cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radio-frequency vs. electrolytic VMH lesions: differential effects on plasma hormones

Electrolytic lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) result in marked hyperphagia and obesity, but several studies have found the excess food intake and weight gain to be greatly reduced when lesions are produced by electrocauterization with radio-frequency current. Unlike electrolytic lesions, radio-frequency lesions leave few or no deposits of metallic ions that can potentially stimulate adjacent tissue. In the present experiment, weight gain and several endocrine responses previously associated with the VMH syndrome were compared in female rats given either electrolytic, radio-frequency, or sham VMH lesions. Both groups with VMH lesions became obese, but rats with radio-frequency lesions displayed only 63.2% of the weight gain of animals with irritative lesions (120.0 vs. 189.8 g in 20 days). Only rats with electrolytic lesions displayed elevated plasma insulin levels during an initial period of food restriction, but both groups with lesions were hyperinsulinemic when allowed to overeat. Plasma growth hormone levels were decreased by electrolytic lesions but unaffected by radio-frequency lesions. Morning corticosterone levels were elevated in both VMH groups, but only the rats with electrolytic lesions were found to have elevations in plasma adrenocorticotropin. It is concluded that some of the endocrine dysfunctions resulting from electrolytic VMH lesions are due to irritative stimulation rather than to tissue ablation.
SAT0480 How many patients do we really need to enroll in randomized clinical trials of biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis? An analysis of published trials

Background Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are designed to answer specific questions using a certain number of patients, determined by sample size calculation. If the calculation is not done properly, more than the needed number of patients may be enrolled, leading to unnecessary exposure for those patients to potentially harmful drugs. In an ideal world, assumptions that go into the calculation of the sample size would be more certain. However in the real world it is not always possible to have ideal calculations and it would be expected that under and over enrolling would be seen in roguishly similar number of RCTs. Objectives To determine the actual numbers of patients needed to be enrolled in RA biologic RCT. Methods A Pubmed search was conducted, for RCT of abatacept, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, rituximab and tocilizumab, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (n=291). Only original initial studies where the primary outcome was efficacy were analyzed (n=42). Using the final results of the primary outcome, back calculation of the actually needed patients for the trials were calculated and compared to the actual enrollment numbers. Results 42 studies were analyzed (infliximab 10, etanercept 7, adalimumab 8, abatacept 7, tocilizumab 5, rituximab 5). Primer efficacy outcome was ACR 20 in 29 studies. ACR 50 in 3 studies, ACR N in 2 studies, DAS-28 in 5 studies, Paulus 20 in 2 studies and reduction of number of swollen/tender joints in 1 study. The mean number of patients enrolled in the treatment arms were 153 and the control arms were 114. After back calculation, the actual needed numbers for the treatment arm was 79 and control arm was 79. According to the recalculated sample size results, there were more patient than required to show differences between groups in 35 studies (83%) and less patients than required in 7 studies. In the 35 studies were more than necessary patients were enrolled had a median of 103 extra patients. Conclusions Over 80% of RCT of biologic agents in the treatment of RA had on average 103 patients unnecessarily enrolled. This was a trend seen regardless of agent or how many previous RCT had been done with the same agent. It is an ethical obligation to conduct a RCT with only the necessary number of patients to answer the scientific question that is being asked. Our data suggests that most RCT fall short of this standard. Disclosure of Interest S. Celik: None Declared, Y. Yazici Grant/Research support from: Abbott, BMS, Celgene, Genentech, Consultant for: Abbott, BMS, Centocor, Celgene, Pfizer, genentech, UCB, Takeda
Microbiological Examination of Peritoneal Dialysate Fluid Using a Fluorescent Acridine Orange Stain

Peritonitis is a major complication resulting from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in patients with end-stage renal disease. Since peritonitis is potentially lethal, its early detection is crucial to the treatment of patients with CAPD. Therefore, the rapid screening of the peritoneal dialysate is very important in diagnosing the causative organisms. Our preliminary studies on 30 patients suggest that a fluorescent acridine orange stain allows better visualization of bacteria than the Gram's stain and maybe useful as a rapid screening test for microorganisms in peritoneal dialysate fluid.
Analysis of Pfizer compounds in EPA's ToxCast chemicals-assay space.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the ToxCast program in 2007 with the goal of evaluating high-throughput in vitro assays to prioritize chemicals that need toxicity testing. Their goal was to develop predictive bioactivity signatures for toxic compounds using a set of in vitro assays and/or in silico properties. In 2009, Pfizer joined the ToxCast initiative by contributing 52 compounds with preclinical and clinical data for profiling across the multiple assay platforms available. Here, we describe the initial analysis of the Pfizer subset of compounds within the ToxCast chemical (n = 1814) and in vitro assay (n = 486) space. An analysis of the hit rate of Pfizer compounds in the ToxCast assay panel allowed us to focus our mining of assays potentially most relevant to the attrition of our compounds. We compared the bioactivity profile of Pfizer compounds to other compounds in the ToxCast chemical space to gain insights into common toxicity pathways. Additionally, we explored the simil...
Biological and Morphological Studies on the Bat Flea, Myodopsylla insignis (Siphonaptera: Ischnopsyllidae)

