cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Evidence for a Unique Evolutionary Lineage of Endangered Sonoran Desert Fish (Genus Poeciliopsis)

Efforts to restore an endangered species in its former range should be based on a sound understanding of evolutionary relationships among remaining natural populations. In this study mitochondrial (mt) DNA diversity within and among Gila River drainage populations of the endangered Sonoran topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis) in Arizona was compared to that from neighboring populations in Sonora, Mexico, where the species remains locally abundant. No mtDNA diversity was detected within or among samples from the Gila River basin in Arizona. But considerable variation was found within and among populations from several river systems in Sonora. Examination of mtDNA from a population that inhabits the upper reaches of the Rio Yaqui in southeastern Arizona revealed substantial divergence between it and all other populations examined. We comment on the implications of this divergent population for topminnow management in Arizona and argue for more-detailed genetic and morphological studies to determine the distributional limits and specific status of this highly divergent form. Los esfuerzos para restaurar una especie en peligro a su antigua area de distribucion debe basarse en una comprension apropiada de las relaciones evolutivas entre las poblaciones naturales remanentes. En este estudio, se comparo la diversidad de ADN mitocondrial dentro y entre poblaciones en peligro de Poeciliopsis occidentalis, que habita las corrientes del rio Gila en Arizona, con la diversidad de poblaciones vecinas de Sonora (Mexico) donde la especie es todavia abundante. No se detecto diversidad alguna de ADN mitocondrial dentro o entre muestras de la cuenca del rio Gila en Arizona. Sin embargo, se encontro una variacion considerable dentro y entre poblaciones de varios sistemas de rios en Sonora. El analisis de ADN mitocondrial de poblaciones que habitan los cauces superiores del rio Yaqui en el sudeste de Arizona revelo una divergencia substancial entre esta poblacion y todas las otras poblaciones examinadas. Discutimos las implicaciones de esta poblacion divergente para el manejo del “topminnow” en Arizona y remarcamos la necesidad de estudios geneticos y morfologicos mas detallados con la finalidad de determinar los limites del area de distribucion y el estado especifico de esta forma altamente divergente.
Adopting Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials Policies and Practices That Address Diverse Learners1

For textbooks and other instructional materials to enhance learning by all students, adoption policies must promote thoughtful consideration of the learning characteristics of students with disabilities and other diverse learners. To determine opportunities to foster such consideration during the review and selection of materials, we studied previous research on instructional materials and diverse learners, and, through document reviews and fieldwork, we directly investigated state and local adoption processes across the nation. From our reviews and fieldwork we developed guidelines for improving practice, including an organizational model based on best practices and an action plan to aid policymakers and practitioners.
Cupri observations of PMSE during Salvo C of NLC‐91: Evidence of a depressed mesopause temperature

The Cornell University Portable Radar Interferometer (CUPRI) observed two extremely strong layers of Polar Mesosphere Summer Mesosphere (PMSE) thirty minutes prior to the launch of Salvo C of the NLC-91 campaign. The lower layer exhibited a S/N ratio of 42 dB (the second strongest event of NLC-91), vertical velocities of a few m/s, and a narrow spectral width, suggesting that it was the result of partial reflections. The upper layer, in contrast, exhibited sinusoidal structures in vertical velocity with peak amplitudes greater than +/- 10 m/s and wide spectral widths. These structures were observed to grow and steepen with altitude until they broke and produced turbulent radar scattering. We conclude that the rapid rate of growth of hte wave with altitude was the result of a depressed mesopause temperature and a nearly adiabatic temperature gradient at PMSE heights and that the simultaneous measurement of both a low mesopause temperature and strong PMSE supports recent theories that find the presence of charged aerosols to be the key to the unique radar cross sections associated with PMSE.
Keynote Speech 1: Secure Information Sharing and Dissemination in the Context of Public Security

In the context of homeland security, one of the key challenges in such environment is achieving effective, timely and orderly collaboration and information sharing among various government agencies at the Federal, state, and local levels. These agencies are using the Web as one of the means for sharing related information that is of different forms. In case of a crisis, a virtual response team needs to be formed in an ad-hoc manner. Members of this virtual response team come from various government agencies and private organizations. Depending on various factors, including the location and the nature of the crisis, the composition of this virtual multi- agency response team may change from one crisis to another. Furthermore, during the course of a given crisis the membership of this virtual multi-agency response team (VMART) may change dynamically to accommodate various needs (e.g., public health versus fire) and to confirm to certain constraints, such as jurisdictions, e.g., as the crisis extended from only New York, initially to New Jersey.
RICK/RIP2 Mediates Innate Immune Responses Induced through Nod1 and Nod2 but Not TLRs

