cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment and survival of supratentorial and posterior fossa ependymomas in adults

Ependymoma is a rare primary brain or spinal cord tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. This study analyzed a large cohort of adult supratentorial and posterior fossa ependymoma tumors in order to elucidate factors associated with overall survival. We utilized the USA National Cancer Database to study adult World Health Organization grade II/III supratentorial and posterior fossa ependymoma patients treated between 1998 and 2011. Overall survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and factors associated with survival were determined using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Among 1318 patients, 1055 (80.0%) had grade II and 263 (20.0%) anaplastic tumors located in the posterior fossa (64.3%) and supratentorial region (35.7%). Overall average age was 44.3years, 48.0% of patients were female, 86.5% were Caucasian, and 36.8% underwent near/gross total surgical resection. Radiotherapy was given to 662 patients (50.8%) and 75 (5.9%) received chemotherapy. Older age at diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] 1.51, p<0.0001), high tumor grade (HR 1.82, p=0.005), and large tumor size (HR 1.66, p=0.008) were associated with poor survival. Females compared to males (HR 0.67, p=0.03) and patients with posterior fossa tumors versus supratentorial (HR 0.64, p=0.04) had a survival advantage. Our study showed that older patients, with supratentorial tumors, and high histological grade had an increased risk of mortality. A survival benefit was captured in females and patients with posterior fossa tumors. Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy did not confer a survival benefit among all patients, even after stratification by tumor grade or anatomical location.
Next steps for antimicrobial stewardship

Antimicrobial stewardship research: where do we go from here? Christopher J. Graber and Matthew Bidwell Goetz Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Medicine, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA The rising tide of antimicrobial resistance, coupled with a paucity of new drug development, has led to increasingly clamorous calls for improved antimicrobial stewardship to reduce the oft-cited 30- 50% rate of inappropriate antimicrobial therapy.[cite CDC, Obama, WHO, NHS, TransAtlantic] Much attention has been given as to what interventions stewardship programs should pursue to achieve specific objectives such as adherence to local guidelines, use of pathogen-directed therapy, discontinuation of therapy when infection is found to be unlikely, timely parenteral to oral conversion and appropriate duration of therapy. However, there is substantial uncertainty in the degree to which specific interventions (e.g., drug restrictions, audit and feedback, computerized decision support systems) achieve these objectives, in how to assure that interventions are successfully implemented , and whether successful interventions sustainably reduce antimicrobial use and lead to improvements in meaningful patient-level (e.g., adverse events, mortality) and societal (costs and bacterial resistance) outcomes. [Cochrane, ESP] In this issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Schuts, et al, instead of taking the usual approach of focusing on what interventions best achieve stewardship objectives, focus instead on the effect of meeting these objectives. The authors identified 14 objectives (compiled via expert Delphi procedures and guideline review) and exhaustively reviewed the literature to find studies which evaluated the impact of meeting each of these objectives on patient and societal outcomes. In doing so, the authors have assembled a comprehensive and well-organized compendium that identifies the gaps in data linking
Physiological roles of the pantothenate kinases

CoA (coenzyme A) is an essential cofactor that is involved in many metabolic processes. CoA is derived from pantothenate in five biosynthetic reactions. The CoA biosynthetic pathway is regulated by PanKs (pantothenate kinases) and four active isoforms are expressed in mammals. The critical physiological functions of the PanKs are revealed by systematic deletion of the Pank genes in mice.
Determination of 6 para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters in health food lycopene soft capsule by solid phase extraction-gel permeation chromatography purification-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Objective To establish a method for the simultaneous detection of 6 para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters preservatives in health food lycopene soft capsule by GC-MS after solid-phase extraction( SPE) and cleaned-up with gel permeation chromatography( GPC). Methods Samples were extracted with acetone-ethyl acetate( 1∶1,V / V),and then remove the lycopene in the extract with Pro Elut TPC solid-phase extraction column and removed the grease by gel permeation chromatography( GPC) and determined by GC-MS. The target analytes were separated and detected by the GC-MS. The matrix-matched standard solution were quantified by external standard method. Results When the matrix quantity was in the range of 0. 05 μg / ml-1. 0 μg / ml;the linear relationship was good and the correlation coefficients( r) of the every para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters were larger than 0. 999; the detection limits were in 0. 03 μg / g-0. 05 μg / g; the quantitative limit was in 0. 09 μg / g-0. 15 μg / g; At three additive levels of 0. 2 μg / g,0. 5 μg / g and 1 μg / g,the average recovery rate of additive samples with recovery test was among 81%-96%; the RSD was among 4. 2%-8. 5%. Conclusion This method has high sensitivity,good selectivity and strong anti-interference ability,and it can meet the simultaneous determination of many kinds of matrix complex samples for the detection of hydroxylbenzoic acid ester preservatives.
Comparative study on effect of selective enrichment between selenite cystine broth