The minimum time for development of Myodopsylla insignis from oviposition to adult emergence is 23 d at 29°C and 75–85% relative humidity (RH). The development and the larval morphology are described. Newly emerged adults demonstrate a tendency to jump, which is not characteristic of adults on the host. Evidence is presented that supports the primary function of combs in fleas as protective, allowing for maximum flexibility and movement of the joint without injury or damage. The sensilium of sexually excited male fleas was observed in a previously undescribed position, with the sensilar plate rotated inwardly against the dorsal surface of segment X, possibly to protect the plate during copulation. A material was observed within the sensiliary sensory pits and adhering to the surface of the trichobothrial hairs of several female fleas, which suggests that this substance is secreted deep within the lower vestibule of the sensory pit and is transferred out of the pit around the trichobothrial hair. The presence of abundant microvilli and numerous large vacuoles at the base of the sensory pit supports the hypothesis that a substance is produced by the cellular components of the sensilium.
Advances in flavonoid glycosyltransferase research: integrating recent findings with long-term citrus studies

Flavonoid glycosides are required for a number of crucial roles in planta and have the potential for development in a variety of agricultural, medicinal, and biotechnological applications. A number of recent advancements have been made in characterizing glycosyltransferases, the enzymes that are responsible for the synthesis of these important molecules. In this review, glycosyltransferases are considered with regard to biochemical properties, expression patterns, levels of enzyme activity during development, and structure/function relationships. This is presented with historical context to highlight critical findings, particularly with regard to the innovative work that has come from research on citrus species. The plant glycosyltransferase crystal structures that have been solved over the past decade, either alone or in complex with sugar donor and/or acceptor molecules, are discussed. The application of results from these structures to inform current structure/function work as well as implications and goals for future crystallography and tertiary modeling studies are considered. A thorough understanding of the properties of glycosyltransferases will be a critical step in any future biotechnological application of these enzymes in areas such as crop improvement and custom design of enzymes to produce desired compounds for nutritional and/or medicinal usage.
Role of Free Space and Conformational Control on Photoproduct Selectivity of Optically Pure α-Alkyldeoxybenzoins within a Water-Soluble Organic Capsule

Optically pure α-alkyl deoxybenzoins resulting in products of Norrish Type I and Type II reactions upon excitation has been investigated within the octa acid (OA) capsule in water. The product distribution was different from that in an organic solvent and was also dependent on the length of the α-alkyl chain. Most importantly, a rearrangement product not formed in an organic solvent arising from the triplet radical pair generated by Norrish Type I reaction was formed, and its yield was dependent on the alkyl chain length. In an organic solvent, since the cage lifetime is shorter than the time required for intersystem crossing (ISC) of the triplet radical pair to the singlet radical pair the recombination with or without rearrangement of the primary radical pair (phenylacetyl and benzyl) does not occur. Recombination without rearrangement within the capsule as inferred from monitoring the racemization of the optically pure α-alkyl deoxybenzoins suggesting the capsule’s stability for at least 10–8 s (the ti...
Enhanced suppression of blastogenic responses by weanling mouse lymphoid cells treated with tetrahydrocannabinol in vitro.

AbstractThe suppressive effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the proliferation of lymphocytes from the spleen, lymph node, and thymus of weanling animals vs adult animals to the T-cell mitogen PHA were examined. THC had a suppressive effect on thymus cells from animals of both younger and older mice. THC suppressed spleen and lymph node cells responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) more readily when the cells were obtained from young mice rather than older animals. Suppression by THC in the adult mice was greater in an organ containing fewer mature T lymphocytes such as the thymus in comparison to lymphocytes in secondary organs such as the spleen and lymph nodes which contain more mature lymphocytes.
Postoperative Complications of Abdominal Trauma

Postoperative complications following laparotomy for patients with abdominal trauma may be difficult to detect, particularly in those patients with multiple injuries. Such complications may lead to multiple organ system failure and death. Consequently, techniques for prevention of these postoperative complications, from resuscitation through operation, are emphasized. These techniques include means for detecting all abdominal injuries, management of the complicated wound, and evaluation and treatment of abdominal abscesses.
Assessing Organizational Financial Health of Nonprofit Arts Organizations

