cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and colocalization of β-catenin and lymphoid enhancing factor-1 in prostate cancer progression

The purpose of this study was to objectively investigate β-catenin and LEF1 abundance, subcellular localization, and colocalization across benign and staged prostate cancer (PCa) specimens. A tissue microarray containing tumor-adjacent histologically benign prostate tissue (BPT; n = 48 patients), high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN; n = 25), localized PCa (n = 42), aggressive PCa (n = 31), and metastases (n = 22) was stained using multiplexed immunohistochemistry with antibodies toward E-cadherin, β-catenin, and LEF1. Multispectral imaging was used for quantitation, and protein expression and colocalization was evaluated across PCa progression. Stromal nuclear β-catenin abundance was greater in HGPIN and PCa compared with BPT (P .05). We conclude that β-catenin and LEF1 colocalization is increased in HGPIN and metastasis relative to BPT, suggesting a role for β-catenin/LEF1-mediated transcription in both malignant transformation and metastasis of PCa. Furthermore, our results suggest that LEF1 abundance alone is not a reliable readout for β-catenin activity in prostate tissues.
Modeling of the Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel and Cardiac Alternans

The small-conductance calcium (Ca)-activated potassium (SK) channel has been found in cardiac myocytes. However, the role of the SK channel in the development of arrhythmias is not well understood. In this study we develop a novel computational model of the SK channel and integrate it with a physiologically detailed ionic model of a ventricular myocyte. Our model shows that the SK channel current (ISK) shortens the action potential duration (APD) at fast and slow pacing cycle lengths (PCLs), but not at intermediate PCLs. These results are consistent with experimental observations by Hsieh et al. Using this model, we investigated the dynamics of voltage and calcium alternans. Since the SK channel in the ventricular myocytes was found in failing hearts, we varied the maximum conductance of ISK to mimic healthy and failing hearts.Typical healthy myocytes show electromechanically concordant alternans during fast pacing.We found that as the maximum conductance of ISK was increased, electromechanically concordant alternans became electromechanically discordant when alternans are Ca-driven.These findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms of cardiac alternans, especially for failing hearts.
BONE ATROPHY AND ABSORPTION

1. The experimental evidence presented shows that in the presence of non-union of short fibular defects an associated conical bone atrophy, which in some cases was extreme, occurred in the fragment ends. The bone was removed both by lacunar absorption, produced by giant-cell osteoclasts, and by smooth absorption, produced by mononuclear cells. The atrophy is explained on the basis of disuse, caused by an interrupted bony continuity, which resulted in a lack of functional stimulus. 2. When atrophy and absorption of bone ends occurred it was bilateral in practically the same degree and rate despite the fact that on one side there was a circulatory change, produced either by lumbar sympathectomy or by vein ligation. Hence circulatory changes (arterial hyperaemia or venous congestion) per se had no essential effect on bone atrophy or on absorption. 3. Non-union occurred in seventeen of forty-four subperiosteal fibular defects (one and five-tenths millimeters), despite the presence in each case of an intact periosteal tube which bridged the defect. This failure of union is explained by non-apposition and excessive motion of the fragment ends, for in twenty-eight linear subperiosteal osteotomies in fibulae where the fragment ends were opposed only one case of non-union occurred.
Stance width changes how sensory feedback is used for multisegmental balance control

A multilink sensorimotor integration model of frontal plane balance control was developed to determine how stance width influences the use of sensory feedback in healthy adults. Data used to estimate model parameters came from seven human participants who stood on a continuously rotating surface with three different stimulus amplitudes, with eyes open and closed, and at four different stance widths. Dependent variables included lower body (LB) and upper body (UB) sway quantified by frequency-response functions. Results showed that stance width had a major influence on how parameters varied across stimulus amplitude and between visual conditions. Active mechanisms dominated LB control. At narrower stances, with increasing stimulus amplitude, subjects used sensory reweighting to shift reliance from proprioceptive cues to vestibular and/or visual cues that oriented the LB more toward upright. When vision was available, subjects reduced reliance on proprioception and increased reliance on vision. At wider stances, LB control did not exhibit sensory reweighting. In the UB system, both active and passive mechanisms contributed and were dependent on stance width. UB control changed across stimulus amplitude most in wide stance (opposite of the pattern found in LB control). The strong influence of stance width on sensory integration and neural feedback control implies that rehabilitative therapies for balance disorders can target different aspects of balance control by using different stance widths. Rehabilitative strategies designed to assess or modify sensory reweighting will be most effective with the use of narrower stances, whereas wider stances present greater challenges to UB control.
Characterizing Charge Injection, Transport, and Mobility in a Conjugated Polyelectrolyte by NIR Absorbance