RICK is a kinase that has been implicated in Nod1 and Nod2 signaling. In addition, RICK has been proposed to mediate TLR signaling in that its absence confers reduced responses to certain bacterial products such as LPS. We show here that macrophages and mice lacking RICK are defective in their responses to Nod1 and Nod2 agonists but exhibit unimpaired responses to synthetic and highly purified TLR agonists. Furthermore, production of chemokines induced by the bacterial dipeptide gamma-d-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid was intact in MyD88 deficient mice but abolished in RICK-null mice. Stimulation of macrophages with muramyl dipeptide, the Nod2 activator, enhanced immune responses induced by LPS, IFN-gamma, and heat-killed Listeria in wild-type but not in RICK- or Nod2-deficient macrophages. Finally, we show that the absence of RICK or double deficiency of Nod1 and Nod2 was associated with reduced cytokine production in Listeria-infected macrophages. These results demonstrate that RICK functions in innate immunity by mediating Nod1 and Nod2 signaling but not TLR-mediated immune responses.
Region of interest analysis for fMRI

A common approach to the analysis of fMRI data involves the extraction of signal from specified regions of interest (or ROI's). Three approaches to ROI analysis are described, and the strengths and assumptions of each method are outlined.
The Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase Gene as a Conditional Negative-Selection Marker Gene in Arabidopsis thaliana

The human herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase type 1 gene (HSVtk) acts as a conditional lethal marker in mammalian cells. The HSVtk-encoded enzyme is able to phosphorylate certain nucleoside analogs (e.g. ganciclovir, an antiherpetic drug), thus converting them to toxic DNA replication inhibitors. The utility of HSVtk as a conditional negative-selection marker was explored in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. HSVtk was introduced into Arabidopsis by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were morphologically indistinguishable from wild type and exhibited normal fertility. Ganciclovir at 10(-5) to 10(-4) M drastically reduced shoot regeneration on transgenic, HSVtk+ root explants or callus formation on HSVtk+ leaf explants but did not affect the wild-type cultures. There was a 35-fold reduction in shoot regeneration 8 d after transfer to shoot-induction medium. Negative selection against HSVtk activity along with kanamycin selection was also efficient in Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer experiments. Shoot regeneration was 25 times lower on double-selective (ganciclovir plus kanamycin) plates than in the kanamycin control. This regeneration rate in double-selective plates is in the range of the frequency of shoots normally escaping kanamycin selection in Arabidopsis cultures.
The Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine Derivative PD180970 Inhibits p210Bcr-Abl Tyrosine Kinase and Induces Apoptosis of K562 Leukemic Cells

PD180970 is a novel pyrido[2,3- d ]pyrimidine class of ATP-competitive inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases. We found that PD180970 inhibited in vivo tyrosine phosphorylation of p210Bcr-Abl (IC50 = 170 nm) and the p210Bcr-Abl substrates Gab2 and CrkL (IC50 = 80 nm) in human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemic cells. In vitro , PD180970 potently inhibited autophosphorylation of p210Bcr-Abl (IC50 = 5 nm) and the kinase activity of purified recombinant Abl tyrosine kinase (IC50 = 2.2 nm). Incubation of K562 cells with PD180970 resulted in cell death. Results of nuclear staining, apoptotic-specific poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and annexin V binding assays indicated that PD180970 induced apoptosis of K562 cells. In contrast, PD180970 had no apparent effects on the growth and viability of p210Bcr-Abl-negative HL60 human leukemic cells. Thus, PD180970 is among the most potent inhibitors of the p210Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase, which is present in almost all cases of human chronic myelogenous leukemia. These findings indicate that PD180970 is a promising candidate as a novel therapeutic agent for Bcr-Abl-positive leukemia.
Comparison of finite-control-set model predictive control versus a SVM-based linear controller

In recent years, Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FCS-MPC) has received considerable attention due to advantages such as ease of implementation, flexibility in the definition of control objectives and superior transient performance. However, some drawbacks of FCS-MPC, such as variable switching frequency and steady-state error, have also been reported. In order to assess the performance of FCS-MPC, this paper presents a comprehensive comparison of this method and a synchronous PI controller with space vector modulation (PI-SVM) for current regulation in steady-state and transient operation. The parameters of the linear controller are designed according to the modulus optimum technique, in order to guarantee a fast transient response. Quantitative performance indices are applied to both control schemes in a wide range of operating points of the inverter. In simulation results, the steady-state performance of FCS-MPC is strongly influenced by the operating point. As for the transient response, the FCS-MPC is slightly faster than the PI-SVM, also offering a better decoupling capability between the d and q axes of the current.
Marked Elevation of Serum Creatine Kinase Associated with Olanzapine Therapy

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of marked elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) associated with olanzapine therapy.CASE SUMMARY:A 39-year-old white Jewish schizophrenic man treated with olanzapine developed an elevated serum CK concentration with a peak concentration of 4000 IU/L (normal <230). No other diagnostic criteria for neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) were present. On discontinuation of the drug, serum CK concentrations returned to normal within eight days.DISCUSSION:Olanzapine, like other atypical antipsychotic drugs, may cause muscle injury with concomitant elevations of serum CK of muscle origin. We suggest that in patients treated with olanzapine, CK concentrations should be checked on initiation of therapy, within the first 48 hours, and weekly thereafter for at least one month. In addition, patients with clinical signs suggestive of NMS should be monitored more carefully. For those patients with a history of NMS, or even of isolated serum CK elevation during antipsychotic therapy, follow-up...
The complex relationship between weight and sleep apnoea

