cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanopatterning reveals an ECM area threshold for focal adhesion assembly and force transmission that is regulated by integrin activation and cytoskeleton tension

Integrin-based focal adhesions (FA) transmit anchorage and traction forces between the cell and the extracellular matrix (ECM). To gain further insight into the physical parameters of the ECM that control FA assembly and force transduction in non-migrating cells, we used fibronectin (FN) nanopatterning within a cell adhesion-resistant background to establish the threshold area of ECM ligand required for stable FA assembly and force transduction. Integrin-FN clustering and adhesive force were strongly modulated by the geometry of the nanoscale adhesive area. Individual nanoisland area, not the number of nanoislands or total adhesive area, controlled integrin-FN clustering and adhesion strength. Importantly, below an area threshold (0.11 µm(2)), very few integrin-FN clusters and negligible adhesive forces were generated. We then asked whether this adhesive area threshold could be modulated by intracellular pathways known to influence either adhesive force, cytoskeletal tension, or the structural link between the two. Expression of talin- or vinculin-head domains that increase integrin activation or clustering overcame this nanolimit for stable integrin-FN clustering and increased adhesive force. Inhibition of myosin contractility in cells expressing a vinculin mutant that enhances cytoskeleton-integrin coupling also restored integrin-FN clustering below the nanolimit. We conclude that the minimum area of integrin-FN clusters required for stable assembly of nanoscale FA and adhesive force transduction is not a constant; rather it has a dynamic threshold that results from an equilibrium between pathways controlling adhesive force, cytoskeletal tension, and the structural linkage that transmits these forces, allowing the balance to be tipped by factors that regulate these mechanical parameters.
Intracoronary ultrasound catheter motion compensation using the generalized Hough transform

Three-dimensional renderings of a coronary artery can be constructed by stacking a series of contiguous two-dimensional intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) images obtained during pullback of the transducer. However, visualization and further image processing of the 3-D image are hampered by cardiac cycle-dependent catheter motion. The generalized Hough transform (GHT) was used to automatically propagate medial-adventitial boundary estimates through a sequence of 30 ICUS images. The boundary centroids were then translated to the image center to remove the catheter motion artifact. This automated tracking strategy was compared to previously described boundary defection methods applied to each image in the sequence individually. The results show that the generalized Hough transform can be used to remove or reduce catheter motion artifacts in ICUS image sequences. >
The Chemical Composition of Beef Protein Fractions Before and After Irradiation

SUMMARY A protein from beef prepared by ammonium sulfate fractionation of a hot-water extract, gave a “wet dog” odor when irradiated. This protein has an amino acid constitution similar to that of gelatin, is associated with a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, and exhibits the solubility properties of a glucoprotein. When irradiated, 15% of the nitrogen becomes dialyzable and 13% of the amino acids are destroyed. The sulfhydryl content decreases markedly, whereas the ammonia, as determined after acid hydrolysis, and the ultraviolet absorption increase. Similar radiation-induced changes can be observed with proteins that do not produce an odor. Consequently, the odor discussed in this report does not appear to be produced from simple amino acids per se.
Immunity to Chlamydial Infections of the Eye II. Studies of Passively Transferred Serum Antibody in Resistance to Infection with Guinea Pig Inclusion Conjunctivitis

Conjunctival infection of guinea pigs by the chlamydial agent of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis confers immunity. However, the mechanism of resistance to this intracellular pathogen is not yet defined. In the study reported here, serum immunoglobulin was passively transferred with resultant titers in excess of those known to be associated with immunity. Nonetheless, when the passive transfer recipients were challenged, they acquired infection which was neither delayed nor attenuated. Eye secretion antibody titers appeared and increased only after 11 days of infection in both passive transfer recipients and control groups, suggesting but not proving de novo local synthesis of secretory antibody. This study suggests that cellular or secretory immune mechanisms may predominate in resistance to this infection.
Short photoperiod-induced gonadal regression: effects on the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system of the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus.

The peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used to determine quantitatively the effect of short photoperiodinduced gonadal regression on the immunoreactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system of female Peromyscus leucopus. In mice exposed to either long (16L:8D) or short (8L:16D) photoperiod, immunoreactive cell bodies were loosely organized into six groups: olfactory peduncle, diagonal band of Broca, septum, preoptic area (POA), anterior hypothalamus (AH), and basal hypothalamus. The POA and AH contain the largest number of cell bodies, which supply the major GnRH innervation to the median eminence (ME) and several extrahypothalamic brain sites. Exposure to short photoperiod increased the number of immunoreactive cell bodies within the anterior hypothalamus and preoptic area (AJ-IPOA) and also increased the optical density for staining of immunoreactive cell bodies in the AHPOA and olfactory peduncle. The ME of mice exposed to short photoperiod had a higher density of GnRH fibers relative to that of mice exposed to long photoperiod, and the content of GnRH fibers in the rostra! ME was correlated with the optical content for immunostaining of cell bodies in the AHPOA. These results are evidence that gonadal regression induced by short photo period (mediated by the pineal gland) involves alterations of GnRH neuronal activity. Notably, data from this study are consistent with the hypothesis that suppressed release of GnRH from neurovascular terminals in the ME, rather than lack of availability of the decapeptide, promotes gonadal regression.
Hemorrhagic Shock in the Rat: Comparison of Carotid and Femoral Cannulation

