cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Culture, Children, and Mental Health Treatment: Special Section on the National Stigma Study-Children

Stigma—the prejudice and discrimination linked to individuals with mental illness—has been a mainstay of psychiatric and social science research. Yet a resurgence of academic, policy, and provider interest began in the mid-1990s and culminated in 1999 with the White House Conference on Mental Health and the first-ever Surgeon General’s report on mental illness. Interest has continued, with several programmatic efforts surrounding the recommendations of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. As a result, we now have a solid, if not complete, knowledge base about the nature, levels, and correlates of community-based attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral dispositions toward adults with schizophrenia, depression, and addictive disorders. Importantly, no such foundation had existed on the stigma that may accompany the serious emotional disorders that children and adolescents experience or on the attitudinal barriers to and social ramifications of seeking care. Given the high level of media and professional discussion about the rise in children’s use of psychiatric medication, there is a surprising lack of empirical evidence about public perceptions of child and adolescent disorders, the parents and children who experience them, and the need for or reaction to available treatments. In the absence of such data, the tendency is to fall back on what is known about adults’ mental illness and to transfer to our research our own impressions of how cultural subgroups—for example, different racial or ethnic groups or those with more education—think and feel about medical care and the mental health system. Sociologists and other social scientists have long predicted that as modern society became more complex, allowing greater freedom in social interactions, sociodemographic characteristics would be increasingly weak substitutes for cul
Enhanced Phosphorylation of NMDA Receptor 1 Subunits in Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn and Spinothalamic Tract Neurons after Intradermal Injection of Capsaicin in Rats

The functional enhancement of NMDA receptors after peripheral tissue injury is proposed to contribute to the sensitization of spinothalamic tract (STT) cells and hyperalgesia. Protein phosphorylation is a major mechanism for the regulation of NMDA receptor function. In this study, Western blots, immunofluorescence double labeling, and the retrograde tracing method were used to examine whether phosphorylation of NMDA receptor 1 (NR1) subunits increases in spinal cord tissue and spinal dorsal horn neurons, especially in STT cells, after injection of capsaicin (CAP) into the glabrous skin of one hindpaw of anesthetized rats. Western blots showed that phosphorylated NR1 protein in spinal cord tissue was increased 30 min after CAP injection. Immunofluorescence double-labeling staining showed no significant difference in the number of the NR1-like immunoreactive neurons in laminae I–VII in the lumbosacral segments (L4–S1) on the ipsilateral and the contralateral sides 30 min after CAP or vehicle injection. However, the numbers of phospho-NR1-like immunoreactive neurons were significantly increased on the ipsilateral side compared with the vehicle injection group. STT cells were labeled by bilateral microinjections of the retrograde tracer fluorogold into the lateral thalamus, including the ventral-posterior lateral nucleus. Immunofluorescence staining was performed at 30, 60, and 120 min after CAP injection or at 30 min after vehicle injection. There was a significant increase in the proportion of STT cells with phosphorylated NR1 subunits compared either with the contralateral side 30 and 60 min after CAP injection or either side of animals after intradermal injection of vehicle. These results provide direct evidence that NMDA receptors in STT cells are phosphorylated after CAP injection.
Analysis of the Mean Forcing Fields Simulated By the Two-level, Mintz-Arakawa Atmospheric Model

Abstract The global distributions of the mean January surface wind stress, the net diabatic heating rate, and the net rate of moisture addition as simulated in a 30-day integration with the two-level, Mintz-Arakawa atmospheric general circulation model are presented. The latitudinal distributions of the zonal averages of these forcing fields are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the available observations. The most prominent discrepancies are evidently due to the model's simulation of excessive convective precipitation (and the associated convective latent heating) in the Tropics, especially in the Northern (winter) Hemisphere. The zone of simulated tropical precipitation extends some 15° poleward of the observed position and results in a corresponding distortion of the field of evaporation-minus-precipitation (or moisture-addition rate). In determining the monthly mean forcing fields, one must be particularly accurate in accumulating the (convective) precipitation rate during the integration; the ...
Antheridiogen and abscisic acid affect conversion and ANI1 expression in Ceratopteris richardii gametophytes

The development of male Ceratopteris richardii Brongn. gametophytes (induction) is well studied. Males develop in response to hermaphrodite-produced antheridiogen, which coincides with induced expr...
Protest Leadership and State Boundaries: Protest Diffusion in Contemporary China*

