cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytochemical localization of peroxidatic activity of catalase in rat hepatic microbodies (peroxisomes).

Prominent staining of rat hepatic microbodies was obtained by incubating sections of aldehyde-fixed rat liver in a modified Graham and Karnovsky's medium for ultrastructural demonstration of peroxidase activity. The electron-opaque reaction product was deposited uniformly over the matrix of the microbodies. The microbodies were identified by their size, shape, presence of tubular nucleoids, and other morphologic characteristics, and by their relative numerical counts. The staining reaction was inhibited by the catalase inhibitor, aminotriazole, and by KCN, azide, high concentrations of H2O2, and by boiling of sections. These inhibition studies suggest that the peroxidatic activity of microbody catalase is responsible for the staining reaction. In the absence of exogenous H2O2 appreciable staining of microbodies was noted only after prolonged incubation. Addition of sodium pyruvate, which inhibits endogenous generation of H2O2 by tissue oxidases, or of crystalline catalase, which decomposes such tissue-generated H2O2, completely abolished microbody staining in the absence of H2O2. Neither diaminobenzidine nor the product of its oxidation had any affinity to bind nonenzymatically to microbody catalase and thus stain these organelles. The staining of microbodies was optimal at alkaline pH of 8.5. The biological significance of this alkaline pH in relation to the similar pH optima of several microbody oxidases is discussed. In addition to staining of microbodies, a heat-resistant peroxidase activity is seen in some of the peribiliary dense bodies. The relation of this reaction to the peroxidase activity of lipofuscin pigment granules is discussed.
WSN08-5: On the Relation Between Capacity and Number of Sinks in an Sensor Network

Surveillance data generated by the nodes of a wireless ad-hoc (multihop) sensor network is aggregated at local sinks and forwarded to a central node. The number of sensor nodes that the sinks can support determines a "capacity" of the network. The number of surveillance data flows (each emanating from a sensor node) that a node can relay is limited by a variety of factors such as channel conditions (including interference, attenuation, fading and ambient noise) and internal hardware and energy resources of the node. Assuming that the one-hop neighbors of a sink form the most significant communication relaying bottleneck, we analytically determine the fraction of sensor nodes that are unable to connect to their sink, i.e., the outage probability. This expression is numerically evaluated and its accuracy is assessed and reported in a preliminary simulation study.
Effect of Acute and Chronic Tea Consumption on Platelet Aggregation in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Epidemiological studies suggest that tea consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular events, but the mechanisms of benefit remain undefined. Platelet aggregation is a precipitating event in cardiovascular disease, and tea contains antioxidant flavonoids that are known to decrease platelet aggregation in vitro. To test the effect of tea consumption on platelet aggregation, we randomized 49 patients with coronary artery disease to either 450 mL of black tea or water consumed initially, followed by 900 mL of tea or water daily for 4 weeks in a crossover design. Ex vivo platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma was assessed in response to ADP and thrombin receptor-activating peptide at baseline and 2 hours and 4 weeks after beverage consumption. We observed dose-dependent platelet aggregation in response to each agonist, and neither relation was altered by acute or chronic tea consumption. Plasma flavonoids increased with acute and chronic tea consumption, indicating adequate absorption of tea flavonoids. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that acute and chronic black tea consumption does not affect ex vivo platelet aggregation in patients with coronary artery disease. These findings suggest that an effect of tea flavonoids on platelet aggregation is unlikely to be the explanation for the reduction in risk of cardiovascular events noted in epidemiological studies.
Gesture Paves the Way for Language Development

In development, children often use gesture to communicate before they use words. The question is whether these gestures merely precede language development or are fundamentally tied to it. We examined 10 children making the transition from single words to two-word combinations and found that gesture had a tight relation to the children's lexical and syntactic development. First, a great many of the lexical items that each child produced initially in gesture later moved to that child's verbal lexicon. Second, children who were first to produce gesture-plus-word combinations conveying two elements in a proposition (point at bird and say “nap”) were also first to produce two-word combinations (“bird nap”). Changes in gesture thus not only predate but also predict changes in language, suggesting that early gesture may be paving the way for future developments in language.
Mediastinal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

An epithelioid hemangioendothelioma arising from the innominate vein in the anterior superior mediastinum of a 62-year-old man was treated by wide local excision followed by radiotherapy. This clinicopathologic entity is a rare cause of mediastinal mass and is characterized by an intermediate malignant potential. To our knowledge, very few cases have been reported in the mediastinum; those cases are listed in this report. Gross and microscopic distinguishing features of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, as well as differential diagnosis, are reviewed from the literature. Finally, clinical behavior is discussed and treatment options are suggested.
Visual context due to speech-reading suppresses the auditory response to acoustic interruptions in speech

