cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy in pediatric malignancies: current status and future perspectives

Novel immune-based therapies are becoming available as additions to, and in some cases as alternatives to, the traditional treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiation that have improved outcomes for childhood cancer for decades. In this article, we will discuss what immunotherapies are being tested in the clinic, barriers to widespread application, and the future of immuno-oncology for childhood cancer. While in many cases, these therapies have shown dramatic responses in the setting of refractory or relapsed cancer, much remains to be learned about how to integrate these therapies into existing upfront regimens. The progress and challenges of developing immunotherapies for childhood cancer in a timely and cost-effective fashion will be discussed.
Protein content of porcine embryos during the first nine days of development.

Abstract Little is known about the physiochemical aspects of porcine embryos prior to implantation. The purpose of this study was to quantitate the total protein content of porcine embryos from fertilization through day 9 of development. Thirty-seven gilts and two sows were hand mated and the reproductive tracts collected at slaughter 1 to 9 days after the onset of estrus. The uteri were flushed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and embryos were collected, washed with PBS and transferred directly to test tubes containing distilled water. Only embryos which appeared morphologically normal were used. Protein content was determined by the Bio-Rad microassay. Standard curves were constructed for each assay using. 8 to 19 μg gamma globulin (Bio-Rad assay). Protein standards were run in triplicate. Regression lines were calculated for protein standards, and the resulting line was used to determine total protein in the unknown samples. Protein content of unfertilized eggs and embryos increased steadily through days 3, 4 and 5 of development, from 273 to 334, 491 and 620 ng, respectively. This result suggests that the protein content of porcine embryos increases only slightly from fertilization through day 5 of development. A dramatic increase in embryo protein content was observed between days 6 and 9 of development, which is the time of blastocyst formation and hatching of the embryo from the zona pellucida.
THERMAL CONTACT CONDUCTANCE; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Abstract Thermal contact conductance of nominally flat surfaces in contact was considered. The emphasis of the work is on effect of the mode of deformation on the value of conductance. Explicit expressions for thermal conductance were derived for cases of: (1) Pure plastic deformation (2) plastic deformation of the asperities and elastic deformation of the substrate and (3) pure elastic deformation. The last two important cases are considered for the first time here. Criteria which determine mode of deformation is also presented.
Requirements for Both Rac1 and Cdc42 in Membrane Ruffling and Phagocytosis in Leukocytes

Specific pathways linking heterotrimeric G proteins and Fc γ receptors to the actin-based cytoskeleton are poorly understood. To test a requirement for Rho family members in cytoskeletal events mediated by structurally diverse receptors in leukocytes, we transfected the full-length human chemotactic peptide receptor in RAW 264.7 cells and examined cytoskeletal alterations in response to the chemotactic peptide formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), colony stimulating factor–1 (CSF-1), IgG-coated particles, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Expression of Rac1 N17, Cdc42 N17, or the GAP domain of n -chimaerin inhibited cytoskeletal responses to FMLP and CSF-1, and blocked phagocytosis. Accumulation of F-actin– rich “phagocytic cups” was partially inhibited by expression of Rac1 N17 or Cdc42 N17. In contrast, PMA-induced ruffling was not inhibited by expression of Rac1 N17, but was blocked by expression of Cdc42 N17, indicating that cytoskeletal inhibition by these constructs was nonoverlapping. These results demonstrate differential requirements for Rho family GTPases in leukocyte motility, and indicate that both Rac1 and Cdc42 are required for Fc γ receptor– mediated phagocytosis and for membrane ruffling mediated by structurally distinct receptors in macrophages.
Variation operator performance for evolved image reconstruction transforms

Modern image processing applications often require robust performance in noisy or bandwidth-limited situations. In this research, we employ genetic algorithms (GAs) to evolve image transforms that reduce quantization error in reconstructed signals and images. The resulting transforms produce higher quality images than current wavelet-based transforms at a given compression ratio and thus allow transmission of compressed data at a lower bandwidth. We evaluate state-of-the-art variation operators for evolving reconstruction filters. Our results indicate that the careful selection of these operators has a strong positive effect upon the evolutionary search for superior image transforms.
Binding energy and scattering length for diatomic systems

We discuss the relationship between scattering length and binding energy for a diatomic system with long-range van der Waals interaction. The well-known relation, 0 = −(2/2μ)(1/a0)2, is generalized to much higher orders for the s wave. Analytic results for the binding energies of p and higher angular momentum states are also presented.
Upconing of the Salt-Water–Fresh-Water Interface Beneath a Pumping Well

The upconing of saline water in response to pumping from an overlying layer of fresh water is investigated by numerical integration of the governing differential equation. The transition zone between the fresh and saline water is idealized as an abrupt interface. Full consideration of the nonlinear boundary conditions on the water table and interface surfaces is included for steady flow toward partially penetrating pumping wells in both isotropic and anisotropic aquifers. There exists an optimum well penetration into the fresh-water layer which permits maximum discharge without salt-water entrainment. The optimum penetration increases as the vertical permeability is reduced relative to the horizontal permeability. The maximum well discharge obtainable without salt-water entrainment is greater for aquifers with a reduced vertical permeability than for isotropic aquifers, a result that contrasts with previously published conclusions. Previous analyses which linearize the boundary condition on the interface overestimate the critical discharge.
Update on maintaining bone health in cystic fibrosis.

