cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia and Hypoglycemia synergistically regulate mRNA stability

ABSTRACTIschemic events, common in many diseases, result from decreased blood flow and impaired delivery of oxygen and glucose to tissues of the body. While much is known about the cellular transcriptional response to ischemia, much less is known about the posttranscriptional response to oxygen and glucose deprivation. The goal of this project was to investigate one such posttranscriptional response, the regulation of mRNA stability. To that end, we have identified several novel ischemia-related mRNAs that are synergistically stabilized by oxygen and glucose deprivation including VEGF, MYC, MDM2, and CYR61. This increase in mRNA half-life requires the synergistic effects of both low oxygen (1%) as well as low glucose (≤ 1 g/L) conditions. Oxygen or glucose deprivation alone fails to initiate the response, as exposure to either high glucose (4 g/L) or normoxic conditions inhibits the response. Furthermore, in response to hypoxia/hypoglycemia, the identified mRNAs are released from the RNA binding protein K...
Active suspension technology for combat vehicles

Active and semiactive suspension systems have been a major research area for the last three decades. In the last ten years this research has spawned various experimental vehicles and finally even production applications of active and semiactive systems. The majority of the work has been to support commercial, and primarily on-road vehicle applications. This paper discusses the potential impact of this technology on military vehicles and describes the numerous recent activities within the US Army to extend the technology to enhance the off-road mobility of combat vehicles. Comparative field trial results are included along with simulation results for as yet untested vehicle configurations.
Risks that are “Worthy” to take: Temporary Workers’ Risk-Benefit Perceptions:

In order to deepen and broaden understanding on the occupational safety and health disparities between temporary and non-temporary workers, psychological and perceptual gaps between the two groups ...
Targeting pain at its source in sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder associated with hemolytic anemia, end-organ damage, reduced survival, and pain. One of the unique features of SCD is recurrent and unpredictable epis...
Social-Class Factors in Alcoholism

Despite slogans such as “Alcoholism is no respecter of class,” there has been a long-standing presumption that alcoholism in its various manifestations affects the lower class more than the rest of the population. It was said half a century ago that inebriety is “at once an effect and cause, symptom and a source of degeneration (poverty, perversion)” (Warner et al., 1930, p. 61). This declaration, almost an exhortation, neatly captures the presumption lying behind the concern about the relationship between social class and alcoholism: that alcoholism is a lower-class phenomenon and that it is the making of the individuals afflicted with the condition. It accomplishes two things with a single stroke. By blaming what would in later generations be called alcoholism on poverty, which is construed as an aberration, the individual is made responsible for his or her poverty, and then for his or her alcoholic condition. At least, this is one side of the formulation, with which this paper will be concerned. (The other side, having to do with alcohol-caused poverty, although it was a topic of intense moral concern during the temperance movement days, has lost its appeal, at least among the professionals who are concerned with such matters, and will not be dealt with here.)
Nuclear Waste and Agenda 21

Nuclear power and its attendant waste are similar to the Ring in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The Ring gave mastery over every living creature, but it was created by an evil power. As a result, it inevitably corrupted anyone who attempted to use it. The hobbits, who held the Ring, had to decide how to handle it. Erestor formulated the problem: “There are but two courses, as Glorfindel already has declared: to hide the Ring forever, or to unmake it. But both are beyond our power. Who will read this riddle for us?” (Tolkien 1965: 349–350; Blowers et al. 1991: xvii).
Acute Pancreatitis Mimicking ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Introduction. Electrocardiographic changes imitating myocardial ischemia have been occasionally reported in patients with intra-abdominal pathology including acute pancreatitis. Case Report. A 60-year-old man with no past medical history presented to the emergency department (ED) after a syncopal episode. In ED, his vitals were stable. His ECG showed sinus bradycardia at 53 beats per minute, peaked T waves, 1 mm ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF, and 2 mm ST elevation in V3 as shown in the figures. With the concern for STEMI, he was taken for left heart catheterization (LHC) emergently, showing nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). His laboratory workup was remarkable for lipase of 25,304 IU/l (normal level 8–78 IU/l). His liver function test and triglyceride level were normal. Troponin was <0.01 ng/ml. A computed tomographic exam of the abdomen revealed acute interstitial pancreatitis with a small discrete fluid collection in the uncinate process. He was treated with aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation and was discharged on day 3. Discussion. Intra-abdominal pathologies like acute pancreatitis can lead to transient ECG changes mimicking STEMI. It is important to use ECG clues, echocardiographic findings, and clinical judgement to avoid cardiac catheterization, contrast exposure, and associated health care costs.
C23, an oligopeptide derived from cold-inducible RNA-binding protein, suppresses inflammation and reduces lung injury in neonatal sepsis

