cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
District Technology Leadership Then and Now: A Comparative Study of District Technology Leadership From 2001 to 2014:

Purpose: This article focuses on district superintendents who were recognized as eSchoolNews Tech-Savvy Superintendents. Research Methods: Using interviews, this study compares data from superinten...
Influence of Exogenous β-Hydroxybutyrate on Walking Economy and Rating of Perceived Exertion.

This study investigates the effect of a supplementary ketone, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), on walking economy and ratings of perceived exertion in apparently healthy individuals. In a repeated-measures, crossover design, ten non-aerobically trained participants (three males; seven females) performed two stages of a duration-modified Bruce treadmill protocol. Participants blindly consumed either 1 ounce of an exogenous BHB solution (KETO) or a noncaloric placebo (CON) 30 minutes prior to exercise testing. Blood ketone and glucose concentrations were measured prior to supplementation (baseline), immediately before exercise, and after exercise. Oxygen consumption (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), energy expenditure (EE), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded during the last two minutes of each stage. Blood BHB concentrations were significantly elevated at the pre-exercise and postexercise time points as compared to the CON condition (p .05) were found for VO2, RER, EE, or RPE. The intervention of this study did not produce evidence of an ergogenic benefit from BHB supplementation in a healthy subject pool.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act and Implications for Cancer Care.

Calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have become increasingly frequent. Most attempts to repeal the ACA have targeted specific policies rather than the ACA as a whole. This article describes the specific policies under debate and the ramifications of repealing each of them. Specific attention is given to insurance coverage, individual premiums, and budgetary impact. Based on the literature regarding the ACA's impact to date, the impact of ACA repeal on Surgical oncology care is predicted.
Survival and Predators of Pacific Marten in a Salvage-Logged Pine Forest, South-Central Oregon

Estimating marten (Martes spp.) survival rates in managed forests is important for comparisons with vital rates in unmanaged forests, and data across populations in different forest types are needed in meta-analyses. We estimated survival rates of a Pacific Marten (Martes caurina) population from 1993 to 1998. This population experienced no fur trapping and occurred in an atypical habitat of sparse tree-canopy cover, small tree diameters, and many natural openings and logging clearcuts. In the beetle-damaged, salvage-logged Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) forest, downed wood and snags were removed and slash piles were accumulated to mitigate logging effects. The average annual probability of adult (≥1 y) survival was 0.684, sx = 0.104 (n = 53). The overall adult survival did not differ between years or between the sexes across years. Average annual survival of young (<1 y) was 0.753, sx = 0.118 (n = 26). Seasonal survival of adults (0.945, sx = 0.027) and young (0.974, sx = 0.026) was highest in winter (December through February), and lowest in summer (June through August; adults = 0.853, sx = 0.035; young = 0.902, sx = 0.046). Adult winter survival was significantly greater than summer survival; and for adult females, winter survival was greater than in the other seasons (other seasons range = 0.862 to 0.903) and greater than male winter survival (0.918, sx = 0.039), because there were no known female losses during the period (survival = 1.0). Based on evidence at field recovery sites and laboratory necropsies, predators were associated with 74% of all recovered marten carcasses, including Coyote (Canis latrans), Bobcat (Lynx rufus), American Badger (Taxidea taxus), and raptors of unknown species. Slash piles were used by marten, but the mitigation experiment was discontinued after logging. We suggest that slash piles may have helped sustain the local population of marten in the short term.
A High Power Density Power Factor Correction Converter with a Multilevel Boost Front-End and a Series-Stacked Energy Decoupling Buffer

High efficiency and high power density Power Factor Correction (PFC) converters are desirable in many ac-dc applications such as data center power delivery and electric vehicle on-board chargers. In conventional boost converter based PFC designs, two of the major limitations to achieve high power density are the size of the input filter inductor of the boost converter and the twice-line frequency energy buffering capacitor bank. In this work, a 1.5 kW universal ac (95 to 265 Vac) input, 400 V dc output PFC converter with a flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) boost front-end and a series-stacked buffer (SSB) is implemented to improve the overall system power density and efficiency. The unique challenges in both hardware and digital controller designs to achieve the co-operation of PFC, FCML and SSB are addressed, and corresponding solutions are presented in detail.
E-051 Optimizing the injection of liquid embolics through microcatheters