Purpose of reviewThe high prevalence of decreased bone density in adults with cystic fibrosis is now well recognized, and guidelines for screening and treatment of cystic fibrosis-related bone disease have recently been published. This review summarizes the current best practices for optimizing bone
Vaginal switch—a useful technical alternative to vaginal replacement for select cases of cloaca and urogenital sinus

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to describe the indications, technical details, and complications of a surgical maneuver designed to repair the vagina in select cases of cloaca and urogenital sinus. Methods A vaginal switch maneuver (VSM) is applicable when patients have two high large hemivaginas, and the distance between both hemiuteri is longer than the longitudinal length of the vaginas. It consists of resecting one hemiuterus and the vaginal septum, tubularizing both hemivaginas to create a single one, and switching down the vaginal dome of the side of the resected hemiuterus. Sixty patients who underwent this procedure were reviewed. Results Mean common channel length was 5.2cm. Complications occurred in twenty-six (43%) and included: acquired vaginal atresia that later required a vaginal replacement (n=11), introital stricture (n=6), incidental oophorectomy owing to damaged blood supply (n=4), vaginal-urethral fistula (n=3), partial vaginal dehiscence (n=1), and partial vaginal mucosal prolapse (n=1). In four cases VSM was unsuccessfully attempted owing to ischemia, and a partial vaginal replacement was performed. Forty-five patients (75%) were able to keep their native vaginal tissue as a vagina. Thirty patients are older than 12years of age, and eight are menstruating. Conclusion The vaginal switch maneuver is a useful alternative to vaginal replacement. In spite of the morbidity, it is valuable because of the inherent advantages of preserving native vaginal tissue.
Design of energy-efficient wireless communication networks

This paper reviews our recent research on the optimal power control at the physical layer, and scheduling at the medium access control (MAC) layer under energy-constraints. In our approach, first, by use of Nash game theory, the physical and link layer designs are jointly minimized to provide an optimal power control solution for multi-carrier (MC) direct sequence (DS) CDMA to maximize the utility function defined as the number of data bits transmitted correctly per unit of energy. That is, the network throughput is maximized at the cost of the minimal energy consumed. Second, the pair-wise optimization of the hardware and MAC layer designs is considered to present an optimal scheduling protocol to minimize the energy utilization for data fusion in wireless sensor network, which includes both the transmission energy and the circuit energy consumption. The integration via cross-layer protocol optimizes the communication system's use of energy while making the system more readily adaptive to changes in the environment and user tendencies. This is very crucial for the emerging IT technologies, since it is well known that the energy resource is getting more and more expensive nowadays.
The Democratic Deficit in the States

We study how well states translate public opinion into policy. Using national surveys and advances in subnational opinion estimation,weestimatestate-levelsupportfor39policiesacrosseightissueareas,includingabortion,lawenforcement,health care, and education. We show that policy is highly responsive to policy-specific opinion, even controlling for other influences. But we also uncover a striking “democratic deficit”: policy is congruent with majority will only half the time. The analysis considers the influence of institutions, salience, partisan control of government, and interest groups on the magnitude and ideological direction of this democratic deficit. We find the largest influences to be legislative professionalization, term limits, and issue salience. Partisanship and interest groups affect the ideological balance of incongruence more than the aggregate degree thereof. Finally, policy is overresponsive to ideology and party—leading policy to be polarized relative to state electorates.
Apparatus for Assessing the Maternal Cardiovascular System During Pregnancy

An apparatus is described that acquires, processes, and displays cardiovascular system data continuously on a laptop computer screen. The physiologic parameters recorded by this device (heart rate, pulse wave arrival time, cutaneous pulse pressure) are based on and derived from the electrocardiogram and the cutaneous pulse pressure pattern. Sequential 2-minute periods of sitting, standing, and sitting were used to assess the subject's response to posture-induced regional displacement of blood. These physiologic data were recorded by the noninvasive instrumentation in 550 normal, uncomplicated pregnant patients selected randomly at their first prenatal visit. In addition to the above parameters, the changes observed between the initial “sit” and “stand” portions of the test were also computed. The data were plotted as medians and percentiles for the range of gestational age (12H-3 weeks) and “standard” curves generated for each parameter.
Severe organ involvement in systemic sclerosis with diffuse scleroderma.

