cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost of inpatient care and its association with hospital competition.

Background Conventional economic principles suggest that increases in competition are associated with price decreases. The purpose of this study is to determine whether this association holds true between objective measures of hospital competition and gross charges, by analyzing standardized operations where variations in costs should be minimal. Study Design Hospital Market Structure file (from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, available for years 2000 and 2003) was linked to Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Appendectomy, carotid endarterectomy, bariatric surgery, radical prostatectomy, and pyloromyotomy were analyzed, after excluding patients with possible complications. Primary outcomes included total hospital charges. Primary independent variable was Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) calculated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for each hospital based on its patient-flow market. Higher HHI represents the presence of more dominant hospitals in the market or lower competition. Results A total of 162,823 patients from 1,492 hospitals (85,791 appendectomies, 38,619 carotid endarterectomies, 18,383 bariatric operations, 16,784 radical prostatectomies, 3,246 pyloromyotomies) were analyzed. Single linear regression analyses demonstrated higher HHI was significantly associated with lower hospital gross charges in all cases. On multivariate analysis, a 1 percentage-point increase on HHI was associated with −$114 for appendectomy, −$163 for carotid endarterectomy, and −$193 for radical prostatectomy (all p ≤ 0.001), and were independent of hospital urbanicity, teaching status, and payer mix. In contrast, no association was found between competition and hospital costs. Conclusions Higher level of hospital competition is associated with higher hospital gross charges, although competition intensity is not associated with hospital costs. These data are important as health policy makers consider possible cost-control measures.
Information content versus relational knowledge : Semantic deficits in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Studies of semantic impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have yielded conflicting results, some finding evidence of considerable deficits, others finding that semantic knowledge is relatively intact. How do we reconcile findings from picture naming tasks that seem to indicate semantic impairment in AD with results from certain sorting tasks that suggest intact semantics? To investigate the basis of the contradictory results described above, we conducted a study using two types of tasks: (1) picture naming; and (2) board sorting. The board sorting task we used is a simultaneous similarity judgment task, in which participants are asked to place more similar concepts closer together and less similar ones farther apart. We compared the performance of AD patients on these two tasks, using a number of different analyses that yield very different patterns of results. Our results indicate that whether patients show impairment or not depends on both the nature of the task and the subsequent analysis chosen. Specifically, tasks and analyses that focus on relational knowledge (e.g., dog is more related to cat than to camel) lead to different conclusions than those based on specific information about individual items. These findings suggest that the board sorting method, when coupled with multiple analyses, provides a more complete picture of the underlying semantic deficit in AD than previous studies have shown.
Childhood peer rejection and aggression as predictors of adolescent girls' externalizing and health risk behaviors: a 6-year longitudinal study.

This 6-year longitudinal study examined girls’ peer-nominated social preference and aggression in childhood as predictors of self- and parent-reported externalizing symptoms, substance use (i.e., cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use), and sexual risk behavior in adolescence. Participants were 148 girls from diverse ethnic backgrounds, who were initially assessed in Grades 4 – 6 and again in Grades 10 –12. Results supported a moderator model, indicating that social preference changed the nature of the association between childhood aggression and adolescent outcomes. When accompanied by peer rejection, aggressive behavior was moderately stable over time and significantly associated with adolescent girls’ substance use and sexual risk behavior. However, under conditions of peer acceptance, no significant association between childhood aggression and adolescent outcomes emerged. Since the publication of Parker and Asher’s (1987) seminal review of longitudinal findings on childhood peer relations and later clinical outcomes, investigators have sought to elucidate the role of peer acceptance and rejection in predicting adolescent externalizing behavior. This line of inquiry addresses a question that is fundamental to developmental psychopathology research, exploring the nature of interpersonal experiences as possible contributors to the development or exacerbation of severely disruptive and harmful behaviors. This work has direct implications for the development of selective and indicated preventive interventions, as difficulties with interpersonal experiences can appear as early as elementary school and may have effects on the presentation of externalizing and risk behaviors years later in adolescence (Tolan, Guerra, & Kendall, 1995b). In an effort to understand the long-term clinical consequences of childhood peer acceptance and rejection, investigations over the past 15 years have attempted to reconcile findings revealing that (a) both peer rejection and aggressive behavior among peers are predictors of externalizing behavior and (b) aggressive behavior is a potent determinant of peer rejection. At face value, these results seem consistent with the notion that peer rejection may be simply an incidental correlate of an association between childhood aggressiveness and adolescent externalizing symptoms that might better be explained by the heterotypic continuity of aggression (i.e., an “incidental model”; Parker & Asher, 1987). The incidental model suggests that peer rejection is consequent to children’s
Linearized Quantum Conductivity of Atomic Clusters and Artificial Molecules

