cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Walking Dynamics in Preadolescents With and Without Down Syndrome

Background A force-driven harmonic oscillator (FDHO) model reveals the elastic property of general muscular activity during walking. Objective This study aimed to investigate whether children with Down syndrome (DS) have a lower K/G ratio, a primary variable derived from the FDHO model, compared with children with typical development during overground and treadmill walking and whether children with DS can adapt the K/G ratio to walking speeds, external ankle load, and a treadmill setting. Design A cross-sectional study design was used that included 26 children with and without DS, aged 7 to 10 years, for overground walking and 20 of them for treadmill walking in a laboratory setting. Methods During overground walking, participants walked at 2 speeds: normal and fastest speed. During treadmill walking, participants walked at 75% and 100% of their preferred overground speed. Two load conditions were manipulated for both overground and treadmill walking: no load and an ankle load that was equal to 2% of body mass on each side. Results Children with DS showed a K/G ratio similar to that of their healthy peers and increased this ratio with walking speed regardless of ankle load during overground walking. Children with DS produced a lower K/G ratio at the fast speed of treadmill walking without ankle load, but ankle load helped them produce a K/G ratio similar to that of their healthy peers. Limitations The FDHO model cannot specify what muscles are used or how muscles are coordinated for a given motor task. Conclusions Children with DS show elastic property of general muscular activity similar to their healthy peers during overground walking. External ankle load helps children with DS increase general muscular activity and match their healthy peers while walking fast on a treadmill.
Symptoms of Akinetopsia Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer's Disease

Objective: To describe two patients with symptoms of cerebral akinetopsia (or loss of motion vision) associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer's disease. Background: Symptomatic cerebral akinetopsia is defined as the conscious loss of visual motion perception due to extrastriate cortical lesions. There are only two previous clinical reports of symptomatic cerebral akinetopsia. Methods: Clinical evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were conducted on two patients who presented for neuro-ophthalmic consultation with complaints of loss of motion vision in the setting TBI and Alzheimer's disease. Results: Both patients reported an inability to perceive visual motion, with otherwise normal afferent visual function. Each had evidence for bilateral posterior cortical injury, with sparing of the striate cortex. Conclusions: These cases provide additional clinical evidence that damage to bilateral, extrastriate visual cortex can produce symptoms of motion blindness, and they provide the...
Antiseptic impregnated endotracheal tubes for the prevention of bacterial colonization

The effect of endotracheal tubes (ETTs) impregnated with chlorhexidine (CHX) and silver carbonate (antiseptic ETTs) against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterobacter aerogenes [organisms associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)], was evaluated in a laboratory airway model. Antiseptic ETTs and control ETTs (unimpregnated) were inserted in culture tubes half-filled with agar media (airway model) previously contaminated at the surface with 10(8) cfu/mL of the selected test organism. After five days of incubation, bacterial colony counts on all ETT segments were determined. Swabs of proximal and distal ends of the agar tract in antiseptic and control models were subcultured. The initial and residual CHX levels, (five days post-implantation in the model) were determined. Cultures of antiseptic ETTs revealed colonization by the tested pathogens ranging from 1-100 cfu/tube, compared with approximately 10(6) cfu/tube for the control ETTs (P < 0.001). Subcultures from proximal and distal ends of the agar tract showed minimal or no growth in the antiseptic ETTs compared with the control ETTs (P < 0.001). The amount of CHX retained in the antiseptic ETTs after five days of implantation was an average of 45% of the initial level. Antiseptic ETTs prevented bacterial colonization in the airway model and also retained significant amounts of the antiseptic. These results indicate that the effectiveness of antiseptic-impregnated ETTs in preventing the growth of bacterial pathogens associated with VAP may vary with different organisms.
7 tesla human MRI with assistance of computational eletromagnetics

In HF or UHF magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications, inhomogeneous excitation magnetic field caused poor quality images and power absorption caused safety concerns are two of obstructions in clinic usage. Our work presented an electromagnetic excitation scheme that should realize B1 + field homogeneity improvement, as well as the reduction of the absorbing power by the body and of peak specific absorption rates (SARs).
Vitamin D levels for optimum bone health.