Abstract Introduction Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of infant mortality. Cold-inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP) is an inflammatory mediator that induces TNF-α production in macrophages. C23 is a CIRP-derived peptide that blocks CIRP from binding its receptor. We therefore hypothesized that treatment with C23 reduces systemic inflammation and protects the lungs in neonatal sepsis. Methods Sepsis was induced in C56BL/6 mouse pups (5–7 days) by intraperitoneal injection of adult cecal slurry (0.525 mg/g body weight, LD100). One hour later pups received retroorbital injection of C23 (8 mg/kg) or vehicle (normal saline). Ten hours after sepsis induction, blood and tissues were collected for analysis. Results C23 treatment resulted in a 58% and 69% reduction in serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β, respectively, and a 40% and 45% reduction of AST and LDH, as compared to vehicle-treated septic pups. In the lungs, C23 treatment reduced expression of cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β by 78% and 74%. In addition, the mRNA level of neutrophil chemoattractants KC and MIP-2 was reduced by 84% and 74%, respectively. These results corresponded to a reduction in histologic lung injury score. Vehicle-treated pups scored 0.49 ± 0.19, while C23 treatment reduced scores to 0.29 ± 0.12 (p Conclusions Inhibition of CIRP with C23 treatment is protective in septic neonatal mice as demonstrated by reduced inflammatory markers systemically and in the lung. Therefore, C23 has promising therapeutic potential in treatment of neonatal sepsis. Level of evidence Level I.
Development of a Refractory Hexagonal Closed Packed High Entropy Alloy Based on Thin Film Screening

In order to identify candidate high entropy alloys (HEAs) that have the hexagonal closed packed crystal structure, gradient thin films in the OsRuWMoRe system were deposited by sputtering from multiple elemental targets onto Si substrates. In addition to having compositional gradients, the films exhibited regions with different phases, some of which were single-phase and non-equiatomic. Such alloys have the potential to exhibit properties superior to the primarily equiatomic HEAs that have been the focus of most work in this area. To screen the phases that exist across the thin film gradient samples, a range of characterization techniques were employed, including focused ion beam and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscattered diffraction analysis. The combinatorial method described in this study enabled the identification of a candidate single-phase HEA that was subsequently fabricated as a bulk alloy.
Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drug abuse (PDA) has been a rapidly growing problem in the United States, causing mortality rates even greater than those of heroin and cocaine combined. Second to marijuana as the most commonly used illicit drugs, approximately 20% of Americans have engaged in the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, mainly as a result of easy access of these medications from family, friends or via the Internet. Opioid medications are the most frequently abused and are associated with the most dramatic and serious consequences of PDA. In an attempt to curb diversion, recommendations for detection and prescribing drug with abuse liability in patients with history or potential for addiction, and strategies for prevention such as prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), formulary restriction (FR), and physician, patient and public education were developed and initiated. Guidelines for pharmacologic and behavioral therapies, as well as, federal and statewide efforts to improve access to substance abuse programs were also initiated. Despite such efforts, however, current armamentarium for managing and preventing PDA remains limited. There is a strong need to focus on implementation on high-quality care for pain, anxiety and attention conditions in order to achieve better patient outcomes such as ones with less abuse of medication and less diversion.
Geodynamic evolution of southwestern North America since the Late Eocene.

Slab rollback, lithospheric body forces, or evolution of plate boundary conditions are strongly debated as possible lithospheric driving mechanisms for Cenozoic extension in southwestern North America. By incorporating paleo-topography, lithospheric structure, and paleo-boundary conditions, we develop a complete geodynamic model that quantifies lithospheric deviatoric stresses and predicts extension and shear history since Late Eocene. We show that lithospheric body forces together with influence of change-over from subduction to transtensional boundary conditions from Late Eocene to Early Miocene were the primary driving factors controlling direction and magnitude of extensional deviatoric stresses that produced topographic collapse. After paleo-highlands collapsed, influence of Pacific-North America plate motion and associated deformation style along the plate boundary became increasingly important from Middle Miocene to present. Smaller-scale convection stress effects from slab rollback and associated mantle flow played only a minor role. However, slab rollback guided deformation rate through introduction of melts and fluids that impacted rheology. The tectonic evolution of southwestern North America remains debated. Here, the authors present a complete time-dependent geodynamic model of the tectonic evolution of southwestern North America, which can explain the extensional collapse of the Basin and Range Province since the Late Eocene.
Risk of Revision Shoulder Surgery, Complications, and Prolonged Opioid Use in Patients Undergoing Shoulder Arthroscopy Who Have Previously Undergone Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

