cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroRNAs in the development and pathobiology of uterine leiomyomata: does evidence support future strategies for clinical intervention?

Background Human leiomyomata (fibroids) are benign tumors of the uterus, represent the most common neoplasms of reproductive-aged women and have a prevalence of ∼70% in the general population. This disorder conveys a significant degree of morbidity and remains the leading indication for hysterectomy in the USA. Prior investigations of aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression in various malignancies have provided invaluable insight into the role of this class of small non-coding RNAs in tumor growth. Evidence of irregular miRNA expression in uterine fibroids has garnered recent interest for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Since miRNA gene targets modulate several processes implicated in the genesis of uterine fibroids, more focused investigation has the potential to elucidate the functional significance of miRNA in the genesis and pathology of the disease. Methods Comprehensive electronic searches of peer reviewed published literature in PubMed (US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) were performed for content related to the biologic functions of miRNA, the roles of miRNA in human disease and studies investigating miRNA in the context of uterine leiomyomata. Herein, this article will review the current evidence supporting the use of miRNA expression profiling as an investigative tool to assess the pathobiology of uterine fibroids and will discuss potential future applications of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Results Mounting evidence supports a functional role for miRNA as either indirect or direct regulators of gene expression which impacts the pathobiology of uterine fibroids. Specifically, miRNAs let-7, 200a, 200c, 93, 106b and 21 have been implicated in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, extracellular matrix turnover, angiogenesis and inflammation. Preliminary data provide evidence to suggest that respective in vitro miRNA expression in leiomyomata and myometrium is regulated by sex steroids. Conclusions Collectively, the identification of aberrantly expressed miRNAs in uterine leiomyomata and accumulating data derived from mining of gene target prediction models and recent functional studies support the concept that miRNAs might impact the genesis and progression of disease. However, the specific biologic functions of differential miRNA expression have yet to be confirmed in vivo. Further functional studies and developing miRNA technology may provide the basis for future applications of miRNAs in clinical medicine as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Pulmonary arterial reactivity during induced infection of single lung allografts

OBJECTIVE: Infection is a major cause of mortality in the first year following single lung transplantation and is a distinct risk factor for the development of obliterative bronchiolitis. However, little is known about changes in pulmonary vascular activity in the setting of infection, which might affect and limit function of the graft. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine how acute infection altered pulmonary arterial reactivity in single lung allografts. Such information could help to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic targets to improve outcome when grafts become infected. METHODS: Following single lung transplantation, dogs were immunosuppressed with methylprednisolone acetate, cyclosporine and azathioprine. On postoperative day 5, infection was induced in one group of dogs by endobronchial inoculation of antibiotic resistant Eschericia coli (infection group, n=5); in the second group, the same amount of culture media without bacteria was flushed into the bronchus (control group, n=4). All animals were medicated under the same drug protocol. On postoperative day 8, lungs were removed, reviewed for histological assessment, pulmonary arteries were isolated, cut into rings and suspended for pharmacological characterization in organ chambers. RESULTS: With acute infections, contractions to phenylephrine and angiotensin-1, but not endothelin-1, were reduced in pulmonary arteries with but not without endothelium. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase with N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, monoacetate salt (L-NMMA) restored these contractions. Endothelium-dependent relaxations to adenosine diphosphate and calcium ionophore, which stimulate release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide by a receptor and non-receptor mediated process, respectively, were not different between groups. Relaxations to nitric oxide also were not different between groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that acute infection selectively reduces contractions of pulmonary arteries in part through receptor-mediated release of nitric oxide from the endothelium. Inhibiting nitric oxide during episodes of acute infection may help to improve graft perfusion during episodes of acute infection.
A service framework specification for dynamic e-services interaction

This paper presents an overview of the concepts involved in implementing a totally inter-operable ecosystem of e-services encompassing both the business-to-business and business-to-consumer domains. These ecosystems integrate such things as supply chain automation, e-procurement, collaborative e-commerce, trading exchanges and personalized business-to-consumer interactions. This paper details the e-speak Service Framework Specification (SFS) and its core API that form the foundation for intelligent interaction amongst e-services in the ecosystem defined above. This paper also addresses some of the cardinal elements of a truly inter-operable ecosystem such as compliance with XML based business process schemas defined by RosettaNet and CommerceNet.
Advance Directives And Nursing Home Stays Associated With Less Aggressive End-Of-Life Care For Patients With Severe Dementia

The number of older adults with cognitive impairment is increasing, and such adults often require a surrogate to make decisions about health care. However, little is known about the aggressiveness ...
Functional Analysis of Problem Behavior

