cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment Guidelines When the Only Evidence of Disease is an Elevated Serum Thyroglobulin Level

The previous chapter discusses the issues and controversies about treating patients when the only evidence of residual disease is an elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize our treatment guidelines in this situation. Table 1 lists the main points from this chapter. These guidelines do not apply to patients with known metastases that do not concentrate I-131. It is not necessary to measure serial serum Tg levels in patients with bulky metastases that do not concentrate I-131, since the test serves no useful purpose. Patients with metastases that are unresponsive to I-131 therapy should be considered for surgery or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or should be enrolled in protocols studying new forms of therapy, or under hospice care.
Development and progression of colorectal neoplasia

A variety of genetic and molecular alterations underlie the development and progression of colorectal neoplasia (CRN). Most of these cancers arise sporadically due to multiple somatic mutations and genetic instability. Genetic instability includes chromosomal instability (CIN) and microsatellite instability (MSI), which is observed in most hereditary non-polyposis colon cancers (HNPCCs) and accounts for a small proportion of sporadic CRN. Although many biomarkers have been used in the diagnosis and prediction of the clinical outcomes of CRNs, no single marker has established value. New markers and genes associated with the development and progression of CRNs are being discovered at an accelerated rate. CRN is a heterogeneous disease, especially with respect to the anatomic location of the tumor, race/ethnicity differences, and genetic and dietary interactions that influence its development and progression and act as confounders. Hence, efforts related to biomarker discovery should focus on identification of individual differences based on tumor stage, tumor anatomic location, and race/ethnicity; on the discovery of molecules (genes, mRNA transcripts, and proteins) relevant to these differences; and on development of therapeutic approaches to target these molecules in developing personalized medicine. Such strategies have the potential of reducing the personal and socio-economic burden of CRNs. Here, we systematically review molecular and other pathologic features as they relate to the development, early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, progression, and prevention of CRNs, especially colorectal cancers (CRCs).
Temporal change threshold detection imager

A 90/spl times/90 active pixel sensor (APS) achieves 2% in-pixel change/motion detection at 30f/s consuming 4.2mW. The 6T2C 25/spl mu/m /spl times/ 25 /spl mu/m pixel in 0.5 /spl mu/m 2P3M CMOS provides intensity readout, detection of change events and polarities. Event address and APS value output are asynchronous, facilitating compression. The imager is intended for low-power low-bandwidth surveillance network applications.
Pattern Formation in a Suspension of Swimming Microorganisms: Nonlinear Aspects

Convection in a suspension of motile microorganisms with upward drift is studied using nonlinear stability theory. The organisms move with Reynolds number much less than unity and do not leave the fluid. Hence, the condition of zero flux on horizontal boundaries must be imposed and this produces, in linear theory, a critical wave number of zero. For slightly supercritical conditions, a band of small wave numbers is excited. The generic case is not Boussinesq and the onset of motion occurs through a subcritical bifurcation, a result consistent with observation of cultures of microorganisms near the onset of instability. We develop a stationary model for the dense clusters of organisms that form. In this model, the momentum transferred to the fluid by a cluster of organisms interacts with the horizontal boundaries, and the resulting recirculation of the fluid can maintain the integrity of the clusters. The observed spacing of aggregates is consistent with the stationary solution which maximizes the mean cluster volume.
Hyper- and Hypoaldosteronism

Aldosterone participates in blood volume and serum potassium homeostasis, which in turn regulate aldosterone secretion by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. Autonomous aldosterone hypersecretion leads to hypertension and hypokalemia. Improved screening techniques have led to a re-evaluation of the frequency of primary aldosteronism among adults with hypertension, recognizing that normokalemic cases are more frequent than was previously appreciated. The genetic basis of glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism has been elucidated and adequately explains most of the pathophysiologic features of this disorder. A new form of familial aldosteronism has been described, familial hyperaldosteronism type II; linkage analysis and direct mutation screening has shown that this disorder is unrelated to mutations in the genes for aldosterone synthase or the angiotensin II receptor. The features of aldosterone hypersecretion may be due to non-aldosterone-mediated mineralocorticoid excess. These include two causes of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency and 17 alpha-hydroxylase deficiency), the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) due to 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD) deficiency, primary glucocorticoid resistance, Liddle's syndrome due to activating mutations of the renal epithelial sodium channel, and exogenous sources of mineralocorticoid, such as licorice, or drugs, such as carbenoxolone. The features of mineralocorticoid excess are also often seen in Cushing's syndrome. Hypoaldosteronism may lead to hypotension and hyperkalemia. Hypoaldosteronism may be due to inadequate stimulation of aldosterone secretion (hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism), defects in adrenal synthesis of aldosterone, or resistance to the ion transport effects of aldosterone, such as are seen in pseudohypoaldosteronism type I (PHA I). PHA I is frequently due to mutations involving the amiloride sensitive epithelial sodium channel. Gordon's syndrome (PHA type II) is due to resistance to the kaliuretic but not sodium reabsorptive effects of aldosterone for which the genetic basis is still unknown. This review aims to provide a survey of the clinical disorders of aldosterone excess and deficiency and their clinical management, with a focus on primary aldosteronism and isolated aldosterone deficiency.
A 45-Mbits/sec. VLSI Viterbi decoder for digital video applications

