cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential transcriptomic responses of Biomphalaria glabrata (Gastropoda, Mollusca) to bacteria and metazoan parasites, Schistosoma mansoni and Echinostoma paraensei (Digenea, Platyhelminthes)

A 70-mer oligonucleotide-based microarray (1152 features) that emphasizes stress and immune responses factors was constructed to study transcriptomic responses of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata to different immune challenges. In addition to sequences with relevant putative ID and Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, the array features non-immune factors and unknown B. glabrata ESTs for functional gene discovery. The transcription profiles of B. glabrata (3 biological replicates, each a pool of 5 snails) were recorded at 12 hours post wounding, exposure to Gram negative or Gram positive bacteria (Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus, respectively), or infection with compatible trematode parasites (S. mansoni or E. paraensei, 20 miracidia/snail), relative to controls, using universal reference RNA. The data were subjected to Significance Analysis for Microarrays (SAM), with a false positive rate (FPR) ≤10%. Wounding yielded a modest differential expression profile (27 up/21 down) with affected features mostly dissimilar from other treatments. Partially overlapping, yet distinct expression profiles were recorded from snails challenged with E. coli (83 up/20 down) or M. luteus (120 up/42 down), mostly showing up-regulation of defense and stress-related features. Significantly altered expression of selected immune features indicates that B. glabrata detects and responds differently to compatible trematodes. Echinostoma paraensei infection was associated mostly with down regulation of many (immune-) transcripts (42 up/68 down), whereas S. mansoni exposure yielded a preponderance of up-regulated features (140 up/23 down), with only few known immune genes affected. These observations may reflect the divergent strategies developed by trematodes during their evolution as specialized pathogens of snails to negate host defense responses. Clearly, the immune defenses of B. glabrata distinguish and respond differently to various immune challenges.
The frequency of modification of Dothistroma pine needle blight severity by fungi within the native range

Abstract Foliar disease is most often understood as the product of the interaction between host and pathogen in an abiotically conducive environment. However, other microbes within the foliar microbiome may increase or decrease disease severity as either pathogen enablers or antagonists. The frequency and extent of such disease modification in nature are largely unknown, but modification is likely to occur at high frequency in the native range of a pathogen. In this study, we provided an opportunity for six fungi to modify the severity of Dothistroma needle blight in Pinus ponderosa within part of the native range of the disease near Priest River, Idaho, USA. Five fungi were common members of the P. ponderosa microbiome in the region, and one was isolated from co-occurring Pseudotsuga menziesii. Inoculum of each of the six was applied to an average of 187 newly emerging needles in the candles (new shoots) of each of ten, seven-year-old trees; control candles were treated with sterile distilled water. Disease severity per needle (i.e., lesion length/total needle length) was determined one year later following natural infection and development of Dothistroma needle blight in a total of 13,085 needles. Five of the six fungi significantly modified disease severity; the overall model (“inoculant”, “tree”, and “inoculant x tree” as predictors) explained 53% of the variation in disease severity. Penicillium goetzii was the sole antagonist and reduced disease severity by nearly 7% compared to control needles. Four of the fungi (Sydowia polyspora, Bionectria ochroleuca, Penicillium raistrickii, and a culturable species of Elytroderma) acted as pathogen enablers, increasing disease severity 4.7%, 4.2%, 3.6%, and 2.5%, respectively. Our results show that microbial modification of expression of Dothistroma needle blight in nature may be common within the native range of the pathogen. However, with more thorough sampling of the P. ponderosa microbiome, the extent of modification may go beyond the modest effects reported here for just a few members of the microbiome of the host and its forest community.
116 Deamination of both methyl- and normal-cytosine by the foreign DNA restriction enzyme APOBEC3A

Multiple studies have indicated that the TET oxidases and, more controversially, the AID/APOBEC deaminases have the capacity to convert genomic DNA 5-methyl-cytosine (MeC) into altered nucleobases that provoke excision repair and culminate in the replacement of the original MeC with a normal cytosine (C). We show that human APOBEC3A (A3A) efficiently deaminates both MeC to thymine (T) and normal C to uracil (U) in single-stranded DNA substrates. In comparison, the related enzyme APOBEC3G (A3G) has undetectable MeC-to-T activity and 10-fold less C-to-U activity. Upon 100-fold induction of endogenous A3A by interferon, the MeC status of bulk chromosomal DNA is unaltered whereas both MeC and C nucleobases in transfected plasmid DNA substrates are highly susceptible to editing. Knockdown experiments show that endogenous A3A is the source of both of these cellular DNA deaminase activities. This is the first evidence for non-chromosomal DNA MeC-to-T editing in human cells. These biochemical and cellular data co...
Comparison of Umbilical Cord Blood to Adult Related and Unrelated Donors

