies located in stratum oriens were monosynaptic, had low release probability, and were mediated by glutamate receptors. Optogenetic theta burst stimulation was unable to elicit suprathreshold activation of CA1 PCs but was capable of activating CA1 interneurons. However, different subtypes of interneurons were not equally affected. Higher burst action potential frequencies were observed in parvalbumin-expressing interneurons relative to vasoactive-intestinal peptide-expressing or a subset of oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) interneurons. Furthermore, alvear excitatory synaptic responses were observed in greater than 70% of PV and VIP interneurons and less than 20% of O-LM cells. Finally, greater than 50% of theta burst-driven inhibitory postsynaptic current amplitudes in CA1 PCs were inhibited by optogenetic suppression of PV interneurons. Therefore, our data suggest that the alvear pathway primarily affects hippocampal CA1 function through feedforward inhibition of select interneuron subtypes.
Stakeholder Conflicts and Cash Flow Shocks: Evidence from Changes in ERISA Pension Funding Rules

ABSTRACT In 2012, Congress passed Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which changed the ERISA pension funding rules such that mandatory pension contributions decreased. Advocates for the bill argued that reducing mandatory contributions would increase firms' investment. In contrast, I do not find an average increase in investment among the firms benefiting from MAP-21. Rather, I find that firms either hold pension funding relief on their balance sheets as liquid assets or pay out pension funding relief to shareholders. To the extent that managers increase investment in response to MAP-21, it is concentrated in firms with weak governance or ineffective internal controls.
Web-based Psychoacoustics: Hearing Screening, Infrastructure, and Validation

Anonymous web-based experiments are increasingly and successfully used in many domains of behavioral research. However, online studies of auditory perception, especially of psychoacoustic phenomena pertaining to low-level sensory processing, are challenging because of limited available control of the acoustics, and the unknown hearing status of participants. Here, we outline our approach to mitigate these challenges and validate our procedures by comparing web-based measurements to lab-based data on a range of classic psychoacoustic tasks. Individual tasks were created using jsPsych, an open-source javascript front-end library. Dynamic sequences of psychoacoustic tasks were implemented using Django, an open-source library for web applications, and combined with consent pages, questionnaires, and debriefing pages. Subjects were recruited via Prolific, a web-based human-subject marketplace. Guided by a meta-analysis of normative data, we developed and validated a screening procedure to select participants for (putative) normal-hearing status; this procedure combined thresholding of scores in a suprathreshold cocktail-party task with filtering based on survey responses. Headphone use was standardized by supplementing procedures from prior literature with a binaural hearing task. Individuals meeting all criteria were re-invited to complete a range of classic psychoacoustic tasks. Performance trends observed in re-invited participants were in excellent agreement with lab-based data for fundamental frequency discrimination, gap detection, sensitivity to interaural time delay and level difference, comodulation masking release, word identification, and consonant confusions. Our results suggest that web-based psychoacoustics is a viable complement to lab-based research. Source code for our infrastructure is also provided.
A General N-alkylation Platform via Copper Metallaphotoredox and Silyl Radical Activation of Alkyl Halides.

Summary The catalytic union of amides, sulfonamides, anilines, imines, or N-heterocycles with a broad spectrum of electronically and sterically diverse alkyl bromides has been achieved via a visible-light-induced metallaphotoredox platform. The use of a halogen abstraction-radical capture (HARC) mechanism allows for room temperature coupling of C(sp3)-bromides using simple Cu(II) salts, effectively bypassing the prohibitively high barriers typically associated with thermally induced SN2 or SN1 N-alkylation. This regio- and chemoselective protocol is compatible with >10 classes of medicinally relevant N-nucleophiles, including established pharmaceutical agents, in addition to structurally diverse primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl bromides. Furthermore, the capacity of HARC methodologies to engage conventionally inert coupling partners is highlighted via the union of N-nucleophiles with cyclopropyl bromides and unactivated alkyl chlorides, substrates that are incompatible with nucleophilic substitution pathways. Preliminary mechanistic experiments validate the dual catalytic, open-shell nature of this platform, which enables reactivity previously unattainable in traditional halide-based N-alkylation systems.
The disaster resilience value of shared rooftop solar systems in residential communities