How does protest spread in contemporary China? This paper analyses one case of cross-firm protest and two cases of cross-village protest in order to demonstrate a mechanism for protest diffusion, a topic rarely studied in the existing literature. It argues that central policies, protest leadership and a connective structure that links protest leaders and followers enable people with shared economic interests to protest together. Protests emerged when protest leaders, who were trained politically by the state and enjoyed moral standing in a small community, started popularizing policy documents among followers. Protest diffusion occurred when representatives from each participating unit coordinated with one another and coalesced around the core leaders, who decided tactics for the entire protest. The protestors, however, did not form coalitions across different administrative boundaries. Thus, protest leaders did play a decisive role in the spreading of a protest. However, the state also moulded and restricted the scale of the diffusion.
Working memory capacity and its relation to general intelligence

Early investigations of working memory capacity (WMC) and reasoning ability suggested that WMC might be the basis of Spearman's g. However, recent work has uncovered details about the basic processes involved in working memory tasks, which has resulted in a more principled approach to task development. As a result, claims now being made about the relation between WMC and g are more cautious. A review of the recent research reveals that WMC and g are indeed highly related, but not identical. Furthermore, WM span tasks involve an executive-control mechanism that is recruited to combat interference and this ability is mediated by portions of the prefrontal cortex. More combined experimental-differential research is needed to understand better the basis of the WMC-g relation.
Adaptive power flow method for distribution systems with dispersed generation

Recently, there has been great interest in the integration of dispersed generation units at the distribution level. This requires new analysis tools for understanding system performance. This paper presents an adaptive distributed power flow solution method based on the compensation-based method. The comprehensive distributed system model includes three-phase nonlinear loads, lines, capacitors, transformers, and dispersed generation units. The numerical properties of the compensation-based power flow method are compared and analyzed under different situations, such as load unbalance, sudden increase of one-phase loads, degree of meshed loops, number of generator nodes and so on. Based on these analyses, an adaptive compensation-based power flow method is proposed that is fast and reliable while maintaining necessary accuracy. It is illustrated that this adaptive method is especially appropriate for simulation of slow dynamics.
Augmenting Branch Predictor to Secure Program Execution

Although there are various ways to exploit software vulnerabilities for malicious attacks, the attacks always result in unexpected behavior in program execution, deviating from what the programmer/user intends to do. Program execution blindly follows the execution path specified by control flow transfer instructions with the targets generated at run-time without any validation. An enhancement is therefore proposed to secure program execution by introducing a validation mechanism over control flow transfer instructions at micro-architecture level. The proposed scheme, as a behavior-based protection, treats a triplet of the indirect branch's location, its target address, and the execution path preceding it as a behavior signature of program execution and validates it at run-time. The first two pieces of information can prevent an adversary from overwriting control data and introducing foreign code or impossible targets to redirect an indirect branch. The last one is necessary to defeat the attacks that use a legitimate target but follow an unintended execution path. Interestingly, the branch predictor is found to contain the signature information already and doing a portion of the validation when resolving the branch, thus greatly reducing the validation frequency. An enhancement of branch target buffer (BTB) entry together with a signature table implemented in the form of a Bloom filter in hardware is proposed to incorporate the validation into the processor's pipeline, providing a new defense in the processor architecture to secure program execution.
Analysis Of Green Financial Markets

Green financial markets are still in early stages of development. There are new green venture capital funds and green stocks to satisfy needs of project developers and investors. Various governments are also subsidizing new green ventures and project developers should take full advantage of these incentives. Also, there have been attempts to quantify riskiness of various green financial products so investors can make informed decisions.
A systematic review of predictive and prognostic biomarkers for VEGF-targeted therapy in renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy is the currently standard treatment for advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Multiple candidate predictive and prognostic biomarkers have been evaluated. We performed a systematic review and graded the available evidence on the biomarkers for VEGF-targeted therapy in RCC. Methods We conducted an independent review of PubMed and ASCO databases up to August 2013. Studies were included if biomarkers obtained from metastatic clear-cell RCC patients treated with the FDA-approved VEGF-targeted therapy were assessed for their correlation with clinical outcomes. We graded the studies and determined the Level-of-evidence for each biomarker using a previously published framework. Results A total of 50 articles were selected for this review. Seven studies assessed the predictive value of biomarkers using the archived specimens from randomized controlled trials. Five predictive biomarkers, such as VEGF, interleukin (IL)-6, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), osteopontin, single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-8, satisfied Level II evidence. IL-6 is the most corroborated predictive biomarker based on its consistent predictive value in two different trials. The prognostic value of biomarkers was assessed in 48 studies using the archived specimens from clinical trials, prospective and retrospective observational registries. Three biomarkers, including IL-8, HGF and osteopontin, satisfied Level I evidence for PFS. Conclusion Though several promising predictive biomarkers for VEGF-targeted therapy have been found, none of them has satisfied the determination of Level I evidence. A more focused development of biomarkers with prospective assessment in clinical trials and clear intent of use in clinical practice is needed.
HPLC Determination of Sugars in Raw and Baked Sweet Potatoes