The immunologic immaturity of umbilical cord blood (UCB) permits a high degree of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch, making it an attractive donor option. We compare the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing UCB hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with related and unrelated adult donor transplantations. Retrospective studies have shown similar overall and disease-free survival in patients undergoing related and unrelated donor transplant when compared to those undergoing UCB HSCT. UCB recipients have delayed engraftment and immune reconstitution and higher rates of graft failure, all resulting in higher nonrelapse mortality during the first year posttransplantation. UCB recipients generally have a lower incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease with at least similar, if not lower relapse rates compared to adult donor counterparts. Strategies to promote engraftment and enhance immune reconstitution will be critical in reducing the transplant-related mortality of UCB.
Therapeutic Potential for HDAC Inhibitors in the Heart

Reversible protein acetylation provides a central mechanism for controlling gene expression and cellular signaling events. Two pharmacological inhibitors of protein deacetylation are currently approved for the treatment of human cancer, and numerous follow-on compounds are in clinical development for oncology and non-oncology indications. The inhibitors target members of a family of enzymes known as histone deacetylases (HDACs). Surprisingly, HDAC inhibitors have also been shown to be efficacious in preclinical models of heart failure. This review highlights roles of HDACs in the heart and the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of heart failure.
Predicting future popularity trend of events in microblogging platforms

The fast information sharing on Twitter from millions of users all over the world leads to almost real-time reporting of events. It is extremely important for business and administrative decision makers to learn events’ popularity as quickly as possible, as it can buy extra precious time for them to make informed decisions. Therefore, we introduce the problem of predicting future popularity trend of events on microblogging platforms. Traditionally, trend prediction has been performed by using time series analysis of past popularity to forecast the future popularity changes. As we can encode the rich Twitter dynamics using a rich variety of features from microblogging data, we explore regression, classification and hybrid approaches, using a large set of popularity, social and event features, to predict event popularity. Experimental results on two real datasets of 18382 events extracted from ~133 million tweets show the effectiveness of the extracted features and learning approaches. The predicted popularity trend of events can be directly used for a variety of applications including recommendation systems, ad keywords bidding price decisions, stock trading decisions, dynamic ticket pricing for sports events, etc.
Non-linear Shunting of Piezo Actuators for Vibration Suppression

A new approach for vibration suppression using passively shunted piezoelectric materials is presented. Instead of using linear circuit elements such as resistors, capacitors, and inductances, the new shunt circuit utilizes diodes. Diodes are nonlinear circuit elements and vibration amplitude is reduced due to introduction of nonlinearity into the system. A physics-based electro-mechanical model is developed and validated against experimental results.
Microfossils as biosignatures

As technology advances, we have more possibilities to search for past life, looking for biosignatures in the rock record. Even when these biosignatures can be chemical compounds, the irrevocable evidence of past life would be life itself preserved as fossils. Besides the pure shape, extra information such as the paleoenvironment, biotic associations, and the age of the rocks, can be retrieved from fossils to understand their significance and the context in which they developed. However, much of that information is rarely well preserved, giving fossils a wide range for speculation. Furthermore, abiotic structures can sometimes be easily mistaken as fossils, leading to wrong interpretations. Depending on the mode of fossilization and the type of organism, more or fewer characteristics would be available for interpretation, and depending on the techniques used for observation, those characteristics would be more or less appreciated. In permineralized organisms, internal and external structures can be observable with simple techniques (e.g. thin sections), revealing basic anatomic features that can yield trusty identifications. An example of remarkable organisms with these characteristics is found in the North-East region of Sonora, Mexico. Cretaceous sequences (70-72 Ma old) from the Tarahumara Formation contain several chert horizons where palm roots, freshwater aquatic plants, pollen grains, flowers, seeds, small crustaceans, algae, and cyanobacteria (among others) are commonly found, reflecting the extense diversity existing at that time. One of the Formation's localities, the Huepac Chert, exhibits several stromatolitic horizons in close relation with black chert that harbors a number of permineralized microfossils. About 65 different morphotypes have been described and some have been identified as cyanobacteria, chlorophyceans, and diatoms. These comparisions allowed us to conclude that some had benthonic habits, being perhaps stromatolite constructors. Others appear to be strict freshwater planktonic dwellers, which constrain even more the paleoenvironmental conditions and support geological studies leaning toward freshwater environments. Taking the Huepac microfossils as an example, it is strongly highlighted that morphology, size, and spatial arrangement are key for the identification of microfossils, and should be considered as essential resources of information when looking for life in the geological record on Earth and other planets.
Gain computations from pattern integration

