cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards an Embodied Understanding of Performing Practices. A Gestural Analysis of Debussy’s “Minstrels” According to the 1912 Piano Rolls

Claude Debussy’s performance of “Minstrels” from Preludes, Book I, in the 1912 piano rolls contains expressive techniques that are not often heard today: random pushes and pulls of tempi, flippant rhythmic alterations, frequent inegale, and tempo rubato. These performing practices, although odd-sounding to the modern listener, were common at the turn of the twentieth century. His vivid rendition of the piece, including these expressive techniques that are missing from the notation, significantly alters the experience of the music. Unexpected meanings that cannot be deduced from studying the score alone arise when taking into consideration Debussy’s interpretation as a performer. This article gives an integrative analysis that regards the score and Debussy’s performance as equally important in a structural analysis. The concept of gesture is useful here, as it can be construed in both a score-based and a performative or physical approach. Moreover, in “Minstrels,” an extra dimension of physical gesture exists in its allusion to the blackface minstrel show. In the analysis, active, bodily-based concepts drawn from the blackface minstrel show are used to describe gestures and their transformations. From a Merleau-Pontyian perspective, the analysis thus treats gesture as at once musical and physical, moving away from a traditional, cognitive-based approach. The analysis shows the emergence of two large-scale structural processes—that of disorientation and that of upward reaching. These two processes culminate in the expressif section but are undercut by a dominating gesture of incoherence. A closer historical reading of the ridiculed, male “black” body in the context of blackface minstrelsy reveals that the emergent gesture-based structure of the piece can afford socio-historical meanings. The convergence between the study of historical performing practices and embodied gestural analysis yields fresh, important insights into the structure, inner workings and cultural significances of Debussy’s music.
Revisiting parameters that dictate the mechanical behavior of frozen soils

Abstract Construction of infrastructure in seasonally freezing and permafrost areas and the need for temporary improvement of slopes and weak sites with artificial freezing have been the impetuses for the observed growth in frozen ground engineering. A proper understanding of the mechanical behavior of frozen soils is necessary for the development of prediction models and the successful implementation of frozen ground engineering. The major parameters that affect the mechanical behavior of frozen soils were identified as the ice content, temperature, confining pressure, and strain rate. Focusing on the contribution of each phase, the effect of these parameters, on the mechanical behavior of frozen soil, is investigated. Bishop's effective stress for unsaturated soils is extended, to account for the aforementioned parameters, and introduced for frozen soils. The new effective stress is defined to have two components so that it accommodates the intergranular stresses carried by the soil grains and the ice crystals.
Editorial: Linking Emotional and Behavioral Dysregulation in Adolescents to Regulatory Cortex.

A major goal of psychiatric neuroscience is to identify brain regions and circuits that underlie clinical phenomena to gain a more precise understanding of their nature and treatment.1 These are early days in this effort, especially for pediatric mental health, but already there is evidence that brain changes may herald psychosis in youths at genetic risk for schizophrenia2 or response to therapy in youths with anxiety.3 Elucidating these brain-behavior relationships requires one to identify a clinically meaningful phenotype and associate it with specific brain regions or circuits that plausibly underlie the phenotype. In their article, Spechler et al.4 do just that by linking parent reports of broadly defined emotional and behavioral difficulties with gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). It is a compelling find because the OFC is thought to play a role in adaptive socioemotional functioning. The OFC is necessary for evaluating what outcome is most desirable in complex situations and is interconnected with other regions, such as the amygdala, that underlie social and emotional responses.
Differentiating the Effects of Oxidative Stress Tests on Biopharmaceuticals

A rapid and broadly applicable method to assess relevant oxidative damage in biopharmaceuticals is important for lifecycle management of product quality. Multiple methods are currently employed as stress tests to induce oxidative damage for assessment of stability, safety, and efficacy. We compared two common methods for inducing oxidative damage to assess differences in impact on bioactivity and structure of the biopharmaceuticals. Biopharmaceuticals were treated with either metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) conditions or the reactive-oxygen species (ROS) inducer 2,2′-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), then analyzed for changes in structure and bioactivity. We demonstrate that commonly used chemical methods for assessing oxidation yield distinct oxidation profiles for each of the biotechnology products analyzed, including monoclonal antibodies. We further report oxidant- and product-specific changes in bioactivity under oxidizing conditions, along with differential oxidation on the molecular subunits of monoclonal antibodies. Our results highlight the need for product-specific optimization and selection of orthogonal, relevant oxidizers when characterizing stress responses in biopharmaceuticals.
On the Alleged Problem of Legal Normativity

Many contemporary philosophers of law believe that one of the central problems of the field is that of explaining the normativity of law. But it is not clear that this is a problem at all, or at least that it is different from the problems that have been exhaustively addressed and analyzed for generations. Once we deconstruct the alleged problem of normativity into its component parts, we can appreciate that legal normativity is either conditional, or is instead but a small variation on age-old questions about the moral obligation, if any, to obey the law simply because of its status as law. There are interesting modern versions of these positions, but in the final analysis David Enoch is correct in labeling the problem of legal normativity as a “pseudo-problem.”
Integrating the Human Element of Advising with Technology – A Futuristic Approach

