cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous multi-parametric MR/FDG-PET imaging of patient-derived tumor xenografts:Optimal definition of tumor boundaries and correlation between tumor cellularity and glucose metabolism

138 Introduction: Numerous recent works highlight the limited utility of established tumor cell lines in recapitulating the heterogeneity of tumors in patients. More realistic preclinical cancer models are thought to be provided by transplantable, patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDX). In light of the inherent heterogeneity of PDX tumors, the objective of this work was to optimize MR-based tumor boundaries for quantitative PET imaging and to correlate tumor cellularity with glucose metabolism in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) PDX. Methods: TNBC PDX with tumors in the range of 100 - 450 mm3 were chosen for imaging. A simultaneous PET/MR imaging protocol was implemented on the MR Solutions Simultaneous 7T MR/PET scanner. The multi-parametric (MP) MR protocol included: fast spin echo (FSE)-T1w (TR=40ms,TE=10ms, resolution=0.118mm/pixel, 0.8mm slice thickness, axial), FSE-T2w (TR=5000ms,TE=80ms, TurboFactor=6, resolution=0.118mm/pixel, 0.8mm slice thickness, coronal), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) (b=700). Mice were fasted for four hours prior to administration of 200µCi/100µL 18F-FDG via tail vein catheter for a 30min static PET acquisition in parallel with MR. Body temperature was monitored and recorded throughout the imaging procedure using a rectal thermometer. MP T1w, T2w, and ADC images were used to define tumor boundaries on PET images. A clustering algorithm was implemented on the ADC images to characterize the heterogeneity of the tumors. In addition to whole tumor correlation, four distinct regions were identified: high-intensity ADC, low intensity ADC, necrotic PET and metabolic PET clusters. Voxel-wise and ROIs based analysis were implemented to correlate between measures of tumor cellularity, as measured by ADC, and glucose metabolism by FDG-PET. Results: The discordance between MR-defined tumor volumes was highest between ADC images and T1w images (3% to 15% bias), followed by T1w and T2w images with at <2% bias. In general, there was an inverse correlation between image clusters of ADC and measures of glucose metabolism. Conclusions: There is a discordance between MP MR measures of tumor boundaries which needs further validation. Simultaneous PET/MR imaging will prove invaluable in the optimization of PET-defined measures of tumor boundaries and metabolic tumor volume measures for subsequent implementation in clinical practice. Our data also suggests an inverse correlation between tumor measures of cellularity and glucose metabolism.
ATP-Dependent Chromatin Remodeling.

In the eukaryotic nucleus, processes of DNA metabolism such as transcription, DNA replication, and repair occur in the context of DNA packaged into nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures. In order to overcome the barrier presented by chromatin structures to the protein machinery carrying out these processes, the cell relies on a class of enzymes called chromatin remodeling complexes which catalyze ATP-dependent restructuring and repositioning of nucleosomes. Chromatin remodelers are large multi-subunit complexes which all share a common SF2 helicase ATPase domain in their catalytic subunit, and are classified into four different families—SWI/SNF, ISWI, CHD, INO80—based on the arrangement of other domains in their catalytic subunit as well as their non-catalytic subunit composition. A large body of structural, biochemical, and biophysical evidence suggests chromatin remodelers operate as histone octamer-anchored directional DNA translocases in order to disrupt DNA–histone interactions and catalyze nucleosome sliding. Remodeling mechanisms are family-specific and depend on factors such as how the enzyme engages with nucleosomal and linker DNA, features of DNA loop intermediates, specificity for mono- or oligonucleosomal substrates, and ability to remove histones and exchange histone variants. Ultimately, the biological function of chromatin remodelers and their genomic targeting in vivo is regulated by each complex’s subunit composition, association with chromatin modifiers and histone chaperones, and affinity for chromatin signals such as histone posttranslational modifications.
Whose Death Matters? A Quantitative Analysis of Media Attention to Deaths of Black Americans in Police Confrontations, 2013–2016

Media coverage of deaths of unarmed people of color at the hands of police sharply increased after the high-profile death of Michael Brown. We analyze a novel set of media data to understand reasons for this rise and to postulate a shift in reporting that treats these deaths as part of a larger pattern, crystallized around the “key event” of Michael Brown’s death rather than as unconnected incidents. We see a “news wave” that resulted in increased coverage and sharing of stories about deaths of people of color at the hands of police that aligned with activist efforts such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Our quantitative methods suggest a mechanism for tracking effectiveness of activist efforts to change the framing of important social phenomena in the news.
The Analysis of Room Air Sterilization Effect in the Medical Institution of Xuchang City in 2012 .