Moving an antenna with respect to the center of rotation of an antenna rotator will change experimental recorded patterns. A theoretical correction for this situation is derived for gain computations based on pattern integration. Use of the correction factor enables an experimentor to obtain several semi-independent measurements of gain.
Improving Social Engagement and Initiations Between Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Peers in Inclusive Settings

Children with Asperger's Disorder often have difficulty with peer relationships and socialization. The current study assessed whether peer social interactions would improve in school settings if an intervention was designed that incorporated the children with Asperger's interests. Three children who were fully-included in regular education classes but did not interact with peers prior to intervention participated in this research. Social lunch clubs, open to both the study participants and their typical peers, were implemented twice weekly during regular lunchtime periods. Results showed that all three children increased their time engaged with peers as a result of the clubs. While their initiations greatly improved over baseline levels and approximated their peers, they were often initiating below the level of most of their peers. Implications for improving peer social interactions for children with Asperger's Disorder are discussed.
Complementary and Alternative Medicines in Prostate Cancer: From Bench to Bedside?

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common among adults, and recent reports suggest that 25%–50% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients use at least one CAM modality. The most common CAM modalities used by PCa patients are vitamin and herbal preparations with purported antitumor effects despite only modest underlying preclinical or clinical evidence of efficacy. In this review we provide a brief overview of the basic scientific and clinical studies underlying the most common herbal and vitamin preparations including common antioxidants, pomegranate extract, green tea, turmeric, resveratrol, silibinin, and herbal combination preparations. When available, prostate cancer clinical trial data are reviewed. Importantly, we have compared the concentration of these agents used in in vitro experiments to that likely to be achievable in humans. From the available data we conclude that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of CAMs for the treatment of prostate cancer patients outside of a clinical trial. The purpose of this review is to more rigorously evaluate CAM therapy in prostate cancer and educate oncologists and patients. This review focuses on examples from the general classes of agents in common use.
Convergence of the Chemical Potential in Aqueous simulations

Abstract The chemical potential of a sphere in water is calculated using a molecular dynamics simulation. The convergence of a continuous sampling method is examined. Free energy calculations for forming a cavity or methane site in water with a thermodynamic integration are found to be strongly dependent on total simulation time length out to hundreds of picoseconds. The implications of insufficient sampling are given and related to relaxation time scales in the solvent about the solute in an Eisenberg-Kauzmann like analysis. Implications for more complex liquids are discussed.
LOOKING AT THE POLITICS–ADMINISTRATION DICHOTOMY FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION: PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION BY A STATE SENATOR

The politics–administration dichotomy has been a durable concept in political science and public administration. Many effective critiques of the doctrine, first suggested by Woodrow Wilson in 1887, have not diminished the longevity of the approach it suggests for policy making in government. Yet, most of the literature has been written from the point of view of either academics or public administration practitioners. Little has been presented from the point of the view of the other participants in the dichotomy, the elected officials. Based on participant observation in the Wisconsin Legislature from 1977 to 1989, the author reviews how the politicians with whom he served behaved regarding their relations with administrators. He suggests that elected officials make decisions based on political rationality rather than a comprehensive norm defining their relationship with administrators. The political decision making he observed implicitly viewed administrators as subordinate to politicians rather than equa...
INHIBITORS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS MIMIC THE ABILITY OF FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE TO SUPPRESS APOPTOSIS IN CULTURED RAT OVARIAN FOLLICLES

We have reported that members of the bcl-2 gene family are expressed and gonadotropin regulated in ovarian granulosa cells during follicular maturation and atresia. Because Bcl-2, a protein that prevents apoptosis in several cell types, is reported to function as an antioxidant or free radical scavenger, the present studies were designed to investigate if oxidative stress plays a role in granulosa cell apoptosis during follicular atresia in the immature rat ovary. In the first series of experiments, the role of oxidative stress in the induction of granulosa cell apoptosis was directly tested using a defined in vitro follicle culture system. Healthy antral follicles obtained from equine CG (eCG)-primed immature (27 day old) rats were incubated in serum-free medium for 24 h in the absence or presence of FSH (100 ng/ml; a control for inhibiting apoptosis), superoxide dismutase (SOD; 10-1000 U/ml), ascorbic acid (0.01-1 mM; a free radical scavenger), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (25-100 mM; a free radical scavenger and stimulator of endogenous glutathione peroxidase activity), or catalase (10-1000 U/ml). Granulosa cells within follicles incubated in medium alone exhibited extensive apoptosis after 24 h of incubation, and this onset of apoptosis was blocked by treatment with FSH (29 +/- 4% of controls; P < 0.001, n = 3). Moreover, apoptosis in follicles was also inhibited by treatment with SOD (44 +/- 4% of controls at 1000 U/ml; P < 0.01, n = 3), ascorbic acid (55 +/- 9% of controls at 1 mM; P < 0.05, n = 3), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (24 +/- 7% of controls at 100 mM; P < 0.001, n = 3), or catalase (35 +/- 6% of controls at 1000 U/ml; P < 0.001, n = 3). In the second series of experiments, complementary DNAs corresponding to secreted (SEC-SOD), copper/zinc-containing (Cu/Zn-SOD), and manganese-containing (Mn-SOD) forms of rat SOD, rat seleno-cysteine glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and rat catalase were isolated and used to synthesize antisense RNA probes for Northern and slot blot analysis of changes in SOD, GSHPx, and catalase gene expression during follicular maturation. In vivo priming of 25-day-old female rats for 2 days with 10 IU eCG, which promoted antral follicular growth and survival, increased levels of messenger RNA encoding SEC-SOD (216 +/- 9% of saline-treated controls, P < 0.05, n = 3) and Mn-SOD (222 +/- 14% of saline-treated controls, P < 0.05, n = 3) vs. saline-treated controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Laser range imaging in archaeology: issues and results

