cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of Biosecurity Protocols and Practices Adopted by Growers on Commercial Poultry Farms in Georgia, U. S. A.

SUMMARY. The integrated commercial poultry system is a highly connected network in which routine activities keep farms within a geographic area in constant contact. Consequently, biosecurity practices designed to minimize the transmission of infectious diseases between and within farms are an important component of modern flock health programs. A survey of Georgia poultry growers was conducted in order to assess the level of adoption of standard biosecurity measures by farm personnel and visitors. The results showed that compliance with recommended biosecurity practices did not significantly vary by company, farm size, or number of farms owned by the same grower. However, biosecurity was higher in the northern part of the state, where the density of farms is higher, and where there was an ongoing outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis at the time of the study. The survey found that growers place more emphasis on biosecurity measures targeting farm visitors than those targeting farm personnel. Most growers reported that all visitors to the farm were required to wear shoe covers, although visitors were not typically required to park outside the farm entrance or to wash tires on their vehicles. No visitor type was reportedly excluded from poultry houses during grow out on all farms. The results highlight the need to evaluate the comparative efficacy of specific biosecurity measures in order to set priorities and attain feasible rates of implementation of targeted biosecurity practices.
Reirradiation with stereotactic body radiotherapy: analysis of human spinal cord tolerance using the generalized linear–quadratic model

Aim: Using the generalized linear–quadratic (gLQ) model, we reanalyzed published dosimetric data from patients with radiation myelopathy (RM) after reirradiation with spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Materials & methods: Based on a published study, the thecal sac dose of five RM patients and 14 no RM patients were reanalyzed using gLQ model. Maximum point doses (Pmax) in the thecal sac were obtained. The gLQ-based biological effective doses were calculated and normalized (nBEDgLQ) to a 2-Gy equivalent dose (nBEDgLQ = Gy2/2_gLQ). The initial conventional radiotherapy dose, converted to Gy2/2_gLQ, was added. Results: Total (conventional radiotherapy + SBRT) mean Pmax nBEDgLQ was lower in no RM than RM patients: 59.2 Gy2/2_gLQ (range: 37.5–101.9) versus 94.8 Gy2/2_gLQ (range: 70.2–133.4) (p = 0.0016). The proportion of total Pmax nBEDgLQ accounted for by the SBRT Pmax nBEDgLQ was higher for RM patients. No RMs were seen below a total spinal cord nBEDgLQ of 70 Gy2/2_gLQ. Conclusion: The gLQ-deriv...
“Going With the Flow”—A Comparison of Interstate Elderly Migration During 1970–2000 Using the (I)PUMS Versus Full Census Data

Objectives: We investigate how much state-to-state elderly migration patterns have changed during 1970–2000 and compare the findings from 2 commonly used sources of data, the census flow tabulations and the integrated public use microdata series (IPUMS). Methods: We calculate descriptive statistics such as migration rates, the distribution of top destination and origin states, and a new migration Herfindahl–Hirschman Index that measures geographic concentration. Comparisons over time and between data sources are formalized using correlations and regression analyses that permit persistent flow patterns. Results: After an increase between 1970 and 1980, elderly migration rates have been stable, with a slight decline. Elderly migration has become less geographically concentrated; the decline of California and Florida and ascension of Nevada and the Carolinas as top destinations are evident. Correlation and regression analyses reveal that migration patterns are overall very persistent over time, especially using census tabulations based on a larger sample.
Potassium channel openers protect cardiac mitochondria by attenuating oxidant stress at reoxygenation

K+ channel openers have been recently recognized for their ability to protect mitochondria from anoxic injury. Yet the mechanism responsible for mitochondrial preservation under oxidative stress is...
An Econometric Analysis of Telecom Competition, Privatization, and Regulation in Africa and Latin America

This paper explores the effects of privatization, competition, and regulation on telecommunications performance in 30 African and Latin American countries from 1984 through 1997. Fixed-effects regressions reveal that competition??measured by mobile operators not owned by the incumbent??is correlated with increases in the per capita number of mainlines, payphones, and connection capacity, and with decreases in the price of local calls. Privatization combined with an independent regulator is positively correlated with telecom performance measures. Privatization alone, however, is associated with few benefits, and is negatively correlated with connection capacity.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation does not augment epidural labor analgesia.