Objective To find the factor that can affect the room air sterilization effect in the medical institution.Methods After aggregation of 404 aerial detection date of the room air in the medical institution in urban filed in 2012,analysis the result by statistical way.Results The qualified rate is 73.27 % in all 404 aerial detection date.It is 89.00 % in the 100 aerial detection date in the medical institution directly under the administrative department of the city.It is 67.69 %in 260 urban clinic.It is 70.45 % in 44 private medical institution in urban filed.According to the environmental categories,It is 95.12 % in 41 aerial detection date of environmental categories II,It is 84.75 % in 59 aerial detection date of environmental categories III.Conclusion The quality of the room air in the medical institution directly under the administrative department of the city is better than that in the urban clinic and the private medical institution.According to the environmental categories,the air quality in categories II is better than that in categories III.After investigation,the lack of sterilized knowledge and the relax of management are the main reasons for the decline of quality of room air in medical institution.
The seventh age on stage: representation of older adults and aging in U.S. Broadway and Off-Broadway theater

ABSTRACTOlder persons’ involvement in theater often focuses on health, educational, and therapeutic benefits. Though less examined, artistic depictions of aging help bridge gerontological and human...
Analyzing the Value Investment Based on Financial Data in Retailer Market

Research has shown that "the most fundamental and crucial aspects of the market": profitability, return of capital to shareholders, management and safety, express a lot about the performance of the stock market since 1990. Moreover, these aspects have distinct financial features that provide meaningful information for investors. Indeed, a valid method to evaluate these aspects can be a vital tool for investors. This study attempts to examine the performance of three retail companies by calculating the primary ratio that is used to analyze the profitability, management, growth, and safety of those companies. This ratio has demonstrated that it is possible for investors to apply this calculation method to a company to create considerable future capital returns.
Idolatry and the construction of the Spanish Empire / Guardians of idolatry. Gods, demons, and priests in Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón’s Treatise on the heathen superstitions

Two recent studies of the medieval and early modern Spanish world by professors Mina Garcia Soormally and Viviana Diaz Balsera return us to what Inga Clendinnen called the ‘“concealed and mysteriou...
Legacy Building in Pediatric End of Life Care Through Innovative Use of a Digital Stethoscope

Background: Legacy making has been the focus of recent literature; however, few studies examine how legacy making affects bereaved parents. Objective: To better understand legacy making's effect on...
Morphogenesis of Cotyledon Explants and Plantlet Regeneration of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Under Salt Stress

This study was aimed to determine the responses of salt stress on cotyledon callus of tomato cv. KC-1 for plant regeneration. Cotyledon explants from in vitro raised seedlings were placed on MS medium containing 1.0 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L NAA or 1.0 mg/L NAA to select a suitable medium for callus formation. After 6 days of culture, green calli were initiated on the cut surfaces of cotyledon explants. Callus formation was observed in 81.2% of the explants on the medium with 1.0 mg/L BAP and 1.0 mg/L NAA. After 2 weeks of culture, cotyledon produced calli were transferred to the medium containing 1.0 mg/L BAP plus 1.0 mg/L NAA without (control) or with NaCl concentrations (20, 40, and 60 mM). Callus was evaluated after 4 weeks of subculture (i.e., after 6 weeks of initial culture) under salt stress based on callus colour, fresh and dry weights of callus and chlorophyll content of callus. Results showed that the effects of tomato KC-1 cultivar on the tested parameters had a significant effect on different salinity levels. The calli that were placed on 60 mM NaCl level were highly affected when compared with control. Calli were then transferred to the medium with 2.0 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L NAA for plant regeneration. Within 4 weeks, plantlets were formed on the control treatment and 20 mM salt stressed calli and they were acclimatized under ex vitro conditions.
Forum: The Value of Classical Islamic Thought for Muslims Today

This article challenges the assertion, found in the writings Dr. Taha Jabir Al-Alwani and other Muslim reformers, that Islamic thought declined precipitously in the early centuries of Islam and is of little value to contemporary Muslims. It introduces readers to the sophisticated thought of four diverse Muslim thinkers from the 5th/11th century who each wrote about topics that remain important to Muslims today, such as the nature of the soul, ethics, the purpose of knowledge, and spirituality. These thinkers are the philosopher-historian Miskawayh, the Sunni Mu'tazili al-Hakim al-Jishumi, the Zahiri Ibn Hazm, and the Hadith scholar al-Khatib al-Baghdadi. In addition to drawing specific lessons from these classical thinkers’ writings, the article encourages contemporary Muslims to emulate their practice of reading widely, including works of Muslim philosophy and theology, and to appreciate the significant connection they made between the acquisition of knowledge and its application to daily life. Download
Reversing the flow of short-term missions within a partnership model: Perceptual outcomes:

Short-term missions provide opportunities for the formation of cross-cultural relationships and joint evangelistic endeavors. Scholars have challenged the typical unidirectional nature of short-ter...
Phosphomimetic Mutations Impact Huntingtin Aggregation in the Presence of a Variety of Lipid Systems