Background The reservoir model of rat hemorrhagic shock is widely used. In this model, either the carotid or femoral artery can be cannulated to withdraw blood and measure pressure. In animals undergoing hemorrhage using the carotid approach, we observed seizure activity during the post-shock period, suggesting some degree of brain damage. The hypothesis of the present study is that survival in a model of severe hemorrhagic shock would be higher with femoral cannulation than with carotid cannulation. Materials and methods All animals (n = 90) were anesthetized with isoflurane using an anesthesia vaporizer while breathing spontaneously. In group 1, the left carotid artery and jugular vein were cannulated; in group 2, the left femoral artery and vein were cannulated. Following a period of hemorrhagic shock (20 to 30 mmHg for 30, 60, or 50–90 min), resuscitation was performed through the venous cannula by giving L-lactated Ringer’s (21 mL/kg) and returning the shed blood. Results In the carotid cannulation group, nearly 50% of the animals had seizures after resuscitation, and most of those animals died following the seizures. The 24-h survival rate in the femoral artery cannulation group was significantly higher than in the carotid artery cannulation group. Femoral cannulated animals had no seizures following reperfusion. Conclusions Femoral artery cannulation was associated with considerably better survival than carotid artery cannulation in this rodent model of hemorrhagic shock. The occurrence of seizures in animals undergoing carotid cannulation suggests brain damage from inadequate cerebral perfusion or subsequent reperfusion damage
Capture of MicroRNA–Bound mRNAs Identifies the Tumor Suppressor miR-34a as a Regulator of Growth Factor Signaling

A simple biochemical method to isolate mRNAs pulled down with a transfected, biotinylated microRNA was used to identify direct target genes of miR-34a, a tumor suppressor gene. The method reidentified most of the known miR-34a regulated genes expressed in K562 and HCT116 cancer cell lines. Transcripts for 982 genes were enriched in the pull-down with miR-34a in both cell lines. Despite this large number, validation experiments suggested that ~90% of the genes identified in both cell lines can be directly regulated by miR-34a. Thus miR-34a is capable of regulating hundreds of genes. The transcripts pulled down with miR-34a were highly enriched for their roles in growth factor signaling and cell cycle progression. These genes form a dense network of interacting gene products that regulate multiple signal transduction pathways that orchestrate the proliferative response to external growth stimuli. Multiple candidate miR-34a-regulated genes participate in RAS-RAF-MAPK signaling. Ectopic miR-34a expression reduced basal ERK and AKT phosphorylation and enhanced sensitivity to serum growth factor withdrawal, while cells genetically deficient in miR-34a were less sensitive. Fourteen new direct targets of miR-34a were experimentally validated, including genes that participate in growth factor signaling (ARAF and PIK3R2) as well as genes that regulate cell cycle progression at various phases of the cell cycle (cyclins D3 and G2, MCM2 and MCM5, PLK1 and SMAD4). Thus miR-34a tempers the proliferative and pro-survival effect of growth factor stimulation by interfering with growth factor signal transduction and downstream pathways required for cell division.
Why are some moral beliefs perceived to be more objective than others

Abstract Recent research has investigated whether people think of their moral beliefs as objectively true facts about the world, or as subjective preferences. The present research examines variability in the perceived objectivity of different moral beliefs, with respect both to the content of moral beliefs themselves (what they are about), and to the social representation of those moral beliefs (whether other individuals are thought to hold them). It also examines the possible consequences of perceiving a moral belief as objective. With respect to the content of moral beliefs, we find that beliefs about the moral properties of negatively valenced acts are seen as reliably more objective than beliefs about the moral properties of positively valenced acts. With respect to the social representation of moral beliefs, we find that the degree of perceived consensus regarding a moral belief positively influences its perceived objectivity. The present experiments also demonstrate that holding a moral belief to be objective is associated with a more ‘closed’ response in the face of disagreement about it, and with more morally pejorative attributions towards a disagreeing other person.
Kinetics of urinary excretion of D-(−)-mandelic acid and its homologs II: Competitive inhibitory effect of D-(−)-mandelic acid and dl-tropic acid on their renal tubular secretion in rats