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at an increased risk for severe problem behavior such as self-injury, aggression, disruption, and stereotypy. Thus, problem behavior exhibited by individuals with IDD is of significant concern because it poses challenges to habilitation programs for these individuals and also because the behavior may jeopardize the health and safety of the individual or others. Functional behavior assessment (FBA) has become the dominant approach to assessment and treatment of problem behavior. Although several formal methods of FBA exist, this chapter focuses on the experimental method or functional analysis (FA), explains the FA approach to assessment, describes the essential features of conducting the “typical” FA, and offers suggestions for procedural modifications to typical FA methodology that may be required under certain circumstances.
Impact of Minimum Daily Dissolved Oxygen Concentration on Production Performance of Hybrid Female Channel Catfish × Male Blue Catfish

AbstractHybrid catfish (♀ Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Blue Catfish I. furcatus) were reared as single-batch crops during the growing season (June–September) of two years under two different dissolved oxygen (DO) regimes each year: (1) a high-DO (control) treatment with minimum daily DO maintained above 3.8 ppm in both years and (2) a low-DO (test) treatment with minimum DO maintained at 1.6 ppm in the first year and 1.3 ppm in the second year. Fish were fed daily to apparent satiation with a 32% protein commercial feed and harvested each year. In both years, dissolved oxygen concentration significantly impacted gross and net production, final fish weight, and mean fish weight gain due to reduced feed intake. Feed intake was reduced in the low-DO treatment by 26.6% in year 1 and 29.2% in year 2. Food conversion ratios averaged 1.83 overall and were not affected by minimum DO. Fish in high-DO treatments gained an average of 44% more weight (1.50 lb/fish) than fish in low-DO treatments (1.04 lb/f...
Fundamentals of Direct Displacement-Based Seismic Design and Assessment

This chapter presents the fundamentals of the new seismic design method known as direct displacement based design. It is a simple design approach where the multi-degree-of-freedom structure is characterized the secant stiffness and equivalent elastic damping of an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom structure. Design is based on achieving a specified displacement limit state — defined either by material strain limits or non-structural drift limits — under the design level seismic intensity, rather than using these limits merely as upper bounds of acceptable behaviour. The characterization of the structure by secant stiffness avoids the many problems inherent in force-based design where initial stiffness is used to determine an elastic period, and forces are distributed between members in proportion to elastic stiffness.
Perovskite-structured AMnxB1−xO3 (A = Ca or Ba; B = Fe or Ni) redox catalysts for partial oxidation of methane

Methane is one of the simplest and most abundant organic compounds on earth. Methane reforming offers the versatility to produce value-added fuels and chemicals. Unlike typical reforming processes, which suffer from efficiency losses associated with endothermic reforming reactions and/or oxygen/steam generation, chemical looping reforming (CLR) utilizes the redox properties of an oxygen carrier, a.k.a. a redox catalyst, to partially oxidize methane into syngas with its lattice oxygen. The reduced redox catalyst is subsequently regenerated with air, providing in situ air separation with minimal energy penalty. The performance of the CLR process is highly dependent on the redox catalyst. In the current study, CLR performances and the underlying mechanisms for perovskite-structured redox catalysts with a general formula of AMnxB1−xO3 (A = Ca or Ba; B = Fe or Ni) are reported. CaMnO3 and BaMnO3 perovskites are worth investigating due to their desirable redox properties and relatively low cost. BaMnxB1−xO3 (B = Fe or Ni) based redox catalysts are shown to be more selective and coke-resistant to methane partial oxidation when compared to CaMnxB1−xO3 (B = Fe or Ni) based redox catalysts. While undoped BaMnO3 exhibited high selectivity towards syngas, addition of B-site dopants such as Ni or Fe leads to higher oxygen carrying capacity without significantly impacting the coke resistance of the redox catalysts. In contrast, nickel doped CaMnO3 is significantly more prone to coke formation. As a low cost and environmentally benign option, a BaMnxFe1−xO3 based redox catalyst was tested for CLR operations in a fluidized bed reactor. >95% syngas selectivity was observed with no signs of deactivation over 20 cycles.
Response rate and response error in marketing research

In this study, we investigate the perspectives of marketing researchers views about the two important concepts of survey research, response rate and response bias. In an attempt to answer the research questions stated, we have collected both primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected from the Academy of Marketing Science active members. Eight versions of an excerpt were taken from an actual article that was accepted for publication recently.
Feeding practices for infants and young children during and after common illness. Evidence from South Asia