Introduction: Vitamin D defi ciency was assessed previously on the basis of rickets and osteomalacia, which represent an extreme end of the spectrum. As a result of this, many clinically-asymptomatic patients go undetected. As vitamin D defi ciency results in secondary hyperparathyroidism, we propose to use the normalisation of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) as a surrogate marker for assessing the adequacy of vitamin D nutrition. Methods: A descriptive study was undertaken on 195 premenopausal Pakistani women. 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol and iPTH levels were measured by standard laboratory techniques. Results: The minimum level of vitamin D required to keep iPTH below 53 pg/dL was found to be 16 ng/ml with a 95 percent confi dence interval of 13.8 and 18.2. Existing normal range is 9-36 ng/ml. Conclusion: Normalisation of iPTH if taken as a criterion for judging vitamin D defi ciency can lead to detection of clinicallyasymptomatic patients. The simplicity, low cost of correction, and the potential benefi cial skeletal and non-skeletal consequences of doing so makes it essential that this criterion be used to redefi ne the optimal vitamin D levels. This should be internationally standardised and made available to clinicians.
Rapid aneurysm growth and rupture in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to intracranial aneurysm rupture is a major neurosurgical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Rapid aneurysm growth is associated with rupture. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disorder whose complications can include cerebral vasculitis and vasculopathy. Intracranial aneurysms are not known to occur more frequently in SLE patients than the general population; however, aneurysm growth rates have not been studied in SLE. Case Description: We present a 43-year-old female with SLE on prednisone, hydroxychloroquine, and azathioprine with moderate disease activity who presented with severe, acute-onset headache and was found to have Hunt and Hess grade II SAH due to rupture of an 8 mm saccular anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm. The patient developed severe vasospasm, re-ruptured, and was taken for angiography and embolization, which was challenging due to a high degree of vasospasm and arterial stenosis. Review of imaging from less than 2 years prior demonstrated a normal ACoA complex without evidence of an aneurysm. Conclusion: We review the literature and discuss the risk factors and pathophysiology of rapid aneurysm growth and rupture, as well as the pathologic vascular changes associated with SLE. Although SLE patients do not develop intracranial aneurysm at an increased rate, these changes may predispose them to higher incidence of growth and rupture. This possibility-coupled with increased morbidity and mortality of SAH in SLE-suggests that SAH should be considered in SLE patients presenting with headache, and advocates for more aggressive treatment of SLE patients with unruptured aneurysms.
Rescued from the Rubbish Bin: Lewis on Causation

Lewis’s work on causation was governed by a familiar methodological approach: the aim was to come up with an account of causation that would recover, in as elegant a fashion as possible, all of our firm “pre‐theoretic” intuitions about hypothetical cases. That methodology faces an obvious challenge, in that it is not clear why anyone not interested in the semantics of the English word “cause” should care about its results. Better to take a different approach, one which treats our intuitions about cases merely as guides in the construction of a causal concept or concepts that will serve some useful theoretical purpose. I sketch one central such purpose, suggesting, first, that an account of causation that, like Lewis’s, gives a central role to counterfactuals is well‐suited to fulfill it, and, second, that the most famous pre‐emption‐based counterexamples to a counterfactual account yield an important constraint on a successful account.
Rate maximization for multi-code CDMA with optimized signatures

Joint transmitter/receiver optimization is studied for a direct-sequence (DS) code division multiple access (CDMA) system with multipath. Two optimization problems are considered corresponding to voice and data services, respectively: (i) minimizing the average transmitted power subject to a received signal-to-interference-plus-noise (SINR) constraint; (ii) maximizing the data rate subject to a transmitted power constraint. In the latter case, the rate is maximized by introducing multiple optimized spreading codes. Numerical results are presented which compare achievable rates with multi-code optimization vs. single-code optimization in the presence of fixed random interferers.
Soluble Antigens of Vaccinia-infected Mammalian Cells III. Relation of “Early” and “Late” Proteins to Virus Structure

Abstract The structural proteins of vaccinia virus can be divided into two classes on the basis of their times of synthesis in the infected cell. The production of one of these classes of proteins begins prior to the onset of viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication. These are referred to as “early” proteins. Synthesis of the second class of structural proteins follows the onset of viral DNA replication; hence, the term “late” proteins for this class. We are able, by immunological procedures, to identify three “early” virus-structural proteins. These materials, when incorporated into virions, appear to be associated with the “core” of the virion and do not elicit production of virus-neutralizing antibody. It would seem, therefore, that those virus-structural proteins synthesized early in the course of infection act as internal components of the virion. The “late” proteins may be subdivided into two groups on the basis of certain physical properties and molecular weight differences. The first of these groups, comprised of at least two proteins, corresponds to the classical LS antigens and elicits production of neutralizing antibodies. These proteins, when incorporated into virions, are found only in the outer (“coat”) fraction of the virion. The second group of “late” antigens, also comprised of two proteins, termed the G antigens, do not elicit synthesis of neutralizing antibody. One of these proteins is associated with the virus “core”; the other is found in the “coat” fraction of the virion and appears to occupy an intermediary, subsurface position. Procedures suitable for the isolation of the G antigens are described, in addition to the partial characterization of these antigens.
Children’s Adjustment and Child Mental Health Service Use: The Role of Parents’ Attitudes and Personal Service Use in an Upper Middle Class Sample