The author describes the unique architecture and feature set incorporated into the STEL-2060 Viterbi Decoder, a VLSI device designed by Standford Telecom. This device was designed primarily for direct broadcasting by satellite (DBS) services and operates up to 45 Mb/s. The STEL-2060 uses industry standard, constraint length 7, polynomials and incorporates depuncturing circuitry to allow it to be used with punctured codes up to rate 7/8, as well as standard rate 1/2 coding. >
Isolation, purification, and characterization of bovine heart and yeast cytochromes c: An integrated biochemistry laboratory experience

This article describes a one-semester project-based laboratory course for biochemistry students centered on the protein cytochrome c. Students learn a variety of protein purification techniques, including ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, and electrophoresis, by isolating cytochrome c. The oxidation-reduction properties of this relatively stable and forgiving protein are then characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and electrochemistry. Electrophoresis is utilized to assess purity and determine molecular weight. Students isolate cytochrome c from bovine heart and yeast and compare their properties.
gSparsify: Graph Motif Based Sparsification for Graph Clustering

Graph clustering is a fundamental problem that partitions vertices of a graph into clusters with an objective to optimize the intuitive notions of intra-cluster density and intercluster sparsity. In many real-world applications, however, the sheer sizes and inherent complexity of graphs may render existing graph clustering methods inefficient or incapable of yielding quality graph clusters. In this paper, we propose gSparsify, a graph sparsification method, to preferentially retain a small subset of edges from a graph which are more likely to be within clusters, while eliminating others with less or no structure correlation to clusters. The resultant simplified graph is succinct in size with core cluster structures well preserved, thus enabling faster graph clustering without a compromise to clustering quality. We consider a quantitative approach to modeling the evidence that edges within densely knitted clusters are frequently involved in small-size graph motifs, which are adopted as prime features to differentiate edges with varied cluster significance. Path-based indexes and path-join algorithms are further designed to compute graph-motif based cluster significance of edges for graph sparsification. We perform experimental studies in real-world graphs, and results demonstrate that gSparsify can bring significant speedup to existing graph clustering methods with an improvement to graph clustering quality.
A comparison of the influence of locally applied thyroxine upon Mauthner's cell and adjacent neurons.

1. 1. Thyroxine-cholesterol pellets were implanted against the right side of the hindbrain in R. pipiens larvae. 2. 2. Nuclei of two different classes of non-Mauthnerian cells on the side of implantation grew significantly larger than did the same cell types on the opposite (control) side. In contrast, the sizes of the Mauthner cell nuclei showed no significant differences between the two sides, except perhaps in a selected small group in which much of the hormone must have gone into the circulation, since marked generalized metamorphic advances occurred. 3. 3. It is concluded that involution of Mauthner's cells requires either high concentrations of thyroid hormone locally for several days, or high concentrations of the hormone locally in addition to prior degeneration of lateral line nerve centers or tail motor centers.
Isoelectric Focusing of Mosquito Esterases in the Presence of Triton X- 100,

Triton X-100 improves nonspecific esterase solubilization from mosquito samples and also leads to increased resolution in an isoelectric focusing electrophoresis.
A conic primitive-based pattern generator for electron-beam lithography of diffractive optical elements

The efficient lithography of diffractive optical elements requires the pattern data to be optimized in terms of size and of the fidelity with which it approximates the design. We describe a hardware and software package that approximation by polygons, and that can be implemented to enhance existing electron-beam lithography tools. The method employed allow surfaces bounded by conic sections to be approached to the best possible accuracy, and substantially reduces the pattern file size.
Thermally stimulated current and photorefractivity of bismuth silicon oxide and bismuth germanium oxide

Abstract Nominally undoped crystals of bismuth silicon oxide and bismuth germanium oxide have been grown by the Czochralski method and characterized by thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectroscopy and optical grating erasing techniques. TSC spectra from crystal samples of the same boule were found to be highly reproducible and varied only moderately among platelets from different boules. In contrast, the protorefractive parameters determined from grating erasing experiments varied drastically even among samples from the same boule.
EFFECTS OF OLMESARTAN THERAPY ON THE EXPRESSION OF ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS IN RATS LUNG WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE

Objectives To investigate the effect of Olmesartan on the levels of PRA and Ang II in plasma and the protein levels of α 1A , β 1 andβ 2 adrenergic receptor in lungs from rats with chronic heart failure (CHF) induced by myocardial infarction. Methods Models of CHF established by anterior descending coronary artery ligature. Fifty four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (group A), sham operation group (group B), CHF model group (group C), Olmesartan group (group G).Heart function was determined by echocardiography. Plasma PRA and Ang II levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The protein expression levels of α 1A -AR, β 1 -AR and β 2 -AR in lungs were measured by Western blot. Results (1) Changes of LVEF: Before therapy, there was no significant difference between group A and B (p>0.05). Compared with group B, the left ventricle ejection faction (LVEF) of group C and group G were significantly decreased (p (2) Changes of PRA and Ang II: After therapy, there was no significant difference between group A and B (p>0.05). Compared with group B, the lever of PRA and AngII of group C were significantly increased (p (3) Changes of protein expression: After therapy, no significant changes were seen in protein expression of α 1A -AR, β 1 -AR and β 2 -AR in group A and B (p>0.05). Compared with group B, α 1A -AR, β 1 -AR protein expression decreased in group C (p 2 -AR markedly increase in group C (p 1A -AR, β 1 -AR and β 2 -AR significantly increased in group G (p Conclusions LVEF is increased and heart function is improved when Olmesartan is used to treat rats with CHF induced by myocardial infarction. After taking Olmesartan, Plasma PRA and Ang II levels were significantly decreased and the protein expression of α 1A -AR andβ 1 –AR in lungs are regulated towards normal, but the expression of β 2 -AR is still up-regulated. The changes of adrenergic receptor expression level are conducive to the maintenance of lung ventilation/perfusion ratio, which can relieve the congestion of pulmonary circulation and reduce pulmonary oedema. Thus Olmesartan plays a beneficial therapeutic effect on rats lung with CHF.
Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis of the Structure of Multilayer Langmuir−Blodgett Films: Effect of Deposition Velocity and pH

Multiple Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) films of arachidic acid were deposited on germanium (Ge) substrates from subphase solutions of 10-4 M CdCl2 at different pH values and at different deposition speeds. Attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to obtain information on the molecular order and structure of these multilayer LB films. At pHs higher than the pKa of the fatty acid/cation system, transfers took place only during the downstroke, indicating X-type deposition. At pH = pKa and large deposition speeds, deposition partially failed during the downstroke, resulting in Z-type depositions. Analysis of the infrared spectra indicates that multiple LB films deposited only during the upstroke (Z-type) or during downstrokes (X-type) have a centrosymmetric structure typical of films deposited during the upstroke and downstroke, except for a slight decrease in molecular order and tilt angle as the pH increases (X-type). The centrosymmetric structure indicates that rearrangement of layers ...
Employment policies and practices in the lodging industry

Abstract Respondents were asked a series of questions about their strategic personnel management policies to see how they were coping with the labor shortage. The results were rather disappointing, from the perspective of trying to reduce labor turnover and compete favorably in the current tight labor market. Only one-half of the respondents in this survey indicated that they have formal training or education programs for their employees. Only two-thirds of the respondents in the survey encourage employee involvement in their jobs or encourage job security and longevity. Only one-third provide guidance on career paths within the company, and only one-third even claim to be paying relatively high wages.
The availability of difference: Clifford Geertz on problems of ethnographic research and interpretation

(1990). The availability of difference: Clifford Geertz on problems of ethnographic research and interpretation. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 61-69.
Enhanced expoxidation activity of Ti-mesoporous catalysts containing organic–inorganic porewall

Surfactant templated Ti-containing organic–organic mesoporous catalysts which were synthesized from one step co-condensation of the precursors, showed enhanced liquid phase cyclohexene epoxidation activity and greater deactivation resistance than the parent Ti-MCM-41, with tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. The order of reactivity observed was Ti-MCM-41-phenylene > Ti-MCM-41-biphenylene > Ti-MCM-41-ethylene > Ti-MCM-41. In the presence of water, the Ti-MCM-41-phenylene catalyst showed up to 3.5-fold enhancement in activity over Ti-MCM-41. The enhancement in catalytic activity was attributed to improvement in surface hydrophobic characteristic from the incorporation of organic functionalities.
Effect of platelet transfusion on hemorrhage in patients with acute leukemia. An autopsy study.

The effect of platelet transfusion therapy in acute leukemia was studied in 27 cases, whose autopsy findings were compared to 30 similar cases treated prior to availability of such therapy. Major hemorrhage which was considered to be the proximate cause of death was present in 63% of the controls, but occurred in only 15% of the platelet-treated group. This difference was highly significant (p <.001). Of the 30 patients who did not receive intensive platelet therapy, 15 (50%) had gross intracranial hemorrhage and 27 (90%) had gross pulmonary hemorrhage. In contrast, of the 27 patients in the study group who had received platelet therapy, 5 (19%) had gross intracranial hemorrhage and 14 (52%) had gross pulmonary hemorrhage. The platelet-treated patients had a significantly decreased incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (p < .05) and of pulmonary hemorrhage (p <.005) compared to the control group of patients. The incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage was slightly lower in the study group; there were no differences in the amount of hemorrhage in the heart and kidney. The transfusion of large numbers of platelets significantly reduced the incidence and severity of hemorrhagic complications in these patients with acute leukemia and may have slightly prolonged their survival.
Structural analysis of α-d-glucans by 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance, spin-lattice relaxation studies☆☆☆