Purpose To compare postoperative complications, rates of revision, and opioid use of those who undergo shoulder arthroscopy with and without previous anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Methods The PearlDiver database from 2007 to 2017 was used to query all patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy as determined by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). Patients were then separated among those who had a previous instance of ACDF and those who did not as filtered by CPT. Postoperative complications within 30 days, readmission rates, opioid use, and revision procedures were assessed for each cohort using a mix of International Classification of Diseases Ninth and Tenth Revision Clinical Modification codes, CPT, as well as generic drug codes. Results A total of 91,029 patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy were identified, of whom 1,267 (1.4%) had a history of ACDF. Compared with patients without previous ACDF, patients with a history of ACDF had significantly greater respiratory complication rates (1.3% vs 0.5%: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]1.30-3.59, P = .003), 30-day complication rates (3.7% vs 2.2%: aOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10-1.99, P = .011), 1-year revision rates (15.2% vs 7.7%: aOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.71-2.33, P Conclusions This study revealed that patients who undergo shoulder arthroscopy with a history of ACDF are twice as likely to undergo revision arthroscopy within 2 years of surgery and are at an increased risk of complications within 30 days postoperatively as well as prolonged opioid use compared with those without a history of ACDF. With these findings, both spine and shoulder surgeons should aim to be more aware of surgical history, especially of the cervical spine, to better counsel patients’ clinical course and expected outcomes following shoulder arthroscopy. Level of Evidence III, retrospective cohort study.
Chloroplast SRP43 subunit Prevents Aggregation of Proteins

Abstract Integration of light-harvesting chlorophyll binding proteins into the thylakoid membrane requires a specific chaperone, being the cpSRP43 subunit, of the signal recognition particle pathway in chloroplasts. cpSRP43, unique to the chloroplast, is responsible for transport of LHCPs through the stroma as well as assisting in the correct folding, assembly and disaggregation of these proteins for the acquisition of light energy. cpSRP43 is a highly flexible, multidomain protein capable of binding distinct partners in the cpSRP pathway. cpSRP43 is an irreplaceable component, necessary for the accurate and successful integration of LHCPs. It can act as a disaggregase without any input of external energy. Its action is based on the ability to associate with variable regions of different proteins owing to the domains and flexibility within its distinctive structure. Understanding the unique capabilities of cpSRP43 in the chloroplast begs the question of its usefulness outside of the plant cell, as well as its yet unknown roles still within the plant cell. Although the capabilities of cpSRP43 as a hub protein, adept to binding many unknown partners, has been alluded to in other works, it has yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study we discover that cpSRP43 can act as a generic chaperone for proteins other than LHCP/not native to the chloroplast. The high thermal stability of cpSRP43 has been demonstrated in the previous chapter by its ability to retain its secondary structure as well as withstand aggregation upon heating and cooling cycles as confirmed by absorbance, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence and far UV circular dichroism spectroscopy. This property gives cpSRP43 the basis to act as a generic chaperone and provide protection like that of typical heat shock proteins. Carbonic anhydrase, Concanavalin A and hFGF1 (acidic human fibroblast growth factor), were selected as candidates for chaperoning activity by cpSRP43. In all three cases, heat-induced aggregation of the candidate protein was either eliminated or significantly reduced in the presence of cpSRP43. In the case of hFGF1, the bioactivity was preserved after heat-treatment in the presence of cpSRP43. We have proposed a mechanism by which cpSRP43 is able to execute this action however further investigation is warranted to determine the exact mechanism(s) which may vary dependent on the target protein.
Airline Maps: A Century of Art and Design, by Mark Ovenden and Maxwell J. Roberts: New York, London: Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN 978-0-14–313407-7 (US); 978-0-24-143412-3 (UK). Pp. 144, illus. US $30.00; CAN $40.00; STG £16.99 (paper).

In this sumptuous book, popular authors Mark Ovenden and Maxwell Roberts display the enormous range of commercial airline maps produced from the first scheduled passenger flight in 1919 to the book...
Heat transport by coherent Rayleigh-Bénard convection

Steady but generally unstable solutions of the 2D Boussinesq equations are obtained for no-slip boundary conditions and Prandtl number 7. The primary solution that bifurcates from the conduction state at Rayleigh number Ra ≈ 1708 has been calculated up to Ra ≈ 5.106 and its Nusselt number is Nu ∼ 0.143 Ra0.28 with a delicate spiral structure in the temperature field. Another solution that maximizes Nu over the horizontal wavenumber has been calculated up to Ra = 109 and scales as Nu ∼ 0.115 Ra0.31 for 107 < Ra ≤ 109, quite similar to 3D turbulent data that show Nu ∼ 0.105 Ra0.31 in that range. The optimum solution is a simple yet multi-scale coherent solution whose horizontal wavenumber scales as 0.133 Ra0.217. That solution is unstable to larger scale perturbations and in particular to mean shear flows, yet it appears to be relevant as a backbone for turbulent solutions, possibly setting the scale, strength, and spacing of elemental plumes.
Kant and Frankenstein: On Purity, Contingency, and “Patchwork” Morality