The explicit expression for the linearized longitudinal quantum conductivity of inhomogeneous systems (such as semiconductor atomic clusters, artificial molecules, etc.) in weak electro-magnetic fields derived recently within a first principle quantum statistical mechanical approach in terms of the equilibrium two-time temperature Green functions (TTGFs) has been analyzed to develop analytical and computational means for its calculations. This has been done using a generalized continuous fraction method due to Zubarev and Tserkovnikov (ZT). The TTGFs have been related to Kubo's relaxation functions of the charge density and its gradients that can be computed using available quantum statistical mechanical algorithms and software. Thus, it becomes possible to predict the linearized quantum conductivity of any small system (in particular small semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)) as a function of external electromagnetic fields using a unified fundamental approach. This knowledge can be used to develop small semiconductor QD-based highly sensitive tunable sensors based on changes in the conductivity caused by external electromagnetic fields (in particular, radiation).
Focus on “EGF receptor downregulation depends on a trafficking motif in the distal tyrosine kinase domain”

on binding of growth factors, growth factor receptors in the plasma membrane can trigger a variety of intracellular signaling pathways, promoting responses ranging from differentiation to proliferation and cell migration ([21][1]). A principal mechanism for modulating cellular responses to growth
Long-term therapy for chronic gout results in clinically important improvements in the health-related quality of life: short form-36 is responsive to change in chronic gout

Objective. Short Form-36 (SF-36) is a validated outcome measure to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with gout. We assessed responsiveness to change of SF-36 in patients with gout. Methods. SF-36 was administered at baseline and at yearly intervals. We assessed the minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) at the first and second year. We also assessed the responsiveness to change (effect size) and interpreted it based on Cohen’s criteria. We modelled the improvement (defined as 5MCID) in SF-36 scales and summary scores. Covariates included age, presence of tophi, comorbidities, baseline joint involvement, baseline serum urate, change in serum urate and the number of flares from baseline to 12 months. Results. Of 99 subjects, 96 were male, mean age was 57.1 years, disease duration was 8.2 years and 40.4% had tophi. Ninety-two patients were treated with urate-lowering therapy (ULT) and daily colchicine, and seven were only on colchicine. Baseline mean serum urate level was 8.9 mg/dl and mean number of flares was 4.7 over last year. ULTs were associated with reduction in serum uric acid and number of flares (P < 0.001 for both) over 12 months. Therapy was associated with 2270% of the patients achieving MCID in SF-36 scores at 12 months. Effect size estimates ranged from negligible to large (SF-36 mental component summary 0.08bodily pain 1.09). Reduction in flares independently predicted improvements in three SF-36 physical scales (P = 0.0010.06). Improvement in SF-36 scores was maintained at 2 years. Conclusion. In our real-life observational cohort, chronic urate lowering therapy and colchicine was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in HRQOL at 1 year and then maintained at 2 years. SF-36, especially physical domains and physical component summary, are responsive to change in gout.
Detection and Subsequent Reduction of Surface Particle Induced Defects on Silicon Wafers

A serious, yield impacting defect was detected after polysilicon etch using the KLA-2028, an automated optical wafer inspection system. Visual inspection of the defect on a video monitor indicated that it was a resist particle. SEM analysis, however, showed that the defect was the result of resist pileup caused by particles. The source of these particles was traced to a wet station operation, but particle levels at the wet station were found to be at presumably acceptable levels. The product wafers were particularly susceptible to particle contamination due to the hydrophobicity following the wet operation. Several rinses to reduce particle adhesion were tested. A rinse of choline was found to decrease particle levels substantially and to increase yields on electrical defect monitor devices.
The People Against Themselves: Rethinking Popular Constitutionalism

Ackerman, Bruce. 2014. The Civil Rights Revolution. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Shugerman, Jed Handelsman. 2012. The People's Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. In the course of reviewing Jed Shugerman's The People's Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America and Bruce Ackerman's The Civil Rights Revolution, we argue for a reassessment of the way that scholars think about popular constitutionalism. In particular, we urge scholars to resist the tendency to create a dichotomy between judicial interpretation of law and a set of nonjudicial venues in which popular constitutionalism supposedly takes place. Popular constitutionalism is temporally and contextually bound, reflected in different forms and forums at different times in US political history and always dependent on the interactions between these institutions. By implication, this suggest that judges, rather than serving as obstacles to popular understandings of law, can and have used various forms of democratic authorization to strike down legislation violating both state and federal constitutions, thus bridging judicial review and popular constitutionalism with explicit support from the citizenry.
Collaboration between Korea and Japan for basic research on leprosy

New case detection in Japan has been markedly decreased and same trends have been also shown in Korea. Despite of unfavorable circumstances, research activities are still continuing and we have the accumulation of knowledge on leprosy both in Japan and Korea. Following basic studies for leprosy on going in Japan were reviewed. 1. Analysis of drug resistance mechanism and its application for clinical samples. 2. Establishment of early diagnostic technique. 3. Clarification of mechanisms of neuropathy. 4. Analysis of in vivo growth mechanisms of Mycobacterium leprae. 5. Molecular epidemiology of leprosy. 6. Searching for new anti leprosy drugs. 7. Developing vaccine. 8. In vitro cultivation. Other subjects as follows was proposed as prospective studies. 1. Mechanisms of relapse. 2. Establishing diagnostic tool of reaction and preventive measures. 3. Clarification of immunological mechanisms of anergy in LL case. The possibility of future collaboration between Korea and Japan to solve remaining problems in the clinical field was discussed and a course of action for collaboration was deliberated.
Weight reduction following abdominoplasty: a retrospective case review pilot study.