Abstract Study Objective: To evaluate whether transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can increase the quality and duration of an initiation dose of bupivacaine used for the establishment of epidural labor analgesia. Design: Randomized, double-blind study. Setting: Tertiary-care academic medical center. Patients: 40 ASA physical status I and II parturients in early, active spontaneous labor with a singleton, vertex term fetus, and requesting analgesia. Interventions: A standardized epidural technique with either an active or inactive TENS unit was performed. Before epidural placement, TENS intensity thresholds were determined with electrodes placed over the paraspinus muscles at T 10 –L 1 , and S 2 –S 4 ; TENS settings for mode, cycle, and pulse width were standardized. Measurements: Data were collected at timed intervals on pain as measured by visual analog scale (VAS), sensory level (pinprick), motor blockade (Bromage score), cervical dilation, and duration of analgesia. Main Results: The duration of analgesia produced by the initial dose of epidural bupivacaine did not differ between groups (TENS turned off 82.3 ± 26 [mean ± SD] vs. TENS activated 80.7 ± 40 min, p = 0.88). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Mantel-Cox log rank analysis showed no difference between the two treatments ( p = 0.75). No difference in the quality of analgesia was observed between the two groups. Conclusions: In healthy laboring parturients, the application of a TENS unit did not alter the quality or duration of an initiation dose of bupivacaine utilized for the establishment of epidural labor analgesia.
Nonlinear analysis of retail performance

A new class of models is proposed for use in economic correlation and forecasting. The new model, termed the multivariable polynomial regression (MPR) model, is essentially a multiple regression model with polynomial and cross-product (interaction) terms. For example, if Y is a function of Q, R, and S, terms can be included such as QR/sup 2/S or Q/sup 3/S. MPR models can be fitted using conventional multiple regression software, although an automated program facilitates the analysis. Only terms which are statistically significant are retained in the model. MPR models are likely to be applicable to low-to-moderate dimensionality problems as are encountered in economics. If the number of independent variables is not too great, MPR models compare favorably to artificial neural network (ANN) models: MPR models can provide a better fit with fewer coefficients; as a result there is less overfitting of "memorizing" of data; the fitting procedure converges absolutely; MPR models result in a simple explicit equation for prediction or analysis; standard statistical tests can be applied to all coefficients and forecast predictions. The technique was applied to correlation of the performance of retail stores to a set of thirteen potential causative variables. An MPR model was developed which was able to explain 82% of the variation in the gross margin of the stores under study.
Alternating Wet and Dry Episodes over California and Intraseasonal Oscillations

Abstract The NCEP–NCAR reanalysis together with the outgoing longwave radiation anomalies (OLRAs) and a gridded daily precipitation over the United States were used to analyze precipitation over California on intraseasonal timescales. The intraseasonal (10–90 days) filtered OLRAs were subjected to singular spectrum analysis, which identifies nonlinear oscillations in noisy time series. There are two dominant oscillatory modes associated with California rainfall with periods near 36–40 and 20–25 days. The 36–40-day mode is related to the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) in the Tropics. Enhanced tropical convection propagates from the western Pacific to the central Pacific. A three-cell pattern with negative OLRAs in California and positive anomalies in the eastern Pacific and the Pacific Northwest starts to develop 4 days later and rainfall starts in California. Anomalies associated with the 20–25-day mode are responsible for alternating wet and dry episodes over California with periods shorter than the tim...
Congenital hairy polyp of the oropharynx presenting as an esophageal mass in a neonate, a case report and literature review.

Abstract Purpose To review the literature of congenital hairy polyps and describe the clinical presentation, operative management, and histologic findings of a congenital hairy polyp arising from the palatopharyngeus muscle in a neonate with recurrent choking episodes. Methods Chart review of a 2-month-old male referred to a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Results We present a case of a 2-month-old male who presented to the emergency room with recurrent episodes of choking and vomiting. The patient was previously healthy with no prior medical or neonatal history. The parents noted a small fleshy mass in the patient's oropharynx that he would chew on and swallow after several minutes. However, on physical exam, there was no evidence of oropharyngeal mass. The patient did not have respiratory distress. Imaging revealed a 22 × 7 × 11 mm oblong, fatty mass in the lower cervical and upper thoracic esophagus with a thin stalk extending proximally to the upper collapsed esophagus. Intraoperative recorded laryngoscopy revealed a pedunculated soft palate mass attached to the right superior palatopharyngeus muscle. Histopathology revealed ectodermal and mesodermal elements in a polypoid structure lined by keratinizing squamous epithelium with adnexal structures and central mature adipose tissue, consistent with congenital hairy polyp resembling an accessory tragus of the ear and branchial anomaly. At 6-week follow up, the patient was doing well and gaining weight appropriately with no further choking episodes. There was no evidence of velopharyngeal dysfunction on follow up exam. The surgical site was completely healed and there was no evidence of recurrence. Discussion Congenital hairy polyps of the naso- and oropharynx are rare but may present as airway or esophageal masses, causing respiratory distress or choking episodes in a pediatric patient. The pathologic findings of keratinizing squamous epithelium, adnexal structures, adipose and cartilage tissues resemble congenital accessory tragus and may be considered a branchial arch anomaly.
SMILe: shuffled multiple-instance learning