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the abnormal expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) tract in the first exon of the htt protein (htt). PolyQ expansion triggers the aggregation of htt into a variety of structures, including oligomers and fibrils. This aggregation is impacted by the first 17 N-terminal amino acids (Nt17) of htt that directly precedes the polyQ domain. Beyond impacting aggregation, Nt17 associates with lipid membranes by forming an amphipathic α-helix. Post-translational modifications within Nt17 are known to modify HD pathology, and in particular, phosphorylation at T3, S13, and/or S16 retards fibrillization and ameliorates the phenotype in HD models. Due to Nt17's propensity to interact with lipid membranes, the impact of introducing phosphomimetic mutations (T3D, S13D, and S16D) into htt-exon1 on aggregation in the presence of a variety of model lipid membranes (total brain lipid extract, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine, and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-1'-rac-glycerol) was investigated. Phosphomimetic mutations altered htt's interaction with and aggregation in the presence of lipids; however, this was dependent on the lipid system.
‘A Look of Doglike Devotion’: Hercule Poirot’s Stooges and Foils

Few detectives are as instantly recognisable as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, the self-described ‘greatest detective in the world’. Almost as recognisable, however, are his various companions—almost invariably English, and always appearing rather more ridiculous, if less eccentric, than the Belgian detective himself. Bernthal considers a variety of sidekicks presented in selected Poirot novels by Agatha Christie and Sophie Hannah. These characters, to greater or lesser extents, ‘played Watson to [Poirot’s] Sherlock’ (Christie 1926: 169), but with unique approaches, enabling the detective to show his superiority—and relevance—in evolving literary and social contexts.
Analytical and experimental study of the transient laminar natural convection flows in partially filled liquid containers.

Two-dimensional transient laminar natural convection heat transfer in partially filled liquid propellant tanks, solving vorticity and energy equations
Quinolones in Pediatrics

Quinolones are bactericidal and active against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens relevant to pediatric infections. These include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nosocomially acquired Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Widespread use of fluoroquinolones has resulted in emergence of resistance; therefore, it is important to give careful thought to the site of infection and pathogens in each patient. Use of fluoroquinolones in children should be strictly limited to the specific infections complicated by special conditions for which the benefit of these drugs is clear and for which no alternative safe and effective antibiotic therapy is available. Quinolones penetrate well into tissues, especially into infected tissues, and are accumulated within macrophages and the polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Photosensitivity occurs most often with agents containing a halogen substituent at the 8 position, such as lomefloxacin, clinafloxacin, and sparfloxacin. Experience with the use of quinolones in children has increased, particularly in children with cystic fibrosis who are given ciprofloxacin. Antibiotic therapy has been shown to be a major factor in improving survival in patients with cystic fibrosis. Gastrointestinal infections are a major health problem in infants and children worldwide, causing severe morbidity and mortality. Ciprofloxacin has been shown to be an effective agent in the treatment of osteomyelitis, especially when the pathogen is a gram-negative organism. In neonates, besides gram-negative organisms, pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, group B streptococci, and Mycoplasma hominis are also susceptible to gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, and clinafloxacin.
Formation and Dynamics of Waves in a Cortical Model of Cholinergic Modulation

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a regulator of neural excitability and one of the neurochemical substrates of sleep. Amongst the cellular effects induced by cholinergic modulation are a reduction in spike-frequency adaptation (SFA) and a shift in the phase response curve (PRC). We demonstrate in a biophysical model how changes in neural excitability and network structure interact to create three distinct functional regimes: localized asynchronous, traveling asynchronous, and traveling synchronous. Our results qualitatively match those observed experimentally. Cortical activity during slow wave sleep (SWS) differs from that during REM sleep or waking states. During SWS there are traveling patterns of activity in the cortex; in other states stationary patterns occur. Our model is a network composed of Hodgkin-Huxley type neurons with a M-current regulated by ACh. Regulation of ACh level can account for dynamical changes between functional regimes. Reduction of the magnitude of this current recreates the reduction in SFA the shift from a type 2 to a type 1 PRC observed in the presence of ACh. When SFA is minimal (in waking or REM sleep state, high ACh) patterns of activity are localized and easily pinned by network inhomogeneities. When SFA is present (decreasing ACh), traveling waves of activity naturally arise. A further decrease in ACh leads to a high degree of synchrony within traveling waves. We also show that the level of ACh determines how sensitive network activity is to synaptic heterogeneity. These regimes may have a profound functional significance as stationary patterns may play a role in the proper encoding of external input as memory and traveling waves could lead to synaptic regularization, giving unique insights into the role and significance of ACh in determining patterns of cortical activity and functional differences arising from the patterns.
African American Women's Perceptions of Their Own Weight Status Compared to Measured Weight Status

Previous research indicates that African American (AA) women may be more accepting of larger body sizes compared with women of other races. This study assessed whether AA women perceived their own ...
Bacterial deactivation in open-air by the afterglow plume emitted from a grounded hollow slot electrode