Archaeology is emerging as one of the key areas of applications for laser range imaging. This particular context imposes a number of specific constraints on the design and operations of range sensors. In this paper, we discuss some of the issues in designing and using laser range sensor systems for archaeology. Results obtained on remote archaeological sites will serve to illustrate these considerations.
Parenting, Self-Control, and the Gender Gap in Heavy Drinking The Case of Russia

Drawing on Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory linking parenting to deviant behavior via development of self-control, the authors assess the association between parenting styles, self-control ability, and frequent alcohol use separately for males and females. The authors' findings from a random sample of 440 Russian respondents provide mixed support for self-control theory. Contrary to the theory, but in line with extant research, the authors failed to uncover significant gender differences in childhood upbringing or establish a strong link between parenting techniques and self-control. Furthermore, whereas parental upbringing appears to increase the likelihood of frequent drinking among men, self-control does not mediate this relationship but rather acts as an independent predictor of men's alcohol abuse. Finally, the relatively modest contribution of self-control differences to the gender gap in frequent drinking suggests that higher alcohol consumption among men likely stems from alternative, possibly context-embedded factors.
Experimental Study of Particle Motion on a Smooth Bed under Shoaling Waves Using Particle Image Velocimetry

The motion of spherical particles (diameter 1.58 mm, specific gravity 2.5) on 2 and 3% plane slope was studied in a laboratory wave flume for shoaling wave conditions. The range of wave-height-to-water-depth ratio was 0.24<H/h<0.82 , the range of Keulegan-Carpenter number was 128<KC<500 , and the maximum particle Reynolds number was 240. The instantaneous sediment particle position and the associated fluid velocity field were measured simultaneously in the bottom boundary layer using a particle image velocimetry (PIV) system. The measurement plane was parallel to the bed and located at a height of 1/2 particle diameter above the bed. Morphological image processing techniques were used to separate the fluid (tracers) and solid (glass spheres) phases from the same PIV images based on their signature sizes. The separated image files were processed to determine the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the individual sediment particles and the corresponding fluid velocity and total acceleration. These m...
The devil and packet trace anonymization

Releasing network measurement data---including packet traces---to the research community is a virtuous activity that promotes solid research. However, in practice, releasing anonymized packet traces for public use entails many more vexing considerations than just the usual notion of how to scramble IP addresses to preserve privacy. Publishing traces requires carefully balancing the security needs of the organization providing the trace with the research usefulness of the anonymized trace. In this paper we recount our experiences in (i) securing permission from a large site to release packet header traces of the site's internal traffic, (ii) implementing the corresponding anonymization policy, and (iii) validating its correctness. We present a general tool, tcpmkpub, for anonymizing traces, discuss the process used to determine the particular anonymization policy, and describe the use of metadata accompanying the traces to provide insight into features that have been obfuscated by anonymization
Fish 'n clicks.

The zebrafish has provided insights into the mechanisms of vertebrate development, in large part due to its amenability to optical imaging. While fluorescent proteins and other genetically encoded reporters are valuable imaging tools, synthetic probes can reveal dynamical processes such as glycan biosynthesis that are undetectable by conventional methods.
Social dominance in female bighorn sheep

A group of six individually identified bighorn ewes (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in the Denver Zoo, Denver, Colorado, was studied to determine the existence of a dominance hierarchy. Using success in displacement interactions as an index to rank, a very linear, age-related hierarchy was found.
Evaluation of the automatic thoughts questionnaire : negative cognitive processes and depression among children

The Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) assesses negative thoughts that are associated with depression among adults. In this study, the scale was extended to children. Internal consistency and validity of the ATQ were evaluated with 250 child psychiatric inpatient children (ages 6 to 13). Validity was evaluated by examining whether depressed and nondepressed children differed on the scale, whether performance was related to other measures of cognitive attributional processes, and whether the measure was more closely related to depression and cognitive processes than to other constructs predicted to be less central to negative thoughts. The ATQ showed high internal consistency and yielded moderate to high item-total score correlations. Convergent validity was supported by the finding that the ATQ correlated positively with severity of depression, hopelessness, and external locus of control and negatively with self-esteem. Discriminant validity was suggested, but not strongly supported, by higher correlations between ATQ and measures of depression and other cognitive processes than between the ATQ and severity of impairment, prosocial behavior, and positive affective experience. The findings in relation to psychometric properties and concurrent validity of the ATQ with children parallel those evident in the study of depression among adults. Further work is needed to examine the relation of the ATQ to other measures of cognitive processes and diagnoses other than depression.
Agency and Political Order: Negotiating Power Sharing and Reform in Kenya

Because it focuses attention on choice, agency theory offers a useful approach to analyze the 2008 Kenyan negotiations that ended growing violence and resulted in an unprecedented power sharing government in the short term and a commitment to reforming clientelism in the longer term. It treats these negotiations as creating a critical juncture that succeeded in upsetting an institutional equilibrium and initiated a new path dependent process. Agency theory can overcome the dichotomy between structure (in Kenya, the long entrenched system of clientelism) and actor. It focuses on new actors who suddenly become highly influential agents. It approaches these negotiations by examining the variation in positions taken by different negotiators, including the mediators, among iterative, imaginative and judgmental agentic categories. It offers an explanation for why the negotiators deadlocked on power sharing, yet agreed to proceed on larger reforms. And it provides an account to explain the reversal of both principals that broke the impasse on power sharing. The analysis is based on interviews and examination of the public record of the negotiations.
Only a Sith Thinks Like That: Llewellyn's Dueling Canons, Eight to Twelve

In this, the second installment in a series of articles planned to examine each of the twenty eight pairs of "dueling canons" having opposite effect left to us in 1950 by Karl N. Llewellyn (Karl N. Llewellyn, "Remarks on the Theory of Appellate Decision and the Rules or Canons About How Statutes Are to Be Construed", 3 VANDERBILT L.REV. 395 (1950)), I examine pairs 8 through 12. I start with Pair 12, Llewellyn's formulation of the Plain Meaning Rule; it is not so much a canon of construction as a condition on construction: unless one or both of its conditions applies, no interpretive questions arise. It should have been first on Llewellyn's list. Pairs 8 through 11 form a natural group. They are about interpretive controls or aids that are enacted or promulgated with the statute in question. Pair 8 is about statements of purpose; Pair 9 is about interpretation clauses, including both definitions and interpretive instructions; and Pair 10 is about interpretive instructions. Pair 11 treats titles, preambles and section captions together. As in the first installment, Pairs 1 through 7, Llewellyn's "fiendish deconstruction" of these ten canons proves thoroughly innocuous. The reasons underlying the canons in the first set of pairs and the appropriate context for their use completely dissolved the superficial contrariety. In this second episode the problems evident in the first installment recur. Some duelists can hardly be called canons, having little regularity of occurrence or generality of reason. Pairs 9 and 10 are thoroughly mixed up and duplicative. Pair 11, in contrast, includes three separate and distinct topics, and, if there is anything canonical to be found in them, should have been correspondingly split in three. Through pair 12, then, Llewellyn's list of dueling canons does not live up to its reputation.
Design of a Miniaturized Vibrating Beam Power Converter

One of the largest components on miniaturized, multichip modules is the chip inductor associated with the onboard DC to DC power converter. It is an essential component for efficient conversion of the system voltage to the operating voltage of the module. In a previous paper, we described how vibrating capacitor structures could be used to perform inductor functions. In this paper, we focus on the specific application of an on-board power converter. Our vision is for a MEMS scale device that could be attached to the back of a chip as an applique or embedded in an interposer on which the chip was mounted. It would function as a DC to DC converter to extract power from the system buss and supply it to the chip at its required operating voltage. This device consists of a long, flat, rectangular, vibrating beam that is sandwiched between two fixed electrodes. It is clamped at its two ends and electrically connected to ground. On one of the fixed electrodes, which we refer to as the source electrode, a bias po...
Abstract 1960: Nanosponges as suitable platforms for targeted chemotherapy