This study is the second in a series that analyzes, both independently and in the aggregate, the empirical inter-relationships of financial levels of government support, marketing/development investment and financial health of nonprofit performing arts organizations. Currently in the design stage, this study will build on the previous research to examine those and additional factors—levels of earned/contributed revenue, and artistic and administrative/finance expenses—assessing their correlational and causal inter-relationships with organizational financial health. It also is designed to analyze differences between pre-2008 (pre-recession) data and post-2008 (recession and post-recession) data to assess implications of significant changes in the macro-economic environment for nonprofit arts organizations. This preliminary study examines those factors using data from GuideStar, a database which contains financial reports of nonprofit organizations. The final study will evaluate existing data from the League of American Orchestras robust annual survey of member orchestras.
A Surgeon’s Thought Process in the Management of Burn Patients

Caring for burn patients can be complex and difficult. While there are numerous guidelines written by burn experts and enforced by various organizations, the final decision as to how certain patients will be managed and treated will depend on the surgeon caring for that patient. As technology is evolving, resuscitation and aggressiveness by which severely burn patients are cared for is changing dramatically.
Pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus following topical application of tacrolimus ointment in adult and pediatric patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.

Objective To characterize the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus after topical application in adult and pediatric patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis from all clinical trials in which tacrolimus blood levels were obtained. Methods Tacrolimus ointment 0.03% or 0.1% was applied twice daily. In the adult and pediatric pharmacokinetic studies, serial blood samples were obtained after single and repeated topical application. During the 12 clinical efficacy trials of tacrolimus ointment, single blood samples were obtained at various times relative to tacrolimus ointment application. Results In the pharmacokinetic studies, 89% to 95% of tacrolimus whole blood concentration samples were less than 1 ng/mL; mean maximum concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 1.6 ng/mL and mean area under the blood concentration-time curves (0-12 hours) ranged from 1.4 to 13.1 ng x hr/mL. Likewise, in the clinical efficacy trials, the majority (85%-99%) of tacrolimus concentration samples were less than 1 ng/mL. Conclusions Tacrolimus ointment is associated with minimal systemic absorption and no evidence of systemic accumulation in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis and extensive disease.
Projected current density comparison in tDCS block and smooth FE modeling

Current density distribution and projected current density calculation following transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) forward model in a human head were compared between two modeling pipelines: block and smooth. Block model was directly constructed from MRI voxel resolution and simulated in C. Smooth models underwent a boundary smoothing process by applying recursive Gaussian filters and simulated in COMSOL. Three smoothing levels were added to determine their effects on current density distribution compared to block models. Median current density percentage differences were calculated in anterior superior temporal gyrus (ASTG), hippocampus (HIP), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), occipital lobes (OCC) and precentral gyrus (PRC) and normalized against a baseline value. A maximum of + 20% difference in median current density was found for three standard electrode montages: F3-RS, T7-T8 and Cz-Oz. Furthermore, median current density percentage differences in each montage target brain structures were found to be within + 7%. Higher levels of smoothing increased median current density percentage differences in T7-T8 and Cz-Oz target structures. However, while demonstrating similar trends in each montage, additional smoothing levels showed no clear relationship between their smoothing effects and calculated median current density in the five cortical structures. Finally, relative L2 error in reconstructed projected current density was found to be 17% and 21% for block and smooth pipelines, respectively. Overall, a block model workflow may be a more attractive alternative for simulating tDCS stimulation because involves a shorter modeling time and independence from commercial modeling platforms.
On The Empirics of User-Fees, Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior and Child Survival in Ghana

This study examines the impact of the elimination of health user-fees on a variety of maternal and child health outcomes, under the Free Maternal Healthcare Program in Ghana using data from a nationally-representative sample survey. By employing a battery of linear and binomial logit and probit estimations, we find that the elimination of user fees significantly increases the probability of using the services of a skilled birth attendant (midwife or nurse) at delivery, whilst simultaneously reducing the probability of using a traditional attendant. We also find evidence that the program increases the number of antenatal care visits as well as the probability of going for post-natal baby check-ups. On family planning, even though we do not find a positive impact on the probability that a couple will not use family planning methods or on the ideal number of children a couple wishes to have in our Schultz(1969) family planning model, we find that it significantly increases the probability that a couple will keep an initially unwanted pregnancy. Additionally and perhaps most importantly, we find that the program is more significant in increasing the probability of child survival than any other variable in our Chen and Mosley (1984) child survival model. Our findings remain robust and consistent across specifications and after controlling for regional fixed effects, as well as rural and urban disparities in health facility endowments and non-facility costs.
Improving the Quality of End-of-Life Care in Pediatric Oncology Patients Through the Early Implementation of Palliative Care:

Providing end-of-life care to children with cancer is most ideally achieved by initiating palliative care at the time of diagnosis, advocating for supportive care throughout the treatment trajectory, and implementing hospice care during the terminal phase. The guiding principles behind offering palliative care to pediatric oncology patients are the prioritization of providing holistic care and management of disease-based symptoms. Pediatric hematology-oncology nurses and clinicians have a unique responsibility to support the patient and family unit and foster a sense of hope, while also preparing the family for the prognosis and a challenging treatment trajectory that could result in the child's death. In order to alleviate potential suffering the child may experience, there needs to be an emphasis on supportive care and symptom management. There are barriers to implementing palliative care for children with cancer, including the need to clarify the palliative care philosophy, parental acknowledgement and acceptance of a child's disease and uncertain future, nursing awareness of services, perception of availability, and a shortage of research guidance. It is important for nurses and clinicians to have a clear understanding of the fundamentals of palliative and end-of-life care for pediatric oncology patients to receive the best care possible.
Expectations of Aging as Gendered Political Discourse in 19th-century France

Research framework: In 1881 the French Third Republic allocated yearly pensions to nearly 25,000 elderly citizens as reparations for political oppression suffered thirty years earlier during the previous regime. To receive a pension, each former political prisoner (proscrit), their widows or children, wrote letters describing their punishment and the wider multi-generational impact of that oppression.Objectives: This article uncovers understandings shared by Republican administrators and a particular group of their staunch working-class supporters - artisans, rural laborers, and small-town shopkeepers - of the definitions of old age, expectations for life trajectories, and how gender affected both expectations and experiences.Methodology: Historical, qualitative analysis of archival documents at the French National Archives and departments of the Ain, Allier, Drome, Herault, Rhone, Saone-et-Loire, Vaucluse and Yonne, France.Results: Analysis demonstrates pension applicants drew upon common understandings of gender and age-based roles to strengthen their claims to pensions both as erstwhile heroes of the newly democratic regime and as members of an indigent, elderly poor worthy of government aid.Conclusions: Former proscrits, their families and Republican administrators shared assumptions about the definition of the onset of old age as linked to gender; about expectations that elderly men would work indefinitely in old age until physically unable to do so but that the specter of elderly working women was shameful and a blot on Republican values; and about an understanding that pensions allowed a dignified old-age for both male and female applicants by undoing dangerous shifts in gender roles perceived as triggered by the political oppression decades earlier.Contribution: The article contributes to scholarship on changing European understandings of the gendered dimensions of old age in the late 19th century, just before decades of social welfare legislation.
Fbxo4-mediated degradation of Fxr1 suppresses tumorigenesis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The Fbxo4 tumour suppressor is a component of an Skp1-Cul1-F-box E3 ligase for which two substrates are known. Here we show purification of SCFFbxo4 complexes results in the identification of fragile X protein family (FMRP, Fxr1 and Fxr2) as binding partners. Biochemical and functional analyses reveal that Fxr1 is a direct substrate of SCFFbxo4. Consistent with a substrate relationship, Fxr1 is overexpressed in Fbxo4 knockout cells, tissues and in human cancer cells, harbouring inactivating Fbxo4 mutations. Critically, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Fxr1 overexpression correlates with reduced Fbxo4 levels in the absence of mutations or loss of mRNA, suggesting the potential for feedback regulation. Direct analysis reveals that Fbxo4 translation is attenuated by Fxr1, indicating the existence of a feedback loop that contributes to Fxr1 overexpression and the loss of Fbxo4. Ultimately, the consequence of Fxr1 overexpression is the bypass of senescence and neoplastic progression.
Fluxpart: open source software for partitioning carbon dioxide and water vapor fluxes.

Abstract The eddy covariance method is regularly used for measuring gas fluxes over agricultural fields and natural ecosystems. For many applications, it is desirable to partition the measured fluxes into constitutive components: the water vapor flux into transpiration and direct evaporation components, and the carbon dioxide flux into photosynthesis and respiration components. The flux variance similarity (FVS) partitioning method is based on flux variance similarity relationships and correlation analyses of high-frequency eddy covariance data ( Scanlon and Sahu, 2008 , Scanlon and Kustas, 2010 , Scanlon and Kustas, 2012 ). The FVS method is relatively complex computationally, and that complexity has likely been an impediment to greater use and testing of the procedure. In this work, we present a new algebraic solution to the key computational task in the partitioning algorithm, which significantly simplifies the FVS method. We also introduce Fluxpart, a free and open source Python 3 module that implements the FVS partitioning procedure. Example flux partitioning calculations are presented.
A New Monthly Pressure Dataset Poleward of 60°S since 1957

AbstractThis study presents a new monthly pressure dataset poleward of 60°S, from 1957 to 2016, based on a kriging interpolation from observed pressure anomalies across the Antarctic continent. Ove...
Rainfed maize yield response to management and climate covariability at large spatial scales