We discuss the determination of concentration-dependent carrier mobility by measurement of current and charge injection in a conjugated polyelectrolyte thin film. Equilibration under bias of the mobile counterions in a cationically functionalized polyacetylene film leads to steady-state current, while total charge injection is measured through NIR absorbance spectroscopy. The charge–voltage behavior is consistent with a model of charge injection where migration of mobile ions enables injection of electronic carriers in a manner analogous to electrochemical doping, and current is limited by diffusion across the bulk. The relation between injected charge and current density is also used to obtain the functional form of the concentration dependence of mobility, and this in turn is used to model the carrier profile across the film and obtain the mobility μ = 2.8 × 10–10 + 1.6 × 10–8(c/C0)1.3 cm2/(V s) where C0 is a reference concentration of 1 C/cm3. Another method of charge quantification, integration of tra...
Strategic Segmentation: A Planning Approach for Marketers

While top executives often advocate being market oriented and customer focused, I have found that few companies (large or small) use target marketing to its maximum potential. In spite of the many ...
The promise of gene therapy.

Purpose of reviewThe promise of gene therapy performed in the preimplantation and prenatal periods of pregnancy is rapidly becoming a reality. New technologies capable of making designed changes in single nucleotides make germline gene therapy possible. The article reviews the ethical and technical
Practice & Exploration on Construction and Standard Management in Professional Laboratory

Professional laboratory which is the main base for performing experiment teaching and developing scientific research is an important classroom of cultivating students' comprehensive quality.Our college promotes the construction through evaluation,accelerates the professional laboratory construction pace,and through the integration of teaching resources,excavates and takes advantage of the function of experiment teaching to make the construction of laboratory and disciplines develop together harmoniously.We develop the computer management software to make the various managements of laboratory more standardized and harmonious.At the same time,we also perfect the innovation mechanism about the teaching means and knowledge skills of laboratory team,expand the spread of knowledge and information,provide the innovative experimental platform to students,and make the practical use of the professional laboratory in the new situation.
Diversity Enhances NPP, N Retention, and Soil Microbial Diversity in Experimental Urban Grassland Assemblages.

Urban grasslands, landscapes dominated by turfgrasses for aesthetic or recreational groundcovers, are rapidly expanding in the United States and globally. These managed ecosystems are often less diverse than the natural or agricultural lands they replace, leading to potential losses in ecosystem functioning. Research in non-urban systems has provided evidence for increases in multiple ecosystem functions associated with greater plant diversity. To test if biodiversity-ecosystem function findings are applicable to urban grasslands, we examined the effect of plant species and genotypic diversity on three ecosystem functions, using grassland assemblages of increasing diversity that were grown within a controlled environment facility. We found positive effects of plant diversity on reduced nitrate leaching and plant productivity. Soil microbial diversity (Mean Shannon Diversity, H’) of bacteria and fungi were also enhanced in multi-species plantings, suggesting that moderate increments in plant diversity influence the composition of soil biota. The results from this study indicate that plant diversity impacts multiple functions that are important in urban ecosystems; therefore, further tests of urban grassland biodiversity should be examined in situ to determine the feasibility of manipulating plant diversity as an explicit landscape design and function trait.
CXCL10: most consistent cGVHD biomarker?

In this issue of Blood , Kariminia et al report that serum CXCL10 is the only consistent biomarker for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and is associated with low peripheral blood levels of CXCR3 + natural killer (NK) cells. 1
The Impact on International Security Providers

In many respects, CSDP is an internal and external manifestation of European integration. It reflects member states’ values and preferences as well as national and European interests. In addition, CSDP was established by the members to complete and improve EU foreign policy — and to enhance security around and beyond the union’s borders. An unstable world threatens the interests and values of the EU and its member states. In evaluating CSDP, it is impossible to isolate its effects from EU foreign policy — of which CSDP is a critical instrument.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Adherence in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes: Associations With Biomedical and Psychosocial Variables.

Background:Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) remains underutilized in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). There is a need to investigate factors associated with CGM use.Method:In 61 T1D youth, CGM use was ascertained by downloads reflecting the 4-week periods preceding 3- and 6-month study visits. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from chart review and interview. Youth and parents completed validated psychosocial surveys at baseline and 6 months.Results:Youth (52% male, 93% Caucasian, 80% pump treated) were 12.7 ± 2.9 years old, with T1D for 6.3 ± 3.8 years; mean A1c was 7.9 ± 0.9%. Mean CGM use was 4.1 ± 2.1 days/week (median = 4.8) at 3 months and 3.4 ± 2.3 days/week (median = 3.9) at 6 months. At 3 and 6 months, 15% and 20% of youth, respectively, had stopped using CGM. At 6 months, youth using CGM 6-7 days/week had more frequent BG monitoring (P = .05), less insulin omission (P = .02), and greater probability of A1c < 7.5% (P = .01) than youth using CGM less often. Youth using CGM 6-7 days/w...
John C. Blankenagel, The Writings of Jakob Wassermann: Boston: The Christopher Publishing House, 1942. $3.75.