Resampling techniques such as bagging are often used in supervised learning to produce more accurate classifiers. In this work, we show that multiple-instance learning admits a different form of resampling, which we call "shuffling." In shuffling, we resample instances in such a way that the resulting bags are likely to be correctly labeled. We show that resampling results in both a reduction of bag label noise and a propagation of additional informative constraints to a multiple-instance classifier. We empirically evaluate shuffling in the context of multiple-instance classification and multiple-instance active learning and show that the approach leads to significant improvements in accuracy.
Implementation and evaluation of an interictal spike detector

The detection of epileptiform activity, such as interictal spikes, in electrical brain recordings has important clinical and research applications. Identification of interictal spikes is often carried out manually by trained neurologists. It is a time-consuming process and can exhibit variability between experts. In this work, we develop and evaluate an automated spike detector. We implement a template-matching approach and improve its accuracy on one set of recordings using a supervised machine-learning algorithm. Evaluation with two independent datasets shows the template-matching detector to perform comparably with experts and the version augmented with a classifier. In one test dataset, variations of the detection threshold partially explain discrepancies between experts. In the other, the detector demonstrates similar behavior to an existing algorithm developed with this dataset.
Thoracolumbar Arteriovenous Malformations Presenting with Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Case Series and Review of Literature

Objective Cryptogenic intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage accounts for approximately 15% of all subarachnoid hemorrhage cases. Diagnostic workup after negative cerebral digital subtraction angiogram typically includes magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cervical spine for arteriovenous malformations, tumors, and fistulae. Only a few cases of thoracolumbar spinal vascular malformations have been associated with intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods Case series and review of the literature. Results We found 3 patients at our institution who had nontraumatic, nonaneurysmal intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage with isolated spinal vascular malformation in the thoracolumbar region. Including our 3 cases, we found a total of 15 similar cases in the literature. Most of the patients were younger, most having concurrent spinal cord symptoms of radiculopathy (27%), myelopathy (20%), or bladder bowel involvement (20%). Most of the spinal vascular malformations were intramedullary or conus medullaris type. Locations of intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage were mostly isolated to the perimesencephalic area and posterior fossa. Conclusions In younger populations presenting with nonaneurysmal intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage and symptoms related to the spinal cord, evaluation for thoracolumbar spinal vascular malformations must be included in the initial workup.
Effect of Degree of Unsaturation on NOx Formation in Partially Premixed Flames of Biofuels

The effect of iodine number on NOx formation in laminar flames of three oxygenated biofuels was studied at an equivalence ratio of 2. Neat soy methyl ester, neat canola methyl ester, and methyl stearate, which had similar energy content and carbon chain length, were tested. The iodine numbers for these fuels varied from 0.5 to 142. Inflame NOx concentration and temperature were measured. The peak NOx concentration occurred in the near-burner region for all biofuels: 404 ppm for soy, 388 ppm for canola, and 123 ppm for the methyl stearate fuel, and did not correlate with the location of the peak temperature. Therefore, the peak concentration in this region was traced to the Fenimore mechanism. Also, the peak NOx concentration was significantly increased with iodine numbers (degree of unsaturation of the fuel molecule). Thus, a strong correlation exists between the chemical structure of the fuel and the NOx emission of the premixed flame.© 2009 ASME
Laboratory Estimation of Rock Joint Stiffness and Frictional Parameters

Numerical modeling of complex rock engineering problems involves the use of various input parameters which control usefulness of the output results. Hence, it is of utmost importance to select the right range of input physical and mechanical parameters based on laboratory or field estimation, and engineering judgment. Joint normal and shear stiffnesses are two popular input parameters to describe discontinuities in rock, which do not have specific guidelines for their estimation in literature. This study attempts to provide simple methods to estimate joint normal and shear stiffnesses in the laboratory using the uniaxial compression and small-scale direct shear tests. Samples have been prepared using rocks procured from different depths, geographical locations and formations. The study uses a mixture of relatively smooth natural joints and saw-cut joints in the various rock samples tested. The results indicate acceptable levels of uncertainty in the calculation of the stiffness parameters and provide a database of good first estimates and empirical relations which can be used for calculating values for joint stiffnesses when laboratory estimation is not possible. Joint basic friction angles have also been estimated as by-products in the small scale direct shear tests.
National Surveys and Tobacco Use Among African Americans: A Review of Critical Factors.