Objective To determine the natural history and timing of severe involvement of the kidney, heart, lung, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and skin in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and diffuse cutaneous involvement. Methods This study used the Pittsburgh Scleroderma Databank and included patients with diffuse scleroderma who were seen between January 1, 1972 and December 31, 1995. Patients had frequent followups, and a 95% accountability for these patients was maintained. Severe organ involvement was defined as the presence of any of the following: 1) in the kidney, scleroderma “renal crisis”; 2) in the heart, cardiomyopathy, symptomatic pericarditis, or an arrhythmia requiring treatment; 3) in the lung, pulmonary fibrosis on chest radiograph and a forced vital capacity of 40. The timing from disease onset to survival for each case of severe organ involvement was determined. Results Of the 953 patients with diffuse scleroderma, kidney involvement developed in 177 (19%), heart involvement in 143 (15%), lung involvement in 151 (16%), GI tract involvement in 74 (8%), and skin involvement in 233 (24%). Severe skin and kidney involvement occurred during the first 3 years in 70% of those who ever developed these problems throughout a mean of 10 years of followup. Severe heart, lung, and GI tract involvement developed during the first 3 years in 45–55% of those who were ever affected. The survival of patients with severe organ involvement was poor. The 9-year cumulative survival rate of all patients with severe organ involvement was 38%, compared with 72% in patients without such involvement (P < 0.0001). Conclusion This study demonstrates that severe organ involvement in SSc patients with diffuse scleroderma most often occurs early in the course of the disease. Survival for patients with severe organ involvement is markedly reduced. Patients should therefore be monitored very closely during the first 3 years of disease for signs and symptoms that may signal the subsequent development of severe organ damage. Potential disease-modifying therapies must be initiated early to modify the natural history of SSc and to improve survival. Patients who survive the first few years without developing severe organ involvement are less likely to develop such life-threatening involvement later in the disease course.
Optical tomography as a PDE-constrained optimization problem

We report on the implementation of an augmented Lagrangian approach for solving the inverse problems in diffuse optical tomography (DOT). The forward model of light propagation is the radiative transport equation (RTE). The inverse problem is formulated as a minimization problem with the RTE being considered as an equality constraint on the set of 'optical properties—radiance' pairs. This approach allows the incorporation of the recently developed technique of PDE-constrained optimization, which has shown great promise in many applications that can be formulated as infinite-dimensional optimization problems. Compared to the traditional unconstrained optimization approaches for optical tomographic imaging where one solves several forward and adjoint problems at each optimization iteration, the method proposed in this work solves the forward and inverse problems simultaneously. We found in initial studies, using synthetic data, that the image reconstruction time can typically be reduced by a factor of 10 to 30, which depends on a combination of noise level, regularization parameter, mesh size, initial guess, optical properties and system geometry.
High-current failure model for VLSI interconnects under short-pulse stress conditions

Short-time high joule heating causing thermal breakdown of metal interconnects in ESD/EOS protection circuits and I/O buffers has become a reliability concern. Such failures occur frequently during testing for latchup robustness and during ESD/EOS type events. In this work, heating and failure of passivated TiN/AlCu/TiN integrated circuit interconnects in a quadruple level metallization system of a sub-0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS technology has been characterized under high-current pulse conditions. A model incorporating the heating of the layered metal system and the oxide surrounding it has been developed which relates the maximum allowable current density to the pulse width. The model is shown to be in excellent agreement with experimental results and is applied to generate design guidelines for ESD/EOS and I/O buffer interconnects.
Preliminary Studies in Automated Teaching

Known learning principles cannot be efficiently applied in the traditional classroom environment. To achieve efficient learning it is necessary to remold the teaching-learning configuration to one in which the state of the art can be applied. Teaching machines provide such a configuration, and have proved to be dramatically effective in teaching a wide variety of subject matters. There is a need for more sophisticated machines with which to research possibilities of automating instruction in the maintenance of complex electronic systems. Engineers can contribute to teaching machine technology through programming of technical content, through design of appropriate hardware, and through support of teaching-automation research.
Convex set theoretic image recovery by extrapolated iterations of parallel subgradient projections

Solving a convex set theoretic image recovery problem amounts to finding a point in the intersection of closed and convex sets in a Hilbert space. The projection onto convex sets (POCS) algorithm, in which an initial estimate is sequentially projected onto the individual sets according to a periodic schedule, has been the most prevalent tool to solve such problems. Nonetheless, POCS has several shortcomings: it converges slowly, it is ill suited for implementation on parallel processors, and it requires the computation of exact projections at each iteration. We propose a general parallel projection method (EMOPSP) that overcomes these shortcomings. At each iteration of EMOPSP, a convex combination of subgradient projections onto some of the sets is formed and the update is obtained via relaxation. The relaxation parameter may vary over an iteration-dependent, extrapolated range that extends beyond the interval [0,2] used in conventional projection methods. EMOPSP not only generalizes existing projection-based schemes, but it also converges very efficiently thanks to its extrapolated relaxations. Theoretical convergence results are presented as well as numerical simulations.
Automatic test generation for predicates