Summary form only given. Atmospheric pressure glow discharges provide a low temperature sterilization alternative that can deactivate bacteria, reduce harmful gas emissions and operate with high rates at reduced temperature. Our research focuses on operation in open-air that potentially makes the process inexpensive and operational in more practical conditions, than a sealed chamber. We employ a grounded hollow slot in this work, whose dimensions are: 7.62 cm long, 0.02 cm wide and 0.2 cm deep. Recessed behind the grounded slot is a powered electrode employing 13.56 MHz electrical drive. A mixture of argon and oxygen gases flows from the powered electrode through the grounded slots at a flow rate of 32 liters per minute creating a plasma afterglow plume, which extends 1-8 mm past the open slot and is 7 cm long. The afterglow plume is line shaped and is visible in open-air operation. The potential of the open-air slot reactor to deactivate bacterial growth in a practical environment with a device that is hand held are demonstrated experimentally.
Leah A. Lievrouw, Alternative and Activist New Media

Growing out of the shadows of the first financial catastrophe of the 21st century, the year 2011 was marked by energetic, resolute waves of social and political unrest. Sweeping across the globe from Morocco to Manhattan, communities came together to challenge authoritarian regimes, political and religious oppression, and extreme economic inequality. Indicating the seriousness of our times, these uprisings toppled governments and rekindled the radical imagination, forecasting the emergence of a new cycle of sociopolitical resistance. Many novel characteristics personify this upsurge of political struggle, from the horizontal general assemblies of Occupy Wall Street activists to the leadership of young people throughout North Africa and the Middle East. One of the most widely celebrated attributes of this contemporary groundswell of resistance, however, is the critical role of the Internet, social networks, and new forms of activist-produced media. This crystallized in Egypt when President Hosni Mubarak attempted to “shut off” the Internet, and once his regime had collapsed, commentators made rash claims that this was the world’s first “Twitter revolution.”
Interdisciplinary design projects in an engineering lab course: a student perspective

Western New England College has incorporated interdisciplinary design projects into the three-semester lab sequence. This paper presents the experience of participating in interdisciplinary design projects from a student perspective.
NILE/L1 and NCAM-polysialic acid expression on growing axons of isolated neurons.

The neuron adhesion molecules NILE/L1 and NCAM may be involved in axonal guidance and cell recognition. To investigate all exposed membrane domains of single neurons, something which has not previously been done for any adhesion molecule, we used digitally processed scanning electron microscopy with a high-energy backscatter electron detector. This allowed a quantitative analysis of immunogold staining densities on all surfaces of isolated rat hippocampal neurons in culture to study NILE/L1 and NCAM expression independent of potentially inductive innervation. During early stages of neuritic extension, all growth cones showed similar NILE/L1 expression, but as soon as a single process extended farther than the others (by 20 hours), this putative axon and its growth cone generally showed a stronger level of NILE/L1 immunogold labeling than the other neurites. This is the earliest evidence of plasma membrane differentiation between axons and dendrites. With further neuritic growth, the relative NILE/L1 expression on axons and their growth cones continued to increase. In contrast to some earlier reports, NILE/L1 was expressed on axonal growth cones growing on both polylysine-coated glass and astrocyte substrates. Strong immunostaining for NCAM-related polysialic acid (PSA) was found on axonal growth cones and filopodia, suggesting that the homophilic adhesive action of NCAM may be reduced during axonal growth. PSA showed greater labeling on distal axons than on other areas of the neuron, indicating a variable NCAM-mediated adhesion on different regions of the same cell. Neither NILE/L1, NCAM, nor PSA appeared to show regional differences in axons fasciculating or defasciculating on themselves. A strong intercellular heterogeneity of NILE/L1, NCAM, and PSA expression levels on neurons in the same culture dish was found, suggesting that subsets of cells from the hippocampus may express biologically relevant differences in adhesion molecules compared to neighboring neurons. In light of the growing body of evidence pointing to the multifaceted array of homophilic and heterophilic binding interactions that NILE/L1 and NCAM may exhibit, and the functional importance of molecular densities, the quantitative data here support the hypothesis that sufficient cellular and subcellular heterogeneity exists for these molecules to be involved in some aspects of axonal guidance. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Impairment of eyeblink classical conditioning in progressive supranuclear palsy.

In a previous study we showed that learning in eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC) is normal in Parkinson's disease (PD) and that the serial reaction time task (SRTT) is only marginally impaired. Since pathological lesions are more widespread in the atypical parkinsonian disorder of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) than in PD, we hypothesized that PSP patients may show more profound deficits in the EBCC and SRTT learning tasks. We therefore investigated EBCC with a delay and two trace paradigms, an SRTT and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) in eight patients with PSP and an age-matched control group. In all EBCC paradigms, we found a significant difference between groups with no significant learning in PSP patients. In the SRTT, implicit learning may have been impaired, but verbal and manual sequence recall were only marginally impaired. Verbal memory was significantly worse in PSP patients than in the control group. Our study shows a dissociated pattern of learning abilities in PSP, where the EBCC as a measure of implicit learning is impaired, the explicit sequence detection in the SRTT is relatively preserved, and the verbal memory impaired. We hypothesize that the PSP patients' deficits in EBCC learning may be due to lesions of deep cerebellar nuclei. There may be a clinical role for EBCC in distinguishing PD and PSP patients.
Calcium Intake and Hypertension