From the pseudo-first-order urinary excretion studies of D-(-)mandelic acid and DL-tropic acid in rats, data regarding the apparent initial secretion rate versus dose (i.v.) are obtained for these compounds and treated according to the Michaelis-Menten kinetics. While the values of maximum apparent initial secretion rate (Vm) determined for these compounds are similar, the value of the dose of the substrate required to produce one-half of the maximum apparent initial secretion rate (Km) determined for D-(-)-mandelic acid is found to be about twice that determined for DL-tropic acid. Data have been obtained to demonstrate that these compounds competitively inhibit the renal tubular secretion of each other, thereby strongly indicating that these compounds share a common carrier transport system for their secretion. Data obtained in the present studies and those described earlier are utilized to distinguish a certain structural characteristic around the cationic site of the “carrier” molecules of the renal tubular secretion system in rats.
Reproductive success of kittiwakes and murres in sequential stages of the nesting period: Relationships with diet and oceanography

Abstract Reproductive success is one of the most easily-measured and widely studied demographic parameters of colonial nesting seabirds. Nevertheless, factors affecting the sequential stages (egg laying, incubation, chick-rearing) of reproductive success are less understood. We investigated the separate sequential stages of reproductive success in piscivorous black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) using a 36-year dataset (1975–2010) on the major Pribilof Islands (St. Paul and St. George), which have recently had contrasting population trajectories. Our objectives were to evaluate how the proportion of successful nests varied among stages, and to quantify factors influencing the probability of nest success at each stage in each island. We modeled the probability of nest success at each stage using General Linear Mixed Models incorporating broad-scale and local climate variables, and diet as covariates as well as other measures of reproduction such as timing of breeding and reproductive output in the previous year and previous stage. For both species we found: (1) Success in previous stages of the breeding cycle and success in the prior year better explained overall success than any environmental variables. Phenology was also an important predictor of laying success for kittiwakes. (2) Fledging success was lower when chick diets contained oceanic fish found farther from the colonies and small invertebrates, rather than coastal fish species. (3) Differences in reproductive variables at St. Paul and St. George islands did not correspond to population trends between the two islands. Our results highlight the potential importance of adult condition and annual survival to kittiwake and murre productivity and ultimately, populations. Adult condition carrying over from the previous year ultimately seems to drive annual breeding success in a cascade effect. Furthermore, condition and survival appear to be important contributors to population dynamics at each island. Therefore, adult condition and survival prior to breeding, and factors that influence these parameters such as foraging conditions in the non-breeding season, may be important datasets for understanding drivers of seabird demography at the Pribilof Islands.
Genetic-based biomarkers and next-generation sequencing: the future of personalized care in colorectal cancer

The past 5 years have witnessed extraordinary advances in the field of DNA sequencing technology. What once took years to accomplish with Sanger sequencing can now be accomplished in a matter of days with next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. This has allowed researchers to sequence individual genomes and match combinations of mutations with specific diseases. As cancer is inherently a disease of the genome, it is not surprising to see NGS technology already being applied to cancer research with promises of greater understanding of carcinogenesis. While the task of deciphering the cancer genomic code remains ongoing, we are already beginning to see the application of genetic-based testing in the area of colorectal cancer. In this article we will provide an overview of current colorectal cancer genetic-based biomarkers, namely mutations and other genetic alterations in cancer genome DNA, discuss recent advances in NGS technology and speculate on future directions for the application of NGS technology to colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Oblivious Maximum Bipartite Matching Size Algorithm with Applications to Secure Fingerprint Identification

The increasing availability and use of biometric data leads to situations when sensitive biometric data is to be handled by entities who may not be fully trusted or otherwise are not authorized to have full access to such data. This calls for mechanisms of provably protecting biometric data while still allowing the computation to take place. Our focus is on privacy-preserving matching of two fingerprints authentication or identification purposes using traditional minutia-based representation of fingerprints that leads to the most discriminative fingerprint comparisons. Unlike previous work in the security literature, we would like to focus on algorithms that are guaranteed to find the maximum number of minutiae that can be paired together between two fingerprints leading to more accurate comparisons. To address this problem, we formulate it as a flow network problem and reduce it to finding maximum matching size in bipartite graphs. The resulting problem is in turn reduced to computing the rank of a non-invertible matrix, formed as a randomized adjacency matrix of the bipartite graph. We then provide data-oblivious algorithms for matrix rank computation and consecutively finding maximum matching size in a bipartite graph and also extend the algorithms to solve the problem of accurate fingerprint matching. These algorithms lead to their secure counterparts using standard secure two-party or multi-party techniques. Lastly, we implement secure fingerprint matching in the secure two-party computation setting using garbled circuit evaluation. Our experimental results demonstrate that the techniques are efficient, leading to performance similar to that of other fastest secure fingerprint matching techniques, despite higher complexity of our solution that higher accuracy demands.
Lexicographic Voting and Party Positioning Across Multiple Elections