Introduction Beginning in the 1970s, US national surveys showed African American youth having a lower prevalence of cigarette smoking than white youth. Yet, during adulthood, African Americans have a smoking prevalence comparable to white adults. Data sources chosen can contribute in different ways to understanding tobacco use behaviors among African American youth and adults; this article is a review of national and/or state-based health surveys to examine their methodology, racial and ethnic classifications, and tobacco-use related measures. Methods Eleven national and/or state based surveys were selected for review. Eight surveys were multitopic and included questions on tobacco use and three surveys were tobacco specific. Survey methods included telephone (4), household (3), and school (4). Three major characteristics examined for each survey were: (1) survey design and methods, (2) racial and ethnic background classification, and (3) selected tobacco smoking questions. Within these three characteristics, 15 factors considered to be important for examining tobacco use behaviors by African Americans were identified a priori using previously published reviews and studies. Results Within survey design and methods, the majority of surveys (≥7) oversampled African Americans and did not use proxy respondents for tobacco questions. All surveys used Office of Management and Budget standard classification for race/ethnicity classification. The majority of surveys (≥7) captured five of the seven tobacco-related smoking questions. Conclusions Programmatic objectives and/or research questions should guide the selection of data sources for tobacco control programs and researchers examining African American tobacco use behaviors. Implications This review of 11 national and state tobacco-related surveys shows that these surveys provide much needed estimates of tobacco use behaviors. However, as tobacco programs and researchers seek to examine tobacco use behaviors among African Americans, it is important to consider multiple surveys as each can contribute to informing the tobacco experience in African Americans. Most importantly, programmatic objectives and/or research questions should guide the selection of data sources for tobacco control programs and researchers examining African American tobacco use behaviors.
The Politics of Ocean Resource Exploitation

Technological development is allowing ocean resource exploitation to advance at an unprecedented scale and pace. Recent sessions of the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference (UNCLOS), however, have demonstrated that disputes over how ocean resources should be exploited, and on whose behalf, have accompanied this technological development. Ocean resource politics practiced at UNCLOS manifests four major themes common to resource politics in general: (1) a movement toward exercising greater control over NGOs; (2) a strong north-south ideological split pervading the negotiations; (3) the difficulties in aggregating interests around the north-south axis; (4) a recognition of the interdependence between north and south in resource exploitation. Efforts to promote a global management approach to the negotiations have been unsuccessful, since national leaders lack a common conceptual framework with which to assess ocean resource management.
Lipid and bone matrix calcification in vitro.

SummaryA calcifiable matrix was prepared by decalcification of marmoset femurs. Lipid extraction rendered the matrix noncalcifiable. The crude phospholipid fraction of the lipid extract induced apatite crystallinity in a metastable calcium phosphate solution. The acetone-soluble fraction did not. The results show lipid is involved in calcification of a bone matrix, in vitro, and that the nucleator is in the crude phospholipid fraction.
BM-28BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST CANCER METASTASIS TO THE BRAIN

BACKGROUND: Brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer are associated with poor prognosis. While basal-like and HER2+ cancers are at highest risk of BM, no effective treatments exist. Comprehensive characterization of the transcriptome of matched primary breast (PB) tumors and BM may allow for discovery of pathways mediating BM. METHODS: Pathology records were searched for surgical resection of BM from PB. Archival FFPE material was obtained along with chart and tumor registry clinical data. TMA sections were stained with ER, PR and HER2. Tumor DNA/RNA was extracted from macrodissected 2 mm cores from FFPE. Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix HTA 2.0 arrays on 96 FFPE samples for whom sufficient RNA was available. PAM50 subtypes were derived and differential gene expression between BM and PB was estimated using the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test followed by multiple testing correction. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using KEGG and NCI Pathway Interaction Databases. RESULTS: 68 BM were identified. 30 had matching PB tissue. BMs were predominantly parenchymal (dural-based, 11). Most were supratentorial. We found a total of 390 genes to be significantly differentially expressed (pval < 0.05; FDR < 0.1) between the 27 matched brain mets and primary tumor pairs. Persistent enrichment of integrins and immune-related pathways were seen among the modulated genes. Also, STAT3 activation in brain mets compared to primary tumors may suggest the possibility of Jak or IL-6/IL-6R interactions as potential therapeutic targets. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows significant modulation of driver pathways in BM when compared with matched PB tumors.
The epidemiologic characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease in Nanping,Fujian,2008-2010

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD) in Nanping,Fujian,and provide scientific basis for the disease control and prevention.Methods We analyzed the epidemics of HFMD in Nanping,Fujian.The data of HFMD cases were extracted from National Electronic Disease Surveillance System and summarized with the method of descriptive epidemiology.Results A total of 6 585 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease were reported in Nanping,Fujian,from the beginning of 2008 to the end of November,2010.The annual incidence rates of HFMD were 37.27/lakh,72.02/lakh and 116.08/lakh for the year of 2008-2010,respectively.The severe cases of disease were reported in 0.29%(19/6 585) patients,including 6 mortality cases(0.09%).The peak seasons of HFMD incidences were spring(March-May) and autumn(September-November).Most cases(84.91%) occurred in children aged less than three years.HFMD had male-to-female ratio of 1.684∶1.The positive rate of enterovirus detection was 35.66%(383/1 074),including 85.12%(326/383) of EV71 infection.Conclusions Children aged less than 3 years are the high risk population for HFMD infection.EV71 was the major etiological pathogen of HFMD in Nanping,Fujian.
Prevention of progression of nephropathy