Global evidence shows that children's growth deteriorates rapidly during/after illness if foods and feeding practices do not meet the additional nutrient requirements associated with illness/convalescence. To inform policies and programmes, we conducted a review of the literature published from 1990 to 2014 to document how children 0-23 months old are fed during/after common childhood illnesses. The review indicates that infant and young child feeding (IYCF) during common childhood illnesses is far from optimal. When sick, most children continue to be breastfed, but few are breastfed more frequently, as recommended. Restriction/withdrawal of complementary foods during illness is frequent because of children's anorexia (perceived/real), poor awareness of caregivers' about the feeding needs of sick children, traditional beliefs/behaviours and/or suboptimal counselling and support by health workers. As a result, many children are fed lower quantities of complementary foods and/or are fed less frequently when they are sick. Mothers/caregivers often turn to family/community elders and traditional/non-qualified practitioners to seek advice on how to feed their sick children. Thus, traditional beliefs and behaviours guide the use of 'special' feeding practices, foods and diets for sick children. A significant proportion of mothers/caregivers turn to the primary health care system for support but receive little or no advice. Building the knowledge, skills and capacity of community health workers and primary health care practitioners to provide mothers/caregivers with accurate and timely information, counselling and support on IYCF during and after common childhood illnesses, combined with large-scale communication programmes to address traditional beliefs and norms that may be harmful, is an urgent priority to reduce the high burden of child stunting in South Asia.
Kink Rate Model for the General Case of Organic Molecular Crystals

Recently, a general mechanistic spiral growth model, including a kink rate expression that enables crystal morphology prediction for all kinds of organic molecules (both centric and noncentric), was developed. However, we have discovered that the kink rate model for the step velocity in solution growth is inconsistent with the attachment and detachment rate expressions for noncentric growth units at kink sites, so these expressions are revisited to make them self-consistent. Here, we derive a new expression for the kink rate for noncentrosymmetric organic molecules, which correctly accounts for the effect of solvent molecules on growth kinetics. We also generalize the kink rate model to consider other species such as additives. Using the spiral growth model with the improved kink rate expression, we have studied the steady state morphology of paracetamol crystals at low supersaturation to understand the morphology transition induced by the solvent effect and compared our predictions with experimental meas...
364 A BIOMECHANICAL STUDY OF COMBINED RECONSTRUCTIONS FOR THE POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT AND POSTEROLATERAL CORNER

Injuries occurring to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) of the knee often occur with associated damage to the structures of the posterolateral corner, specifically the popliteus tendon (POP) and the popliteofibular ligament (PFL). During PCL reconstruction, it is often necessary to concurrently repair damage to the POP or PFL, with the intent of reducing external rotation of the tibia. This biomechanical study compared the efficacy of POP and PFL reconstructions in reducing external rotation and also compared differences in graft tensioning protocols when reconstructing these structures. Using a fresh frozen human cadaveric knee, external rotation in response to an external tibial torque and PCL graft tension forces were measured during a full range of motion. Both POP and PFL reconstructions were performed on the knee and compared individually with respect to external rotation in the same knee with the POP and PFL sectioned. Additionally, both the POP and PFL were reconstructed using two protocols: tensioning at 30 degrees of flexion allowing the knee to rotate freely and tensioning at 30 degrees with the knee locked in neutral rotation. We found the following: First, the POP and PFL reconstructions each were found to reduce the external rotation of the knee when compared to the knee without these structures intact. Second, both POP and PFL reconstructions produced similar reductions in external rotation. Finally, the two different tensioning protocols led to no significant differences in tension forces experienced by the PCL, but tensioning the graft in locked neutral rotation led to a greater amount of external rotation over the full range of motion.
Brief Report: Patterns and Secular Trends in Use of Immunomodulatory Agents During Pregnancy in Women With Rheumatic Conditions

Objective To describe patterns and secular trends in the use of immunomodulatory agents in pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), or ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods We identified a cohort of women with SLE, RA, PsA, or AS enrolled in public (Medicaid, 2001–2010) or private (Optum Clinformatics, 2004–2012) health insurance, and we included women filling prescriptions for immunomodulatory agents (including steroids, nonbiologic disease-modifying agents, and biologic agents) in the 3-month period immediately prior to their pregnancies. The proportion of women continuing or discontinuing individual agents during pregnancy was reported. Annual prescription fill rates, estimated after accounting for patient characteristics and random variability from year to year in mixed-effects regression models, were used to conduct time trends analysis. Results We included 2,645 women being treated with immunomodulatory agents prior to pregnancy. More women with PsA or AS stopped filling prescriptions for immunomodulatory agents during pregnancy (61%) than women with SLE (26%) or women with RA (34.5%). From the first to the third trimester, the proportions of women filling prescriptions for immunomodulatory agents decreased across all indications. Overall, steroids and hydroxychloroquine were the most frequently used agents in pregnancy (48.4% and 27.1%, respectively). The rates (reported per 100 deliveries in our cohort) for steroid prescription fills during pregnancy decreased significantly from 54.4 in 2001 to 42.4 in 2012, while rates for biologic agents increased from 5.1 in 2001 to 16.6 in 2012 (P < 0.001 for both trends). Conclusion Steroids and hydroxychloroquine remain the most widely prescribed treatment options in pregnancy, but the use of biologic agents is becoming increasingly common.
Don’t stop believing: Rituals improve performance by decreasing anxiety

