cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instructional Course Lectures, The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - New Developments in the Staging and Imaging of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas*†

New developments in staging have given greater importance to the imaging of soft-tissue sarcomas since the time of the last articles on soft-tissue tumors in the Instructional Course Lectures9,19 or even more recent reviews37. Whereas previous articles have focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and molecular biology of benign19 and malignant9 soft-tissue tumors, the current article will present a new modification of the staging system that has been proposed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer38. Imaging techniques and unique characteristics of soft-tissue tumors will be discussed in order to demonstrate how they are related to the new criteria for staging. The main purpose of staging a tumor is to determine a patient's prognosis and to help to direct treatment. Malignant tumors have been described as having a life cycle. Therefore, staging identifies specific time-points in a tumor's life cycle (Fig. 1). Staging is usually done at the time that a malignant tumor is diagnosed, but restaging may be performed if the disease progresses and the patient becomes a candidate for various treatment protocols or other clinical research trials46. Pathological criteria, such as the histological grade, amount of necrosis, and size of the tumor as determined at the time of excision, are commonly used for the staging of carcinomas of the skin, bowel, prostate, cervix, and so on. However, in the case of soft-tissue sarcomas, the initiation of treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation before the tumor is excised may alter such factors as the size of the tumor and the amount of necrosis, thus reducing the accuracy of pathological staging that is based on the resected tumor. Therefore, staging based on the pathological characteristics of the resected tumor has given way to staging based on both clinical factors (such …
Rotational ranges of human precision manipulation when grasping objects with two to five digits

The ability to move and manipulate objects within the hand is important for the overall performance of the human hand. Such movements are key for many tasks, including writing, using precision tools, turning knobs, and operating various haptic interfaces. In this work we analyze the ability of 17 unimpaired subjects to rotate objects 50 and 80 mm in diameter using 2 to 5 digits, while maintaining the initial finger-object contact locations. Subjects were asked to rotate the object with a particular number of fingers around one of three orthogonal hand axes for 30 seconds and explore their rotational range. The average rotational range achieved over all conditions was 47 degrees, with the largest rotation of 82 degrees for the 3 digit case around a distal-proximal axis. The rotations around the palmar-dorsal and the ulnar-radial axes showed similar trends, where the smaller object resulted in 1.3 and 1.2 times larger rotation workspaces than the larger object (p < 0.001), respectively. The rotation around the distal-proximal axis has a different trend, where the difference in rotation amplitude between different number of finger conditions is over 50% (p < 0.003), but the difference in object size conditions is only 10%. The results highlight that the orientation of the rotation axis has significant influence on the rotation capabilities of the human hand. In designing handheld tools and haptic devices one should carefully consider around which axes a rotation is required.
Row sums and alternating sums of Riordan arrays

Abstract Here we use row sum generating functions and alternating sum generating functions to characterize Riordan arrays and subgroups of the Riordan group. Numerous applications and examples are presented which include the construction of Girard–Waring type identities. We also show the extensions to weighted sum (generating) functions, called the expected value (generating) functions of Riordan arrays.
Changing public stigma with continuum beliefs

Background: Given the egregious effect of public stigma on the lives of people with mental illness, researchers have sought to unpack and identify effective components of anti-stigma programs. Aim: We expect to show that continuum messages have more positive effect on stigma and affirming attitudes (beliefs that people with mental illness recover and should be personally empowered) than categorical perspectives. The effect of continuum beliefs will interact with contact strategies. Method: A total of 598 research participants were randomly assigned to online presentations representing one of the six conditions: three messages (continuum, categorical, or neutral control) by two processes (education or contact). Participants completed measures of continuum beliefs (as a manipulation check), stigma and affirming attitudes after viewing the condition. Results: Continuum messages had significantly better effect on views that people with mental illness are “different,” a finding that interacted with contact. Continuum messages also had better effects on recovery beliefs, once again an effect that interacted significantly with contact. Conclusions: Implications of these findings for improving anti-stigma programs are discussed.
Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Patients with Endometrial Carcinoma: Less Can Be More.

The role and extent of lymphadenectomy for endometrial carcinoma has been debated for over 30 years. Many clinicians argue that there is therapeutic value for lymphadenectomy in patients deemed to be “at risk,” a designation not universally defined, despite the lack of randomized data supporting this argument. However, lymphadenectomy is associated with morbidity, including lower extremity lymphedema. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping is emerging as a viable alternative to comprehensive lymphadenectomy in the surgical staging of patients with endometrial cancer. Nodal disease status is an important prognostic and predictive factor. Surgical staging with lymphadenectomy remains an important part of the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed endometrial carcinoma despite the dispute regarding its therapeutic value. Many clinicians have argued for abandoning lymphadenectomy altogether; however, this too is not ideal, as it may lead to undertreatment due to inadequate staging or overtreatment with toxic therapies. SLN mapping has emerged as a viable compromise between a comprehensive lymphadenectomy and no lymph node sampling in the surgical staging of these patients and may lead to reduced morbidity risks. In this review, we present the currently available data in this area of research, as well as our experience with SLN mapping.
Trapped charge distributions in PMMA from energetic electron irradiation by electro-optic measurements