Speech reading enhances auditory perception in noise. One means by which this perceptual facilitation comes about is through information from visual networks reinforcing the encoding of the congruent speech signal by ignoring interfering acoustic signals. We tested this hypothesis neurophysiologically by acquiring EEG while individuals listened to words with a fixed portion of each word replaced by white noise. Congruent (meaningful) or incongruent (reversed frames) mouth movements accompanied the words. Individuals judged whether they heard the words as continuous (illusion) or interrupted (illusion failure) through the noise. We hypothesized that congruent, as opposed to incongruent, mouth movements should further enhance illusory perception by suppressing the auditory cortex’s response to interruption onsets and offsets. Indeed, we found that the N1 auditory evoked potential (AEP) to noise onsets and offsets was reduced when individuals experienced the illusion during congruent, but not incongruent, audiovisual streams. This N1 inhibitory effect was most prominent at noise offsets, suggesting that visual influences on auditory perception are instigated to a greater extent during noisy periods. These findings suggest that visual context due to speech-reading disengages (inhibits) neural processes associated with interfering sounds (e.g., noisy interruptions) during speech perception.
Detection of circulating melanoma cells in human blood using photoacoustic flowmetry

Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC's) in human blood and lymph systems has the potential to aid clinical decision making in the treatment of cancer. The presence of CTC's may signify the onset of metastasis, indicate relapse, or may be used to monitor disease progression. A photoacoustic flowmetry system was designed and tested for detecting circulating melanoma cells (CMC's) by exploiting the broadband absorption spectrum of melanin within CMC's. The device was tested on cultured melanoma cells in saline suspension and in a Stage IV melanoma patient. The device showed a detection threshold of a single melanotic melanoma cell from culture. Transient photoacoustic events were detected in a sample derived from a Stage IV melanoma patient that corresponded to particles passing through the laser beam path, indicating the presence of single melanoma cells in the human circulatory system.
Form and function remixed: developmental physiology in the evolution of vertebrate body plans

The most widely accepted model of evolutionary change, the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis, is based on the gradualism of Darwin and Wallace. They, in turn, developed their ideas in the context of 19th century concepts of how matter, including the tissues of animals and plants, could be reshaped and repatterned. A new physics of condensed, chemically, electrically and mechanically excitable materials formulated in the 20th century was, however, readily taken up by physiologists, who applied it to the understanding of dynamical, external condition-dependent and homeostatic properties of individual organisms. Nerve conduction, vascular and airway dynamics, and propagation of electrical excitations in heart and brain tissue all benefited from theories of biochemical oscillation, fluid dynamics, reaction–diffusion-based pattern instability and allied dissipative processes. When, in the late 20th century, the development of body and organ form was increasingly seen to involve dynamical, frequently non-linear processes similar to those that had become standard in physiology, a strong challenge to the evolutionary synthesis emerged. In particular, large-scale changes in organismal form now had a scientific basis other than gradualistic natural selection based on adaptive advantage. Moreover, heritable morphological changes were seen to be capable of occurring abruptly with little or no genetic change, with involvement of the external environment, and in preferred directions. This paper discusses three examples of morphological motifs of vertebrate bodies and organs, the somites, the skeletons of the paired limbs, and musculoskeletal novelties distinctive to birds, for which evolutionary origination and transformation can be understood on the basis of the physiological and biophysical determinants of their development.
Small molecular therapies for rheumatoid arthritis: where do we stand?

Introduction: Early aggressive treatment and utilization of targeted biological therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has dramatically improved patient outcomes. Even with this approach up to 50% of patients fail to achieve a significant clinical response and these therapies require subcutaneous injection or intravenous administration and are costly. Development of small molecules that can be administered orally has progressed and several are under investigation as potential treatments for RA. This manuscript will update the status of the small molecules under development. Areas covered: This review summarizes the newer molecular protein kinase targets involved in signal transduction of inflammatory mediators and the development of inhibitors to these kinases. Additionally, the results of clinical trials evaluating these therapies will be reviewed. Expert opinion: Based on the results of randomized clinical trials there is significant likelihood that a small molecular therapy to kinases involved in proi...
Superior Sulcus Tumors: A Mini-Review

The management and outcome for superior sulcus tumors have remained unchanged for 40 years. The rarity of these tumors has led to varying treatment techniques spanning decades, from which no solid conclusions can be drawn. Recent advances in combined-modality therapy have offered the first inkling that a paradigm shift is on the horizon. Here, we review the history and new advances in treating this challenging pulmonary neoplasm.
Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus adherence to collagen under dynamic conditions