Forty-one parents and their children (20 girls and 21 boys, mean age = 4.33 years, SD = 1.30) participated in a study to examine how parents' personal use of mental health services related to their attitudes toward child mental health services as well as to their children's adjustment. Results indicated that parents' attitudes and personal use of services have implications for children's adjustment and mental health utilization. Parents who personally used mental health services reported more positive help-seeking attitudes, higher level of help-seeking intentions, and lower stigmatization of child mental health services. In addition, parents who used child services in the past reported higher levels of internalizing (not externalizing) behaviors in their children, and parents' previous experience predicted child mental health service use. Results have implications for fostering positive attitudes and reducing stigma about child mental health services that may prevent parents from seeking professional help for their children.
Saponite and vermiculite in amygdales of the Granby basaltic tuff, Connecticut Valley

Clay of apparent hydrothermal origin that fills amygdales in the Granby Basaltic Tuff (Lower Jurassic) of the Connecticut Valley was analyzed and found to consist of two exceptionally well-crystallized Fe-rich, trioctahedral 2:1 layer expandable phyllosilicates. Based on chemical and XRD analyses, the minerals were tentatively identified as saponite and vermiculite. The saponite exists predominately in the two-water hydration state, but also displays one- and three-water layer hydration states, which suggests heterogeneous layer charge distribution--a phenomenon not uncommon in smectites. The identity of the second clay remains equivocal, but XRD analyses, especially with regard to the swelling properties of the clay, indicate that it is a vermiculite. The well-crystallized nature of the Granby clay and the large size of the clay flakes (up to 1 mm) allowed us to use SEM/EDS X-ray imaging and spot analysis techniques in an attempt to detect chemical differences between the saponite and vermiculite. Results showed that the chemistry of individual crystals, within and among amygdales, was essentially uniform. This suggests that the saponite and vermiculite are chemically similar and that variations in their swelling properties result from other factors, such as crystal size, layer charge density, or charge localization within the unit layers. Crystal size differences in the Granby clay were observed with both the petrographic and scanning electron microscope. Changes in layer charge density or charge localization within unit layers could have been affected by the oxidation of Fe 2+ to Fe 3+, a transformation inferred from the green-to-brown color changes observed in the larger amygdales. The Granby clay is of special importance, because it is one of the few examples of a naturally occurring mixture of two well-crystallized, Fe-rich trioctahedral 2:1 layer expandable phyllosilicates with crystallochemieal and swelling properties that appear to bridge the op- erational definitions for the smectite and vermiculite groups.
Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) pyrolysis biorefining: Fuels and chemicals contributed from guayule leaves via tail gas reactive pyrolysis

Abstract Guayule ( Parthenium argentatum ), a woody desert shrub cultivated in the southwestern United States, is a source of natural rubber and organic resins that promises to revolutionize the tire and rubber industry. Some 20,000 kg ha −1 yr −1 is reported to be harvested worldwide and expected to grow due to renewed interest in guayule to replace imported Hevea rubber. We have recently reported the use of guayule bagasse, the residual biomass after latex extraction, as feedstock in a pyrolysis process that employs a reactive gas environment to formulate a special intermediate bio-oil product that is easily distillable and readily synthesized to hydrocarbon (drop-in) fuels (Boateng et al., 2015). This submission reports on the use of the same pyrolysis process for the leaves of the guayule plant and the array of fuels and chemicals that the leaves can contribute to a co-located guayule biorefinery at a latex plant that could utilize the entire biomass residue value chain. The composition of the guayule leaves is different from the bagasse, with the main differences being lower resin content along with higher ash (>16 wt%) and higher nitrogen (2.6 wt%, dry ash free, daf) contents resulting from the higher concentration of the plant proteins (16.4 wt% (daf)). Since the former two components have exhibited a drastic influence on pyrolysis product distribution in the past, it was incumbent upon us to explore whether the resin content would provide additional synergistic effects and influence product selectivity pathways to bio-based chemicals. We found that the combined effect of the tail gas reactive pyrolysis process, the proteinaceous nature of the guayule leaf and resin combine to create a complex mechanism that results in an interesting bio-oil intermediate product from which a slew of fuel and commodity chemical compounds can be synthesized upon mild upgrading.
Legionella pneumophila: Growth Inhibition by Human Pharyngeal Flora

Several bacterial isolated from human pharyngeal cultures specifically inhibited the growth of Legionella pneumophila. The inhibitory substance from two strains (Streptococcus species 1-3 and Staphylococcus saprophyticus KC) was isolated from a broth supernatant. The inhibitor was active against all strains of L. pneumophilia tested, including five strains of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 and one strain each of serogroups 2, 3, and 4. The substance did not inhibit growth of 18 fresh clinical and laboratory pathogens (12 general). The substance was dialyzable, was resistant to head and proteolysis, and did not precipitate with ammonium sulfate. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, produced by several upper respiratory tract organisms, did not inhibit L. pneumophila, and L. pneumophila could not be isolated when Streptococcus species 1-3, S. saprophyticus KC, and L. pneumophila were cocultivated. These properties may in part explain the difficulty of isolation and may aid in the identification of L. pneumophila.
The environment, microbes and bioremediation: microbial activities modulated by the environment