The penetration of energetic electrons into materials is an important fundamental process which is useful in understanding radiation effects, such as crosslinking, and also in evaluating damaging effects from charge accumulation such as in spacecraft charging. While energy deposition is well known by traditional dose measurement methods, there is relatively little experimental information about net charge distributions and electric fields which accumulate within insulators as a result of electron beam bombardment, especially in the MeV incident energy range.
Transferrin Impacts Bacillus thuringiensis Biofilm Levels.

The present study examined the impact of transferrin on Bacillus thuringiensis biofilms. Three commercial strains, an environmental strain (33679), the type strain (10792), and an isolate from a diseased insect (700872), were cultured in iron restricted minimal medium. All strains produced biofilm when grown in vinyl plates at 30°C. B. thuringiensis 33679 had a biofilm biomass more than twice the concentration exhibited by the other strains. The addition of transferrin resulted in slightly increased growth yields for 2 of the 3 strains tested, including 33679. In contrast, the addition of 50 μg/mL of transferrin resulted in an 80% decrease in biofilm levels for strain 33679. When the growth temperature was increased to 37°C, the addition of 50 μg/mL of transferrin increased culture turbidity for only strain 33679. Biofilm levels were again decreased in strain 33679 at 37°C. Growth of B. thuringiensis cultures in polystyrene resulted in a decrease in overall growth yields at 30°C, with biofilm levels significantly decreased for 33679 in the presence of transferrin. These findings demonstrate that transferrin impacts biofilm formation in select strains of B. thuringiensis. Identification of these differences in biofilm regulation may be beneficial in elucidating potential virulence mechanisms among the differing strains.
Common Ownership, Competition and Firm Financial Policy

I use data on all public firms in the U.S. and their owners to construct a "modified Herfindahl-Hirschman Index" (MHHID) of market concentration that is based on the network of institutional ownership between rival firms. The new feature of my measure is that it uses a locally defined industry around each firm to calculate firm-level market concentration. I find that increases in MHHID lead to lower firm cash holdings. I also show that these results are driven by constrained firms. Such firms have bigger incentives to accumulate precautionary buffers, since they cannot access external funds. I further show that increases in MHHID lead to decreases in textual based measures of financial constraints and uncertainty. These findings are supportive of theories of intertemporal management of financial flexibility as an insurance against adverse future events. To address potential endogeneity concerns, I build on the literature of liquidity induced mutual fund outflows and identify funds that are exposed to underperforming industries and are likely to face outflows. Then, I use the proportion of the MHHID such exposed funds are responsible for in unaffected industries as an instrument. I further confirm that the results are robust to using a shock to common ownership stemming from outflows associated with a large mutual fund scandal in 2003.
Political Advertisements, Political Cognition and Political Communication

“From the very beginning, the movies have been a powerful prescription for America's blues. But the antidote has become a syndrome: what began as an escape from reality has stealthily usurped it. T...
Local efficiency in fluvial systems: Lessons from Icicle Bend

Development of fluvial systems is often described and modeled in terms of principles related to maxima, minima, or optima of various hydraulic or energy parameters that can generally be encompassed by a principle of efficiency selection (more efficient flow routes tend to be preferentially selected and enhanced). However, efficiency selection is highly localized, and the cumulative effects of these local events may or may not produce more efficient pathways at a broader scale. This is illustrated by the case of Icicle Bend on Shawnee Run, a limestone bedrock stream in central Kentucky. Field evidence indicates that a paleochannel was abandoned during downcutting of the stream, and the relocation was analyzed using a flow partitioning model. The bend represents abandonment of a steeper, straighter, more efficient channel at the reach scale in favor of a longer, currently less steep and less efficient flow path. This apparently occurred owing to capture of Shawnee Run flow by a subsurface karst flow path that was subsequently exhumed. The development of Icicle Bend illustrates the local nature of efficiency selection and the role of historical contingency in geomorphic evolution.
Mean and turbulence dynamics in unsteady Ekman boundary layers