Introduction/purpose While advances in microcatheters have facilitated access to the distal neurovasculature, current embolization strategies have difficulty achieving long-term aneurysm occlusion. Liquid embolics have the potential to completely fill aneurysms, which may result in improved long-term occlusion. However, the only available liquid embolic agent for use in aneurysms, Onyx® HD-500, has a slow injection rate that requires multiple balloon inflation/deflation cycles. This limits delivery control and increases the likelihood of downstream occlusion. We sought to completely treat aneurysms in vitro with a novel liquid embolic PPODA-QT using a single balloon inflation/deflation cycle. This proposal evaluates PPODA-QT’s ability to fill a range of aneurysm sizes within a 5 min delivery window. Materials and methods PPODA-QT (viscosities from 400 to 1000cP) is simulated using silicone and glycerol solutions on the bench-top. Injection force was measured with a syringe pump fitted with a load cell. PPODA-QT flow rate, microcatheter inner diameter, and catheter length were varied during testing. The maximum injection force was limited to 20 lbs to improve ease-of-use and stay below typical catheter burst-pressures. Results 400cP solutions, with a catheter inner diameter (ID) of 0.023’, can fill ‘large’ aneurysms up to 2.8 ml within 3 min. ‘Medium’ aneurysms with a volume of up to 1.2 ml can be treated with 1000cP fluids in the same timeframe. Injection rates were verified using commercial catheter systems (table1). Conclusion PPODA-QT can treat aneurysms using a single balloon inflation/deflation at variable injection rates, up to 10X faster than Onyx, without the need for DMSO or DMSO-resistant microcatheters. 1000cP PPODA-QT is effectively delivered with catheters of 0.02’ or greater ID. Microcatheter selection for PPODA injection is therefore limited only by size (currently 2.6F for larger catheters). Further work is needed to refine the delivery of PPODA-QT prior to advancing to clinical trial. Disclosures C. Settanni: None. D. Shumway: None. T. Cotter: 5; C; Northern Arizona University. C. Gonzolez: 5; C; Northern Arizona University. T. Becker: 1; C; NIH. 4; C; Anubis. 5; C; Northern Arizona University. A. Ducruet: 5; C; Barrow Neurological Institute.
Modeling Biobehavioral Rhythms with Passive Sensing in the Wild: A Case Study to Predict Readmission Risk after Pancreatic Surgery

Biobehavioral rhythms are associated with numerous health and life outcomes. We study the feasibility of detecting rhythms in data that is passively collected from Fitbit devices and using the obtained model parameters to predict readmission risk after pancreatic surgery. We analyze data from 49 patients who were tracked before surgery, in hospital, and after discharge. Our analysis produces a model of individual patients' rhythms for each stage of treatment that is predictive of readmission. All of the rhythm-based models outperform the traditional approaches to readmission risk stratification that uses administrative data.
Nonlinear Elastic Effects on High-Strength Concrete Stress Invariants

Computational modeling of concrete behavior and most failure criteria for concrete strongly rely on the use of invariants of stress. These invariants allow a straightforward geometric interpretation of stress states and concrete failure surfaces in the three-dimensional Haigh-Westergaard stress space. Although second-order linear elastic relations have been traditionally applied to evaluate stresses in concrete, the magnitudes of concrete third-order parameters based on finite deformation theory—Murnaghan parameters l, m, n—are such that, if nonlinear stress-strain relations are considered, the stress invariants’ magnitudes are directly affected. In this work, acoustoelastic stress-strain relations for a general triaxial stress state and ultrasonically calculated second- and third-order elastic parameters are used in the evaluation of three high-strength concrete mixtures with compressive strengths: f′c = 43.0, 44.8, and 56.0 MPa (6.2, 6.5, and 8.1 ksi, respectively). The results demonstrate that nonlinear elastic effects introduce anisotropy when uniaxial stresses are applied and the magnitudes of concrete elastic and shear moduli change because of the applied stress field. When triaxial loads are considered, all stress invariants—first (I1), second (I2), and third (I3)—also undergo variations in their magnitudes. The stress-induced anisotropy due to uniaxial loading application and also the changes in the stress invariants’ magnitudes calls attention to the importance of considering nonlinear third-order effects in cement-based materials’ stress-strain relations and failure criteria.
On the regioselectivity of the Ru-catalyzed intramolecular [5 + 2] cycloaddition.

The influence of substituents on which cyclopropyl bond cleaves in the cycloisomerization of cyclopropylenynes catalyzed by CpRu(N⋮CCH3)3+PF6- is compared to the corresponding Rh-catalyzed reaction. With the trans cyclopropyl substrates, the bond energy of the cleaving bond appears to be an important factor. With cis cyclopropyl substrates, steric effects appear to dominate.
Resting-state fMRI dynamic functional network connectivity and associations with psychopathy traits

Studies have used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine associations between psychopathy and brain connectivity in selected regions of interest as well as networks covering the whole-brain. One of the limitations of these approaches is that brain connectivity is modeled as a constant state through the scan duration. To address this limitation, we apply group independent component analysis (GICA) and dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis to uncover whole-brain, time-varying functional network connectivity (FNC) states in a large forensic sample. We then examined relationships between psychopathic traits (PCL-R total scores, Factor 1 and Factor 2 scores) and FNC states obtained from dFNC analysis. FNC over the scan duration was better represented by five states rather than one state previously shown in static FNC analysis. Consistent with prior findings, psychopathy was associated with networks from paralimbic regions (amygdala and insula). In addition, whole-brain FNC identified 15 networks from nine functional domains (subcortical, auditory, sensorimotor, cerebellar, visual, salience, default mode network, executive control and attentional) related to psychopathy traits (Factor 1 and PCL-R scores). Results also showed that individuals with higher Factor 1 scores (affective and interpersonal traits) spend more time in a state with weaker connectivity overall, and changed states less frequently compared to those with lower Factor 1 scores. On the other hand, individuals with higher Factor 2 scores (impulsive and antisocial behaviors) showed more dynamism (changes to and from different states) than those with lower scores.
In vivo epigenetic editing of Sema6a promoter reverses transcallosal dysconnectivity caused by C11orf46/Arl14ep risk gene