Victor Frankenstein is horrified when his patched-together creature stirs to life. Thirty years before Mary Shelley’s novel, Immanuel Kant uses a similar image of a composite creature to warn his readers against piecing together diverse experiences and motives into a unified moral theory, saying that, rather than morality, we get “some bastard patched up from limbs of quite varied ancestry.” This essay explores analogies between Frankenstein’s “patched up” creature and Kant’s. A Kantian reading of the novel ties the creature’s monstrosity to its illegitimate lineage. An alternate reading rejects Kant’s purifying moral project, arguing the creature is made, not born, monstrous by Victor’s primarily aesthetic rejection of his progeny.
End the Popularity Contest: A Proposal for Second Amendment 'Type of Weapon' Analysis

The Supreme Court’s recognition of an individual Second Amendment right to bear arms for self-defense raised many questions about the scope and content of that right. One issue that will become increasingly important in the years ahead, but that has received relatively little attention from scholars and courts, is the question of which “arms” are protected by that right. The Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller purports to lay out a test that asks whether the weapon at issue is in “common use” at the time the case is decided. This article critiques that test, arguing that it creates poor incentives, is very difficult to apply, and, most importantly, is disconnected from the central component of the Second Amendment right — self-defense. The article proposes an alternative test that asks whether the weapon at issue is a reasonable choice for armed self-defense.
Utilizing digital image processing and two-source energy balance model for the estimation of evapotranspiration of dry edible beans in western Nebraska

Having an accurate yet simple method to estimate crop evapotranspiration (ETC) is a vital component of reliable irrigation scheduling. In this study, two versions of the two-source energy balance (TSEB) model: the TSEB model with the Priestley–Taylor equation (TSEB-PT) and the Penman–Monteith equation (TSEB-PM), were used to estimate ETC of dry edible beans in western Nebraska. Compared with previous studies, this study is unique in that a Visual Basic software—Crop Canopy Image Analyzer (CCIA) was developed to process digitally captured RGB canopy images to obtain necessary canopy cover (CC) parameters for the TSEB models such as CC percentage and leaf shape factor (leaf area divided by its perimeter). Software-estimated CC percentage was closely correlated with commercial sensor-derived CC percentage with an R2 of 0.96. Additionally, estimated leaf shape factor was closely correlated with measured leaf shape factor with R2 of 0.99. Both TSEB-PT and TSEB-PM models estimated ETC well for fully irrigated dry edible beans with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) that ranged from 0.95 to 1.63 mm day−1 in 2018, and 0.75 to 1.35 mm day−1 in 2019, as compared to ETC estimated from FAO56. Furthermore, ETC from TSEB-PT and TSEB-PM were compared with a soil water balance-derived ETC and the RMSE ranged from 2.03 to 9.65 mm in an approximate 1-week period under four irrigation treatments ranging from dry land to fully irrigated. The proposed methods in this study, by integrating digital image processing with TSEB models, have great potential to be automated and used in field-scale operations for various irrigation management scenarios of many crops.
Exploring the addition of self-compassion skills training to a behavioral weight loss program delivered using video conferencing software

Abstract The primary aim of this investigation was to examine the efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of adding SC skills training to a standard behavioral weight loss program (BWLP + SC), with the secondary aim of replicating prior research utilizing video conferencing technology to deliver a small group, weekly BWLP. The sample originally consisted of 54 individuals. The BWLP utilized Webex video conferencing software to deliver a 12-week interactive BWLP. Participants were randomized to a standard BWLP or a standard BWLP augmented with self-compassion skills training (BWLP + SC). Over the course of treatment, participants lost on average 7.2 lbs or 3.3% of their body weight. Other gains included a significant reduction in total calories, increased physical activity, and a reduction in maladaptive eating patterns. Among all participants, significant associations were observed between higher baseline SC, lower maladaptive eating, and higher intuitive eating. Among participants in the self-compassion group, a significant increase in self-compassion was observed, but treatment outcomes were not improved among these participants relative to the BWLP participants. The promising results from the current investigation suggest that the utilization of video conferencing software and the addition of SC skills training to the treatment of obesity has merit. Continued investigation of both SC skills training and virtual technology platforms in the delivery of weight loss research is recommended.
Optimizing the Decontamination and Reprocessing of Endoscopic Equipment