Will machine based learning (Big Data and Artificial Intelligence) deliver a more consistent alpha and overall higher returns? As the evolution of AI creates even better robo-investing tools, will the adviser become obsolete? As demographics shift and the millennials come of age, will technology replace the human? To all three questions we say NO! In fact, we see a team’s based approach, augmented by AI as the future. Our paper will identify current trends in the industry showing experts coming together to provide a more holistic approach to planning. Our research will show that despite media attention on the millennials, actual assets are coming from other age groups. Additionally, we will show that regardless of the use of robo-investing, advisor-managed portfolios continue to add real value. Not only will we show a team’s based approach as the best strategy, but we will argue that a certified financial planner (CFP) is the ideal quarterback. The “multi-faceted team” should consist of investment adviser, risk management expert, estate planning attorney, and a certified public accountant. Of all the team-members, the CFP is the only one required to at least be literate in all these areas. We will ultimately conclude that a team with technology will always beat a team without technology. We will also conclude that a team with technology will always beat a technology with no team.
Evolutionary dynamics of Ceratonova species (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) reveal different host adaptation strategies.

Abstract The myxozoan parasite Ceratonova shasta is an important pathogen that infects multiple species of Pacific salmonids. Ongoing genetic surveillance has revealed stable host-parasite relationships throughout the parasite's endemic range. We applied Bayesian phylogenetics to test specific hypotheses about the evolution of these host-parasite relationships within the well-studied Klamath River watershed in Oregon and California, USA. The results provide statistical support that different genotypes of C. shasta are distinct lineages of one species, which is related to two other Ceratonova species in the same ecosystems; Ceratonova X in speckled dace and C. gasterostea in threespine stickleback. Furthermore, we found strong support for the hypothesis that C. shasta type 0 in native steelhead trout and type I in Chinook salmon each evolved with a specialist host adaptation strategy, while C. shasta type II in coho salmon resulted from a generalist host adaptation strategy. Inferred date and host species of the most recent common ancestor of extant Klamath basin types indicate that it occurred between 14,000 and 21,000 years ago, and most likely infected a native steelhead or rainbow trout host.
Vagus nerve stimulation produces immediate dose-dependent anxiolytic effect in rats

ABSTRACT Background Chronic vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) attenuates anxiety in rats and humans. However, it is unclear whether VNS can promote acute anxiolytic effects. Here we examined short-term anxiolytic effects of VNS using single or multiple trains in rats submitted to a battery of tests. Methods Three groups of rats were implanted with VNS cuffs and tested for anxiety using the elevated plus maze (EPM), novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), and acoustic startle response (ASR), after receiving either one or five VNS trains (0.4 mA/30 Hz/30-sec), or sham stimulation. Results Both single and multiple VNS trains reduced state anxiety as measured using the EPM, but only multiple trains reduced anxiety in the EPM and NSF. VNS trains did not decrease arousal as measured using the ASR. Limitations The anxiolytic effects of VNS may be differently influenced by test order or prior-exposure to stress. VNS did not affect startle responses in naive rats but the present findings do not determine whether VNS would affect startle responses that are potentiated by fear or anxiety. Conclusion A single VNS train can produce an anxiolytic effect minutes later, an effect that is not observed in a novelty-suppressed feeding. Delivering 5 VNS trains restores the immediate effects across tests of anxiety, indicating that more trains produce a more robust anxiolytic effect. The lack of effects on ASR suggests that VNS affects state anxiety but not baseline arousal in naive rats. We suggest that the anxiolytic effect of VNS can increase tolerability and reduce dropout in exposure-based therapies.
Haploinsufficiency of the Platelet P2Y12 Gene in a Family with Congenital Bleeding Diathesis.