Obesity has long been recognised as the most important reversible risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Analyses from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study suggest that 41% of adult OSA cases, including 58% of moderate-to-severe cases, are attributable to overweight or obesity.1 As such, weight loss has long been recommended as an ancillary treatment for OSA. Longitudinal analyses from the Sleep Heart Health Study support the notion that weight loss is associated with improvements in OSA severity.2 However, the beneficial impact of weight loss was much less than the adverse effect of the same amount of weight gain in that study suggesting that the relationship between obesity and OSA is more complex than can be explained by an acute (and reversible) unidirectional causal model. Given evidence that short sleep durations and poor quality sleep predict an increased rate of weight gain,3 ,4 many have postulated that OSA may itself predispose to obesity. Retrospective data indicate that those with recently diagnosed OSA are more likely to have had recent weight gain.5 These findings have been used to support the contention that OSA causes weight gain but of course, this may simply reflect the impact of weight gain on OSA risk. An association between OSA and elevated leptin levels, which fall with CPAP therapy, suggests that an effect of OSA on weight gain may be mediated by leptin resistance whereby improvements in leptin resistance with OSA treatment would produce weight loss.6 Uncontrolled studies have reported that initiation of CPAP therapy is associated with induction of mild weight loss.7 However, given that most patients are educated on the association between obesity and OSA at …
Effects of Gas Dilution on the Growth and Properties of Glow Discharge a-Ge:H

We compare films of a-Ge:H deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using GeFLi diluted with H2, He and Ar. The nominal deposition conditions used were those which have produced high quality a-Ge:H with H2 dilution. Using H2 and He as diluents, three studies were done in which the parameters of substrate temperature, diluent gas flow and electrode gap spacing were independently varied. The photoelectronic properties of the films made with He dilution were quite good, although never better than those made with H2 dilution. The overall results indicated that for our nominal conditions hydrogen plays an important and crucial role in producing high quality films, and we believe that this role is mainly to reduce the probability of germane radical incorporation. In contrast to He and H2 dilution, dilution with Ar produced films with much poorer microstructure and a photoresponse two orders of magnitude lower. We attribute this to polymerization of the germane radicals which led to observed dust particles and a reduction in ion bombardment of the growing film.
Diffusion Flow Laws in Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks which deform by pressure solution obey a diffusion flow law with a linear viscous or Newtonian stress to strain-rate relation. Undeformed relics of original grains preserved within newly grown crystals at grain boundaries under tension and presolved surfaces, together with accumulation of inert particles at grain boundaries under compression, are diagnostic evidence of a diffusion flow law. At a given stress, strain-rate is inversely proportional to the grain size to a power of two or three. A geologically useful plot has inverse temperature versus the logarithm of grain size as coordinates. Such a graph is separated into fields by three boundaries which meet at a triple point; within each field, either lattice diffusion, grain-boundary diffusion, or a dislocation flow law is predominant. It may be possible to calibrate this graph from naturally deformed rocks. Photomicrographs of isoclinally folded greenschist-grade quartzites and rhyolitic flows from the South Mountain–Blue Ridge area in Maryland demonstrate a diffusive mass transfer deformation mechanism, but estimates of effective diffusion coefficient compared to currently available laboratory diffusion data are insufficient to identify the diffusion path with certainty. However, the comparatively low ratio of metamorphic temperature to melting temperature and the physical nature of grain boundaries in metamorphic rocks, particularly concentrations of low-density impurities at grain boundaries, suggest the grain-boundary diffusion flow law.
Mercury (II) Complex of d-Cycloserine

The apparent formation constant of the 2:1 complex of d -cycloserine and mercury (II) has been measured and found to be 10 17.5 at 25° in solutions of ionic strength of ~ 0.4. Evidence is presented to substantiate the conclusion that chelation contributes little to the structure of the complex.
Nifedipine Protects Small Intestine from Cyclosporine-Induced Hemodynamic and Functional Impairment