Distributed energy resources can enhance community resilience to power outages in the aftermath of natural disasters. This article presents a method to quantify the resilience value that rooftop so...
The effects of target size and error rate on the cognitive demand and stress during augmented reality interactions.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of target size and error rate on cognitive demand during augmented reality (AR) interactions. In a repeated-measures laboratory study, twenty participants performed two AR tasks (omni-directional pointing and cube placing) with different target sizes and error rates. During the AR tasks, we measured cerebral oxygenation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), perceived workload using the NASA-TLX questionnaire, stress using the Short Stress State Questionnaire, and task performance (task completion time). The results showed that the AR tasks with more interaction errors increased cerebral oxygenation, perceived workload, and task completion time while the target size significantly affected physical demand and task completion time. These results suggest that appropriate target sizes and low system errors may reduce potential cognitive demand in AR interactions.
Shareholder Litigation Rights and Firm Productivity

This paper analyzes the impacts of decreased shareholder litigation risk on firm productivity. Shareholder litigation provides shareholders a mechanism to enforce rights and mitigate agency conflicts. We use a staggered state-level adoption of universal demand (UD) laws as an exogenous shock that suppressed the number of shareholder derivative lawsuits. We show that the resulting deterioration in corporate governance, coupled with increased managerial attention, had mixed effects on productivity. Adverse effects resulting from lower litigation risk are primarily observed in firms facing financial constraints and low takeover threats. Conversely, firms with incentivized management achieved a higher productivity growth.
Connectivity of Line Graphs

This chapter focuses on line graphs and how the parameters of the vertex-connectivity and the edge-connectivity are affected by a graph’s being a line graph. Most of the results provide equalities or inequalities involving some of the three classical parameters of the connectivity, the edge-connectivity, and the minimum degree of both graphs and line graphs. The last section applies some of these concepts to iterated line graphs.
Developing Secondary Students’ Understanding of Proof through Constructing, Critiquing, and Revising Arguments

We examined high school geometry students’ written work on four proof tasks where they posed a conjecture, drafted an argument, provided written critiques, then revised their argument based on peer...
The Koto: A Traditional Instrument in Contemporary Japan

The koto is a unique Japanese musical instrument. It has a history in Japan of over 1200 years and today does much to represent Japan's traditional past. This book examines this fascinating instrument in terms of its physical form, manufacture and instrument types, its performance traditions and social organisations, and its contexts of performance. Each of these aspects is explored in detail, providing ways of understanding the place of this traditional instrument in contemporary Japan. This well illustrated volume is the first in English to examine the koto in such depth. It brings together in one volume a detailed study of this remarkable instrument.
CMV and Renal Allograft Survival

A majority of renal transplant recipients become actively infected witb cytomegalovirus (CMV) (1). Most patients displaying CMV antibody preoperatively experience infections due to reactivation of latent virus. Primary CMV infections occur in preoperatively seronegative recipients due to organs from seropositive donors or to blood transfusions (2). CMV infection has serious consequences, including acute allograft rejection and patient death (1). Although CMV infection in renal allograft recipients has been thought to be associated with rejection and graft loss, there is little information concerning the relationship between tissue typing for HLA A, B and DR antigens, CMV infection, and renal allograft survival (3). In the present study the effect of CMV infection on the success of renal transplantation was assessed by serologic analysis of recipients before and following transplantation. Recipients were grouped based on the degree of incompatibility for HLA A, B and DR antigens with their donors.
Assessment of cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis in normal and injured adult mouse hearts

Cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis was examined in normal and injured adult mouse hearts. In preliminary studied DNA synthesis was monitored by [3H]thymidine incorporation, followed by autoradiographic analysis of dispersed cell preparations. No synthetic cells were identified when 20,000 ventricular cardiomyocytes from normal adult hearts were examined. A high throughput assay was developed to establish the actual labeling index for the adult mouse heart. The assay utilized [3H]thymidine incorporation in transgenic mice which expressed a nuclear-localized beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) reporter gene exclusively in cardiac myocytes. Cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis was evidenced by colocalization of beta-Gal activity and silver grains in autoradiograms of histological sections. Examination of 180,000 ventricular cardiomyocyte nuclei from normal adult transgenic mice identified a single synthetic nucleus, suggesting a maximum labeling index of 0.0005%. Cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis was next examined in hearts injured by focal cauterization of the left ventricular free wall. Only three synthetic nuclei were identified when 36,000 cardiomyocyte nuclei in the perinecrotic zone of the injured heart were examined. No additional synthetic nuclei were identified when 180,000 nuclei in regions distal to the necrotic zone were examined. These data confirm that cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis in the adult mouse heart is extremely rare and provide baseline data for analyses in genetically modified animals.
The Deoxyribonucleic Acid Nucleotidyltransferase Activities of the Shope Fibroma PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND KINETICS