Individual decision behavior has been described by several authors as noncompensatory: decisions are based on just a subset (often a minimal subset, i.e. one) of the dimensions that could be thought relevant. A further claim that has been advanced is that these rules are adaptive (that they “make us smart”), because the environments in which decisions are made are themselves noncompensatory -- affording the discard of most information. This paper examines the consequences of one commonly studied type of noncompensatory rule -- lexicographic choice -- applied in the context of voting, both by individuals and collectives. Theoretical and empirical arguments are put forward which question the collective efficacy of noncompensatory rules, and lexicographic voting specifically, while suggesting that they may yet be descriptive and explanatory of voting behavior and political party positioning as it evolves across multiple elections. Lexicographic voting provides one model for how political parties (e.g. the Republicans and Democrats in the United States) could essentially swap electoral bases or platforms over the course of many elections.
Motion Planning in Constrained Airspace Using Circular and Oval Helices as Trajectory Primitives

Motion planning sets to determine trajectories for vehicles that link an initial location and heading with a initial location and heading. Techniques for motion planning have been developed for 2-dimensional maneuvering; however, they are less mature for 3-dimensional maneuvering. The concept of motion primitives is particularly attractive for motion planning that determines trajectories as a set of maneuvers that satisfy differential constraints. This paper furthers work on a higher-level abstraction of trajectory primitives that consider sequences of motion primitives. In this paper, trajectory primitives are developed that deal with airspace constraints of an environment. The motion planning is shown to be an optimization involving a pair of trajectory primitives that are related by an intermediate waypoint. The resulting path is completely parameterized by the waypoint location.
The experience and feelings of mothers of children with congenital heart disease:a qualitative research

Objective To understand the feelings of mothers of children with congenital heart disease(CHD).Methods A semi-structured interview was conducted with 16 mothers of children with CHD.Data were analyzed based on Colaizzi phenomenotogical research method.Results The mothers’ feelings were classified into 5 themes,including heavy psychological burden,overload care tasks,distinction in coping styles,heavy economic burden,demands for social support.Conclusions Understanding the feelings of mothers caring for children with CHD can help nurses provide individualized nursing,improve mothers’ quality of life and promote the recovery after surgery.
Epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in Huangpu District of Shanghai City from 2008-2011

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristic of pulmonary tuberculosis in Huangpu District of Shanghai City from 2008-2011,and provide basis for its control in the future.[Methods]Data of the pulmonary tuberculosis cases firstly managed by Huangpu District Center of Disease control and Prevention were collected from the Tuberculosis-specific System of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention.Excel 2007 and SPSS 17.0 were applied for data analysis.[Results]The incidence rates of pulmonary tuberculosis and smear positive decreased annually from 2008-2010 in Huangpu District,but both were higher in 2011 than that in 2010.Male incidence rate and smear positive rate were both higher than female,while the rebound of incidence rate and smear positive rate of female was earlier than male.The average age of pulmonary tuberculosis patients was(48.14 ±20.26) years old,and the mean onset age of male patients was significantly higher than female patients(P =0.001).The incidence rate of those who aged above 70 years old went up rapidly.The peak incidence appeared in July and August,and geographically in Laoximen Community.Currently,visit due to related symptoms composed 53.98% among ways of pulmonary tuberculosis case detection,whereas the way of physical examination gained an increasing proportion annually.The majority of patients were new cases.The smear positive rate of recurrent patients was significantly higher than that of new cases(P 0.001).[Conclusion]The surveillance and analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Huangpu District should be enhanced so as to explore the reasons for both the higher incidence rate in 2011 and the higher incidence of female.Professional training for medical workers should also be enhanced to elevate the ability to make diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis patients,especially smear negative patients.
Hallerman-Streiff syndrome: case report and recommendations for dental care

Hallerman-Streiff syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by a peculiar bird facies, mandibular and maxillary hypoplasia, dyscephaly, cataracts, microphtalmia, hypotrichosis, skin atrophy, and short stature. Dental abnormalities are present in 80 percent of the cases and include malocclusion, crowding, severe caries, supernumerary and neonatal teeth, enamel hypoplasia, hypodontia, premature eruption of primary dentition, agenesis of permanent teeth, and anterior displacement or absence of condyles. Very few cases have been described in the dental literature. The predisposition to severe caries, together with other problems, makes it imperative that young patients be started in a strong prevention program as early as possible. This is a case report of a five-year-eleven-month-old white male who presented for a dental examination at The Children's Hospital in Denver, CO. The findings and recommendations for treatment are discussed.
Simulated 2050 aviation radiative forcing from contrails and aerosols