Objective:To compare the effect of selective enrichment and inhibit bacteria contamination between the self-made Selenite Cystine Broth and the manufactured products with different brands,which improved the detection rate of intestinal pathogenic bacteria.Methods:To mixed culture a certain amount of Escherichia coli and different species of intestinal pathogenic bacteria that had different amount,which observed the effect of selective enrichment.To mixed culture a certain amount of control bacteria(Salmonella Typhimurium) and two kinds of non-salmonella with different amount that had a strong agglutination in multivalent serum of salmonella,which observed the effect of inhibiting growth.Results:There was different effect of salmonella enrichment for four tested broths.The poorest one only could grow in 10-3~10-4 dilution tubes,and the optimum one could grow in 10-8 dilution tubes.There was none selective enrichment of Shigella for four tested broths.There was a good effect of inhibiting growth with Citrobacter youngae.Howerver,there was a different effect of inhibiting growth with Proteus mirabilis.Conclusion:The self-made selenite cystine broth had the optimum effct of selective enrichment and inhibit bacteria contamination.
Study on Assistant Anti-hypertension Effect of Apocynum among Hypertensions Patients

[Objective] To study the improvement effect of apocynum on hypertension.[Methods]116 subjects whose systolic pressure was equal to or greater than140 mmHg, or diastolic pressure was equal to or greater than 90 mmHg were divided into the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group was given 6 pills of drug daily for 5 weeks, and the control group was given the placebo in the same way as the experimental group. The change of blood pressure between before and after experiment was compared.[Results]In the experimental group, the systolic pressure decreased by (19.2±14.0) mmHg averagely, and the diastolic pressure decreased by (12.9±16.3) mm Hg averagely. There were significant differences in the changes of the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure between before and after experiment in the experimental group, and the different between the experimental group and the control group was significant, too (P0.01).[Conclusion]Within experimental dose range, apocynum can assist in anti-hypertension.
The Special Relationship

In a small city in the middle of the country, over 3000 people woke up early one Saturday morning for the event of the season. Some had lined up the night before to get a good seat. The town had cleared out an old train station, festooned it with flags and royal streamers, and packed its tables with sumptuous spreads of Britain’s finest teas, biscuits, and cakes. The sartorial ensembles were striking. The women resplendent in white gloves, pearls, and extravagant hats of all colors, shapes, and sizes, with the occasional tiara. The Guardian, one of Britain’s major national newspapers, reported on the “frenzied and frenetic” local anticipation of the big day: 29 April 2011—“The Royal Wedding” of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Shape Analysis in Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging is a new research discipline enabling the visualization, characterization and quantification of biologic processes taking place at the cellular and subcellular levels within intact living subjects. Applications of molecular imaging techniques will benefit various clinical practices including classification and tracking of chemotherapy and treatment planning of radiotherapy, as well as drug discovery and development. Molecular imaging typically includes two or three dimensional imaging with quantification over time, and is often applied on molecular imaging modalities, such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) etc. Image series acquired with spatiotemporal distribution of molecular biomarkers must be carefully analyzed to estimate the underlying physiology-related metabolic parameters. Shape analysis is one of the most powerful tools to analyze the geometrical properties from similar shapes or different groups, and can be applied to estimate both the concentration of biomarkers and interaction between biomarkers and tissue/organs. However, some limitations from molecular imaging modalities and clinical practices still hinder the quantitative accuracy of shape analysis, e.g. the low spatial and temporal resolution in PET scan, the inaccuracy of blood samplings from patients, the low Signal-to-Noise (SNR) ratio of measurement data in dynamic PET/CT scan. In this chapter, firstly, we will introduce the definition of molecular imaging, the clinical advantages and limitations of various molecular imaging modalities, secondly, we will review the challenges in data analysis based on the data processing procedure, and explain how data corrections affect the accuracy of static and dynamic PET imaging, thirdly, the general frameworks of image processing in PET and SPECT are reviewed with focus on image reconstruction, at last, we will show some recent advancements and give examples of clinical applications.
Prereferral Process with Latino English Language Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities: Perceptions of English-as-a-Second-Language Teachers.