In the article "The 1982 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine" (19 Nov., p. 765), the last full sentence in column 2 on page 765 should have read, "In the 1930's, Raphael Kurzrok and Charles Leib at Columbia University discovered that human seminal plasma contracted uterine smooth muscle." In the first sentence of the last paragraph in column 1 on page 768, "Calloway" should have been "Kellaway."
Oct-trees and their use in representing three-dimensional objects

Abstract Many of the programming techniques used in solving two-dimensional problems can be extended to three dimensions. Here oct-trees are developed as a three-dimensional analog of quad-trees. Oct-trees can be used in geometric modeling and space planning. A fast algorithm is given for 90° rotation of oct-tree representations of objects. A space-efficient algorithm is given for translation in space. A PASCAL program for experimenting with oct-trees is described.
Preparing Graduate Students and Undergraduates for Interdisciplinary Research

Colleges and universities need to provide students with training and experience in (a) interdisciplinary research, (b) the fuzzy areas of responsible conduct of research, and (c) the mentor–mentee relationship. We developed workshops that combine the three content objectives— interdisciplinary research, responsible conduct of research, and mentor–mentee relationship, therefore promoting explicit reflection on how these topics relate. To provide students with the same framework for their subsequent research collaboration, we conducted the workshops in parallel for the graduate mentors and their undergraduate mentees. For each of the sessions in the workshop for the graduate mentors, the graduate students reported overall gains in their skill levels of 21%, 24%, and 23% for interdisciplinary research, responsible conduct of research, and mentoring skills, respectively. For each of the sessions in the undergraduate workshop, the undergraduates reported overall gains in their skill levels of 33%, 27%, and 31% for interdisciplinary research, responsible conduct of research, and mentee skills, respectively.
Stretch-induced membrane type matrix metalloproteinase and tissue plasminogen activator in cardiac fibroblast cells.

In the normal heart, cardiomyocytes are surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM) and latent matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are produced primarily by cardiac fibroblasts. An activator of latent MMPs might be induced by ischemic conditions or pressure-induced stretching. To test the hypothesis that an activator of latent MMP is induced in the ischemic heart during transformation of a compensatory hypertrophic response to a decompensatory failing response in cardiac fibroblast cells, we stretched the human cardiac fibroblasts at 25 cycles/min in serum-free or 5% serum culture condition. The membrane type (MT)-MMP activity in stretched cells was measured by zymography and immuno-blot analyses using MT-MMP-2 antibody. The MT-MMP activity was further characterized by transverse-urea gradient (TUG)-zymography. The results suggested that stretch induced a membrane MMP in the fibroblasts that was similar to the MT-MMP induced in ischemic heart. Furthermore, we observed that membrane MMP has distinct mobility in TUG-zymography. To localize the MT-MMP and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) of latent MMPs, the membrane and cytosol were separated by a method employing a detergent and sedimentation. The MT-MMP and tPA activities of cytosol and membrane fractions were measured by gelatin- and plasminogen-zymography, respectively. Differential-display mRNA analysis was performed on control and stretched cells. In situ immuno-labelling was performed to localize the MT-MMP. The results indicate that induction of MT-MMP occurred in the membrane fractions. The secretion of tPA was elevated in the stretched cells. The MT-MMP activity was inhibited by prior incubation with an antibody generated to membrane MMP. The tPA activity was inhibited by using tPA antibody. These results suggest that, under stretched conditions, neutral transmembrane matrix proteinases are induced in the cardiac fibroblasts. This may lead to activation of adverse ECM remodeling, cardiac dilatation, and failure. J. Cell. Physiol. 176:374–382, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hepatitis A vaccination coverage among adults aged 18-49 years in the United States.

Abstract Background Hepatitis A is the most common type of hepatitis reported in the United States. Prior to hepatitis A vaccine introduction in 1996, hepatitis A incidence followed a cyclic pattern with peak incidence occurring every 10–15 years. During 1980–1995, between 22,000 and 36,000 hepatitis A cases were reported annually. Since 1996, hepatitis A vaccination recommendations have included adults at risk for infection and children living in communities with the highest disease rates. This study provides the first national estimates of self-reported hepatitis A vaccination coverage among persons aged 18–49 years in the United States. Methods We analyzed the 2007 National Immunization Survey-Adult (NIS-Adult) data with restrictions to individuals aged 18–49 years. National estimates of hepatitis A vaccination coverage were calculated based on self-report and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with hepatitis A vaccination status. Results Among adults aged 18–49 years, 12.1% (95% confidence interval, CI = 9.9–14.8%) had received two or more doses of hepatitis A vaccine in 2007. Hepatitis A vaccination coverage was significantly higher among adults aged 18–29 years (15.6%) and adults aged 30–39 years (12.9%) compared with adults aged 40–49 years (8.3%). Coverage was significantly lower for Hispanics (7.1%) compared with non-Hispanic whites (12.5%). Characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of hepatitis A vaccination among persons aged 18–49 years included younger age groups, persons at or above poverty level, persons with public medical insurance, and persons who received influenza vaccination in the past season. Conclusions In 2007, self-reported hepatitis A vaccination coverage among adults aged 18–49 years was 12.1%. These data provide the first national hepatitis A vaccination coverage estimates among adults and are very important in planning and implementing strategies for increasing hepatitis A vaccination coverage among adults at risk for hepatitis A.
The quest for a biomarker of circulating osteoclast precursors