Abstract. The radiative forcing from aviation-induced cloudiness is investigated by using the Community Atmosphere Model Version 5 (CAM5) in the present (2006) and the future (through 2050). Global flight distance is projected to increase by a factor of 4 between 2006 and 2050. However, simulated contrail cirrus radiative forcing in 2050 can reach 87 mW m−2, an increase by a factor of 7 from 2006, and thus does not scale linearly with fuel emission mass. This is due to non-uniform regional increase in air traffic and different sensitivities for contrail radiative forcing in different regions. CAM5 simulations indicate that negative radiative forcing induced by the indirect effect of aviation sulfate aerosols on liquid clouds in 2050 can be as large as −160 mW m−2, an increase by a factor of 4 from 2006. As a result, the net 2050 radiative forcing of contrail cirrus and aviation aerosols may have a cooling effect on the planet. Aviation sulfate aerosols emitted at cruise altitude can be transported down to the lower troposphere, increasing the aerosol concentration, thus increasing the cloud drop number concentration and persistence of low-level clouds. Aviation black carbon aerosols produce a negligible net forcing globally in 2006 and 2050 in this model study. Uncertainties in the methodology and the modeling are significant and discussed in detail. Nevertheless, the projected percentage increase in contrail radiative forcing is important for future aviation impacts. In addition, the role of aviation aerosols in the cloud nucleation processes can greatly influence on the simulated radiative forcing from aircraft-induced cloudiness and even change its sign. Future research to confirm these results is necessary.
Thrombotic phenomena with nonanticoagulated, composite-strut aortic prostheses.

Twenty-nine patients received no anticoagulant therapy after aortic valve replacement with a Starr-Edwards Model 2400 prosthesis. Hemodynamic studies were performed at 3 to 26 months (average 12 months) in 18 of 29 patients. Mean aortic valve gradients ranged from 14 to 62 mm.Hg and averaged 34 mm.Hg. Calculated aortic valve area varied from 0.20 to 1.75 sq. cm. and averaged 0.98 sq. cm. Thirteen of 18 patients had critically stenotic valve orifices. At reoperation or autopsy, examination of the prostheses consistently revealed pannus and thrombus which narrowed the inflow orifice and usually extended to the struts. Of the remaining 11 patients, 3 have died (2 suddenly and one after a cerebrovascular accident), 2 have had embolic episodes, and 6 have refused a repeat study but are being given anticoagulant therapy. Clinical examination, serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, phonocardiography, echocardiography, and fluoroscopy of the prosthesis were often unrevealing. Cardiac catheterization was the only reliable method for critically evaluating prosthetic function. In conclusion, close follow-up, preferably with cardiac catheterization, is recommended in any patient who received a Starr-Edwards Model 2400 aortic valve prosthesis without anticoagulation. Long-term anticoagulation with sodium warfarin is indicated in all patients with a Model 2400 aortic valve prosthesis unless there is a contraindication to such therapy.
SSX2 regulates focal adhesion but does not drive the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer.

// Jordan E. Bloom 1 and Douglas G. McNeel 1,2 1 Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA 2 University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA Correspondence to: Douglas G. McNeel, email: // Keywords : SSX, prostate cancer, CTA, focal adhesion, EMT Received : May 17, 2016 Accepted : May 26, 2016 Published : June 02, 2016 Abstract Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy for men in the United States. Metastatic prostate cancer, the lethal form of the disease, has a life expectancy of approximately five years. Identification of factors associated with this transition to metastatic disease is crucial for future therapies. One such factor is the SSX gene family, a family of cancer/testis antigens (CTA) transcription factors which have been shown to be aberrantly expressed in other cancers and associated with the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). We have previously shown that SSX expression in prostate cancers was restricted to metastatic tissue and not primary tumors. In this study, we have identified SSX2 as the predominant SSX family member expressed in prostate cancer, and found its expression in the peripheral blood of 19 of 54 (35%) prostate cancer patients, with expression restricted to circulating tumor cells, and in 7 of 15 (47%) metastatic cDNA samples. Further, we examined SSX2 function in prostate cancer through knockdown and overexpression in prostate cancer cell lines. While overexpression had little effect on morphology or gene transcript changes, knockdown of SSX2 resulted in an epithelial morphology, increased cell proliferation, increased expression of genes involved in focal adhesion, decreased anchorage independent growth, increased invasion, and increased tumorigenicity in vivo . We conclude from these findings that SSX2 expression in prostate cancer is not a driver of EMT, but is involved in processes associated with EMT including loss of focal adhesion that may be related to tumor cell dissemination.
Chapter Five: Discussions