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL We will report on the treatment efficacy of a degradable nanosponge drug delivery system. Degradable targeted nanosponges have been developed that are tailored in size and cross-linking density as supramolecular 3-D nano-networks. The organic polyester backbone can be functionalized in convenient ‘click’ chemistries with targeting peptides, dyes and cell penetrating units with particles that are fully soluble in organic solvents but retain their cross-linked architecture like a macromolecule. Furthermore, we found that the tailoring of the cross-linking density of the particles are correlated to the degradation and release properties of the particles to govern a fast, medium and slow linear release of the encapsulated drugs. Drugs can be encapsulated after the nanoparticle is formed and specifically hydrophobic drugs, for example chemotherapeutics, can be encapsulated with high efficiencies. The encapsulation into particle was found to be advantageous towards the solubility of the drug itself and resulted in vivo studies that showed a 3-5 time higher efficacy of the drug in targeted tumor regression studies. Similar efficacies are observed in glioma and lung cancer. We will report on novel combination therapies and efforts towards the delivery of a broad range of therapeutics in non-small lung cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1960. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1960
Adherence of Glycosaminoglycans to Calcium-Oxalate Crystals

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals were manufactured in a 10-mM Ca++ excess solution by combining 5.0 ml of 0.3-M K-oxalate, 1.0 ml of 1.65-M CaCl2, and 1.0 ml of 1.5-M Na-cacodylate buffer (pH 7.3, 20°C) in borosilicate glass vials; the mixture was agitated for 30 min in a thermostatically-controlled shaker bath (37°C). The macromolecules were previously dissolved in 0.3-M KC1. The mixture was placed back in the water bath for 2 h, centrifuged at 200 g for five min, and the supernatant was filtered through 0.2-μm polycarbonate filters. The equilibrium concentration of the adsorbate was determined by measuring the concentration of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) (uronic acid) using the solution-depletion method.
Couple-based treatment for sexual problems following breast cancer: A review and synthesis of the literature.

Although there are many physical and psychological impacts on women’s sexuality following breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, sexual problems often remain unaddressed in these cancer survivors. Given the crucial role of the partner in sexual issues, couple-based sex therapy would appear to be a logical first-line treatment for this population, but there is scant research on the efficacy of couple-based treatments and/or sex therapy in breast cancer survivors. A review of the literature was conducted using the PMC, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases. Articles were included that presented the results of an experimental or quasi-experimental clinical trial evaluating a psychosexual intervention for couples, targeted women diagnosed with breast cancer and their partners, and included outcome measures of sexual function and sexuality. Studies were excluded if the primary intervention was not focused on sexual problems or if they were published in a language other than English. From 2231 records, five articles met criteria for inclusion in the present review. Couple-based sex therapy appears to be an effective and highly accepted treatment for addressing sexual problems in breast cancer patients. These interventions were associated with improvements in sexual physiology, sexual functioning, sexual self-image, and sexual relationships, as well as improved psychological well-being of both breast cancer patients and their partners. Based on this review, the authors address clinical implications, particularly incorporating psychological treatment for sexual problems in comprehensive cancer care, and provide recommendations for further study.
New Public Management & Public Administration

Based on literature review, this article discusses the basic contents of new public management. Viewed from theoretical perspective, new public management contains seven principles; while viewed from practical perspective, it has five models. This article further explores the relationship between new public management and public administration. It argues that new public management represents the Sigma value which emphasizes efficiency in public administration, synthesizes the Wilsonian and Jeffersonian legacies in public administration, and is the newest paradigmatic shift as well in public administration. This article recognizes two contributions of new public management: a new governance mode and a new accountability system. The development of public administration, therefore, must integrate these two positive contributions.
Complications of Intracavitary Bacillus Calmette-Guerin After Percutaneous Resection of Upper Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma

AbstractPercutaneous resection and intracavitary instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is currently being used in treatment protocols in select patients in whom the standard nephroureterectomy for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma is undesirable. However, the complications of BCG in these patients are not well defined. Among 16 patients treated in this manner 4 (25%) had asymptomatic granulomatous involvement of the renal pelvis discovered during regular followup nephroscopy and biopsy: 2 had recurrent carcinoma at discovery, whereas the other 2 remain free of disease. The significance and therapeutic consequences of BCG granulomatosis are unknown. Continued followup is necessary to identify any complications of BCG therapy.
Think twice before you post: The impact of online self-presentation on the self-concept