Osteoclast precursors arise from the CD14+ CD16- population in controls but details about cell surface marker expression and functional characteristics of these cells is unknown, particularly in patients with inflammatory arthritis. In a recent issue of Arthritis, Research and Therapy, Lari and colleagues found that osteoclasts developed from a proliferative CD14+ CD16- subset in healthy controls. These cells took on the morphology of osteoclasts, expressed mRNA for osteoclast-related genes and excavated pits on bone wafers. These findings provide new insights into monocyte diversity and provide evidence that osteoclast precursors arise from a small proliferating monocyte population in controls. Additional studies are needed in patients with inflammatory arthritis
Measures of postural stability are not predictors of recovery from large postural disturbances in healthy older adults

OBJECTIVES: To determine, in healthy older adults, the relationship between postural steadiness, stability limits, and the ability to recover balance from three postural disturbances requiring anteriorly directed stepping responses. DESIGN: Analysis of multiple motor tasks in a cross-sectional sample of healthy older adults. SETTING: A biomechanics research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty women and 29 men aged 65 or older, all healthy, living in the community, participated in this study. Subjects were examined by a geriatrician to identify the presence of exclusionary factors. MEASUREMENTS: Anterior-posterior and medial-lateral excursion distances of the center of pressure during quiet standing (postural steadiness), static leaning (static stability limits), and dynamic swaying (dynamic stability limits) were determined from ground reaction forces measured by a strain gauge forceplate. Within the same group of subjects, the maximum angle of forward lean from which a subject could recover with a single step, the ability to recover balance in response to an accelerated support surface, and the ability to recover balance after being tripped were determined. RESULTS: Recovery from the three types of postural disturbances were found to be statistically independent. The postural steadiness and the stability limit variables were only weakly correlated. Postural steadiness and stability limits were not related to the maximum recoverable angle of lean. The average medial-lateral center of pressure speed during the postural steadiness test was significantly slower for those who failed to recover after tripping than for the subjects who recovered successfully. However, a logistic regression model failed to achieve statistical significance, suggesting that the difference may not be functionally important. The anterior-posterior static stability limits were significantly larger for subjects who recovered successfully than for those who failed to recover during the accelerated support surface test. Although logistic regression suggested that a reduced anterior-posterior stability limit represents a risk factor for failure to recover during this task, only nine of 28 failures could be properly classified, thus diminishing the functional importance of this finding. CONCLUSIONS: Because recovery following postural disturbances could not generally be predicted from measures of postural stability, these findings suggest that these measures of postural stability are of limited utility in identifying potential anteriorly directed fallers in healthy older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 48: 42–50, 2000.
Optical properties of Cd 0.9 Zn 0.1 Te studied by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry between 0.75 and 6.24 eV

Optical properties of Cd0.9Zn0.1Te (CZT) were studied by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). Measurements made by VASE were performed on CZT and CdTe samples in air at room temperature at multiple angles of incidence. A parametric function model was employed in the VASE analysis to determine the dielectric functions ɛ=ɛ1+iɛ2 in the range of 0.75 to 6.24 eV. A two-oscillator analytical model was used to describe the dielectric response of native oxides on CZT. Surface oxide optical properties and thickness on CZT were also determined in conjunction with the VASE measurement and analysis of a CdTe sample. Two samples of CZT of different oxide thicknesses were measured and their optical constants were coupled together in a multiple-sample, multiple-model VASE analysis to resolve correlations between fitting parameters. Effective medium approximation was used to describe the optical properties of the CZT oxide with roughness. A Kramers-Kronig self-consistency check of the real and imaginary parts of the Cd0.9Zn0.1Te dielectric functions was performed over the energy range 0.75 to 6.24 eV. A five-Lorentz-oscillator model was employed to describe the dielectric response of CZT in the range of 1.6 to 6.24 eV. Intensity transmission measurements were made on the Cd0.9Zn0.1Te and CdTe, showing the absorption energy band edges of ∼1.58 and 1.46 eV, respectively.
Nucleation of Protein Crystals: Critical Nuclei, Phase Behavior, and Control Pathways