Unsteady pressure gradients in turbulent flows not only influence the mean, but also affect the higher statistical moments of turbulence. In these flows, it is important to understand if and when turbulence is in quasi-equilibrium with the mean in order to better capture the dynamics and develop effective closure models. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate how turbulence decays or develops relative to a time-varying mean flow, and how the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) production, transport and dissipation respond to changes in the imposed pressure forcing. The focus is on the neutral unsteady Ekman boundary layer, where pressure-gradient, Coriolis and turbulent friction forces interact, and the analyses are based on a suite of large-eddy simulations with unsteady pressure forcing. The results indicate that the dynamics is primarily controlled by the relative magnitudes of three time scales: the inertial time scale (characterized by Coriolis frequency hours at mid-latitudes), the turbulent time scale ( hours for the largest eddies in the present simulations) and the forcing variability time scale (which is varied to reflect different (sub)meso to synoptic scale dynamics). When the forcing time scale is comparable to the turbulence time scale, the quasi-equilibrium condition becomes invalid due to highly complex interactions between the mean and turbulence, the velocity profiles manifestly depart from the log-law and the normalized TKE budget terms vary strongly in time. However, for longer, and surprisingly for shorter, forcing times, quasi-equilibrium is reasonably maintained. The analyses elucidate the physical mechanisms that trigger these dynamics, and investigate the implications on turbulence closure models.
Legitimacy and the Useful Arts

The fundamental question this Article addresses is who should be primarily responsible for making patent validity determinations: the courts or the Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”)?6 Which entity *517 would best serve the constitutional goal of promoting the progress of the useful arts?
Polθ helicase: drive or reverse.

The helicase intrinsic to DNA polymerase θ (Polθ), the versatile mediator of microhomology-based repair of DNA double-strand breaks and stalled replication forks, is now revealed to be a member of an elite group of proteins known as annealing helicases. This small family of enzymes remodels DNA intermediates in multiple repair processes that are crucial to preserving genome stability and warding off cancer and aging.
A Review of Women's Neurology

Concern about what is best practice when caring for women with neurologic disease is a common clinical scenario. Therefore, knowledge about women's health issues and their intersection with neurologic disorders is imperative. This review will discuss the appropriate gender-based considerations in epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine, autoimmune disease, sleep disorders, stroke, and paraneoplastic disorders.
Lung Transplantation Imaging

Lung transplant is performed to treat a number of end-stage pulmonary diseases. Because many of the imaging features of post-transplant complications are nonspecific, accurate interpretation of surveillance scans following lung transplantation requires knowledge of modern surgical techniques and predictable post-procedure complications based on the time course after surgery. Computed tomography (CT) is the mainstay of lung transplantation imaging and will be the primary focus of this review.
Unlearning gender—Toward a critical communication trans pedagogy

Gender eludes definition. Thus, to teach gender is to work with and against the ineffable, the uncertain, and the particular. Gender is ineffable because it is far too expansive a cultural and pers...
Subjective, Objective, and Experience-Based Knowledge: A Comparison in the Decision-Making Context

Product knowledge has been recognized as a major factor in information processing and decision-making research. This variable has been operationalized in different ways, and terms such as “product familiarity” or “product experience” have been used to describe essentially the same concept (Bettman and Park, 1980; Johnson an Russo, 1984; Raju and Reilly, 1980). Recently, it has come to be generally accepted that product knowledge can be categorized into three types. These three categories can be termed subjective knowledge, objective knowledge, and experience-based knowledge, respectively.
The reality of perception in employee relations: "If it looks like a duck ...".

In employee relations, perception is as important as reality. What the employee perceives is generally what the employee believes and acts on. Employee perceptions are shaped by many factors, prominent among them organizational roles, supervisory styles, and communication styles. Employee perceptions cannot be ignored, even when they are known to be incorrect, because they are factual to the employees. Further, perceptions can be controlled to a considerable extent through effective supervision. The supervisor needs to become aware of the power of perception, learn what circumstances are likely to cause incorrect perceptions, learn how to manage employee perceptions to the extent possible, and always approach perception as the perceiver's reality.
A Proposal to Compile Past Atmospheric Dispersion Field Experiment Data for Easy Access and Model Evaluation