Several factors have been implicated in progressive nephropathy. In a recent clinical trial, the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study, six factors out of 41 examined were found to be predictors of progression of renal disease: proteinuria, mean arterial pressure, black race, diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease, serum transferin levels, and serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Hypertension as a factor in progressive renal disease has been documented in both animal and human studies. Patients in the MDRD study were randomly assigned to two levels of blood pressure control: usual (mean arterial pressure of 107 mmHg) or low (mean arterial pressure of 92 mmHg). Patients with proteinuria > 1 g/day assigned to the low blood pressure goal had a slower mean decline in GFR as compared to patients assigned to the usual blood pressure goal. Recommendations derived from the results of the MDRD study specify that in patients with proteinuria > 1 g/day, a mean arterial pressure goal of 92 mmHg or less (equivalent to a blood pressure of 125/75 mmHg) should be the target. Several studies have suggested that dietary protein restriction benefits patients with chronic renal disease. The MDRD study found that dietary protein restriction slowed disease progression in patients with more advanced renal disease (GFR 13-24 ml/min) at the onset of the trial. In summary, current evidence indicates that a decrease in proteinuria, lowering of systemic blood pressure, and a decreased intake of protein ameliorate the rate of progression (loss of GFR) in patients with chronic renal disease.
Tissue studies of persons with intakes of the actinide elements: the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries.

For more than three decades, the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) have studied the biokinetics, dosimetry, and biological effects of plutonium, uranium, and americium through voluntary postmortem tissues from persons with known intakes. Radiochemical analyses of tissue obtained at autopsy have shown that plutonium and americium have different biokinetics and an appreciable deposition in the soft tissues of the body as well as the known depots in skeleton and liver. Studies of whole-body Thorotrast donors to the USTUR indicate that commonly accepted risk coefficients for alpha induction of bone sarcoma may be too high while those for leukemia are a factor of six too low. This review considers these and other major contributions of the USTUR.
PECAM: Regulating the start of diapedesis

The molecules involved in the capturing, rolling, adhesion, and locomotion steps of leukocyte emigration have been described in earlier chapters in this book. PECAM is primarily involved in diapedesis — the step in which leukocytes squeeze in ameboid fashion between the tightly apposed endothelial cells that line the blood vessels at a site of inflammation. It is also the “point of no return” for the leukocyte. In vivo as viewed by intravital microscopy, the preceding steps of capturing, rolling, locomotion, and adhesion are reversible. Most leukocytes that enter a postcapillary venule at the site of inflammation are not captured; many of the leukocytes that do adhere to the endothelium release back into the circulation. Once the leukocyte commits to diapedesis, however, it continues to migrate into the inflamed tissue and does not return to the circulation — at least not as the same cell.
Abstract 4684: Modulating the function of multidrug resistance ABCG2 transporter by tyrosine kinases receptor inhibitor cabozantinib

Cabozantinib (XL184) is an oral tyrosine kinases receptor inhibitor which inhibits MET and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Cabozantinib has been approved by Food and Drug Administration for treating advanced medullary thyroid cancer and it is also tested in clinical trials on other solid tumors, including prostate, bladder, ovarian and breast cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of cabozantinib in modulating the function of ABCG2 transporter in drug-selected H460/MX20 cell line and ABCG2 stable transfected cell lines ABCG2-482-R2, ABCG2-482-G2 and ABCG2-482-T7. Cabozantinib at non-toxic level can sensitize the ABCG2-overexpressing cells to antineoplastic drugs mitoxantrone, SN-38 and topotecan. Our results indicated that cabozantinib reversed ABCG2 mediated multi-drug resistance by antagonizing the drug efflux function of ABCG2. However, this reversal effect was not attributed to reduced expression of ABCG2 protein, because ABCG2 protein level was unchanged after treatment of 4μM cabozantinib for 72 hours. Immunofluorescence result showed that cabozantinib did not alter the cellular localization of ABCG2 transporter. Docking analysis indicated that cabozantinib binds to the drug-binding site of ABCG2 transporter. Finally, cabozantinib at 4μM did not significantly change the resistance of ABCB1 overexpressing cell line SW620/AD300 to antineoplastic drug paclitaxel. Overall, our finding demonstrated that cabozantinib potentiates the cytotoxic effects of various antineoplastic drugs that are substrates of ABCG2 and that this is due to modulating the function of ABCG2 transporter. Keyword: Cabozantinib; ABCG2; Multidrug resistance; Citation Format: Guannan Zhang, Yun-Kai Zhang, Yi-Jun Wang, Zhe-Sheng Chen. Modulating the function of multidrug resistance ABCG2 transporter by tyrosine kinases receptor inhibitor cabozantinib. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4684.
The Human Body: The Advantages of Specialization