Abstract We have studied the nucleation of crystals of the model protein lysozyme using a novel technique that allows direct determinations of homogeneous nucleation rates. At constant temperature of 12.6°C we varied the thermodynamic supersaturation by changing the concentrations of protein and precipitant. We found a broken dependence of the homogeneous nucleation rate on supersaturation that is beyond the predictions of the classical nucleation theory. The nucleation theorem allows us to relate this to discrete changes of the size of the crystal nuclei with increasing supersaturation as (10 or 11)→(4 or 5)→(1 or 2). Furthermore, we observe that the existence of a second liquid phase at high protein concentrations strongly affects crystal nucleation kinetics. We show that the rate of homogeneous nucleation of lysozyme crystals passes through a maximum in the vicinity of the liquid–liquid phase boundary hidden below the liquidus (solubility) line in the phase diagram of the protein solution. We found that glycerol and polyethylene glycol (PEG), which do not specifically bind to proteins, shift this phase boundary and significantly suppress or enhance the crystal nucleation rates, although no simple correlation exists between the action of PEG on the phase diagram and the nucleation kinetics. This provides for a control mechanism which does not require changes in the protein concentration, or the acidity and ionicity of the solution. The effects of the two additives on the phase diagram strongly depend on their concentration and this provides opportunities for further tuning of nucleation rates.
Systemic transport of RNA in plants.

V.C. thanks Drs Yoon Rhee and Tzvi Tzfira for stimulating discussions and helpful comments. The work in our laboratories is supported by grants from National Insti-tutes of Health (GM50224 to V.C. and GM45224 to P.C.Z.), US Dept of Agriculture (94-02564), National Science Foundation (DBI-9975715) and US–Israel Binational Research and Development Fund (BARD) (US-2247-93) to V.C.
Immunological mechanisms for desensitization and tolerance in food allergy

Food allergy is a major public health concern in westernized countries, estimated to affect 5 % of children and 3–4 % of adults. Allergen-specific immunotherapy for food allergy is currently being actively evaluated, but is still experimental. The optimal protocol, in terms of the route of administration of the food, target maintenance dose, and duration of maintenance therapy, and the optimal patient for these procedures are still being worked out. The mechanisms underlying successful food desensitization are also unclear, in part, because there is no standard immunotherapy protocol. The mechanisms involved, however, may include mast cell and basophil suppression, development of food-specific IgG4 antibodies, reduction in the food-specific IgE/IgG4 ratio, up-regulation and expansion of natural or inducible regulatory T cells, a skewing from a Th2 to a Th1 profile, and the development of anergy and/or deletion in antigen-specific cells. Additional studies are required to elucidate and understand these mechanisms by which desensitization and tolerance are achieved, which may reveal valuable biomarkers for evaluating and following food allergic patients on immunotherapy.
Rapid screening for the posterior fat pad sign in suspected pediatric elbow fractures using point-of-care ultrasound: a “FAST exam” for the traumatized elbow

Children with elbow injuries frequently present to the emergency department for evaluation. Fractures of the elbow are sometimes not visualized on plain radiographs and the only sign of an occult fracture is an elevated posterior fat pad that normally sits within the olecranon fossa. The elevated posterior fat pad sign is highly sensitive and its absence likely rules out fractures of the elbow and can be readily visualized by ultrasound. Lipohemarthrosis within an elevated fat pad can also be visualized by ultrasound, but not by X-ray. This finding with an elevated posterior fat pat adds additional specificity to rule in elbow fractures. We report the use of point-of-care ultrasound to rapidly screen for the presence of the posterior fat pad sign and lipohemarthrosis in a series of children presenting with elbow injuries to the emergency department. Point-of-care ultrasound identified elevated and normal posterior fat pads that correlated with X-ray. Lipohemarthrosis within an elevated fat pad was also detectable by ultrasonography. Knowledge of whether a posterior fat pad is elevated or not and noting the presence of lipohemarthrosis by using point-of-care ultrasound may be helpful to expedite diagnosis and treatment of these patients, especially in settings with no access to plain radiography.
Impact of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) on subjective and objective GERD indices: a systematic review of the published literature

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a significant problem for the medical community. Many endoluminal treatments for GERD have been developed with little success. Currently, transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) attempts to recreate a surgical fundoplication through placement of full-thickness polypropylene H-fasteners. This, the most recent procedure to gain FDA approval, has shown some promise in the early data. However, questions of its safety profile, efficacy, and durability remain. The Cochrane Library and MEDLINE through PubMed were searched to identify published studies reporting on subjective and objective GERD indices after TIF. The search was limited to human studies published in English from 2006 up to March 2012. Data collected included GERD-HRQL and RSI scores, PPI discontinuation and patient satisfaction rates, pH study metrics, complications, and treatment failures. Statistical analysis was performed with weighted t tests. Titles and abstracts of 214 papers were initially reviewed. Fifteen studies were found to be eligible, reporting on over 550 procedures. Both GERD-HRQL scores (21.9 vs. 5.9, p < 0.0001) and RSI scores (24.5 vs. 5.4, p ≤ 0.0001) were significantly reduced after TIF. Overall patient satisfaction was 72 %. The overall rate of PPI discontinuation was 67 % across all studies, with a mean follow-up of 8.3 months. pH metrics were not consistently normalized. The major complication rate was 3.2 % and the failure rate was 7.2 % across all studies. TIF appears to provide symptomatic relief with reasonable levels of patient satisfaction at short-term follow-up. A well-designed prospective clinical trial is needed to assess the effectiveness and durability of TIF as well as to identify the patient population that will benefit from this procedure.
Optimal Use of Information for Measuring Mt in Lepton+jets tt̄ Events

