cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Intravenous and Oral Beta-Blocker Use in Patients with Type B Thoracic Aortic Dissection.

BACKGROUND Beta-blockers have become the cornerstone for medical management in patients with chronic type B aortic dissection (TBAD). However, the effect of being on and/or receiving intravenous beta-blockers during hospitalization on outcomes of surgical repair of TBAD is not fully described. We sought to investigate this association during open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular (Endo) intervention for nontraumatic TBAD. METHODS The Premier Healthcare Database was inquired (June/2009-March/2015). Patients with nontraumatic isolated TBAD were identified via ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedural codes. Patients with codes that indicated TAAD were excluded. In-hospital mortality, cardiac complications (CHF, MI, arrythmia) and stroke were evaluated. Log binomial regression analyses with bootstrapping were performed to assess the relative risk of adverse outcomes. RESULTS A total of 1,752 were admitted for OSR (54.3%) and Endo (45.7%) TBAD repair. Use of oral beta blocker (BB) was 16.0% in OSR and 56.4% in Endo groups. In each arm, patients on BB were more likely to be diabetic, on aspirin or statin and more likely to receive additional IV BB than nonBB patients. There was no significant difference in age, sex, race, or prior history of CHF between BB and nonBB groups. Mortality was proportionally lower in patients on BB in OSR group (7.9% vs. 16.7%; P = 0.006) and Endo (3.3% vs. 9.2%; P < 0.001). The adjusted relative risk for mortality and stroke were significantly lower in oral BB recipients compared with none [aRR (95% CI): 0.53 (0.32-0.90) and 0.46 (0.25-0.87); both P ≤ 0.02]. IV metoprolol was the only IV BB that reduced mortality [aRR (95% CI): 0.62 (0.46-0.85); P = 0.003]. A dose of ≤10 mg was associated with significant mortality reduction: 6.3% (3.0-9.5%) compared with 8.1% (4.6-11.6%) in no IV BB group. Cardiac complications were not affected by BB use. CONCLUSIONS For patients with nontraumatic TBAD, use of oral BB was associated with significant protection against in-hospital mortality and stroke following repair. Metoprolol was the only Intravenous BB type associated with improved survival. Further research is warranted to elucidate the effect of beta-blockers on the long-term surgical outcomes of TBAD.
Excimer Diffusivity in 9,10-Bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene Assemblies on Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membranes

Excimers usually serve as low energy trap sites in supramolecular chromophore assemblies; however, if the trap is not too deep, excimers may diffuse throughout the structure, making it possible to ...
Surface Plasmon Emission as a Probe of Hot-Electron Dynamics

Surface plasmon mediated light emission from rough metal films can be driven in a number of different ways. They all show characteristic features independent of the driving mechanism. The unifying feature is that each mechanism injects hot electrons into the metal. We describe surface plasmon mediated emission from tunnel junctions in terms of a hot-electron picture. We show how this emission can be used as a spectroscopic probe of hot electron dynamics in tunnel junctions. We then describe how we used this tool to probe hot electron processes in electron injector structures, leading to important new insights into electron heating in SiO2.
Possible Link Between Chronic Periodontal Disease and Central Nervous System Pathologies

Systemic infection and/or inflammation has been related with an increased risk of brain abscesses, cerebrovascular disease, cognitive impairment and other pathological states of the brain. Therefore, it is plausible, that a chronic infection and inflammation disease, such as periodontitis, may affect the central nervous system (CNS). Chronic periodontal disease is a condition that causes breakdown of the supporting tissues of the teeth, alveolar bone and soft tissues. Chronic periodontitis is a multifactorial disease caused by dental plaque composed of pathogenic bacteria that triggers the immune response in susceptible hosts. Oral pathogenic bacteria is a source of chronic infection that can induce local and peripheral production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1s, IL-6 and TNF- , inflammatory mediators, as well as bacterial products such as lipopolysaccaride endotoxin. Viruses, such as herpes and Epstein-Barr, can also be found in periodontal pockets. It is well established that oral pathogenic microorganisms may cause systemic infection by transient or persistent bacteremia, disseminating within the body, and infiltrate distal sites and organs. It has been proposed that in vulnerable populations and under certain circumstances, bacterial and viral infections may enter the brain from the bloodstream. Once in the brain, infectious pathogens and inflammatory products may compromise vascular integrity. Thus, the potential role of the pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis in the development and progression of cerebral infection and inflammation can have a link. There is no direct evidence that determines whether oral diseases have a causal association with CNS pathologies, nonetheless there are several reports that have found oral periodontal pathogens lodged in the brain. Both inflammatory states may just share a casual connection with common risk factors and complex multifactorial etiologies. However, the possibility that pathogenic oral microorganisms disseminate to the bloodstream and reach the brain, initiating or exacerbating existing cerebral lesions, cannot be disregarded. In addition, not only periodontal pathogens may be involved in invading the brain, but also, the pro-inflammatory factors induced systemically by periodontitis, may play a role in CNS pathologies. This oral systemic link will be discussed in this paper.
Assessing the accuracy of self-reported self-talk