Abstract We have previously shown that cyclosporine (CsA) causes intestinal hemodynamic and functional impairments. In this study, we evaluated whether nifedipine protects the small intestine from such toxic side effects. Isogeneic small intestinal transplantation was performed in rats which then received one of the following two-week treatments: olive oil, 0.15 ml/kg/day i.m. as vehicle controls in group 1; nifedipine, 1 mg/kg/day i.m. in group 2; CsA, 15 mg/kg/day i.m. in group 3; and both nifedipine and CsA in group 4. Vascular resistance, whole tissue blood flow and its mucosal and serosal/muscularis distributions in both graft and recipient residual native intestines, and absorptive function were determined. The data showed that two-week treatment with CsA resulted in a marked elevation of vascular resistance from 51.0 ± 6.8 to 72.4 ± 11.1 U/g in the native whole tissue and from 53.7 ± 7.2 to 78.2 ± 12.1 U/g in the graft whole tissue, and decreases in blood flow from 1.59 ± 0.26 to 1.11 ± 0.17 ml/g/min in the native whole tissue and from 1.50 ± 0.21 to 1.03 ± 0.18 ml/g/min in the graft whole tissue and absorption from 227 ± 36 to 166 ± 26 mg glucose/dl. Mucosa was preferentially affected, while serosal/muscularis layers remained relatively unchanged. When nifedipine was concomitantly used with CsA, vascular resistance and blood flow values in the mucosal layer and whole intestinal tissue as well as absorptive function showed no significant differences from the baseline data. The changes observed in denervated grafts and recipient native intestines were similar. We conclude that nifedipine is effective in protecting both graft and native small intestines from CsA-induced toxicity in the rat.
Synaptic and intrinsic conductances shape picrotoxin-induced synchronized after-discharges in the guinea-pig hippocampal slice

1. A computer model was constructed of the guinea-pig hippocampal region in vitro, containing 100 pyramidal neurones. This approach has contributed to the understanding of brief (usually less than 100 ms) epileptic events known as 'interictal spikes'. The present study addresses the cellular mechanisms of more prolonged epileptic events, lasting 200 ms and more, that may represent short-duration seizures. Each neurone was simulated with a nineteen-compartment model using six voltage-dependent ionic conductances. The neurones were randomly interconnected with excitatory synapses, each synapse exerting a fast voltage-independent alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) component and a slower voltage-dependent N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) component. Each neurone received input from twenty other neurones. 2. This model was able to generate, in response to synaptic noise or to stimulation of one neurone, a series of synchronized population bursts, the initial (primary) burst being longer than later (secondary) bursts, terminating in a prolonged after-hyperpolarization. The simulated after-discharge potentials resemble those recorded experimentally from pyramidal neurones during perfusion of the hippocampal slice with media containing picrotoxin, a blocker of synaptic inhibition mediated by GABAA receptors. 3. Simulated after-discharges agree with the following experiments: over a certain range of total NMDA conductance, blockade of AMPA receptors will prevent the occurrence of synchronized firing, whereas, blockade of NMDA receptors will, in contrast, abolish the secondary bursts, leaving a shortened and somewhat smaller primary burst. Dendritic potential oscillations occur in phase with somatic oscillations. When interneurones (some generating GABAA-mediated IPSPs, others generating GABAB IPSPS) are included in the model, the occurrence of synchronized events was suppressed, the most significant suppressant effect coming from GABAA IPSPS. 4. The model predicts that: a dendritic calcium spike occurs during each secondary burst; AMPA receptors serve to maintain the synchrony of secondary bursts, as well as to initiate the primary burst; and that with sufficient total NMDA conductance, synchronized firing can occur even with AMPA receptors blocked. 5. The model suggests, in addition, that the duration of the initial burst is determined in part by the experimentally observed delay between Ca2+ entry and peaking of the after-hyperpolarization (AHP) conductance, and hence reflects properties of the individual pyramidal neurones. Specifically, a pattern of a long initial burst followed by brief secondary bursts is elicited in single-cell simulations by injection of a steady depolarizing current into the apical dendrite. The same pattern is produced when the single-cell model includes only calcium and calcium-dependent conductances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Abstract TP424: Timing Of Deep Vein Thrombosis Formation After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common complication following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The time period of greatest risk of developing DVT after aSAH is not known. Early DVT detection may enable earlier treatment and prevent progression to symptomatic DVT or pulmonary embolism (PE). We tested the hypothesis that DVT most often occurs during the period of highest risk of delayed cerebral ischemia (3-14 days post-rupture). Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 154 patients admitted to the OHSU NeuroICU with aSAH between April 2008 and April 2010. 121 patients received periodic screening lower extremity ultrasounds, typically twice weekly, and prophylaxis with sequential compression devices (SCDs) but no chemoprophylaxis such as heparin. The remaining 33 patients did not receive screening studies due to withdrawal of care or attending physician preference. Results: 26 of 121 patients (21.5%) who received ultrasound screening developed DVT after aneurysm rupture. 3 of 26 patients (2.5% of the total screened population) had symptomatic DVTs, as defined by documented clinical suspicion in chart notes, and 1 of these developed PE. DVTs were significantly more likely to be detected 3-14 days post-bleed (χ-square, p Conclusion: DVTs are significantly more likely to be detected 3-14 days after aneurysm rupture. Repeated screening allows for evaluation of the period of highest risk for developing DVT. The data suggest that this period occurs between 5.7 and 12.0 days on average (median 2-10 days) following aneurysm rupture. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether chemoprophylaxis targeted to this time window reduces DVT incidence while minimizing bleeding risk.
Systemic Risk in Off-Exchange Derivatives Markets