Background:The question of whether or not abdominoplasty is associated with permanent weight reduction remains controversial. In coalition, should abdominoplasty be used as an adjunct for weight reduction in the overweight/obese patient?Methods:This retrospective patient case series attempts to dete
Lead Contamination in Vegetation, Cattle Dung, and Dung Beetles Near an Interstate Highway, Kansas

Lead concentrations in vegetation collected 50 m from an interstate highway in Kansas averaged 10.5 ppm, but only 3.1 ppm in samples collected far from heavily traveled roads. Lead contamination of cattle dung collected near the interstate was 9.8 ppm, slightly more than the 8.2 ppm in cattle dung collected in pastures far from the interstate. Lead content of dung beetles collected 50 m from the interstate averaged 13.1 ppm, more than twice the 5.8 ppm average in dung beetles collected far from the interstate. Large variance in lead levels in dung and dung beetle samples may have masked statistical evidence for biomagnification of lead in the food chain: vegetation → cattle → dung → dung beetle.
Determination of fifteen kinds of organophosphorus pesticides in a Chinese traditional medicine by gas chromatography

Objective:To establish a method for deternining organophosphorus pesticide in a Chinese traditional medicine.Methods:The samples were extracted using acetone,FID detector,separating by DB-1701 column and determinating by gas chromatography.Results:The fifteen kinds of organophosphorus pesticides including dichlorvos,methamidophos,acephate,phorate,omethoate,disulfoton,monocrotophos,dimethoate,chlorpyrifos,parathion-methyl,phosphamidon,malathion,parathion-ethyl,isocarbophos and profenofos were separated well,good linear relationship sensitivity and reproducibility were obtained,detection limits(S/N=3) of them were 0.002~0.046 mg/L,respectively.Conclusion:A new method for simultaneous determination of fifteen kinds of organophosphorus pesticides by using gas chromatography has been descriibed.The very simple and well effect analysis way can be got and sensitivity of them has been greatly improved.
RESEARCH ON MAGNETIZING METHOD FOR MT-RC INSPECTION OF THE BOLT HOLES IN THE MAIN BEAMS OF JET WINGS

The effects of magnetizing methods on the effective magnetic field strength showing the defects in the holes with short distances in magnetic particle inspection were studied by calculation.
Coronary artery disease with minimal angina. Medical versus surgical therapy.

This study retrospectively examines 447 patients with minimal or absent angina found to have significant coronary artery disease (CAD) by coronary arteriography. Patients with left main coronary stenosis, valvular heart disease, or ventricular aneurysm were excluded. Treatment choice was nonrandom—more medically treated patients had single-vessel disease, normal left ventricular contractility, or absence of angina. Isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was performed in 284 patients; of 163 patients initially managed nonoperatively, 22 subsequently crossed over to surgical treatment because of increasing angina. Average followup is 38.6 months (range 18 to 64). There was an important, but not statistically significant, difference in the 3 year cumulative survival rate—surgical 98.3% (70% CL 97.6% to 100%) versus medical 94.1% (70% CL, 91.7% to 96.5%) p = 0.077. There was only one noncardiac death and there were three nonfatal myocardial infarctions in patients with single-vessel disease, regardless of therapy. In patients with multivessel disease, the 3 year cumulative survival rate was significantly better in the surgical (98.6%) than the medical group (91.5%) p = 0.031. Event-free 3 year survival rate (death, myocardial infarction, crossover to surgical therapy, or reoperation) was significantly better in surgically treated patients overall (90.4% versus 73.5%, p = 0.000041), as well as in surgically treated patients with double- or triple-vessel disease taken as separate subsets. Angina relief was also significantly better with surgical treatment (74.6% versus 44.3%, p
Pharmacology—Lithium’s Effects on Cyclic AMP, Membrane Transport, and Cholinergic Mechanisms

The functional significance of adenosine 3′, 5′-phosphate (cyclic AMP) in the mammalian central nervous system is unclear. Brain tissue is rich in cyclic AMP, which is unevenly distributed in rat brain particulate material associated with the nuclear and mitochondrial fractions (Sutherland et al., 1962; Ebadi et al., 1971). The specific distribution of cyclic AMP in various brain regions reflects the relative activities of the synthetic and degradative enzymes, adenyl cyclase, and phosphodiesterase. These enzymes have been found to vary in activity in specific regions of the brain (Weiss and Costa, 1968). Adenyl cyclase has been shown to be of highest specific activity in brain tissue (Sutherland et al., 1962; Weiss and Costa, 1968) and to be associated with subcellular fractions that contain membrane fragments and nerve endings (De Robertis et al., 1967). The precise localization of this enzyme is unknown; however, various lines of evidence point to an association with presynaptic structures (De Robertis et al., 1967), postsynaptic (Weiss and Costa, 1967) or extraneuronal sites, and also glial cells (Schimmer, 1971).
A framework for improving early detection of breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative study of help-seeking behaviors among Malawian women.