Abstract Statistical analyses of yield and climate data across large spatial scales are an important method for exploring crop sensitivity to a variable and changing climate. However, a variety of issues complicate the interpretation of climate impacts on yield, including spatial and temporal collinearity among climate variables and between climate and management variables, as well as complex responses of yield to interactions among climate variables across different growth development phases. All of these issues, if unaccounted for, can compromise yield projections under climate change. In this study, we present a series of nested models to analyze rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) yield response to climate (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation) at specific growth-development phases and under different crop management practices. The models, fit using elastic net regression to address collinearity, indicate that spatial gradients in management, which occur at the same scale as climate variability, explain the majority of location-based and total yield variance. Coefficient estimates of yield responses to high temperature/low precipitation conditions during key growth development phases are consistent with reported physiological responses of maize, but only when interaction terms are included between temperature and precipitation. Yield responses to temperature and solar radiation are also modified by prior temperature regime. Overall, failure to parameterize management practices and interactions between temperature and precipitation leads to systemic errors in models linking maize yields to climate impacts at large spatial scales, both under current and projected climate.
Tumor-Like Trophoblastic Conditions

Two well-defined reactive conditions of intermediate trophoblast are placental site nodule (PSN) and exaggerated placental site (EPS) reaction (see Table 1.1 from Chap. 1). PSN is a proliferative lesion of the intermediate trophoblast at the chorionic laeve whereas EPS is a reactive process consisting of the intermediate trophoblast at implantation site. Clinicopathologically, both lesions are incidental findings and are associated with either a prior pregnancy or a concurrent gestation. They are microscopic and generally not detectable by imaging studies. Histologically and immunohistochemically, PSN and EPS have histological and cytological features simulating their neoplastic counterparts, that is, epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) and placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT), respectively (Int J Gynecol Pathol 20(1):31–47, 2001). Recognition by pathologists of both lesions is important as they may simulate various trophoblastic tumors and even non-trophoblastic neoplasms, such as squamous cell carcinoma.
Cold Plasma Inactivates Salmonella Stanley and Escherichia coli O157:H7 Inoculated on Golden Delicious Apples

Cold plasma generated in a gliding arc was applied to outbreak strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Stanley on agar plates and inoculated onto the surfaces of Golden Delicious apples. This novel sanitizing technology inactivated both pathogens on agar plates, with higher flow rate (40 liters/min) observed to be more efficacious than were lower flow rates (20 liters/min), irrespective of treatment time (1 or 2 min). Golden Delicious apples were treated with various flow rates (10, 20, 30, or 40 liters/min) of cold plasma for various times (1, 2, or 3 min), applied to dried spot inoculations. All treatments resulted in significant (P < 0.05) reductions from the untreated control, with 40 liters/min more effective than were lower flow rates. Inactivation of Salmonella Stanley followed a time-dependent reduction for all flow rates. Reductions after 3 min ranged from 2.9 to 3.7 log CFU/ml, close to the limit of detection. For E. coli O157:H7, 40 liters/min gave similar reductions for all treatment times, 3.4 to 3.6 log CFU/ml. At lower flow rates, inactivation was related to exposure time, with 3 min resulting in reductions of 2.6 to 3 log CFU/ml. Temperature increase of the treated apples was related to exposure time for all flow rates. The maximum temperature of any plasma-treated apple was 50.8 degrees C (28 degrees C above ambient), after 20 liters/min for 3 min, indicating that antimicrobial effects were not the result of heat. These results indicate that cold plasma is a nonthermal process that can effectively reduce human pathogens inoculated onto fresh produce.
α-ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS IN RAT AORTIC SMOOTH MUSCLE: EVIDENCE FOR TWO COOPERATIVELY INTERACTING POPULATIONS

Norepinephrine (NE) elicited a saturable, concentration-dependent contraction in rat aortic strips (EC50, 9 nM). Phenoxybenzamine (PBZ) inhibited, irreversibly, the NE-induced contraction (max. inhibition at 50 nM applied for 10 min.). The protection of the α-receptor by NE showed a biphasic concentration dependence. These results are interpreted in terms of a 2-receptor model.
Energy flows in a quasi-isobaric fusion reactor: Part III, radio-frequency heating

The important mechanisms of energy flow in a quasi-isobaric magnetic fusion device have been studied in a three-part paper. In Part I, the spatial profiles of plasma parameters that yield acceptable values of Q{sub dt} and plasma dimensions, were determined. These profiles were determined by balancing the dominant terms in the differential energy equations, i.e., conduction, bremsstrahlung, and collisional energy exchange, against each other. One class of equilibria was identified for a more detailed study. In Part II, the contributions of inelastic processes, radiation transport and alpha-particle heating were studied. These terms, in combination with the dominant terms studied earlier, yield the spatial profile of external heating that is required to balance the energy equations everywhere in the plasma. In Part III, the results of ray-tracing calculations for waves in the lower hybrid range are reported. These calculations show that it is possible to produce such a deposition profile for both electrons and ions, if the launch structure can couple the required k spectrum through the high-density edge plasma. 12 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.
The Sponge State: A Striking Isotropic Liquid Phase