We propose a new technique for automatic generation of test cases for predicates. Earlier we proposed an efficient and effective test generation strategy for Boolean expressions. We now extend this strategy to predicates. Our new strategy addresses a number of issues, including: analysis of dependencies between relational expressions in a predicate P; generation of test constraints for P based on the detection of Boolean and relational operator faults in P; and generation of actual tests according to the generated test constraints for P. We propose the use of constraint logic programming (CLP) to automate test data generation for a predicate. Furthermore, we propose an incremental approach to apply CLP techniques to solve a constraint system. Since our technique is specification-based, it can facilitate generation of expected outputs for actual tests.
Rearrangement of the AML1/CBFA2 gene in myeloid leukemia with the 3;21 translocation: Expression of co-existing multiple chimeric genes with similar functions as transcriptional repressors, but with opposite tumorigenic properties

Several recurring chromosomal translocations involve the AML1 gene at 2lq22 in myeloid leukemias resulting in fusion mRNAs and chimeric proteins between AML1 and a gene on the partner chromosome. AMLl corresponds to CBFA2, one of the DNA-binding subunits of the enhancer core binding factor CBF. Other CBF DNA-binding subunits are CBFA1 and CBFA3, also known as AML3 and AML2. AML1, AML2 and AML3 are each characterized by a conserved domain at the amino end, the runt domain, that is necessary for DNA-binding and protein dimerization, and by a transactivation domain at the carboxyl end. AML1 was first identified as the gene located at the breakpoint junction of the 8;21 translocation associated with acute myeloid leukemia. The t(8;21)(q22;q22) interrupts AML1 after the runt homology domain, and fuses the 5’ part of AML1 to almost all of ETO, the partner gene on chromosome 8. AML1 is an activator of several myeloid promoters; however, the chimeric AML1/ETO is a strong repressor of some AML 1-dependent promoters.
Combining Chemotherapy With Biological Response Modifiers in Treatment of Cancer

Combinations of chemotherapeutic agents with various biological response modifiers ("biomodulators") in the treatment of cancer are now being tested. Since most (though not all) chemotherapy is immunosuppressive, the schedules by which the chemotherapeutic agents and the biomodulators are combined are of critical importance. This review summarizes the effects of chemotherapy on immunity and suggests the most logical ways in which these categories of drugs might be combined with biomodulators. Specific examples are also provided of combination therapies that have proved useful or that are of significant potential utility. An understanding of the types of action and the mechanisms of action of specific chemotherapeutic agents and specific biomodulators may help to achieve additive effects (possibly synergism) with these combinations. At the very least, that understanding will avoid the hazard of one modality's negating the effects of the other.
Church Attendance in Men Who Have Sex With Men Diagnosed With HIV Is Associated With Later Presentation for HIV Care

We demonstrate an interdependent relationship between sexual behavior and church attendance on timing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis and presentation for care. Men who have sex with men (MSM) and who attend church are more likely to present with lower CD4(+) T-lymphocyte counts than MSM who do not attend church.
Deflection of Thin-Walled Fiber-Reinforced Composite Beams

The deflection of a thin-walled fiber-reinforced anisotropic composite ma terial beam under the action of an applied transverse load is given as a function of the elas tic constants of the composite material panels that form the beam cross-section. A Timoshenko beam theory, that uses a modified form of the shear coefficient that accounts for the different in-plane properties of the panels, is used to find the beam deflection. The minimum attainable deflection depends on finding an optimal combination of the contribu tions from the bending deflection and the shear deflection of the beam. Numerical and graphical results obtained from a computer code allow the user to investigate the effects of different composite material systems and layup configurations in the panels of the beam.
Modeling of Environmental Effects by Numerical Green's Function in Electromagnetic Applications

The finite-element boundary element method has been successfully used to provide proper truncation for numerical computation in an unbounded region. The information of the exterior environment can be incorporated whenever the corresponding Green's function is available. In this paper, we extend the method by computing Green's functions numerically so that general exterior environments can also be incorporated into the boundary element computation. Once the numerical Green's function is computed for a given environmental configuration, it can be reused for other instances of electromagnetic devices. This method is especially beneficial if a small portion of geometry needs to be repeatedly changed.
Buoyancy Function of the Enlarged Fluid-Filled Cranium in the Deep-Sea Ophidiid Fish Acanthonus armatus