Being multicellular has definite advantages. The form and size of the human body, our ability to run and swim, the levels of thought and sensation that we experience…all are a consequence of having a body that is composed of many cells. Because we are composed of trillions of individual cells, our cells have the freedom to specialize on their own individual tasks (Fig. 6.1). Cells in our skin specialize in protection by building tough networks of insulating proteins. Cells in our digestive tract are experts in absorption and metabolism of food and nutrients, feeding the rest of the body. Cells in our muscles specialize in generating force, and bone cells entomb themselves in mineral crystals, building a skeleton that articulates this force. A few remarkable cells in the gonads specialize in reproduction. They guard the information and resources that are needed, with the help of a matched cell from the opposite sex, to build an entire new human body. Perhaps most amazing of all, cells in our brain specialize in processing chemical and electrical signals, giving rise to our rich inner world of mind.
Superoxide Inhibits ADAMTS-13 Activity and Regulates Sickle Cell Adhesion.

Abstract The major clinical manifestations of sickle cell anemia are due to a vaso-occlusive process that leads to severe pain crises, tissue infarction, and in some instances, death. The pathophysiology of vaso-occlusion is extremely complex, the proximate cause appearing to be an increase in the adhesive interaction between sickle erythrocytes and vascular endothelium. There is ample evidence that it is the highest molecular weight forms of VWF, the ultra-large multimers (ULVWF), expressed on endothelium support sickle erythrocyte adhesion most potently. We postulate that variation in the activity of the plasma metalloprotease, ADAMTS-13, which processes ULVWF to the VWF form normally found in plasma will be an important determinant of the propensity for individuals with sickle cell anemia to develop vaso-occlusive crises. It has also been postulated that increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) also contributes to the pathology of sickle cell disease. ROS have been implicated in diverse cellular processes, acting through oxidation of cysteine residues. ADAMTS-13 is a cysteine-rich protein; we therefore hypothesized that its function could be affected by ROS. We measured ADAMTS-13 activity in the plasmas of sickle cell disease patients, both in the “steady state” and at various times during vaso-occlusive crises. We used three assays: a static assay that measures the ability of patient plasma to reduce the size of endothelial-derived ULVWF, a static assay that assesses the ability of patient plasma to cleave a recombinant VWF A2 fragment, and an assay performed under flow that evaluates the ability of patient plasma to cleave ULVWF attached to the surfaces of histamine-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Five of nine patients with sickle cell anemia had significantly lower ADAMTS-13 activity than measured in normal controls during the chronic phase of the illness, some with activity measuring below 50% of normal levels. We also evaluated activity in two patients during acute vaso-occlusive crisis. Both patients had levels on the day of hospitalization that were indistinguishable from the levels found in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Recovery of activity correlated with clinical recovery, to the point that in both cases activity was normal upon hospital discharge. We then compared superoxide generation facilitated by sickle erythrocytes with that generated by normal erythrocytes and found, as others have a significantly higher generation by sickle erythrocytes. We also found that superoxide (produced using a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system) significantly decreased the activity of both plasma and recombinant ADAMTS-13 in vitro. Superoxide was also able to stimulate release of ULVWF and cell-membrane expression from cultured HUVEC. These results suggest that the enhanced production of superoxide in patients with sickle cell disease plays an important role in promoting erythrocyte adhesion to the endothelium by both stimulating release of ULVWF and inhibiting its cleavage by ADAMTS-13.
Medical students’ perceptions and preferences for sexual health education

AbstractSexual health topics are not well-covered in US medical schools. Research has not typically asked medical students what sexual health topics they would like addressed and their preferred methods of sexual health education. This study attempted to address this deficit via an online survey of medical students at an institution where little sexual health education is offered. Participants reported receiving the most education in endocrinology and sexually transmitted infections, but they also saw the following topics as important: sexual development, child sexual abuse, healthy sexuality, male sexual dysfunction and female dysfunction. Participants were more confident in talking to adults about sexual health matters than children, and more uncomfortable talking to opposite sex patients. Perceived barriers to sexual health education in medical school included a busy curriculum, other topics being seen as more important, religious influences, discomfort with sexuality and unqualified teaching faculty. ...
Visualization of Electrochemical Reactions in Battery Materials with X-ray Microscopy and Mapping