Many neuropsychiatric risk genes contribute to epigenetic regulation but little is known about specific chromatin-associated mechanisms governing the formation of neuronal connectivity. Here we show that transcallosal connectivity is critically dependent on C11orf46, a nuclear protein encoded in the chromosome 11p13 WAGR risk locus. C11orf46 haploinsufficiency was associated with hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. C11orf46 knockdown disrupted transcallosal projections and was rescued by wild type C11orf46 but not the C11orf46R236H mutant associated with intellectual disability. Multiple genes encoding key regulators of axonal development, including Sema6a, were hyperexpressed in C11orf46-knockdown neurons. RNA-guided epigenetic editing of Sema6a gene promoters via a dCas9-SunTag system with C11orf46 binding normalized SEMA6A expression and rescued transcallosal dysconnectivity via repressive chromatin remodeling by the SETDB1 repressor complex. Our study demonstrates that interhemispheric communication is sensitive to locus-specific remodeling of neuronal chromatin, revealing the therapeutic potential for shaping the brain's connectome via gene-targeted designer activators and repressor proteins.
Dilated Psoriatic Coronopathy: A Novel Association

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined by the Coronary Artery Surgery Study (CASS) registry as the aneurysmal dilatation 1.5 times the diameter of a coronary artery compared to the adjacent normal coronary artery. CAE is reported with a prevalence of 1.2% - 4.9%. Most CAEs are attributed to atherosclerosis or post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) vessel injury. Vasculitides and infection are uncommon etiologies. A review of 59,423 patients from the Danish registry demonstrated a 3-fold increase in the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with concomitant severe psoriasis. We present a case of a 64-year-old male with severe plaque psoriasis complaining of substernal chest pain whose coronary angiography demonstrated CAE of the left anterior descending and circumflex arteries. Due to its pro-inflammatory state, psoriasis is associated with various systemic manifestations including cardiac and vascular complications. With possibly a similar underlying pathophysiological mechanism, we describe to the best of our knowledge the first case of CAE in a patient with severe psoriasis.
The impact of wearable devices on employee wellness programs: A study of hotel industry workers

Abstract Hospitality workplaces are particularly challenging contexts in which to implement wellness initiatives. The present study implemented a technology-based wellness intervention to improve various aspects of employee wellness in contemporary hotel workplaces. The participants were given a wearable device (Fitbit, used here as an innovative tool) in order to monitor their activity levels and sleep patterns over a 14-day period. Additionally, the participants provided researchers with food diaries in separate electronic form. Information regarding job satisfaction, job engagement, organizational citizenship behaviors, and intention to leave was obtained before and after the observation period. The results demonstrate an increase in physical activity, an increase in healthy food consumption, and a reduction in overall caloric intake. Furthermore, positive changes in employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment were noted. Care should be exercised when implementing such interventions in order to ensure data privacy and positive employee relations.
The structural basis of promiscuity in small multidrug resistance transporters.

By providing broad resistance to environmental biocides, transporters from the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family drive the spread of multidrug resistance cassettes among bacterial populations. A fundamental understanding of substrate selectivity by SMR transporters is needed to identify the types of selective pressures that contribute to this process. Using solid-supported membrane electrophysiology, we find that promiscuous transport of hydrophobic substituted cations is a general feature of SMR transporters. To understand the molecular basis for promiscuity, we solved X-ray crystal structures of a SMR transporter Gdx-Clo in complex with substrates to a maximum resolution of 2.3 A. These structures confirm the family’s extremely rare dual topology architecture and reveal a cleft between two helices that provides accommodation in the membrane for the hydrophobic substituents of transported drug-like cations. Gdx-Clo is a bacterial transporter from the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family. Here, the authors use solid supported membrane electrophysiology to characterize Gdx-Clo functionally and report crystal structures of Gdx-Clo which confirm the dual topology architecture and offer insight into substrate binding and transport mechanism.
Trends in Peripheral Nerve Block Usage in Mastectomy and Lumpectomy: Analysis of a National Database From 2010 to 2018.