Acanthonus armatus Gunther (family Ophidiidae) is a slightly negatively buoyant (mean weight in surface seawater =0.58% of air weight) benthopelagic fish without a swimbladder that has reduced tissues and components (muscle, bone, brain, gills, lipids) and a massive head. This species has an enlarged cranial cavity (10% of head volume) filled, except for the very small brain, with a low-density (specific gravity 1.008) fluid. The fluid provided static lift of about 0.30 g each for 4 specimens whose weights in water ranged from 1.0 to 2.6 g. Osmotic concentrations of the cranial fluid averaged 294 mOsm 1-1 in 4 specimens and , in 2 specimens for which comparisons were possible, were 43 to 45% lower than the concentrations of the plasma and perivisceral fluid. Similarly, Na+ and K+ concentrations of the cranial fluid were lower than those of the plasma or perivisceral fluid. A. armatus has highly reduced heavy tissues and an increased content of dilute fluid, with a localization of even more highly dilute fluid in the enlarged cranium which partially offsets the relatively dense tissues of the head. Information on the morphology, behavior and ecology of the fish supports the interpretation of the buoyancy and chemical data. The conclusion is consistent with the hypothesis that obtaining and conserving energy and reducing predation are the important selective factors affecting the evolution of deep-sea fishes and that these factors have greatly influenced the chemical composition of the fishes.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor–Induced Endothelial Cell Migration and Proliferation Depend on a Nitric Oxide–Mediated Decrease in Protein Kinase Cδ Activity

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes angiogenesis and endothelial cell (EC) migration and proliferation by affecting intracellular mediators, only some of which are known, distal to its receptors. Protein kinase C (PKC) participates in the function of VEGF, but the role of individual PKC isoenzymes is unknown. In this study, we tested the importance of the activity of specific PKC isoenzymes in human EC migration and proliferation in response to VEGF. PKCdelta specific activity was depressed by the addition of VEGF (by 41+/-8% [P<0.05] at 24 hours) in human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) and in a HUVEC-derived EC line, ECV, without changing the total amount of either protein or mRNA encoding PKCdelta. Neither basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) nor serum altered PKCdelta specific activity. The VEGF-induced decrease of PKCdelta activity, which began at 8 hours after stimulation, was strongly blocked by pretreatment with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine in HUVECs; NO release peaked within 2 hours after stimulation. An exogenous NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, also decreased PKCdelta activity. The inhibition by N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine of VEGF-induced HUVEC migration and proliferation, but not that induced by FGF-2 or serum, suggested that the decrease in PKCdelta via NO pathway is required for VEGF-induced EC migration and proliferation. Overexpression of PKCdelta in ECV cells specifically prevented EC response to VEGF but not to FGF-2 or serum. Thus, we conclude that suppression of PKCdelta activity via a NO synthase mechanism is required for VEGF-induced EC migration and proliferation, but not for that induced by FGF-2 or serum.
Fetal death sex ratios: a test of the economic stress hypothesis

The ratio of male to female live births (i.e. the sex ratio) reportedly falls when populations suffer rare and extreme ambient stressors such as the collapse of national economies. This association has been attributed to the death of male fetuses and to reduced conception of males. We assess the validity of the first of these mechanisms by testing the hypothesis that the fetal death sex ratio varies positively over time with the unemployment rate. Using the unemployment rate also allows us to determine if ambient economic stressors less extreme than collapsing national economies affect the fetal death sex ratio. We test our hypotheses by applying time-series methods to monthly counts of fetal deaths and the unemployment rate from the state of California beginning January 1989 and ending December 2001. The methods control for trends seasonal cycles and other forms of autocorrelation that could induce spurious associations. Results support the fetal death mechanism in that male fetal deaths increased above the values expected from female deaths and from history in months in which the unemployment rate also increased over its expected value. Our findings suggest that ambient stressors as common as increasing unemployment elevate the risk of fetal death among males. We discuss the social economic and health costs borne by parents and communities afflicted with these fetal deaths. (authors)
Systemic injection of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor suppresses sleep responses to sleep deprivation in rats

We hypothesized that nitric oxide (NO) may play a role in homeostatic sleep regulation. To test this hypothesis, we studied the sleep deprivation (SD)-induced homeostatic sleep responses after intr...
Reciprocal Effects of Grandparent and Grandchild Contact Frequency and Closeness Over Time: Grandchildren’s Perspectives

With an extended longevity, grandparenthood, especially of older grandchildren, has become increasingly important for many older adults. While numerous studies have examined multiple aspects of and factors associated with grandparenthood, less is known about how grandparent-grandchild (GP-GC) relationships change over time. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study is to examine adult grandchildren's perspectives of closeness with their grandparents in relation to contact frequency, particularly of reciprocity between the two. An online survey assessed adult grandchildren's (N = 470) views of their grandparents and of older adults in general retrospectively in three stages (childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood). Path analysis revealed that directional effects between GP-GC contact frequency and relationship closeness reversed its direction as grandchildren grew older. Possible mechanisms of why directional effects between contact frequency and relationship closeness change over time are discussed. Multiple suggestions for grandparents to enhance their relationship with geographically distant grandchildren are also discussed.
Use of radar plots for curricular mapping: Defining cape-2013-compatible conceptual regions in a radar-plotted curriculum map