This study explored perceptions of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers on the prereferral process for Latino English language learners (ELLs). Using Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews with four ESL teachers. Analyses of the data indicated that the ESL teachers used research-based interventions and progress-monitoring in the prereferral process with Latino ELLs. Data analysis also indicated negative participant perceptions of parental and school-level influence on the identification process. Key concerns about the identification of Latino ELLs with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are presented, raising questions about current practices in school districts with small ELL populations.
Contagious Tales of Russian Origin and Putin’s Evolution

As Putin’s Russia tries to change its image in international politics, Russia also attempts to re-establish the country’s importance and exceptionality. The second component involves communication efforts that are based on certain ideological narratives. This article offers a discourse analysis approach to those ideological novelties and an understanding of underlying perceptions, which it connects with historical and literary contexts. Effective communication with Russian leadership and Russia’s public sphere may not be achieved unless those narratives are addressed through political communication, even though this idea may sound irrational. These phenomena replicate, in obscure ways, traditional beliefs that are rooted in Russian culture, literature and philosophy and, though Putin did “renovate” them, such constructs will overshadow East-West relations regardless of which political regime is in power in Russia.
Giving a Poster Presentation

This chapter highlights the special features of giving a poster presentation. It discusses preparing and printing your poster and underscores problems that can arise, a checklist for things to be done before arriving on-site for your presentation, scoping out the room and posting your poster, the importance of using a mechanical pointer for your presentation, the mechanics of giving an effective poster presentation that includes suggestions for “gimmicks” that can be used, poster session courtesy, and developing your own unique poster presentation style.
Regulation of the Actin Cytoskeleton by Inositol Phospholipid Pathways

Changes in the actin cytoskeleton are a fundamental part of the motile response of cells to extracellular ligands. Dynamic alterations in both the structural and biochemical properties of the actin network mediate changes in cell shape and migration (Cooper, 1991; Gips et al., 1994). This meshwork of microfilaments is responsible for many characteristic intracellular structures, including stress fibers, the cortical network, and contractile rings. Actin filament turnover, for example, is associated with the formation of microspikes and lamellipodia at the leading edge of motile cells. In migrating cells, the forward extension of the cellular lamellipodium, a fan-shaped structure filled with a dense, cross-linked meshwork of actin filaments, is driven by the polarized assembly of actin monomers. This assembly is not unique to the lamellipodium, however, because it shares features with other actin-based motile processes occurring beneath the plasma membrane of stimulated platelets, neutrophils, chemotactic amoebas, or even at the rear of the pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes during its propulsive movement through the host cell cytoplasm (Theriot et al., 1994).
Emulating Scaled Clohessy–Wiltshire Dynamics on an Air-Bearing Spacecraft Simulation Testbed

This work addresses the problem of experimentally reproducing the orbital relative motion on a planar floating spacecraft simulator testbed. Floating spacecraft simulators are characterized by doub...
A Model of the Primordial Lunar Atmosphere

Abstract We create the first quantitative model for the early lunar atmosphere, coupled with a magma ocean crystallization model. Immediately after formation, the moon's surface was subject to a radiative environment that included contributions from the early Sun, a post-impact Earth that radiated like a mid-type M dwarf star, and a cooling global magma ocean. This radiative environment resulted in a largely Earth-side atmosphere on the Moon, ranging from ∼104 to ∼102 pascals, composed of heavy volatiles (Na and SiO). This atmosphere persisted through lid formation and was additionally characterized by supersonic winds that transported significant quantities of moderate volatiles and likely generated magma ocean waves. The existence of this atmosphere may have influenced the distribution of some moderate volatiles and created temperature asymmetries which influenced ocean flow and cooling. Such asymmetries may characterize young, tidally locked rocky bodies with global magma oceans and subject to intense irradiation.
Cellular therapy injections in today's orthopedic market: A social media analysis.

Abstract Background The current state of cellular therapy for musculoskeletal conditions is at a crossroads. Marketing efforts are often outpacing clinical evidence and regulatory control. Questions/purposes This study was an effort to describe the marketing of cellular therapy in musculoskeletal medicine by evaluating the content in popular social media channels. Specifically, media posts were evaluated for the following: (1) perspective, (2) tone, (3) content and (4) visibility. Patient and methods Social media content related to cell therapy for musculoskeletal conditions was assessed in a search using 28 hashtags on the public domains of Instagram and Twitter over a 2-year period (2014–2016) that resulted in analysis of 698 posts. Supplemental analyses of LinkedIn and Facebook domains were also conducted. A categorical scoring system was used to analyze perspective (patient, family or friend, business or organization), tone (positive, negative), content (education, advertisement, research, media coverage or patient experience) and visibility (number of hashtags per post). Sub-analyses of the advertisement content from various perspectives (patients, physicians and businesses) were performed. Results The media perspective was most frequently from a business or organization (83%; n = 575). A total of 94% of the posts had a positive tone and only 6% had a negative tone, and the only negative posts came from patients (60% positive and 40% negative). The most common content of social media posts were advertisements, representing 68% (n = 477) of all posts; this was confirmed in the Facebook analysis. The mean number of hashtags was five per post. Sub-analyses revealed approximately half of the advertising posts originated from a single business that recruited physicians to market their cell-based therapies on social media, which was confirmed in the LinkedIn analysis. Conclusion The market messages related to cell-based therapies for musculoskeletal conditions available on social media are dominated by businesses that seem to use a network of physicians, apply several hashtags to enhance visibility and advertise these largely unproven modalities. The posts portray an almost exclusively positive tone, without providing a “fair balance” on the risks, benefits and limitations.
The Gendered and Racialized Threat of First Lady Michelle Obama