Abstract Objective Many women in Africa are diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. We explored Malawian breast cancer patients’ perspectives about their diagnosis and ability to access care to identify help-seeking behaviors and to describe factors influencing delay. Methods We purposively sampled 20 Malawian breast cancer patients to conduct in-depth interviews. Transcripts were double coded to identify major themes of breast cancer help-seeking behaviors and what delayed or facilitated access to care. Results We outlined a breast cancer help-seeking pathway describing decisions, behaviors, and interactions from symptom presentation to receipt of cancer care. Patients were largely unaware of breast cancer and did not immediately notice or interpret symptoms. As symptoms progressed, women inferred illness and sought help from social networks, traditional remedies, and medical care. Economic hardship, distance to the facility, provider knowledge, health system factors, and social norms often delayed reaching the facility, referrals, diagnosis, and receipt of care. Conclusions Social-contextual factors at the individual, interpersonal, health system, and societal levels delay decisions, behaviors, and access to breast cancer detection and appropriate care. Practice implications A comprehensive approach to improving breast cancer early detection must address public awareness and misconceptions, provider knowledge and communication, and cancer care delivery.
Why have so many antireflux procedures been devised? Can specific factors be defined in order to properly choose the procedure to offer?

Antireflux operations are like fine wines in that some travel well and some do not. Few techniques upon general application have lived up to the expectations suggested by initial reports. Lack of skill? Difficult to teach? The master’s touch? Possibly a bit of each of the above! More obvious is that all are effective [5, 6, 7, 9,10,11], but not for all patients or all circumstances [12, 13]. We are only just beginning to understand some of the essential features of antireflux procedures and why they usually work but sometimes fail.
Abstract 2904: The alternative NF-kB2/RELB pathway is activated by LTB/LTB receptor and NIK to promote cell migration and metastasis-related gene expression in HNSCC

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are highly inflammatory and preferentially migrate and metastasize to lymph nodes. In this study, we find that LTβ/LTβR/NIK signaling mediates alternative RELB/NF-kB2 activation, which promotes activation of important cancer related genes and migration. We find that LTβ and LTβR are over expressed in subsets of HNSCC tissues and cell lines, and LTβ activates the alternative NF-κB pathway, enhancing nuclear translocation of RELB and NF-kB2/p52. Knockdown of LTβR decreased its target kinase NIK, and downstream NF-kB subunits RELB and NF-kB2/p52 protein expression. Knockdown of NIK protein decreased RELB and p52 protein expression, while LTβ treatment stabilized NIK, RELB and NF-kB2/p52 expression. Consistent with this, knockdown of LTBR and NIK functionally decreased NF-kB reporter gene activity, while treatment of LTB partially restored the NF-kB reporter activity. Notably, knockdown of NIK and RELB by siRNA inhibited cell migration in HNSCC. Since NIK is known as central regulator of the activation of the non-canonical pathway, we tested the effects of a NIK inhibitor 1,3[2H,4H]-Isoquinolinedione on NF-kB function and cell migration. NIK inhibitor decreased NIK protein in the cytoplasm, downstream nuclear expression of RELB and NF-kB2/p52 proteins by Western blot and RELB localization by immunofluorescence staining. We have found evidence for LTβ induction of migration/metastasis and cell death genes MET, BIRC3,and SERPINE1, and NIK knockdown inhibited cell migration and the inducible expression of MET, BIRC3, SERPINE 1 by LTB. Our data reveal the mechanisms how LTβ and NIK activation mediated alternative NF-kB pathway and contribute to migration and metastasis of HNSCC. Supported by NIDCD intramural Project ZIA-DC-000016, 73 and 74. Citation Format: Rita Das, Tsu-Fan Cheng, Jamie Coupar, Anthony Saleh, Paul E. Clavijo, Xinping Yang, Zhong Chen, Carter VanWaes. The alternative NF-kB2/RELB pathway is activated by LTB/LTB receptor and NIK to promote cell migration and metastasis-related gene expression in HNSCC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2904.
Parliaments and government formation: unpacking investiture rules

The subtitle, not the title, of this edited book tells you what you need to know about its content, which will be of great interest to any scholar concerned with modelling the process of government...
Selective Disclosure and Insider Trading: Tipper Wrongdoing in the 21st Century