Surfactants in solution may associate into two-dimensional aggregates (membranes) which self-organize either in liquid crystalline phases or, more surprisingly, in a liquid isotropic phase made of connected bilayers. A review of what is known about this phase is presented. Structural and thermodynamical models of the phase are described together with experimental results.
The Linguistic Turn

The discipline of linguistics, especially as defined by Ferdinand de Saussure, was also conceived in the manner described in Chap. 3. Like phenomenology, it gets its own chapter because of the formative influence structuralism had on “post-structuralism” and, by extension, on postmodern theory in general. It touches first on Wittgenstein’s career because his later work anticipated many of the positions espoused by postmodernism and, in the Anglophone context, his considerable influence intensified the impact of French theory. But the main focus of this chapter is Saussure’s linguistics and the structuralist anthropology of Levi-Strauss. One cannot grasp what post-structuralists were up to without a working understanding of what structuralism was all about—and that is what this chapter supplies.
Investigating the anti-oxidant effects of estrogen in RAW cell macrophages

The female sex hormone, estrogen (E2) is proposed to have cardioprotective effects due to its anti-oxidant properties. Previous studies have shown that as women enter the post-menopausal period, cardiovascular incidences increase dramatically. This may be due to a decrease in E2 and its protective properties. E2 receptors can be found on the surface of the RAW macrophage cell as well as the nucleus and mitochondria, where E2 can modulate both nuclear and mitochondrial genes in response to inflammatory stimuli. We hypothesize that in the RAW murine macrophage cell line E2 increases cell viability, decreases reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases mitochondrial function. PCR analysis confirmed ER-α presence in RAW cells. 48 hours after plating RAW cells, they were treated with low (100nM) and high (1mM) levels of E2 in serum and phenol-free DMEM. The cells were pretreated with E2 or vehicle for 15hrs, followed by treatment with the inflammation-inducing endotoxin, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 6hrs. The Calcein AM Assay showed greater cell concentrations when cells were pretreated with E2. ROS production measurement via DCF Fluorescence of post-LPS treatment showed that E2 pretreatment of cells decreased ROS production. Changes in ROS production may be due alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential. Therefore, mitochondrial membrane potential was measured using TMRM Fluorescence and showed that E2 pretreatment increased mitochondrial membrane potential. A greater mitochondrial membrane potential may infer a more efficient mitochondria. Seahorse measurement of mitochondrial function confirmed that low and high levels of E2 pretreatment increases mitochondrial function in RAW cells. We hope to further explore cellular localization of ROS production and the effects of estrogen on mitochondrial function after LPS treatment. This data suggests that estrogen is anti-oxidant and may exert these effects by modulating mitochondrial function. Overall this data suggests that the anti-oxidant properties of estrogen may be beneficial to cardiovascular health.
The Joint Show: high art in the Summer of Love

The Joint Show was the first significant exhibition of posters and counterculture art in a reputable art gallery. Held July-September 1967 at the Walter Moore Gallery in San Francisco, it showcased...
The multiple roles of chosen familia: exploring the interconnections of queer Latino men’s community cultural wealth

This study contributes to the literature on college students with multiple marginalized identities by investigating the experiences of queer Latino men as they created familial relationships during...
Abstract 166: Effects of Dietary Unsaturated Fat and Carbohydrate on the HDL Proteome and Metabolism of 9 HDL Proteins Across 6 HDL Size Fractions in Humans

Introduction: When dietary carbohydrate replaces fat, HDL-C and apoA1 decrease. The proportion in plasma of large HDL2 decreases while small HDL3 increases. These findings suggest that diet affects...
Responding to a new generation of proprietary study resources in medical education.

Traditionally, health sciences libraries have supported patrons who are preparing for medical licensure examinations by collecting and making accessible board exam preparation resources, such as questions banks and study guides. However, when online board exam preparation resources are not available for licensing, providing equitable access to all library users can be a challenge. In recent years, a new generation of online study resources has emerged. Sites such as SketchyMedical and Picmonic use visual learning mnemonics, while resources such as Quizlet leverage crowd-sourcing to generate study content. While some of the content from these resources is made freely available, these resources are often limited to paid individual subscribers. This new generation of study resources, thus, presents a conundrum for health sciences librarians. On the one hand, these innovative resources offer new insights into how students learn and study, reflecting pedagogical trends in self-directed learning. On the other hand, the proprietary individual subscription-based model of these resources can widen the achievement gap between students who can afford to pay subscription costs and those who cannot. This commentary provides an overview of some of the most popular medical board examination preparation resources that have emerged in recent years. The authors suggest that health sciences librarians collaborate with medical students and educators to better understand and evaluate these resources.
Case 3: Prognathism in a 13-year-old Boy.