Self-Talk Scale (STS; Brinthaupt, Hein, & Kramer, 2009) is a self-report measure of self-talk frequency that has been shown to possess acceptable reliability and validity. However, no research using the STS has examined the accuracy of respondents’ self-reports. In the present paper, we report a series of studies directly examining the measurement of self-talk frequency and functions using the STS. The studies examine ways to validate self-reported self-talk by (1) comparing STS responses from 6 weeks earlier to recent experiences that might precipitate self-talk, (2) using experience sampling methods to determine whether STS scores are related to recent reports of self-talk over a period of a week, and (3) comparing self-reported STS scores to those provided by a significant other who rated the target on the STS. Results showed that (1) overall self-talk scores, particularly self-critical and self-reinforcing self-talk, were significantly related to reports of context-specific self-talk; (2) high STS scorers reported talking to themselves significantly more often during recent events compared to low STS scorers, and, contrary to expectations, (3) friends reported less agreement than strangers in their self-other self-talk ratings. Implications of the results for the validity of the STS and for measuring self-talk are presented.
Electrocorticogram classification based on wavelet variance and Fisher linear discriminant analysis

For a typical electrocorticogram(ECoG)-based brain-computer interface(BCI) system, a pattern recognition algorithm using wavelet analysis and Fisher linear discriminant analysis(FLDA) was proposed. Firstly, based on studying wavelet theory, a novel feature extraction method in ECoG signal processing namely wavelet variance(WV) or wavelet packet variance(WPV) was proposed considering the band interlacing phenomenon in wavelet packet transform, and the computing method of WV/WPV was brought out; then, taken as feature, the WVs and WPVs of 6 most important channels were selected from 64 channels for analysis, consequently the ECoG data were three-layer decomposed, the WVs and WPVs containing Mu rhythm and Beta rhythm were taken out as final features based on ERD/ERS phenomenon; finally the final features were classified with FLDA in optimum-intervals of the ECoG data. The results showed that the max accuracy for test data was 92%, wavelet variance and wavelet packet variance could be taken as efficient features for ECoG.
Growth Inhibition of Streptomyces Species by l-Serine and Its Effect on Tetracycline Biosynthesis

The addition of serine to minimal medium inhibited the growth of Streptomyces aureofaciens and Streptomyces rimosus. Both the outgrowth of spores and the growth of vegetative cells were inhibited by l-serine. This effect was independent of the carbon source used. In rich nutrient medium, however, the serine effect was not observed. The presence of glycine and methionine in minimal medium reversed the growth inhibition imposed by serine, suggesting that a metabolic block related to the synthesis of these two amino acids was involved. A serine-tolerant mutant of S. aureofaciens isolated after ultraviolet irradiation showed a level of serine deaminase comparable to that of the wild-type strain, which indicated that tolerance to serine was not due to the presence of a more active deaminating enzyme in the mutant. Serine markedly reduced tetracycline and oxytetracycline biosynthesis with the parental strains of Streptomyces spp. The serine-tolerant mutant, however, produced almost the same amount of tetracycline in the presence or absence of serine. The final cell population in fermentation broth was not significantly reduced by l-serine, and the addition of glycine and methionine did not increase the tetracycline yields, which suggested that l-serine inhibition of antibiotic biosynthesis was by a mechanism different from that related to growth inhibition.
Silencing the Hired Guns: Ensuring Honesty in Medical Expert Testimony Through State Legislation

An undeniable medical liability crisis is affecting the majority of states across the country. 1 , While figures vary, physicians in many states have experienced a dramatic increase in their medica...
Adaptive resistance: a tumor strategy to evade immune attack.

A dilemma in cancer immunology is that, although patients often develop active anti-tumor immune responses, the tumor still outgrows. It has become clear that under the pressure of the host’s immune system, cancer cells have adapted elaborate tactics to reduce their immunogenicity (also known as immunoselection) and/or to actively suppress immune cells and promote immune tolerance (also known as immunosubversion). In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Dolen and Esendagli [Eur. J. Immunol. 2013. 43: 747–757] show that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells develop an adaptive immune phenotype switching mechanism: In response to attack by activated T cells, the leukemia cells quickly downregulate the T-cell costimulatory ligand B7-H2 and reciprocally upregulate the coinhibitory ligands B7-H1 and B7-DC in order to shut down T-cell activation via the PD-1 pathway. These novel findings and their relevance for cancer immunotherapy, especially potential applications in PD-1 check-point blockade therapy are discussed in this Commentary.
Sudden infant death syndrome in 2000