Many government officials, regulators and others have described scenarios whereby the failure of an intermediary in the swap market causes other intermediaries to fail in a "domino"-like effect, with potentially significant adverse systemic consequences. While the ultimate domino-effect scenario is indeed a dire one, the collateral impact that correlated failures of even some participants might have on the financial system is also of concern. Thus, this paper deals with correlated bankruptcies of intermediaries, or systemic risk; to date, no careful analysis of this problem has appeared. This document describes a model that, while a simplification of the realities of the actual swap market, nevertheless is rich enough to capture the important stylized elements of that market. The model incorporates: varying hedging horizons for counterparties; interdealer hedging by intermediaries (possibly with futures); diversification by intermediaries; both systematic and idiosyncratic risk; and changes to counterparty hedging needs. This model allows us to investigate the probability of correlated bankruptcies of intermediaries, i.e., systemic risk. The ability to obtain closed-form solutions for these probabilities is an especially beneficial result.
Effect of Computer Simulations at the Particulate and Macroscopic Levels on Students' Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter.

Computer-based simulations can help students visualize chemical representations and understand chemistry concepts, but simulations at different levels of representation may vary in effectiveness on student learning. This study investigated the influence of computer activities that simulate chemical reactions at different levels of representation in students’ conceptual understanding of the particulate nature of matter (PNM). The participants included 170 second semester general chemistry students and were divided into two groups: one interacting with computer simulations at the particulate level and one at the macroscopic level. Students’ understanding of the PNM was measured using the Particulate Nature of Matter Assessment. In addition, factor analysis was performed to detect latent concepts in the instrument. Results showed that dynamic simulations at the particulate level helped students understand the PNM in chemistry involving particle motion.
Socially mediated learning in male Betta splendens: II. Some failures.

Male Siamese fighting fish were exposed to their mirror images inside distinctively colored tunnels and then were exposed to the tunnels without any mirrors. In contrast to earlier results, tunnel preferences were not established by these procedures. Observations of the animals during learning strongly suggest that seemingly minor changes in apparatus shape, relative to those of earlier experiments, produced the current failures of acquisition.
Vitamin E supplementation of cattle and shelf-life of beef for the Japanese market

Feeder steers (n = 84) were stratified into four weight groups to provide slaughter groups so that product that had been in vacuum packages at 0 to 2°C for 40, 60, 80, or 100 d postmortem could be simultaneously evaluated. Each of the four groups was randomly divided into three subgroups so that vitamin E could be supplemented in the diet at rates of 0, 1,000, or 2,000 (E0, E1000, and E2000, respectively) IU-steer -1 .d -1 for 100 d. After slaughtering, chilling, and fabricating, one ribeye-roll and one strip loin from each carcass was transported to the university laboratory for analyses, whereas the paired subprimals were transported to Japan. Based on metmyoglobin formation and lipid oxidation, strip loin steaks deteriorated at a faster rate during retail-display than did ribeye steaks. Steaks from subprimals that were stored for 100 d had inferior ( P <.05) retail-display characteristics and a shorter ( P <.05) caselife than steaks from the other storage periods. α-Tocopherol levels in longissimus muscle were lower (P <.05) for E0 than for E1000 and E2000 (3.51, 5.54, and 6.10 μg/g of tissue, respectively). Supplementing cattle with vitamin E resulted in steaks that exhibited superior lean color, less surface discoloration, more desirable overall appearance, and less lipid oxidation during retail-display than control steaks; minimal differences were observed between E1000 and E2000 steaks. Steaks from cattle supplemented with vitamin E were preferred over control steaks by 91% of Japanese survey participants (n = 10,941), and 58% of all participants identified muscle color as the most important factor in selecting beef products.
Patient activation and visit preparation in African American veterans receiving mental health care.

Objective Patient activation refers to one's ability and willingness to manage their health and health care. Visit preparation, question formulation, and other elements of patient activation are core components of patient-centered care. However, they are inconsistently translated into clinical practice. Multiple factors have been shown to influence patient activation and associated activities, such as patients' race and ethnicity, illness, and clinical settings. Because race and ethnicity are important factors in patient activation, and we know little about ethnic minority patients with respect to patient activation, the goal of this study was to examine the contexts, barriers, and facilitators influencing African American veterans' involvement in visit preparation in mental health outpatient settings. Method We conducted qualitative interviews with 49 African American veterans with mental illness receiving outpatient psychiatric care at a large, urban U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, and used a grounded theory approach to analyze the data. Results Findings from this study identify patients' beliefs about preparing for the clinical encounter, the patient-provider relationship, and lack of information about patient activation as barriers to engaging in visit preparation activities. Conclusions and implications for practice Findings indicate the need for greater awareness of the challenges of visit preparation as well as the potential consequences of lack of preparation. Results suggest the incorporation of visit preparation as part of routine mental health visits, and as a tool to increase patient activation, especially among minorities. Findings also inform intervention studies by emphasizing the need to explore sociocultural factors that may impact patient activation programs. (PsycINFO Database Record
Marital Beliefs Among African American Emerging Adults The Roles of Community Context, Family Background, and Relationship Experiences