Abstract Purpose To expand on the concept of using radar plots for curricular mapping and assessment by defining regions within the plot based on the three learning domains of Bloom's revised taxonomy: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Methods Each of the ten core competencies (Core Comps) of our program were categorized as cognitive, affective, or psychomotor by aligning their associated learning outcomes with Bloom's taxonomy of learning. The Core Comps were then re-ordered to define regions within a circular radar plot. The radar plot was used to map the curriculum to the Core Comps and Bloom's learning domains. Similar radar plots were used to map the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 outcomes to our Core Comps and Bloom's learning domains. Results Reordering the Core Comps around a radar plot by grouping them into one of three learning domains (cognitive, affective, or psychomotor) enhanced the mapping process by defining three distinct regions within the circular plot. Conclusions A strategically ordered radar plot is a visually descriptive framework for curricular mapping—not only for mapping courses or standardized learning outcomes to programmatic competencies, but also to conceptual learning domains.
The CDK-APC/C Oscillator Predominantly Entrains Periodic Cell-Cycle Transcription

Throughout cell-cycle progression, the expression of multiple transcripts oscillate, and whether these are under the centralized control of the CDK-APC/C proteins or can be driven by a de-centralized transcription factor (TF) cascade is a fundamental question for understanding cell-cycle regulation. In budding yeast, we find that the transcription of nearly all genes, as assessed by RNA-seq or fluorescence microscopy in single cells, is dictated by CDK-APC/C. Three exceptional genes are transcribed in a pulsatile pattern in a variety of CDK-APC/C arrests. Pursuing one of these transcripts, the SIC1 inhibitor of B-type cyclins, we use a combination of mathematical modeling and experimentation to provide evidence that, counter-intuitively, Sic1 provides a failsafe mechanism promoting nuclear division when levels of mitotic cyclins are low.
Thermal Death Kinetics of Caribbean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Embryos

Eggs of Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspense (Loew), in containers were immersed in controlled temperature baths to determine the susceptibility of 24-h-old embryos (eggs) to heat treatment. Eggs were treated to compare three methods of thermal death estimation for the best prediction for extrapolation to 99.9968% mortality. Linear regression gave the best prediction of >99% mortality over the range of 37–42°C and, for most temperatures, probit analysis provided the best predictions in the range of 43–50°C. Kinetic analysis was performed using the rate constants from the dose-response lines. The resulting Arrhenius plot was linear between 37–42 and 43–50°C, with a break between 42 and 43°C. The data are consistent with common mechanisms of thermal death over the ranges of 37–42 and 43–50°C.
Reaction between tBuMgCl and SnCl4, illustrating the solvent-dependent predominant formation of Cl(tBu2Sn) nCl (THF, n = 1; Toluene, n = 2; Hexane, n = 3) and the subsequent wavelength-selective photochemical transformation of n = 3 → 2 → 1

The addition of THF solutions of tBuMgCl to SnCl4 in varying solvents (S) results in a dramatic change of the predominant product obtained Cl(tBu2Sn)nCl (n = 1–3). For S = THF the product obtained was tBu2SnCl2, S = toluene, benzene yields Cl(tBu2Sn)2Cl, while for S = hexane the tristannane Cl(tBu2Sn)3Cl was isolated in 45% yield. The last compound is photochemically sensitive when irradiated at 350 nm to form Cl(tBu2Sn)2Cl. Irradiation of this latter material with a 254 nm lamp results in the formation of tBu2SnCl2.
Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography for quantitative molecular imaging

Advances in spectroscopic OCT have allowed for quantitative analysis of endogenous contrast agents. Here, we will use SOCT to achieve quantitative molecular imaging using various exogenous contrast agents spanning the visible region of the spectrum.
Sequence analysis of the L protein of the Ebola 2014 outbreak: Insight into conserved regions and mutations

Abstract The 2014 Ebola outbreak was one of the largest that have occurred; it started in Guinea and spread to Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Phylogenetic analysis of the current virus species indicated that this outbreak is the result of a divergent lineage of the Zaire ebolavirus. The L protein of Ebola virus (EBOV) is the catalytic subunit of the RNA‑dependent RNA polymerase complex, which, with VP35, is key for the replication and transcription of viral RNA. Earlier sequence analysis demonstrated that the L protein of all non‑segmented negative‑sense (NNS) RNA viruses consists of six domains containing conserved functional motifs. The aim of the present study was to analyze the presence of these motifs in 2014 EBOV isolates, highlight their function and how they may contribute to the overall pathogenicity of the isolates. For this purpose, 81 2014 EBOV L protein sequences were aligned with 475 other NNS RNA viruses, including Paramyxoviridae and Rhabdoviridae viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of all EBOV outbreak L protein sequences was also performed. Analysis of the amino acid substitutions in the 2014 EBOV outbreak was conducted using sequence analysis. The alignment demonstrated the presence of previously conserved motifs in the 2014 EBOV isolates and novel residues. Notably, all the mutations identified in the 2014 EBOV isolates were tolerant, they were pathogenic with certain examples occurring within previously determined functional conserved motifs, possibly altering viral pathogenicity, replication and virulence. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all sequences with the exception of the 2014 EBOV sequences were clustered together. The 2014 EBOV outbreak has acquired a great number of mutations, which may explain the reasons behind this unprecedented outbreak. Certain residues critical to the function of the polymerase remain conserved and may be targets for the development of antiviral therapeutic agents.
Bilateral ovarian maldescent: Unusual cause of infertility – A case report and literature review