The long-range transport of pollutants in the atmosphere has received considerable attention in recent years, corresponding with a comparable number of models to address these issues. In particular there has been consistent emphasis on nuclear reactor accidents since Chernobyl by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) through the organization of WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers (RSMCs). The European Tracer Experiment (ETEX) symposium evaluated 47 different models. The introduction of more fuel efficient jet aircraft engines (running at higher temperatures) has made modern commercial aircraft very sensitive to volcanic ash from eruptions. Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC), designated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), use transport and dispersion models to forecast the location of volcanic ash, so that aircraft may be warned and rerouted around the affected areas. Most, if not all, atmospheric transport models (ATM) are linked to one or more operational meteorological forecastmodels, or a particular meteorological archive which is then used by the ATM. The data predicted by the meteorological models are routinely evaluated and compared against common performance standards. Although similar verification standards exist for the ATMs, there is a sense in the dispersion modeling community that there is very little data available to perform these evaluations. Perhaps this is because these data are not as easily obtained and are usually limited to single events or controlled (and expensive) field experiments that are not available on a routine basis. However there are many isolated experiments, some
Immune and genomic correlates of response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in glioblastoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been successful across several tumor types; however, their efficacy has been uncommon and unpredictable in glioblastomas (GBM), where <10% of patients show long-term responses. To understand the molecular determinants of immunotherapeutic response in GBM, we longitudinally profiled 66 patients, including 17 long-term responders, during standard therapy and after treatment with PD-1 inhibitors (nivolumab or pembrolizumab). Genomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed a significant enrichment of PTEN mutations associated with immunosuppressive expression signatures in non-responders, and an enrichment of MAPK pathway alterations (PTPN11, BRAF) in responders. Responsive tumors were also associated with branched patterns of evolution from the elimination of neoepitopes as well as with differences in T cell clonal diversity and tumor microenvironment profiles. Our study shows that clinical response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in GBM is associated with specific molecular alterations, immune expression signatures, and immune infiltration that reflect the tumor’s clonal evolution during treatment. Genomic, transcriptomic, and microenvironmental analyses of samples from patients with glioblastoma treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab identifies features associated with treatment response that may help in refining patient stratification.
IRON WOMAN: A CASE OF ACUTE BIVENTRICULAR HEART FAILURE

We present a case of transfusion dependent anemia with secondary hemochromatosis and resultant heart failure. A 44 year old woman receiving blood transfusions monthly for 20 years presented to the hospital with 1 week of progressive chest heaviness and abdominal discomfort. Labs were notable for a
Utilizing the Echo Model to Achieve Quality and Effective Care for Children and Youth

Introduction: Many children and youth with epilepsy (CYE), don’t have access to high-quality coordinated care through a medical home or to pediatric neurologists, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas. Primary care providers (PCPs) are often the first point of contact for a child with new-onset seizures, but feel inadequately trained to manage seizures/epilepsy. A shortage of pediatric neurologists …
QUALITY MEASUREMENT IN PSYCHPRO: MIPS AND BEYOND: Session 419

Abstract Quality of care and cost containment issues have put a spotlight on patient outcomes with questions being asked about appropriate types and levels of care associated with variation in medical practice. As such, clinicians' interest in obtaining objective information about their practices has increased, and patients and purchasers want to know more about the quality of care available and patient outcomes. Measurement-based care (MBC) - the routine use of standardized tools or instruments to monitor the individual's progress in achieving his or her care, treatment, or service goals - is identified as an appropriate and necessary part of the culture of mental health care and systems. The standardization of MBC requires innovative tools that are clinically useful, easy to use, and feasible to implement in clinical practice. PsychPRO, the APA's qualified clinical data registry (QCDR), with its patient and clinician portals, provides the opportunity for participating psychiatrists and other behavioral health clinicians to implement MBC, monitor the quality of care they provide to their patients, and continuously improve their practice. Further, participation in PsychPRO, helps the field of psychiatry by putting the development of quality measures that impact the practice of psychiatry into the hands of psychiatrists. This current session is designed to 1) highlight PsychPRO's performance in its inaugural year in terms of quality reporting and helping psychiatrists to meet MOC Part IV requirements; 2) explore the use of PsychPRO, in the implementation of quality measurement in a variety of practice settings with a focus on geriatric care; and 3) highlight the use of PsychPRO as a quality improvement tool and it use in facilitating MBC as well as quality measure development. We will discuss challenges including, what to measure and how to go about measuring it.
Modeling non-genetic dynamics of cancer cell states measured by single-cell analysis: Uncovering bifurcations that explain why treatment either kills a cancer cell or makes it resistant

Abstract Single-cell transcriptomics offers a new vista on non-genetic tumor cell plasticity, a neglected aspect of cancer. The gene expression state of each cell is governed by the gene regulatory network which represents a high-dimensional non-linear dynamical system that generates multiple stable attractor states and undergoes destabilizing bifurcations, manifest as critical transitions. Modeling clonal cell population as statistical ensembles of the same dynamical system, a index IC is derived for detecting destabilization towards critical transitions in single-cell molecular profiles. Therapy-induced bifurcation explains why treatment backfires: a drug-treated cell is imposed the binary choice to either apoptose or become a cancer-stem cell.
New Air-Stable Catalysts for General and Efficient Suzuki−Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions of Heteroaryl Chlorides

[reaction: see text] New air-stable PdCl(2){P(t)Bu(2)(p-R-Ph)}(2) (R = H, NMe(2), CF(3),) complexes represent simple, general, and efficient catalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides including five-membered heteroaryl halides and heteroatom-substituted six-membered heteroaryl chlorides with a diverse range of arylboronic acids. High product yields (89-99% isolated yields) and turn-over-numbers (10,000 TON) are observed.
Home-Based Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction to Improve Quadriceps Muscle and Physical Function After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Report.