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common etiological agent of bacterial arthritis and acute osteomyelitis and has been shown to bind to type II collagen under static and dynamic conditions. We have previously reported the effect of shear on the adhesion of S. aureus Phillips to collagen and found that this process is shear dependent (Z. Li, M. Hook, J. M. Patti, and J. M. Ross, Ann. Biomed. Eng. 24[Suppl. 1]:S–55). In this study, we used recombinant collagen adhesin fragments as well as polyclonal antibodies generated against adhesin fragments in attempts to inhibit bacterial adhesion. A parallel-plate flow chamber was used in a dynamic adhesion assay, and quantification of adhesion was accomplished by phase contrast video microscopy coupled with digital image processing. We report that both recombinant fragments studied, M19 and M55, and both polyclonal antibodies studied, α-M17 and α-M55, inhibit adhesion to varying degrees and that these processes are shear dependent. The M55 peptide and α-M55 cause much higher levels of inhibition than M19 and α-M17, respectively, at all wall shear rates studied. Our results demonstrate the importance of using a dynamic system in the assessment of inhibitory strategies and suggest the possible use of M55 and α-M55 in clinical applications to prevent infections caused by S. aureus adhesion to collagen.
A compact square waveform 15 kJ generator: 15 ns risetime, 7.5 /spl Omega/ load impedance and 100-500 ns pulse width

This paper describes a compact six stage-Marx generator intended to provide the power conditioning for advanced radio frequency (RF) and high-power microwave sources, The generator specifications, which made this system unique, called for relatively high output pulses of energy of 15 kJ across the load impedance of 7.5 /spl Omega/. The charging voltage is organized to vary from 25 to 100 kV. With the matching (dummy) load of 7.5 /spl Omega/ used, the maximum output voltage should be 300 kV, the maximum output current 40 kA and the peak power 12 GW. Without application of the crowbar switch, the pulse width is 0.82 /spl mu/s. A 10 to 90% rise time of about 20 ns was obtained by recording the voltage across the load with a resistive voltage divider probe. When the pulse is observed with a capacitive probe, the rise time falls closer to the value of 10 ns. Three examples of the application of the system to achieve a powerful RF source are given.
Anthocyanin Pigment Composition of Red Radish Cultivars as Potential Food Colorants

Red radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cultivars were evaluated with respect to qualitative and quantitative anthocyanin (ACN) pigment content. Radishes were grown at 2 locations (Corvallis and Hermiston, OR) and harvested at 2 maturity stages. Pigment content was dependant on cultivar, root weight and location, higher amounts being obtained at Hermiston. Spring cultivars (n=22) had pigmentation in the skin, ranging from 39.3 to 185 mg ACN/100g skin. Red-fleshed Winter cultivars (n=5) had pigment content ranging from 12.2 to 53 mg ACN/100g root. ACN profiles were similar for different cultivars, the major pigments being pelar gonidin-3-sophoroside-5-glucoside, mono- or di-acylated with cinnamic and malonic acids; individual proportions varied among cultivars. Estimated pigment yields ranged from 1.3 to 14 kg/ha.
Pulmonary Function and Sputum Production in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis: A Pilot Study Comparing the PercussiveTech HF Device and Standard Chest Physiotherapy

Study objective To compare the PercussiveTech HF (PTHF) device (Vortran Medical Technology 1; Sacramento, CA) to standard manual chest physiotherapy (CPT) with respect to acute changes in pulmonary function, sputum production, and pulse oximetry in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Design Randomized crossover. Setting University-affiliated, community-based CF center. Participants Ten clinically stable patients with CF (age range, 10 to 21 years; mean age, 15.3 years) with Shwachman scores from 55 to 95 (mean 75). Interventions Two treatment regimens were used: 2.5 mg of albuterol delivered via updraft nebulizer followed by standard CPT, and 2.5 mg of albuterol delivered via the PTHF device without CPT. Results Outcome measures included pulmonary function test (PFT) results 4 h after treatment and quantitative sputum production during the 4 h after treatment. Pulse oximetry was performed during treatment. A patient satisfaction questionnaire was administered at the end of the study. No PFT parameters were significantly changed 4 h after CPT or PTHF, although there was a trend to decreasing residual volume after both treatments. There was a trend for more sputum production after PTHF compared to CPT, but this did not reach statistical significance. There were no episodes of hemoglobin-oxygen desaturation during or after either treatment. One patient had minor hemoptysis after CPT. No adverse effects occurred after PTHF. Eight patients found the PTHF device easy to use, and six patients would prefer the PTHF device to CPT. Conclusions The PTHF device appears to be a safe and effective method of airway clearance in CF patients in this small pilot study.
Pyomyositis Due to Anabolic Steroid Injection

e69 there was no crepitus or fluctuance (Figure 1). Laboratory studies found an elevated white blood cell count of 19,000/mm with 86% neutrophils. A computed tomographic (CT) scan of the right thigh revealed a loculated collection involving the vastus lateralis muscle from just below the lesser trochanter to above the knee (17 cm length by 9 cm transverse by 6.5 cm anterior-posterior), with fluid and inflammatory changes of the rectus femoris and tensor fascia lata and overlying subcutaneous edema
Differential expression of protein tyrosine kinase genes during microglial activation

Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity is abundant in microglia, but the PTKs that participate in their activation have not been identified. For these studies, we used three paradigms to characterize PTK expression during microglial activation: resting and activated microglia were bulk fractionated from the adult brain, cultured newborn microglia were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to model the transition from activated toward phagocytic microglia, and PTK expression was examined in activated microglia in situ after facial nerve axotomy. Two PCR-based strategies were used to show that 21 different PTK genes are expressed by rat brain microglia: 5 receptor PTKs, 10 nonreceptor PTKs, and 6 members of the src family. Seven of the 21 PTKs were examined in greater detail. Five PTK mRNAs (fgr, hck, fak, jak-2, and flk-1) increased expression across all three models of activation. We conclude that they represent key components in the cascades that participate in microglial activation. In contrast, expression of fes and fms correlated with stimuli that affect microglial proliferation. Four of the PTKs (hck, fgr, fes, and fms) are believed to be myeloid cell specific and were not expressed by cultured astrocytes. HCK and FAK protein were also not expressed in lysates of immature astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Because of their putative specificity, these kinases represent potential targets for inhibitors of microglial activation. Because reactive microglia can exacerbate the severity of neurological diseases, the identification of specific kinases that participate in microglial activation represents an important advance toward the development of new therapeutics.
A coding technique for spectral shaping ultra-wideband pulse position modulated signals

A spectral shaping coding technique, based on look-ahead block inversion, is applied to ultra-wideband pulse-position modulated signals for the purpose of interference mitigation. Implementation complexity is reduced through the use of the Viterbi algorithm, and some simulation results are shown. Lastly, the effect of timing jitter on the spectrum is discussed.
Rear-Flank Outflow Dynamics and Thermodynamics in the 10 June 2010 Last Chance, Colorado, Supercell

AbstractOn 10 June 2010, the second Verification of the Origins of Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX2) armada observed a supercell thunderstorm near Last Chance, Colorado. Tempest unmanned aircraft system (UAS) data collected in the rear-flank outflow revealed what appeared to be an elevated outflow head, turbulent wake, and a cold rear-flank internal surge (RFIS). Surface thermodynamic and kinematic data collected by the StickNet and mobile mesonet indicated that the outflow wake may have extended to or very near the surface, perhaps modifying or outright replacing the leading edge of the outflow at times. Single-Doppler data collected by the NOAA X-Pol Mobile Polarimetric Doppler Radar (NOXP) were supportive of the possibility of a downdraft in the outflow wake associated with low-level divergence. A conceptual model of the hypothesized rear-flank outflow structure in the nontornadic phase of the Last Chance supercell is presented. The observed turbulent wake is consistent with mixing associated with the rel...
From Wandering to Wat: Creating a Thai Temple and Inventing New Space in the United States

Buddhism is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States. The estimated number of Americans who practice Buddhism ranges from 2.5 to 4 million and the number is rising. Hundreds of Theravada Buddhist wats [temples] have been built by immigrants and refugees from mainland Southeast Asia since the late 1960s. Often, old churches or residences have been converted into temples to meet immediate needs for space to practice Buddhism collectively. Because the task is so demanding, requiring local and international connections, political clout, as well as substantial economic power, few temples have been constructed in the distinctive Buddhist architectural style. More important, tension—between different cultural logics in terms of conceptualizing space and clashes between sacred and secular space—make it a much more complicated process to build a temple in a predominantly Christian society such as the United States than in Buddhist societies such as Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand. We know little about...
Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase Activity in the Dark Southern Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Microsomal oxidases were characterized using surrogate substrates in the economically important dark southern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks). Aldrin epoxidase activity required NADPH and was inhibited by carbon monoxide and piperonyl butoxide (I 50 = 4.72 ± 0.31 X 10 -6 M), indicating that the enzyme(s) involved was a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase. Aldrin epoxidase activity was highest at 22°C and pH 7.2. Also, the activity was linear up to 0.5 mg of protein per incubate and increased with reaction time up to 15 min. Although neither substrate nor cofactor was found to be a limiting factor, aldrin epoxidase activity failed to produce a linear response with respect to time at temperatures >22°C, indicating enzyme inhibition. Although increased incubation temperature >22°C resulted in decreased aldrin epoxidase activity, similar heat treatments did not result in a concomitant increase in cytochrome P420. Significant variation (2.7-fold) in aldrin epoxidase activity was observed among 4 R. virginicus colonies collected from different locations in Florida. Additionally, cytochrome P450 and b 5 content, cytochrome c reductase, and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase activities were measured in R. virginicus.
Molecular mutation profile of pfcrt in Plasmodium falciparum isolates imported from Africa in Henan province.