BACKGROUND Compared to general anesthesia, regional anesthesia confers several benefits including improved pain control and decreased postoperative opioid consumption. While the benefits of peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) have been well studied, there are little epidemiological data on PNB usage in mastectomy and lumpectomy procedures. The primary objective of our study was to assess national trends of the annual proportion of PNB use in breast surgery from 2010 to 2018. We also identified factors associated with PNB use for breast surgery. METHODS We identified lumpectomy and mastectomy surgical cases with and without PNB between 2010 and 2018 using the Anesthesia Quality Institute National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (AQI NACOR). We modeled the nonlinear association between year of procedure and PNB use with segmented mixed-effects logistic regression clustered on facility identifier. The association between PNB use and year of procedure, age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA PS), facility type, facility region, weekday, and tissue expander use was also modeled using mixed-effects logistic regression. RESULTS Of the 189,854 surgical cases from 2010 to 2018 that met criteria, 86.2% were lumpectomy cases and 13.8% were mastectomy cases. The proportion of lumpectomy cases with PNB was <0.1% in 2010 and increased each subsequent year to 1.9% in 2018 (trend P < .0001). The proportion of mastectomy cases with PNB was 0.5% in 2010 and 13% in 2018 (trend P < .0001). The year 2014 was the breakpoint selected for segmented regression. Before 2014, the odds of PNB among the mastectomy cases was not significantly different from year to year. After 2014, the odds of PNB increased by 2.24-fold each year (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00-2.49; P < .001); interaction test for pre-2014 versus post-2014 was P < .001. Similar trends were seen in the lumpectomy cases, where after 2014, the odds of PNB increased by 2.03-fold (95% CI, 1.81-2.27; P < .001); interaction test for pre-2014 versus post-2014 was P < .001. In the mastectomy cohort, year of procedure ≥2014, female sex, facility region, and tissue expander use were associated with higher odds of PNB. For lumpectomy cases, year of procedure ≥2014 and facility region were associated with higher odds of PNB use. CONCLUSIONS We found increased annual utilization of PNB for mastectomy and lumpectomy since 2010, although absolute prevalence is low. PNB use was associated with year of procedure for both lumpectomy and mastectomy, particularly post-2014.
Reconciling the Difference Between Test and Real Environments: Improving Fixture Design Based on Modal Strain

With the recent push to make automobiles, aircraft, and other vehicles more fuel-efficient, the redesign of many components are currently underway to reduce the conservativeness of the design with an intent to reduce weight. Laboratory tests are performed to speed up the design qualification process. However, the fixtures used are typically rigid, which provides insight into how a component responds and fails in a “‘fixed” base manner. Laboratory tests need to be able to reproduce the same stresses and strains experienced to represent real environments. This work proposes that a fixture mimicking the local stiffness and dynamics is required to emulate the actual environmental conditions. This work postulates that the local modal displacements and strains need to match these local dynamics, and the best way to achieve this is through a truncated system.
Adult and adolescent C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice are differentially susceptible to fear learning deficits after acute ethanol or MK-801 treatment.

Ethanol and other drugs of abuse disrupt learning and memory processes, creating problems associated with drug use and addiction. Understanding individual factors that determine susceptibility to drug-induced cognitive deficits, such as genetic background, age, and sex, is important for prevention and treatment. Comparison of adolescent and adult mice of both sexes across inbred mouse strains can reveal age, sex, and genetic contributions to phenotypes. We treated adolescent and adult, male and female, C57BL/6J and DBA/2J inbred mice with ethanol (1 g/kg or 1.5 g/kg) or MK-801 (0.05 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg), an NMDA receptor antagonist, prior to fear conditioning training. Contextual and cued fear retention were tested one day and eight or nine days after training. After ethanol exposure, adult C57BL/6J mice experienced greater deficits in contextual learning than adult DBA/2J mice. C57BL/6 J adolescents were less susceptible to ethanol-induced contextual learning disruptions than C57BL/6J adults, and adolescent males of both strains exhibited greater ethanol-induced contextual learning deficits than adolescent females. After MK-801 exposure, adolescent C57BL/6J mice experienced more severe contextual learning deficits than adolescent DBA/2J mice. Both ethanol and MK-801 had greater effects on contextual learning than cued learning. Collectively, we demonstrate that genetic background contributes to contextual and cued learning outcomes after ethanol or MK-801 exposure. Further, we report age-dependent drug sensitivities that are strain-, sex-, and drug-specific, suggesting that age, sex, and genetic background interact to determine contextual and cued learning impairments after ethanol or MK-801 exposure.
A principle of physics as applicable to shoulder delivery