Infertility due to ovarian maldescent is extremely rare and diagnosis can be challenging in the absence of uterine anomalies. We present a case of infertility due to bilateral ovarian maldescent with normal uterine anatomy who conceived after in vitro fertilization and did not require removal of the ovaries. A 19-year-old woman presented with primary infertility. After three failed cycles of ovulation induction/intrauterine insemination and one failed cycle of fresh embryo transfer, the patient underwent laparoscopy, which showed bilateral ovaries above the pelvic brim. The patient conceived after second in vitro fertilization and delivered at 34 weeks. Accurate diagnosis of ovarian maldescent in a patient of unexplained infertility and normal uterus is crucial for successful follicular aspiration and infertility treatment. It is important to counsel patients about the benign nature of this rare entity and future fertility.
Regulation of angiotensinogen expression by angiotensin II in spontaneously hypertensive rat primary astrocyte cultures

Abstract Background Angiotensin (Ang) II, a bio-peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), plays a pivotal role in biological systems. It has been well established that in the brain, astrocytes are the predominant source for angiotensinogen (AGT), which is the precursor molecule for Ang II. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of Ang II on AGT mRNA and protein expression levels in primary cultures of astrocytes isolated from the brainstem and cerebellum regions of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive Wistar rats. Methods Astrocytes were treated with 100 nM Ang II and the effect of time and the receptors involved in AGT mRNA and protein expression were measured using qPCR, and western blotting techniques, respectively. Results Ang II significantly downregulated AGT mRNA levels and upregulated AGT protein levels in both SHR and Wistar rat astrocytes. Basal AGT mRNA levels in SHR samples were significantly lower as compared to Wistar astrocytes isolated from brainstem and cerebellum. There was no difference in the basal AGT protein levels when SHR and Wistar samples were compared. There was a tendency for higher Ang II-induced AGT protein levels in SHR samples compared to normotensive controls, but the difference was not significant. Ang II tended to decrease AGT mRNA levels of Wistar samples to a greater degree than SHR samples. The Ang AT1 receptor mediated the actions of Ang II on AGT protein and mRNA levels. Conclusion These findings highlight the complexity of AGT regulation and show that AGT protein and mRNA levels are responsive to Ang II in both SHR and Wistar astrocytes. Most importantly, our findings suggest that this peptide can induce its own synthesis by positively regulating AGT protein synthesis, an effect that was more robust in SHR astrocytes. Thus, dysregulation of this system may be important in preserving the hypertensive phenotype in this model.
Team member’s perceptions on a sex offender reentry court’s failure to launch: a pilot study

Convicted sex offenders released from prison compared to non-sex offenders face a unique reentry environment that is a challenging undertaking for the criminal justice and community agencies that manage them. In order to coordinate multi-agency sex offender management, some states have turned to the courts to bring together these agencies with disparate missions and responsibilities. But, not all efforts at coordination are successful. This pilot study, using qualitative retrospective interviews with stakeholders, examined a cancelled sex offender reentry court, Title 33, to uncover why this innovation failed. The thematic analysis results showed that Title 33 was unable to successfully implement many best practices, which ultimately contributed to its failure.
Age and the Institutional Paradigm

Individuals in all cultures grow old, change their productive tasks, and their involvement in economic processes. The socal units within which individuals produce, distribute and consume their livelihood change with time and thus, age. The fact that age has been treated only serendipitously in anthropological studies of economic processes is a reflection of our own culture’s denial of the inevitable aging process (Myerhoff, 1978). Aging processes are as much a part of culture as production or distribution processes, and they are linked in variable and intricate ways in different cultures.1
7 – Ligament tissue engineering

Ligaments are strong, linearly arranged, collagenous, soft tissues that are essential for joint stability and kinematics. Unfortunately, their low level of vascularity gives them poor healing capabilities. Severe ligament damage can warrant surgical treatment, such as replacement. Past ACL replacements have suffered from a variety of limitations after implantation including mechanical fatigue, poor interaction with cells, fraying. These problems have caused researchers to look to more biologically active solutions including the use of tissue engineering-based techniques for ligament repair and replacement. These tissue engineered options display a wide range of materials and designs.
No lightweight matter

What could be significant about a very rare isotope like helium-3? After all, it is the result of radioactive decay within the Earth and after millions of years it comprises only one trillionth of our atmosphere.
Síntese das Contribuições Teóricas da Educação sobre o Processo Ensino-Aprendizagem

O presente artigo apresenta de forma resumida, uma coletânea de alguns dos mais conceituados teoricos da educacao cujos estudos, pesquisas, observacoes, tornaram-se relevantes para o processo ensino-aprendizagem, inclusive alguns provocando verdadeiras revolucoes na area da educacao, imprimindo um novo significado ao contexto educacional em diferentes momentos da historia.
Screening for neurocognitive impairment in HIV-positive adults aged 50 years and older: Montreal Cognitive Assessment relates to self-reported and clinician-rated everyday functioning.