The present work investigates the impact of online self-presentation on the self-concept. Online self-presentation is the goal-directed activity of publishing information on the Internet in order to influence the impressions formed by an online community about oneself. Web-based applications such as personal homepages, blogs, and social network sites facilitate online self- presentation. Prior studies found that the content of one’s online self-presentation is influenced by various internal and external demands. Moreover, research has shown that self-presentation in non-mediated, face-to-face environments, can change one’s self-concept. In this context, the present work addresses the following questions: How does the way one presents oneself online affect one’s self-concept? Under what circumstances is a person’s online self-presentation likely to lead to a self-concept change? What are the potential consequences of an altered self-concept? I develop a theoretical model based on self-identification theory, which suggests that self-presentation impacts the self-concept through a process of inference and spreading memory activation. I propose that the impact of online self-presentation on the self-concept is moderated by system factors (i.e. visibility, identifiability, and restrictiveness), online community factors (i.e. size and importance), and user factors (i.e. self-monitoring and self-concept clarity). In three sequential experiments (total N = 969), I test the proposed relationships by inducing participants to present themselves online as a risk-seeker while manipulating system and online community factors. Subsequently, I measure participants’ risk self-concept using self-report, behavioral, and social perception measures. Results suggest that online self-presentation can change one’s domain-specific self-concept -- an outcome referred to as carryover effect -- if people are led to recall and share specific memories relating to a particular content domain. Moreover, I found that system, online community, and user factors do not significantly influence the carryover effect. Lastly, my findings suggest that the self-concept has domain-specific consequences for one’s behavior as well as for one’s social perception. However, these consequences are greatly influenced by the characteristics of a given sample. Given the nascent stream of research on online self-presentation, the present work makes significant theoretical and practical contributions while opening multiple avenues for future research.
On the Computation and Accuracy of Trajectory State Transition Matrices

State transition matrices provide sensitivities or partial derivatives between states at different times along a trajectory and are used for a number of applications such as feedback controls, stability analysis, estimation, targeting, parameter optimization, and optimal control. The need for accurate state transition matrices is especially important for problems and applications that have highly sensitive and highly nonlinear dynamics. In this paper, examples are considered in the context of multiple-revolution and multiple-body space trajectories. Three techniques to compute both the first- and second-order state transition matrices are compared: 1) augmenting the state with the classic variational equations, 2) complex and bicomplex-step derivative approximation, and 3) multipoint stencils for traditional finite differences. Each of the methods are compared for accuracy and speed across a variety of problems and numerical integration techniques. The subtle differences between variable- and fixed-step i...
Heterotrophy mitigates the response of the temperate coral Oculina arbuscula to temperature stress.

Anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration have caused global average sea surface temperature (SST) to increase by approximately 0.11°C per decade between 1971 and 2010 – a trend that is projected to continue through the 21st century. A multitude of research studies have demonstrated that increased SSTs compromise the coral holobiont (cnidarian host and its symbiotic algae) by reducing both host calcification and symbiont density, among other variables. However, we still do not fully understand the role of heterotrophy in the response of the coral holobiont to elevated temperature, particularly for temperate corals. Here, we conducted a pair of independent experiments to investigate the influence of heterotrophy on the response of the temperate scleractinian coral Oculina arbuscula to thermal stress. Colonies of O. arbuscula from Radio Island, North Carolina, were exposed to four feeding treatments (zero, low, moderate, and high concentrations of newly hatched Artemia sp. nauplii) across two independent temperature experiments (average annual SST (20°C) and average summer temperature (28°C) for the interval 2005–2012) to quantify the effects of heterotrophy on coral skeletal growth and symbiont density. Results suggest that heterotrophy mitigated both reduced skeletal growth and decreased symbiont density observed for unfed corals reared at 28°C. This study highlights the importance of heterotrophy in maintaining coral holobiont fitness under thermal stress and has important implications for the interpretation of coral response to climate change.
Wavelength Tracking with Thermally Controlled Silicon Resonators

We demonstrate feedback controlling of the resonant wavelength of a silicon dual-ring resonator. The feedback signal is the difference in optical scattering from the two rings, and the controlling mechanism is based on thermo-optic tuning.
Beyond the Human-Computation Metaphor