Abstract Relaxation measurements have been made for the resonances of the 13 C-n.m.r. spectra of the S fractions of dextrans from NRRL strains Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-742, B-1299, B-1355, and B-1498, the S[L] fraction of the dextran from Streptobacterium dextranicum B-1254, pullulan, and a synthetically branched, comb-like amylose. Resonance assignments have been made to carbon-atom positions on the basis that carbon atoms associated with large degrees of segmental motion will have resonances with larger than average dipole-dipole spin-lattice relaxation ( T 1 DD ) values. For a given spectrum, the relative magnitude of T 1 DD values are about the same as the observed spin-lattice relaxation ( T 1 obs ) values for each resonance. Comparisons of the relative magnitudes of relaxation data are most easily made with the resonances of anomeric positions. In general, the relative magnitude of the relaxation values for the spectrum of a given compound did not change between 34° and 90° recording conditions. Relaxation measurements were employed to establish the relative position of O -substituted residues in the average repeating unit of the S fractions of dextrans B-1355 and B-1498. The general parameters controlling the magnitudes of the chemical shifts of the α- d -glucopyranosyl residue were then considered in relation to the nature of the O -substitution for this residue.
Vibrations of completely free triangular plates

Abstract This is the first known comprehensive study of the free vibration frequencies and nodal patterns for completely free triangular plates. Previously published data of limited accuracy exist for the special case of right triangles. The Ritz method is used, with displacement functions assumed in the form of algebraic polynomials. Convergence studies show that accurate frequencies may be achieved for nearly all configurations by using approximately 60 polynomial terms. The first six frequencies and nodal patterns are presented for 17 triangular plate configurations, obtained by varying the length ratios in a systematic manner. The equilateral triangle is included as a special case. Variation of Poisson's ratio over its full range (0 ⩽ v ⩽ 0.5) is also considered in the frequency data.
Embedded UHF RFID tag antennas for automotive tire sensing

We present analysis and design optimization of passive UHF RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags for tracking automotive tires. The RFID tags are mounted on or embedded into tires to monitor their conditions, verify their history and track inventory. In this paper, we evaluated the performance of existing RFID tags designed specifically for tires. It is found that the current RFID tags do not operate well in the vicinity of adjacent tires. This is due to the tire's dielectric structure and metallic radial plies inside the sidewalls. These factors were also verified in simulation models. Recommendations for new tag designs will be provided at the meeting.
Triglyceride hydrolase of chicken and rat Pre- and post-heparin plasma. Effects of fasting and comparison with adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase

Abstract 1. 1. Triglyceride hydrolase (TGH) activities, bearing most of the properties of lipoprotein lipase, were consistently detected in the sera of adult, male, White leghorn chickens. 2. 2. Triglyceride hydrolase of rooster pre- and post-heparin plasma and lipoprotein lipase from adipose tissue responded similarly to changes in the concentrations of H+, NaCl, protamine sulphate, and diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate. 3. 3. Triglyceride hydrolase activities from pre- and post-heparin rooster plasma increased markedly following a fast and decreased rapidly after 4 hr of refeeding. In contrast, TGH of rat serum was unaffected by fasting. Triglyceride hydrolase activity of rooster plasma was 5-fold higher than that of hen plasma.
The influence of habitat and group characteristics on the alarm and flight response of white-tailed deer

The alarm and flight response of white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, to a human observer was studied on Ossabaw Island, Georgia. Deer in forest (cover present) and pasture (no cover) were less likely to flee as distance from the observer increased. This decline with distance was more pronounced in the pasture. Larger groups (three or more deer) in the forest were more likely to flee than smaller groups. Most groups flagged when fleeing, though flagging was less common in the pasture than in the forest. Snorting was more common in larger groups, but apparently was not related to group composition. The data support the following hypotheses. (1) Deer in dense vegetation flee even when a predator is at a considerable distance, because of the danger of losing sight of the predator. (2) Larger groups are more likely to spot a predator than are smaller groups and are thus more likely to flee. (3) Flagging is a low cost alarm signal to other deer which benefits the individual by increasing the number of deer fleeing with it. (4) Snorting has evolved through individual selection as a signal to the predator that it has been detected.
Mechanisms of aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in the absence of EGFR gene activating mutations in pancreatic cancer patients