1. Jacqueline T. Chan, MD* 2. Carla Z. Minutti, MD† 1. *Children’s Hospital University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 2. †Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL A previously healthy 13-year-old boy presents to the clinic for evaluation of prognathism. The mother reports that his jaw has grown disproportionately in the past 2 years and he is unable to close his mouth. The mother also mentions that he has been growing fast for the past 3 to 4 years and that she has frequently been buying him larger shoes and clothes. He denies headaches or blurry vision. Family history is negative for prognathism or tall stature. On examination he is found to be above the 95th percentile for height (midparental height around the 20th percentile), and his weight is at the 90th percentile. His vital signs are normal. Physical examination is pertinent only for prognathism. He is unable to completely close his mouth. He is Tanner stage 4-5. Review of previous records shows crossing of height percentiles from the 75th to above the 95th from 9 to 11 years old, whereas his weight has been stable. Records before this age were not available because the patient is …
Leveraging protein dynamics to identify cancer mutational hotspots using 3D structures.

Large-scale exome sequencing of tumors has enabled the identification of cancer drivers using recurrence-based approaches. Some of these methods also employ 3D protein structures to identify mutational hotspots in cancer-associated genes. In determining such mutational clusters in structures, existing approaches overlook protein dynamics, despite its essential role in protein function. We present a framework to identify cancer driver genes using a dynamics-based search of mutational hotspot communities. Mutations are mapped to protein structures, which are partitioned into distinct residue communities. These communities are identified in a framework where residue–residue contact edges are weighted by correlated motions (as inferred by dynamics-based models). We then search for signals of positive selection among these residue communities to identify putative driver genes, while applying our method to the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) PanCancer Atlas missense mutation catalog. Overall, we predict 1 or more mutational hotspots within the resolved structures of proteins encoded by 434 genes. These genes were enriched among biological processes associated with tumor progression. Additionally, a comparison between our approach and existing cancer hotspot detection methods using structural data suggests that including protein dynamics significantly increases the sensitivity of driver detection.
An interphase contractile ring reshapes primordial germ cells to allow bulk cytoplasmic remodeling

Some cells discard undesired inherited components in bulk by forming large compartments that are subsequently eliminated. Caenorhabditis elegans primordial germ cells (PGCs) jettison mitochondria and cytoplasm by forming a large lobe that is cannibalized by intestinal cells. Although PGCs are nonmitotic, we find that lobe formation is driven by constriction of a contractile ring and requires the RhoGEF ECT-2, a RhoA activator also essential for cytokinesis. Whereas centralspindlin activates ECT-2 to promote cytokinetic contractile ring formation, we show that the ECT-2 regulator NOP-1, but not centralspindlin, is essential for PGC lobe formation. We propose that lobe contractile ring formation is locally inhibited by the PGC nucleus, which migrates to one side of the cell before the cytokinetic ring assembles on the opposite cortex. Our findings reveal how components of the cytokinetic contractile ring are reemployed during interphase to create compartments used for cellular remodeling, and they reveal differences in the spatial cues that dictate where the contractile ring will form.
The Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in Drosophila melanogaster Immune Defense against Enterococcus faecalis

Dissecting the genetic basis of natural variation in disease response in hosts provides insights into the coevolutionary dynamics of host-pathogen interactions. Here, a genome-wide association study of Drosophila melanogaster survival after infection with the Gram-positive entomopathogenic bacterium Enterococcus faecalis is reported. There was considerable variation in defense against E. faecalis infection among inbred lines of the Drosophila Genetics Reference Panel. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with six genes with a significant (p < 10−08, corresponding to a false discovery rate of 2.4%) association with survival, none of which were canonical immune genes. To validate the role of these genes in immune defense, their expression was knocked-down using RNAi and survival of infected hosts was followed, which confirmed a role for the genes krishah and S6k in immune defense. We further identified a putative role for the Bomanin gene BomBc1 (also known as IM23), in E. faecalis infection response. This study adds to the growing set of association studies for infection in Drosophila melanogaster and suggests that the genetic causes of variation in immune defense differ for different pathogens.
A Förster Resonance Energy Transfer‐Based Ratiometric Sensor with the Allosteric Transcription Factor TetR

A recent description of an antibody-free assay is significantly extended for small molecule analytes using allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) and Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The FRET signal indicates the differential binding of an aTF-DNA pair with a dose-dependent response to its effector molecule, i.e., the analyte. The new sensors described here, based on the well-characterized aTF TetR, demonstrate several new features of the assay approach: 1) the generalizability of the sensors to additional aTF-DNA-analyte systems, 2) sensitivity modulation through the choice of donor fluorophore (quantum dots or fluorescent proteins, FPs), and 3) sensor tuning using aTF variants with differing aTF-DNA binding affinities. While all of these modular sensors self-assemble, the design reported here based on a recombinant aTF-FP chimera with commercially available dye-labeled DNA uses readily accessible sensor components to facilitate easy adoption of the sensing approach by the broader community.
The DNA-binding activity of USP1-associated factor 1 is required for efficient RAD51-mediated homologous DNA pairing and homology-directed DNA repair