(1943). John C. Blankenagel, The Writings of Jakob Wassermann. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 232-234.
Subtrochanteric Femur Fractures in Children

Pediatric subtrochanteric femur fractures are a challenging subset of fractures to treat, with a relative paucity of literature-based evidence to support specific algorithmic approaches. These fractures are rare, and there is no clear consensus among authors on the definition of a subtrochanteric femur fracture in children. Patient age, weight, femoral canal size, fracture stability, associated injuries, and surgeon experience should all be considered when determining the best treatment option. Infants 0–6 months of age are well treated with a Pavlik harness. Children 6 months to 5 years of age should be treated with a hip spica cast, although internal fixation is a viable alternative if the fracture is unstable. Flexible intramedullary nails, open plating, and submuscular plating are all successful treatment options in children 5–11 years of age, depending on the fracture pattern. Finally, children aged 11 years to skeletal maturity are well treated with rigid intramedullary nailing using a lateral trochanteric entry site. While these overall principles largely mirror trends currently applied for treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children, subtrochanteric fractures are frequently more prone toward displacement, due to the strong, divergent pull of muscular attachments in the peritrochanteric region. Therefore, consideration should be given toward selection of age-based treatment approaches more likely to ensure stability. All treatment methods have associated complications, and these should be discussed with the patient and family during the informed consent process.
Caregiver Asthma in Urban Families: Implications for School Absenteeism

Asthma is a significant contributor to missed school days, especially for children living in urban settings. This preliminary study examined the impact of caregiver asthma on school absenteeism in ...
Abstract 18420: Does Maximum 10-hour Daily Activity From Objective Activity Monitoring Correlate With Self-reported or Performance-based Function in Older Adults With Severe Aortic Stenosis?

Objectives: In older adults with aortic stenosis, we evaluated whether accelerometer-measured physical activity provides distinct clinical information apart from self-reported surveys or performance-based function tests (PBFT). Background: Wearable accelerometers can objectively quantify and monitor activity counts over an extended period of time, making them an ideal tool for measuring physical activity in older adults with cardiovascular disease; however, the relationship between accelerometer-measured activity and self-reported surveys or PBFT is unknown. Methods: We employed wrist-mounted accelerometry in 54 subjects with severe aortic stenosis prior to TAVR. Daily daytime activity was estimated using the maximum 10 hours of daily accelerometer-measured activity (M10) reported in activity counts. Subjects completed baseline surveys (NYHA, SF12, KCCQ, EQ-5D, LOT-R, Life Space, Detailed Activity Form) and PBFT (short physical performance battery, 6 minute walk test, grip strength) to estimate functional...
Essential role of ovarian hormones in susceptibility to the consequences of witnessing social defeat in female rats

Abstract Background Women are at greater risk than men of developing depression and comorbid disorders such as cardiovascular disease. This enhanced risk begins at puberty and ends following menopause, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in this sensitivity. Here we used a model of psychosocial witness stress in female rats to determine the stress-induced neurobiological adaptations that underlie stress susceptibility in an ovarian hormone–dependent manner. Methods Intact or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were exposed to five daily 15-minute witness-stress exposures. Witness-stress–evoked burying, behavioral despair, and anhedonia were measured. Cardiovascular telemetry was combined with plasma measurements of inflammation, epinephrine, and corticosterone as indices of cardiovascular dysfunction. Finally, levels of interleukin-1β and corticotropin-releasing factor were assessed in the central amygdala. Results Witness stress produced anxiety-like burying, depressive-like anhedonia, and behavioral despair selectively in intact female rats, which was associated with enhanced sympathetic responses during stress, including increased blood pressure, heart rate, and arrhythmias. Moreover, intact female rats exhibited increases in 12-hour resting systolic pressure and heart rate and reductions in heart rate variability. Notably, OVX female rats remained resilient. Moreover, intact, but not OVX, female rats exposed to witness stress exhibited a sensitized cytokine and epinephrine response to stress and distinct increases in levels of corticotropin-releasing factor and interleukin-1β in the central amygdala. Conclusions Together these data suggest that ovarian hormones play a critical role in the behavioral, inflammatory, and cardiovascular susceptibility to social stress in female rats and reveal putative systems that are sensitized to stress in an ovarian hormone–dependent manner.
Pediatric Swallowing Function in the Presence of Laryngeal Cleft and Laryngomalacia: a Review of the Literature

The etiologies of pediatric dysphagia are complex and varied, and the impact of medical and surgical interventions for laryngeal anomalies on pediatric swallow function is still being defined. We aim to review recent literature on evaluation and management of pediatric dysphagia for children with laryngomalacia (LM) and laryngeal cleft (LC). A review of the literature over the last 5 years was completed using search engines PubMed and Google Scholar. Specific journals reviewed include “The International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology,” “Dysphagia,” “JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,” and “The Laryngoscope.” Articles were identified which discuss management of laryngomalacia and laryngeal cleft and the impact on pediatric dysphagia. Management of pediatric dysphagia for patients diagnosed with LM and LC requires multiple considerations including timing of interventions, presence of comorbidities, and coordinated care with multidisciplinary teams. Evaluation of swallow function with the appropriate test at the right time interval is critical for improved patient outcomes and patient safety. Trends toward use of evidence-based clinical pathways are encouraged and supported by recent literature.
Working From Home: An Initial Pilot Examination of Videoconferencing-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxious Youth Delivered to the Home Setting

