cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous bone biopsy in the diagnosis of renal osteodystrophy

Renal failure is associated with many complex bone and mineral complications. The spectrum of diseases is wide, encompassing defects in bone turnover, remodeling, and mineralization. Disease is currently defined in terms of whether a high or low turnover lesion is present. Measurement of serum parathyroid hormone levels (PTH) remains an important aspect in the management of renal bone disease, however, is limited by its lack of sensitivity in many clinical settings. Multiple biochemical markers are also available both commercially and experimentally to assist in assessing the degree of bone formation or resorption. However, when definitive diagnosis is important, when the clinical setting is confusing or complex, or when parathyroidectomy is being considered, the use of percutaneous bone biopsy is an essential tool in the understanding of underlying bone pathology and in directing therapy intervention.
On decisions and information concerning an unknown parameter

Let X 1 , X 2 ,… be a sequence of random variables whose finite dimensional distributions depend on a random variable θ . We study the error probability and equivocation of specific decision functions which are used to decide on θ based on a sequence of n observations of the X n process. In particular, we show that if the process is ergodic for each value of θ , the error probability and equivocation go to zero as n goes to infinity. If the X n process is a Markov chain with distinct state behavior for each value of θ , then they approach zero exponentially.
Absence of temporal discrimination following septal lesions

Septally lesioned and normal rats were trained on a DRL 20 schedule, utilizing an IBM-1800 data acquisition and control system to program the reinforcement contingency and record responses. Normal animals developed a temporal discrimination (as measured by the IRTs/opportunity statistic), while septals did not. Training did not lead to any change in the frequency of reinforcements obtained by either group. These results were discussed in terms of differences in the locus of stimulation (i.e., internal or external) controlling performance.
Cross-linking of Surface IgM in the Burkitt's Lymphoma Cell Line ST486 Provides Protection against Arsenite- and Stress-induced Apoptosis That Is Mediated by ERK and Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Signaling Pathways

The ST486 cell line, derived from a human Burkitt's lymphoma, is a model for antigen-induced clonal deletion in germinal center B-lymphocytes, with apoptosis induced upon cross-linking of surface IgM. Moreover, this cell line is highly sensitive to the induction of apoptosis by many chemicals, including sodium arsenite, a significant environmental contaminant with immunotoxic activity. In contrast to arsenite and other chemicals, surface IgM cross-linking induces apoptosis in ST486 cells with delayed kinetics. Moreover, the initial signaling events following IgM stimulation are associated with cell survival and proliferation and include activation of the extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways. We examined the question of whether IgM-mediated activation of the ERK and PI3K pathways can influence the apoptotic response of ST486 cells following exposure to arsenite and selected drugs with different molecular targets, including cycloheximide, etoposide, and camptothecin, and a physical stress, hyperthermia. Our findings show that IgM-stimulated cells are significantly protected against arsenite and drug-induced apoptosis during a window of several hours after surface IgM cross-linking, as evidenced by an inhibition of cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and lack of morphological changes indicative of apoptosis. Significantly, surface IgM cross-linking also protects against arsenite-induced mitochondrial depolarization as well as caspase-9 cleavage. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this IgM-mediated protection requires the activation of the ERK and PI3K pathways, because inhibition of either pathway blocks the ability of antigen receptor activation to protect against apoptosis. Our study also provides evidence for p90S6 ribosomal kinase as a point of convergence between the two signaling pathways resulting in the phosphorylation of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bad at serine 112. This investigation demonstrates, for the first time, that specific signals transduced by activation of the B-cell receptor protect cells at a common point of regulation in the apoptotic pathways for diverse stresses.
The evolving landscape of glioblastoma stem cells.