Unlocking the full performance capabilities of battery materials will require a thorough understanding of the underlying electrochemical mechanisms at a variety of length scales. A broad arsenal of X-ray microscopy and mapping techniques is now available to probe these processes down to the nanoscale. The tunable nature of X-ray sources allows for the extraction of chemical states through spectromicroscopy. The addition of phase contrast imaging can retrieve the complex-valued refraction of the material, giving an even more nuanced chemical picture. Tomography and coherent Bragg diffraction imaging provide a reconstructed three-dimensional volume of the specimen, as well as internal strain information from the latter. Many recent insights into battery materials have been achieved through the creative use of these, and similar, methods. Experiments performed while the battery is being actively cycled reveal behavior that differs significantly from what is observed at equilibrium and metastable conditions. ...
PCR primer selection tool optimized for high-throughput proteomics and structural genomics.

Structures Without Strictures Structural biologists have their work cut out for them. There are some 2.5 million nonredundant protein sequences in GenBank®, but only about 24,000 protein structures...
Can You Hear Me? Teaching Music Librarianship Online

This article will examine online music librarianship instruction and its potential. Drawing on surveys of students, questionnaires and syllabi from professors, and personal experience teaching music librarianship online for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), I will examine the pros and cons of teaching music librarianship online and provide strategies for designing and teaching a successful course that can, perhaps, be as good as or better than one taught in a traditional classroom.
Public estimates of support for offshore wind energy: False consensus, pluralistic ignorance, and partisan effects

Abstract Meeting future energy demands will require large-scale implementation of renewable energy projects. If one of these energy sources—offshore wind—becomes a common sight off coastlines, consideration of local public opinion and action will be critical. Previous research from the social sciences has lacked depth in examining the underlying factors that shape public opinion towards offshore wind development. The current research brings a new perspective to the literature by showing that how members of the public perceive support among others relates to their own opinions of offshore wind energy. We report results from two surveys. The first focused on opinion formation relating to offshore wind in general among New England residents, while the second focused on a specific offshore wind project in Rhode Island. We find evidence that both supporters and opponents of offshore wind underestimate levels of support among others, indicating a pluralistic ignorance effect and false consensus effect, respectively. We also find distinct patterns of perceived support among self-identified Republicans and Democrats. The findings hold important implications for policymakers and developers in understanding the nature of public support and opposition for offshore wind energy, particularly with respect to individuals’ willingness to publicly engage with offshore wind projects.
Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances

An understanding of the basic principles of pharmacology is essential to understand how psychoactive substances exert their effects. Pharmacology has two major components—pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.
Mapping the Terrain: Examining the Conditions for Alignment Between the Rhetoric of Health and Medicine and the Medical Humanities

ABSTRACTThis article offers an empirical study of literature in the rhetoric of health and medicine (RHM) and the medical humanities (MH). Article traces the topics, funding mechanisms, research methods, theoretical frameworks, evidence types, audience, discourse arrangement patterns, and action orientation that constitute the scholarship in the sample to offer a landscape of the current state of RHM and the MH. Findings can be leveraged to assess the potential for alignment between these fields for future research.
Three Complement-Type Repeats of the Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein Define a Common Binding Site for RAP, PAI-1, and Lactoferrin

The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is a 600-kD scavenger receptor that binds a number of protein ligands with high affinity. Although some ligands do not compete with each other, binding of all is uniformly blocked by the 39-kD receptor-associated protein (RAP). RAP is normally found in the endoplasmic reticulum and seems to function as a chaperone for LRP. To identify the binding sites for RAP, lactoferrin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a bacterial expression system has been developed to produce soluble LRP fragments spanning residues 783-1399. These residues overlap most of the CNBr fragment containing the second cluster of complement-type repeats (C). Solid phase binding assays show that 125I-RAP binds to fragments containing three successive complement-type repeats: C5-C7. PAI-1 and lactoferrin bind to the same fragments. A fragment containing C5-C7 also blocks uptake and degradation of 125I-RAP by fibroblasts in a concentration-dependent manner. Binding competition experiments show that RAP, PAI-1, and lactoferrin each inhibit the binding of the others, suggesting that at this site in LRP, RAP acts as a competitive, rather than an allosteric, inhibitor of PAI-1 and lactoferrin binding. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.
Role of Zr in strengthening MoSi2 from density functional theory calculations

Abstract MoSi2 is an important intermetallic with excellent oxidation resistance at high temperatures above 1000 °C. However, its application at lower temperatures is limited by oxygen embrittlement, a phenomenon known as “pesting”. In this work, we comprehensively investigate the role of Zr in mitigating pesting in MoSi2 using density functional theory calculations. We show that Zr dopants reduce the embrittling effects of oxygen interstitials at MoSi2 grain boundaries by being a charge donor to oxygen. However, a more substantial effect is observed when Zr is present as a secondary getter nanoparticle phase. Oxygen interstitials have a strong thermodynamic driving force to migrate into the Zr subsurface at the Zr/MoSi2 interface, and the work of separation of the clean and oxygen-contaminated Zr/MoSi2 interfaces are much higher than that of MoSi2 grain boundaries. Finally, we present an efficient screening approach to identify other potential getter elements using simple thermodynamic descriptors, which can be extended to other alloy systems of interest. These findings provide crucial fundamental insights and further avenues to optimize Mo and other alloys.
Identification of a Potent, Highly Selective, and Brain Penetrant Phosphodiesterase 2A Inhibitor Clinical Candidate.