Mechanisms of aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in the absence of EGFR gene activating mutations in pancreatic cancer patients Ching-Wei D Tzeng MD, Andrey Frolov MD, PhD, Natalya Frolova MD, Nirag C Jhala MD, Andra R Frost MD, J Harrison Howard MD, Kyle W Schuller BE, Donald J Buchsbaum PhD, Selwyn M Vickers MD, Martin J Heslin MD, J Pablo Arnoletti MD University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
An operational pH in aqueous dimethylsulfoxide based upon the acidity dependence of the rate of a simple ionic recombination reaction in the lowest excited singlet state

7-Hydroxy-1-naphthalenesulfonate (2-naphthol-8-sulfonate) monoanion demonstrates proton transfer in the lowest excited singlet state in DMSO-water mixtures as well as in pure water. The dissociation reaction of the directly excited monoanion is strongly solvent-dependent, and independent of solution acidity. The reprotonation of the conjugate base, however, depends predominantly on the acidity of the solution and only on the continuum properties of the solvent. The separability of the dissociation and reprotonation reactions, using steady-state methodology, allows the reprotonation to be treated independent of the dissociation. The linear relationship between the ratio of the relative fluorescence efficiencies of acid and conjugate base, and the hydrogen ion concentration is obtained only if proper Bronsted activity factors are included in the relationship. These factors can be calculated from classical electrostatics and are the fourth powers of the activity coefficients necessary to convert the formal hydrogen ion concentration to hydrogen ion activity. Using this approach, pH was calculated from hydrogen ion concentration in DMSO-water solutions, containing a mole fraction of DMSO up to about 0.4.
Effects of hypokalemia on cardiac growth.

In neonatal myocytes grown in culture, reductions in extracellular potassium concentration produced a hypertrophic response as assessed by induction of early response genes, atrial natriuretic peptide and skeletal actin, and repression of the α3 isoform of the sodium pump in a dose dependent manner. The degree of α3 repression appeared to be dose dependent with decreases in media (K). Similarly, decreases in media potassium concentrations caused increases in cytosolic calcium concentration in a dose dependent manner; moreover these increases in cytosolic calcium concentration correlated quite well with repression of α3 expression. In contrast, although moderate reductions of potassium concentration induced upregulation of skACT and ANP, severely reduced potassium concentrations caused repression of skACT and ANP expression.In parallel studies performed in vivo, 3–5 weeks dietary K restriction induced molecular phenotypical changes similar to that seen in the neonatal myocyte model without demonstrable gro...
NMR structure of a gemcitabine-substituted model Okazaki fragment.

Gemcitabine (2‘-deoxy-2‘,2‘-difluorodeoxycytidine; dFdC) is a potent anticancer drug that exerts cytotoxic activity, in part, through incorporation of the nucleoside triphosphate dFdCTP into DNA an...
Column chromatographic analysis of neutral and acidic amino acids using lithium buffers

Abstract An evaluation has been made of recent improvements in automatic column chromatographic amino acid analysis that separate asparagine and glutamine without adversely affecting the resolution of other amino acids. Lithium citrate buffers, pH 2.80 and 3.82, a column temperature of 37°, and flow rates of 50 ml/hr for the buffers and 25 ml/hr for the ninhydrin reagent were employed. The total run time was 7 hr 30 min. The majority of the results of the earlier report were confirmed although slightly different conditions were used. The major difference in the current studies was the finding that α-aminoadipic acid was consistently eluted before proline, and citrulline, before α-amino-ηn-butyric acid. In the previous report the relative positions of α-aminoadipic acid and citrulline were interchanged.
A novel role of myosin VI in human prostate cancer

Myosin VI is an actin motor that moves to the minus end of the polarized actin filament, a direction opposite to all other characterized myosins. Using expression microarrays, we identified myosin VI as one of the top genes that demonstrated cancer-specific overexpression in clinical prostate specimens. Protein expression of myosin VI was subsequently analyzed in arrayed prostate tissues from 240 patients. Notably, medium-grade prostate cancers demonstrated the most consistent cancer-specific myosin VI protein overexpression, whereas prostate cancers associated with more aggressive histological features continued to overexpress myosin VI but to a lesser extent. Myosin VI protein expression in cell lines positively correlated with the presence of androgen receptor. Small interference RNA-mediated myosin VI knockdown in the LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line resulted in impaired in vitro migration and soft-agar colony formation. Depletion of myosin VI expression was also accompanied by global gene expression changes reflective of attenuated tumorigenic potential, as marked by a nearly 10-fold induction of TXNIP (VDUP1), a tumor suppressor with decreased expression in prostate cancer specimens. These results support that myosin VI is critical in maintaining the malignant properties of the majority of human prostate cancers diagnosed today.
Three rules for bone adaptation to mechanical stimuli

The primary mechanical function of bones is to provide rigid levers for muscles to pull against, and to remain as light as possible to allow efficient locomotion. To accomplish this bones must adapt their shape and architecture to make efficient use of material. Bone adaptation during skeletal growth and development continuously adjusts skeletal mass and architecture to changing mechanical environments. There are three fundamental rules that govern bone adaptation: (1) It is driven by dynamic, rather than static, loading. (2) Only a short duration of mechanical loading is necessary to initiate an adaptive response. (3) Bone cells accommodate to a customary mechanical loading environment, making them less responsive to routine loading signals. From these rules, several mathematical equations can be derived that provide simple parametric models for bone adaptation.
Immuno-electron microscopic study of antigenic surface components of Actinomyces naeslundii in human dental plaque.