The Supreme Court in deciding Salman v. United States should update a confused and increasingly obsolete aspect of insider trading doctrine: the rule that the selective disclosure of material nonpublic information can only trigger insider trading liability if “the insider personally will benefit, directly or indirectly, from his disclosure.”When it was introduced in Dirks v. SEC in 1983 this “personal benefit” test represented an imperfect effort to balance four competing rationales for determining when providing a tip should trigger insider trading liability. Two developments since Dirks was decided have made problems with this personal benefit test insurmountable. First, the SEC’s enactment of Regulation Fair Disclosure in 2000 supplanted federal common law regulation of selective disclosures by public companies and, more pointedly, prohibited public companies from making precisely the types of selective disclosures to Wall Street analysts that the Dirks personal benefit test was designed to protect. Second, the adoption of the misappropriation theory of insider trading in United States v. O’Hagan greatly expanded the types of deceptive conduct that might lead to insider trading liability with important ramifications for how to identify tipper wrongdoing.After Regulation FD and O’Hagan, the best approach going forward for identifying tipper wrongdoing would be to go back to the underlying statutory prohibition against deceptive conduct. Receipt of a personal benefit should be a sufficient, but not necessary, condition for finding that a selective disclosure is sufficiently deceptive to trigger insider trading liability. Based on this updated standard, the Salman conviction should be upheld.
Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guideline on Primary Management of Patients With Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas.

Background Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are among the most common pituitary lesions and may present clinically with vision loss and hypopituitarism. Objective To characterize the existing literature as it pertains to the initial management of NFPAs. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and screen articles assessing primary treatment options (surgical, medical, radiation based, or observation) for NFPAs. Outcomes assessed included vision-, endocrine-, and headache-related symptoms, as well as tumor response to therapy. Twenty-five studies met inclusion criteria for analysis. Results A considerable amount of class II evidence (14 studies) was identified supporting primary surgical intervention in patients with symptomatic NFPA macroadenomas, resulting in immediate tumor volume reduction in nearly all patients and a residual tumor rate of 10% to 36%. One prospective, observational cohort study and multiple retrospective studies showed improved visual function in 75% to 91% of surgically treated patients and improved hypopituitarism in 35% to 50% of patients. Limited class II evidence showed inconsistent benefits for observation alone (1 study), primary radiation-based treatment (3 studies), or primary medical treatment (8 studies) for improving vision, headaches, hypopituitarism, or tumor volume. One retrospective study implementing observation alone showed tumor progression in 50% of patients and a requirement for surgery in 21% of patients. Eight studies assessing primary medical therapy for NFPAs showed inconsistent tumor response rates using somatostatin analogs (12%-40% response rate), dopamine agonist therapy (0%-61% response rate), or combination therapy (60% response rate). Three studies reporting primary radiosurgery for NFPAs showed decreased tumor size in 38% to 60% of patients. Conclusion Multiple retrospective and some prospective studies have demonstrated consistent effectiveness of primary surgical resection of symptomatic NFPAs with acceptable morbidity rates. Limited and inconsistent reports are available for alternative treatment strategies, including radiation, medical treatment, and observation alone; these modalities may, however, play a valid role in patients who are not surgical candidates. Based on the available evidence, the authors recommend surgical resection as the preferred primary intervention for symptomatic NFPAs. The full guidelines document for this chapter can be located at https://www.cns.org/guidelines/guidelines-management-patients-non-functioning-pituitary-adenomas/Chapter_5. Abbreviation NFPA, nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.
Butyrate Downregulates the Expression of a Number of Repressors of Fetal Hemoglobin In Definitive Erythroid Cells

Abstract 2080 Elevated fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is ameliorative for beta-globin gene disorders. Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid, is a potent inducer of fetal hemoglobin with limited clinical applicability. We wanted to examine non-globin gene targets of butyrate that are regulated in definitive erythroid cells prior to the induction of embryonic/fetal beta-type globin genes. Mechanistic insights may improve clinical utility for short chain fatty acids by identifying novel molecular therapeutic targets. Induced embryonic/fetal globin gene expression is detectable in murine fetal liver-derived definitive erythroid cells (FL EryD) from wildtype and human beta-globin YAC transgenic mice after 19 hours in culture with butyrate & erythropoietin (EPO), but not in EPO alone. Differential regulation of non-globin gene targets in wildtype FL EryD was studied on a Mouse Gene 1.0ST Affymetrix Array after culture in EPO only or butyrate & EPO at 6 hours (when no embryonic globin gene expression is detectable, n=3). Data from biological replicates were normalized by robust multichip average and analyzed with expression console software. As shown in Table 1, several confirmed and putative repressors of embryonic/fetal beta-type globin gene expression, including SOX6 , Bcl11A , and Ikaros 1 (but not cMyb ) were significantly down regulated by Butyrate at 6 hours (n=3); this was confirmed by RT-PCR. The histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA), which also induces embryonic globin gene expression in murine FL EryD, has a directionally similar effect (Table 1). Down regulation of some fetal/embryonic globin gene repressors, relative to identically handled EPO-only treated samples, was detectable by RT-PCR as early as 60 to 120 minutes after butyrate induction. These repressors included Bcl11A (60min: 0.66±0.005, p Sox6 (60min: 0.55± 0.18, p=0.08, n=2; 120min: 0.63± 0.06, p Ikaros1 (60min: 0.63±0.45, p=0.36, n=2; 120min: 0.42±0.15, p The proximate molecular mechanisms through which butyrate act, while unknown in detail, have been posited to include ‘stress’ signaling via p38 and/or direct activation of gamma-globin gene expression through inhibited histone deacetylation. We found no evidence for butyrate-mediated enhancement of p38 phosphorylation in FL EryD at 0–120 minutes in culture. However, bulk histone acetylation measured by western for histone 3 (H3), was >1.5 fold greater with butyrate induction at 60–90 minutes relative to baseline, while less than baseline in EPO-only treated FL EryD (n=2). Cumulatively, these data suggest that the down regulation by butyrate of major molecular repressors of embryonic/fetal globin gene expression, likely mediated directly or indirectly through epigenetic modifications, is a key underlying mechanism for the induction of fetal hemoglobin in definitive erythroid cells by short chain fatty acids. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Cued self-awareness and speech fluency