_• udden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by history and unexplained by a thorough postmortem examination that includes a complete autopsy, investigation of the scene of death, and review of the medical history. 1 The basic definition was established in 1969, and the scene investigation and clinical history review components were added in 1989. SIDS was the third leading cause for infant mortality in the United States in 1998 (preliminary data), ranked below congenital anomalies (22%) and disorders relating to short gestation/low birth weight (14%) and accounting for 2529 infant deaths (8.9%). 2 SIDS comprises about 80% of all sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI), 2,3 but a thorough postmortem examination is required to exclude undiagnosed natural causes of SUDI, such as infection (sepsis, meningitis), congenital anomalies (cardiac or central nervous system), and metabolic diseases (eg, medium chain fatty acid disorders). Within a cohort of 397 individuals with SUDI that occurred at age 1 week to 1 year, 3 72 deaths (18%) were explained, and these natural causes included infection in 46%, unintended injury in 15%, and congenital anomalies in 14%, In another report of 623 SUDI that occurred at age 1 week to 18 months and that excluded accidental deaths, 125 (20%) were explained, 4 and these natural causes included infection in 35% and congenital anomalies in 24%. An accidental cause of death is typically indicat-
NVisionCC: a visualization framework for high performance cluster security

Large high performance clusters are gaining popularity as a means of harnessing vast computing resources at low cost using commodity components. Cluster system administrators face difficulty from two related problems. First, while several cluster monitoring solutions collect data on the node state and overall performance of a cluster, few monitors place emphasis on the meaningful visual presentation of this information which is increasingly important as cluster size in nodes grows beyond the human capability to manage using command line tools. Second, while cluster state and performance data have been visually monitored in several systems, there are currently no cluster monitors that visualize cluster security events. We have developed a framework for effective visualization of a high performance cluster security which we describe in this paper. We present GUI screenshots from a security visualization tool based on this framework and discuss our experience using this tool on high performance clusters at NCSA.
An embodied cognitive science

Abstract The last ten years have seen an increasing interest, within cognitive science, in issues concerning the physical body, the local environment, and the complex interplay between neural systems and the wider world in which they function. Yet many unanswered questions remain, and the shape of a genuinely physically embodied, environmentally embedded science of the mind is still unclear. In this article I will raise a number of critical questions concerning the nature and scope of this approach, drawing a distinction between two kinds of appeal to embodiment: (1) ‘Simple' cases, in which bodily and environmental properties merely constrain accounts that retain the focus on inner organization and processing; and (2) More radical appeals, in which attention to bodily and environmental features is meant to transform both the subject matter and the theoretical framework of cognitive science.
Atmospheric carbonyl sulfide exchange in bog microcosms

Measurements of Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) fluxes were carried out on bog microcosms using chamber sampling and tunable diode laser analysis. Intact bog microcosms (vascular plants, mosses, and peat) removed ambient levels of OCS in the light and dark with rates from −2.4 to −8.1 ng S min−1 m−2. Peat and peat plus mosses emitted OCS in the light with rates of 17.4 and 10.9 ng S min−1 m−2, respectively. In the dark, the mosses apparently removed OCS at a rate equivalent to the peat emissions. A 3-D numerical tracer model using this data indicated that boreal bog ecosystems remove at most 1% of ambient OCS, not sufficient to account for an observed OCS depletion in boreal air masses.
AI methods for life-cycle serviceability design of mechanical systems

Abstract This paper describes a method of inferring service operations of a mechanical system based on its candidate design. The overall research goal is to develop a methodology and tool to deploy serviceability in the early stages of life-cycle design. Serviceability is an important life-cycle issue, but is often not considered as thoroughly as manufacturability, assembly, etc. Our graphics-based computer tool employs the concept of service mode analysis (SMA) to assess the impact of component relationships on life-cycle service costs. Artificial intelligence methods infer required repair labor actions from the design description, analyses life-cycle service costs and assesses qualitative serviceability. The tool also provides comments and suggestions for design improvements.
Prevalence and Clinical Outcome of Inpatient Hyperglycemia in a Community Pediatric Hospital