Two related patients (sisters) with a congenital bleeding diathesis associated with a severe defect of the platelet ADP receptor, P2Y12, have been described (Cattaneo et al , ATVB 2000;20:883). Platelets from these patients are severely defective in ADP-dependent aggregation and in Gi-coupled ADP-mediated responses, but are normal in Gq-coupled ADP-mediated responses. Molecular analysis of the P2Y12 gene of each sister revealed an identical single base pair (bp) deletion (378delC) occurring just beyond the coding sequence for the third transmembrane domain in P2Y12. The mutation results in a frame shift (Thr126 frame shift X34) and premature truncation of the protein (Conley et al , Blood 2001; 98:43b). In the present study, we focused on a 13-year old son (GL) of one of the affected sisters. GL has not suffered spontaneous bleedings; his bleeding time is moderately prolonged (13 min). His platelets display a phenotype that is compatible with partial defect of the platelet P2Y12 receptor: abnormal aggregation and ATP secretion induced by several agonists, moderate deficiency of platelet-binding sites for [33P]2MeS-ADP, and partial impairment of inhibition of adenylate cyclase by ADP. PCR analysis of GL’s P2Y12 gene revealed only normal DNA sequence. Therefore, we hypothesized that the abnormal platelet phenotype of GL is due to haploinsufficiency of his P2Y12 gene, and, accordingly, his mother and aunt suffer from P2Y12 deficiency owing to haploinsufficiency and the previously described single base mutation in their remaining P2Y12 allele. In order to test our hypothesis, we analyzed genomic DNA from the family by Southern blotting and real time quantitative PCR. The Southern blot results suggested that GL had one P2Y12 allele only, which he inherited from his father. Our P2Y12 gene quantification strategy was based on SYBR Green detection and normalization using two reference genes with a normal copy number, ZNF 80 (3q13.31) and GPR15 (3q12.1). P2Y12 gene copy numbers, calculated by use of a comparative Ct method, revealed that GL, his mother, and aunt each contained a single intact P2Y12 allele. Thus, GL, his mother, and aunt suffer from haploinsuffiency in their P2Y12 alleles. However, GL’s remaining allele is normal, while his mother and aunt each have a remaining mutant allele. This explains the differences in clinical phenotypes between GL and his mother and aunt. The quantitative PCR result, supported by Southern blotting results, supports our hypothesis and illustrates the platelet phenotype associated with P2Y12 haploinsufficiency.
Detection of congestive heart failure by Doppler echocardiography in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background Left-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized by increased filling pressures and related Doppler echocardiographic (DE) filling patterns. Hypothesis Doppler echocardiographic variables of left ventricular filling derived from transmitral flow, pulmonary vein flow, and tissue Doppler can be used to detect CHF in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Animals Forty-seven client-owned cats. Methods Prospective clinical cohort study. Cats underwent physical examination, thoracic radiography, analysis of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and transthoracic echocardiography and were divided into 3 age-matched groups: Group 1 (apparently healthy control), Group 2 (preclinical HCM), and Group 3 (HCM and CHF). Measured and calculated variables included respiratory rate, DE estimates, serum NT-proBNP concentration, and radiographic CHF score. Groups were compared using ANOVA, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate analyses were used to identify diagnostic cutoffs for the detection of CHF. Results Fifteen cats were in Group 1, 17 in Group 2, and 15 in Group 3. The ROC analysis indicated that the ratio of peak velocity of early diastolic transmitral flow to peak velocity of late diastolic transmitral flow (area under the curve [AUC], 1.0; diagnostic cutoff, 1.77; P = .001), ratio of left atrial size to aortic annular dimension (AUC, 0.91; diagnostic cutoff, 1.96; P = .003), left atrial diameter (AUC, 0.89; cutoff, 18.5 mm; P = .004), diastolic functional class (AUC, 0.89; cutoff, class 2; P = .005), respiratory (AUC, 0.79; cutoff, 36 breaths per minute [brpm]; P = .02), and the ratio of the peak velocity of fused early and late transmitral flow velocities to the peak velocity of the fused early and late diastolic tissue Doppler waveforms (AUC, 0.74; cutoff, 15.1; P = .05) performed best for detecting CHF. Conclusions and clinical importance Various DE variables can be used to detect CHF in cats with HCM. Determination of the clinical benefit of such variables in initiating treatments and assessing treatment success needs further study.
Holistic dermatology: An evidence-based review of modifiable lifestyle factor associations with dermatologic disorders.

Background Holistic dermatology focuses on treating the human body as a whole and implementing lifestyle changes to enhance the treatment and prognosis of skin disease. Understanding the interplay between modifiable lifestyle factors and patients' dermatologic health will help physicians better inform patients on self-care methods to mitigate the burden of their skin disease(s). Objective To review the current scientific literature on the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors and the dermatologic outcome of skin disorders. Methods A systematic literature search on PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science was conducted to identify research articles examining the relationship between dermatology and 6 major categories of modifiable lifestyle factors: diet, sleep, exercise, stress, alcohol, and smoking. Results A substantial amount of evidence supports the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors and dermatologic outcomes. There were the most studies on diet, stress, alcohol, and smoking, but all lifestyle factors were supported by some degree of scientific evidence. Conclusion All modifiable lifestyle factors explored in this review play a critical role in modulating the onset and progression of skin disease. We anticipate more research studies in the future and an increasing integration of holistic dermatology into patient care.
Prioritization of osteoporosis-associated GWAS SNPs using epigenomics and transcriptomics