Progress in evidence-based treatments for child anxiety has been hampered by limited accessibility of quality care. This study utilized a multiple baseline design to evaluate the pilot feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of real-time, Internet-delivered, family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for child anxiety delivered to the home setting via videoconferencing. Participants included 13 anxious youth (mean age = 9.85) with a primary/co-primary anxiety disorder diagnosis. Eleven participants (84.6%) completed treatment and all study procedures. Consistent with hypotheses, the intervention was feasible and acceptable to families (i.e., high treatment retention, high client satisfaction, strong therapeutic alliance, and low barriers to participation). Moreover, the novel videoconferencing treatment format showed preliminary efficacy: 76.9% of the intention-to-treat (ITT) sample and 90.9% of treatment completers were treatment responders (i.e., Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale = 1 or 2 at posttreatment), and 69.2% of the ITT sample and 81.8% of treatment completers were diagnostic responders (as per the Anxiety Disorders Interview for Children). Gains were largely maintained at 3-month follow-up evaluation. Outcome patterns within and across subjects are discussed, as well as limitations and the need for further controlled evaluations. With continued support, videoconferencing treatment formats may serve to meaningfully broaden the reach of quality care for youth anxiety disorders.
Authigenic carbonate formation influenced by freshwater inputs and methanogenesis in coal-bearing strata offshore Shimokita, Japan (IODP site C0020)

Abstract Authigenic carbonate chemistry and mineralogy provide key insights into diagenetic pathways and microbial processes in sedimentary records. We characterize the mineralogy, elemental composition, and isotopic composition of 28 authigenic carbonate nodules recovered from coal-bearing forearc sediments offshore Shimokita Peninsula (Japan) to better understand fluid sources, diagenetic environments, and biogeochemical processes associated with subsiding sediments containing high organic carbon content. The carbonate nodules were collected at Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site C0020 from sediment cores between 1604 and 2460 m below seafloor (mbsf) spanning a transition from terrestrial to marine depositional environments. These carbonates range from
Vitamin B6 Toxicity Revisited: A Case of Reversible Pyridoxine-associated Neuropathy and Disequilibrium. (P4.021)

Objective: To present the salient features, and reversibility of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) induced peripheral neuropathy, in conjunction with its electrodiagnostic correlate. Background: B-Complex vitamins are essential for functioning of the nervous system, and supplementation is generally well tolerated. Although rare, excess pyridoxine can lead to paradoxical neurotoxicity— resulting in irreversible sensory neuropathy. Herein, we report a case of reversible pyridoxine induced sensorimotor neuropathy and disequilibrium in an octogenarian. Design/Methods: Case: 87-year-old right-handed Caucasian female with a four-year history of supplementing with B-Complex vitamins for chronic gastrointestinal illness, presents with five months of progressively worsening fatigue, left lower extremity weakness, numbness, and ataxia. Neurologic examination was notable for pronounced atrophy of foot intrinsics (right >left) and hand interossei. Sensory examination was notable for length dependent multimodal sensory loss in a stocking-glove pattern, and diminished joint position sense. She had absent deep tendon reflexes in both upper and lower extremities, and a steppage gait on the left. Work-up: Serum pyridoxine were markedly elevated at 398.4 nmol/L (ref: 20.0 – 125.0). Additional work-up, including serum B12, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid panel, SPEP/UPEP were unremarkable. MRI of cervical-lumbar spine showed degenerative changes, and was otherwise unremarkable. Nerve conduction studies of the left lower extremity were notable for evidence of chronic, length-dependent, sensorimotor, axonal, peripheral polyneuropathy with extensive active denervation in distal muscles. No evidence of radiculopathy was appreciated on paraspinal testing. Results: Intervention: Pyridoxine supplementation was discontinued and the patient underwent intensive physiotherapy. In a two-month follow up visit, her balance was markedly improved on the Berg Balance Test and Timed Up and Go tests. Repeat serum pyridoxine level was 23.9 nmol/L. Conclusions: In conclusion, sensorimotor neuropathy secondary to pyridoxine toxicity can be debilitating, but is potentially reversible with timely cessation of vitamin B6 supplementation and intensive physiotherapy. Disclosure: Dr. Moudgal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hosseini has nothing to disclose. Dr. Colapietro has nothing to disclose. Dr. Awosika has nothing to disclose.
Nanofiber/Microsphere Hybrid Matrices In Vivo for Bone Regenerative Engineering: A Preliminary Report