The present study investigated the potential influence of cued attention to self on speaking behavior. Forty-five undergraduate participants completed three tasks: watching a movie clip, telling a story, and completing button-pressing tasks, including a cognitive Stroop-like task. Each task was presented to participants in the presence and absence of video of their own behavior. During each task, indicators of autonomic arousal were acquired, including skin conductance and heart rate. Results showed that autonomic arousal was greater during speaking than movie-watching, and Stroop compared to baseline tasks. The presence of the video resulted in reduced performance, as marked by a greater frequency of speech disfluencies during speaking and increased reaction time during button-pressing tasks. However, the presence of the video was not associated with greater autonomic arousal. Results indicate that cued attention to self can lead to performance decrements, but not increases in autonomic arousal.
Anatomy and Physiology of the Pelvic Floor

Understanding the anatomic relationship of the pelvic floor muscles with the pelvic girdle, spine, and hips aids the rehabilitation provider in diagnosis, management, and appropriate referrals. The bony anatomy of the pelvic girdle consists of 3 bones and 3 joints. The pelvic floor muscles are comprised mainly of the levator ani muscles with somatic innervation from the lumbosacral plexus. The bony and muscular pelvis is highly interconnected to the hip and gluteal musculature, which together provide support to the internal organs and core muscles. Pelvic floor physiology is centered on bladder and bowel control, sexual functioning, and pregnancy.
The Status of Women: Worldwide Trends

The empowerment of women and girls has been at the center of international aid efforts for decades. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current status of women around the world with a particular focus on the 13 countries profiled in the subsequent chapters of this book. Those countries represent six world regions: Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), North America, and sub-Saharan Africa. We review four general indicators of gender (in) equality before detailing the central issues and trends in five specific domains that affect the lives of women and girls internationally. Specifically, we focus on education, employment, political participation, health, and violence against women. The general indicators of gender equality yield various conclusions as each index is calculated using different criteria. A commonality across these indices, however, is that women do not fare better than men in any of the thirteen countries. Education is one area in which women and girls have seen substantial gains in recent years. Conversely, the wage gap in earnings and the gender discrepancy in political participation reveal inequalities that demand continued attention. In addition, the multifaceted consequences of gender-based violence plague approximately a third of the world’s women. We close by briefly describing possible shifts in the status of women as a result of globalization and other ongoing trends.
The effect of sodium tartronate on the body weight and on the fat and glycogen content of mouse and rat livers

The effect of sodium tartronate was studied in experiments on mice and rats on the basis of data on the inhibition of the transfer of carbohydrates into fats by tartronic acid presented by Wesson. Sodium tartronate was administered in doses of 0.025 to 0.09 g and its effect on body weight, fat and liver glycogen was studied. If 0.09 g of sodium tartronate is introduced subcutaneously to adult rats weighing from 254 to 364 g for 10 days, reduction of weight, increase of glycogen content and a certain decrease of fat content is noted in the liver. If 0.025 g of this substance is introduced subcutaneously to adult mice weighing 31 to 33 g, there is an increase of glycogen and decrease of fat in the liver. However, with mice there is no reduction of weight.
Development and demonstration of a microscale absorption heat pump water heater

Abstract The development and demonstration of a compact ammonia–water absorption heat pump water heater using microchannel heat and mass exchangers is presented. The absorber, condenser and evaporator are hydronically coupled, while the desorber is direct natural gas-fired. A heat pump comprised of discrete microchannel components was first fabricated and tested on a breadboard facility. Component and system performance are experimentally investigated over a range of conditions, and insights from experiments are used to refine designs. The refined designs are used to develop an integrated microchannel monolithic heat and mass exchanger packaged into a prototype absorption heat pump water heater containing all auxiliary support systems to allow for connection to a water storage tank. The system is nominally sized to provide 2.79 kW of heat at a coefficient of performance (COP) of 1.74. Performance is experimentally investigated at the design condition of 32 °C coupling water into the system and an ambient of 20 °C, and over the range of expected water temperatures (10–60 °C) and ambient conditions (10–32 °C).
HPTLC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF LUPEOL FROM ANDROGRAPHIS ECHIOIDES LEAVES