Abstract 1. 1. A wooden manikin, with shoulders too large to be delivered by pulling, is easily delivered according to a law of physics applicable to the screw. 2. 2. If the shoulders of a wooden manikin are so large that they can be delivered in only one way, it would seem that this way would be the easiest, and therefore the least dangerous, way to deliver a live baby. 3. 3. After the head has been born the shoulders of the baby resemble a longitudinal section of a screw engaged in three threads, the “pubic thread,” the “promontory thread,” and the “coccyx thread.” 4. 4. Any pulling on the baby's neck or axilla is mechanically incorrect because it violates a simple, well-known law of physics applicable to the screw. 5. 5. There is no stretching of the trapezius muscle, and consequently no danger of injuring the cervical nerves. 6. 6. The pressure is away from the perineum. 7. 7. This maneuver cannot be performed unless the posterior shoulder has passed the spines. 8. 8. Pressure from above, on the buttocks, must be applied by the operator (not an assistant) in order to synchronize the pressure of the two hands. 9. 9. The passage of a baby through the birth canal is, in the vast majority of cases, an engineering problem. By applying a law of physics applicable to the screw, we find that most of our difficulty is due to a “crossed thread” or improper inclination of some part of our screwlike object. For example, extension of the arms, or nuchal arms, in a breech delivery may prevent the shoulders from adopting the proper inclination or screwlike attitude necessary for delivery. In the vertex presentation extension of the arms along the baby's body may interfere with the proper inclination of the shoulders. A Bandl's ring does the same thing.
A fixed-order, mixed-norm control synthesis method for discrete linear systems

This paper discusses a fixed-order mixed-norm control synthesis technique for discrete linear systems. The method allows the control system designer to combine the H/sub 2/, l/sub 1/ and H/sub /spl infin// norms of dissimilar transfer functions single constrained optimization problem. Any number or combination of constraints can be added to the problem, and the method constrains the norms directly without reliance on upper bounds to the norms. Results for a SISO aircraft example are presented which demonstrate the algorithm using an H/sub 2//l/sub 1/ and H/sub 2//l/sub 1//H/sub /spl infin// problem.
All are one and one is all: sexual uniformity among widely separated populations of the North American seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola

The Modern Synthesis of the mid-20th century effectively buried typological definitions and descriptions of species and their boundaries. This interment is well supported by the large number of animal species for which substantial levels of sexual incompatibility have been found among conspecific populations, including some species of North American desmognathine salamanders that have restricted geographical ranges. We tested for sexual incompatibility and variation in sexual signals and responses among widely separated populations of the broadly distributed seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola . Levels of sexual incompatibility and differences in behaviour patterns exhibited during courtship and mating were modest to non-existent among these populations, despite the considerable geographical distances separating some of them. Our data are not consistent with results obtained in the majority of similar studies that have been conducted on congeneric species. For the seal salamander, we cannot reject the applicability of a typological species definition based on sexual compatibility and uniformity in the ethology of courtship among populations. We present five hypotheses (not necessarily mutually exclusive) that may explain our results. We suggest that recent range expansion, perhaps coupled with contemporary gene flow, may best explain sexual uniformity among populations of the seal salamander. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 78, 1–10.
The Abl/bcr Fusion Gene on Chromosome 9 in Ph-Negative Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: A Case for Vigilance in Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Interpretation

We report cytogenetic, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and molecular analysis in a case of Ph-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia patient with ABL/BCR fusion gene on chromosome 9 and a disparate FISH signal pattern using two commercially available bcr/abl probes (Vysis, Inc. and Oncor, Inc.). Cytogenetic analysis revealed a 46,XX normal female karyotype. FISH studies using Vysis LSI bcr/abl probe in interphase cells demonstrated a BCR/ABL fusion pattern, similar to that of m-BCR/ABL fusion found in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, examination of metaphases revealed the ABL/BCR fusion signal on one of the chromosomes 9, an ABL signal on the other chromosome 9, and two BCR signals of different sizes on each of the chromosomes 22. Subsequently, a FISH study with the Oncor major (M)-bcr/abl translocation probe confirmed the ABL/BCR fusion signal on chromosome 9 in addition to an ABL signal and a BCR signal located on chromosomes 9 and 22, respectively. Molecular studies (RT-PCR) revealed a rearrangement of the M-BCR region and expression of a chimeric bcr/abl mRNA of b3a2 configuration. This case suggests that it is imperative to have a full understanding of both the capabilities and the limitations of bcr/abl translocation probes and that FISH interphase signals should be confirmed on metaphase spreads for accurate diagnosis.
Human Resource Management, Ethical Issues in

Human resource management (HRM) is the science of managing people systematically in organizations. The unique individual actor in the organization—a given executive, manager, line worker—is not the focus of HRM, per se. Rather, human resource practices and policies concerning recurring cycles of staffing, reward and compensation, and performance management inform how any person or group of people is introduced into the organization, managed while there, and exited from the organization. When these three overarching aspects of human resource management are designed effectively, the organization benefits from a management system that enhances the sustained competitive advantage of the organization. In this entry, we outline critical ethical challenges that emerge throughout the human resource management cycle. Keywords: human resources; talent management; ethics; recruitment; rewards; training; performance management; diversity
Isolation and Characterization of the Plasma Membrane of Rat Cauda Epididymal Spermatozoa