BACKGROUND: Inpatient hyperglycemia in adult patients with and without a history of diabetes is a predictor of poor clinical outcome. No previous studies, however, have examined the association of hyperglycemia and clinical outcome in children admitted to a community pediatric hospital. METHODS: The study was a retrospective observational cohort of pediatric patients admitted to a community children's hospital from January 2004 to August 2004. Medical records of 903 consecutive children admitted to critical and non–critical care areas were reviewed. Of them, 342 patients (38%) had no blood glucose measurements during their hospital stay. In the remaining patients, we determined the prevalence of hyperglycemia and examined the association of hyperglycemia with clinical outcome. RESULTS: A total of 406 patients (75%) had an admission blood glucose ≤120 mg/dL (mean ± SEM 98 ± 1 mg/dL), 103 children (19%) had an admission blood glucose level of 121–179 mg/dL (mean 143 ± 2 mg/dL), and 32 patients (5.9%) had a blood glucose level ≥180 mg/dL (mean 260 ± 18 mg/dL). Seventeen patients (13%) had a known history of diabetes prior to admission. Children with hyperglycemia were more likely to be admitted to the ICU (P < .001) and had a longer length of ICU stay (P < .001), but admission hyperglycemia was not associated with longer hospital stay or higher hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia is present in one-fourth of children admitted to the hospital, most of them without a history of diabetes prior to admission. Hyperglycemia was associated with a greater need for ICU care and longer ICU stay but not with increased in-hospital mortality. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;3:212–217. © 2008 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Impulse and Alternating Current Tests on Grounding Electrodes in Soil Environment

This paper describes electrical tests performed and gives experimental data on grounding electrodes in a soil environment. The tests were conducted with alternating currents of high magnitude, short duration and of low magnitude, long duration and also with impulse currents. The grounding electrodes included galvanized steel and copper-jacketed steel, single and multiple rods, pole bottom ground plates, concrete encased conductors and concentric neutral conductor of primary underground cables.
Strategic reverse logistics disposition decisions: from theory to practice

The purpose of this paper is to synthesise the fundamental factors established in extant conceptual reverse logistics frameworks in order to provide a synopsis of these factors to business decision makers who are looking to adopt or improve their firms’ reverse logistics functions. This research analyses academic reverse logistics disposition decision literature from a strategic perspective to identify and expand upon the primary themes developed within the literature. The proposed aggregate framework assimilates relevant strategic framework literature into a concise schema for practitioners to consider when making strategic reverse logistics decisions. This framework emphasises the interdisciplinary and strategic nature of reverse logistics decisions as developed in the literature.
Families and services: understanding opportunities for co-production of value in service design

Services comprise the backbone of most economies. As the design community increasingly conceives of and communicates about service relationships, we need a theoretical understanding of how such relationships originate, evolve, and co-create value over time. The home provides a resource for studying service dynamics. How are services purchased and perceived within the home? What do people value about domestic services, and how is value collectively produced between service providers and consumers? How do examples of service co-production in domestic settings extend to other service domains?To answer these questions, we undertook a nationwide survey of US households, followed by a number of in-depth interviews, in order to understand opportunities for service co-creation. Our findings reveal how customers and providers co-create services in the home. Domestic services rarely are performed autonomously; instead, there is an active, adaptive dialogue between customer and service provider. This intensely personalized interaction provides a basis for studying successful service co-production between customers, domestic service providers, and other organizations. We found service consumers and providers perceive the service experience with different cultural framings. Moreover, customers report more satisfying experiences when stakeholders co-produce the service through open dialogue and identifying mutual value. We describe the opportunities and breakdowns of service co-production, and discuss the design implications that follow.
Epitopes involved in antibody-mediated protection from Ebola virus

To determine the ability of antibodies to provide protection from Ebola viruses, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the Ebola glycoprotein were generated and evaluated for efficacy. We identified several protective mAbs directed toward five unique epitopes on Ebola glycoprotein. One of the epitopes is conserved among all Ebola viruses that are known to be pathogenic for humans. Some protective mAbs were also effective therapeutically when administered to mice 2 days after exposure to lethal Ebola virus. The identification of protective mAbs has important implications for developing vaccines and therapies for Ebola virus.
Non-destructive wet weighing of marine sediments

Abstract A rapid Archemedian technique is presented for determining the weight of a marine sediment sample which: (1) maintains to a greater degree during treatment the natural marine sedimentary environment; and (2) eliminates the ambiguities produced by conventional washing, deflocculating, and drying of a marine sample. The weight of the mineral solids in the sample is determined from the density of the mineral solids and the density and volume of a mixture of solids and interstitial water measured with: (a) a tared top loading analytical balance; (b) graduated cylinder; and (c) sea water with a known density determined by the formula: w s = w mix P s P s −P sw 1− P sw P mix
Renormalization of Spectra for Network Laplacian as Applied to Synchronization

Renormalization group methods from statistical physics are developed to accurately describe asymptotic properties of complex networks. As a demonstration, the determinant and the lower and upper eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix for a hierarchical network model are obtained to assess the collective ability to synchronize agents coupled on the network.
A predator-prey model of guerrilla warfare