Microorganisms in nature are largely responsible for the biodegradation and removal of toxic and non-toxic chemicals. Many organisms are also known to have specific ecological niches for proliferation and colonization. The nature of the environment dictates to a large extent the biodegradability of synthetic compounds by modulating the evolutionary processes in microorganisms for new degradative genes. Similarly, environmental factors often determine the extent of microbial gene expression by activating or repressing specific gene or sets of genes through a sensory signal transduction process. Understanding how the environment modulates microbial activity is critical for successful bioremediative applications.
Preparations for High-Level Defense Waste Immobilization at Savannah River Plant

Methods are being developed to immobilize Savannah River Plant (SRP) wastes in high-integrity glass forms. The waste forms will be suitable for storage in an on-site facility or for shipment to an off-site repository. Alkaline wastes produced in SRP separations plants are currently stored in large, carbon-steel tanks. These wastes consist of a water-soluble fraction (salt cake and supernatant liquor) and an insoluble sludge. The water-soluble fraction contains most of the /sup 137/Cs and the insoluble sludge contains most of the /sup 90/Sr, waste actinides, and other fission products. /sup 90/Sr and /sup 137/Cs are the most hazardous radionuclides in aged waste. A conceptual solidification process has been developed from laboratory tests with both actual and simulated waste. Engineering design studies are in progress. First, wastes are removed as a slurry from the waste tanks. The sludge is separated from the supernate, and then /sup 137/Cs is removed from the clarified supernate by ion exchange. The resulting decontaminated supernate is evaporated to a salt for bulk storage. In the second part of the process, /sup 137/Cs is mixed with sludge and the mixture is calcined and then solidified in borosilicate glass. Off-gas from the calciner and glass melter is treatedmore » to ensure that no hazardous materials are released to the atmosphere.« less
Update on Turner and Noonan Syndromes

Turner syndrome (TS) and Noonan syndrome (NS) have short stature as a constant feature; however, both conditions can present clinicians with a challenging array of genetic, cardiovascular, developmental, and psychosocial issues. In recent years, important advances have been achieved in each of these areas. This article reviews these two syndromes and provides updates on recent developments in diagnostic evaluation, growth and development, psychological issues, and treatment options for patients with TS and NS.
Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair: Is Reimplantation of Spinal Cord Arteries a Waste of Time?

Background The impact of different strategies for management of intercostal and lumbar arteries during repair of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAA/A) on the prevention of paraplegia remains poorly understood. Methods One hundred consecutive patients with intraoperative monitoring of motor evoked potentials (MEP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) during TAA/A repair involving serial segmental artery sacrifice (October 2002 to December 2004) were reviewed. Results Operative mortality was 6%. The median intensive care unit stay was 2.5 days (IQ range: 1–4 days), and the median hospital stay 10.0 days (IQ range: 8–17 days). Potentials remained unchanged during the course of serial segmental artery sacrifice, or could be returned to baseline levels by anesthetic and blood pressure manipulation, in 99 of 100 cases. An average of 8.0 ± 2.6 segmental artery pairs were sacrificed overall, with an average of 4.5 ± 2.1 segmental pairs sacrificed between T7 and L1, where the artery of Adamkiewicz is presumed to arise. Postoperative paraplegia occurred in 2 patients. In 1, immediate paraplegia was precipitated by an intraoperative dissection, resulting in 6 hours of lower body ischemia. A second ambulatory patient had severe paraparesis albeit normal cerebral function after resuscitation from a respiratory arrest. Conclusions With monitoring of MEP and SSEP, sacrifice—without reimplantation—of as many as 15 intercostal and lumbar arteries during TAA/A repair is safe, resulting in acceptably low rates of immediate and delayed paraplegia. This experience suggests that routine surgical implantation of segmental vessels is not indicated, and that, with evolving understanding of spinal cord perfusion, endovascular repair of the entire thoracic aorta should ultimately be possible without spinal cord injury.
RNA-Seq analysis of two brain regions vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease

Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD), one of the most devastating neurodegenerative diseases, does not affect different brain regions equally. The temporal and frontal lobes are among the brain regions most affected in AD. As the transcriptomic profile of neurons in a certain brain region largely affects their response to pathological conditions like AD, comparative transcriptomic analysis of these susceptible regions can be used to understand why they are particularly vulnerable to the disease. With rapid advances in next-generation sequencing technologies, RNA-Seq, or whole-transcriptome shotgun sequencing, has begun to become a mainstream approach to study brain regions that are affected by neurodegenerative diseases, including AD.
Growth of epitaxial CrN on MgO(001): Role of deposition angle on surface morphological evolution