Abstract DNA nucleotidyltransferase was partially purified from Shope fibroma tissue. The final preparation was free of terminal transferase but contained traces of deoxyribonuclease and nonspecific phosphodiesterase. The preparation was active with either native or denatured DNA as template. When assayed with native DNA as template, the activity was purified 61-fold, whereas when denatured DNA was used as template, purification was 179-fold. The Km for deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates for the native DNA- and denatured DNA-primed activities were 0.046 mm and 0.16 mm, respectively. The Km for native DNA varied with the source of the DNA. The denatured DNA reaction alone was inhibited by high concentrations of substrate. The Km values (20 to 25 µg per ml) for denatured DNA were almost the same for denatured DNA from four different sources, but the K's values varied widely (90 to 650 µg per ml). Brief treatment with DNase I greatly increased the Vmax of the native but not the heat-denatured DNA-primed reaction. The Km of the native DNA-primed reaction was not affected. Despite the affinities for template demonstrable kinetically, the DNA nucleotidyltransferases and DNA failed to form complexes that were stable in neutral sucrose gradients. The data for the reaction primed by denatured DNA suggest competition by 2 molecules of denatured DNA for a secondary binding site for template DNA. The increase in Vmax but not in Km of the reaction primed by native DNA after partial digestion of the template by DNase I may have been due to the increased ease of unwinding of the molecule after the introduction of single strand breaks, whereas the failure of the same preparations to exhibit enhanced priming activity after denaturation indicates the necessity for DNA of some minimum length for the denatured DNA-primed enzyme activity. The data suggest that the preparation contains two different DNA nucleotidyl-transferases, but the possibility that a single molecule is responsible for both activities is not ruled out.
Dual vectors and lower bounds for the nearest lattice point problem

We prove that given a point $$\overline z $$ outside a given latticeL then there is a dual vector which gives a fairly good estimate for how far from the lattice the vector is. To be more precise, there is a set of translated hyperplanesH i, such thatL⊂∪ iHi andd( $$\overline z $$ ∪iHi)≧(6n 2+1)−1 d( $$\overline z $$ ,L).
View-Invariant object detection by matching 3d contours

We propose an approach for view-invariant object detection directly in 3D with following properties: (i) The detection is based on matching of 3D contours to 3D object models. (ii) The matching is constrained with qualitative spatial relations such as above/below, left/right, and front/back. (iii) In order to ensure that any matching solution satisfies these constraints, we formulate the matching problem as finding maximum weight subgraphs with hard constraints, and utilize a novel inference framework to solve this problem. Given a single view of an RGB-D camera, we obtain 3D contours by "back projecting" 2D contours extracted in the depth map. As our experimental results demonstrate, the proposed approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art 2D approaches, in particular, latent SVM object detector, as well as recently proposed approaches for object detection in RGB-D data.
Strained layer single quantum well InGaAs lasers with room temperature CW threshold current 165 /spl mu/A

A record low threshold current 165 /spl mu/A (CW) at room temperature has been demonstrated in a buried heterostructure strained layer single quantum well InGaAs laser with short cavity length and high reflectivity coatings.
Oxide-Assisted Degradation of Ni-Base Single Crystals During Cyclic Loading: the Role of Coatings

The role of oxidation-induced layers in the failure process of aluminide-coated nickel base single crystals subject to high-temperature fatigue cycling has been investigated experimentally and via finite element analysis. Isothermal strain-controlled compressive fatigue experiments (R=−∞) with 120 s holds in compression were conducted at 982° and 1093°C. Surface-initiated cracks containing a layer of alumina progressively grew through the coating layers into the superalloy substrate, ultimately causing failure. Growth stresses in the oxide provided a driving force for extension of the oxide into the softer coating and substrate layers. Finite element modeling shows the rate of growth of the oxide-filled cracks is sensitive to the strength of the constituent layers and the magnitude of the oxide growth strains. Implications for design of failure-resistant coating–substrate systems are discussed.
Resveratrol Supplementation Reduces Aortic Atherosclerosis and Calcification and Attenuates Loss of Aerobic Capacity in a Mouse Model of Uremia