Abstract Flexible Gastrointestinal Endoscopy is a commonly performed procedure about the globe as either a diagnostic or therapeutic tool in the treatment of GI Disease. In the United States, it has been estimated that over 20 million endoscopic procedures are performed annually. The reprocessing of an endoscope is an extremely detailed and multi-stepped process which is required after each procedure to render a contaminated instrument safe for reuse. Endoscopes are rather intricate instruments constructed with multiple long narrow internal channels with right angles. In addition to their complex construction, endoscopes must transverse an environment which bear high and diverse level of microbial population and organic matter. Due to this architectural structure, successful endoscope reprocessing is built upon a foundation of 9 primary steps which must be meticulously performed in concert with the Manufacturer's Instructions for Use as well as guidelines from professional organization to mitigate the potential of the transmission of Endoscope Associated Infections. The 9 pillars of effective endoscope reprocessing are: point of use precleaning, leakage testing, manual cleaning, rinse after cleaning, inspection, high level disinfection, liquid chemical sterilization or sterilization, rinse after high level disinfection or Liquid Cemical Sterilization, drying and storage. completing these steps each and every time an endoscope is processed is mission critical in the prevention of lapses and breaches in the reprocessing of endoscopes. Table 1 a well-trained and highly engaged reprocessing staff is also necessary to carry out these duties in accordance with strict institutional oversight of reprocessing protocols. While it is possible to gain insight into the general reprocessing practices throughout the nation through the use of surveys and interviews of endoscopists and nurses, due to the anonymity of these tools, it is often difficult to isolate specific facilities to gain a deeper appreciation of their practice unless the activities of these facilities has been published. Several topics and concepts related to opportunities to enhance reprocessing will be explored in this writing to evaluate and augment endoscope reprocessing with in the facility.
Shakedown Analysis of Evolving Non-Hertzian Rolling Contact Using a Semi-analytical Numerical Model

The non-conforming rolling contact under high loads results in considerable plastic deformation of the surface. This surface plastic flow is studied using a twin-disk tribometer, and the observed deformation as a function of the number of rolling cycles is classified into three distinct stages. Substantial geometric changes are observed in the initial stage and during this process, the contact type changed from Hertzian to non-Hertzian in the first few cycles, and then it changed from non-Hertzian back to near Hertzian by the end of this stage. A semi-analytical model is hence used to perform the contact analysis. Special traction elements are employed near the surface discontinuities within the contact area to resolve singularities. The contact area is observed to change from elliptic to a near-rectangular shape and the evolution of the contact parameters during this process is reported. Shakedown limits are obtained at different instants of the deformation process using Melan’s theorem. It is observed that the high stresses near the surface discontinuities greatly affect the shakedown limits. The actual stress state is observed to move on a shakedown map until it goes below the shakedown limit but above the elastic limit as predicted.
‘A riot in the heart’: A Conversation with Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz

In this interview, Benjamin Alire Saenz shares his love of writing for young adults and his connections to characters readers have grown to admire over the years.
Kidney function in a selected lithium population. A prospective, controlled, lithium-withdrawal study.

– Forty-six lithium (Li) patients who had been on Li for about 1–11 years were studied while on Li and after about 3 months (7 weeks-26 months) off Li. Kidney function was compared between patients on Li and the same patients off Li, and, in 32 matched pairs, between patients on and off Li and psychiatric controls. Urine osmolality (U-osmol) was significantly lower, urine volume higher in patients on Li than in controls. Measures of both glomerular and tubular function improved when Li-patients discontinued medication. U-osmol remained somewhat lower than in controls and was negatively correlated with time-on-Li. Although serum creatinine was somewhat higher in Li-patients off Li than in controls, clearance values were not different between the two groups. Long-term lithium treatment causes a permanent reduction of tubular function. Time-on-Li is a risk factor. In this population the reduction was clinically insignificant. In addition, Li treatment causes a reversible reduction of both tubular and glomerular function. The results can probably be generalized to other outpatient Li populations with the same time-on-Li and with U-osmol below 800 mOsm/kg during ongoing treatment.
Procedure for Visually Estimating Bird Damage to Grapes

Bird damage was assessed in 48 plots of wine grapes located in two regions of California during 1977. In each plot, five randomly selected grape bunches on each of 40 randomly selected vines were visually assessed, using an eight-value rating scale based on the arc-sine transformation. A hoop sampler and a rope device aided random selection of the bunches in untrellised and trellised vineyards, respectively. The mean damage ratings, calculated for use in analysis of variance, were back-transformed to estimate the percentage loss in the plots. Independent observers using this system were reasonably accurate in estimating known levels of bird damage. Because of the relative variation among the plots between the among-vine and the within-vine variances, the optimum plot sampling rates for the number of vines and bunches per vine varied greatly. The procedure tested is probably most useful for comparing bird damage levels on experimental plots of grapes, but could be adapted for estimating percentage bird losses in vineyards.
New Foundations for Mathematical Theories

In this paper, I shall outline a new approach to the logical foundations of mathematical theories. One way of looking at its motivation is as follows (I am following here Hintikka, 1989)
Electronic Tigers of Southeast Asia: The Politics of Media, Technology, and National Development by Drew McDaniel. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, 2002. 218 pp

(2003). Electronic Tigers of Southeast Asia: The Politics of Media, Technology, and National Development by Drew McDaniel. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, 2002. 218 pp. American Journalism: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 100-101.
Pathophysiologic role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and sympathetic nervous systems in heart failure.