CrN layers, 6 to 500 nm thick, were grown on MgO(001) at 600 -C by ultra-high-vacuum magnetron sputter deposition in pure N2 discharges at 2.6 Pa. The deposition angle a with respect to the surface normal was varied from 0- to 80- in order to directly probe the effect of atomic shadowing on the surface morphological evolution. Layers grown with a=0- are single crystals which develop a regular surface mound structure. At low layer thicknesses, t |25 nm, the surface mounds grow primarily vertically, due to kinetic roughening, and form square-shapes with edges along low-energy b100� , directions. Continued growth at t a25 nm is dominated by mound-competition and coalescence which leads to a selfsimilar growth mode with increases in both mound height and width. Layers deposited from oblique angles a=80- also nucleate as single crystals with a cube-on-cube epitaxial relationship with the substrate. However, rough surfaces with cauliflower-type morphologies cause the nucleation of misoriented CrN grains that develop into cone-shaped grains that protrude out of the epitaxial matrix to form triangular faceted surface mounds. Atomic shadowing exacerbates the growth rate of these misoriented grains, causing a dramatic increase in the root-mean-square surface roughness, which is ¨16 higher for layers grown at a=80- than at a=0-. The roughening follows a power-law with a roughening exponent b that increases from 0.37 T0.04 to 0.57 T0.15 as a is increased from 0- to 80-. This increase is attributed to a transition from kinetic roughening to roughening caused by atomic shadowing effects. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A comparison of fixation screws for the scaphoid during application of cyclical bending loads

Matched pairs of scaphoids from cadavera were stressed with ramped intensity cyclical bending loads after osteotomy and fixation of one scaphoid with a Herbert screw and fixation of the other with an AO 3.5-millimeter cannulated screw, a Herbert-Whipple screw, an Acutrak cannulated screw, or a Universal Compression screw. The AO screw, Acutrak screw, and Herbert-Whipple screw demonstrated superior resistance to cyclical bending loads compared with the Herbert screw. The Universal Compression screw did not provide better fixation than the Herbert screw because of fractures that occurred at the time of insertion. The AO screw and the Herbert screw were then tested in a separate setup in which a segment of volar cortex had been removed in addition to the simple osteotomy. The loss of volar cortex greatly diminished the quality of the fixation provided by both of the screws during application of ramped intensity cyclical bending loads. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A fixation device in the scaphoid must be able to withstand the stresses that are placed on the scaphoid as a result of its position spanning the proximal and distal carpal rows. Also, because of the prolonged time required for healing of fractures or non-unions of the scaphoid, the device must be able to withstand many such cycles of stress. The present study demonstrates that commonly used screws for fixation of the scaphoid vary significantly (p < 0.005) in their ability to resist cyclical bending loads.
The Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones

Publisher Summary From a research standpoint the subject of hormonal control of pigmentation is only forty-six years old. It began when two biologists, P. E. Smith and B. M. Allen independently and at the same time, found that removing the pituitary glands of tadpoles and frogs produced marked lightening in the color of their skin. During the forty years following these initial observations, intense interest, developed in this field, particularly among biologists. Attempts were made to learn how endocrine and neurogenic factors controlled darkening and lightening of melanocytes. During the last six years a great effort has been made by biochemists to isolate, characterize, synthesize, and evaluate biologically the factors responsible for the darkening and lightening effects. It is the work done in this latter period that will is reviewed in this chapter.
Methods for a Retrospective Population-based and Clinic-based Subfertility Cohort Study: the Fertility Experiences Study.

Background Most cohort-based research for subfertility has been conducted in clinic-based cohorts, which may differ from population-based cohorts. Methods We retrospectively recruited parallel cohorts of subfertile women: one by sampling two specialty fertility clinics in Utah, and one by population-based sampling based on marriage and birth records. The index date (of first clinic visit or subfertility status) was between 2000 and 2009, and we linked the women recruited to subsequent birth certificate records through December 2010. Results We enrolled 459 women through clinic-based sampling and 501 women through population-based sampling. Clinic-based women were older, had higher annual household income and more likely to have had a most intensive treatment of intrauterine insemination (31%) or in vitro fertilisation (46%) than women from population recruitment (19% and 14% respectively). Conversely, they were less likely to have received no medical treatment (9%) compared to women from population recruitment (41%). For both types of sampling, prior to eligibility screening, non-responders were less likely to link to a live birth than responders: 51% vs. 58% for clinic-based, and 69% vs. 76% for the population-based with an index date in 2004. Conclusions Population-based sampling for subfertility cohort research identifies women who were more likely to have had less intensive treatment or no treatment. However, in both clinic-based and population-based sampling, women who have had a live birth are more likely to respond to retrospective recruitment.
Aortic valve replacement and concomitant right coronary artery bypass grafting performed via a right minithoracotomy approach.