Objective: A new simple, precise, rapid and selective high‐performance thin‐layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed for the determination of lupeol in methanolic leaves extract of Andrographis echioides. Methods: As per International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines we have applied different concentrations of lupeol as standard on HPTLC plates for the quantification of lupeol from the Andrographis echioides leaves . The concentration of standard lupeol was 1 mg/ml. Results: The retention factor of lupeol was found to be 0.55. Linearity was obtained in the range of 5000 ng‐10000 ng for lupeol. The developed and validated HPTLC method was employed for lupeol in methanolic leaves extract of Andrographis echioides for standardization of the content of the marker. The linear regression data for the calibration plots showed a good linear relationship with r=0.99917 for lupeol. Satisfactory recoveries of 99.80 % were obtained for lupeol. Conclusion: The results obtained in validation assays indicate the accuracy and reliability of the developed HPTLC method for the quantification of lupeol in methanolic leaves extract of Andrographis echioides.
Inhibition of Fas associated phosphatase 1 (Fap1) facilitates apoptosis of colon cancer stem cells and enhances the effects of oxaliplatin

Fas associated phosphatase 1 (Fap1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein tyrosine phosphatase. Fap1 substrates include Fas and Gsk3β, suggesting a role in regulating cell survival. Consistent with this, increased Fap1 expression is associated with resistance to Fas or platinum induced apoptosis in some human colon cancer tumors or cell lines. In the current studies, we found that Fap1 expression was significantly greater in CD133+ colon cancer stem cells compared to CD133- tumor cells. PTPN13 promoter activity (encoding Fap1) was repressed by interferon regulatory factor 2 (irf2), and expression of Fap1 and Irf2 were inversely correlated in CD133+ or CD133- colon cancer cells. We determined that CD133+ cells were relatively resistant to Fas or oxaliplatin induced apoptosis, but this was reversed by Fap1-knockdown or a Fap1-blocking tripeptide (SLV). In a murine xenograft model of colon cancer, we found treatment with SLV peptide significantly decreased tumor growth and relative abundance of CD133+CD44+ cells; associated with increased phosphorylation of Fap1 substrates. SLV peptide also enhanced inhibitory effects of oxaliplatin on tumor growth and Fap1 substrate phosphorylation in this model. Our studies suggest that therapeutically targeting Fap1 may decrease persistence of colon cancer stem cells during treatment with platinum chemotherapy by activating Fap1 substrates. In a murine model of chronic myeloid leukemia, we previously determined that inhibition of Fap1 decreased persistence of leukemia stem cells during tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. Therefore, Fap1 may be a tissue agnostic target to increase apoptosis in malignant stem cells.
The Standard Model transcended

Neutrinos have mass. This profound discovery was made using the SuperKamiokande detector in Japan, a huge flooded cavern lined with photomultiplier tubes and designed to detect different sorts of neutrino. The implications are tremendous: it is the first time that any phenomenon beyond the Standard Model of particle physics has been observed unequivocally. This mass detection is powerful support for a new unified theory of fundamental physics, based on SO(10) symmetry.
Two HLA Class II Gene Variants Are Independently Associated with Pediatric Osteosarcoma Risk