Abstract Genetic risk factors for osteoporosis, a prevalent disease associated with aging, have been examined in many genome-wide association studies (GWAS). A major challenge is to prioritize transcription-regulatory GWAS-derived variants that are likely to be functional. Given the critical role of epigenetics in gene regulation, we have used an unusual epigenetics- and transcription-based approach to identify credible regulatory SNPs relevant to osteoporosis from 38 reported BMD GWAS. Using Roadmap databases, we prioritized SNPs based upon their overlap with strong enhancer or promoter chromatin preferentially in osteoblasts relative to 11 heterologous cell culture types. The selected SNPs also had to overlap open chromatin (DNaseI-hypersensitive sites) and DNA sequences predicted to bind to osteoblast-relevant transcription factors in an allele-specific manner. From >50,000 GWAS-derived SNPs, we identified 16 novel and credible regulatory SNPs (Tier-1 SNPs) for osteoporosis risk. Their associated genes, BICC1, LGR4, DAAM2, NPR3, or HMGA2, are involved in osteoblastogenesis or bone homeostasis and regulate cell signaling or enhancer function. Four of them are preferentially expressed in osteoblasts. BICC1, LGR4, and DAAM2 play important roles in canonical Wnt signaling, a pathway critical to bone formation and repair. The transcription factors that are predicted to bind to the Tier-1 SNP-containing DNA sequences also have bone-related functions. For the seven Tier-1 SNPs near the 5’ end of BICC1, examination of eQTL overlap and the distribution of BMD-increasing alleles suggests that at least one SNP in each of two clusters contributes to inherited osteoporosis risk. Our study not only illustrates a method that can be used to identify novel BMD-related causal regulatory SNPs for future study, but also reveals evidence that some of the Tier-1 SNPs exert their effects on BMD risk indirectly through little-studied noncoding RNA genes, which in turn may control the nearby bone-related protein-encoding gene.
Healthcare Providers’ Perception of Asthma Education and Management on the College Campus

Background: One resource for asthmatic students on a college campus is the student health center (SHC). The goals of the SHC are to provide high-quality health care services and to promote a healthy campus, lifelong health, and student well-being. The American College Health Association reported in 2016 that 8.9% of college students indicated having an asthma diagnosis. In addition, the literature reveals adult physicians feel unfamiliar with chronic disease as it is frequently a multisystem illness, so they tend to be more reactive to illness than proactive. The research question is: How do Healthcare Providers (HCPs) employed at a SHC perceive the current state of asthma education and management of college students? Methods: This qualitative case study recruited five healthcare providers from the SHC of a large public university in the southwest region of the U.S. Approval for this study was granted from the university’s IRB (#5359). The HCPs were interviewed individually and in a focus group session. Data collected from the interviews underwent qualitative coding and analysis to include: (1) initial coding, (2) focused coding, and (3) axial coding. Once the codes emerged, they were assembled into themes and the data was subjected to the constant comparative method of data analysis. Results: Qualitative coding and analysis of the data revealed the following themes: (a) learning from experience in managing asthmatic students was prominent among the HCPs, (b) providing high-quality health care services to asthmatic students is complicated by the exorbitant cost of medications, time constraints, and lack of student knowledge about asthma (c) HCPs perceive students have not taken full responsibility for managing their asthma during their college years. Conclusions: The HCPs are engaging in self-directed learning to gain knowledge about asthma. The participants recognize they need additional training in lung function testing and the implementation of the national asthma guidelines. In addition, the HCPs recognize the need for college level asthma education written materials at the SHC to aid students in the self-management of their asthma. Furthermore, the SHC needs a reliable method to identify which students on campus have an asthma diagnosis. Disclosures: All authors have no conflicts of interest or industry relationships to disclose. This research project was partially funded by a doctoral stipend through Texas State University.
Secondary Invasive Breast Events among Patients with Hormone-Positive Breast Cancer and High-Risk Oncotype DX Recurrence Scores 26-30 and ≥31.

Background The Oncotype DX Recurrence Score (ODx RS) is the most widely adopted genomic assay used to guide treatment for patients with early-stage, hormone-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC), with higher scores predicting greater risk of recurrence and benefit from chemotherapy. Patients with ODx RS >25 typically recieve adjuvant chemotherapy; however, data regarding efficacy of chemotherapy for reducing recurrence in this population have been mixed. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate outcomes of patients with early-stage HR+ BC with high-risk ODx RS (26-30 and ≥31) in order to assess treatment patterns and outcomes. We hypothesized that the benefit of chemotherapy in these groups may be minimal and that select patients may forgo chemotherapy in favor of more aggressive endocrine therapy and ovarian suppression. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 515 patients with early-stage, HR+ BC with high-risk ODx RS 26-30 and ≥31 treated between 2006 and 2018. Patients were stratified by RS: low-risk (≤10), intermediate-risk (11-25), and high-risk (≥26). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the time to secondary invasive breast events (SIBE) or distributions overall and among different RS groups with the log rank test used to compare distributions between groups. Results Rates of chemotherapy administration were 7% among the low-risk group, 18% among the intermediate-risk group, and 83% among high-risk patients with 41 SIBE (8%) reported. When stratified by ODx RS, 5-year rates of SIBE were 4%, 6%, and 16% for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk RS, respectively. Among the 27 lymph node (LN)-negative patients with ODx RS 26-30, 74% received chemotherapy. The 5-year rate of SIBE was 25% among patients who received chemotherapy and 33% among those who did not (p = 0.5489). Among the 23 LN-negative patients with ODx RS ≥31, 91% of patients received chemotherapy. The 5-year rate of SIBE was 0% both with and without chemotherapy. Conclusions There was no statistically significant difference in SIBE for patients with high-risk ODx RS based on chemotherapy treatment. More aggressive endocrine therapy with ovarian suppression has become an alternative to chemotherapy among patients with intermediate-risk ODx RS (16-25). This approach may be useful among patients with high-risk ODx RS, with additional studies needed in this patient population.
Molecular Responses to Oxidative Stress