In this chapter Lugo-Lugo and Bloodsworth-Lugo analyze racialized constructions of First Lady Michelle Obama as part of their feminist inquiry. They examine ways in which popular discourse in the United States has constructed a threatening public image of Michelle Obama in which her race, mediated by her gender, has been a centerpiece. The authors show how traditional perceptions of black women’s bodies are inflected with new meaning in a 9/11 era, and use reactions to Michelle Obama’s body (that is, her tall stature and toned biceps), as a black female body occupying the White House, along with responses to her initiatives as First Lady, to discuss new interpretations of black women in particular, and race and gender more generally, as challenges to (White) normalcy.
Associations of vitamin D status with markers of metabolic health: A community-based study in Shanghai, China.

Abstract Aims This study investigated the associations of vitamin D status (i.e., serum 25(OH)D concentration) with markers of metabolic health and metabolic syndrome (MS), as well as possible gender differences in these associations, with metabolic syndrome (MS) for a sample from Shanghai, China. Methods Demographic and anthropometric data, as well as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (serum 25(OH)D), blood glucose, and lipid concentrations were obtained for 508 urban residents aged 19–70 years. After grouping into tertiles according to their serum 25(OH)D concentrations, linear and logistic regressions were used to evaluate associations between serum 25(OH)D concentration and risk factors for MS across tertiles. Results A 1 ng/mL increase in 25(OH)D was associated with a significant decrease in total cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/L [95% CI: (−0.44, −0.05); P = 0.014] for the third tertile, with reference to the first tertile. Also, 1 ng/mL increase in 25(OH)D was associated with a significant decrease in LDL by 0.18 mmol/L [95% CI: (−0.35, −0.02); P = 0.026] for the third tertile. In addition, participants in the third tertile had a 54% reduction in the OR for MS [95% CI: (−1.10,− 0.02), P = 0.041]. Lastly, while there was no gender difference in vitamin D deficiency status, the non-MS women had significantly higher 25(OH)D level than those with MS (30.1 ± 5.8 vs. 28.5 ± 5.9 ng/mL, P = 0.035), while no such difference was observed for men. Conclusions Higher serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with a better metabolic profile and thus a lower risk for developing MS in urban Shanghai residents of China.
Discriminant effects of consumer electronics use-phase attributes on household energy prediction

Abstract The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of the heterogeneities in user-product relationships and their consequences regarding the household energy predictions. Several supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms have been applied to a comprehensive data set of residential energy consumptions collected by the US Energy Information Association. The results of the analyses reveal that, while the heterogeneities in the use-phase of consumer electronics could skew their environmental assessment results, they do not possess the same discriminant influences on the household electricity consumption compared to certain socio-demographics or usage of home appliances. Various cross-comparisons among product features and use-phase behaviors have been made and the most important predictors of the residential electricity consumption based on the data have been introduced. Product-level and user-level discussions on the findings have also been provided.
A New Lyotropic Nematic Mesophase

Several years ago Lawson and Flautt reported a new type of nematic phase suitable for use as an ordering solvent in NMR spectroscopy. This lyotropic phase is a quaternary system composed of sodium decyl sulfate, decanol, sodium sulfate and water, with corresponding solvent capabilities not generally exhibited by thermo-tropic liquid crystals. In addition it possesses the property, of special interest in NMR spectroscopy, that its ordering is not disturbed when it is spun in a non-solenoidal magnetic field. A number of investigators have employed this ordering medium for the determination of molecular structures and orientations of various solutes using NMR methods applicable to anisotropic media.1
Mid-wavelength high operating temperature barrier infrared detector and focal plane array

We analyze and compare different aspects of InAs/InAsSb and InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices for infrared detector applications and argue that the former is the most effective when implemented for mid-wavelength infrared detectors. We then report results on an InAs/InAsSb superlattice based mid-wavelength high operating temperature barrier infrared detector. At 150 K, the 50% cutoff wavelength is 5.37 μm, the quantum efficiency at 4.5 μm is ∼52% without anti-reflection coating, the dark current density under −0.2 V bias is 4.5 × 10−5 A/cm2, and the dark-current-limited and the f/2 black-body (300 K background in 3–5 μm band) specific detectivities are 4.6 × 1011 and 3.0 × 1011 cm-Hz1/2/W, respectively. A focal plane array made from the same material exhibits a mean noise equivalent differential temperature of 18.7 mK at 160 K operating temperature with an f/2 optics and a 300 K background, demonstrating significantly higher operating temperature than InSb.
The Nature and Development of Metalinguistic Abilities