Isocratic HPLC techniques were developed for the quantitative analysis of sugars in raw and baked sweet potato roots. The major sugars in raw roots: sucrose, glucose, and fructose, were quantitated with a cation exchange resin column (Aminex HPX-87C) heated to 75°C using HPLC-grade H2O as the mobile phase and refractive index detection. The major sugars in baked roots (convection oven or microwaved) were maltose, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. They were quantitated with an aminopropyl bonded phase column (Bio-Sil Amino 5S) at 21°C using a 70% CH3CN:30% H2O mobile phase and refractive index detection. Over 95% recoveries of all sugars added to sweet potato roots were obtained.
The Yeast Heat Shock Transcription Factor Changes Conformation in Response to Superoxide and Temperature

In vitro DNA-binding assays demonstrate that the heat shock transcription factor (HSF) from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can adopt an altered conformation when stressed. This conformation, reflected in a change in electrophoretic mobility, requires that two HSF trimers be bound to DNA. Single trimers do not show this change, which appears to represent an alteration in the cooperative interactions between trimers. HSF isolated from stressed cells displays a higher propensity to adopt this altered conformation. Purified HSF can be stimulated in vitro to undergo the conformational change by elevating the temperature or by exposing HSF to superoxide anion. Mutational analysis maps a region critical for this conformational change to the flexible loop between the minimal DNA-binding domain and the flexible linker that joins the DNA-binding domain to the trimerization domain. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of the induction of the heat shock response by ischemic stroke, hypoxia, and recovery from anoxia, all known to stimulate the production of superoxide.
Information Extraction, SNR Improvement, and Data Compression in Multispectral Imagery

The Karhunen-Loeve transformation is applied to multispectral data for information extraction, SNR improvement, and data compression. When applied in the spectral dimension, the transform provides a set of uncorrelated principal component images very useful in automatic classification and human interpretation. Significant improvements in SNR and estimates of the noise variance are also shown to be possible in the spectral dimension. Data compression results using the transform on one-, two-, and three-dimensional blocks over three general types of terrain are presented.
Vagal influence on colonic motor activity in conscious nonhuman primates

We investigated the role of the vagi in modulation of colonic motor activity in the fasted and fed states and determined the extent of vagal influence on colon motility in conscious monkeys. Monkeys were implanted with force transducers on the colon. A vagal cooling chamber was implanted supradiaphragmatically, and a vagal stimulating electrode was implanted just distal to the chamber. One week was allowed for recovery. After an overnight fast, control recordings were made for 1 h, and then the monkeys were either fed or remained fasting, with or without adrenergic blockade (propranolol and phentolamine). Then while recordings continued the vagi were cooled to their predetermined denervation temperature for 1 h. In a second set of experiments, adrenergic blockers were injected, and the vagi were stimulated during vagal cooling with or without atropine administration. In both the fasted and fed states, the contractile frequency was decreased during vagal cooling, with or without adrenergic blockade. With adrenergic blockade, however, the frequency of colon contractions was greater during cooling than during cooling without such blockade. Inhibition of colonic contractions during cooling decreased in magnitude from the proximal to the distal colon. Vagal efferent stimulation increased contractile frequency at all sites, but after atropine it decreased contractile frequency. We conclude that the vagi have either a direct or indirect influence on fasting and fed colonic motor activity throughout the colon, and that a nonadrenergic, noncholinergic inhibitory pathway is under vagal control.
Delayed Toxicity as a Critical Factor in the Efficacy of Aqueous Baits for Controlling Argentine Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Boric acid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam in sucrose aqueous baits had different delayed toxicities to worker Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr). The concentrations required to produce an LT50 (time required to produce 50% mortality) within 1Ð 4 d were 3.63Ð 0.55% boric acid, 9.2 10 3 to 7.1 10 4 % imidacloprid, and 3 10 4 to 2 10 5 % thiamethoxam. The three toxicants were not repellent. Other laboratory trials showed that 1% boric acid, 5 10 4 to 5 10 3 % imidacloprid, and 1 10 5 to 1 10 3 % thiamethoxam had delayed toxic effects, whereas 0.5% boric acid and 5 10 3 % imidacloprid did not. Baits that provided an LT50 between days 1 and 4 were considered to have delayed toxic effects. The utility of aqueous sucrose baits and toxicants soluble in such systems and the negative impact of fast-acting toxicants on trail following, recruitment, trophal- laxis, and control of Argentine ants are discussed.
Advances in nonparametric hypothesis testing

The advent of "big data" is causing a merging of fields, due to the need of simultaneously solving a variety of problems which are usually in distinct domains. As someone with a Bachelors degree in computer science, my PhD involved a rapid change in mindset, as I quickly embraced the necessity of using statistics and optimization together for effectively solving modern data problems. Indeed, this spirit is captured by my wide range of successful research projects, exploring the depths of multiple related fields with collaborators from the Department of Statistics, Machine Learning Department and the Tepper School of Business, together informing my overall research agenda.
Stages of Consumer Decision Making

This article examines the hierarchy of effects description of consumer decision making using cross-lagged correlations, a recently developed technique for establishing causal relations among variab...
Gender ratio imbalance effects on HIV risk behaviors in African American women.