The demand for bone grafts has led to advances in regenerative engineering, a field at the intersection of advanced biomaterials, stem cell science, physics, developmental biology, and clinical translation. In this work, the authors evaluated a hybrid nanofiber/microsphere matrices both in vitro and in vivo for its ability to promote bone regeneration. Quantitative measures of cellular characteristics in vitro showed a higher fraction of marrow stromal cells with collagen promoter activity on hybrid matrices compared to control matrices (41% vs. 24%, p = 0.02). Control and hybrid matrices were then implanted for 6 weeks in calvarial defects of mice, and the animals received a single injection of calcein 1 day prior to sacrifice to visualize bone formation. Cryohistology of the undecalfied implants were evaluated for markers of bone mineralization, which revealed evidence of higher levels of bone tissue formation in hybrid matrices compared to controls. These data provide support that nanofiber-permeated, sintered, composite microsphere matrices may be a particularly useful matrix for the regenerative engineering of bone.
Nutrition in Acute Renal Failure: Treatment Made Possible by Continuous Arteriovenous Hemofiltration (CAVH)

Continuous AV hemofiltration provides an exciting new approach to acute renal failure because of its simplicity and ability to handle large volume of fluids and electrolytes, but primarily because of the possibility of providing full nutritional support for renal failure patients. It is possible to feed patients using dialysis as a renal support system to be sure, but the hypermetabolic effects of hemodialysis, and other limitations of this technique have resulted in limiting protein and energy supply to critically ill patients with renal failure. With the advent of continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH), full nutritional support is now possible, and several groups are just beginning to explore the effects of the feeding (and conversely the effects of our current treatment— starvation) in acute renal failure (1).
Studentweb: an exercise in project management and systems design and analysis

The objective for the project is to benefit the Providence College community while at the same time applying what the group has learned and developing a system from the ground up. Using a multiple step process the project aims to set up a development system and research how the college's student-run web server is deployed. The group is going to experiment with various design patterns and organize development groups accordingly ([1]). Then three parallel development efforts begin to replace and upgrade the old system, design and implement a more robust maintenance system, and finally design, and prototype new features. Included among these new features is a discussion forum based on the open-source PhPbb ([2]), an improved web site development process, and a system to facilitate the creation of student accounts. The group is using differing positions within each unit to give the widest array of experiences to the students involved ([3]). All of the above systems are going to be documented in the appropriate modeling language (e.g., UML) in order to better record and document the project progress so that it can be continued and extended by future computer science students.
Impedance Matching in Semiconductor Plasma Processing Chamber

In this chapter we study the problem of impedance matching, within the context of its industrial application. Impedance matching is performed in order to maximize power transfer in a circuit and minimize reflection from the load. The process can be computationally complex, especially when the circuit is large and contains interconnected subsystems. In this chapter we examine the application of extremum seeking control to solve the impedance matching problem in a semiconductor plasma processing chamber system. In particular, we present two tuning algorithms applied to a radio frequency (RF) matching network design for a capacitive coupled plasma (CCP) chamber: one has the objective of improving the productivity by providing a tuning algorithm to give the user an optimized preset for each particular recipe; another one is a real time auto-tuning algorithm. We show experimental results for these two algorithms obtained by one of the authors (Zhang) at Applied Materials.
Invariance Properties of the Exceptional Quantum Mechanics (F4) and Its Generalization to Complex Jordan Algebras (E6)

We consider a case in which the octonionic observables form a Jordan Algebra. Then the automorphism group turns out to be an exceptional group F 4 or E 6 and we are led to a gauge field theory of quarks and leptons based on exceptional groups. Some relations of octonion and split octonion algebras and their relation to algebra of quarks are explicitly shown.
Abstract TP539: The Complement Protein C1q is Elevated Early in Cerebrospinal Fluid After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage but Decreased in Patients With Symptomatic Vasospasm

Introduction: Neuroinflammation is common after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The complement protein C1q is a well-known inflammatory mediator that has emerged as a key player in neuroimmune synap...
Sarcopenia is independently associated with decreased overall survival after surgery for inferior vena cava tumor thrombus patients.

674Background: The presence of sarcopenia, a lean muscle mass deficiency is independently associated with inferior survival following the surgical treatment of localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC)....
Periprocedural Considerations for the Prevention and Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting

Abstract Procedures and the sedation required to complete them are triggers to nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are uncomfortable complications of care. These complications lead to increased length of the procedure and recovery time, which increases cost per case. Furthermore, experiencing nausea and vomiting is a factor in patient dissatisfaction of care. Postprocedural nausea and vomiting may bring about aspiration, increased intracranial pressure, or bleeding. This article outlines the clinical practice recommendations associated with diminishing the rate of complication in the perianesthesia settings in acute and outpatient care. Current research, pharmacology, and alterative interventions are also incorporated into this discussion.
C0-characterization of symplectic and contact embeddings and Lagrangian rigidity

We present a novel C0-characterization of symplectic embeddings and diffeomorphisms in terms of Lagrangian embeddings. Our approach is based on the shape invariant, which was discovered by Sikorav ...
Sequential Xanthalation and O-Trifluoromethylation of Phenols: A Procedure for the Synthesis of Aryl Trifluoromethyl Ethers