This study used the van Hiele model of geometric thinking and Sfard’s analytical framework on mathematical discourse to describe pre-service teachers’ geometric thinking and to determine the changes in their learning. The van Hiele’s and Sfard’s perspective of learning are described as follows: the van Hiele’s (1959) view learning as moving to a higher level of thinking, and argue that a learning process is similar to the process of learning a new language.
High- $dB$ / $dt$ Square-Pulse Excitation of Finemet Magnetic Material

A test stand that was previously developed by the University of Missouri to evaluate the energy loss and saturation characteristics of the magnetic core material has been modified to allow nanosecond test measurements of FT-3HS Finemet, a nanocrystalline ferromagnetic material. This paper focuses on the magnetization characteristics of Finemet FT-3HS produced by Hitachi Metals Ltd in the nanosecond regime. In situ diagnostics were utilized to measure the current and voltage on large-area core windings. Utilizing a coaxial transmission line charged up to 100 kV, a square pulse was discharged through a simple winding geometry, on a large-area FT-3HS core. Over multiple trials with several winding topologies and with different test voltages, the saturation energy losses and the saturation field characteristics of the magnetic core material were determined from 40 to 100 ns. These measurements are reported as well as the scaling of data in this regime.
Imaging Sensitivity of Quiescent Cancer Cells to Metabolic Perturbations in Bone Marrow Spheroids

Malignant cells from breast cancer and other common cancers such as prostate and melanoma may persist in bone marrow as quiescent, non-dividing cells that remain viable for years or even decades before resuming proliferation to cause recurrent disease. This phenomenon, referred to clinically as tumor dormancy, poses tremendous challenges to curing patients with breast cancer. Quiescent tumor cells resist chemotherapy drugs that predominantly target proliferating cells, limiting success of neo-adjuvant and adjuvant therapies. We recently developed a 3D spheroid model of quiescent breast cancer cells in bone marrow for mechanistic and drug testing studies. We combined this model with optical imaging methods for label-free detection of cells preferentially utilizing glycolysis versus oxidative metabolism to investigate the metabolic state of co-culture spheroids with different bone marrow stromal and breast cancer cells. Through imaging and biochemical assays, we identified different metabolic states of bone marrow stromal cells that control metabolic status and flexibilities of co-cultured breast cancer cells. We tested metabolic stresses and targeted inhibition of specific metabolic pathways to identify approaches to preferentially eliminate quiescent breast cancer cells from bone marrow environments. These studies establish an integrated imaging approach to analyze metabolism in complex tissue environments to identify new metabolically-targeted cancer therapies.
The Cost of Asking Crowd Workers to Behave Maliciously

Crowdsourcing has emerged as a powerful way to provide computer systems with quick and easy access to human intelligence. However, there is a risk that online crowd workers could be directed to perform harmful tasks. To understand the impact of financial incentives on paid crowd workers’ willingness to behave maliciously, we conducted a series of experiments in which we hired crowd workers via one crowdsourcing task (Attack task) to attack a different crowdsourcing task (Target task). We found that roughly one third of all crowd workers were willing to provide the attack task with potentially sensitive information from the target task, and that we could double this number by increasing the payment of the Attack task. Based on exit interviews and community feedback, we discuss some of what workers reported. Our findings reveal a measurable cost to completing malicious work that well-meaning task designers can leverage to protect their systems from attack.
Suspected Synthetic Cannabinomimetic Intoxication: Case Series and Review.

Purpose:The purpose of this work was to retrospectively review patient cases presenting to the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center (UKCMC) emergency department (ED) with symptoms of suspected synthetic cannabinomimetic (SC) intoxication. These drugs, currently undetected by standard urine drug screen tests, comprise a structurally diverse group of compounds designed to mimic the psychoactive effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana.Summary:Fourteen cases of suspected SC intoxication were identified between July 1, 2015, through September 30, 2015. The median patient age was 25.5 years (range: 13-45 years), and most (64%) patients were males. The most common psychoactive symptom was agitation (n = 6, 42.9%), while the most common physical symptoms were altered level of consciousness (n = 9, 64.3%) and mydriasis (n = 3, 21.4%). Most cases resolved without complication in 24 hours; 2 patients required hospitalization.Conclusion:Recent legislati...
Municipal wastewater sludge as a sustainable bioresource in the United States.