Although literature suggests that African American women are no more likely to engage in risky sex than their White counterparts, they are more likely to have sex partners with higher HIV risk. Thu...
Mass Career Customization: Aligning the Workplace with Today’s Nontraditional Workforce (Book Review)

Mass Career Customization: Aligning the Workplace with Today’s Nontraditional Workforce by Cathleen Benko and Anne Weisberg. 2007. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. 230 pages.
End-Tidal Breath Carbon Monoxide Measurements: Current Directions

Because heme catabolism leads to the formation of equimolar amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) and bilirubin, a variety of techniques have been developed to correlate CO production rates as indices of bilirubin production. The use of end-tidal breath CO measurements for estimating rates of bilirubin production in infants has been well documented and validated in a number of clinical studies for its use and predictive value in identifying infants who are high producers of bilirubin and hence at risk for developing pathologic neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Recently, end-tidal breath CO has been suggested as a marker for chronic lung disease and developmental problems. Trace gas analysis remains an area for interesting investigation in the future.
Heat Shock Protein Beta-1 Modifies Anterior to Posterior Purkinje Cell Vulnerability in a Mouse Model of Niemann-Pick Type C Disease

Selective neuronal vulnerability is characteristic of most degenerative disorders of the CNS, yet mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain poorly characterized. Many forms of cerebellar degeneration exhibit an anterior-to-posterior gradient of Purkinje cell loss including Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC) disease, a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive neurological deficits that often begin in childhood. Here, we sought to identify candidate genes underlying vulnerability of Purkinje cells in anterior cerebellar lobules using data freely available in the Allen Brain Atlas. This approach led to the identification of 16 candidate neuroprotective or susceptibility genes. We demonstrate that one candidate gene, heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1), promoted neuronal survival in cellular models of NPC disease through a mechanism that involved inhibition of apoptosis. Additionally, we show that over-expression of wild type HSPB1 or a phosphomimetic mutant in NPC mice slowed the progression of motor impairment and diminished cerebellar Purkinje cell loss. We confirmed the modulatory effect of Hspb1 on Purkinje cell degeneration in vivo, as knockdown by Hspb1 shRNA significantly enhanced neuron loss. These results suggest that strategies to promote HSPB1 activity may slow the rate of cerebellar degeneration in NPC disease and highlight the use of bioinformatics tools to uncover pathways leading to neuronal protection in neurodegenerative disorders.
Research and investigation on 600 MW Generating Units Operating Conditions in Different Parameters

The performances and equipments of 600 MW generating units are compared in subcritical,supercritical and ultra-supercritical different parameters on the basis of present energy and thermal power status.And 600 MW units will be the most popular units in our country.
British TV Comedies: cultural concepts, contexts and controversies

Kamm and Neumann’s edited British TV Comedies is distinctive for its ambitious examination of influential series from the 1950s to the 2000s. According to the editors, the major focus of this volum...
Dependencies of Shear Wave Velocity and Shear Modulus of Soil on Saturation

AbstractShear wave propagation in soil is a physical phenomenon and has been used widely for monitoring and seismic property assessment in geotechnical engineering. Shear wave velocity Vs and small-strain shear modulus G0 are the key parameters in defining material response to various dynamic loadings. To date, the dependencies of Vs and G0 on saturation, especially in high suction range, are still not well understood because of the limited testing methodology and experimental evidence. In this study, the authors present a new laboratory instrumentation of measuring shear wave propagation in different types of unsaturated soils. Low relative humidity and water mist injection environment are used for measuring shear wave velocity under both drying and wetting conditions. Bender element technique was used to measure the shear wave responses. Step function was used as excitation, and determination of a first arrival time was identified and consistently used for all shear wave measurements. Shear wave evoluti...
Matrix methods for reflective inverse diffusion