Guerrilla warfare has emerged as one of the principal forms of modern warfare. Mutual deterrence, as achieved by the arms race and arms control, has made nuclear warfare not impossible but at least improb able, the major potential initiator of a nuclear war probably being miscalculation, accident, or escalation rather than premeditation or preemption.1 Traditional large-scale warfare, as in the case of both World Wars, is also improbable in view of potential superpower involvement and fear of escalation. What remains are three pos sibilities. First, there are wars confined to a particular region, and without direct superpower involvement, such as the Arab-Israeli wars, the India-Pakistan wars, the Iran-Iraq war, or the Falklands War. Second, there are civil wars such as those in Nigeria and Chad. Third, there are guerrilla wars, such as those in Malaysia, Vietnam, the Sudan, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Afghanistan. The purpose of this paper is to analyze guerrilla warfare by means of a dynamic model.2 The model suggests specific paths for the evolution of such wars and how such wars might be fought or combatted.
Species Evolution and Cultural Freedom

When you transcend the reductionism of both genocentrism and cultural theories that bracket human being from its species origins and biological character, a reciprocal movement between the findings of refined experience and biological research becomes available. Drawing upon recent work in dynamic theories of evolution that respect the human achievements of meaning, freedom, consciousness, and creativity, this essay explores how those findings can inform our understandings and practices of freedom, and vice versa. Along the way, it criticizes the critique of genocentrism pursued by Thomas Nagel, contending that it ignores “teleodynamism” in favor of teleological finalism.
U.S. stream flow measurement and data dissemination improve

Stream flow information is essential for many important uses across a broad range of scales, including global water balances, engineering design, flood forecasting, reservoir operations, navigation, water supply, recreation, and environmental management. Growing populations and competing priorities for water, including preservation and restoration of aquatic habitat, are spurring demand for more accurate, timely, and accessible water data. To be most useful, stream flow information must be collected in a standardized manner, with a known accuracy and for a long and continuous time period. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) operates over 7000 stream gauges nationwide, which constitute over 90% of the nation's stream gauges that provide daily stream flow records, and that are accessible to the public. Most stream flow records are not based on direct measurement of river discharge, but are derived from continuous measurements of river elevations or stage. These stage data, recorded to 3-mm accuracy are then converted into discharge by use of a stage/discharge relation (rating) that is unique for each stream gauging location. Because stream beds and banks are not static, neither is the stage discharge rating. Much of the effort and cost associated with stream gauging lies in establishing and updating this relation. Ten years ago, USGS personnel would visit stream gauging stations 8 to 10 times a year to make direct measurements of river depth, width, and velocity using mechanical instruments: a sounding rod or cable, a tagline, and a current meter. From these data, flow rates were computed.The range of measured flow and concurrent river stages were then used to build the rating curve for each site and to track changes to the rating curve.
Fibrillar β-Amyloid-stimulated Intracellular Signaling Cascades Require Vav for Induction of Respiratory Burst and Phagocytosis in Monocytes and Microglia

Microglial interaction with extracellular beta-amyloid fibrils (fAbeta) is mediated through an ensemble of cell surface receptors, including the B-class scavenger receptor CD36, the alpha(6)beta(1)-integrin, and the integrin-associated protein/CD47. The binding of fAbeta to this receptor complex has been shown to drive a tyrosine kinase-based signaling cascade leading to production of reactive oxygen species and stimulation of phagocytic activity; however, little is known about the intracellular signaling cascades governing the microglial response to fAbeta. This study reports a direct mechanistic link between the fAbeta cell surface receptor complex and downstream signaling events responsible for NADPH oxidase activation and phagosome formation. The Vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor is tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to fAbeta peptides as a result of the engagement of the microglia fAbeta cell surface receptor complex. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate an Abeta-dependent association between Vav and both Lyn and Syk kinases. The downstream target of Vav, the small GTPase Rac1, is GTP-loaded in an Abeta-dependent manner. Rac1 is both an essential component of the NADPH oxidase and a critical regulator of microglial phagocytosis. The direct role of Vav in fAbeta-stimulated intracellular signaling cascades was established using primary microglia obtained from Vav(-/-) mice. Stimulation of Vav(-/-) microglia with fAbeta failed to generate NADPH oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species and displayed a dramatically attenuated phagocytic response. These findings directly link Vav phosphorylation to the Abeta-receptor complex and demonstrate that Vav activity is required for fAbeta-stimulated intracellular signaling events upstream of reactive oxygen species production and phagosome formation.
Growth of plane shock waves in materials with memory

Abstract The purpose of the paper is to derive sufficient conditions governing the growth and decay of plane shock waves in materials with memory. It is assumed that the plane wave moves into a region at rest under a homogeneous strain and that the direction of propagation is also a principal axis. Extensions of the results to vortex sheets are also indicated.
Incremental clustering for dynamic information processing