As noted at the outset, adults are capable of making a variety of kinds of judgments about utterances. For one, they are capable of noticing that utterances which they or others have produced are, in one way or another, defective. Few would judge Eliot’s The Wasteland or the blatherings of Lewis Carroll’s Jaberwock to be normal, acceptable English.
Conclusion—STS and Technical Communication: Expansive Possibilities

The treatment of scientific knowledge as a social construction implies that there is nothing epistemologically special about the nature of scientific knowledge: It is merely one in a whole series of knowledge cultures (including, for instance, the knowledge systems pertaining to “primitive” tribes).
Entrepreneurship for a meaningful clinical experience

### Defining entrepreneurship within healthcare Accelerating change, increasing complexity and the need to control costs are the operative terms driving the healthcare environment today, with the goals of improving metrics in both healthcare and patient health. Yet, physicians are not educated to understand the concepts nor trained to practice the necessary skills to carry out activities directed towards these goals.1 Thus, Myers and Pronovost have proposed making management skills core components of medical education.2 These include the management domain skill sets that concern individual and interpersonal dynamics, team and unit dynamics, and organisational dynamics that would have the potential to enhance interactions at all management levels, not only senior management. These ‘soft’ skills can contribute to quality improvement, that is, incremental improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of processes throughout healthcare. However, these skills alone do not address the further critical need for innovation in those processes. The discipline of entrepreneurship, as it bridges the broad complementary disciplines of management and leadership, can make a meaningful contribution to this discussion. In the first landscape review and thematic analysis of innovation and entrepreneurship programmes in medical education in the USA, Niccum and colleagues identified 13 programmes that provide training in these disciplines.3 They identify seven educational themes, the top two of which, innovation (92%) and entrepreneurship (85%), show the gaining relevance of these disciplines to medical education and to the future careers of medical professionals who will benefit from skill sets that address complex problem solving and solution design. Defined broadly, entrepreneurship is the ‘pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled’,4 (box 1) embodying a singular focus to bring forth innovation5 (box 1) in any form, for example, in pioneering new technology that improves an existing process while counteracting resource constraints. Within the healthcare sector, entrepreneurship has taken the form of design …
Now what was that called

In this chapter, we examine patterns underlying the remedial interchanges (Goffman, Relations in public. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1971) that are triggered by word searches. As important background, we first address the abstract concept of what is called ‘lexical memory’ and then listen in on how individuals with dementia characterize their struggles with this type of memory in real-world interactions. In subsequent sections, we encounter a variety of strategies employed by such individuals in the midst of their moments of confusion; explore ways in which conversational partners make efforts toward a ‘meeting of the minds’ in the process of meaning making; focus on the phenomenon of ‘noteworthy’ uses of words by individuals with dementia; and close with a case study of advanced dementia where communication proceeds despite the absence of words.
PML Implementation in a Nonconforming Mixed-Element DGTD Method for Periodic Structure Analysis

A nonconforming mixed-element (tetrahedral/hexahedral) discontinuous Galerkin time-domain (DGTD) method with a perfectly matched layer (PML) absorber is proposed to analyze the electromagnetic scattering from doubly periodic structures. An efficient auxiliary differential equation (ADE)-based PML implementation is presented with transformed field variables introduced by the time-domain periodic boundary conditions (PBCs). The proposed PML implementation performs well in absorbing the waves with high-order Floquet modes. Additionally, a mixed-order DGTD method is introduced to improve the proposed PML implementation’s long-term stability and reduce the total computational cost. Based on the mixed tetrahedral and hexahedral grids, the nonconforming DGTD method can provide accurate field distribution near complex scattering geometries while simultaneously reducing the degrees of freedom (DoF) in the rest of the computational domain, including the open space and PML regions. Finally, electromagnetic simulations are presented to demonstrate the applicability, accuracy, and efficiency of the proposed method.
Identifying significantly impacted pathways: a comprehensive review and assessment

Many high-throughput experiments compare two phenotypes such as disease vs. healthy, with the goal of understanding the underlying biological phenomena characterizing the given phenotype. Because of the importance of this type of analysis, more than 70 pathway analysis methods have been proposed so far. These can be categorized into two main categories: non-topology-based (non-TB) and topology-based (TB). Although some review papers discuss this topic from different aspects, there is no systematic, large-scale assessment of such methods. Furthermore, the majority of the pathway analysis approaches rely on the assumption of uniformity of p values under the null hypothesis, which is often not true. This article presents the most comprehensive comparative study on pathway analysis methods available to date. We compare the actual performance of 13 widely used pathway analysis methods in over 1085 analyses. These comparisons were performed using 2601 samples from 75 human disease data sets and 121 samples from 11 knockout mouse data sets. In addition, we investigate the extent to which each method is biased under the null hypothesis. Together, these data and results constitute a reliable benchmark against which future pathway analysis methods could and should be tested. Overall, the result shows that no method is perfect. In general, TB methods appear to perform better than non-TB methods. This is somewhat expected since the TB methods take into consideration the structure of the pathway which is meant to describe the underlying phenomena. We also discover that most, if not all, listed approaches are biased and can produce skewed results under the null.
Glucocorticoids and serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 are potent regulators of CFTR in the native intestine: implications for stress-induced diarrhea.