Reflective inverse diffusion is a method of refocusing light scattered by a rough surface. An SLM is used to shape the wavefront of a HeNe laser at 632.8-nm wavelength to produce a converging phase front after reflection. Iterative methods previously demonstrated intensity enhancements of the focused spot over 100 times greater than the surrounding background speckle. This proof-of-concept method was very time consuming and the algorithm started over each time the desired location of the focus spot in the observation plane was moved. Transmission matrices have been developed to control light scattered by transmission through a turbid media. Time varying phase maps are applied to an SLM and used to interrogate the phase scattering properties of the material. For each phase map, the resultant speckle intensity pattern is recorded less than 1 mm from the material surface and represents an observation plane of less than 0.02 mm2. Fourier transforms are used to extract the phase scattering properties of the material from the intensity measurements. We investigate the effectiveness this method for constructing the reflection matrix (RM) of a diffuse reflecting medium where the propagation distances and observation plane are almost 1,000 times greater than the previous work based on transmissive scatter. The RM performance is based on its ability to refocus reflectively scattered light to a single focused spot or multiple foci in the observation plane. Diffraction-based simulations are used to corroborate experimental results.
Direct NMR Evidence that Transient Tautomeric and Anionic States in dG·dT Form Watson–Crick-like Base Pairs

The replicative and translational machinery utilizes the unique geometry of canonical G·C and A·T/U Watson–Crick base pairs to discriminate against DNA and RNA mismatches in order to ensure high fidelity replication, transcription, and translation. There is growing evidence that spontaneous errors occur when mismatches adopt a Watson–Crick-like geometry through tautomerization and/or ionization of the bases. Studies employing NMR relaxation dispersion recently showed that wobble dG·dT and rG·rU mismatches in DNA and RNA duplexes transiently form tautomeric and anionic species with probabilities (≈0.01–0.40%) that are in concordance with replicative and translational errors. Although computational studies indicate that these exceptionally short-lived and low-abundance species form Watson–Crick-like base pairs, their conformation could not be directly deduced from the experimental data, and alternative pairing geometries could not be ruled out. Here, we report direct NMR evidence that the transient tautomer...
Analysis of Protective Relaying Operation and Related Power System Interaction

Abstract Advanced techniques for analysing operation of protective relays and related interactions with the power system are discussed. Three major issues are addressed: evaluation of existing physical relays, study of new and/or existing relays using relay models, and assessment of relay operation and its interaction with the power system using models of both relays and power system. The underlying approach is based on an advanced modelling and simulation environment as well as the use of digital power system simulators capable of interfacing with physical relays. Such advanced analysis techniques are needed to provide improved protective relaying reliability and system performance.
Culture First: Boosting Program Strength through Cultural Instruction.

In recent years, cultural instruction has been touted as a way to help foreign language programs boost student learning outcomes, enrollments, and many other measures of program strength. In order to investigate the relationship between cultural instruction and program strength in a university-level German program, students in first- and second-year German were surveyed over a period of four years on their perceptions of German study. The survey data suggest a moderate to strong correlation between cultural instruction and multiple measures of program strength, including student engagement, enrollment persistence, and the perceived relevance of German study.
Functional Innovations and the Conquest of the Oceans by Acanthomorph Fishes.

The world's oceans are home to many fantastic creatures, including about 16,000 species of actinopterygian, or ray-finned, fishes. Notably, 85% of marine fish species come from a single actinopterygian subgroup, the acanthomorph or spiny-rayed fishes. Here, we review eight functional innovations found in marine acanthomorphs that have been instrumental in the adaptive radiation of this group in the marine realm. Jaw protrusion substantially enhances the suction feeding mechanism found in all fish. Fin spines serve as a major deterrent to predators and enhance the locomotor function of fins. Pharyngognathy, a specialization of the second pair of jaws in the pharynx, enhances the ability of fishes to process hard and tough prey. Endothermy allows fishes to function at high levels of physiological performance in cold waters and facilitates frequent movement across strong thermal gradients found in the open ocean. Intramandibular joints enhance feeding for fishes that bite and scrape prey attached to hard surfaces. Antifreeze proteins prevent ice crystal growth in extracellular fluids, allowing fish to function in cold waters that would otherwise freeze them. Air-breathing allowed fishes at the water's edge to exploit terrestrial habitats. Finally, bioluminescence functions in communication, attracting prey and in hiding from predators, particularly for fishes of the deep ocean. All of these innovations have evolved multiple times in fishes. The frequent occurrence of convergent evolution of these complex functional novelties speaks to the persistence and potency of the selective forces in marine environments that challenge fishes and stimulate innovation.
Mitochondrial K(ATP) channels: triggers or distal effectors of ischemic or pharmacological preconditioning?