Abstract The polyphenolic compound resveratrol (RSV) has been studied for its protective effects on a variety of conditions, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), reduced exercise capacity, and bone disease. Individuals with chronic kidney disease suffer from a variety of these comorbid conditions, but the efficacy of RSV supplementation in this population is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of resveratrol feeding on factors related to CVD, aerobic capacity, and bone health in a mouse model of uremia. At 8 weeks of age, 28 female apolipoprotein E−/− mice underwent a two-step surgical procedure to induce uremia and were randomized to one of the two treatment groups for 16 weeks: 0.04% w/w resveratrol supplemented diet (group designated as RSV) (n=12) or control diet (group designated as CON) (n=16). Cardiovascular risk was determined by analysis of aortic atherosclerotic lesion area and aortic calcium, aerobic capacity was measured by maximal oxygen consumption/maximal a...
Imperfect competition, price adjustment costs, and the long-run Philips curve

Abstract It is argued in this paper that when prices are costly to adjust, fully anticipated inflation will have aggregate real effects on equilibrium levels of output and employment. This non-neutrality of money is the result of fully optimizing behavior by individual firms. Sufficient conditions for strict monetary neutrality are developed. However, these are very restrictive, and most unlikely to be realized in practice. Inflation may cause equilibrium output levels to rise or fall depending on the shape of individual profit functions. Numerical simulations indicate that under certain conditions these effects can be quite significant.
Religion and Patriotism in German Peace Dramas during the Thirty Years' War

One of the most important analyses of the rise of German nationalism was Koppel Pinson's Pietism as a Factor in the Rise of German Nationalism (1934). This study was one of the first to apply the methodology of Tawney, Dilthey, Troeltsch, and Weber to the analysis of early nationalism. Pinson held that the intellectual and social content of seventeenth–century Lutheran pietism “unknowingly” created many preconditions of the peculiar type of German nationalism that appeared in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Pinson argued that the qualities of pietism which were transferred to later German nationalism were strong emotional fervor, moral purity, the experience of conversion, and the cultivation of the German language. All social classes would be able to cultivate these spiritual aims, producing what Pinson called a general priesthood of believers, or salvation within and through the group. The identification of the qualities of the good German with those of the good Christian was for Pinson the crux of the process.
Theory and Design of $N$ -Push BJT Clamping Harmonic Generator for Silicon Terahertz ICs

We present a $N$ -push BJT clamping harmonic generator and an optimal operation condition is derived to maximize the desired $N ^{th}$ harmonic component. Under the hard switching condition, harmonic currents are calculated from time domain waveform generated from a simplified BJT model. Output waveform and the harmonic currents match well with Harmonic Balance (HB) simulation. For verification, measurements from a 380 GHz quadrupler with the on-chip patch antenna implemented in 0.13 $\mu{\rm m}$ SiGe BiCMOS are presented. Optimal biasing point for maximum EIRP corresponds well with the calculated value.
Social network formation and development during study abroad in the Middle East

Abstract Research has shown that those who build strong social networks during study abroad (SA) tend to benefit linguistically, but little is known about how learners develop social networks during their time abroad. This study documents how 71 learners of Arabic developed these networks and what factors contributed to their formation during SA in Jordan or Egypt. The most common strategies learners used to develop social networks were cold contacting (striking up conversation with unknown individuals in public places) and referrals (meeting new friends through existing friends). Two key factors influencing social network formation were location and program interventions. Students in Jordan were located near a university campus, which facilitated the formation of friendships with college-age peers. Students in Egypt were often housed near small shops or a sports club, which allowed them to form friendships with individuals such as local shopkeepers and club staff members. Students noted that the most helpful program intervention was the requirement to speak to locals for 2 h per day. Finally, time spent with native speakers and personality were two of the most salient contributors to the formation of strong social relationships with native speakers.
Evolution of enzymatic activities in the enolase superfamily: structure of a substrate-liganded complex of the L-Ala-D/L-Glu epimerase from Bacillus subtilis.