Cauda epididymal rat spermatozoa were isolated by flushing the excised epididymis and the plasma membrane was detached by a nitrogen cavitation treatment (500 psi, 10 minutes equilibration at 4 C). Membrane vesicles were recovered after sucrose gradient centrifugation. Portions of the sperm surface releasing the plasma membrane were assessed by light microscopy of fluoroscein isothiocyanate-succinylated concanavalin A-treated spermatozoa and by transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membrane was detached from the region overlying the acrosome from most spermatozoa and from the middle-piece overlying the mitochondria from some cells. Thus, the fraction analyzed was derived from at least two portions of the sperm surface. The fractions from the sucrose density gradient were analyzed for gross chemical composition (phospholipid, protein and sterol) and the protein components were detected after electrophoresis under denaturing conditions; the peak fractions (at density approximately 1.13 g/ml) were judged homogeneous. Replicate analyses of such preparations established mass ratios of protein to phospholipid of 0.63, total sterol to phospholipid of 0.18, and demosterol to cholesterol of 0.32. The molecular composition of the phospholipid fraction was determined to be 10% phosphatidylserine (mole percent), 3% phosphatidylinosital, 3% sphingomyelin, 31% phosphatidylethanolamine, 27% phosphatidylcholine, 10% diphosphatidylglycerol and 5% of an unknown component. Fatty acyl analyses of the phospholipid fraction revealed that approximately 70% of the residues consisted of palmitoyl (16:0) and stearoyl (18:0) acyl groups, with the balance distributed among various unsaturated acyl groups (18:1, 22:3, 22:4 and 22:5); about 40% of the recovered phospholipids represented ether acyl phosphatides. Differences in the lipid composition of rat vesicles described here and similar vesicles isolated from ram and boar spermatozoa (described previously) are discussed. The partitioning of the nitroxyl spin label 3-doxylheptane into vesicles isolated from rat and ram spermatozoa was assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy at temperatures between 4 C and 26 C; no difference in the response of the spin label in the two vesicle preparations was detected.
Do particular antibody genes recognize gray matter cellular targets? (HUM2P.338)

My lab’s recent work on the antibody genetics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has led to the astonishing discovery that patterns of mutation accumulation into the antibody genes of B cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of MS patients are unique and can be used to predict clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) conversion to MS with 94% accuracy. This Antibody Gene Signature (AGS) is a novel, potentially diagnostic biomarker that is currently in clinical trials and heralds the advent of antibody genetics as a means to categorize patients early in their disease course in order to provide prompt treatment and prevent extensive CNS damage. Our goal for this project was to determine what antibodies expressed by these B cells from MS patients reacted against. We cloned and expressed more than 30 antibodies that contain the AGS-MS from cerebrospinal fluid derived single B cells of MS and CIS patients, and tested their capacity to bind to brain tissue. We found that these AGS-MS enriched antibodies bind to neurons and astrocytes that reside in the brain gray matter tissue with high specificity. Some of these antibodies recognize both neurons and astrocytes in the gray matter, whereas others are specific for a single cell type. We hypothesize that AGS-enriched rhAbs and B cells expressing these antibodies could be participating in gray matter disease pathology in both early CIS and later MS stages.
Social Correlates of the Chronic Stress of Perceived Racism Among Black Women

Objectives: This study describes the perceptions of racism, passive and active responses to this psychosocial stressor, and it examines socioeconomic correlates of perceived racism in an economically diverse population of Black women. Methods: The Telephone-Administered Perceived Racism Scale was administered to 476 Black women, aged 36 to 53 years, who were randomly selected from a large health plan. Results: The percentage of respondents who reported personally experiencing racism in the past five years ranged from 66% to 93%, depending on the specific item asked. When respondents were asked about racism toward Blacks as a group, perceptions of racism were even higher. For example, 68% ‘‘agreed’’ or ‘‘strongly agreed’’ that they had personally experienced being followed or watched while shopping because of their race, and 93 reported that Blacks in general experience this form of discrimination. Strong emotional responses to racism were often reported, and though more respondents (41%) reported experiencing very strong active emotions including anger, a substantial group (16%) reported experiencing very strong passive emotions such as powerlessness. Higher education was associated with higher perceived racism, while growing up in a middle income or well-off family was associated with lower perceived racism and reduced likelihood of passive responses to racism. Conclusions: The high prevalence of perceived racism in this study population warrants further examination of this stressor as a potential determinant of racial health disparities. Higher education and income do not appear to protect women from experiencing racism and feeling hopeless or powerless in response.
The Dog Who Spoke and More Mayan Folktales/El Perro Que Habló y Más Cuentos Mayas

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Pedro Cholotio Temo and Alberto Barreno Year: 2010 Pages: 352 Details: Pedro Cholotio Temo and Alberto Barreno Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press ISBN: 978-0-8061-4130-5 (soft cover).
Endogenous oncornaviruses in chemically induced transformation. I. Transformation independent of virus production.