Background and purpose After total knee arthroplasty (TKA), persistent quadriceps muscle atrophy and weakness impairs physical function. Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise is emerging as a potential method to improve muscle size and strength in clinical populations with orthopedic limitations. There are no randomized controlled studies documenting BFR exercise after TKA. This case report describes the use of home-based BFR exercise to increase quadriceps size, strength, and physical function after TKA. Case description A 59-year-old man (6 months post-TKA) performed body weight and walking exercises with BFR 5×/wk for 8 weeks. Blood flow in the TKA leg was restricted using a thigh cuff inflated to 50% of limb occlusion pressure. Lean leg mass, vastus lateralis thickness, knee extensor strength, and physical function were measured at baseline (6 months post-TKA), posttraining (8 months post-TKA), and long-term follow-up (14 months post-TKA). Outcomes After training, lean leg mass, vastus lateralis thickness, and knee extensor strength in the TKA leg increased by 4%, 14%, and 55%, respectively. Compared with baseline, posttraining knee extensor strength symmetry (TKA/uninvolved leg) increased from 64% to 98%. The patient's performance improved for the 30-second chair stand, 40-m fast walk, and 6-minute walk tests. Increased quadriceps and physical function were maintained at the long-term follow-up. Discussion With enhanced quadriceps and physical function, the patient resumed independent physical activity. Muscle and strength gains surpassed those typically reported after TKA. Outcomes suggest that home-based BFR exercise was feasible, safe, and effective. BFR exercise after TKA is promising and warrants further research.
Elevation of the Unfolded Protein Response Increases RANKL Expression

Increased production of the osteoclastogenic cytokine RANKL is a common feature of pathologic bone loss, but the underlying cause of this increase is poorly understood. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in response to accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Failure to resolve misfolding results in excess UPR signaling that stimulates cytokine production and cell death. We therefore investigated whether RANKL is one of the cytokines stimulated in response to elevated UPR in bone cells. Pharmacologic induction of UPR with tunicamycin (Tm)-stimulated RANKL expression in cultures of primary osteoblastic cells and in osteoblast and osteocyte cell lines. Pharmacologic inhibition of the UPR blunted Tm-induced RANKL production. Silencing Edem1 or Sel1l, proteins that aid in degradation of misfolded proteins, also induced UPR and increased RANKL mRNA. Moreover, Tm or hypoxia increased RANKL and bone resorption in cultures of neonatal murine calvaria. Administration of Tm to adult mice caused dilation of ER in osteoblasts and osteocytes, elevated the UPR, and increased RANKL expression and osteoclast number. These findings support the hypothesis that excessive UPR signaling stimulates the expression of RANKL by osteoblasts and osteocytes, and thereby facilitates excessive bone resorption and bone loss in pathologic conditions.
How Religion Works: Authenticity

Need it be said that determining the criteria for what is or is not “authentic” is always problematic? Jean-Francois Bayart, The Illusion of Cultural Identity (2005, 78) All that is solid melts into air. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto (1998, 38) In 1553, in the city of Geneva, the theologian Michael Servetus was put to death by being burned at the stake. What had he done to be sentenced to this horrible fate? Was he a murderer? A rapist? A thief? He was none of these things: Servetus was put to death for suggesting that the doctrine of the trinity—the belief that the Christian God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all united as one being—was untrue. What is the trinity? In the sixteenth century, the three largest branches of Christianity in western Europe (the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Reformed Church) all held that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were united in one being. The official doctrine was that all three were divine, but that couldn't mean that their church worshiped three different gods—somehow these figures were three and one at the same time. The city of Geneva (where the Reformed Church was in league with the city authorities) convicted Servetus of a capital crime for calling this belief into question. His doubt—and his attempts to talk to others about it—made him a heretic : someone who pretended to be Christian but really wasn't .
Losartan reduces cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion

The aim was to determine whether losartan reduces cigarette smoke (CS)-induced airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in an in vitro model and a small clinical trial. Primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) were differentiated at the air–liquid interface (ALI) and exposed to CS. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and the mucin MUC5AC, and expression or activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were measured after CS exposure. Parameters of mucociliary clearance were evaluated by measuring airway surface liquid volumes, mucus concentrations, and conductance of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and large conductance, Ca2+-activated and voltage-dependent potassium (BK) channels. Nasal cells were collected from study participants and expression of MUC5AC, TGF-β1, and MMP-9 mRNAs was measured before and after losartan treatment. In vitro, CS exposure of HBECs caused a significant increase in mRNA expression of MUC5AC and TGF-β1 and MMP-9 activity and decreased CFTR and BK channel activities, thereby reducing airway surface liquid volumes and increasing mucus concentrations. Treatment of HBECs with losartan rescued CS-induced CFTR and BK dysfunction and caused a significant decrease in MUC5AC expression and mucus concentrations, partially by inhibiting TGF-β signalling. In a prospective clinical study, cigarette smokers showed significantly reduced mRNA expression levels of MUC5AC, TGF-β1, and MMP-9 in the upper airways after 2 months of losartan treatment. Our findings suggest that losartan may be an effective therapy to reduce inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in CS-induced chronic airway diseases.
Inspiring Rural High School Students to Consider Careers in Medicine and the Health Professions