The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis altered the Earth’s atmosphere and enabled the development and sustenance of aerobic life. Thus, molecular oxygen is essential for life on Earth. However, the incomplete reduction of dioxygen (02) to water (H20) during normal aerobic metabolism generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that pose a serious threat to all aerobic organisms (Fridovich, 1975). At the same time, it has become increasingly clear that ROS, in addition to their role as toxic agents, are also used as second messengers in various signal transduction pathways, and in many types of biological defense mechanisms (Scandalios, 1997). Thus, in addition to the historic perception of ROS as toxic and lethal agents, recent evidence indicates that they play beneficial roles as well.
Rapid, label free, high throughput, miniaturized, and inexpensive nanoelectronic array as a cancer diagnosis tool

Described in here are design, fabrication, and testing of a miniaturized, rapid, label free, high throughput and inexpensive nanoelectronic array in a microfluidic channel, which can be used to detect and quantify different biomarkers. We have fabricated different geometrical designs of the array and demonstrated label free and real time electrical detection of nucleic acids, proteins and cells using our fabricated nanoarray. The utility of this array in affinity-based biosensing for different protein biomarkers demonstrated. We also adapt this array to be a matrix independent label free electronic assay capable of detecting minute traces of target protein in aqueous solution independent of the salt concentration with high specificity. We also demonstrate electrical detection of DNA hybridization using our developed nanosensors in an oligonucleotide functionalized microfluidic channel. As target conjugated with the target DNA passing through the channel are captured on the sensor surface, we are able to electrically detect changes in measured impedance due to the capturing. Such devices can be useful as simple handheld platforms in a clinical setting where one would need to rapidly genotype a small number of genes rapidly. We believe this work provides a strong starting point for a new class of electronic biosensing devices with the capability of rapid direct large-scale integration.
Deep Origin of Hotspots--the Mantle Plume Model

Many volcanoes are associated with subduction zones or mid-ocean ridges, but other areas of unusually high volcanism (or "hotspots") do not have such a direct connection to plate tectonic processes. DePaolo and Manga argue in their Perspective that some hotspots are caused by narrow upwelling plumes originating in the lower mantle, while others are caused by broad, hot upwellings or "superswells." Yet others are not obviously associated with either deep plumes or superswells. Direct evidence for mantle plumes will require seismic imaging at higher resolution than is currently accessible. In a related Perspective, Foulger and Natland take the opposing view that hotspot volcanism is a by-product of plate tectonics and does not require deep plumes.
Approach to the hospitalized patient with targetoid lesions

Approaching the hospitalized patient with skin disease can be daunting. This article focuses on a practical approach to the patient with targetoid lesions. The discussion focuses on differentiating erythema multiforme from Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. In addition, the article offers a concise review of the broader differential diagnosis of targetoid lesions including ecthyma gangrenosum, fixed drug eruption, erythema multiforme-like drug reaction, vasculitis, acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy, erythema chronicum migrans, connective tissue diseases, and blistering diseases.
Biomarkers A Challenging Conundrum in Cardiovascular Disease

The use of biomarkers has proven utility in cardiovascular medicine and holds great promise for future advances, but their application requires considerable rigor in thinking and methodology. Numerous confounding factors can cloud the clinical and investigative uses of biomarkers. Yet, the thoughtful and critical use of biomarkers can doubtless aid discovery of new pathogenic pathways, identify novel therapeutic targets, and provide a bridge between the laboratory and the clinic. Biomarkers can provide diagnostic and prognostic tools to the practitioner. The careful application of biomarkers can also help design and guide clinical trials required to establish the efficacy of novel interventions to improve patient outcomes. Point of care testing, technological advances, such as microfluidic and wearable devices, and the power of omics approaches all promise to elevate the potential contributions of biomarkers to discovery science, translation, clinical trials, and the practice of cardiovascular medicine.
Organ donation: an important outcome after resuscitative thoracotomy