Clustering of very large document databases is useful for both searching and browsing. The periodic updating of clusters is required due to the dynamic nature of databases. An algorithm for incremental clustering is introduced. The complexity and cost analysis of the algorithm together with an investigation of its expected behavior are presented. Through empirical testing it is shown that the algorithm achieves cost effectiveness and generates statistically valid clusters that are compatible with those of reclustering. The experimental evidence shows that the algorithm creates an effective and efficient retrieval environment.
Impaired contractile responses and altered expression and phosphorylation of Ca 2+ sensitization proteins in gastric antrum smooth muscles from ob/ob mice

Diabetic gastroparesis is a common complication of diabetes, adversely affecting quality of life with symptoms of abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting. The pathogenesis of this complex disorder is not well understood, involving abnormalities in the extrinsic and enteric nervous systems, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), smooth muscles and immune cells. The ob/ob mouse model of obesity and diabetes develops delayed gastric emptying, providing an animal model for investigating how gastric smooth muscle dysfunction contributes to the pathophysiology of diabetic gastroparesis. Although ROCK2, MYPT1, and CPI-17 activities are reduced in intestinal motility disorders, their functioning has not been investigated in diabetic gastroparesis. We hypothesized that reduced expression and phosphorylation of the myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) inhibitory proteins MYPT1 and CPI-17 in ob/ob gastric antrum smooth muscles could contribute to the impaired antrum smooth muscle function of diabetic gastroparesis. Spontaneous and carbachol- and high K+-evoked contractions of gastric antrum smooth muscles from 7 to 12 week old male ob/ob mice were reduced compared to age- and strain-matched controls. There were no differences in spontaneous and agonist-evoked intracellular Ca2+ transients and myosin light chain kinase expression. The F-actin:G-actin ratios were similar. Rho kinase 2 (ROCK2) expression was decreased at both ages. Basal and agonist-evoked MYPT1 and myosin light chain 20 phosphorylation, but not CPI-17 phosphorylation, was reduced compared to age-matched controls. These findings suggest that reduced MLCP inhibition due to decreased ROCK2 phosphorylation of MYPT1 in gastric antrum smooth muscles contributes to the antral dysmotility of diabetic gastroparesis.
Involvement of phospholipid signal transduction pathways in morphine tolerance in mice

1. Opioid tolerance involves an alteration in the activity of intracellular kinases such as cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Drugs that inhibit PKA reverse morphine antinociceptive tolerance. The hypothesis was tested that phospholipid pathways are also altered in morphine tolerance. Inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine pathways were injected i.c.v. in an attempt to acutely reverse morphine antinociceptive tolerance. 2. Seventy-two hours after implantation of placebo or 75 mg morphine pellets, mice injected i.c.v. with inhibitor drug were challenged with morphine s.c. for generation of dose-response curves in the tail-flick test. Placebo pellet-implanted mice received doses of inhibitor drug having no effect on morphine's potency, in order to test for tolerance reversal in morphine pellet-implanted mice. Injection of the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C inhibitor ET-18-OCH3 significantly reversed tolerance, indicating a potential role for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and protein kinase C (PKC) in tolerance. Alternatively, phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C increases the production of diacylglycerol and activation of PKC, without concomitant production of IP3. D609, an inhibitor of phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase C, also reversed tolerance. Heparin is an IP3 receptor antagonist. Injection of low molecular weight heparin also reversed tolerance. PKC was also examined with three structurally dissimilar inhibitors. Bisindolylmaleimide I, Go-7874, and sangivamycin significantly reversed tolerance. 3. Chronic opioid exposure leads to changes in phospholipid metabolism that have a direct role in maintaining a state of tolerance. Evidence is accumulating that opioid tolerance disrupts the homeostatic balance of several important signal transduction pathways.
EGL-9 Controls C. elegans Host Defense Specificity through Prolyl Hydroxylation-Dependent and -Independent HIF-1 Pathways