Molecules containing trifluoromethoxyaryl groups are of interest in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials science research, due to their unique physical and electronic properties. Many of the known methods to synthesize aryl trifluoromethyl ethers require harsh reagents and highly controlled reaction conditions and rarely occur when heteroaromatic units are present. The two-step O-trifluoromethylation of phenols via aryl xanthates is one such method that suffers from these drawbacks. Herein, we report a method for the synthesis of aryl trifluoromethyl ethers from phenols by the facile conversion of the phenol to the corresponding aryl and heteroaryl xanthates with newly synthesized imidazolium methylthiocarbonothioyl salts and conversion of these xanthates to the trifluoromethyl ethers under mild reaction conditions.
Development and Analytical Validation of a DNA Dual-Strand Approach for the US Food and Drug Administration–Approved Next-Generation Sequencing–Based Praxis Extended RAS Panel for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Samples

A next-generation sequencing method was developed that can distinguish single-stranded modifications from low-frequency somatic mutations present on both strands of DNA in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded colorectal cancer samples. We applied this method for analytical validation of the Praxis Extended RAS Panel, a US Food and Drug Administration–approved companion diagnostic for panitumumab, on the Illumina MiSeqDx platform. With the use of the TruSeq amplicon workflow, both strands of DNA from the starting material were interrogated independently. Mutations were reported only if found on both strands; artifacts usually present on only one strand would not be reported. A total of 56 mutations were targeted within the KRAS and NRAS genes. A minimum read depth of 1800× per amplicon is required per sample but averaged >30,000× at maximum multiplexing levels. Analytical validation studies were performed to determine the simultaneous detection of mutations on both strands, reproducibility, assay detection level, precision of the assay across various factors, and the impact of interfering substances. In conclusion, this assay can clearly distinguish single-stranded artifacts from low-frequency mutations. Furthermore, the assay is accurate, precise, and reproducible, can achieve consistent detection of a mutation at 5% mutation frequency, exhibits minimal impact from tested interfering substances, and can simultaneously detect 56 mutations in a single run using 10 samples plus controls.
Role of cannabinoid receptor 2 in mediating interleukin-1β-induced inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts.

Objectives Recent studies showed that the expression of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), not CB1, is upregulated at both the mRNA and protein levels in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs), however, little is known about its endogenous role in pro-inflammatory cytokine signalling in RASFs. Our aim was to investigate the role of CB2 receptor in mediating IL-1β-induced inflammation in human RASFs. Methods Human RASFs were pretreated with CB2 selective agonist (JWH-133), followed by stimulation with interleukin-1β (IL-1β, 10 ng/mL). The role of CB2 in IL-1β signalling was examined using small interfering RNA (siRNA) or an overexpression plasmid specific for CB2. Results Pretreatment with JWH-133 did not reduce IL-1β-induced IL-6 and IL-8 production and amplified the cellular expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by >2-fold in human RASFs. Furthermore, the knockdown of CB2 using siRNA markedly inhibited IL-1β-induced IL-6, IL-8, ENA-78, and RANTES production by more than 50% and completely abrogated COX-2 expression in human RASFs. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity was also reduced by 50% with CB2 knockdown. On the contrary, overexpression of CB2 in human RASFs further increased IL-1β-induced IL-6, IL-8, and RANTES by approximately 3-fold whereas ENA-78 expression increased by 1.5-fold. Immunoprecipitation analysis to study the protein-protein interactions revealed that JWH-133 coordinates CB2 association with TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a key signalling molecule, to increase IL-1β-induced nuclear translocation of transcription factors nuclear factor-κBp65 (NF-κBp65) and activation protein-1 (AP-1). Conclusions Overall, our results indicate for the first time that CB2 mediates IL-1β-induced signalling pathways in RASFs and may serve as a potential target to manage pain and inflammation in RA.
A comparison of cine CMR imaging at 0.55 T and 1.5 T.

There is a renewed interest in lower field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), due to their favorable physical properties, reduced costs, and increased accessibility to patients with implants. We sought to assess the diagnostic capabilities of high-performance low-field (0.55 T) CMR imaging for quantification of right and left ventricular volumes and systolic function in both healthy subjects and patients referred for clinical CMR. Sixty-five subjects underwent paired exams at 1.5 T using a clinical CMR scanner and using an identical CMR system modified to operate at 0.55 T. Volumetric coverage of the right ventricle (RV) and left ventricles (LV) was obtained using either a breath-held cine balanced steady-state free-precession acquisition or a motion-corrected free-breathing re-binned cine acquisition. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare LV and RV end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction (EF), and LV mass. Diagnostic confidence was scored on a Likert-type ordinal scale by blinded readers. There were no significant differences in LV and RV EDV between the two scanners (e.g., LVEDV: p = 0.77, bias = 0.40 mL, correlation coefficient = 0.99; RVEDV: p = 0.17, bias = − 1.6 mL, correlation coefficient = 0.98), and regional wall motion abnormality scoring was similar (kappa 0.99). Blood-myocardium contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) at 0.55 T was 48 ± 7% of the 1.5 T CNR, and contrast was sufficient for endocardial segmentation in all cases. Diagnostic confidence of images was scored as “good” to “excellent” for the two field strengths in the majority of studies. A high-performance 0.55 T system offers good bSSFP CMR image quality, and quantification of biventricular volumes and systolic function that is comparable to 1.5 T in patients. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03331380, NCT03581318.
School Nurses on the Front Lines of Healthcare: Red Flags and Red Herrings: Improving the Recognition of Bruises and Burns Associated With Physical Abuse in School-Age Children