Background The persistent shortage of transplantable organs remains a critical issue around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate outcomes, including organ procurement, in trauma patients undergoing resuscitative emergency department thoracotomy (EDT). Our hypothesis was that potential organ donor rescue is one of the important outcomes after traumatic arrest and EDT. Study Design Retrospective study at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. Patients undergoing resuscitative EDT from January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009 were analyzed. Primary outcomes measures included survival. Secondary outcomes included organ donation and the brain-dead potential organ donor. Results During the 42-month study period, a total of 263 patients underwent EDT. Return of a pulse was achieved in 85 patients (32.3%). Of those patients, 37 (43.5%) subsequently died in the operating room and 48 (56.5%) survived to the surgical intensive care unit. Overall, 5 patients (1.9%) survived to discharge and 11 patients (4.2%) became potential organ donors. Five of the 11 potential organ donors had sustained a blunt mechanism injury. Of the 11 potential organ donors, 8 did not donate: 4 families declined consent, 3 because of poor organ function, and 1 expired due to cardiopulmonary collapse. Eventually 11 organs (6 kidneys, 2 livers, 2 pancreases, and 1 small bowel) were harvested from 3 donors. Two of the 3 donors had sustained blunt injury and 1 penetrating mechanism of injury. Conclusions Procurement of organs is one of the tangible outcomes after EDT. These organs have the potential to alter the survival and quality of life of more recipients than the number of survivors of the procedure itself.
Imaging traveling surface acoustic waves on tissue using holographic interferometry

We evaluate a method for monitoring tissue surface acoustic waves with in-line digital holography without using a phase modulator. The acoustic waves directly modulate the phase and are reconstructed with knowledge of the vibration frequency.
The 5′ leader of the mRNA encoding the mouse neurotrophin receptor TrkB contains two internal ribosomal entry sites that are differentially regulated

A single internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) in conjunction with IRES transactivating factors (ITAFs) is sufficient to recruit the translational machinery to a eukaryotic mRNA independent of the cap structure. However, we demonstrate that the mouse TrkB mRNA contains two independent IRESes. The mouse TrkB mRNA consists of one of two 5′ leaders (1428 nt and 448 nt), both of which include the common 3′ exon (Ex2, 344 nt). Dicistronic RNA transfections and in vitro translation of monocistronic RNA demonstrated that both full-length 5′ leaders, as well as Ex2, exhibit IRES activity indicating the IRES is located within Ex2. Additional analysis of the upstream sequences demonstrated that the first 260 nt of exon 1 (Ex1a) also contains an IRES. Dicistronic RNA transfections into SH-SY5Y cells showed the Ex1a IRES is constitutively active. However, the Ex2 IRES is only active in response to retinoic acid induced neural differentiation, a state which correlates with the synthesis of the ITAF polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB1). Correspondingly, addition or knock-down of PTB1 altered Ex2, but not Ex1a IRES activity in vitro and ex vivo, respectively. These results demonstrate that the two functionally independent IRESes within the mouse TrkB 5′ leader are differentially regulated, in part by PTB1.
Microdialysis assessment of the impact of (+)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaethylene on serotonergic neurons

This overview summarizes the results of microdialysis studies into the effects of several psychoactive drugs on extracellular serotonin (5-HT) levels in rat brain. The effects of (+)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) were examined in the brain slice preparation for comparison with parallel electrophysiological studies of the impact of (+)-MDMA on dorsal raphe 5-HT neuronal firing. (+)-MDMA induced the release of 5-HT from slices of dorsal raphe. The release was inhibited by fluoxetine, and augmented by tryptophan pretreatment. The results support a mechanism of action whereby (+)-MDMA inhibits 5-HT neuronal firing by releasing 5-HT which then acts upon somatodendritic autoreceptors. In other studies, the effects of cocaine and cocaethylene (the psychoactive metabolite of concurrent cocaine/ethanol consumption) on extracellular 5-HT and dopamine levels in the chloral hydrate-anesthetized rat were examined. Both the intravenous and intraperitoneal routes were examined. By intravenous route, both drugs had equivalent effect at increasing dopamine levels. Cocaine significantly increased 5-HT levels, while cocaethylene had no impact. By intraperitoneal route, cocaethylene was able to increase 5-HT levels, but cocaine remained more potent. Route-dependent differences in bioavailability were evident from studies of brain levels using microdialysis. By intravenous administration, equivalent amounts of both drugs entered the brain, whereas by intraperitoneal route, levels of cocaethylene were half those of cocaine. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nuclear protein matrix of seminal vesicle epithelium.

Abstract Nuclear protein matrix was isolated from guinea pig seminal vesicle epithelium and liver. The two matrices were similar in fine structure as seen by transmission electron microscopy, in protein electropherograms, and in percent composition relative to protein, DNA, and RNA. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine intact seminal vesicle nuclei, nuclei after treatment with Triton X-100 and DNAse I, and purified nuclear matrix. The matrix surface presented a ‘porous’ appearance by both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The matrices of liver and seminal vesicle epithelium (SVE) and the intact nuclei of SVE were assayed for specific binding of free synthetic androgen, 17α-methyltrienolone (R1881). Saturable specific binding was demonstrable for seminal vesicle matrix but not for liver matrix. Maximal binding of androgen occurred at a concentration of approximately 12 nM and was demonstrated to be 1.34 ± 0.22 pmol of R1881 per mg of seminal vesicle matrix protein; the K d was approximately 8nM. The binding of labeled R1881 to matrix could be inhibited with low concentrations of unlabeled androgens, but not with estrogens or other steroids. Our data indicate that the binding of androgen to matrix could account for at least 21% of the binding to intact nuclei.
Brain structures in pediatric maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a sociodemographically matched study