The United States is experiencing a physician shortage and rural areas are especially impacted. Programs exist to recruit college and medical students to work in rural areas, but few programs are focused on the high school “pipeline.” Medical students, residents and physicians who have lived in rural areas are more likely to practice in those areas. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a workshop to educate rural high school students about preparing for health professions careers. Evaluations of the workshop were positive and indicated increased knowledge and interest in careers in medicine and health professions. It is somewhat promising that even a brief educational program has the potential to increase interest of rural high school students to pursue medical or health professions careers, and perhaps ultimately increase the number of those practicing in rural areas. The authors discuss limitations and suggest changes for future workshop presentations.
AML-241: Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Induce Chemotherapy Resistance in AML Cells through TGF-β-p38-ALDH2 Pathway

Context Chemotherapy resistance is one of the leading causes of disease progression and relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The interaction between mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and AML cells in the bone marrow (BM) is critical for leukemogenesis and chemotherapy resistance. Objective As tumor initiation and chemotherapy resistance are characteristic features of leukemia stem cells, we hypothesize that BM-MSCs induce a stem-like phenotype in AML cells. The objectives of this study are to determine the effect of stromal cells on the stem cell function of AML cells and to identify signaling pathways that support AML-stroma interactions in the BM microenvironment. Design We cultured AML cell lines and patient samples with or without BM-MSCs and measured aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity in AML cells by ALDEFLUOR™ assay. In addition, we performed genomic and proteomic analyses to identify signaling pathways that support AML-stroma interactions. Finally, we used specific inhibitors that target ALDH activity to sensitize AML cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Results Co-culture of AML cells with BM-MSCs significantly induced ALDH activity in AML cells, mainly through upregulation of ALDH2 and ALDH1L2 isoforms. TCGA data analysis revealed that ALDH2 is a prognostic factor in AML. Mechanistic studies revealed that TGF-β1-regulated gene signature is activated in AML cells co-cultured with stromal cells. Knockdown of TGF-β1 in BM-MSCs inhibited stroma-induced ALDH activity and ALDH2 expression in AML cells, whereas treatment with recombinant TGF-β1 induced an ALDH+ phenotype in AML cells. We also found that the non-canonical TGF-β pathway, through p38 activation, regulates ALDH2 expression in AML cells. Pharmacologic inhibition of ALDH2 significantly inhibited BM-MSC-induced ALDH activity and sensitized AML cells to chemotherapy. Conclusion BM-MSCs induce ALDH+ stem cell phenotype in AML cells through the non-canonical TGF-β pathway. ALDH2 is the crucial isoform regulating ALDH activity in AML cells and is a prognostic factor. Pharmacologic inhibition of ALDH2 sensitizes AML cells to standard chemotherapy. Grant Acknowledgement This study is partially supported by Leukemia SPORE CDA, IRG from MDACC, Cure Sonia Foundation and Golfer's Against Cancer to VLB. NIH (CA055164), MDACC Support Grant (CA016672), CPRIT-MIRA, and Paul and Mary Haas Chair in Genetics to MA.
Distributed Composite Multiple Criteria Routing Using Distance Vector

In this paper, we develop a Distributed Composite Multiple Criteria Routing approach for wireless networks. Unlike wired networks, wireless network nodes contain limited energy for packet transmission, and link connections are unreliable. This necessitates consideration of other routing metrics in addition to latency to achieve optimal network operations. Current network routing algorithms consider only one criterion (e.g. latency, energy, etc.) as a routing metric. Routing criteria are usually conflicting and competing, i.e. one cannot find a route that minimizes total energy consumption, latency and bit error rate simultaneously. The purpose of this paper is to develop new routing methods that can optimize routing considering multiple criteria simultaneously and find the best compromise solution with respect to the user’s preferences. This paper illustrates one specific Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method, namely, Normalized Weighted Additive Utility Function (NWAUF) for solving Multiple Criteria Routing. We first develop a global optimal Multiple Criteria solution. We then develop a Distributed Multiple Criteria Routing. We demonstrate that the Distributed Multiple Criteria Routing can obtain the Global Multiple Criteria solution for selected network problems with reasonable computational time. Extensive simulation results are presented.
Mechanism of the nucleotide exchange reaction in eukaryotic polypeptide chain initiation. Characterization of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor as a GTP-binding protein.