Background Anti-malarial drug resistance is a primary public health problem. Haplotypes of pfcrt gene have been implicated to be molecular markers of chloroquine (CQ) resistance. This study aims to explore the prevalence of polymorphisms in pfcrt in Plasmodium falciparum-infected patients imported from Africa in Henan province.
Moving to opportunity and mental health: Exploring the spatial context of neighborhood effects

Studies of housing mobility and neighborhood effects on health often treat neighborhoods as if they were isolated islands. This paper argues that conceptualizing neighborhoods as part of the wider spatial context within which they are embedded may be key in advancing our understanding of the role of local context in the life of urban dwellers. Analyses are based on mental health and neighborhood context measurements taken on over 3000 low-income families who participated in the Moving to Opportunity for Fair Housing Demonstration Program (MTO), a large field experiment in five major U.S. cities. Results from analyses of two survey waves combined with Census data at different geographic scales indicate that assignment to MTO's experimental condition of neighborhood poverty <10% significantly decreased average exposure to immediate and surrounding neighborhood disadvantage by 97% and 59% of a standard deviation, respectively, relative to the control group. Escaping concentrated disadvantage in either the immediate neighborhood or the surrounding neighborhood, but not both, was insufficient to make a difference for mental health. Instead, the results suggest that improving both the immediate and surrounding neighborhoods significantly benefits mental health. Compared to remaining in concentrated disadvantage in the immediate and surrounding neighborhoods, escaping concentrated disadvantage in both the immediate and surrounding neighborhoods (on average over the study duration) as a result of the intervention predicts an increase of 25% of a standard deviation in the composite mental health scores.
Toward a more comprehensive approach to protecting human subjects: the interface of data safety monitoring boards and institutional review boards in randomized clinical trials.

subjects research; they continue to be the mainstay of human subjects protections in the United States.3 These regulations were promulgated when clinical research typically involved single investigators working in single institutions on relatively small-scale studies. In the past thirty years, however, research design has become far more complex, increasingly using newer methods such as the randomized
Changes in the sinus beat following extrasystole as evidenced by the Holter ECG

In order to establish the nature and extent of alterations of a sinus beat following a ventricular extrasystole (VES), all two-channel Holter ECGs from 1984-86 were analyzed retrospectively. All passages suspicious for T wave alterations in the miniaturized ECG were written with 25 mm/sec paper speed and the sinus beats before and after a VES were compared (without interposed VES and ventricular tachycardia). In 57 men and 43 women, 100 ECGs were found with monomorphic (25%) or polymorphic (75%) VES. On the basis of clinical, noninvasive diagnostic procedures, 65 patients had cardiovascular disease. In 42 patients from all those investigated, alterations of the T wave of the postextrasystolic sinus beat were seen. These took the form of flattening in 62%, a rise in 26% and inversion of the T wave in 12% (chiefly on channel 2). While the ST segment and the U wave were always unaltered, a shortening of PQ was observed in 40%. These alterations in the T wave and the PQ time do not allow a distinction between persons with and without cardiovascular disease.
Phase Equilibrium of Mg-Nd-Zn System near Mg-Nd Side at 400°C

The equilibrium alloys closed to Mg-Nd side in the Mg-rich corner of the Mg-Zn-Nd system at 400°C have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction. The binary solid solutions Mg12Nd and Mg3Nd with the solubility of Zn have been identified. The maximum solubility of Zn in Mg12Nd is 4.8at%, and Mg12Nd phase can be in equilibrium with Mg solid solution. However, only when the solubility range of Zn in 26at%~32.2at%, Mg3Nd can be in two-phase equilibrium with Mg solid solution. As the results, two two-phase regions as Mg+Mg12Nd and Mg+Mg3Nd and a three-phase region as Mg+Mg12Nd+Mg3Nd in Mg-Nd-Zn ternary isothermal section at 400°C have been identified.
Agency, shame, and identity: Digital stories of teaching

Abstract In the digital stories that teachers author, I explore the social class positioning of teachers in low-income schools in the U.S. and the tensions between professional agency and shame in emerging teacher identities. I consider traces of teachers' own classed backgrounds, the hierarchies of power and class within which their work is surveilled, and the social interactions of daily life within which subordinate class status become embodied. This project attests to the potential of multimedia authoring as a way of knowing about the contradictions of teaching in schools structured against teachers' and students' success.
Learning through a Lens

(1991). Learning through a Lens. Journal of Museum Education: Vol. 16, Current Issues in Museum Learning, pp. 13-14.
Regulatory T Cell (Treg) Assays: Repertoire, Functions, and Clinical Importance of Human Treg