Abstract From public speaking to first dates, people frequently experience performance anxiety. And when experienced immediately before or during performance, anxiety harms performance. Across a series of experiments, we explore the efficacy of a common strategy that people employ to cope with performance-induced anxiety: rituals. We define a ritual as a predefined sequence of symbolic actions often characterized by formality and repetition that lacks direct instrumental purpose. Using different instantiations of rituals and measures of anxiety (both physiological and self-report), we find that enacting rituals improves performance in public and private performance domains by decreasing anxiety. Belief that a specific series of behaviors constitute a ritual is a critical ingredient to reduce anxiety and improve performance: engaging in behaviors described as a “ritual” improved performance more than engaging in the same behaviors described as “random behaviors.”
Relation of In Vitro Metabolism of Steroids in Human Testicular Tissue to Histologic and Clinical Findings

The first definitive evidence for androgen secretion by the human testis was provided by experiments demonstrating the formation of radioactive testosterone and androstenedione in spermatic venous effluent following perfusion of the testis with acetate l4C (l). Lucas et al. (2) isolated testosterone from spermatic vein blood, and subsequently a number of investigators demonstrated conversion of suitable steroidal precursors to androgens by human testicular tissue in vitro (3–7). Deficiency of the side-chain cleaving enzyme in testicular tissue of an older man was shown by Axelrod (5). Car-stensen (3) demonstrated in vitro an increased conversion of 17a-hy-droxypregnenolone to testosterone in the presence of ICSH. He suggested that the side-chain cleaving enzyme may be activated by gonadotropins. A suppression of the activity of the side-chain cleaving enzyme and the 17α-hydroxylase, but no change, or possibly an increase, in the activity of 17 s-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was demonstrated in the microsomal fraction of testicular tissue from a patient with prostatic carcinoma treated with estrogens (8). If the assumption is made that estrogen suppressed patients’ endogenous gonadotropins, the decrease in 17–20 lyase may be interpreted as confirmation of Carstensen’s findings.
Chemical synthesis and enzymatic properties of RNase A analogues designed to enhance second-step catalytic activity

In this paper, we have used total chemical synthesis of RNase A analogues in order to probe the molecular basis of enzyme catalysis. Our goal was to obligately fill the adenine-binding pocket on the enzyme molecule, and to thus pre-orient the imidazole side chain of His119 in its catalytically productive orientation. Two designed analogues of the RNase A protein molecule that contained an adenine moiety covalently bound to distinct amino acid side chains adjacent to the adenine binding pocket were prepared. A crystal structure of one analogue was determined at 2.3 A resolution. Kinetic data for RNA transphosporylation and 2',3' cyclic mononucleotide hydrolysis were acquired for the adenine-containing RNase A analogue proteins. As anticipated, the presence of a covalently attached adenine on the enzyme molecule decreased the rate of transphosphorylation and increased the rate of hydrolysis, although the magnitude of the effects was small. This work illustrates the use of total protein synthesis to investigate the chemistry of enzyme catalysis in ways not possible through traditional biochemistry or molecular biology.
MDMA, Methylone, and MDPV: Drug-Induced Brain Hyperthermia and Its Modulation by Activity State and Environment

Psychomotor stimulants are frequently used by humans to intensify the subjective experience of different types of social interactions. Since psychomotor stimulants enhance metabolism and increase body temperatures, their use under conditions of physiological activation and in warm humid environments could result in pathological hyperthermia, a life-threatening symptom of acute drug intoxication. Here, we will describe the brain hyperthermic effects of MDMA, MDPV, and methylone, three structurally related recreational drugs commonly used by young adults during raves and other forms of social gatherings. After a short introduction on brain temperature and basic mechanisms underlying its physiological fluctuations, we will consider how MDMA, MDPV, and methylone affect brain and body temperatures in awake freely moving rats. Here, we will discuss the role of drug-induced heat production in the brain due to metabolic brain activation and diminished heat dissipation due to peripheral vasoconstriction as two primary contributors to the hyperthermic effects of these drugs. Then, we will consider how the hyperthermic effects of these drugs are modulated under conditions that model human drug use (social interaction and warm ambient temperature). Since social interaction results in brain and body heat production, coupled with skin vasoconstriction that impairs heat loss to the external environment, these physiological changes interact with drug-induced changes in heat production and loss, resulting in distinct changes in the hyperthermic effects of each tested drug. Finally, we present our recent data, in which we compared the efficacy of different pharmacological strategies for reversing MDMA-induced hyperthermia in both the brain and body. Specifically, we demonstrate increased efficacy of the centrally acting atypical neuroleptic compound clozapine over the peripherally acting vasodilator drug, carvedilol. These data could be important for understanding the potential dangers of MDMA in humans and the development of pharmacological tools to alleviate drug-induced hyperthermia – potentially saving the lives of highly intoxicated individuals.
Labor Market Characteristics and Cross-Country Differences in Cost Stickiness