The current study explores multiple contexts of development—community, family, and relationship—that predict African American emerging adults’ marital beliefs. Findings suggest that nonmarital relationship experiences and childhood community contexts are robust and independent predictors of marital beliefs. The important role of childhood community context found here suggests that communities may not only be indicative of opportunity structure in local marriage markets but may also be indicative of the virtual structure that shapes marital meaning. By offering a better understanding of the extent to which marital beliefs are embedded in broader community, family, and relationship contexts, the current findings may be used to better specify promising models aiming to understand the causal implications of these beliefs across the transition to adulthood and later in the life course.
Management Strategies in Chronic Lower Limb Ischemia

The cardinal goal in management of peripheral ischemia is palliation of pain and disability in the context of progressive, irreversible systemic atherosclerosis and intercurrent chronic illnesses. This challenge can be effectively met by a team approach with a coordinated plan for applying conservative measures from the earliest stages and until surgical management eventually becomes necessary.
Compound Collection Preparation for Virtual Screening

Virtual screening is an established technique that has successfully been deployed in the identification of novel biologically active molecules. Whether for ligand-based or for structure-based virtual screening, a chemical collection needs to be properly processed prior to in silico evaluation. Here we describe our step-by-step procedure for handling large collections of compounds prior to virtual screening.
Abstract MP01: Vascular versus Tubular Renin: Role in Kidney Development

Renin, the key regulated enzyme of the renin angiotensin system regulates blood pressure and fluid electrolyte homeostasis as well as morphogenesis of the kidney. Classically, renin is synthesized and released from juxtaglomerular cells located in the afferent arterioles at the entrance to the glomeruli. It has also been suggested that renin may also be synthesized by tubular cells. Interestingly, whole body deletion of the renin gene results in striking vascular and tubular abnormalities, hydronephrosis and a urine-concentrating defect. Given the complexity of such phenotype, it has not been possible to discriminate the relative contributions of vascular versus tubular renin. To investigate the relative contribution of renin in the vascular versus tubular compartments during kidney development we deleted renin independently in either compartment by crossing Ren1cfl/fl mice to Foxd1-cre or to Hoxb7-cre mice. We performed blood chemistries, histological analysis, immunostaining for specific cell markers, total kidney renin mRNA quantification and ELISA for renin in plasma. Vascular deletion of renin (Foxd1 lineage) resulted in neonatal mortality that could be rescued with daily injections of saline suggesting that this phenotype is due to an inability to concentrate the urine and improper medullary development. These mice showed absence of renal renin and negligible levels of plasma renin. Histologically, the kidneys had abnormal development of its arterioles, which became progressively thickened by disorganized, concentric hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells and marked hydronephrosis. On the other hand, lack of renin in the collecting ducts (Hoxb7 descendants) did not affect kidney morphology, intra-renal renin distribution, kidney renin mRNA expression or circulating renin during basal conditions or in response to a homeostatic stress such as low sodium diet. We conclude that renin generated in the renal vascular compartment is fundamental for the development and integrity of the kidney whereas the presence of renin in the collecting duct system is dispensable for normal kidney development and cannot compensate for the lack of renin in the vascular compartment. Further, the main source of circulating renin is the kidney vasculature.
Surface area-dependence of gas-particle interactions influences pulmonary and neuroinflammatory outcomes

Deleterious consequences of exposure to traffic emissions may derive from interactions between carbonaceous particulate matter (PM) and gaseous components in a manner that is dependent on the surface area or complexity of the particles. To determine the validity of this hypothesis, we examined pulmonary and neurological inflammatory outcomes in C57BL/6 and apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE−/−) male mice after acute and chronic exposure to vehicle engine-derived particulate matter, generated as ultrafine (UFP) and fine (FP) sizes, with additional exposures using UFP or FP combined with gaseous copollutants derived from fresh gasoline and diesel emissions, labeled as UFP + G and FP + G. The UFP and UFP + G exposure groups resulted in the most profound pulmonary and neuroinflammatory effects. Phagocytosis of UFP + G particles via resident alveolar macrophages was substantial in both mouse strains, particularly after chronic exposure, with concurrent increased proinflammatory cytokine expression of CXCL1 and TNFα in the bronchial lavage fluid. In the acute exposure paradigm, only UFP and UFP + G induced significant changes in pulmonary inflammation and only in the ApoE−/− animals. Similarly, acute exposure to UFP and UFP + G increased the expression of several cytokines in the hippocampus of ApoE−/− mice including Il-1β, IL-6, Tgf-β and Tnf-α and in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice including Ccl5, Cxcl1, Il-1β, and Tnf-α. Interestingly, Il-6 and Tgf-β expression were decreased in the C57BL/6 hippocampus after acute exposure. Chronic exposure to UFP + G increased expression of Ccl5, Cxcl1, Il-6, and Tgf-β in the ApoE−/− hippocampus, but this effect was minimal in the C57BL/6 mice, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to manage neuroinflammation in this strain. Inflammatory responses the lung and brain were most substantial in ApoE−/− animals exposed to UFP + G, suggesting that the surface area-dependent interaction of gases and particles is an important determinant of toxic responses. As such, freshly generated UFP, in the presence of combustion-derived gas phase pollutants, may be a greater health hazard than would be predicted from PM concentration, alone, lending support for epidemiological findings of adverse neurological outcomes associated with roadway proximity.
Extracranial metastases of anaplastic meningioma.