Abstract Polypeptide chain initiation in mammalian systems is regulated at the level of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). This multisubunit protein catalyzes the exchange of GDP bound to eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) for GTP. Although various models have been proposed for its mode of action, the exact sequence of events involved in nucleotide exchange is still uncertain. We have studied this reaction by three different experimental techniques: (a) membrane filtration assays to measure the release of [3H]GDP from the eIF-2.[3H]GDP binary complex, (b) changes in the steady-state polarization of fluorescamine-GDP during the nucleotide exchange reaction, and (c) sucrose gradient analysis of the total reaction. The results obtained do not support the reaction as written: eIF-2.GDP + GEF in equilibrium eIF-2.GEF + GDP. The addition of GEF alone does not result in the displacement of eIF-2-bound GDP. The release of bound GDP is dependent on the presence of both GTP and GEF, and this argues against the possibility of a substituted enzyme (ping-pong) mechanism for the guanine nucleotide exchange reaction. An important finding of the present study is the observation that GTP binds to GEF. The Kd value of 4 microM for GTP was estimated (a) by the extent of quenching of tryptophan fluorescence of GEF in the presence of GTP and (b) by the binding of [3H]GTP to GEF as measured on nitrocellulose membranes. The GEF-dependent release of eIF-2-bound GDP was studied at several constant concentrations of one substrate (GTP or eIF-2.GDP) while varying the second substrate concentration, and the results were then plotted according to the Lineweaver-Burk method. Taken together, the results of GTP and eIF-2.GDP binding to GEF and the pattern of the double-reciprocal plots strongly suggest that the guanine nucleotide exchange reaction follows a sequential mechanism.
Management of carcinoma of the corpus uteri

Abstract Patients treated for endometrial carcinoma at the Upstate Medical Center in the years 1956–1961 have been reviewed and the results tabulated and discussed. The modalities of treatment used during this period have been outlined and improvements in technique have been suggested. Preoperative irradiation and total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy 6 weeks later appear to be the treatment of choice, particularly if the uterus is sterilized by this procedure. It was also found that the associated features of infertility, diabetes, and hypertension were not raised to an appreciably significant level in this series. A small group of patients treated for uterine sarcoma over the same period is briefly discussed.
Dielectric and piezoelectric properties as a function of temperature for Pb(Yb/sub 1/2/Nb/sub 1/2/)O/sub 3/-PbTiO/sub 3/ single crystals

The dielectric and piezoelectric properties of high Curie temperature 0.6Pb(Yb/sub 1/2/Nb/sub 1/2/)O/sub 3/-0.4PbTiO/sub 3/ (PYNT40) single crystals as a function of temperature are reported. The Curie temperature of PYNT40 single crystals was about 270/spl deg/C and the rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition temperature was /spl sim/168/spl deg/C. The piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients at room temperature were d/sub 33/ /spl sim/ 1200pC/N, k/sub 33/ /spl sim/ 88%, d /sub 31/ /spl sim/ -500 pC/N, k/sub 31/ /spl sim/ -76% and d/sub 15/ /spl sim/ 1700pC/N, k/sub 15/ /spl sim/ 88%, respectively. The coupling coefficients remained nearly constant until /spl sim/160/spl deg/C, indicating improved temperature stability compared to Pb(Zn/sub 1/3/Nb/sub 2/3/)O/sub 3/-PbTiO/sub 3/ and Pb(Mg/sub 1/3/Nb/sub 2/3/)O/sub 3/-PbTiO/sub 3/ single crystals.
Studies of solid-solid interactions. I, Comparison of tensile strength theory with experiment using a model powder

Abstract A powder containing spherical submicron polystyrene particles with well-characterized surface chemistry has been prepared. The powder was obtained by freeze drying a polystyrene latex prepared by surfactant-free aqueous emulsion polymerization. Both the latex and the powder were characterized by various techniques. The polystyrene particles, by virtue of monodispersity and well-characterized surface chemistry, are proposed to be a model powder. Two different particle surface chemistries were tested, a sulfate-rich and a carboxyl-rich surface. The tensile strength of compacts was measured at relative humidities of 0%, 45% and 60%. The experimental tensile strengths were compared with those predicted by the recent theory proposed by Parfitt and Hartley. A large discrepancy was found between experiment and theory. Humidity was found to have an effect on the tensile strength but it was not large enough to account for the discrepancy.
Differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by polymerase chain reaction