This paper studies the impact of country-specific labor market characteristics on the degree of asymmetric cost behavior (i.e., cost stickiness) of firms' operating expense. We hypothesize that four important aspects of a labor market, namely, the overall bargaining power of trade unions, the extent of centralization and coordination in collective bargaining, the level of unemployment benefits, and the strictness of employment protection legislation, affect the flexibility of firms in adjusting labor resources and wage rates, hence driving the amount of cost changes as total activity levels change. Using a large cross-sectional sample of firms from nineteen OECD countries over the most recent 10-year period 1996-2005, we find that the cross-country variations in cost stickiness in operating expense are significantly associated with these labor market characteristics as expected, after controlling for firm-level determinants of cost stickiness,. Our results indicate that labor market structure and polices are important determinants of cost stickiness.
Imperial Fears and Transnational Policing in Europe: The ‘German Problem’ and the British and French Surveillance of Anti-colonialists in Exile, 1904–1939

This chapter shows that possible collaboration between the German government and Asian and African anti-imperialist groups in early twentieth-century Europe was perceived as a dangerous threat by British and French surveillance agencies. It traces how the self-proclaimed liberal governments of the French-British Entente Cordiale developed distinctly illiberal politics and alliances with respect to the transnational policing of diasporic anti-colonial activists. The colonial authorities denied agency to the anti-colonialists by assuming that they could only be hapless puppets of an overarching German administration. Ultimately these persecutory policies drove the activists to seek refuge in Germany and Switzerland, thereby creating and intensifying the very kind of anti-colonial networks the policies sought to prevent, and allowing anti-colonialists to develop new central European contacts, including with German radical left-wing groups.
Circular-grating surface-emitting distributed Bragg reflector lasers on an InGaAs/GaAs structure for 0.98 /spl mu/m applications

InGaAs/GaAs circular-grating surface-emission DBR lasers with a pulsed external efficiency, over 11% (power>100 mW) and a divergence of 1/spl deg/ are obtained. We also demonstrate the first CW operation near room temperature.
The Sequence of Nucleosomal DNA Modulates Sliding by the Chd1 Chromatin Remodeler

Chromatin remodelers are ATP-dependent enzymes that are critical for reorganizing and repositioning nucleosomes in concert with many basic cellular processes. For the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 1 (Chd1) remodeler, nucleosome sliding has been shown to depend on the DNA flanking the nucleosome, transcription factor binding at the nucleosome edge, and the presence of the histone H2A/H2B dimer on the entry side. Here, we report that Chd1 is also sensitive to the sequence of DNA within the nucleosome and slides nucleosomes made with the 601 Widom positioning sequence asymmetrically. Kinetic and equilibrium experiments show that poly(dA:dT) tracts perturb remodeling reactions if within one and a half helical turns of superhelix location 2 (SHL2), where the Chd1 ATPase engages nucleosomal DNA. These sequence-dependent effects do not rely on the Chd1 DNA-binding domain and are not due to differences in nucleosome affinity. Using site-specific cross-linking, we show that internal poly(dA:dT) tracts do not block the engagement of the ATPase motor with SHL2, yet they promote multiple translational positions of DNA with respect to both Chd1 and the histone core. We speculate that Chd1 senses the sequence-dependent response of DNA as the remodeler ATPase perturbs the duplex at SHL2. These results suggest that the sequence sensitivity of histones and remodelers occur at unique segments of DNA on the nucleosome, allowing them to work together or in opposition to determine nucleosome positions throughout the genome.
AAA (2010) CAPD clinical practice guidelines: need for an update.