Computational modeling was used to direct the synthesis of analogs of previously reported phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) inhibitor 1 with an imidazotriazine core to yield compounds of significantly enhanced potency. The analog PF-05180999 (30) was subsequently identified as a preclinical candidate targeting cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia. Compound 30 demonstrated potent binding to PDE2A in brain tissue, dose responsive mouse brain cGMP increases, and reversal of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist-induced (MK-801, ketamine) effects in electrophysiology and working memory models in rats. Preclinical pharmacokinetics revealed unbound brain/unbound plasma levels approaching unity and good oral bioavailability resulting in an average concentration at steady state (Cav,ss) predicted human dose of 30 mg once daily (q.d.). Modeling of a modified release formulation suggested that 25 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) could maintain plasma levels of 30 at or above targeted efficacious plasma levels for ...
An examination of ethnic identity as a mediator of the effects of community participation and neighborhood sense of community on psychological empowerment among urban youth of color.

Empowerment research has made important contributions toward understanding youth development, well-being, and activism; however, it has failed to consider the impact that ethnic identity has on psychological empowerment (PE) and among related empowerment predictors (e.g., community participation and neighborhood sense of community [SOC]). The present study focuses on examining the mediating role of ethnic identity between community participation, neighborhood SOC, and PE. Using structural equation modeling path analysis techniques among a sample of Hispanic and Black youth (N = 1,480) from an underresourced community, this study examines the mediating role of ethnic identity between community participation, neighborhood SOC, and PE. Community participation and neighborhood SOC had a positive direct effect on both ethnic identity and PE. Both community participation and neighborhood SOC also indirectly affected PE through ethnic identity. This study supports the mediating role of ethnic identity and the direct effect of ethnic identity on PE. Results point toward the importance of ethnic identity with PE and in the empowerment process. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
A Hierarchical Bayes Approach to Small Area Estimation with Auxiliary Information

Small area estimation is becoming increasingly popular in survey sampling. Agencies of the Federal Government have been involved in obtaining estimates of population counts, unemployment rates, per capita income, crop yields and so forth for state and local government areas. In many instances, only a few samples are available from an individual area, and an estimate of a certain area mean, or simultaneous estimates of several area means can be improved by incorporating information from similar neighboring areas.
Quantitative Spatial Analysis of Hypoxia and Vascular Perfusion in Tumor Sections

The presence of tumor hypoxia is associated with poor patient outcome to cancer treatment, including radiation therapy and surgery. Hypoxia itself may indicate a more aggressive tumor phenotype, and tumor hypoxia has been associated with the probability of metastatic development. Numerous methods are available to quantify hypoxia, including polarographic needle probes (e.g., Eppendorf p02 histograph), fluorescence-based needle probes (e.g., OxyLite), the comet assay, and nitroimidazole-based hypoxia markers (e.g., pimonidazole, NITP, EF3, and EF5). A unique feature of hypoxia markers is that they permit the investigation of not only tumor-averaged hypoxia, but also the spatial distribution of oxygen within the biopsies sampled. Such data facilitate the investigation of the effects of intratumoral oxygen distribution on the microregional response to oxygen-dependent treatment modalities. For example, knowledge of the spatial distribution of oxygen is important in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), which may target vascular-distant tumor cells, as well as the vascular endothelium itself. The present manuscript describes a Matlab-based image-processing program that we have developed for the quantitative analysis of the spatial distribution of tumor hypoxia, as labeled by the hypoxia markers EF3 or EF5.
A NEW INTRODUCTORY COURSE IN STATISTICS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the goals and constraints of a contemporary introductory statistics course. The beginning service course should provide students with the knowledge to formulate (real) problems in statistical terms, the tools to carry out the statistical analyses appropriate for the data that occur naturally in these problems, and the ability to interpret and report the results of the analyses. The conditions and constraints that limit what can be done in an elementary statistics course are lack of student preparation, delicate student mental attitude and self-image, and insufficient time. With a class consisting entirely of well prepared, highly motivated students with enough self confidence to withstand the emotional shock of difficult and foreign ideas being thrust upon them at a rapid pace, it would be possible to (nearly) achieve the stated goals in a one-semester or two-quarter course.