Understanding host defense against microbes is key to developing new and more effective therapies for infection and inflammatory disease. However, how animals integrate multiple environmental signals and discriminate between different pathogens to mount specific and tailored responses remains poorly understood. Using the genetically tractable model host Caenorhabditis elegans and pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, we describe an important role for hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in defining the specificity of the host response in the intestine. We demonstrate that loss of egl-9, a negative regulator of HIF, confers HIF-dependent enhanced susceptibility to S. aureus while increasing resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In our attempt to understand how HIF could have these apparently dichotomous roles in host defense, we find that distinct pathways separately regulate two opposing functions of HIF: the canonical pathway is important for blocking expression of a set of HIF-induced defense genes, whereas a less well understood noncanonical pathway appears to be important for allowing the expression of another distinct set of HIF-repressed defense genes. Thus, HIF can function either as a gene-specific inducer or repressor of host defense, providing a molecular mechanism by which HIF can have apparently opposing roles in defense and inflammation. Together, our observations show that HIF can set the balance between alternative pathogen-specific host responses, potentially acting as an evolutionarily conserved specificity switch in the host innate immune response.
Does Long-Term Medication Use Improve the Academic Outcomes of Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently experience academic impairment, including lower grades than their peers and elevated risk for grade retention and school dropout. Medication is the most commonly used treatment for youth with ADHD, and it is therefore essential to understand the extent to which medication use improves long-term academic functioning. This paper reviews the literature on the relation between long-term medication use and the academic outcomes of youth with ADHD. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify pertinent studies published since 2000 that followed youth with ADHD for 3 or more years. Academic outcomes of interest included school grades, achievement test scores, and grade retention. Nine studies were identified reporting on eight distinct longitudinal samples (N across studies = 8,721). These studies demonstrate that long-term medication use is associated with improvements in standardized achievement scores. However, the magnitude of these improvements is small and the clinical or educational significance is questionable. Evidence for long-term improvements in school grades and grade retention is less compelling. This review highlights methodological considerations in providing directions for future research. The importance of using multiple sources to gather information about medication adherence is discussed, including use of methodologies such as electronic monitors, rather than relying solely on parent report or chart review. Future research should also examine a range of medication adherence definitions in order to determine whether age of onset, duration of use, dose, and/or consistency of use moderates the relation between long-term medication use and academic outcomes.
Improving resilience of SOA services along space-time dimensions

In Service-Oriented Architecture, a service contains a set of operations with openly defined input and output parameters. In addition to these operations and traditional QoS, offered services need to implement different levels of intrusion tolerance. Indeed, intrusion tolerance has been recently presented as part of the defense-in-depth solution in order to enhance security resilience for services, as a complement to the traditional intrusion prevention and detection. While satisfying functional requirements, a service also exposes its attack surface via published operations, protocols, and accessible data as an adverse side effect, which makes it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors. The resulting question is - how can services fulfill and maintain their intrusion tolerance QoS (IT-QoS) for security resilience and rapid recovery in the face of hostile attacks. In this paper, we propose an approach to tune a service so that its attackability can be controlled and the IT-QoS guaranteed despite the exposed attack surface. Our approach relies on Self-Cleansing Intrusion Tolerance (SCIT), a recovery-based intrusion tolerance architecture combined with service-oriented programming constructs. A quantitative analysis using Semi-Markov Process modeling provides a mathematical foundation for compensating the expansion of a service's attack surface by tuning SCIT system parameters.
The heritability of circulating testosterone, oestradiol, oestrone and sex hormone binding globulin concentrations in men: the Framingham Heart Study.

SummaryObjective Circulating testosterone, oestradiol and oestrone concentrations vary considerably between men. Although a substantial proportion of this variation may be attributed to morbidity and behavioural factors, these cannot account for its entirety, suggesting genetic inheritance as a potential additional determinant. The analysis described here was intended to estimate the heritability of male circulating total testosterone (TT), calculated free testosterone (cFT), oestrone (E1), oestradiol (E2) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), along with the genetic correlation between these factors. Design Cross-sectional, observational analysis of data from male members of the Offspring and Generation 3 cohorts of the Framingham Heart Study. Data were collected in the years 1998–2005. Participants A total of 3367 community-dwelling men contributed to the analysis, including 1066 father/son and 1284 brother pairs among other family relationships. Measurements Levels of serum sex steroids (TT, E1 and E2) were measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, SHBG by immunofluorometric assay and cFT by mass action equation. Heritability was obtained using variance components analysis with adjustment for covariates including age, diabetes mellitus, body mass index and smoking status. Results Age-adjusted heritability estimates were 0·19, 0·40, 0·40, 0·30 and 0·41 for cFT, TT, E1, E2 and SHBG, respectively. Adjustment for covariates did not substantially attenuate these estimates; SHBG-adjusted TT results were similar to those obtained for cFT. Genetic correlation coefficients (ρG) indicated substantial genetic association between TT and cFT (ρG = 0·68), between TT and SHBG (pG = 0·87), between E1 and E2 (ρG = 0·46) and between TT and E2 (ρG = 0·48). Conclusion Circulating testosterone, oestradiol and oestrone concentrations exhibit substantial heritability in adult men. Significant genetic association between testosterone and oestrogen levels suggests shared genetic pathways.
Structural embeddedness and stability of interpersonal relations

Abstract The amount of structural embeddedness of a tie between two individuals is defined as the extent of overlap of social relations between those two individuals, and presumably reflects the extent of shared foci of activity that bring these individuals together with the same others. It is suggested that, in comparison with other strengths of ties (e.g. strengths of feelings, and frequencies of interactions), structural embeddedness: (1) is less under individuals' control, and therefore (2) tends to be more stable. Analyses of data on the relationships among male students at one small liberal arts college in November and April of their first year in college support the expectation that structural embeddedness is relatively stable, and tends to have some effect on other strengths of ties as well as the continuity of relationships.
New channel path loss model for near-ground antenna sensor networks