AbstractObjective: Review and critique of the clinical value of the AAA CAPD guidance document in light of criteria for credible and useful guidance documents, as discussed by Field and Lohr. Design: A qualitative review of the of the AAA CAPD guidelines using a framework by Field and Lohr to assess their relative value in supporting the assessment and management of CAPD referrals. Study sample: Relevant literature available through electronic search tools and published texts were used along with the AAA CAPD guidance document and the chapter by Field and Lohr. Results: The AAA document does not meet many of the key requirements discussed by Field and Lohr. It does not reflect the current literature, fails to help clinicians understand for whom auditory processing testing and intervention would be most useful, includes contradictory suggestions which reduce clarity and appears to avoid conclusions that might cast the CAPD construct in a negative light. It also does not include input from diverse affected ...
Myxoid fibroadenomas differ from conventional fibroadenomas: a hypothesis-generating study.

Aims Breast myxoid fibroadenomas (MFAs) are characterized by a distinctive hypocellular myxoid stroma, and occur sporadically or in the context of Carney complex, an inheritable condition caused by PRKAR1A-inactivating germline mutations. Conventional fibroadenomas (FAs) are underpinned by recurrent MED12 mutations in the stromal components of the lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the genomic landscape of MFAs and compare it with that of conventional FAs. Methods and results Eleven MFAs from patients without clinical and/or genetic evidence of Carney complex were retrieved. DNA samples of tumour and matching normal tissue were subjected to massively parallel sequencing using the Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK-IMPACT) assay, an assay targeting 410 cancer genes. Genetic alterations detected by MSK-IMPACT were tested in samples in which the stromal and epithelial components were separately laser capture-microdissected. Sequencing revealed no germline PRKAR1A mutations and non-synonymous mutations in six MFAs. Interestingly, in three of the MFAs in which the stromal and epithelial components were separately microdissected, the mutations were found to be restricted to the epithelial rather than the stromal component. The sole exception was a lesion harbouring a somatic truncating PRKAR1A mutation. Upon histological re-review, this case was reclassified as a breast myxoma, consistent with the spectrum of tumous observed in Carney complex patients. In this case, the PRKAR1A somatic mutation was restricted to the stromal component. Conclusion MFAs lack MED12 mutations, and their stromal components seem not to harbour mutations in the 410 cancer genes tested. Whole-exome and/or whole-genome analyses of MFAs are required to elucidate their genetic drivers.
Living Lean: David and the Case of the Hoarded House

This case is part of the "Living Lean" series, which presents accessible, everyday scenarios for a Lean process-improvement journey. In this episode on the 5S method of organizing and sustaining an efficient process, a recently transplanted couple with a garage full of boxes decides to eliminate clutter in their home. Excerpt UVA-OM-1448 Rev. Nov. 4, 2013 living lean: DaVID AND the Case of the Hoarded House David and his wife, Heidi, had lived in their single-family home in a new development for about a year and a half. Both followed hectic schedules: David was a student in an MBA for Executives program and a full-time IT program manager, and Heidi was the executive director of a local performing arts center, which required her to work odd hours. As a result, the two of them had allowed their home to accumulate layer upon layer of stuff in almost every room, closet, and wardrobe of the house. One night in December, David drove home from an evening class as a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain began to accumulate on the street. Their house had an attached garage, but he and his wife typically parked on the street and used the front door, because the garage still held a large number of unpacked boxes from their recent move. The wind had picked up, and David was tired, hungry, and cold, so, feeling ambitious, he decided to test the garage entry to his home. He was not sure whether the batteries in the garage door opener were going to work, but when he pressed the button, the garage door began to lift. He slowly nosed his Accord into the garage, hoping for the best, but there were simply too many boxes. He moved the car to the curb, carefully navigated the sidewalk to the front door, sank into the living room couch, and called his wife at work. . . .
Games at work

Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of multi-level thinking and the potential influence of gamification in team tasks. The current study explores the relationships between contextualized intrinsic motivation, communication skills, collective efficacy, and satisfaction in an immersive, computer game context. Moreover, satisfaction was examined with both self- and team-referents to investigate whether self- and team-concepts are affected differently within an interdependent task. Collective efficacy was also assessed as a cross-level moderator on the relationships between individual-level inputs and outcomes. The results emphasize the importance of distinguishing between individual- and team-level referents. Team member satisfaction and group task satisfaction had different significant predictors, though there was some overlap. Results suggest individual's game motivation positively predicts group task satisfaction, but not individual satisfaction. Individuals' communication skills and collective efficacy both had positive direct effects on both individual and group task satisfaction. In terms of cross-level interactions, however, the only significant interaction was between communication skills and collective efficacy in predicting individual satisfaction. Individual and collective self-concepts are studied in a team based gaming context.Game motivation positively predicted individual perceptions of team satisfaction.Communication skills positively predicted perceptions of self and team satisfaction.Collective efficacy positively predicted perceptions of self and team satisfaction.The skill and efficacy interaction predicted only perceptions of self-satisfaction.
The impact of communist imprint prevalence on the risk-taking propensity of successful Russian entrepreneurs