As the HIV+ population ages, the risk for and need to screen for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) increases. The aim of this study is to determine the utility and ecological validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) among older HIV+ adults. A total of 100 HIV+ older adults aged 50 years or over completed a comprehensive neuromedical and neurocognitive battery, including the MoCA and several everyday functioning measures. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicates ≤26 as the optimal cut-off balancing sensitivity (84.2%) and specificity (55.8%) compared to "gold standard" impairment as measured on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Higher MoCA total scores are significantly (p < .01) associated with better performance in all individual cognitive domains except motor abilities, with the strongest association with executive functions (r = -0.49, p < .01). Higher MoCA total scores are also significantly (p <.01) associated with fewer instrumental activities of daily living declines (r = -0.28), fewer everyday cognitive symptoms (r = -0.25), and better clinician-rated functional status (i.e., Karnofsky scores; r = 0.28); these associations remain when controlling for depressive symptoms. HIV+ individuals who are neurocognitively normal demonstrate medium-to-large effect size differences in their MoCA performance compared to those with asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (d = 0.85) or syndromic HAND (mild neurocognitive disorder or HIV-associated dementia; d = 0.78), while the latter two categories do not differ. Although limited by less than optimal specificity, the MoCA demonstrates good sensitivity and ecological validity, which lends support to its psychometric integrity as a brief cognitive screening tool among older HIV+ adults.
Experience and Outcomes at a Specialized Clostridium difficile Clinical Practice.

Abstract Objective To report our experience with and outcomes among patients referred to a specialized Clostridium difficile clinical practice. Patients and Methods We retrospectively identified consecutive patients referred for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) management from January 1, 2013, through May 30, 2015. Data were collected for demographic characteristics, CDI history, final diagnoses, and management. Results Overall, 211 patients (median age, 65 years; 66.4% women) were included. The most common indications for referral were recurrent CDI in 199 patients (94.3%), first CDI episode in 5 patients (2.4%), and chronic diarrhea in 7 patients (3.3%). After evaluation, the diagnoses were recurrent CDI in 127 patients (60.2%), resolved CDI in 36 patients (17.1%), first-episode CDI in 5 patients (2.4%), and non-CDI in 43 patients (20.4%). The most common non-CDI diagnoses were postinfection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) in 32 patients (15.2% overall), inflammatory bowel disease (n=3), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (n=2), microscopic colitis (n=1), and asymptomatic C difficile colonization (n=2). Two patients had diabetic gastroparesis and food intolerances, and 1 had chronic constipation with overflow diarrhea. Of 127 patients with recurrent CDI, 30 (23.6%) received antibiotics; of these 30, 12 had antibiotic treatment failure and received fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for recurrent CDI. Among 97 patients (76.4%) who underwent FMT, 85 (87.6%) were cured after the first FMT, 5 were cured after the second FMT, and 7 were treated with antibiotics for FMT failure, with resolution of symptoms. Conclusion A substantial proportion of patients referred for CDI subsequently received alternative diagnoses; PI-IBS was the most common. Patients being referred for recurrent CDI should be evaluated carefully for alternative diagnoses.
Gata6 restricts Isl1 to the posterior of nascent hindlimb buds through Isl1 cis-regulatory modules

Isl1 is required for two processes during hindlimb development: initiation of the processes directing hindlimb development in the lateral plate mesoderm and configuring posterior hindlimb field in the nascent hindlimb buds. During these processes, Isl1 expression is restricted to the posterior mesenchyme of hindlimb buds. How this dynamic change in Isl1 expression is regulated remains unknown. We found that two evolutionarily conserved sequences, located 3' to the Isl1 gene, regulate LacZ transgene expression in the hindlimb-forming region in mouse embryos. Both sequences contain GATA binding motifs, and expression pattern analysis identified that Gata6 is expressed in the flank and the anterior portion of nascent hindlimb buds. Recent studies have shown that conditional inactivation of Gata6 in mice causes hindlimb-specific pre-axial polydactyly, indicating a role of Gata6 in anterior-posterior patterning of hindlimbs. We studied whether Gata6 restricts Isl1 in the nascent hindlimb bud through the cis-regulatory modules. In vitro experiments demonstrate that GATA6 binds to the conserved GATA motifs in the cis-regulatory modules. GATA6 repressed expression of a luciferase reporter that contains the cis-regulatory modules by synergizing with Zfpm2. Analyses of Gata6 mutant embryos showed that ISL1 levels are higher in the anterior of nascent hindlimb buds than in wild type. Moreover, we detected a greater number of Isl1-transcribing cells in the anterior of nascent hindlimb buds in Gata6 mutants. Our results support a model in which Gata6 contributes to repression of Isl1 expression in the anterior of nascent hindlimb buds.