Regulatory T cells (Treg) are a small subset (<5%) of circulating CD4+ T cells. Due to their ability to suppress functions of other lymphocytes, Treg are responsible for maintaining immune responses in balance. This system of immune checks and balances exists to protect us from autoimmune diseases, prevent tissue damage resulting from intense inflammatory responses induced by infectious or non-infectious injuries and to contain chronic inflammatory reactions that might promote tumor development (1). Treg seem to be capable of fulfilling all these functions, largely due to their plasticity, which allows them to readily adjust to conditions in the local microenvironment (2). Viewed in this context, Treg can be considered as a protective mechanism designed to limit inflammatory tissue damage, but also as a potentially dangerous suppressor of immune responses that benefit the host. For example, in chronic viral infections such as HIV-1 infections, Treg could either suppress excessive immune activation, thus benefiting the host, or limit antiviral immunity needed by the host to contain the infection. Today, the role of Treg in HIV-1 remains highly controversial (3). In cancer, Treg are emerging both as contributors to cancer progression, because of their ability to block anti-tumor immune responses, and also as inhibitors of cancer progression via their ability to suppress cancer-promoting inflammation (4). It is unclear whether the anti-inflammatory activity of Treg or their suppression of antitumor immunity contributes to disease outcome, and the mechanisms responsible for regulation of Treg functions remain unknown. Factors that govern Treg behavior in situ are being intensely investigated in various human diseases. An excess of Treg (e.g., in some cancers) or their numerical or functional deficiency (e.g., in autoimmune diseases) is associated with clinical symptoms and may predict outcome. For these reasons, measurements of Treg frequency and function in the circulation, and especially in tissues, are of great importance.
Role of alcohol and marijuana use in the initiation of fatal two-vehicle crashes

Abstract Purpose To assess individual and joint effects of alcohol and marijuana on the initiation of fatal two-vehicle crashes. Methods Data on 14,742 culpable drivers (initiators) and 14,742 nonculpable drivers (noninitiators) involved in the same fatal two-vehicle crashes between 1993 and 2014 were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the association of driver use of alcohol, marijuana, or both with fatal crash initiation with adjustment for demographic variables. Results Initiators were significantly more likely than non-initiators to test positive for alcohol (28.3% vs. 9.6%, P Conclusions Alcohol and marijuana each play a significant role in fatal crash initiation. When used in combination, alcohol and marijuana appear to have a positive interaction effect on the risk of fatal crash initiation on the additive scale.
Multispectral imaging systems for airborne remote sensing to support agricultural production management

This study investigated three different types of multispectral imaging systems for airborne remote sensing to support management in agricultural application and production. The three systems have been used in agricultural studies. They range from low-cost to relatively high-cost, manually operated to automated, multispectral composite imaging with a single camera and integrated imaging with custom-mounting of separate cameras. Practical issues regarding use of the imaging systems were described and discussed. The low-cost system, due to band saturation, slow imaging speed and poor image quality, is more preferable to slower moving platforms that can fly close to the ground, such as unmanned autonomous helicopters, but not recommended for low or high altitude aerial remote sensing on fixed-wing aircraft. With the restriction on payload unmanned autonomous helicopters are not recommended for high-cost systems because they are typically heavy and difficult to mount. The system with intermediate cost works well for low altitude aerial remote sensing on fixed-wing aircraft with field shapefile-based global positioning triggering. This system also works well for high altitude aerial remote sensing on fixed-wing aircraft with global positioning triggering or manually operated. The custom-built system is recommended for high altitude aerial remote sensing on fixed-wing aircraft with waypoint global positioning triggering or manually operated.
Precision Oncology: The Promise of Big Data and the Legacy of Small Data

Big Data are expected to exert profound impacts on medicine. High-throughput technologies, electronic medical records, high-resolution imaging, multiplexed omics, are progressing at a fast pace. Because they all yield complex heterogeneous data types, the main difficulty consists in interpreting the results. In light of the emerging Precision Medicine paradigm, oncology is influenced by digital phenotypes characterizing disease expression, In particular, digital biomarkers could become critical for the evaluation of clinical endpoints. Currently, integrative approaches are conceived for the analysis of multi-evidenced data, i.e. data generated from multiple sources, such as cells, organs, individual lifestyle and social habits, environment, population dynamics etc. The granularity, the scales of measurement, the model prediction accuracy, these are factors justifying an ongoing progressive differentiation from evidence-based medicine, typically based on a relatively small and unique scale of the experiments, thus well-assimilated by a mathematical or statistical model. A premise of precision medicine is the N-of-1 paradigm, inspired by a focus on individualization. However, diversity, amount and complexity of input data points that are needed for individual assessments, suggest centrality of systems inference principles. In turn, a revised paradigm is acquiring relevance, say (N-of-1)c, where the exponent c indicates connectivity. What makes connectivity such a key factor? For instance the synergy embedded but often latent in the data layers, namely signatures, profiles etc., which can lead to many stratified directions.Reference then goes to the biological and medical insights due to data integration, here discussed in view of the current oncologic trends.
Shielding design and analyses of the cold neutron guide hall for the KIPT neutron source facility