Purpose of review Recent advances in the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in glioblastoma will be reviewed. Recent findings In the decade since the description of brain tumor CSCs, the potential significance of these cells in tumor growth, therapeutic resistance, and spread has become evident. Most recently, the interplay between CSCs, tumor genetics, and the microenvironment has offered potential nodes of fragility under therapeutic development. The CSC phenotype is informed by specific receptor signaling, and study of the regulation of stem cell genes by transcription factors and microRNAs has identified a number of new targets amenable to treatment. Like normal stem cells, CSCs display specific epigenetic landscapes and metabolic profiles. Summary Brain cancers activate core stem cell regulatory pathways to empower self-renewal, maintenance of an organ system (albeit an aberrant one), and survival under stress that collectively permits tumor growth, therapeutic resistance, invasion, and angiogenesis. These properties have implicated CSCs as contributors in GBM progression and recurrence, spurring a search for anti-CSC therapies that do not disrupt normal stem cell maintenance. The last year has witnessed a rapid evolution in the understanding of CSC biology to inform preclinical targeting.
A Multiplicative Formula for Aggregating Probability Assessments

This paper presents an axiomatic approach to the problem of aggregating expert assessments of an event's probability into some group probability assessment. A multiplicative formula is derived.
Tissue engineering of heart valves: in vitro experiences.

Abstract Background . Tissue engineering is a new approach, whereby techniques are being developed to transplant autologous cells onto biodegradable scaffolds to ultimately form new functional tissue in vitro and in vivo. Our laboratory has focused on the tissue engineering of heart valves, and we have fabricated a trileaflet heart valve scaffold from a biodegradable polymer, a polyhydroxyalkanoate. In this experiment we evaluated the suitability of this scaffold material as well as in vitro conditioning to create viable tissue for tissue engineering of a trileaflet heart valve. Methods . We constructed a biodegradable and biocompatible trileaflet heart valve scaffold from a porous polyhydroxyalkanoate (Meatabolix Inc, Cambridge, MA). The scaffold consisted of a cylindrical stent (1 × 15 × 20 mm inner diameter) and leaflets (0.3 mm thick), which were attached to the stent by thermal processing techniques. The porous heart valve scaffold (pore size 100 to 240 μm) was seeded with vascular cells grown and expanded from an ovine carotid artery and placed into a pulsatile flow bioreactor for 1, 4, and 8 days. Analysis of the engineered tissue included biochemical examination, enviromental scanning electron microscopy, and histology. Results . It was possible to create a trileaflet heart valve scaffold from polyhydroxyalkanoate, which opened and closed synchronously in a pulsatile flow bioreactor. The cells grew into the pores and formed a confluent layer after incubation and pulsatile flow exposure. The cells were mostly viable and formed connective tissue between the inside and the outside of the porous heart valve scaffold. Additionally, we demonstrated cell proliferation (DNA assay) and the capacity to generate collagen as measured by hydroxyproline assay and movat-stained glycosaminoglycans under in vitro pulsatile flow conditions. Conclusions . Polyhydroxyalkanoates can be used to fabricate a porous, biodegradable heart valve scaffold. The cells appear to be viable and extracellular matrix formation was induced after pulsatile flow exposure.
Analysis of Urinary Benzodiazepines Using Solid-Phase Extraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

A solid-phase extraction and GC-MS confirmation method was developed for certain urinary diazolo- and triazolobenzodiazepines, including the metabolites of lorazepam, clonazepam, alprazolam, and triazolam. The latter two do not form benzophenones, and the others are not readily confirmed by conventional thin-layer chromatography or GC-MS techniques. Samples were hydrolyzed with glucuronidase at 37 degrees C, adjusted to pH 4.5, extracted with Bond Elut Certify columns, dried, and derivatized using BSTFA with 1% TMCS. Sample preparation time averaged 4 hours. A GC-MS selected-ion-monitoring acquisition method targeting retention time, molecular ion abundances, and qualifier ion ratios was used to determine positive results. The recovery of 7-NH2-clonazepam was 95%, and recoveries of alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, alpha-hydroxytriazolam, and lorazepam were greater than 66%. Linearity was demonstrated from 0.1 to 1.0 microgram/mL for each drug. Within-run CVs were less than 11%, and between-run CVs were less than 16%. Using this technique, we have been able to confirm suspected cases of abuse that had not been confirmed by previous techniques.
The identification of metal-binding ligand residues in metalloproteins using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The identification of metal-binding ligands in metalloproteins is an important step in gaining detailed information regarding the environment of the active site. Traditionally, techniques such as 13Cd-substitution for the active metal followed by isotope-filtered NMR techniques have been used to this end. However, for medium to high molecular weight proteins (>20 kDa), these experiments may not be beneficial due to extensive 1H spectral overlap. Here, we describe an alternative approach, where metal-binding ligands such as histidine and cysteine are specifically 15N backbone labeled, excess EDTA is added and changes to (1H-15N) HSQC spectra are followed. Under these conditions, the amide groups of all 15N labeled histidine and cysteine residues, which were either ligands or residues close to the active site, were identified unambiguously for metallo-beta-lactamase from Bacteroides fragilis.
A Simple Centrifugal Method for Measuring Expressible Moisture, A Water-Binding Property of Muscle Foods