Abstract Background Previous investigations suggest that maltreated children evidence alterations of chemical mediators of stress and adverse brain development. Previous anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain studies have not controlled for socioeconomic status. Methods In this study, 28 psychotropic naive children and adolescents with maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 66 sociodemographically similar healthy control subjects underwent comprehensive clinical assessments and anatomical MRI brain scans. Results Compared with control subjects, subjects with PTSD had smaller intracranial, cerebral, and prefrontal cortex, prefrontal cortical white matter, and right temporal lobe volumes and areas of the corpus callosum and its subregions (2, 4, 5, 6, and 7), and larger frontal lobe cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes than control subjects. The total midsagittal area of corpus callosum and middle and posterior regions remained smaller in subjects with PTSD, whereas right, left, and total lateral ventricles and frontal lobe CSF were proportionally larger than in control subjects, after adjustment for cerebral volume. Brain volumes positively correlated with age of onset of PTSD trauma and negatively correlated with duration of abuse. Significant gender × group effect demonstrated greater lateral ventricular volume increases in maltreated male subjects with PTSD than maltreated female subjects with PTSD. No hippocampal differences were seen. Conclusions These data provide further evidence to suggest that maltreatment-related PTSD is associated with adverse brain development. These data also suggest that male children may be more vulnerable to these effects.
A new scattering mechanism for eels

Abstract We estimate the efficiency of a new mechanism for the scattering of slow electrons by vibrations at a metal surface. The coupling is long ranged but its scattering characteristics resemble more those of impact rather than those of dipole scattering. This similarity applies to both angular dependence and overall strength.
Survival and reproductive outcomes in women treated for malignant ovarian germ cell tumors.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to review all malignant germ-cell tumors (MOGCTs) treated at our institution, focusing on reproductive outcomes and menstrual function of patients treated with fertility-sparing surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients treated for MOGCTs between January 1, 1979 and March 31, 2008. Charts of identified patients were abstracted and data were collected. Patients who had fertility-sparing surgery were contacted and a telephone questionnaire was performed to gather reproductive and menstrual history. Results Forty patients were treated for MOGCTs at our institution. Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 26.5years (range, 10–48years). Histologic subtypes were: immature teratoma (52.5%), dysgerminoma (27.5%), yolk sac tumor (10.0%), mixed germ cell tumor (7.5%), and choriocarcinoma (2.5%). Thirty-five percent of tumors were FIGO stages II–IV. Twenty-seven patients (67.5%) were treated with chemotherapy postoperatively, 23 (85%) of whom received bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP). There were three recurrences, but no deaths. Fertility-sparing surgery was performed in 22 patients (55%), 16 of whom received adjuvant chemotherapy. Fourteen of these patients were contacted. Of the 10 remaining patients desiring pregnancy, 8 (80%) had 11 successful spontaneous pregnancies, one required in-vitro fertilization, and the other required donor egg in-vitro fertilization, resulting in 14 live births. All 14 patients had normal menstrual cycles within one year of completing chemotherapy. Conclusions Overall survival was 100% among patients with both local and advanced MOGCTs, including those who underwent fertility-sparing surgery. Fertility-sparing surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy appeared to have little or no effect on fertility or menstrual cycles.
Surfactant and polyelectrolyte gel particles that swell reversibly.

Mixing of oppositely charged surfactants and polyelectrolytes in aqueous solutions can lead to associative phase separation, where the concentrated phase is a viscous liquid, gel, or precipitate. I...
Abstract 4615: Quercetin increases the bioavailability and decreases methylation of green tea polyphenols in SCID mice and in A549 lung cancer, 786-O renal cancer and HepG2 liver cells