Within the United States and Puerto Rico, publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) process 130.5 Gl/d (34.5 Bgal/d) of wastewater, producing sludge as a waste product. Emerging technologies offer novel waste-to-energy pathways through whole sludge conversion into biofuels. Assessing the feasibility, scalability and tradeoffs of various energy conversion pathways is difficult in the absence of highly spatially resolved estimates of sludge production. In this study, average wastewater solids concentrations and removal rates, and site specific daily average influent flow are used to estimate site specific annual sludge production on a dry weight basis for >15,000 POTWs. Current beneficial uses, regional production hotspots and feedstock aggregation potential are also assessed. Analyses indicate 1) POTWs capture 12.56 Tg/y (13.84 MT/y) of dry solids; 2) 50% are not beneficially utilized, and 3) POTWs can support seven regions that aggregate >910 Mg/d (1000 T/d) of sludge within a travel distance of 100 km.
Precarity, Surplus, and the Urban Political: Shack Life in South Africa

This chapter argues that urban shack settlements have become a paradigmatic site of anti-black necropolitics in contemporary South Africa. It explores the community of Cato Crest in Durban, where land occupations by shack dwellers have resulted in violent confrontation between members of the radical movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and the local state led by the African National Congress. Any attempt to grapple with the conditions of the urban political in contemporary South Africa will have to begin with the lived experience of shack dwellers like Nkululeko Gwala, who lost his life in a struggle for a second transition in South Africa. As such, the chapter argues for an expansion of the concept of precarity to include the forms of existential threat beyond the workplace facing urban shack communities. This conception of precarity must be coupled with an analysis of surplus exclusion from circuits of capital and with the enduring nature of anti-black violence.
Preterm neurodevelopmental outcomes following orosensory entrainment intervention

Abstract Previous research indicates that the NTrainer, a pressurized pacifier programmed to produce pulsed pneumotactile stimulation during gavage feeds, has been found to facilitate non-nutritive suck development and shorten the length of hospital stay when used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Four groups of children, including infants of diabetic mothers (IDM), healthy controls (HI), and those with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), or chronic lung disease (CLD), were randomly assigned to an NTrainer therapy or sham ‘control' condition when in the NICU. At 30 months of age, 113/223 study participants were assessed using standardized language, motor, and cognitive assessments. No significant group differences were evident between the NTrainer and sham groups in language, motor, or cognitive functioning. The NTrainer did not improve nor adversely impact language, cognition, or motor outcomes.
Abstract 20478: Mortality outcomes of Cardiac Implantable Device therapy In Patients With AL type Of Amyloidosis

Amyloid Light (AL) chain, a sub-type of amyloidosis which can affect the heart and may be associated with sudden cardiac death. Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) use in AL is contentiou...
Comparison of phacoemulsification parameters between manual and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery

Abstract Objective To compare the nucleus removal time (NRT) and cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) outcomes of traditional phacoemulsification and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) performed by cornea attendings and fellows. Design Prospective nonrandomized comparative study. Participants A total of 410 eyes of 410 patients. Methods Nucleus removal time and CDE were recorded from patients who underwent cataract surgery using either FLACS (Catalys, LenSx, or Victus) or traditional phacoemulsification technique performed by 3 cornea attendings and 4 cornea fellows. One-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc tests and unpaired t tests were used to determine the differences between groups. Results There was no statistically significant difference in cataract grade between groups. NRT was significantly lower only when using the Catalys system compared with the LenSx and Victus platforms and the traditional surgery, in both the attending group (p = 0.006, p = 0.002, p 0.05). NRT and CDE were significantly higher in the fellow group (NRT = 269.10 ± 117.67, CDE = 7.30 ± 4.83) compared with the attending group (NRT = 218.87 ± 109.67, CDE = 5.76 ± 3.66) in traditional cases; however, in FLACS cases, there was no significant difference in NRT and CDE between the fellow group and the attending group. Conclusions Inexperienced surgeons seem to require more time and use more ultrasound energy during traditional phacoemulsification when compared with experienced surgeons. The use of FLACS seems to significantly improve the NRT of experienced and inexperienced surgeons.
Fixed drug eruption associated with aspirin

A previously healthy 27-year-old woman presented to the outpatient urgent care clinic complaining of dark spots that appeared suddenly on both her feet and face. She had been prescribed aspirin (650 mg orally every 6 hours as needed) the day prior to presentation as therapy for migraine-type headache. She also then recalled that these spots had appeared suddenly, in exactly the same areas approximately 1 year before the current episode, …
Roadblocks and resolutions in eukaryotic translation

During protein synthesis, ribosomes encounter many roadblocks, the outcomes of which are largely determined by substrate availability, amino acid features and reaction kinetics. Prolonged ribosome stalling is likely to be resolved by ribosome rescue or quality control pathways, whereas shorter stalling is likely to be resolved by ongoing productive translation. How ribosome function is affected by such hindrances can therefore have a profound impact on the translational output (yield) of a particular mRNA. In this Review, we focus on these roadblocks and the resumption of normal translation elongation rather than on alternative fates wherein the stalled ribosome triggers degradation of the mRNA and the incomplete protein product. We discuss the fundamental stages of the translation process in eukaryotes, from elongation through ribosome recycling, with particular attention to recent discoveries of the complexity of the genetic code and regulatory elements that control gene expression, including ribosome stalling during elongation, the role of mRNA context in translation termination and mechanisms of ribosome rescue that resemble recycling.
When Do Replies to the Evolutionary Debunking Argument Against Moral Realism Beg the Question