The observation of the top (t) quark served as one of the major confirmations of the validity of the standard model (SM) of particle interactions [1, 2]. Through radiative corrections of the SM, the mass of the top quark, along with that of the W boson [3], provide the best indication for the value of the mass of the hypothesized Higgs boson [4]. The mass of the W is known to a precision of < 0.1%, while the uncertainty on the mass of the top quark is at the 4% level [3]. Improvements in both measurements are required to limit the range of mass that the Higgs boson can assume in the SM, and, of course, to check whether that agrees with expectation. It is therefore important to develop techniques for extracting the mass of the top quark that can provide the sharpest values possible.
Deflections of uniformly loaded circular plates with combinations of clamped, simply supported and free boundary conditions

Abstract This investigation concerns the small-deflection, static bending of a uniformly loaded, circular plate in which the boundary conditions are not constant along the entire edge. The first problem considered is that of a plate which is simply supported along certain parts of its edge and clamped on the remainder. This is followed by investigations of plates with simply supported-free and clamped-free combinations of edge boundary conditions. Numerical results are presented in the form of graphs and tables.
Threshold phenomena in ultracold atom–molecule collisions

Abstract Vibrational relaxation cross sections for an atom–molecule collision are calculated by explicit numerical solution of the coupled equations of scattering theory and shown to follow an inverse velocity dependence at very low initial kinetic energies of the incident atom, in accordance with Wigner's threshold law. Rate constants for H+H 2 ( v , j =0)→H+H 2 ( v ′ v , j =0) are calculated for all the vibrational levels of H 2 and found to vary by seven orders of magnitude between the deepest level v =0 and the vibrational level v =12.
Oxidative activation and inactivation of the carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene by various purified cytochromes P-450 from 3-methylcholanthrene pretreated rats

Ring- and N-hydroxylations of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) have been examined in a reconstituted system with 4 purified hepatic microsomal cytochromes P-450 isolated from 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-pretreated rats. Among these 4 isozymes, P-450D showed the most activity whereas P-450C was devoid of any activity; two other P-450s exhibited moderate activity. These and Ouchterlony's double diffusion analyses suggest involvement of multiple cytochromes P-450 in AAF oxidations.
Optically resolving individual microtubules in live axons.

Microtubules are essential cytoskeletal tracks for cargo transportation in axons and also serve as the primary structural scaffold of neurons. Structural assembly, stability, and dynamics of axonal microtubules are of great interest for understanding neuronal functions and pathologies. However, microtubules are so densely packed in axons that their separations are well below the diffraction limit of light, which precludes using optical microscopy for live-cell studies. Here, we present a single-molecule imaging method capable of resolving individual microtubules in live axons. In our method, unlabeled microtubules are revealed by following individual axonal cargos that travel along them. We resolved more than six microtubules in a 1 μm diameter axon by real-time tracking of endosomes containing quantum dots. Our live-cell study also provided direct evidence that endosomes switch between microtubules while traveling along axons, which has been proposed to be the primary means for axonal cargos to effectively navigate through the crowded axoplasmic environment.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants: Findings From a Retrospective Medical Record Review ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains one of the major unsolved problems in neonatal care. Characterized by ischemic necrosis of the preterm bowel, this devastating disease has emerged as the most common neonatal gastrointestinal emergency in many countries of the world. NEC affects as many as 5% of all infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and results in as many as 3000 deaths per year (Semin Neonatol. 2003;8:449). Intestinal barrier immaturity common to the physiology of the premature infant's gastrointestinal system is thought to be responsible for the development of NEC (Pathophysiology. 1999;5:247). The purpose of the study reported herein was to identify significant differences in the biodemographic factors and clinical characteristics of preterm infants who developed NEC from those who did not develop NEC. The findings provide a clinical profile of the preterm infant at greatest risk for NEC. Neonatal nurses aware of this clinical profile will be able to identify which infants are at greatest risk of developing NEC and tailor care for the most vulnerable infants such that NEC might be prevented.
MOPED: A scalable and low latency object recognition and pose estimation system

The latency of a perception system is crucial for a robot performing interactive tasks in dynamic human environments. We present MOPED, a fast and scalable perception system for object recognition and pose estimation. MOPED builds on POSESEQ, a state of the art object recognition algorithm, demonstrating a massive improvement in scalability and latency without sacrificing robustness. We achieve this with both algorithmic and architecture improvements, with a novel feature matching algorithm, a hybrid GPU/CPU architecture that exploits parallelism at all levels, and an optimized resource scheduler. Using the same standard hardware, we achieve up to 30x improvement on real-world scenes.