ObjectiveWe present our experience of concomitant right coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement performed via a right minithoracotomy in patients with coronary lesions n...
O4.02EXOSOMAL MIRNA FROM GLIOMA-ASSOCIATED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS PROMOTE GLIOMA GROWTH AND PROGRESSION

Evidence indicates that human cancers are maintained by a population of cells with stem-like properties called cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the influence of the surrounding stromal cells on the behavior of the CSCs remains poorly understood. We have recently shown that the micro-environment of human gliomas, the most aggressive human brain tumors, contains both glioma stem cells (GSCs) and cells that resemble human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), called Glioma Associated-MSCs (GA-MSCs). We have also shown that GA-MSCs generate a cytokine-mediated increase in the growth and self-renewal (clonogenicity) of GSCs. However, other paracrine interactions between GA-MSCs and GSCs have not been fully explored. Recent studies have suggested that nano-sized vesicles, termed exosomes, may contribute to intercellular communication within the tumor niche. Therefore, we hypothesized that GA-MSC-derived exosomes increase the tumorigenicity GSCs. Here we show for the first time that exosomes can be isolated from patient-derived GA-MSCs and that these exosomes contain oncogenic microRNAs. Importantly, in vitro delivery of exosomes isolated from GA-MSCs significantly increased both the proliferation and clonogenicity of GSCs. Furthermore, GSC xenografts, treated with GA-MSC-derived exosomes, in the brains of nude mice resulted in a greater tumor burden and significantly decreased animal survival. Delivery of microRNA from GA-MSC-derived exosomes to GSCs, was enough to alter the gene expression profile resulting in the glioma-enhancing effects described. We conclude that GA-MSC-derived exosomes represent an alternative intercellular communication mechanism for the transfer of specific microRNA, which enhances the aggressive nature of Glioblastoma.
A 60 GHz CMOS Full-Duplex Transceiver and Link with Polarization-Based Antenna and RF Cancellation

This paper presents a fully integrated 60 GHz direct-conversion transceiver in 45 nm SOI CMOS for same-channel full-duplex (FD) wireless communication. FD operation is enabled by a novel polarization-based wideband reconfigurable self-interference cancellation (SIC) technique in the antenna domain. The antenna cancellation can be reconfigured from the IC to combat the variable SI scattering from the environment during in-field operation. A second RF cancellation path with $ > 30\;\text{dB}$ gain control and $ > 360^{\circ}$ phase control from the transmitter (TX) output to the LNA output further suppresses the residual SI to achieve the high levels of required SIC. With antenna and RF cancellation together, a total SI suppression of $ > 70\;\text{dB}$ is achieved over a cancellation bandwidth of 1 GHz and can be maintained in the presence of nearby reflectors. In conjunction with digital SIC (DSIC) implemented in MATLAB, a FD link is demonstrated over 0.7 m with a signal-to-interference-noise-and-distortion ratio (SINDR) of 7.2 dB. To the best of our knowledge, this work achieves the highest integration level among FD transceivers irrespective of the operation frequency and demonstrates the first fully integrated mm-wave FD transceiver front-end and link.
Serum markers in testicular germ-cell neoplasms.

Alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin are useful in the diagnosis and management of germ-cell testis tumors. These serum markers can be used to detect small- voiume disease, meir greatest utility is m detection oi early relapse.
Synthesis of Bimetallic AuPt Clusters with Clean Surfaces via Sequential Displacement-Reduction Processes

We report the synthesis of bimetallic AuPt nanoparticles (3.3–4.3 nm) of uniform size and composition using colloidal methods and reagents containing only C, H, O, and N. These clusters were dispersed onto SiO2 and treated at low temperatures in the presence of reductants to remove all surface residues without concomitant agglomeration, thus leading to bimetallic structures suitable for mechanistic inquiries into bimetallic effects on surface reactivity. Synthesis protocols exploit and generalize galvanic displacement-reduction (GDR) processes previously used to prepare AuPd clusters; these routes promote bimetallic mixing but become more challenging for systems (e.g., AuPt) with smaller reduction potential differences and less favorable mixing enthalpies than AuPd. These hurdles are addressed here through procedural modifications that inhibit the formation of large Au-rich clusters, which compromise size and compositional uniformity. In doing so, we extend GDR techniques to endothermic alloys with elemen...
Long-Term Follow-Up of Friedreich Ataxia Patients

The results of a long-term prospective follow-up of 104 Friedreich ataxia patients are reported from the Salpetriere Hospital, Paris, and other centers in France.
Efficacy of Retreatment with Immunomodulatory Compounds In Patients Receiving Initial Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