Abstract The C3H/10T1/2 cell line, established from mouse embryo fibroblasts, is highly sensitive to postconfluence inhibition of division and is susceptible to malignant transformation by chemical carcinogens in culture. Normal, chemically transformed and spontaneously transformed clones of C3H/10T1/2 cells were examined for the production of infectious murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and MuLV and mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV) antigens. Criteria for the expression of oncornaviruses included the production of: (1) MuLV and MTV gs-antigens, (2) MuLV GL and GT cell surface antigens, (3) DNA polymerase-containing particles, and (4) infectious virions. Normal C3H/10T1/2 cells were free of oncornaviruses by all four of these criteria. Transformation of these cells to malignancy by chemical carcinogens did not result in an increased production of MuLV or MTV products; hence, these cells demonstrated the same virus-free phenotype as the parental cell line. Attempts to rescue transforming viral information from transformed C3H cell lines by superinfection with leukemia viruses were unsuccessful. Repressed endogenous MuLV (but not MTV) could be induced from all cell lines by treatment with 5-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR). Induction of MuLV in normal cells occurred in three phases: I, an initial transient production of low-titered virus; II, a 3–4-week interval where virus production fell to a lower level and then gradually increased. This was accompanied by the recruitment of virus-free cells in the culture to produce MuLV gs-antigens and DNA polymerase-containing particles; and III, the constitutive production of high-titered virus. Transformed cells were more sensitive to treatment with IUdR than normal C3H/10T1/2 cells. These cells underwent a more rapid induction of MuLV, contained a larger fraction of cells that expressed MuLV functions, continued the production of MuLV throughout the second phase of induction, and had an earlier onset of the third phase of high-titered MuLV production. Oncornaviruses induced from IUdR-treated cells showed diversity in their host range and in their ability to produce XC plaques; none of these viruses, however, were capable of transforming normal C3H/10T1/2 fibroblasts in culture.
Multiple labeling to determine metabolic pathways: use of labeling ratios.

The story of the metabolism of ethanol in man has been of interest to many people and to many kinds of research workers. Problems in physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology are involved.
LC‐MS/MS Quantitation of Mercapturic Acid Conjugates of Lipid Peroxidation Products as Markers of Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) leads to the formation of cytotoxic and genotoxic 2-alkenals. LPO products such as 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal (HNE) and 4-oxo-2(E)-nonenal (ONE) have been the subject of many studies due to their association with the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as cancer. LPO products are excreted in the urine after conjugation with glutathione (GSH) and subsequent metabolism to mercapturic acid (MA) conjugates. Urinary LPO-MA metabolites are stable end-product metabolites and have gained interest as non-invasive in vivo biomarkers of oxidative stress. This protocol describes a method for the quantitative analysis of LPO-MA metabolites in urine using isotope-dilution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Included are protocols for preparation of labeled LPO-MA conjugates from unlabeled LPO products and deuterium labeled MA.
Involved field radiation therapy for early stage Hodgkin's disease in children. Preliminary results

Twenty Stage I and II children with Hodgkin's disease were treated with involved field radiation therapy. Twelve patients were Stage I. The histologic types were:nodular sclerosis(seven cases), mixed cellularity (two) and lymphocyte predominant (three). There were eight Stage II patients (six nodular sclerosis and two of mixed cellularity). One Stage I and 4 Stage II patients had class B disease. Involved field irradiation was used in these children after staging laparotomy showed no disease below the diaphragm. Eight of the 20 patients relapsed, five in lymph nodes adjacent to the primary site, two in areas across the diaphragm; the other had both local and distant extension. The median time to relapse after completion of radiation therapy for Stage I and II were 15 and 5 months, respectively. Two of the eight children with recurrent disease are dead. The other six were retreated and are alive and free of disease for periods ranging from 24 to 68 months after original treatment (median, 36 months). Two of the six survivors in this group received irradiation to the site of the recurrent disease only, one was given total nodal irradiation, and three had chemotherapy. The other 12 patients are in continuous first remission. They have been followed for a median time of 26 months. The actuarial relapse-free survival and survival rates at 3 years are 57 and 89%, respectively.
Intermittent Claudication and Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly

BACKGROUND This study reports the prevalence of intermittent claudication (IC) in ambulatory community-resident adults age 65 years or older, compares cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidity of persons with and without IC, and examines the independent association of IC in predicting all cause and cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and disability. METHODS Data are from a pooled sample of 8996 older adults from the East Boston, New Haven, and Iowa sites of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly, conducted between 1982 and 1988. RESULTS 2.4% and 1.5% of men and women, respectively, reported IC. Persons with IC had significantly higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular comorbidity than persons without IC, and they were more likely to smoke. Claudication predicted higher rates of mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and disability independent of associated cardiovascular conditions and risk factors. Among persons with a history of angina, myocardial infarction, and/or stroke, those who reported IC had a twofold greater risk of cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSION The study demonstrated that IC is an important predictor of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in ambulatory older adults independent of associated coronary ischemia and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Results suggest that inclusion of a measure of IC improves the prediction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in older adults.
Modeling capture, emission, and impact ionization of deep-level traps for Ga-As semi-insulating substrates

A numerical model that self-consistently computes electron capture, emission, and impact ionization from deep-level traps (DLTs) is presented. A GaAs n-i-n structure with the i-region representing the semi-insulating (SI) GaAs substrate is simulated using the model. It is found that the threshold voltage (defined as the onset voltage at which the leakage current begins to rise rapidly) for substrate breakdown may be dramatically reduced by the impact ionization of DLT trapped electrons. The temperature dependence of the threshold voltage may also be explained by the impact ionization effect. The model can improve the prediction of current-voltage characteristics of a deep-level-trap compensated semi-insulating GaAs substrate under the conditions of electric field and varying temperature. >
Intrathecal serotonin attenuates the pressor response to static contraction.