Scholars debate whether entrepreneurs socialised under communism exhibit an increased or subdued risk-taking propensity after that experience. Some note that communism discouraged standing out and thus risk-taking, while others counter that communism necessitated risk-taking to survive. We reconcile this debate by differentiating between reformist and hard-line communist imprints. In so doing, we extend communist imprinting theory by introducing the concept of imprint prevalence and studying how the degree to which one type of communist imprint prevailed over the other affects the subsequent risk-taking propensity of successful Russian entrepreneurs. Our findings also have implications for entrepreneurship in other transition and emerging economies.
The Makers of the Modern Middle East. By T. G. Fraser, AndrewMango, and Robert McNamara. (2nd edition. London, United Kingdom: Gingko Library and distributed by the University of Chicago Press, 2015. Pp. ix, 390. $50.00.) : Book Review

The author of this book has published a biography of Chaim Weizmann and received assistance from the late Andrew Mango, a biographer of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and Robert McNamara, author of a book ...
EPDM crosslinking from bio-based vegetable oil and Diels–Alder reactions

Abstract The aim of this work was to study and develop a green process of plasticization and crosslinking of an EPDM matrix with a thiofuran based coupling agent. For this purpose, tung oil, composed of around 80 wt% of α-eleostearic acid, was used as both plasticizer and thermal crosslinker. Due to the low compatibility and weak interactions between vegetable oils and the EPDM matrix, the 2-furanmethanethiol (derived from the food industry) was used as a di-functional compatibilizing agent. The 2-furanmethanethiol was successfully grafted by a thiol–ene reaction onto both the tung oil and the EPDM matrix. The formulation was thermally treated in order to crosslink the EPDM matrix and the tung oil through expected Diels–Alder reaction. The reactions were evidenced by liquid 1H NMR spectroscopy analysis. The crosslinked sample was characterized by different mechanical tests. The sample properties were also compared with the ones of an EPDM crosslinked by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and plasticized by mineral oil.
Student Research: Documentaries Made in the Community.

Middle school students learned about their community when they created documentaries as part of a state bicentennial celebration. Students gathered multiple primary and secondary resources and work...
Performance evaluation of mission critical communications services over LTE networks

Today, Mission Critical Communications (MCC) users are classically equipped with narrowband and wideband technologies which frequently are not sufficient for high data rate applications in many mission critical situations. The need for radio capacity is increasing daily during major incidents and accident scenes. Therefore, there is need for broadband systems that support high data demanding services. Long Term Evolution (LTE) for mobile broadband MCC communications has been accepted as the technology appropriate for future mission critical communications. However, delivering a MCC mobile broadband capability involves designing it to meet specific network capacity and quality of service requirements. This research presents performance evaluation of LTE-based MCC systems in terms of the average waiting time, throughput and resource utilization. The results show number of simultaneous video traffic and high data applications that can be supported in an eNode B for LTE — based MCC network. These results would help the network designers in the dimensioning and planning of MCC over LTE networks.
A Mathematical Model of Retinal Photoreceptors

Retinal photoreceptors transmit light stimuli via electrical signals generated by a change in the photocurrent. This voltage-sensitive current is gated by cGMP and allows the entry of both Na+ and Ca2+ into the cell. cGMP levels are controlled by the opposing actions of guanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase, which are in turn controlled by buffered Ca2+ and photon absorption, respectively. We have constructed a model that reproduces photocurrent responses to light stimuli. In addition to the processes noted above. the actions of the Na+/K+ and Na+/Ca2+-K+ exchangers present in the photoreceptor inner and outer segments are considered. Previously published models have not incorporated all of these processes in a biologically relevant manner. Model light responses are compared to those described in the literature, and the role of Ca2+ buffering in light adaptation is explored.
Understanding Within-Job Title Variance in Job-Analytic Ratings

This study examined the correlates of within-job title variance in job-analytic ratings. Q-factor analyses of SMEs' ratings for two jobs (i.e., Sales Representative [n = 26] and Felony Assistant Public Defender [n = 141]) yielded two and four factors, respectively. These factors represented shared views of the importance of the job tasks. Factor membership was related to sales performance for sales representatives. Previous professional experience and district of employment were related to factor membership for Felony Assistant Public Defenders. The implications of these studies of within-title variance in job-analytic ratings for human resource programs are discussed.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Across Racial and Ethnic Groups

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has significant public health importance in view of the potential long-term health consequences. Understanding the ethnic differences in phenotype and metabolic consequences is important in targeting the relevant population for prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders. In this chapter, we review differences in prevalence, symptomatology, and metabolic disorders in women with PCOS across racial and ethnic groups and whether the differences may just reflect similar differences that exist in the general population.
Amino acid infusion during pregnancy.