Two assumptions have become dominant in the field of social computing and crowd sourcing - the computational view, and the assumption of a human-only crowd. In this paper, I address those assumptions. I trace their origin in the human-computation metaphor, and argue that while this metaphor is instrumental in facilitating novel developments, it also constrains the thinking of designers. I discuss some of the limitations this metaphor might impose, and offer that additional perspectives, such as an organizational design perspective and the distributed cognition perspective can help us think of novel possibilities of organizing work with crowd sourcing. I call for extending the conversation among computer-scientists and organizational researchers, and propose that the metaphor of 'information processing' might serve as a 'boundary-object' around which the dialogue among these communities can thrive.
Glucocorticoids Protect Neonatal Rat Brain in Model of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) resulting from asphyxia in the peripartum period is the most common cause of neonatal brain damage and can result in significant neurologic sequelae, including cerebral palsy. Currently therapeutic hypothermia is the only accepted treatment in addition to supportive care for infants with HIE, however, many additional neuroprotective therapies have been investigated. Of these, glucocorticoids have previously been shown to have neuroprotective effects. HIE is also frequently compounded by infectious inflammatory processes (sepsis) and as such, the infants may be more amenable to treatment with an anti-inflammatory agent. Thus, the present study investigated dexamethasone and hydrocortisone treatment given after hypoxic-ischemic (HI) insult in neonatal rats via intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection and intranasal administration. In addition, we examined the effects of hydrocortisone treatment in HIE after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sensitization in a model of HIE and sepsis. We found that dexamethasone significantly reduced rat brain infarction size when given after HI treatment via ICV injection; however it did not demonstrate any neuroprotective effects when given intranasally. Hydrocortisone after HI insult also significantly reduced brain infarction size when given via ICV injection; and the intranasal administration showed to be protective of brain injury in male rats at a dose of 300 µg. LPS sensitization did significantly increase the brain infarction size compared to controls, and hydrocortisone treatment after LPS sensitization showed a significant decrease in brain infarction size when given via ICV injection, as well as intranasal administration in both genders at a dose of 300 µg. To conclude, these results show that glucocorticoids have significant neuroprotective effects when given after HI injury and that these effects may be even more pronounced when given in circumstances of additional inflammatory injury, such as neonatal sepsis.
Disparate Antibiotic Resistance Gene Quantities Revealed across 4 Major Cities in California: A Survey in Drinking Water, Air, and Soil at 24 Public Parks.

Widespread prevalence of multidrug and pandrug-resistant bacteria has prompted substantial concern over the global dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Environmental compartments can behave as genetic reservoirs and hotspots, wherein resistance genes can accumulate and be laterally transferred to clinically relevant pathogens. In this work, we explore the ARG copy quantities in three environmental media distributed across four cities in California and demonstrate that there exist city-to-city disparities in soil and drinking water ARGs. Statistically significant differences in ARGs were identified in soil, where differences in blaSHV gene copies were the most striking; the highest copy numbers were observed in Bakersfield (6.0 × 10–2 copies/16S-rRNA gene copies and 2.6 × 106 copies/g of soil), followed by San Diego (1.8 × 10–3 copies/16S-rRNA gene copies and 3.0 × 104 copies/g of soil), Fresno (1.8 × 10–5 copies/16S-rRNA gene copies and 8.5 × 102 copies/g of soil), and Los Angeles (5.8 × 1...
Volatile Compounds Produced by Irradiation of Commercial Hams and Frankfurters

Low-dose irradiation (1.6 kGy) of commercially- produced cured, sliced ham and frankfurters resulted in off-odors and off-flavors following the irradiation treatment. Lipid oxidation was not affected by irradiation but gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed that several new volatile compounds were produced in the products by irradiation processing. These included heptane, trans-1-butyl-2- methylcyclopropanone, 2-octene toluene and 2- butanone. Changes in odor and flavor of irradiated ham and frankfurters resulting from production of volatile compounds must be controlled before irradiation will be accepted by the industry or by consumers as a means of improved the microbial safety of these products.
The role of CNS immunity in the clearance of rabies virus

Rabies is a zoonotic disease caused by the neurotropic rabies virus (RABV). In the absence of treatment the infection is nearly always fatal for the host. Extensive research aimed at better understanding RABV pathogenicity and immunogenicity has led to the characterization of a wide array of RABV strains. Comparative studies between pathogenic and attenuated RABV strains have provided insights into the mechanism by which the virus can be cleared from CNS tissues. In this context, attenuated RABV represents a unique model in which the timely development of an unconventional non-inflammatory rabies-specific neuroimmune response is the key determinant of host survival. Highly pathogenic wild-type rabies viruses have evolved strategies to evade the host immune response and spread through the maintenance of blood-brain barrier integrity and an intact neuronal network. The focus of this review is to provide a synopsis of the differences in the CNS immune responses to pathogenic and attenuated RABV strains and their relevance for the development of new treatment strategies.
Disseminating Knowledge Through Publication: Magnet® Nurses Changing Practice

Clinical nurses and nurse leaders are inspiring and fostering amazing outcomes. In this column, the new Magnet Recognition Program® director discusses the expectation for dissemination of outcomes from Magnet®-designated organizations building on work presented at the 2017 National Magnet Conference™.
Cortisporin® Otic (Burroughs Wellcome)

Hydrocortisone, an adrenal corticosteroid, has antiallergic antipruritic and anti-inflammatory activity. Polymyxin B is one of a group of closely related substances produced by various strains of Bacillus polymyxa. Its activity is restricted to gram-negative bacteria. Neomycin has antibacterial activity in vitro against the wide range of both gram-negative and gram-positive organisms, with effectiveness against many strains of Proteus.