PURPOSE: The pathophysiology of heart failure is reviewed, with particular focus on the role of abnormal neurohormonal activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis in the pathophysiology of this syndrome. SUMMARY: Events preceding myocardial infarction and heart failure are driven in part by norepinephrine, angiotensin II, and aldosterone. The sympathetic nervous system likely evolved to mediate acute regulation of the cardiovascular system, not the sustained activation that is seen in heart failure. Overexpression of beta1-receptors in animal models results in decreased left ventricular ejection fraction and ventricular remodeling. In patients with systolic dysfunction, beta-blockade has improved left ventricular function and decreased the risk of sudden death. Chronic exposure to excess angiotensin II produces eccentric ventricular hypertrophy, vasoconstriction, and sodium retention. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition causes only a transient depression of aldosterone concentrations; the chronic benefit from ACE inhibition in patients with heart failure likely results from augmentation of bradykinin and not from the inhibition of angiotensin II production. Administration of eplerenone, a selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, following induction of ischemic injury in animals, blocked the progressive ventricular dilatation and reduction in systolic function observed in control animals; clinical studies indicate that those findings can be translated to human cardiovascular disease. Overactivity of the mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiomyocytes could be important even in the absence of excessive levels of aldosterone. Clinical studies demonstrated that strategies of neurohormonal blockade using an ACE inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor antagonist, and beta-blocker are ineffective in reducing circulating aldosterone in patients with heart failure caused by left ventricular systolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Aldosterone is a key deleterious hormone influencing all forms of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Treatment of many cardiovascular diseases should include specific antagonism of the adverse pathophysiologic consequences of aldosterone.
Transoral robotic surgery for the management of oropharyngeal minor salivary gland tumors.

Background In this study we report our preliminary experience with the use of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for the management of minor salivary gland malignancies of the oropharynx and outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective review of 10 patients followed over a 5-year period at a single tertiary academic medical center. Patient, tumor, clinicopathologic, functional, and oncologic outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results All cancers treated were either T1 (40%) or T2 (60%). Negative margins were achieved in all patients. Four patients received adjuvant radiation therapy (40%). No patients experienced surgical complications and all had excellent functional outcomes. Mean follow-up was 24 months (range, 2–60 months) with locoregional and distant control achieved in 8 patients (80%) and 9 patients (90%), respectively. Conclusions Minor salivary malignancies of the oropharynx are a surgical disease. Short-term follow-up data demonstrate feasibility, low morbidity, good functional, and oncologic results for TORS management of these malignancies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 28–33, 2014
Gene expression changes associated with Barrett's esophagus and Barrett's-associated adenocarcinoma cell lines after acid or bile salt exposure

Background Esophageal reflux and Barrett's esophagus represent two major risk factors for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Previous studies have shown that brief exposure of the Barrett's-associated adenocarcinoma cell line, SEG-1, or primary cultures of Barrett's esophageal tissues to acid or bile results in changes consistent with cell proliferation. In this study, we determined whether similar exposure to acid or bile salts results in gene expression changes that provide insights into malignant transformation.
‘Window’ effect in the analysis of frequency dependence of ionic conductivity

Abstract Usually the frequency dependence of ionic conductivity of solids in analyzed in the form of a power law or as the deviation of imaginary part of electric modulus from ideal Debye peak. The power law formalism is shown to be sensitive to the choice of frequency window employs in the analysis. The results demonstrate the inadequacies of either formalism and a method is suggested of combining the two formalisms for parameterizing non-ideal electric response in the vicinity of the electrical conductivity relaxation time.
Explicit formulae for completions of linear time varying singular systems of differential equations

Completions of linear time varying singular systems of the formE(t)x′(t)+F(t)x′(t)=f(t) are explicitly computed using recent results on rational matrix functions. The algorithm and the theory behind it are carefully described. Computational issues are discussed.
Cloning of random oligonucleotides to create single-insert plasmid libraries.

Random double-stranded oligonucleotides are useful reagents to identify the optimal binding sites for DNA-binding proteins, such as transcriptional activators. Some applications require ligation of random oligonucleotides to form plasmid-based libraries such as the yeast one-hybrid system, where the activation of a cloned DNA sequence from a library of random DNA-binding sequences activates a reporter gene. Current theories do not account for the low efficiencies of oligonucleotide-based plasmid library construction methods. We developed a technique to clone single oligonucleotides into plasmid vectors with high efficiency that predictably results in only one oligonucleotide insert per colony and used this method to clone a yeast one-hybrid library. This method, either as presented or with modifications, should be suitable for any situation where high-efficiency cloning of single oligonucleotide inserts is desired.
Electrical characterization of interface stability between magnesium and selenium-passivated n-type silicon (001)