The infusion of 30 Gm. of the amino acid, arginine, in 3 volunteers in midpregnancy was followed by a rise in plasma growth hormone concentration. Fetal heart rate remained stable and no change in amniotic fluid pH, pCO 2 , or bicarbonate occurred during the test period. Amniotic fluid glucose and alpha amino nitrogen concentrations remained unchanged. Maternal urinary alpha amino nitrogen concentration, however, rose rapidly during the infusion period. It is concluded that, from the measurements obtained, an infusion of up to 30 Gm. of arginine monochloride in pregnancy is a safe procedure.
Production line performance analysis within a MTS/MTO manufacturing framework: a queueing theory approach

Abstract Paper aims Mixing the Make-To-Stock (MTS) and Make-To-Order (MTO) strategies to benefit from the both manufacturing systems in an environment with impatient customers. Originality This is the first research article which uses the queuing theory to find the best place of the Order Penetration Point (OPP) in a production line with impatient customers. Research method Two scenarios are studied in this paper. 1- Semi-finished products are produced and stored in a buffer. No semi-finished product will be completed until a specific order comes to the system. This strategy leads to idle cost, but there is savings obtained in terms of eliminating investment in finished goods inventory and its holding cost. We can calculate the total cost of the system and find the optimal machine for the buffer of semi-finished products. 2- We use both MTS and MTO for completing the semi-finished products. When there is no customer in the system, semi-finished products are completed based on the MTS strategy and finished products are sent to a warehouse. But, when an order comes in for customization, a semi-finished product get assigned to that order and after finishing the current MTS job on each machine, this MTO job starts to complete the semi-finished product. To calculate system performance indexes, we use the Matrix Geometric Method (MGM) after modeling the systems with queuing theory concepts. Main findings Numerical examples show the convexity of total cost in terms of product completion percentage and number of customization lines after the OPP. Also, increasing the production rate leads to higher expected number of semi-finished products in the buffer. Implications for theory and practice Positioning OPP in manufacturing systems to compare different production strategies (MTS/MTO) has not been widely studied yet. This paper shows how manufacturing companies can apply the OPP to obtain benefits from both MTS and MTO strategies according to various cost parameters of the production lines. Using queuing theory concepts to model the problem under study helps to consider the external factors such as impatient customers and demand arrival uncertainty that can affect the performance measures of the system besides the internal factors such as production rate and inventory related costs. The idea of expanding the production line after a specific station and have more customization lines to improve customer satisfaction is studied in this paper as well.
Unaddressed Cam Deformity Is Associated with Elevated Joint Contact Stress After Periacetabular Osteotomy.

Background:Femoral cam deformity is frequently present in patients with acetabular dysplasia. Computational modeling can be used to identify how this deformity affects joint mechanics. Our purpose was to identify the relationship between cam deformity and joint contact stress after periacetabular os
Attendance at Well-Child Visits After Reach Out and Read:

Attendance at well-child visits (WCVs) is a sine qua non of preventive care. We hypothesized that Reach Out and Read (ROR) would be associated with better WCV attendance. Parents of children 76 to ...
Machine-Learning and 3D Point-Cloud Based Signal Power Path Loss Model for the Deployment of Wireless Communication Systems

Modeling signal power path loss (SPPL) for deployment of wireless communication systems (WCSs) is one of the most time consuming and expensive processes that require data collections during link budget analysis. Radio frequency (RF) engineers mainly employ either deterministic or stochastic approaches for the estimation of SPPL. In the case of stochastic approach, empirical propagation models use predefined estimation parameters for different environments such as reference distance path loss PL(d 0 )(dB), path loss exponent (n), and log-normal shadowing (Xσ with N(σ, μ = 0)). Since empirical models broadly classify the environment under urban, suburban, and rural area, they do not take into account every micro-variation on the terrain. Therefore, empirical models deviate significantly from actual measurements. This paper proposes a smart deployment method of WCS to minimize the need for predefined estimation parameters by creating a 3-D deployment environment which takes into account the micro-variations in the environment. Tree canopies are highly complex structures which create micro-variations and related unidentified path loss due to scattering and absorption. Thus, our proposed model will mainly focus on the effect of tree canopies and can be applied to any environment. The proposed model uses a 2-D image color classification to extract features from a 3-D point cloud and a machine learning (ML) algorithm to predict SPPL. Empirical path loss models have received signal level (RSL) errors in the range of 6.29%-16.9% from the actual RSL measurements while the proposed model has an RSL error of 4.26%.