ABSTRACTSome proponents of the evolutionary debunking argument against moral realism believe that replies that assume substantive moral claims beg the question. In this paper, I give a new account ...
Using a Logistic Regression Approach to Estimate the Influence of Demographical Factors on Small Engine and Welding Competency of Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers

A logistic regression model was used to examine the impact of demographical characteristics of secondary agricultural education teachers in [Region] [State] on their small gasoline engines and welding competency. Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire and employing a nonproportional stratified random sampling technique with 150 agricultural education teachers participating in the study. Findings showed that being male and having agricultural mechanical courses in both high school and college were positively associated with having competency in small gasoline engines and welding, while having only a Bachelor’s degree (as compared to a Master’s degree) was negatively associated with having competency in small gasoline engines. Additional research should be conducted to understand better why these differences exist.
Interfaces between Particle Physics and Cosmology

Among the physicists’ attempts to understand the fundamental structure of matter have been the attempts to: (i) find the ultimate constituents of matter; and (ii) to attain a unification of the forces responsible for the interactions among them. Recent progress in these attempts has led to energy scales which can not conceivably be attained in laboratory experiments, but which would not only be present, but would play an important role in the earliest stages of the big bang model of the Universe. We are talking here of an energy scale E ~ 1015 GeV, the corresponding temperature, T, being ~ 1028 K relevant to times t ~ 10-35 sec. after the big bang. Also, many of the ideas of contemporary particle physics lead to dramatic consequences when applied to the very early universe. It is such interfaces between particle physics and cosmology which are reviewed in this lecture. I shall discuss three such interfaces: (i) the generation of the baryon number of the Universe; (ii) a limit on the number of kinds of neutrinos and therefore on the number of quark-lepton generations (if we believe in quark-lepton symmetry); and (iii) the neutrino mass.
Stem Cells as Drug Delivery Vehicles

Abstract Drug delivery technologies using nanotechnology are constantly improving to ensure targeted drug delivery with maximum pharmacokinetic activities at the disease sites. Clinical applications of nanotechnology are severely hampered due to low efficiency of drug delivery to the target regions and fast clearance from the body before implementing effective therapeutic action. Bioinspired or bio-mediated drug delivery systems are increasingly being focused on since they have a natural capability to interact with host cells in various healthy and pathological tissues without being recognized by the body’s immune system. Lately, several types of living cells are employed to deliver drugs or nanoparticles specifically to a diseased site. Stem cells offer versatile advantages including self-renewability, high potency, hypoimmunogenicity, differentiability into specialized cells, and the ability to secrete therapeutic factors as well as migrate to sites of tissue damage and/or disease; which makes them ideal carriers for drug delivery applications. In this book article, we discuss employing stem cells as a Trojan horse to deliver anticancer drugs, biological proteins, nucleic acids, and nanoparticles to treat various disease condition ranging from cancer to tissue regeneration. We have also explored different strategies to successfully modify stem cells to carry payloads and their potential clinical use. We conclude by addressing the challenges and prospects of stem cell mediated drug delivery for biomedical applications.
On-demand synchronous audio video telemedicine visits are cost effective.

Abstract Introduction Claims data raises the possibility that on demand telemedicine programs might increase new utilization, offsetting the cost benefits described in some retrospective analyses. We prospectively evaluated the cost of a synchronous audio-video on-demand telemedicine taking into account both what patients would have done instead of the telemedicine visit as well as the care patients received after the visit. Materials and methods We conducted a prospective observational study of patients who received care from an on-demand telemedicine program. At the time of the visit, we surveyed patients about the alternative care that would have been requested, if they had not done the telemedicine visit. We also obtained information following the visit about what further care was received. Using cost data derived from the literature we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the cost impact of the on-demand telemedicine visit. Results There were 650 patients enrolled with a mean age of 37 who were 68% female; 74% had their care concerns resolved on the telemedicine visit; only 16% would have “done nothing” if they had not done the telemedicine visit, representing possible new utilization. Net cost savings per telemedicine visit was calculated to range from $19–$121 per visit. Conclusions In our on-demand telemedicine program, we found the majority of health concerns could be resolved in a single consultation and new utilization was infrequent. Synchronous audio-video telemedicine consults resulted in short-term cost savings by diverting patients from more expensive care settings.
Evaluating the Impact of Eliminating Copayments for Tobacco Cessation Pharmacotherapy.

Objectives:We examined the impact of the Affordable Care Act–mandated elimination of tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy (TCP) copayments on patient use of TCP, overall and by income.Methods:Electronic health record data captured any and combination (eg, nicotine gum plus patch) TCP use among adult sm