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that intrathecal injection of serotonin onto the lumbosacral spinal cord of chloralose-anesthetized cats attenuates the pressor response to static contraction of the triceps surae muscles. Serotonin (10 μg) significantly attenuated the contraction-induced reflex increases in mean arterial pressure but not in ventilation. This attenuation of the reflex pressor response to static contraction by serotonin was prevented by prior intrathecal injection of mianserin hydrochloride, a serotonergic receptor antagonist. In addition, the reflex pressor response to contraction was significantly attenuated by intrathecal injection of carnoxamidotryptamine maleate, a 5-HT1 agonist but not by DOI-hydrochloride, a 5-HT2 agonist. We conclude that stimulation of 5-HT1 receptors in the lumbosacral spinal cord attenuates the reflex pressor response to static muscular contraction.
Shape resonances in electron scattering from metal atoms

An electron transmission experiment is used to study the low-energy total cross sections in Na, K, Rb, Cs and Hg. A shape resonance is observed in Na at 0.08+or-0.02 eV and in Hg at 0.42+or-0.03 eV. In Rb evidence is found for the existence of a shape resonance below 0.05 eV. The results are compared with the available experimental results and theoretical predictions.
Nonparametric receiver operating characteristic-based evaluation for survival outcomes.

For censored survival outcomes, it can be of great interest to evaluate the predictive power of individual markers or their functions. Compared with alternative evaluation approaches, the time-dependent ROC (receiver operating characteristics) based approaches rely on much weaker assumptions, can be more robust, and hence are preferred. In this article, we examine evaluation of markers’ predictive power using the time-dependent ROC curve and a concordance measure which can be viewed as a weighted area under the time-dependent AUC (area under the ROC curve) profile. This study significantly advances from existing time-dependent ROC studies by developing nonparametric estimators of the summary indexes and, more importantly, rigorously establishing their asymptotic properties. It reinforces the statistical foundation of the time-dependent ROC based evaluation approaches for censored survival outcomes. Numerical studies, including simulations and application to an HIV clinical trial, demonstrate the satisfactory finite-sample performance of the proposed approaches.
Justification by Coherence from Scratch

In this paper we make three points about justification of propositions by coherence “from scratch”, where pieces of evidence that are coherent have no individual credibility. First, we argue that no matter how many pieces of evidence are coherent, and no matter what relation we take coherence to be, coherence does not make independent pieces of evidence with no individual credibility credible. Second, we show that an intuitively plausible informal reasoning for justification by coherence from scratch is deficient since it relies on an understanding of “individual credibility” inappropriate for justification from scratch. Third, we show that coherence, when it is recurrent, can make independent sources of evidence with no individual credibility credible. We describe specifically a case in which the same group of independent witnesses with no individual credibility repeatedly produce reports that are in agreement with each other, and their reports become credible as a result.
In vivo characterization of yeast mRNA processing intermediates

Yeast mRNA introns contain a conserved sequence, TACTAAC, required for splicing. We previously identified a putative splicing intermediate characterized by a stop to reverse transcriptase at the TACTAAC box of the wild-type rp51A (ribosomal protein 51A gene) intron. We now show that this stop is due to a branch and occurs at the identical nucleotide in the actin intron TACTAAC box. We show further that the putative intermediate contains a complete intron and the 3' exon, but is missing the 5' exon. This RNA is largely in the form of a lariat. The lariat and the other putative splicing intermediates detected (two forms, of different molecular weights, of the excised intron and the free 5' exon) are compatible with the view that the cut at the 5' junction and lariat formation are early steps in yeast mRNA splicing and that substantial similarities exist between yeast and mammalian mRNA splicing.
Efficacy of antimalarials in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract No recent study has been published on the efficacy of antimalarial drugs in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, antimalarial drug therapy was reported in several early studies to control SLE more effectively than corticosteroids alone and to permit lower doses of steroids to be used. To confirm these findings, we conducted a retrospective study of 43 SLE patients who had been taking antimalarials but in whom such therapy had been discontinued after two to 13 years due to the development of macular changes. Each patient served as his own control by the matching of each year during which antimalarial drugs were taken with one year without antimalarial medication. There was a total of 76 matched years for the 43 patients. Overall, no significant correlation was shown between antimalarial drug therapy and the presence or absence of general symptoms (fever, fatigue, weight loss); skin, cardiac, pulmonary, or central nervous system manifestations, arthritis, or other symptoms or signs that were measured. Although antimalarials reduced the required dosage of corticosteroids significantly (p