The members of the mechanistically diverse enolase superfamily share a bidomain structure formed from a (β/α)7β-barrel domain [a modified (β/α)8- or TIM-barrel] and a capping domain formed from N- and C-terminal segments of the polypeptide. The active sites are located at the interface between the C-terminal ends of the β-strands in the barrel domain and two flexible loops in the capping domain. Within this structure, the acid/base chemistry responsible for formation and stabilization of an enediolate intermediate derived from a carboxylate anion substrate and the processing of it to product is “hard-wired” by functional groups at the C-terminal ends of the β-strands in the barrel domain; the identity of the substrate is determined in part by the identities of residues located at the end of the eighth β-strand in the barrel domain and two mobile loops in the capping domain. On the basis of the identities of the acid/base functional groups at the ends of the β-strands, the currently available structure−fun...
Altered immune complex-induced prostaglandin production in human and murine lupus.

Abstract Monocytes were isolated by adherence from peripheral blood of normal controls and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who were in the inactive and untreated phase of the disease. Peritoneal macrophages were isolated by adherence from NZB/W, BXSB and C57 control mice. These mononuclear phagocytes were cultured for 24 hours in the presence or absence of immune complexes (IC), after which prostaglandin E (PGE) levels were measured by RIA. Among the humans, normal monocytes responded to in vitro IC treatment with a 6.3-fold increase in PGE output and monocytes from SLE patients displayed only a 3-fold increase in PGE output. Baseline levels showed no difference. Circulating IC levels, as determined by the Raji cell assay, were highly elevated (greater than 6400 ug/ml) in all but one SLE patient. The murine lupus models compared to controls showed similar differences. C57Bl/nJ mice showed a significant increase of PGE production when stimulated with increasing amounts of IC.BXSB and NZB/W mice, however, showed no such increase. It is hypothesized that defective Fc receptor function on monocytes of patients with SLE prevent IC-induced production of normal amounts of PGE.
A BLUNT NOTCH EXTENDED COMPACT TENSION (BN-ECT) SPECIMEN FOR THE STUDY OF SHORT AND LONG CRACK PROPAGATION

From the work presented here, it is clear that the BN-ECT specimen can be used to study the fatigue crack initiation and propagation in metallic specimens. The specimen is easy to fabricate and test; the specimen yields reliable data for short- and long-crack propagation.
Multiple channel estimation using spectrally random probes

We consider the problem of estimating the channel response between multiple source receiver pairs all sensing the same medium. A different pulse is sent from each source, and the response is measured at each receiver. If each source sends its pulse while the others are silent, estimating the channel is a classical deconvolution problem. If the sources transmit simultaneously, estimating the channel requires "inverting" an underdetermined system of equations. In this paper, we show how this second scenario relates to the theory of compressed sensing. In particular, if the pulses are long and random, then the channel matrix will be a restricted isometry, and we can apply the tools of compressed sensing to simultaneously recover the channels from each source to a single receiver.
Replication of the Superstition and Performance Study by Damisch, Stoberock, and Mussweiler (2010)

A recent series of experiments suggests that fostering superstitions can substantially improve performance on a variety of motor and cognitive tasks (Damisch, Stoberock, & Mussweiler, 2010). We conducted two high-powered and precise replications of one of these experiments, examining if telling participants they had a lucky golf ball could improve their performance on a 10-shot golf task relative to controls. We found that the effect of superstition on performance is elusive: Participants told they had a lucky ball performed almost identically to controls. Our failure to replicate the target study was not due to lack of impact, lack of statistical power, differences in task difficulty, nor differences in participant belief in luck. A meta-analysis indicates significant heterogeneity in the effect of superstition on performance. This could be due to an unknown moderator, but no effect was observed among the studies with the strongest research designs (e.g., high power, a priori sampling plan).
The life of a cell: probing the complex relationships with the world.

Stem cells live within a complex environment containing an array of signals that impact cell fate. Recently in Nature Materials, Huebsch et. al. (2010) probed the role of mechanical properties on stem cell integrin binding and differentiation in three dimensions.