A multiplex PCR assay was developed using two primer sets for the identification and differentiation of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni. Primer Set I amplifies a 460-bp fragment present in C. coli and C. jejuni. Set II amplifies a 160-bp target unique to C. jejuni. When the assay was performed on reference strains, amplification of C. coli yielded only the 460-bp fragment. Amplification of C. jejuni generated both the 160- and 460-bp fragments. Campylobacter field strains (n = 85) isolated from raw poultry were identified by PCR and by conventional biochemical methods. Species determination by the two methods agreed for 83 of the 85 isolates examined. By PCR, 23 were identified as C. coli and 62 as C. jejuni. One isolate was unidentifiable by biochemical testing. The PCR assay identified this isolated as C. coli. In addition, one strain which was identified as C. coli by biochemical testing was determined to be C. jejuni by PCR. The PCR assay offers an alternative to traditional biochemical typing methods for the identification and differentiation of C. coli and C. jejuni isolated from poultry. It is accurate, simple to perform, and can be completed within 8 h.
Armor All: The Self-Conception of Private Security Contractors

Whereas the values, attitudes and motivations of soldiers serving in their countries’ armed forces have been widely studied, to date we know very little about the motivations and self-conception of individuals working for the private security industry. Using data obtained through an online survey, this article explores the values, attitudes and identity of more than 200 private security contractors with law enforcement backgrounds and operational experience with a security firm in Iraq. Contrary to media dominating images of ruthless, moneygrabbing mercenaries, respondents in this sample adhered to attitudes and values very similar to those of professional soldiers serving in Western militaries. Author Bio(s) Volker Franke is Associate Professor of Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University. He is the author of Preparing for Peace: Military Identity, Value-Orientations, and Professional Military Education and more than 30 journal articles, book chapters, case studies and research reports on issues related to peace and security studies, conflict management, civil-military relations, development policy and social identity. Email: vfranke@kennesaw.edu This article is available in Peace and Conflict Studies: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol19/iss2/5 Peace and Conflict Studies Volume 19, Number 2 259 Armor All: The Self-Conception of Private Security Contractors
Inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and adhesion molecules in pulmonary inflammation and injury.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the mechanisms attributed to lung damage resulting during pulmonary inflammation. It will also focuses on specific models of pulmonary inflammation that have contributed to the knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms responsible for lung damage. The disruption of lung structure and pulmonary function can be a devastating event leading to lifelong illness and deteriorating health. Regulation of lung function is maintained by intricate mechanisms that promote a balance between host defenses against injurious and reactive inflammatory responses. An excessive inflammatory response can result in damage to the lung, leading to organ dysfunction. Induction of inflammatory responses is mediated through a multistep process initiated by the release of the early response cytokines as well as other components such as activation products of complement, oxidants, and proteinases. The activation of complement, production of inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines, up-regulation of adhesion molecule expression, localization and activation of inflammatory leukocyte populations, and release of damaging proteases together contribute to injury induced during various pulmonary diseases. The inhibition of a single factor may not be effective during any disease and a “cocktail” approach may be needed to effectively control vigorous inflammatory responses. The elucidation of mechanisms, through use of clinical and animal model research, during pulmonary inflammation is imperative for a better understanding of disease processes and development of appropriate and effective therapeutic approaches.
Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci for the northern leopard frog ( Rana pipiens )

We describe the cloning and characterization of nine microsatellite loci from the northern leopard frog. Seven loci consist of tetranucleotide repeats, one locus consists of a dinucleotide repeat and one locus consists of a GT repeat juxtaposed with a GATA repeat. In a sample of 36 frogs from a natural population, polymorphism at these loci ranged from two to 13 alleles per locus with expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.5 to 0.91. These loci will be useful to researchers since this species is used for a broad range of studies.
The Association of Stillbirth with Depressive Symptoms 6–36 Months Post‐Delivery

Background Stillbirths (>20 weeks’ gestation), which account for about 1 in 200 US pregnancies, may grieve parents deeply. Unresolved grief may lead to persistent depression. Methods We compared depressive symptoms in 2009 (6–36 months after index delivery) among consenting women in the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network's population-based case–control study conducted 2006–08 (n = 275 who delivered a stillbirth and n = 522 who delivered a healthy livebirth (excluding livebirths 12 on the Edinburgh Depression Scale were classified as currently depressed. Crude (cOR) and adjusted (aOR) odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals [CI] were computed from univariate and multivariable logistic models, with weighting for study design and differential consent. Marginal structural models examined potential selection bias due to low follow-up. Results Current depression was more likely in women with stillbirth (14.8%) vs. healthy livebirth (8.3%, cOR 1.90 [95% CI 1.20, 3.02]). However, after control for history of depression and factors associated with both depression and stillbirth, the stillbirth association was no longer significant (aOR 1.35 [95% CI 0.79, 2.30]). Conversely, for the 76% of women with no history of depression, a significant association remained after adjustment for confounders (aOR 1.98 [95% CI 1.02, 3.82]). Conclusions Improved screening for depression and referral may be needed for women's health care. Research should focus on defining optimal methods for support of women suffering stillbirth so as to lower the risk of subsequent depression.