The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel has been shown by numerous investigations in whole animals, isolated hearts, and cardiac myocytes to be an important downstream mediator of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) or pharmacological preconditioning (PPC). However, in the present issue of Circulation Research , Pain et al1 provide intriguing evidence suggesting that the KATP channel may not be the end effector of IPC or PPC. These authors suggest instead that the KATP channel, specifically the mitochondrial KATP channel, may function as a trigger that sets the myocardium into a preconditioned state via the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals. Pain et al1 demonstrate in an isolated buffer-perfused rabbit heart that IPC or the KATP channel openers pinacidil or diazoxide induce a reduction in infarct size (IS). 5-Hydroxydecanoate (5-HD), a mitochondrial selective KATP antagonist, and glibenclamide, a nonselective KATP channel blocker, were included in the buffer during an early or late protocol to additionally establish a role for the KATP channel. The early protocol included the antagonists in the buffer 5 minutes before, throughout, and 5 minutes after the preconditioning stimulus. The late protocol, however, included the antagonists in the perfusate only after the preconditioning stimulus, 5 minutes before, and throughout the prolonged ischemic insult. These investigators demonstrate that 5-HD and glibenclamide antagonize protection only when included during the early protocol, suggesting that the KATP channel is actually setting the heart into a preconditioned state. In the same laboratory, Baines et al2 demonstrated that diazoxide, a mitochondrial KATP opener, protected the intact rabbit heart when administered before ischemia but not after the onset of occlusion. The results of these two studies seem to provide clear-cut evidence supporting the authors’ hypothesis. However, these observations are contradictory to many previous in vivo and …
Overexpression of Her-2/Neu may be an Indicator of Poor Prognosis in Prostate Cancer

AbstractPrevious reports have shown that Her-2/neu oncogene expression in human breast cancer and ovarian cancer may be associated with poorer prognosis. We report the expression of Her-2/neu on fresh samples of known prostatic adenocarcinoma but not on those of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Using a monoclonal antibody (TA1) directed against human Her-2/neu oncogene product and an immunohistochemical staining method, no Her-2/neu expression was noted with benign prostatic hypertrophy (15 samples). With prostatic adenocarcinoma samples, a subset (9 of 25) showed overexpression of Her-2/neu. Such overexpression is correlated with higher histological grade, higher stage of disease, and high S phase and aneuploidy on flow cytometric analysis. These findings suggest that Her-2/neu may be a prognostic marker in prostate cancer as well.
TCT-438 Impact of concomitant coronary artery disease on risk for short-term MACCE in patients after TAVR

Studies on the impact of concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) have shown conflicting results. We analyzed 803 consecutive patients enrolled in a single center TAVR registry between 2012 and 2016. Patients
Coupling DSSAT and HYDRUS-1D for simulations of soil water dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere system

Author(s): Shelia, Vakhtang; Simunek, Jirka; Boote, Ken; Hoogenbooom, Gerrit | Abstract: Abstract Accurate estimation of the soil water balance of the soil-plant-atmosphere system is key to determining the availability of water resources and their optimal management. Evapotranspiration and leaching are the main sinks of water from the system affecting soil water status and hence crop yield. The accuracy of soil water content and evapotranspiration simulations affects crop yield simulations as well. DSSAT is a suite of field-scale, process-based crop models to simulate crop growth and development. A “tipping bucket” water balance approach is currently used in DSSAT for soil hydrologic and water redistribution processes. By comparison, HYDRUS-1D is a hydrological model to simulate water flow in soils using numerical solutions of the Richards equation, but its approach to crop-related process modeling is rather limited. Both DSSAT and HYDRUS-1D have been widely used and tested in their separate areas of use. The objectives of our study were: (1) to couple HYDRUS-1D with DSSAT to simulate soil water dynamics, crop growth and yield, (2) to evaluate the coupled model using field experimental datasets distributed with DSSAT for different environments, and (3) to compare HYDRUS-1D simulations with those of the tipping bucket approach using the same datasets. Modularity in the software design of both DSSAT and HYDRUS-1D made it easy to couple the two models. The pairing provided the DSSAT interface an ability to use both the tipping bucket and HYDRUS-1D simulation approaches. The two approaches were evaluated in terms of their ability to estimate the soil water balance, especially soil water contents and evapotranspiration rates. Values of the d index for volumetric water contents were 0.9 and 0.8 for the original and coupled models, respectively. Comparisons of simulations for the pod mass for four soybean and four peanut treatments showed relatively high d index values for both models (0.94–0.99).
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON TENSILE PROPERTIES OF FRP LAMINATES MADE USING WET-LAY-UP METHOD