USP1-associated factor 1 (UAF1) is an integral component of the RAD51-associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1)–UAF1-ubiquitin-specific peptidase 1 (USP1) trimeric deubiquitinase complex. This complex acts on DNA-bound, monoubiquitinated Fanconi anemia complementation group D2 (FANCD2) protein in the Fanconi anemia pathway of the DNA damage response. Moreover, RAD51AP1 and UAF1 cooperate to enhance homologous DNA pairing mediated by the recombinase RAD51 in DNA repair via the homologous recombination (HR) pathway. However, whereas the DNA-binding activity of RAD51AP1 has been shown to be important for RAD51-mediated homologous DNA pairing and HR-mediated DNA repair, the role of DNA binding by UAF1 in these processes is unclear. We have isolated mutant UAF1 variants that are impaired in DNA binding and tested them together with RAD51AP1 in RAD51-mediated HR. This biochemical analysis revealed that the DNA-binding activity of UAF1 is indispensable for enhanced RAD51 recombinase activity within the context of the UAF1–RAD51AP1 complex. In cells, DNA-binding deficiency of UAF1 increased DNA damage sensitivity and impaired HR efficiency, suggesting that UAF1 and RAD51AP1 have coordinated roles in DNA binding during HR and DNA damage repair. Our findings show that even though UAF1's DNA-binding activity is redundant with that of RAD51AP1 in FANCD2 deubiquitination, it is required for efficient HR-mediated chromosome damage repair.
End-of-Life Issues in US Child Life Specialist Programs: 2009–2019

Child life specialists play a crucial role with children and their families when the child has a life-threatening illness and is hospitalized by trying to establish some degree of normalcy in a situation void of such. Programs designed to train child life specialists have expanded over the last 10 years. This is a follow-up of our previous study a decade ago to determine if offerings on end of life issues have changed in US child life programs since 2009. We surveyed the 48 child life academic programs in the U.S. in 2019 and compared these findings with the earlier survey in 2009. We also analyzed the websites of all 48 programs to obtain a better understanding of current death and dying offerings in U.S. child life programs. All child life programs now include content on death, dying, and bereavement. Child life programs continue to emphasize end-of-life issues, with child life specialists being the primary deliverers of such information. Communication with patients with life-threatening illnesses, communication with family members of such patients, and grief and bereavement were the three most covered topics in both 2009 and 2019. U.S. child life specialist programs have increased in numbers over the decade and continue to prepare child life specialists to relate to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, thus playing a pivotal role in the lives of these individuals.
Implicit Bias on Policing: A Review

Day by day, societies experience various social problems that expose them to other inhibited vulnerabilities. Social issues are evident in almost all communities, and they vary significantly in terms of their impacts on the lives of people and other related individuals. The main social problem that I will focus on in this assignment is racial discrimination or prejudices. Studies from American heritages affirm that racism as a social concern is defined in two significant ways. First, it is a belief that our race accounts for substantial differences in the individual's ability and character and that specific races are superior as compared to others. In every society, racism takes several forms and happens in many places. It is associated with discrimination, hatred, or prejudices directed at a person because of his nationality, color, and ethnicity. Racism can be depicted in the attitudes and actions exhibited by people as well as institutions and systems that are pertinent to them. However, sometimes it may fail to be revealed because most of them are not as apparent as one might think. For instance, in most job application lists and applicants, one may decide not to interview a specific group because of color or ethnicity. Though this might be seen as a light thing, it may eventually cause severe complications. Racisms supersedes words, actions, and beliefs; it includes various available barriers that have been put in place to prevent people from enjoying specific equalities or dignities due to their race. In most cases, there are a particular group of people who thinks that their race is better than the rest and enjoys dominance. Though laws, both local and international, have been introduced to address the concept of racial discrimination, most people still practice it unnecessarily.
3D Printed Ion-Selective Membranes and Their Translation into Point-of-Care Sensors

This technical note describes a method for fabricating ion-selective membranes (ISMs) for use in potentiometric sensing by using 3D printing technology. Here, we demonstrate the versatility of this approach by fabricating ISMs and investigating their performance in both liquid-contact and solid-contact ion-selective electrode (ISE) configurations. Using 3D printed ISMs resulted in highly stable (drift of ∼17 μV/h) and highly reproducible (<1 mV deviation) measurements. Furthermore, we show the seamless translation of these membranes into reliable, carbon fiber- and paper-based potentiometric sensors for applications at the point-of-care. To highlight the modifiability of this approach, we fabricated sensors for bilirubin, an important biomarker of liver health; benzalkonium, a common preservative used in the pharmaceutical industry; and potassium, an important blood electrolyte. The ability to mass produce sensors using 3D printing is an attractive advantage over conventional methods, while also decreasing the time and cost associated with sensor fabrication.