Anaplastic meningioma is a World Health Organization (WHO) Class III lesion representing 2–3% of all meningiomas, with more aggressive spread, increased mortality and increased likelihood of recurrence. Metastases outside the blood–brain barrier are uncommon but can occur to the lungs, liver, bone and skin.Definitive diagnosis is obtained with pathological analysis. The World Health Organization classifies meningiomas into benign (Grade I), atypical (Grade II) and anaplastic/malignant (Grade III) based on histological findings including number of mitoses, cellularity, nucleus to cytoplasm etc. This case presents a 58-year-old female with history of treated anaplastic meningioma with new onset headache, nausea and vomiting. Workup demonstrated multiple new bilateral pulmonary nodules, which subsequent biopsy proved to be metastasis from recurrent anaplastic meningioma, with extensive intrathoracic involvement.
Dependence of Dissolution Rate on Surface Area: Is a Simple Linear Relationship Valid for Co-Compressed Drug Mixtures?

A quantitative analysis of the dependence of dissolution rate on the relative surface area occupied by two non-interacting drug mixtures from co-compressed slabs is described. The results from the experimental dissolution rates of each component from naproxen/ phenytoin co-compressed slabs under laminar flow conditions, when corrected for the area occupied by that component in the slab, contradict the stagnant layer model predictions, where dissolution rates are assumed to be directly proportional to the occupied surface area. Simulations from non-mixed co-compressates of naproxen and phenytoin indicated that dissolution rates are proportional to bL2/3, as reported for pure compounds in the laminar dissolution apparatus by Shah and Nelson. However, for a well mixed co-compressate, which differs with the non-mixed case only in the distribution of particles, this proportionality did not hold. The deviation was explained by ‘carryover’ of material from one section of the component to the next due to fluid flow, resulting in an increase in apparent effective length of the component in the slab (Leff).
Abstract 524: Myxomaviral Anti-angiogenesis Protein Serp-1 Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Growth in Mice

Modification of the tumor microenvironment by inflammatory cells represents a newly recognized driving force in cancer with a critical role in tumor invasion, growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. ...
Promising Progression Free and Overall Survival Using a Novel (CY/FLU/TBI) Reduced-Intensity Conditioning (RIC) Regimen for Allogeneic Sibling Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT).

RIC regimens permit older and less fit patients to receive allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). We designed a novel RIC regimen (cyclophosphamide, fludarabine, TBI [CY/FLU/TBI]) to achieve sufficient anti-neoplastic potency for cytoreduction and adequate immunosuppression for engraftment yet have limited treatment related mortality (TRM). We report the results of 72 patients (58% male) receiving sibling donor HLA-identical (n=66; 92%) or single antigen mismatched (n=6; 8%) G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood SCT from 2002–2005. Eligible patients were >55 years or had prior SCT, ongoing but controlled infections, ventricular ejection fraction 35–45% or corrected DLCO 30–50%. All patients had chemotherapy sensitive disease or remission. Most patients had lymphoma (n=29; 40%) or acute leukemia/MDS (n=23; 32%); others (28%) had multiple myeloma, CML, CLL, aplastic anemia, or renal cell carcinoma. All acute leukemia patients were in CR (CR1=14, ≥CR2=4). All lymphoma patients were chemosensitive; 4 were in CR. All patients received conditioning with FLU 40 mg/m2/day × 5 days, CY 50 mg/kg and 200 cGy TBI. Equine ATG 90 mg/kg plus methylprednisolone were given to those without recent combination chemotherapy (29%). GVHD prophylaxis included mycophenolate mofetil 1 gm BID and cyclosporine. The median age was 55 years (range, 11–65). The median graft cell dose infused was 5.4 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg (range, 0.6–15.5). Seventeen (24%) had previous SCT (14 autologous, 3 allogeneic). Neutrophil engraftment occurred at a median of 7 days (range, 0–13) and median time to platelet recovery >20K and >50K was 9 days (range, 0–51) and 14 days (range, 0–68), respectively. Median bone marrow chimerism by day 28 was 100% (range, 50–100); only 11 patients were
Moral injury in U.S. combat veterans: Results from the national health and resilience in veterans study