Abstract 1964 Background: Thalidomide (thal), lenalidomide (len) and pomalidomide (pom) have been shown to have considerable efficacy in patients with newly diagnosed as well as relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). They are often used as initial therapy in patients proceeding to stem cell transplant (SCT), and based on the initial response, are usually considered for salvage therapy during their disease course. However, the retreatment efficacy of these compounds is unknown. We conducted this study to ascertain the degree of response that can be obtained by retreatment with immunomodulatory compounds. Patients and Method: 410 patients with newly diagnosed MM who received either thalidomide-dexamethasone or lenalidomide-dexamethasone were studied. Of these, 183 patients received thalidomide, lenalidomide or pomalidomide (with or without dexamethasone) as one of the salvage regimens following relapse, and form the study group. We included all patients who received the repeat immunomodulatory therapy as salvage treatment at any time during the MM disease course. Results: The median (range) age of the MM patient group was 60 (29-80) years; 117 (64%) were male. Thalidomide and lenalidomide were used as initial therapy in 106 (58%) and 77 (42%) patients, respectively. Patients received a median of 2 treatments (range, 1–6) prior to salvage therapy; bortezomib was used as one of the salvage treatment (prior to the repeat immunomodulatory therapy) in 41 (22%) patients. An autologous stem cell transplant was performed in 118 (64%) patients after the initial immunomodulatory therapy. Almost one half (89; 49%) of the patients went off the first line therapy to undergo a SCT; whereas drug toxicity (26; 14%) and disease progression (21; 11%) were other causes requiring a treatment change. The compound used for salvage therapy was thalidomide, lenalidomide or pomalidomide in 40 (22%), 129 (70%) and 14 (8%) patients, respectively. The responses to salvage therapy based on the initial therapy and the salvage regimen are as shown in Table 1. Overall, 67 (37%) patients achieved a partial response or better and 73 (40%) patients achieved less than a partial response (stable and progressive disease) to repeat immunomodulatory therapy, while the remaining 43 (23%) had non evaluable disease response. Conclusions: Retreatment with an immunomodulatory therapy, especially a different compound, was associated with excellent response rates. Lowest response rates were seen in patients retreated with thalidomide after having received lenalidomide as their initial therapy after the diagnosis of MM. This information is valuable in deciding on the choice of repeat therapy with immunomodulatory compounds in patients with relapsed disease. Disclosures: Dispenzieri:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Binding Site: Honoraria. Kumar:Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Genzyme: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding.
Maxi-Gen™ Plus: A nucleotide-containing product that reduces stress indicators and improves growth performance during smoltification in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Abstract Three trials were conducted to determine the effects of dietary nucleotides fed as Maxi-Gen™ Plus on the stress level, growth performance and intestinal histology of in-season and off-season Atlantic salmon smolts. Twenty-four hour, 40 ppt salinity tests determined the hypo-osmoregulatory ability of Atlantic salmon during smoltification gradually improved as the dietary inclusion rate of Maxi-Gen™ Plus increased from 0.05 to 0.60%, which indicates an extended period of time for effective transfer to seawater. Growth performance evaluated as weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio showed diets containing 0.40 to 0.60% Maxi-Gen™ Plus enhanced the growth performance of Atlantic salmon smolts. Fish fed the diet containing 0.60% Maxi-Gen™ Plus exhibited lower plasma cortisol levels. The villus height, width and apparent surface area of both mid and distal intestines were not influenced by including Maxi-Gen™ Plus in the diet. Statement of relevance Three experiments assessed the effect of the inclusion of dietary nucleotides fed as Maxi-Gen™ Plus on the stress level, growth performance and intestinal histology of in-season and off-season Atlantic salmon smolts. Increasing the dietary inclusion level of Maxi-Gen™ led to improved hypo-osmoregulatory ability and growth performance with no noted effect on the intestinal histology of Atlantic salmon. This indicates as the dietary inclusion level of Maxi-Gen™ increased from 0.05% to 0.60%, so did the “smolt window,” or period of time when the smolts can be transferred from fresh to salt water.
Moral Power: How Public Opinion on Culture War Issues Shapes Partisan Predispositions and Religious Orientations

Party-driven and religion-driven models of opinion change posit that individuals revise their positions on culture war issues to ensure consonance with political and religious predispositions. By contrast, models of issue-driven change propose that public opinion on cultural controversies lead people to revise their partisan and religious orientations. Using data from four panel studies covering the period 1992–2012, we pit the party- and religion-based theories of opinion change against the issue-based model of change. Consistent with the standard view, party and religion constrain culture war opinion. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, but consistent with our novel theory, opinions on culture war issues lead people to revise their partisan affinities and religious orientations. Our results imply that culture war attitudes function as foundational elements in the political and religious belief systems of ordinary citizens that match and sometimes exceed partisan and religious predispositions in terms of motivating power.
Factors Determining In Vitro Lung Deposition of Albuterol Aerosol Delivered by Ventolin Metered-Dose Inhaler