The problem of very-near-ground path loss has been recently addressed via measurements in the literature. This study proposes a novel theoretical insight into the very-near-ground path loss problem. Here, the principles of Fresnel zone are used to develop an innovative theoretical model. It is depicted that part of the Fresnel zone is abstracted by the ground for very-near-ground antennas. This work shows that Fresnel zone abstraction creates an excess path loss when the heights of transmit and receive antennas are less than a `critical value`. The study theoretically derives this critical value in terms of the geometric mean of the transmitter and receiver heights. In addition, the study proposes a model for the path loss when antennas` heights meet this condition. Measurements are used to verify the proposed model.
Wideband tunable and non-foster mantle cloaks

We discuss the possibility of loading metasurface “mantle” cloaks with passive / active electronic circuitry to improve their tunability and increase their bandwidth of operation. The nature of the mantle cloaking technique, which is based on a patterned metallic surface aimed at cancelling the scattered field from an object of choice, is perfectly suited for integration with electronic components. Its ultrathin, conformal and non-resonant design has been shown both theoretically and experimentally to be able to significantly suppress the total scattering cross-section (SCS) of dielectric and conductive objects in cylindrical and spherical geometries. Here we explore practical designs of metasurfaces loaded with passive and active circuitry, such as varactors and non-Foster circuit elements, aimed at adding real-time tunability and increasing the bandwidth of operation of mantle cloaking technology.
Ameloblastic carcinoma: an analysis of 14 cases.

Objectives To present the classifications of malignant ameloblastomas, provide histopathologic guidelines for the diagnosis of ameloblastic carcinoma, and discuss treatment and long-term follow-up. Study design Fourteen archival specimens of ameloblastic carcinoma with detailed treatment and follow-up documentation were identified by the authors. Results Traditional methods of microscopic observation form the basis for diagnosis. Histopathologic features of ameloblastic carcinoma include lack of differentiation, hypercellularity, high mitotic index, vascular invasion, and neural invasion. Conclusion The long-term follow-up findings in this study support the concept that aggressive surgical intervention provides the best chance for survival. Patients treated otherwise had recurrence. The patients with the highest number of recurrences did not survive the disease.
Synthesis of Cholesterol Analogues Bearing BODIPY Fluorophores by Suzuki or Liebeskind–Srogl Cross‐Coupling and Evaluation of Their Potential for Visualization of Cholesterol Pools

We report a synthetic route to BODIPY-cholesterol conjugates in which the key steps were Suzuki or Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling of cholesterol phenyl moieties with structurally diverse BODIPY scaffolds. All conjugates feature single-bonded and hydrophobic linkages between the fluorophore and sterol that are devoid of heteroatoms. Using HeLa cells, we show that these BODIPY-cholesterol analogues can be used simultaneously with the parent BODIPY-cholesterol for cell imaging and flow cytometry. The BODIPY-cholesterol analogues exhibit similar cellular localization in HeLa cells and show similar cholesterol efflux properties from THP-1 cells to HDL acceptors. These results demonstrate that the red-shifted BODIPY-cholesterol analogues behave in a manner similar to unlabeled cholesterol and are useful probes for simultaneous visualization of intracellular cholesterol pools and for monitoring cholesterol efflux from cells to extracellular acceptors.
Increased protein intake during the recovery phase after severe burns increases body weight gain and muscle function.

We determined the effect of protein intake on weight gain and muscle function in the recovery phase after severe burns. Fifteen patients with deep burns between 30% to 50% of total body surface were studied over a 3 week period-after resolution of the hypermetabolic, catabolic state. All patients were studied in an acute rehabilitation hospital affiliated with the burn center. Nutritional profiles; weight gain; and muscle strength, measured by a physical therapy index (0 to 10)-10 being the greatest progress-were measured. All patients were provided a high-calorie, high-protein diet. Group 1 patients (n = 8) also were provided a standard nutrient supplement to maintain caloric intake at 30 to 35 kcal/kg/day and to maintain protein intake at 1.3 to 1.5 g/kg/day. Group 2 patients (n = 7) were provided a high-calorie, high-protein diet plus a protein hydrolysate (70 g/day) that provided a protein intake of 1.7 to 2 g/kg/day. Group 1 patients averaged\ a 1 to 1.5 pound weight gain per week or four pounds during three weeks. Their physical therapy index at three weeks of 4 ± 0.5 indicated adequate improvement in strength and endurance. Group 2 patients averaged 2.5 to 3 pounds weight gain per week or 8.5 pounds during three weeks. Their physical therapy index of 7 ± 0.7 indicated marked gains in muscle strength. Both measurements were significantly higher than those of Group 1. We conclude that increased protein intake by means of adding a protein hydrolysate increases the rate of restoration of body weight and muscle function.