Abstract Argonne National Laboratory of the United States and Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine have cooperated on the development, design, and construction of a neutron source facility. The facility was constructed at Kharkov, Ukraine, and its commissioning process is underway. The facility will be used for researches, producing medical isotopes, and training young nuclear specialists. The neutron source facility is designed with a provision to include a cryogenically cooled moderator system—a cold neutron source (CNS). This CNS provides low-energy neutrons, which will be used in the scattering experiment and material structures analysis. Cold neutron guides, coated with reflective material for the low-energy neutrons, will be used to transport the cold neutrons to the experimental site. The cold neutron guides would keep the cold neutrons within certain energy and angular space concentrated inside, while most of the gamma rays and high-energy neutrons are not affected by the cold neutron guides. For the KIPT design, the cold neutron guides need to extend several meters outside the main shield of the facility, and curved guides will also be used to remove the gamma and high-energy neutron. The neutron guides should be installed inside a shield structure to ensure an acceptable biological dose in the facility hall. Heavy concrete is the selected shielding material because of its acceptable performance and cost. Shield design analysis was carried out for the CNS guide hall. MCNPX was used as the major computation tool for the design analysis, with neutron and gamma dose calculated separately. Weight windows variance reduction technique was also used in the shield design. The goal of the shield design is to keep the total radiation dose below the 5.0 μSv/hr guideline outside the shield boundary. After a series of iterative MCNPX calculations, the shield configuration and parameters of CNS guide hall were determined and presented in this article.
Immunohistochemical detection of p53, PTEN, Rb, and p16 in canine osteosarcoma using tissue microarray:

Although inactivating mutations of tumor suppressor genes are well described in cell lines of canine osteosarcoma (OS), expression of tumor suppressor proteins in spontaneous disease is poorly characterized. We determined the immunohistochemical expression of p53, PTEN, Rb, and p16 in a large cohort of dogs with OS. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of canine OS were analyzed retrospectively. Primary tumor samples from 145 dogs, collected between 2003 and 2008, were evaluated by tissue microarray. Streptavidin-biotin complex immunohistochemistry was performed using monoclonal antibodies for Rb and PTEN and polyclonal antibodies for p16 and p53. The average age of dogs was 7.6 y, and 118 of 145 (81%) were purebred. Most commonly represented purebreds were Greyhound (23%), Rottweiler (11%), and Labrador Retriever (10%). Immunohistochemical detection of p53, PTEN, Rb, and p16 was 81%, 61%, 66%, and 66%, respectively. The staining pattern for p16 was primarily cytoplasmic; the predominant pattern for PTEN, Rb, and p53 was cytoplasmic and nuclear. Exclusively cytoplasmic staining was noted in 19% of samples positive for p53 and 8% of samples positive for Rb. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that protein expression was not associated with significant differences in overall survival ( p > 0.191). We documented heterogeneity in both immunostaining and subcellular localization of tumor suppressor proteins, providing further characterization of canine OS.
Microcracking Morphology and Structure Optimization of Compact Bovine Bone Under Impact Loading

Deterioration of bone is a progress of damage accumulation in the form of microcracking spanning a wide range of dimensional scales. To examine the microcracking morphology of compact bone subjected to impact loading, non-notched beam specimens of compact bovine femur were loaded with an instrumented Charpy impact system under various impact energy levels. The middle sections of the tested specimens was examined the by Frost’s basic funsion technique by Frost (Med Bull 8:25–35, 1960) to investigate the microcracking morphology. The effects of size of osteon on the mechanical integrity of ostoen structure were also investigated by using of a finite element modeling (FEM), micromechanics, and constrained optimization method. The damage mechanism and energy dissipation were analyzed.
Therapeutic Potential of VEGI/TL1A in Autoimmunity and Cancer.

Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI, TNFSF-15) is a novel member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily that consists of 174 amino acids and exhibits a 20% to 30% sequence homology to other members of the TNF superfamily. The VEGI gene is expressed as a transmembrane protein predominantly in endothelial cells and induced generally in response to inflammatory stimuli. It mediates most of its cellular responses through the interaction of the death receptor-3. VEGI activates multiple cell signaling pathways including NF-κB, STAT3, JNK, p38 MAPK and p42/p44 MAPK. VEGI suppresses the proliferation of endothelial cells and tumor cells, induces maturation of dendritic cells and induces osteoclastogenesis. How VEGI mediates its effects in autoimmune diseases and tumorigenesis is the focus of this review.
Substance Abuse and Dependence

Substance abuse and dependence exact a tremendous toll economically, socially, and personally on individuals around the world. Although drugs of abuse vary widely in their effects, research into the neurobiological basis of addiction has revealed some striking commonality in their action which leads to addiction. The common neurological underpinnings of substance abuse and dependence are briefly outlined, and the epidemiology, mechanism of action, intoxication, withdrawal, and dependence of specific drug classes are described.
Keeping families engaged: The effects of home-based family therapy-enhanced with experiential activities

Engagement of high-risk adolescents and their families in treatment is a considerable challenge for service providers and agencies. Despite its importance, little research has been conducted that explores this important treatment process. To address this gap, a test of an innovative method to improve engagement in family therapy was undertaken. Findings of this study of 42 intervention group families and 41 comparison group families (N=83) suggest that augmenting in-home family therapy with short and creative experiential activities can significantly increase engagement and retention in treatment. Further research of engagement as a mechanism of change in family-based treatment is needed.
Ménétrier's disease presenting as recurrent unprovoked venous thrombosis: a case report.