Abstract Background: The effectiveness of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) in delivering medication to the lungs highly depends on its correct usage technique. Current guidelines state optimal technique for high lung deposition should include a slow inhalation (>5 seconds) at an inspiratory flow rate of 30 L/min and inhaler actuation at the start of inhalation. However, these recommendations were based on clinical studies using CFC (chlorofluorocarbon)-MDIs and in vitro studies of HFA (hydrofluoroalkane)-MDIs using idealized MDI techniques of uniform inhalation and actuation, disregarding the nonuniform techniques of actual patients. Methods: To better understand the effects of time-varying MDI usage parameters on lung deposition of aerosol delivered by an HFA-MDI, we conducted an in vitro study modeled on real-life variable inspiratory flow and actuation techniques recorded from 15 subjects with asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We developed a model representing the time-varying inspirator...
An analytical model for band gap behavior in lumped elastic metamaterials

Internal resonators in lumped spring-mass elastic metamaterials reveal unique wave dispersion characteristics. Using the Bloch-wave analysis and the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM), the band structure of a unit cell of a locally resonant metamaterial shows a band gap (region of near-perfect wave attenuation) despite the lack of any damping elements. This paper presents an analytical closed-form model of a finite metamaterial structure comprising a chain of unit cells to try to understand the band gap behavior. The poles and zeros of the derived transfer functions explain the formation mechanism of the band gap and ties the band structure predictions of the single cell to the structural dynamics of the resultant metamaterial.
Rating scale item assessment of self-harm in postpartum women: a cross-sectional analysis

We examined the utility of screening instruments to identify risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI) in a population of women with neuropsychiatric illnesses at high risk for postpartum depression. Pregnant women with neuropsychiatric illness enrolled prior to 20 weeks of gestation. Follow-up visits at 4-8-week intervals through 13 weeks postpartum included assessment of depressive symptoms with both clinician and self-rated scales. A total of 842 women were included in the study. Up to 22.3% of postpartum women admitted SI on rating scales, despite the majority (79%) receiving active pharmacological treatment for psychiatric illness. Postpartum women admitting self-harm/SI were more likely to meet criteria for current major depressive episode (MDE), less than college education, an unplanned pregnancy, a history of past suicide attempt, and a higher score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. In women with a history of neuropsychiatric illness, over 20% admitted SI during the postpartum period despite ongoing psychiatric treatment. Patient-rated depression scales are more sensitive screening tools than a clinician-rated depression scale for +SI in the postpartum period.
Religious Affiliation and Work–Family Conflict Among Women and Men

Religion is an important part of life for many women and men. Research on religion and work–family issues, however, remains limited. To better understand how religion influences work–family experiences, we use data from the General Social Survey to examine subjective experiences of work–family conflict across three religious groups and the nonreligious. Specifically, we examine how conservative Protestants, Catholics/Orthodox Christians, mainline Protestants, and the nonreligious differ in their perceptions of work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. We find that conservative Protestant women, but not men, report less work-to-family conflict and less family-to-work conflict than their peers in other religious groups even after controlling for religious service attendance, specific job features, and sociodemographic characteristics. Catholic/Orthodox men report less family-to-work and family-to-work conflict than conservative Protestant men. We suggest that researchers examine religion more closely to d...
Multimodal Image Registration Through Simultaneous Segmentation

Multimodal image registration facilitates the combination of complementary information from images acquired with different modalities. Most existing methods require computation of the joint histogram of the images, while some perform joint segmentation and registration in alternate iterations. In this letter, we introduce a new noninformation-theoretical method for pairwise multimodal image registration, in which the error of segmentation—using both images—is considered as the registration cost function. We empirically evaluate our method via rigid registration of multicontrast brain images, and demonstrate an often higher registration accuracy in the results produced by the proposed technique, compared to those by several existing methods.
Site-Specific Self-Catalyzed DNA Depurination, the Basis of a Spontaneous Mutagenic Mechanism of Wide Evolutionary Significance

This chapter focuses on the nature of site-specific self-catalyzed DNA depurination as a spontaneous mechanism inherent in the chemical structure and dynamics of DNA that has contributed to evolutionary change. It describes the essential molecular features of the mechanism, the short consensus sequence elements that form the catalytic intermediate, the basics of the reactions that lead to the creation of apurinic sites, and the means by which those sites give rise to substitution and short deletion mutations. The consensus sequences are widely distributed in double-stranded genomes across the phyla at high frequency that increases up the phylogenetic tree. In the human genome, they constitute >2 × 106 potential mutagenic sites, non-randomly scattered among very many genes, some containing multiple sites. Examples are presented of genes in which the mutations coincide with their self-depurination consensus sequences, the most striking being those in the β-globin gene that are responsible for six anemias and two β-thalassemias. Those of the olfactory receptor genes and the hypervariable regions of the immunoglobulin genes are shown to have utilized the mechanism to evolve their high degree of diversity and/or to develop their contemporaneous diversity for their present function.