Green tea polyphenls (GTPs) are metabolized through extensive methylation which reduces their chemopreventive potential. Previously we found that more than 50 percent of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was methylated to 4″-O-methyl EGCG in mouse tissues and in human prostate after green tea consumption. Methylation significantly decreased the antiproliferative effects of EGCG in prostate cancer cells. Quercetin (Q) is a natural inhibitor of multidrug resistance proteins and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which determines the absorption and the methylation of GTPs. In order to determine whether co-treatment with Q will increase the bioavailability and decrease the methylation of GTPs in cell culture and mouse tissues, three different human cancer cell lines with different COMT activity were studied in vitro. COMT activity was lowest in lung cancer A549 cells, intermediate in kidney cancer 786-O cells, and highest in liver cancer Hep G2 cells. Corresponding to the COMT activity, A549 cells showed the highest cellular content of EGCG and lowest methylation rate (66.1 pmol/mg cytosolic protein and 63% methylation rate); followed by 786-O cells (39.6, 97% methylated) and Hep G2 cells (25.1, 98% methylated) when incubated with 80 μmol/L EGCG for 2h. Treatment with Q and EGCG increased cellular absorption of EGCG most in A549 cells (4-fold) with decreased methylation rate (19%), less in 786-O cells (2- fold) and decreased methylation rate (56%), while there was little effect on methylation in HepG2 cells. The strongest additive effect was observed on proliferation of A549 cells, followed by renal 786-O cells, and least in Hep G2 cells. In order to examine the impact of Q treatment on GTP bioavailability in vivo, two groups of SCID mice (n=5) fed the AIN-93G diet were provided with brewed tea (one Celestial Seasonings authentic green tea bag brewed in 240ml boiling water for 5min) in drinking water and either diet alone or diet supplemented with 0.4% Q for 2 weeks. Demonstrating the impact of Q on bioavailability and methylation in vivo there was a 2-3 fold increase of non-methylated EGCG and other GTPs observed in lung and kidney tissues. In vivo but not in vitro, the levels of methylated Q increased markedly suggesting that Q acted as a substrate for methylation sparing the GTPs and increasing unmethylated GTPs. These observations demonstrate that Q inhibits methylation of GTPs and when used in combination with GTPs may increase bioavailability. Studies are underway in SCID mice with prostate cancer xenografts to determine whether this increased bioavailability will translate to an enhanced chemopreventive activity. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4615. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4615
Foot deformities, biomechanical and pathomechanical changes associated with aging including orthotic considerations, part II

As Americans above the age of 65 have become healthier and remain physically active, we are seeing an increase in lower extremity and foot problems. As life expectancy has increased in this fastest growing segment of the population, so have serious age-related problems such as injuries from falls. Periodic lower extremity evaluations and appropriate therapeutic intervention may help to prevent many of these serious and debilitating conditions and injuries. An important aspect of the treatment plan for older adults may include the use of foot orthoses and optimal shoewear.
Laminar dispersion in flow-injection analysis.

On June 28, 1996, a conference was held at the African Studies Centre, Leiden, on controversies originating from Martin Bernal's study 'Black Athena: the Afro-Asiatic roots of classical civilization' (1987, 1991). Papers were presented by Wim van Binsbergen, Martin Bernal, Jan Best, Arno Egberts, and Josine H. Blok. The present publication is an edited versions of Wim van Binsbergen's paper.
Design of Dry Barriers for Containment of Contaminants in Unsaturated Soils

A dry barrier consists of a laterally continuous soil layer that is dried by air flow. Dry atmospheric air is passed through a soil layer (preferably of a coarse texture). accumulates water vapor, then emerges from the formation as moist air. Removal of soil moisture limits or prevent downward water movement. Drying a soil layer with air is possible when atmospheric air contains less water vapor than soil pore gas. The design of an effective dry barrier is highly site dependent and requires knowledge of the site geology, of the extent of the contaminant plume, and climatic conditions. Climatic conditions at the site are important in two ways: (1) the efficiency of atmospheric air in drying: soil depends on its absolute humidity: and (2) the amount of infiltration from precipitation influences how much water has to be removed from the soil to maintain a dry barrier. The size of the barrier, combined with the climatic conditions, determines the air flow required to maintain the system. while the hydraulic characteristics of the soils determine the location and design of air injection and extraction wells. The electric power rate structure must be known to calculate operating costs. The principal factors which determine the feasibility of a dry barrier include: (1) the climate at the site and, most importantly, low-absolute atmospheric humidity during much of the year; (2) a substantial unsaturated zone; and (3) the ability to circulate air through the unsaturated zone. The amount of initial soil moisture in the layer through which air is circulated may be an important factor in the feasibility of a dry barrier. A design study is presented that illustrates the trade-offs between high capital costs of constructing a large number of air circulation wells vs. the high operating costs required to pump large volume of air over long distances through fewer wells. This study found that, under conditions similar to those in many arid regions, a dry barrier may be a technically and economically viable method of providing temporary waste containment.
Polylysine Induces an Antiparallel Actin Dimer That Nucleates Filament Assembly CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AT 3.5-Å RESOLUTION

An antiparallel actin dimer has been proposed to be an intermediate species during actin filament nucleation. We now show that latrunculin A, a marine natural product that inhibits actin polymerization, arrests polylysine-induced nucleation at the level of an antiparallel dimer, resulting in its accumulation. These dimers, when composed of pyrene-labeled actin subunits, give rise to a fluorescent excimer, permitting detection during polymerization in vitro. We report the crystallographic structure of the polylysine-actin-latrunculin A complex at 3.5-A resolution. The non-crystallographic contact is consistent with a dimeric structure and confirms the antiparallel orientation of its subunits. The crystallographic contacts reveal that the mobile DNase I binding loop of one subunit of a symmetry-related antiparallel actin dimer is partially stabilized in the interface between the two subunits of a second antiparallel dimer. These results provide a potential explanation for the paradoxical nucleation of actin filaments that have exclusively parallel subunits by a dimer containing antiparallel subunits.