ABSTRACT The demand for Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) in rehabilitation of infrastructures is increasing. New techniques utilize the lightweight, high strength and formability of FRP fabrics and laminates in various retrofitting projects. This paper presents the results of a study on the long-term behavior of different types of FRP laminates made using the wet-lay-up technique. A total of 525 specimens were prepared using one type of epoxy and seven different types of fabrics. Unidirectional and bidirectional fabrics made from glass, carbon and aramid were used in this study. The samples were exposed to nine different environments. These environments were simulated using four different chemical solutions with pH of 12.5, 10, 7 and 2.5, and substitute seawater. In addition, four chambers for exposure to ultraviolet radiation, temperature of 60°C, temperature of 50°C with 95% relative humidity and soil with 25% moisture content and active microorganisms were considered. Uniaxial tension tests were performed on the samples after 6000, 12000 and 20000 hours of exposure as well as on control samples, and tensile properties were measured for each specimen. The results showed a significant loss of strength and ultimate strain for glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) in solutions, especially in high pH values, while carbon and hybrid glass-carbon laminates showed very little loss of mechanical properties.
Electronic Preresonance Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy

Optical microscopy has generated great impact for modern research. While fluorescence microscopy provides the ultimate sensitivity, it generally lacks chemical information. Complementarily, vibrational imaging methods provide rich chemical-bond-specific contrasts. Nonetheless, they usually suffer from unsatisfying sensitivity or compromised biocompatibility. Recently, electronic preresonance stimulated Raman scattering (EPR-SRS) microscopy was reported, achieving simultaneous high detection sensitivity and superb vibrational specificity of chromophores. With newly synthesized Raman-active dyes, this method readily breaks the optical color barrier of fluorescence microscopy and is well-suited for supermultiplex imaging in biological samples. In this Perspective, we first review previous utilizations of electronic resonance in various Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. We then discuss the physical origin and uniqueness of the electronic preresonance region, followed by quantitative analysis of the enhanceme...
Investigating Consumer Adoption of Related Technology Products

We present a framework for modeling consumer adoption of multiple categories of technology products that may be related as complements (or substitutes). The context of technology products as well as the relationship between categories poses some unique challenges. First, the declining prices (and the corresponding increase in quality levels) over time imply that consumers anticipate these changes and make a trade-off between adopting the product early on and consuming the product for a longer time versus adopting later at lower prices. Second, the durable nature of technology products implies that even if two categories are related as complements, consumers may stagger their purchases over several periods; unlike in the case of packaged goods, one cannot infer complementary relationships between these categories based on joint purchases. Third, the adoption decision for some categories (such as printers) may be contingent upon adoption of another related category (such as a personal computer). We illustrate how our proposed modeling framework is flexible enough to address these issues in the context of two related categories and discuss how it can be extended to multiple categories. We apply our modeling framework to a unique dataset that contains information on consumer adoption of three related categories of technology products - personal computers, digital cameras, and printers. The results reveal a strong complementary relationship between these categories. As a result, the probability that a consumer would adopt a given category increases significantly if she has already adopted one or more of the related categories. Policy simulations based on a temporary price decrease in any one category provide interesting insights into how consumers would modify their adoption behavior over time as well as across categories as a consequence of the price decrease.
Pitfalls in Endoscopic Ultrasound

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has a prolonged learning curve. Essential components include mastery of new endoscopic and radiographic skills as well as becoming familiar with anatomic relationships and variables. Additionally, providers must help train technicians and nurses, refine sedation strategies, and create productive relationships with cytopathologists. Aims of this chapter are to provide practical advice, hopefully to speed progression through the learning curve and to help improve safety and exam quality. Common EUS pitfalls and simple solutions are organized and presented in the following categories: sedation, endoscopic intubation and passage, orientation, technical issues, potential problem indications, choosing the right equipment for each case, and fine needle aspiration. Pitfalls are particularly salient for beginners, but many have pertinence for advanced endosonographers, including those moving to a new practice site. Selected take home points are highlighted with case examples and figures.
The 100 most influential spine fracture publications

Background: Management of spine fractures has advanced considerably even over the past decade. A review of the current and historical literature can lead to a better appreciation of current management protocols. This is the first comprehensive review of the most influential articles related to spine fracture management. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the 100 most cited publications in spine fracture management. Methods: Using the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, search phrases were used to identify publications pertaining to spine fractures (110,809 publications). The 100 most cited articles were isolated. The frequency of citations, year of publication, country of origin, journal of publication, level-of-evidence (LOE), article type, and contributing authors/institutions were recorded. We also highlighted the ten most cited articles (per year) from the past decade. Results: The publications included ranged from 1953–2010, with the majority published between 2000–2009 (n=41). Total citations ranged from 154 to 1,076. A LOE of IV had the plurality at 36%. The most cited article was “The 3 Column Spine and Its Significance in The Classification of Acute Thoracolumbar Spinal-Injuries” ( Spine 1983) by F Denis. The majority of papers originated in the United States (n=65), and the highest number were published in Spine (n=27). Osteoporotic fractures were the specific topic in 34 publications. In the past decade, the article with the most citations/year was “A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Spinal Fractures” by DF Kalmes in 2009. Conclusions: Despite less time for citation than other decades, the 2000s contain the plurality of the influential publications. This may indicate that some of the most important changes to spine fracture management pertain to improved imaging modalities and surgical technologies. This review provides a guide for a comprehensive understanding of the historical and current literature pertaining to spine fracture management.
Giant intracytoplasmic inclusions in a T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia patient with acute severe anemia