Abstract Rabbit antiserum to formalin-killed Actinomyces naeslundii I was used to investigate the ultrastructural location and distribution of the antigenic sites of A. naeslundii . Antigenic sites were identified by an indirect technique using goat anti-rabbit IgG coupled to horseradish peroxidase, also used to identify individual cells of A. naeslundii in a mixed bacterial population and in freshly isolated dental plaque. The bound antibody and associated reaction product were visible in ultrathin sections as an electron-dense amorphous material (100–150 nm thick) in juxtaposition to the bacterial cell wall. The location of the immuno-reactants suggested that the antigens are distributed superficially and evenly over the entire bacterial cell surface. Bridge-like extensions of the immuno-reactants connected adjacent cells, suggesting that a limited amount of antigenic material might extend out from the cell wall to provide structural continuity with similar material on adjacent cells.
Soybean Physiology, Regrowth, and Senescence in Response to Defoliation

Recent studies have shown that one component of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] response to insect defoliation is delayed senescence and increased physiological activity of lower, remaining leaves. The objective of this study was to test the ability of these and other mechanisms of defoliation tolerance to function in drought-stressed plants. Controlled irrigation rates and artificial defoliation treatments were used in a 2-yr study. Defoliation significantly increased soil-moisture percentage in both years, showing that defoliated stressed plants conserve more water than nondefoliated stressed plants. Compensatory regrowth was observed following defoliation, resulting in more leaves in defoliated plants than predicted. Removal of expanding leaves, however, reduced leaf area and also reduced growth potential relative to nondefoliated plants. Senescence of lower leaves was delayed in defoliated plants, as has been found in previous studies. The responses of leaf physiological rates to defoliation were similar in drought-stressed and well-irrigated plots. These data suggest that crop models integrating physiological parameters and defoliation rates could add or subtract the effect of drought stress as a constant or simple function.
Neck and shoulder pain in 70- to 79-year-old men and women: findings from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study

Abstract Background context Musculoskeletal pain in the cervicobrachial region is considered a major health problem among adults of working age, but little is known about the impact of this pain in the elderly. Purpose Determine the prevalence of neck and shoulder pain in a well-functioning cohort, identify factors associated with this pain, assess the pattern of coexisting joint pain and evaluate the impact of this pain on physical functioning. Study design Cross-sectional study. Patient sample Black and white men and women, aged 70 to 79 years, participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. Outcome measures Not applicable. Methods Between April 1997 and June 1998, 3,075 men and women participating in Health ABC study completed the initial home interview and clinical examination. Information was collected on musculoskeletal pain, medical history, depressive symptomatology and physical function. Physical performance measures were obtained. Results A total of 11.9% of participants reported neck pain of one month or more in duration and 18.9% reported shoulder pain. White women had the highest prevalence of neck pain (15.4%) and black women the highest prevalence of shoulder pain (24.3%). The correlates of both neck and shoulder pain were female gender, no education beyond high school, poorer self-rated health, depressive symptomatology and a medical history of arthritis, heart attack, angina. Increasing severity of both neck and shoulder pain was associated with an increased prevalence of joint pain at other body sites and with poor functional capacity. Measures of physical performance involving the upper extremity were also decreased. Conclusions Neck and shoulder pain, either alone or in conjunction with pain in other joints, has a substantial impact on the function and well-being of the older adults in this cohort.
Drosophila pacemaker neurons require g protein signaling and GABAergic inputs to generate twenty-four hour behavioral rhythms.

Intercellular signaling is important for accurate circadian rhythms. In Drosophila, the small ventral lateral neurons (s-LN(v)s) are the dominant pacemaker neurons and set the pace of most other clock neurons in constant darkness. Here we show that two distinct G protein signaling pathways are required in LN(v)s for 24 hr rhythms. Reducing signaling in LN(v)s via the G alpha subunit Gs, which signals via cAMP, or via the G alpha subunit Go, which we show signals via Phospholipase 21c, lengthens the period of behavioral rhythms. In contrast, constitutive Gs or Go signaling makes most flies arrhythmic. Using dissociated LN(v)s in culture, we found that Go and the metabotropic GABA(B)-R3 receptor are required for the inhibitory effects of GABA on LN(v)s and that reduced GABA(B)-R3 expression in vivo lengthens period. Although no clock neurons produce GABA, hyperexciting GABAergic neurons disrupts behavioral rhythms and s-LN(v) molecular clocks. Therefore, s-LN(v)s require GABAergic inputs for 24 hr rhythms.
In-vivo quantification of human breast deformation associated with the position change from supine to upright