Nongenomic glucocorticoid (GC) and serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) signaling regulate ion transport, but CFTR has not been investigated in the intestine. We examined GC, SGK1, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) kinase signaling of CFTR ion transport in native intestine and the role of GCs on mRNA, protein, surface expression, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-elicited diarrhea. Rats were treated with dexamethasone (DEXA; 2 mg/kg ip) or DMSO for 1, 4, and 24 h. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-activated ion transport was examined in the presence or absence of SGK1 and PI3K inhibitors. Phosphorylation of SGK1, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1, and Akt kinases was confirmed by immunoblots using phosphor-specific antibodies. Tissue lysates were analyzed by mass spectrometry. CFTR and SGK1 mRNA were measured by quantitative PCR. Changes in total and surface CFTR protein were determined. The role of GC in cGMP-activated CFTR ion transport was examined. GC synergistically increased CFTR ion transport by SGK1 and PI3K signaling and increased CFTR protein without altering SGK1 or CFTR mRNA. GC induced highest levels of CFTR protein at 4 h that were associated with marked increase in surface CFTR, phosphorylation of the ubiquitin ligase neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated 4-like (Nedd4-2), and 14-3-3e, supporting their roles in surface retention and stability. Coimmunoprecipitation of CFTR, Nedd4-2, and 14-3-3e indicated that assembly of this complex is a likely effector of the SGK and Akt pathways. Mass spectrometry identified phosphorylated peptides in relevant proteins. GC-SGK1 potently regulates CFTR in the intestine and is implicated in diarrheal disease.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to examine the mechanisms of glucocorticoid, serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1, and nongenomic kinase signaling of CFTR in the native intestine. We identified unique and druggable intestine-specific factors of the pathway that are targets for treating stress-induced diarrhea.
Improved Ballistic Limit Equations for High-Speed Non-Aluminum Projectiles Impacting Aluminum Dual-Wall Spacecraft Systems

One of the major design considerations of earth-orbiting spacecraft is the damage that might occur from an impact by a micrometeoroid or orbital debris particle. Ballistic limit equations (BLEs), which predict the response of spacecraft components under impact, are one of the key components of any micrometeoroid / orbital debris risk assessment calculation. However, given that a limited number of BLEs have been developed, analysts will sometimes use a BLE to assess the impact projectile made of a material that was not used in the development of that BLE. This paper presents the results of a two-part study that focused non-aluminum projectiles impacting aluminum dual-wall structures. In the first, results from high-speed impact tests using non-aluminum projectiles were compared against the predictions of a commonly used dual-wall BLE. In nearly all cases, this BLE was found not to work sufficiently well in predicting the high-speed impact response of non-aluminum projectiles. In the second, the dual-wall BLE was modified to more correctly predict the response of such wall systems to the high-speed impact of non-aluminum projectiles. This modified BLE was found to be much improved in predicting whether or not a high-speed non-aluminum projectile would perforate a dual-wall system.
The Appropriation of Holocaust Memory in Post-Communist Eastern Europe

This short essay explores the ways in which the visual and symbolic repertoire of cosmopolitan Holocaust memory has become appropriated to represent other types of historical crimes. Specifically, I examine to what extent has this instrumentalization of Holocaust memory fed into a crisis in cosmopolitan memory and the rise of its nationalized, particularized and populist variants. Focusing on post-communist Eastern Europe, I demonstrate how the familiar narratives and images of the Holocaust have been repurposed for two main goals: firstly, to normatively elevate the suffering of non-Jewish national majorities and equate it with the Holocaust; and secondly, to reposition the crimes of communism as the dominant criminal legacy of the twentieth century on a par with, and sometimes overtaking, the legacy of the Holocaust. I illustrate these arguments with brief examples of revisionist museum and commemorative practices in Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and Serbia. I conclude by thinking through some methodological and ethical dimensions of this research.
Biochemical Profile-Based Microbial Identification Systems

The first step in microbial identification is the phenotypic assessment of the growing colony. In many cases, colonial morphology such as color, shape, size, hemolytic reaction, and growth characteristics on various selective and differential media can place an organism in a single family, genus, or even species level. In fact, assessing the ability of an organism to grow on various laboratory media along with its oxygen requirements coupled with Gram stain morphology as well as a few rapid tests such as catalase, oxidase, coagulase, and indole often provides preliminary identification for many clinically significant isolates. For example, it is very likely that an organism that grows on MacConkey agar plate and ferments lactose is a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae or an oxidase-positive non-lactose fermenting Gram-negative rod that has distinct grape odor is likely to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
MMSS: multi-modal story-oriented video summarization