![Figure][1] A 54-year-old man presented with shortness of breath and light-headedness. Complete blood count (CBC) showed anemia (hemoglobin, 5.0 g/dL) and lymphocytosis (lymphocyte count, 7.9 × 109/L). Peripheral blood smears (panel A; original magnification ×1000, hematoxylin and eosin
Local- and Landscape-Level Variables Related to Poweshiek Skipperling Presence in Michigan Prairie Fens

Abstract The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek, Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae is a historically common prairie butterfly with a range extending throughout prairie systems of the upper midwestern U...
Self-Reported Everyday Prospective Memory (PM) Errors in People With Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

Date Presented 04/06/19 Prospective memory (PM) error negatively impacts daily function in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Sixty-one people with PD reported the frequency and severity of daily PM errors. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) PM errors were more frequent, but not more severe than basic activities of daily living (ADL) PM errors. Greater PM error correlated with decreased quality of life (QOL). Intervention should target PM to positively impact function and QOL of people with PD. Primary Author and Speaker: Blair Holck Additional Authors and Speakers: Erin Foster
A System Dynamics Approach for Study of Population Growth and the Residential Housing Market in the US

Abstract The US Consensus bureau estimated the total construction spending at 1,320,305 Million Dollars, in February 2020, with an increase of 1.1% since last February. The construction market is large, and risky. Prediction of the market behavior, for several years ahead, is needed in order to take strategic investment decision for long and expensive projects. The goal of this research is to study the relationship between population growth and the housing market. To that end, a system dynamics model is developed. System dynamics is a top-down approach that starts with the high-level behavior of a complex system to simulate the behavior of that system over time. The developed model simulates the housing market by matching the population growth with the housing demand in monthly time steps. As such, the parameters of the developed model include birth rate, life expectancy, immigration, emigration, and construction seasonality. Using these parameters, the model simulates the population size and demand for housing. For validation, the outputs of the model are compared with real-life data for the US. When complete, the model should assist market researchers in simulating the housing market. This research benefits large real estate developers, construction companies, governmental and financial agencies.
Abstract 6433: Dual targeting MYC G-quadruplex and topoisomerase I: Lead discovery indenoisoquinolines for cancer therapy

G-quadruplexes are noncanonical four-stranded DNA or RNA secondary structures that have emerged as novel therapeutic targets. MYC is one of the most important oncogenes and is overexpressed in a number of human cancers. The G-quadruplex formed in the MYC oncogene promoter (MycG4) is a transcriptional silencer and amenable to small molecule targeting. Indenoisoquinolines are human topoisomerase I inhibitors with improved physicochemical and biological properties as compared to the clinically used camptothecin anticancer drugs. Three indenoisoquinolines, indotecan (LMP400), indimitecan (LMP776), and LMP744, have entered phase I clinical trials in adults with relapsed solid tumors and lymphomas. However, some indenoisoquinolines showed potent anticancer activity without being strong topoisomerase I inhibition activity, suggesting additional mechanisms of action. Herein, we demonstrate that a large number of anticancer indenoisoquinolines strongly bind and stabilize MycG4 in vitro, using fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, as well as gel electromobility shift assay (EMSA). In addition, MycG4-interactive indenoisoquinolines lower MYC mRNA and protein levels in vivo, as shown by western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments. These results indicate that targeting the MYC promoter G4 to downregulate MYC is a likely mechanism of action for the anticancer activities of these particular indenoisoquinolines. In addition, structure-activity-relationships of MycG4 recognition by indenoisoquinolines were investigated and elucidated the essential structural requirements for strong binding. The analysis of indenoisoquinoline derivatives for their MYC inhibitory, topoisomerase I inhibitory, and anticancer activity led to the discovery of a synergistic effect of MYC inhibition and topoisomerase I inhibition on anticancer activity. In conclusion, our result reveals MYC downregulation by MycG4 binding as a new mechanism of action for anticancer indenoisoquinolines. Moreover, we suggest dual targeting of MycG4 and topoisomerase I as a novel strategy for cancer therapy. Citation Format: Kaibo Wang. Dual targeting MYC G-quadruplex and topoisomerase I: Lead discovery indenoisoquinolines for cancer therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6433.