We reported selenium passivation of silicon (001) surface and showed the ohmic nature of the interface between magnesium and selenium-passivated n-type silicon (001). In this paper, we present a detailed study on the thermal stability of this interface. Magnesium contacts on selenium-passivated silicon (001) are annealed from 200°C to 500°C at an interval of 50°C and then characterized by current–voltage measurements. Schottky barrier heights of the contacts are measured by capacitance–voltage and activation-energy methods. Schottky behaviour sets in only when the interface is subjected to annealing above 375°C. On the contrary, magnesium contacts on bare silicon (001) turn from ohmic to Schottky at much lower temperatures. The temperature difference is 50–150°C. We deduce that selenium passivation suppresses silicidation between magnesium and silicon, because it reduces the surface reactivity of silicon by eliminating dangling bonds and relaxing strained bonds.
Sequence of the human factor VIII-associated gene is conserved in mouse.

cDNA and genomic clones corresponding to the human factor VIII-associated gene (F8A) were isolated from mouse cDNA and F8A-enriched genomic libraries. The sequences of these clones revealed an intronless gene conding for 380 amino acids, with 85% identity the predicted human sequence. The single murine gene copy is genetically linked to factor VIII, but appears to lie outside the factor VIII gene by physical mapping. Like the human gene, the mouse F8A gene is highly expressed in a wide variety of tissues. This evolutionary comparison has helped to clarify the derived amino acid sequence in the human and strongly supports the hypothesis that the F8A gene encodes a protein.
THE NUMERICAL LAWS GOVERNING THE RATE OF EXCRETION OF UREA AND CHLORIDES IN MAN : II. THE INFLUENCE OF PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND OF DRUGS ON EXCRETION.

A method of measuring the rate of excretion of urea, in terms of the normal, as presented in a preceding paper, has been applied to the study of diseased conditions and of the action of drugs. Simultaneous observations on chloride excretion have been made by comparing the concentration of chlorides actually found in the plasma with the theoretical amount, calculated from the rate of excretion. Observations made in this way have been found applicable to the study of various diseased conditions.
Quasi-Uniform Irradiation of Plane Surfaces Using Multiple Radiation Sources

The question of the optimum location of multiple radiation sources for quasi-uniform irradiation of plane surfaces is addressed, and the problem is studied numerically for the case of a square plane target surface and plane arrays of equal spherically symmetric (4?) radiation sources. The technique presented is also applicable to non-planar source arrays and non-planar targets as well as to the case of sources whose radiation pattern is not spherically symmetric. The square target problem is solved numerically for the case where the desired target surface flux uniformity is 80%. The optimum source location coordinates and the resulting target flux patterns are presented for a number of source arrays. The scaling with the number of sources used and the distance between the source and target planes is also given. The results show that a significant reduction in the total source strength required to produce a given quasi-uniform target fluence can be achieved by using multiple sources. For example, for an 80% uniformity constraint, four properly placed sources, So, are found to give ~19 times the average flux from a single source of strength So. This represents a gain factor of ~4.76 due to better utilization of the available source strength. Calculations show that gains in excess of an order of magnitude can be achieved in this manner by using a large number of properly placed sources.
To signal a conjunction of many inputs negative regulation is likely.

Abstract Cells make many transitions from an old to a new phase of activity – between inactive and active states of an enzyme, or between phases of the cell cycle. If a cell is to survive, molecular prerequisites for functioning in the new phase should be available before a transition occurs. The cell’s survival is more likely if a regulatory network gates the transition, preventing its occurrence until the prerequisites are available. Suppose a specific conjunction of inputs is required for a network, from which a single output governs the transition. Then we suggest that cells are likely to use negative regulation – a gating network based on a logical disjunction of signals for the absence of prerequisites – rather than positive regulation – a logical conjunction of signals for their presence. That is, if a logical conjunction of n prerequisites A 1 AND A 2 AND … AND An is needed in the new phase, a negative regulatory network is likely to enforce the corresponding logical disjunction, NOT ( NOT A 1 OR NOT A 2 OR … OR NOT An ). Five examples illustrate this conclusion. Arguments based on performance criteria support the hypothesis: negative regulation is more economical than positive regulation, because networks for computing OR can use fewer and simpler parts than those for computing AND . Negative regulation can increase reliability, because a mechanism that uses fewer, simpler parts is less likely to fail. And, a negative regulatory network can be more robust – less susceptible to errors resulting from noisy input.
Preparation and characterization of a novel group of pituitary-derived peptides stimulatory for DNA synthesis in fibroblasts

Abstract Using [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts as an index of mitotic activity, several cationic growth-promoting peptide fractions of relatively low potency were identified and partially purified from bovine pituitaries. The most completely characterized fraction exhibited an isoelectric pH of 10.4, and gel exclusion chromatograms under non-denaturing conditions were consistent with a self-associating system. Gel exclusion chromatography in the presence of 6 M guanidine hydrochloride demonstrated that the major reduced and S -alkylated peptides comprising this fraction had molecular weights of 8400 and 9000, and there was no evidence of disulfides between these or other minor peptides. This was confirmed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate and urea. Two other active fractions, each with an isoelectric pH of 9.9, were found to have major reduced and S -alkylated peptides with molecular weights between 6400 and 13 000, and the chromatographic results suggested the presence of intramolecular disulfides. The peptides from all fractions had a relatively high percentage of basic amino acids (approx. 20%); lysine was predominant (10–17%) and histidine was relatively low (
Design of a high-efficiency volume grating coupler for line focusing