Background: The genetic etiology of osteosarcoma remains poorly understood despite the publication of a genome-wide association study. Association between HLA genetic variants and risk of several cancers has been observed, but HLA variation is not well captured by standard SNP arrays. Methods: We genotyped 207 Californian pediatric osteosarcoma cases and 696 controls of European ancestry using a custom genome-wide array supplemented with approximately 6,000 additional probes across the MHC region. We subsequently imputed 4-digit classical HLA alleles using a reference panel of 5,225 individuals who underwent high-resolution HLA typing via next-generation sequencing. Case–control comparisons were adjusted for ancestry-informative principal components, and top associations from the discovery analysis underwent replication in an independent dataset of 657 cases and 1,183 controls. Results: Three highly correlated HLA class II variants (r2 = 0.33–0.98) were associated with osteosarcoma risk in discovery analyses, including HLA-DRB1*0301 (OR = 0.52; P = 3.2 × 10−3), HLA-DQA1*0501 (OR = 0.74; P = 0.031), and HLA-DQB1*0201 (OR = 0.51; P = 2.7 × 10−3). Similar associations were observed in the replication data (Prange = 0.011–0.037). Meta-analysis of the two datasets identified HLA-DRB1*0301 as the most significantly associated variant (ORmeta = 0.62; Pmeta = 1.5 × 10−4), reaching Bonferroni-corrected statistical significance. The meta-analysis also revealed a second significant independent signal at HLA-DQA1*01:01 (ORmeta = 1.33, Pmeta = 1.2 × 10−3), and a third suggestive association at HLA-DQB1*0302 (ORmeta = 0.73, Pmeta = 6.4 × 10−3). Conclusions: Multiple independent HLA class II alleles may influence osteosarcoma risk. Impact: Additional work is needed to extend our observations to other patient populations and to clarify the potential causal mechanisms underlying these associations. Understanding immunologic contributions to the etiology of osteosarcoma may inform rational therapeutic targets. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(10); 1151–8. ©2018 AACR.
A Visually Apparent and Quantifiable CT Imaging Feature Identifies Biophysical Subtypes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a heterogeneous disease with variable presentations and natural histories of disease. We hypothesized that different morphologic characteristics of PDAC tumors on diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans would reflect their underlying biology. Experimental Design: We developed a quantitative method to categorize the PDAC morphology on pretherapy CT scans from multiple datasets of patients with resectable and metastatic disease and correlated these patterns with clinical/pathologic measurements. We modeled macroscopic lesion growth computationally to test the effects of stroma on morphologic patterns, hypothesizing that the balance of proliferation and local migration rates of the cancer cells would determine tumor morphology. Results: In localized and metastatic PDAC, quantifying the change in enhancement on CT scans at the interface between tumor and parenchyma (delta) demonstrated that patients with conspicuous (high-delta) tumors had significantly less stroma, higher likelihood of multiple common pathway mutations, more mesenchymal features, higher likelihood of early distant metastasis, and shorter survival times compared with those with inconspicuous (low-delta) tumors. Pathologic measurements of stromal and mesenchymal features of the tumors supported the mathematical model9s underlying theory for PDAC growth. Conclusions: At baseline diagnosis, a visually striking and quantifiable CT imaging feature reflects the molecular and pathological heterogeneity of PDAC, and may be used to stratify patients into distinct subtypes. Moreover, growth patterns of PDAC may be described using physical principles, enabling new insights into diagnosis and treatment of this deadly disease.
New Advanced Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Complex

New hybrid organic–inorganic complexes of perylene with nanodiamonds were developed and fabricated. The fact of complex formation was confirmed by the analysis of the infra-red (IR) absorption spectra and their spectral-luminescent properties. It was shown as a result of nanodiamond (ND) template synthesis that in new complexes based on NDs occur appearance of strong structured excitation bands in the ultra violet (UV) region of spectrum, within 230–300 nm. The formation of new UV excitation centers in complexes leads to a significant enhancement of luminescence in the green region of the spectrum.
Task, Information Seeking Intentions, and User Behavior: Toward A Multi-level Understanding of Web Search

According to the cognitive viewpoint of information retrieval (IR) research, a search task can be conceptualized as a sequence of information seeking intentions which both motivate and are influenced by search behaviors. While the behavioral effects of task features have been thoroughly discussed in a large body of literature, how different information seeking intentions in query segments serve as bridges between task and Web search behavior still remains unexplored. To develop a more comprehensive, multi-level (i.e., task level, intention level, and behavior level) understanding of Web search, the authors analyzed intention and search behavior data collected from 693 query segments generated by 40 participants in a controlled lab setting, seeking to answer two main research questions: 1) from task to intention : how do different task features affect users' information seeking intentions at different stages of a search session? 2) from intention to behavior : How is a user's search behavior associated with their information seeking intentions in the current and next query segments respectively? The results demonstrate that: 1) Task features significantly affected the frequency of occurrence of most of the information seeking intentions, and these effects gradually faded away as search sessions proceeded; 2) The presences of a variety of intentions in both current and subsequent query segments were connected with and detectable by different subsets of behavioral measures. This study contributes to the understanding of the connections between task, intentions in query segments, and search behavior, and thereby has implications for designing system affordances for supporting different intentions and search activities in various task stages and contexts.
Embedding magnesium metallic particles in polycaprolactone nanofiber mesh improves applicability for biomedical applications.

Abstract Magnesium (Mg) metal is of great interest in biomedical applications, especially in tissue engineering. Mg exhibits excellent in vivo biocompatibility, biodegradability and, during degradation, releases Mg ions (Mg2+) with the potential to improve tissue repair. We used electrospinning technology to incorporate Mg particles into nanofibers. Various ratios of Mg metal microparticles ( Statement of Significance The biodegradable metal, magnesium, safely biodegrades in the body, releasing beneficial byproducts. To improve tissue delivery, magnesium metal particles were incorporated into electrospun nanofiber meshes composed of a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). Magnesium addition, at several concentrations, did not alter PCL chemistry, but did alter physical properties. Under cell culture conditions, meshes released magnesium ions and hydrogen gas and were not cytotoxic for two cell types. After implantation in mice, the mesh with magnesium resulted in earlier appearance of M2-like, reparative macrophages and improved tissue healing versus mesh alone. This is in agreement with other studies showing beneficial effects of magnesium metal and provides a new type of scaffold material that will be useful in clinically relevant tissue engineering applications.