Through a series of case scenarios, this article describes the assessment and management of suspected physical child abuse presenting as bruises and burns. Although it is not uncommon for school-age children to have accidental injuries, recognizing patterns associated with physical child abuse and understanding red flags for abuse is vital. Failure to recognize injury patterns suspicious for physical child abuse, and thus failure to intervene appropriately, may leave children at risk for more serious injury or death.
Reproducing men in the twenty-first century: emergent masculinities, subjectivities, biosocialities, and technologies

This special issue of NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies is, indeed, special. Amidst a vast and wide-ranging interdisciplinary literature on gender and women’s reproductive health...
A metabolic life table exemplified by sockeye salmon

Abstract A metabolic life table (MLT) is a combination of energy budget and life table that quantifies metabolism and life history over an entire life cycle. It provides a conceptual framework for integrating data on physiology, demography and ecology that are usually the subject of discipline- and taxon-specific studies. Our MLT for sockeye salmon revives John Brett’s classic data on metabolism, growth, survival and reproduction to provide a synthetic analysis of metabolic performance and its life history consequences. The MLT quantifies the energy budget of an average female over her life cycle. The early stages in fresh water have low rates of growth and mortality. Then juveniles enter the ocean, feed voraciously, grow rapidly, and accumulate a store of biomass; More than 98% of the total lifetime assimilation and growth occurs in the ocean. Maturing adults stop feeding, return to fresh water, expend stored body energy to fuel migration and reproduction, and leave a clutch of eggs and a depleted carcass. The MLT also quantifies the energetic contribution of salmon to freshwater and marine ecosystems. Salmon are very efficient: of the food energy in their zooplankton prey, 47% is expended on respiration to fuel activity, 23% is allocated to growth and reproduction to produce biomass, and 30% is excreted in feces. Although 96% of lifetime biomass production occurs in the ocean, about 29% is transported into fresh water in the bodies of maturing adults, where their carcasses and gametes provide an important “marine subsidy” to the energy and nutrient budgets of freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. The MLT highlights some features of the salmon metabolism – variation in rates of assimilation, respiration and production with body size and temperature – that are qualitatively similar to other ectotherms and predictions of metabolic theory. But because of the unusual physiology, life history, ecosystem impacts and socio-economic importance of wild-caught salmon, reanalyzing Brett’s data in the context of a MLT has additional broad applications for basic and applied ecology.
COVID-19 Growth in Rural versus Urban Counties with Major Universities at the Start of the 2020 Academic Year

ABSTRACT Universities play a central role in a rural or small town’s economy. They are often the main forms of enrichment to the lives of the longtime residents, the students, and the employees. Unfortunately, during a global pandemic, the migration and movement of young people in these communities can likely cause a rapid infection spike and drive spread easily, especially relative to larger urban areas. The current study investigates the relationship between COVID-19 case growth, university-county rurality, and time at the beginning of the Fall 2020 academic semester. Findings showed that small metro and non-metro counties with universities had a dramatic infection spike near the beginning of the semester and infection growth remained significantly higher than their large and medium metro counterparts for the duration of the study. Suggestions to slow the spread in rural communities are discussed.
Chamber-Specific Protein Expression during Direct Cardiac Reprogramming

Forced expression of core cardiogenic transcription factors can directly reprogram fibroblasts to induced cardiomyocyte-like cells (iCMs) in vitro and in vivo. This cardiac reprogramming approach provides a proof of concept for induced heart regeneration by converting a fibroblast fate to a cardiomyocyte fate. However, it remains elusive whether chamber-specific cardiomyocytes can be generated by cardiac reprogramming. Therefore, we assessed the ability of the cardiac reprogramming approach for chamber specification in vitro and in vivo. We found that in vivo cardiac reprogramming post-myocardial infarction exclusively induces a ventricular-like phenotype, while a major fraction of iCMs generated in vitro failed to determine their chamber identities. Our results suggest that in vivo cardiac reprogramming may have an inherent advantage of generating chamber-matched new cardiomyocytes as a potential heart regenerative approach.
Between Imagined Homelands: Florian Gallenberger’s John Rabe