A volume grating for outcoupling and line focusing of waveguided infrared light is designed and optimized. A local grating vector approach is used in combination with the rigorous coupled-wave analysis. By design, this volume grating coupler is holographically constructed on top of a waveguide by the interference of two coherent 364-nm ultraviolet waves formed with two aberration-optimized cylindrical lenses. This focusing coupler exhibits preferential-order coupling (92.9%) into the cover as well as very low focal intensity side lobes. This is accomplished through a chirped, slanted-fringe volume grating with a designed spatial variation in the attenuation coefficient (describing the outcoupling of the guided mode) along the length of the grating. This is achieved by a specific variation in the grating slant angle along the grating length. By design, the 1000-μm-length coupler focuses an 850-nm infrared guided wave to a line with an intensity FWHM of 3.32 μm and a 90% power width of 5.53 μm at a focal distance of 4 mm directly above the grating. Its performance is compared with that of a corresponding electron-beam-written surface-relief coupler design.
Hemifacial mixed appendageal tumor in an infant

Abstract: We believe this to be the first report of a unilateral mixed appendageal tumor without comedones on the face of an infant. Histologically, the tumor had eccrine, apocrine, and basaloid features. The tumor lobules closely resembled islands of basal cell carcinoma. After reviewing the literature, we speculate that some previous case reports of unilateral basal cell nevus were actually appendageal tumors with basaloid differentiation and not true basal cell carcinomas.
I-line photoresist evaluation for A 0.5 micron technology

Abstract The lithographic performance of IBM Spectralith, Hoechst AZ 7110, and Hoechst AZ 5214E in image reversal mode was evaluated on a Nikon body 7 0.45NA i-line stepper. All 3 resists are capable of resolving 0.45 μm lines and spaces, printing linearly down to 0.45 μm with zero bias, and show at least 1.5 μm depth of focus. The photospeed of Spectralith and AZ 7110 is around 150 mJ/cm2, and their exposure latitude is 32 %, for 0.5 μm lines/spaces. AZ 5214E in image reversal mode is 3 times faster, prints 0.5 μm patterns to nominal at only 45 mJ/cm2, and also shows a significantly wider exposure latitude of 52 % (again for 0.5 μm patterns). In conclusion a 0.5 μm technology can be run on today's i-line steppers with these resists.
The rituximab-PKCζ/Raf-1/mTOR connection

In this issue of Blood, Leseux and colleagues report rituximab-mediated inhibition of PKCζ activity in follicular lymphoma (FL) resulting in the inhibition of Raf-1 and mTOR signaling pathways and leading to inhibition of tumor cell proliferation.
Photoacoustic tomography of biological tissues with high cross-section resolution: Reconstruction and experiment

A modified back-projection approach deduced from an exact reconstruction solution was applied to our photoacoustic tomography of the optical absorption in biological tissues. Pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser (4.7 ns FWHM at 789.2 nm) were employed to generate a distribution of photoacoustic sources in a sample. The sources were detected by a wide-band nonfocused ultrasonic transducer at different positions around the imaging cross section perpendicular to the axis of the laser irradiation. Reconstructed images of phantoms made from chicken breast tissue agreed well with the structures of the samples. The resolution in the imaging cross section was experimentally demonstrated to be better than 60 μm when a 10 MHz transducer (140% bandwidth at −60 dB) was employed, which was nearly diffraction limited by the detectable photoacoustic waves of the highest frequency.
A Cyanobacterial Phytochrome Two-Component Light Sensory System

The biliprotein phytochrome regulates plant growth and developmental responses to the ambient light environment through an unknown mechanism. Biochemical analyses demonstrate that phytochrome is an ancient molecule that evolved from a more compact light sensor in cyanobacteria. The cyanobacterial phytochrome Cph1 is a light-regulated histidine kinase that mediates red, far-red reversible phosphorylation of a small response regulator, Rcp1 (response regulator for cyanobacterial phytochrome), encoded by the adjacent gene, thus implicating protein phosphorylation-dephosphorylation in the initial step of light signal transduction by phytochrome.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Correctional Facilities: A Review

It is estimated that up to one-fourth of the people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States pass through a correctional facility each year. The majority of persons who enter a correctional facility today will return home in the near future. Most inmates with HIV infection acquire it in the outside community; prison does not seem to be an amplifying reservoir. How correctional health services deal with the HIV-infected person has important implications to the overall care of HIV-infected people in the community. Routine HIV testing is well accepted. Combination antiretroviral therapy has been associated with a reduction in mortality in prisons. A link between area HIV specialists and correctional health care providers is an important partnership for ensuring that HIV-infected patients have optimal care both inside prison and after release.