We propose multi-modal story-oriented video summarization (MMSS) which, unlike previous works that use fine-tuned, domain-specific heuristics, provides a domain-independent, graph-based framework. MMSS uncovers correlation between information of different modalities which gives meaningful story-oriented news video summaries. MMSS can also be applied for video retrieval, giving performance that matches the best traditional retrieval techniques (OKAPI and LSI), with no fine-tuned heuristics such as tf/idf.
Dissecting Human Disease in the Postgenomic Era

The genomics era has provided great opportunities for deciphering the genes that are mutated in human diseases. In their Future Directions9 article, Peltonen and McKusick discuss how the human genome sequence and the completed genome sequences of other organisms will expand our understanding of human diseases, both those caused by mutations in a single gene and those where many genes and multiple factors are involved. From SNP maps to individual drug response profiling, the human genome sequence will lead to improved diagnostic testing for disease susceptibility genes and individually tailored treatment regimens for those who have already developed disease symptoms.
BK virus T antigens induce kidney carcinomas and thymoproliferative disorders in transgenic mice.

Abstract Renal adenocarcinomas and/or extremely enlarged thymuses (up to 250 times normal size) were observed in 60 of 78 mice in a transgenic line containing a single copy of the BK virus (BKV) early region. Enlarged thymuses from different mice displayed thymoproliferative disorders of varying severity, ranging from extreme hyperplasia to thymomas and lymphomas. All kidney tumor DNAs analyzed contained highly amplified BKV sequences with multiple rearrangements in cellular DNA flanking the transgene, whereas amplification and rearrangement were observed only in some enlarged thymus DNAs. Expression of BKV T antigens was restricted to epithelial cells of kidney tumors and enlarged thymuses and was not detected in any normal tissues. Although thymocytes proliferated to numbers much greater than normal in the enlarged thymuses, no T antigen expression was detected in thymocytes.
Superconducting and magnetic phase boundaries in Bi2Sr2Ca1-xMxCu2O8, with M=Y, Gd, and Pr.

The temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat have been measured in ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ca}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathit{M}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8}$, where M=Y, Gd, and Pr, for concentrations 0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}1.0 and temperatures 1.6 K\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}300 K. All three dopants substitute a trivalent ion for divalent Ca and cause a depression of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ observable in the resistivity and susceptibility. Both Pr and Gd retain their free-ion magnetic moment and appear to cause little, if any, magnetic pair breaking. Instead, the dominant suppression mechanism in all three cases is driven by the filling of the Cu 3d hole by the extra electron and the breaking of the Cu 3d\char21{}O 2p hybridization. Consequent localization of Cu 3d holes causes an observable antiferromagnetic ordering of Cu ions within the planes in the case of Y. The evidence for Cu ordering for Gd and Pr is obscured by the large Curie contribution to the magnetic susceptibility due to the rare-earth ions.
Membranous aplasia cutis congenita: a recognizable lesion on prenatal sonography.

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a rare, etiologically heterogeneous condition characterized by the absence of a segment of skin. It usually presents as an isolated defect on the scalp slightly off the midline, but sometimes it may occur as multiple lesions. 1 It is typically a benign condition of potential cosmetic relevance but infrequently can be associated with major congenital anomalies. Several classification systems for ACC have been proposed. In 1986, Frieden 2 categorized ACC by the presence or absence of associated anomalies and the location and number of lesions. In addition to classification systems, subtypes of ACC have also been defined. Membranous ACC is a subtype of ACC that is generally diagnosed at birth by simple observation of a clean, sharply demarcated, and noninflammatory lesion of an area of skin similar to the lesion described in our case. This subtype is often associated with underlying neuroectodermal defects.
Microbial Superoxide Dismutases

Publisher Summary The presence of oxygen in the environment presents both advantages and threat to all forms of life. The use of oxygen as a final electron acceptor provides more energy than that afforded by anaerobic fermentation. Oxygen is also useful in many biosynthetic reactions. Superoxide radicals are normal and common by-products of aerobic existence. Superoxide dismutases are indispensable for protection against the toxicity of superoxide radicals. The evolution of three types of SODs to accomplish the same reaction in different organisms attests to their vital role in aerobic survival. Moreover, recent developments in the regulation of MnSODs, and the success in cloning FeSOD and MnSOD genes of E. coli, and the isolation of regulatory mutants can certainly open new research avenues to better understand the regulation of these enzymes. Finally, the knowledge gained from E. coli will make it possible to explore the regulation of SODs in other organisms. We look forward to active and exciting developments in SOD research.
Eye for an eye: efficient concurrent zero-knowledge in the timing model