Florian Gallenberger’s John Rabe (2009) is a German/French/Chinese coproduction foregrounding the eponymous director of a Chinese Siemens plant, a member of the Nazi Party who saved the lives of over 200,000 Chinese during the Rape of Nanjing. Gallenberger’s film is a work that eschews historical accuracy and fidelity to the diaries of the real-life figure to create a protagonist who is psychologically engaging and intriguingly ambiguous. Following a cursory overview of films that have focused on Rabe and/or the Rape of Nanjing, and especially those appearing in the 2000s, this chapter foregrounds production and marketing demands which informed the director’s unique interpretation of Rabe’s transformation into a reluctant, yet irreplaceable hero. It reveals how Gallenberger draws upon Rabe’s diaries, yet employs these as a springboard, providing the semblance of a historical anchor all the while inviting viewers to explore the protagonist’s inner dynamics. Rabe is seen to be a man without a country, caught between a homeland that only exists in his memory—having radically changed during his absence—and a China that he never fully understood.
PCBoom Propagation Modeling for the Third AIAA Sonic Boom Prediction Workshop

The PCBoom suite of tools was used to model atmospheric propagation cases and the optional focus case as part of the Third AIAA Sonic Boom Prediction Workshop. The Focused Boom module FOBoom versio...
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE BREAST FROM THE HIPPOCRATICS TO THE RENAISSANCE

This contribution aims to survey maladies of the female (and occasionally male) breast requiring surgical intervention from Greco-Roman (hereafter classical) times through the Middle Ages. My survey is based on a selection of authors I consider most representative. Special attention will be given to the instruments and paraphernalia used in therapy and, when convenient, to appropriate pharmaceutical applications employed in conjunction. My investigation finds that in the main the same maladies (e.g. menstrual issues, various ulcers and growths) were treated throughout this period with the same or similar therapies and with basically the same equipment. However, medieval sources do occasionally attest conditions not mentioned in classical sources (e.g. inverted nipples) and sometimes employ new names for the equipment used.
Sustained high rates of morphological evolution during the rise of tetrapods.

The fish-to-tetrapod transition is one of the most iconic events in vertebrate evolution, yet fundamental questions regarding the dynamics of this transition remain unresolved. Here, we use advances in Bayesian morphological clock modelling to reveal the evolutionary dynamics of early tetrapodomorphs (tetrapods and their closest fish relatives). We show that combining osteological and ichnological calibration data results in major shifts on the time of origin of all major groups of tetrapodomorphs (up to 25 million years) and that low rates of net diversification, not fossilization, explain long ghost lineages in the early tetrapodomorph fossil record. Further, our findings reveal extremely low rates of morphological change for most early tetrapodomorphs, indicating widespread stabilizing selection upon their ‘fish’ morphotype. This pattern was broken only by elpistostegalians (including early tetrapods), which underwent sustained high rates of morphological evolution for ~30 Myr during the deployment of the tetrapod body plan. The authors use Bayesian morphological clock modelling and combined trace and body fossil data to examine the evolutionary dynamics of early tetrapodomorphs.
Distorted Copper(II) Complex with Unusually Short CF···Cu Distances.

We find a Cu(II)-(L-CF3)2 complex (L-CF3 = 2,2,2-trifluoro-N-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)propan-2-yl]acetamide) with a distorted "seesaw" geometry. It has the shortest crystallographic CF···Cu distances yet reported, to the best of our knowledge (<2.6 A), for which computational and experimental data indicate a secondary bonding interaction. A comparison with a CCl3 version and one without ligand backbone gem-dimethyl groups suggests a steric origin for the distorted geometry, resulting from the specific ligand interactions.
What’s This? A Voice and Touch Multimodal Approach for Ambiguity Resolution in Voice Assistants

Human speech often contains ambiguity stemming from the use of demonstrative pronouns (DPs), such as “this” and “these.” While we can typically decipher which objects of interest DPs are referring to based on context, modern day voice assistants (VAs – such as Google Assistant and Siri) are yet unable to process queries containing such ambiguity. For instance, to humans, a question such as “how much is this?” can be clarified through visual reference (e.g., a buyer gestures to the seller the object they would like to purchase). To bridge this gap between human and machine cognition, we built and examined a touch + voice multimodal VA prototype that enables users to select key spatial information to embed as context and query the VA. The prototype converts results of mobile, real-time object recognition and optical character recognition models into augmented reality buttons that represent features. Users can interact with and modify the selected features through a word grid. We conducted a study to investigate: 1) how touch performs as an additional modality to resolve ambiguity in queries, 2) how users use DPs when interacting with VAs, and 3) how users perceive a VA that can understand DPs. From this procedure we found that as the query becomes more complex, users prefer the multimodal VA over the standard VA without experiencing elevated cognitive load. Additionally, even though it took some time getting used to, many participants eventually became comfortable with using DPs to interact with the multimodal VA and appreciated the improved human-likeness of human-VA conversations.