Abstract Stereophotographic imaging and digital image correlation are used to determine the variation of breast skin deformation as the subject orientation is altered from supine to upright. A change in subject's position from supine to upright can result in significant stretches in some parts of the breast skin. The maximum of the major principal stretch ratio of the skin is different in different subjects and varies in the range of 1.25–1.60. It is also found that the boundaries of the breast move significantly relative to the skeletal structure and other fixed points such as the sternal notch. Such measurements are crucial since they provide basic data for validation of biomechanical breast models based on finite element formulations.
Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia in the Imatinib Era

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a potentially curative treatment for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and was previously considered the preferred treatment for newly diagnosed CML. The success of imatinib has changed treatment recommendations, and allogeneic transplants are now reserved for imatinib treatment failures. Previous imatinib treatment does not compromise the results of ASCT, but patients with overt transformed disease have poor results. It is unclear whether patients whose disease is considered to have failed imatinib should be referred immediately for ASCT or receive treatment with a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Patients whose disease fails 2 TKIs should receive ASCT if possible. Nonmyeloablative preparative regimens reduce the toxicity and treatment-related mortality associated with the transplantation procedure and allow transplantations to be performed in older and medically infirm patients. This approach, including posttransplantation treatment with TKIs and donor lymphocyte infusion, produces a high fraction of durable molecular complete remissions.
Resuspension and Diffusive Flux of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in a Hypereutrophic Lake

Bottom sediments in shallow lakes can play a major role in releasing nutrients to the overlying water column during wind induced sediment resuspension or by constant flux due to diffusion. Internal nutrient loads due to these processes may be equal to or higher than external loads. Laboratory and field experiments were conducted on Lake Apopka, a shallow, hypereutrophic subtropical lake located in central Florida. Ammonium (NH⁺₄) and soluble reactive P (SRP) flux during sediment resuspension were measured under laboratory conditions using intact sediment cores. Ammonium N and SRP flux due soley to diffusion were assessed using in situ porewater concentrations. Average diffusive flux from sediment to the overlying water was estimated to be 25 mg NH₄-N m⁻² d⁻¹ and 1 mg P m⁻¹ d⁻². Resuspension fluxes of NH⁺₄ and SRP were higher than diffusive flux. Soluble reactive P profiles of porewater showed distinct profile differentiation, with the surface 0 to 8 cm sediment depth acting as a P-depletion zone, and the underlying sediment displaying steep gradients in porewater SRP. These results suggest that dissolved NH⁺₄ and SRP transport from the surface 8 cm of sediment was due to sediment resuspension, while below this depth, upward mobility of NH⁺₄ and SRP was regulated by diffusion. Although dissolved N and P flux is upwards (from sediment to water column), during extended periods (annual cycle) the lake is functioning as a net sink for N and P by transforming inorganic pools of nutrients into organic forms and depositing them on the sediment surface. Florida Agric. Exp. Stn. J. Ser. R-04707.
Airway management in children with major craniofacial anomalies

Objectives: Delineation of clinical characteristics affecting the airway in a cohort of craniofacially deformed children. What factors differ between patients requiring and those not requiring surgical airway intervention ? What factors predispose to the need for tracheotomy? When can decannulation be expected if tracheotomy is required? What interventions aid decannulation ? Study Design: Five-year retrospective chart review at tertiary center. Methods: Two hundred fifty-one patients met the following entry criteria: enrollment in the New York University Institute of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery's Craniofacial Clinic and admission to Tisch Hospital in Manhattan for surgery from 1990 to 1994. Hospital, clinic, and departmental office records were reviewed. All patients had major craniofacial bony anomalies and underwent administration of general anesthesia at least once. Results: Nearly 20% of all children required tracheotomy (47/251). Craniofacial synostosis patients (Crouzon, Pfeiffer, or Apert syndrome) had the highest rate of tracheotomy (48% [28/59]). Mandibulofacial dysostoses patients (Treacher Collins or Nager syndrome) had the next highest rate (41% [28/59]). Patients with oculo-auriculo-vertebral sequence were less likely to undergo tracheotomy (22% [9/41]). Children with craniosynostosis rarely required a surgical airway, unless there was marked associated facial dysmorphism (1% [1/72]). The duration of cannulation was related to the age at tracheotomy in a bimodal distribution. Generally, tracheotomies required before age 4 years remained for several years, whereas those placed after age 4 were removed after several weeks. The presence of a cleft palate correlated with reduced risk for tracheotomy, but the presence of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt correlated with an increased risk for tracheotomy. Procedures selectively used to improve the airway included midface advancement, mandibular expansion, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, anterior tongue reduction, and endoscopic tracheal granuloma excision. Conclusions: The likelihood for surgical airway management is related to specific craniofacial diagnosis. The length of tracheal cannulation is greatest for infants and young children who manifest severe airway compromise, often because of nasal obstruction in combination with other anatomic factors. Early tracheotomy is advocated for these patients to promote optimal growth and development. Choanal atresia is often misdiagnosed in these infants; nasal obstruction is actually secondary to midface retrusion. Staged surgical interventions can allow eventual successful decannulation in nearly all cases of craniofacial syndromes.
Anti-cytokine autoantibodies explain some chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis

have offered elegant explanations of whyCMC occurs in APECED: high-titer, neutra-lizing autoantibodies to the T-cell cytokinesthat regulate mucosal antibacterial and anti-fungal activity, IL-17 and IL-22. These cyto-kines were good targets for involvementin CMC: STAT3-deﬁcient hyper IgE (Job’s)syndrome,
Blood group a active ceramide hexasaccharide lacking N-acetylglucosamine isolated from hog stomach mucosa

Abstract Blood group A active ceramide hexasaccharide devoid of N -acetylglucosamme was isolated from lipid extract of hog stomach mucosa. By partial acid hydrolysis, sequential hydrolysis with glycosidases and methylation analysis the structure of this glycolipid was identified as GalNAc−(l → 3)−Gal−(l → 3)−Gal−(l → 4)−Gal−(l → 4)−Glc⊂l → l)−Cer (2↑1)α Fuc
Damage Prediction for RC Slabs under Near-Field Blasts using Artificial Neural Network

Spalling and cratering are common modes of failure in concrete structures subjected to blast load detonations. There are limited data and models available on the prediction of the spalling/cratering of reinforced concrete members under blast loads. Currently engineers rely on empirical curves to assess the level of damage represented by spalling and/or breach experienced by are inforced concrete (RC) slab under near-field detonations. In this paper a novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model capable of predicting the damage (spalling/cratering) size is developed and evaluated. The ANN model is trained and tested using data sets produced using the numerical hydrocode LS-DYNA. The numerical model, which was verified using field experiments, is reliable for detecting the highly dynamic response of the RCslab under severe blast loading. The ANN model is capable of predicting the damage size under different loading parameters. The predicted damage size showed good agreement with available extensive design ch...
Unfolding and unzipping of single-stranded DNA by stretching.

We present a theoretical study of single-stranded DNA under stretching. Within the proposed framework, the effects of base pairing on the mechanical response of the molecule can be studied in combination with an arbitrary underlying model of chain elasticity. In a generic case, we show that the stretching curve of single-stranded DNA exhibits two distinct features: the second-order ``unfolding'' phase transition, and a sharp crossover, reminiscent of the first-order ``unzipping'' transition in double-stranded DNA. We apply the theory to the particular cases of wormlike chain and freely jointed chain models, and discuss the universal and model-dependent features of the mechanical response of single-stranded DNA. In particular, we show that variation of the width of the unzipping crossover with interaction strength is very sensitive to the energetics of hairpin loops. This opens another way of testing the elastic properties of ssDNA.
Abstract 3526: The mTORC2 component RICTOR plays a key role in lung cancer cell growth

RICTOR (Rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR protein) is a key component of mTORC2 (the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2). One of the most-recognized targets for RICTOR-mTORC2 is AKT (Ser473). RICTOR also carries functions independent of mTORC2. RICTOR signaling has been suggested to play key roles in regulating cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis in breast, ovarian, colorectal cancers and gliomas. The potential roles of RICTOR in lung cancer remain to be elucidated. We first examined the expression profile of RICTOR in primary lung tumor specimens and in lung cancer cell lines by immunohistochemistry. Among 125 FFPE patients9 specimen, ninety nine were stained positive for RICTOR (intensity 1+ to 3+). More interestingly, the RICTOR IHC expression is stronger in squamous cell lung cancer in comparison to adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, twenty four out of 36 lung cancer cell lines showed positive RICTOR IHC staining. Thus, RICTOR is expressed in most lung tumors. To investigate the role of RICTOR in lung cancer cell growth, we found that RICTOR knockdown by siRNA reduced colony formation in A549, HCC827 and Calu3 cells, regardless of KRAS or EGFR mutational status (A549 is KRAS mutated whereas HCC827 is EGFR mutated). Western blot confirmed RICTOR knockdown and also decreased level of its downstream pAKT S473. We further blocked RICTOR signaling by utilizing inducible shRNAs of RICTOR. Similar inhibition of lung cancer cell growth was observed. Moreover, to test the in vivo role of RICTOR, we preformed xenograft mouse experiments. When RICTOR was inducibly knockdown by the presence of doxycycline, the growth of A549 lung tumor xenografts was markedly reduced by 60% (P Citation Format: Haiying Cheng, Yiyu Zou, Alain Borczuk, Wanglong Qiu, Bilal Piperdi, Mimi Kim, Balazs Halmos, Roman Perez-Soler‎. The mTORC2 component RICTOR plays a key role in lung cancer cell growth. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3526. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3526