Background Combat exposure is associated with increased risk of mental disorders and suicidality. Moral injury, or persistent effects of perpetrating or witnessing acts that violate one's moral code, may contribute to mental health problems following military service. The pervasiveness of potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) among U.S. combat veterans, and what factors are associated with PMIEs in this population remains unknown. Methods Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a contemporary and nationally representative survey of a population-based sample of U.S. veterans, including 564 combat veterans, collected September–October 2013. Types of PMIEs (transgressions by self, transgressions by others, and betrayal) were assessed using the Moral Injury Events Scale. Psychiatric and functional outcomes were assessed using established measures. Results A total of 10.8% of combat veterans acknowledged transgressions by self, 25.5% endorsed transgressions by others, and 25.5% endorsed betrayal. PMIEs were moderately positively associated with combat severity (β = .23, P < .001) and negatively associated with white race, college education, and higher income (βs = .11–.16, Ps < .05). Transgressions by self were associated with current mental disorders (OR = 1.65, P < .001) and suicidal ideation (OR = 1.67, P < .001); betrayal was associated with postdeployment suicide attempts (OR = 1.99, P < .05), even after conservative adjustment for covariates, including combat severity. Conclusions A significant minority of U.S combat veterans report PMIEs related to their military service. PMIEs are associated with risk for mental disorders and suicidality, even after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, trauma and combat exposure histories, and past psychiatric disorders.
Models of Chemical Structure

Models of chemical structure play dual crucial roles in organic chemistry . First, they allow for the discovery and application of laws to the complex phenomena that chemists hope to understand. Second, they are a source of novel concepts that allow for the continuing development of structure theory and theoretical organic chemistry. In chemistry, therefore, the centrality and significance of models to the scientific enterprise is manifest and furthermore chemistry is a relatively clear, useful, and interesting context in which to consider more general philosophical questions about the nature and role of models in science.
Early Days, 1928–1945

This chapter describes my family background in Adelaide, Australia including my father who was an orthopedic surgeon, and my mother who was a nurse from a rural community. My schooling was at Prince Alfred College, and in my senior years I concentrated on science including physics, chemistry and mathematics. We were fortunate to have an excellent science teacher. I was the first editor of the PAC Science Journal which appears annually and is written by students. It is still going strong 73 years later. I took part in the usual sports including cricket, football and athletics, and was a member of the Boy Scout troop and the school debating society.
Investigation and reduction of line frequency common mode voltages at the outputs of AC/DC power converters

Although existing standards such as IEC62684 and EN 301 489-34 limit the line frequency common mode (CM) voltages at the output of AC/DC converters, the mechanism and characteristics of line frequency CM voltages at the outputs of AC/DC converters are unclear and the technique to reduce it is not well investigated and developed. In this paper, the line frequency CM voltages at the outputs of AC/DC converters are analyzed and a modeling technique is developed. Simulations and experiments were conducted to validate the developed technique. An AC/DC Flyback converter is taken as a study example. The paper also analyzed the effect of the start-up circuit at the primary side on the CM voltages. The relationship between leakage current and CM voltage is also discussed. The techniques to reduce the output line frequency CM voltages is also investigated and developed.
Incremental Prognostic Utility of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy Patients and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

BackgroundIn obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, we sought to determine whether LV global longitudinal strain (LV‐GLS) provided ...
Advances in endoscopic balloon therapy for weight loss and its limitations

The field of medical and surgical weight loss is undergoing an explosion of new techniques and devices. A lot of these are geared towards endoscopic approaches rather than the conventional and more invasive laparoscopic or open approach. One such recent advance is the introduction of intrgastric balloons. In this article, we discuss the recently Food and Drug Administration approved following balloons for weight loss: the Orbera™ Intragastric Balloon System (Apollo Endosurgery Inc, Austin, TX, United States), the ReShape® Integrated Dual Balloon System (ReShape Medical, Inc., San Clemente, CA, United States), and the Obalon (Obalon® Therapeutics, Inc.). The individual features of each of these balloons, the method of introduction and removal, and the expected weight loss and possible complications are discussed. This review of the various balloons highlights the innovation in the field of weight loss.
iSeiz: A low-cost real-time seizure detection system utilizing cloud computing

In this paper, we report on a proof-of-concept wearable prototype, called iSeiz, that can detect specific seizure activity, namely generalized tonic-clonic, in epilepsy patients. We first describe the high-level architecture of iSeiz, and then elaborate on its hardware and software features, including its robust and low-computational intensive real-time seizure detection algorithm (SDA), as well as utilization of cloud computing for recoding, analyzing, and comparing seizure data. We conclude this paper by discussing the performance of iSeiz system in terms of its seizure detection accuracy, lifetime, and communication range.