We present new and efficient concurrent zero-knowledge protocols in the timing model. In contrast to earlier works—which through artificially-imposed delays require every protocol execution to run at the speed of the slowest link in the network—our protocols essentially only delay messages based on the actual response time of each verifier (which can be significantly smaller).
How Accountable Care Organizations Responded to Pediatric Incentives in the Alternative Quality Contract

Abstract Objective From 2009 to 2010, 12 accountable care organizations (ACOs) entered into the alternative quality contract (AQC), BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts's global payment arrangement. The AQC included 6 outpatient pediatric quality measures among 64 total measures tied to pay-for-performance bonuses and incorporated pediatric populations in their global budgets. We characterized the pediatric infrastructure of these adult-oriented ACOs and obtained leaders' perspectives on their ACOs' response to pediatric incentives. Methods We used Massachusetts Health Quality Partners and American Hospital Association Survey data to characterize ACOs' pediatric infrastructure as extremely limited, basic, and substantial on the basis of the extent of pediatric primary care, outpatient specialist, and inpatient services. After ACOs had 16 to 43 months of experience with the AQC, we interviewed 22 leaders to gain insight into how organizations made changes to improve pediatric care quality, tried to reduce pediatric spending, and addressed care for children with special health care needs. Results ACOs' pediatric infrastructure ranged from extremely limited (eg, no general pediatricians in their primary care workforce) to substantial (eg, 42% of workforce was general pediatricians). Most leaders reported intensifying their pediatric quality improvement efforts and witnessing changes in quality metrics; most also investigated pediatric spending patterns but struggled to change patients' utilization patterns. All reported that the AQC did little to incentivize care for children with special health care needs and that future incentive programs should include this population. Conclusions Although ACOs involved in the AQC were adult-oriented, most augmented their pediatric quality improvement and spending reduction efforts when faced with pediatric incentives.
POWER AND VIOLENCE

The ancient Greeks rarely fail us when we turn to them in a receptive but cautious spirit for conceptual clarity, and their treatment of the abstraction “power” and terms related to it is relevant and suggestive. In Greek, a root contained in several words associated with political power has two meanings. The verb archein means both “to rule” and “to start”; the noun arche means both “sovereignty” and “beginning.” J. L. Myres, in his analysis of Greek political ideas, suggests:It is now clear that in compounds the prefix arkhe (as in our words “architect” and “archbishop”) describes not merely the first or chief man of a company or organization, but the initiatory function of him who “starts” the others to work, and originates the design which they are to complete. And this appeal to Greek practical life confirms the view that what is essential in the notion of arkhe is just this initiatory “push” or “drive” with which the gifted man imposes his will-and-pleasure on the rest.
New techniques for measuring and modeling cavern dimensions in a Bingham plastic fluid

A model for predicting the mixing cavern dimensions for Bingham plastic fluids based on the assumption of equal torque is developed. Experimental data has been collected for the purpose of verifying this model, using a novel technique, for both axial and radial flow impellers in a tank of Heinz ketchup. The mixing caverns were found to be the shape of an elliptical torus. The ellipse aspect ratios were determined for both impeller types and are assumed to be constant. The model was able to predict the cavern diameter and cavern height within the experimental uncertainty.
Probes of QCD properties of matter at RHIC

We present experimental features of hadronization from a partonic matter created at RHIC whose particle formation scheme is distinctly different from fragmentation phenomenology in elementary collisions. Multi-parton dynamics, such as quark coalescences or recombinations, appear to be essential to explain the experimental measurements at the intermediate transverse momentum of 2–5 GeV/c. We also present the measurement of charm quark production cross section and the D meson transverse momentum distribution. Future measurements to probe QCD properties of the dense matter created at RHIC will be discussed.
(R,R)-N,N'-dimethylcyclohexyl-1,2-diazaseleno-phospholidine as a chiral derivatizing agent for the evaluation of chiral alcohols.

Previously, a diazaphospholidine has been synthesized and evaluated as a chiral derivatizing reagent for the determination of the optical purity of chiral alcohols via 31P NMR spectroscopy (Alexakis et al., J. Org. Chem. 57:1224–1237, 1992). Our laboratory is interested in the advantageous and practical applications of 77Se NMR spectroscopic studies in many facets of chemistry and biochemistry. To this end we have used this diazaphospholidine as a starting point and have investigated chiral alcohols coupled to an optically pure diazaselenophospholidine. The diastereomers formed were then evaluated by 77Se NMR spectroscopy, and these results were compared to the 31P NMR results published by Alexakis and co-workers. It was found that addition of the Se atom produced diastereomers that were air stable and, in many cases, the individual diastereomers could be distinguished by 77Se NMR spectroscopy. Preliminary results indicate that the 77Se nucleus is somewhat more sensitive to remotely disposed chiral centers than is the 31P nucleus. Furthermore, because of their stability, these compounds do not readily decompose and can, therefore, be studied by a variety of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.