Acquired thrombophilia is a potential sequela of malignancy, chronic inflammation, and conditions characterized by severe protein deficiency (for example, nephrotic syndrome, protein-losing enteropathy). As such, venous thrombosis is often a feature, and occasionally a presenting sign, of systemic disease. Menetrier’s disease is a rare hyperplastic gastropathy that may lead to gastrointestinal protein loss and hypoalbuminemia. To date, reports of venous thrombosis associated with Menetrier’s disease are exceedingly scarce. We report the case of a 40-year-old white man who presented with unprovoked deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and renal vein thrombosis. Upon receiving therapeutic anticoagulation, he developed severe gastrointestinal bleeding, and endoscopic evaluation led to a diagnosis of Menetrier’s disease. A laboratory workup revealed deficiency of protein C, protein S, and antithrombin III, as well as markedly elevated levels of factor VIII. He was determined to have an acquired thrombophilia as a direct result of Menetrier’s disease. This case describes an acquired thrombophilic state in a patient with Menetrier’s disease and profound hypoalbuminemia. Although this association is rarely described, we discuss the probable mechanisms leading to our patient’s thrombosis. Specifically, we posit that his gastrointestinal protein loss led to a deficiency of several anticoagulant proteins and a compensatory elevation in factor VIII, as occurs in nephrotic syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Of note, this patient’s recurrent venous thrombosis was the initial clinical sign of his gastrointestinal pathology.
Using Near-Ground Storm Relative Helicity in Supercell Tornado Forecasting

AbstractThis study examines the possibility that supercell tornado forecasts could be improved by utilizing the storm-relative helicity (SRH) in the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere (ins...
Chapter 13 – Physiological Actions of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) and PTH-related Protein: Epidermal, Mammary, Reproductive, and Pancreatic Tissues

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is a member of a family of proteins that also includes parathyroid hormone (PTH) and tubuloinfundibular peptide of 39 amino acids (TIP-39). These peptides interact with specific G-protein coupled receptors such as the classical Type 1 PTH/PTHrP receptor (PTH1R) to regulate systemic calcium metabolism and other biological functions. Unlike PTH, which is secreted by the parathyroid glands and acts as a systemic hormone, PTHrP is expressed in many different tissues and usually acts locally as an autocrine, paracrine, or intracrine factor. One of the best documented functions of PTHrP is in the regulation of chondrocyte differentiation during skeletal development, but it has many additional functions in other tissues. In this chapter data regarding the function(s) of PTHrP in several non-skeletal sites will be reviewed. The functions of PTHrP in skin will be reviewed first, followed by discussions of its functions in reproductive tissues such as the mammary gland, uterus, and placenta. Finally, a summary of its role in the endocrine pancreas will be given.
Prevalence of central obesity among floating population employment in 5 surveillance sites of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2012

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of central obesity among different gender and age groups of floating population employment in 5 surveillance sites of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. METHODS 1491 floating population aged > 18 years old were selected through multistage clustering sampling method, stratified by 6 major industries in5 sites of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region( Xinhe County, Yining County, Tianshan District, Hetian County and Kashi City) in 2012. Unified questionnaire( including basic information, behavioral risk factors, etc. ), designed by China CDC, were used to collect information by face-to-face interviews. Height, weight and waist circumference were measured by unified equipment. RESULTS The average age was( 35. 73 ± 11. 61) years old. Male and female accounted for 48. 02%( 716/1491) and 51. 98%( 775/1491)each. Han, Uygur and other ethnic group accounted for 75. 59%( 1127/1491), 18. 31%( 273/1491) and 6. 10%( 91/1491). The prevalence of central obesity was 25. 62%( 382/1491) of floating population in 5 surveillance sites of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 50-59 years age group( 45. 63%) and the obese group( 86. 15%) in BMI were the highest prevalence of central obesity. There was statistical significance on prevalence of central obesity in different age groups floating population( χ~2= 77. 295, P <0. 001), and in different BMI groups floating population( χ~2= 648. 619, P < 0. 001). CONCLUSION Floating population aged 50-59 years old and obese in BMI of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were key groups for prevention and control of central obesity.