With the development of more refined methods of measuring water-binding properties of meats, the term “water-holding capacity” needs to be replaced with more specific and carefully defined terms such as expressible moisture, water-binding potential, and free drip. An improved method of measuring expressible moisture is described which is simple and reproducible. It basically measures the amount of liquid squeezed out of a protein system with centrifugal force, by measuring the weight gain of a filter paper surrounding the sample. This method seems to be highly sensitive to factors that affect the water-binding properties of muscle foods.
Measuring the effectiveness of faculty mentoring relationships.

“Mentor” is a term widely used in academic medicine but for which there is no consensus on an operational definition. Further, criteria are rarely reported for evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring. This article presents the work of an Ad Hoc Faculty Mentoring Committee whose tasks were to define “mentorship,” specify concrete characteristics and responsibilities of mentors that are measurable, and develop new tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship. The committee developed two tools: the Mentorship Profile Questionnaire, which describes the characteristics and outcome measures of the mentoring relationship from the perspective of the mentee, and the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale, a 12-item six-point agree–disagree-format Likert-type rating scale, which evaluates 12 behavioral characteristics of the mentor. These instruments are explained and copies are provided. Psychometric issues, including the importance of content-related validity evidence, response bias due to acquiescence and halo effects, and limitations on collecting reliability evidence, are examined in the context of the mentor– mentee relationship. Directions for future research are suggested. Acad Med. 2005; 80:66–71.
Assume-guarantee verification of source code with design-level assumptions

Model checking is an automated technique that can be used to determine whether a system satisfies certain required properties. To address the "state explosion" problem associated with this technique, we propose to integrate assume-guarantee verification at different phases of system development. During design, developers build abstract behavioral models of the system components and use them to establish key properties of the system. To increase the scalability of model checking at this level, we have previously developed techniques that automatically decompose the verification task by generating component assumptions for the properties to hold. The design artifacts are subsequently used to guide the implementation of the system, but also to enable more efficient reasoning of the source code. In particular, we propose to use assumptions generated for the design to similarly decompose the verification of the actual system implementation. We demonstrate our approach on a significant NASA application, where design models were used to identify and correct a safety property violation, and the generated assumptions allowed us to check successfully that the property was preserved by the implementation.
Quantifying the economic consequences of childhood obesity and potential benefits of interventions.

Evaluation of: Wenig CM. The impact of BMI on direct costs in children and adolescents: empirical findings for the German healthcare system based on the KiGGS-study. Eur. J. Health Econ. DOI: 10.1007/s10198-010-0278-7 (2010) (Epub ahead of print).The article under evaluation analyzed healthcare utilization data from the German Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents, a representative cross-sectional survey that quantifies healthcare services and costs by category. The author used widely accepted health economic methods to quantify incremental costs and utilization attributable to elevated BMI in children. There are important limits to consider for policy makers, clinicians and others who may use these data in isolation to quantify economic savings and other benefits to quantify cost–effectiveness and cost–benefit profiles of environmental, dietary, physical activity and/or pharmaceutical interventions to prevent or treat obesity in childhood. Longer term benefits of preventing obesit...
Effect of changes in reproductive potential on perceived productivity of three Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks

Variation in maturity-at-age, sex ratio, and potential egg production (through changes in length at age) were examined for northern cod (NAFO Division 2J + 3KL), southern Grand Bank cod (3NO), and southern Newfoundland cod (3Ps). All showed significant interannual variability in each stock. Estimates of reproductive potential were produced by sequentially incorporating estimates of proportion mature at age, sex ratio at age, and potential egg production. The estimates of reproductive potential produced by each method were broadly similar, but there were important differences. This leads to differing perceptions of stock productivity, as measured by relative rate of recruitment of a stock and in the spawning stock produced per recruit. These differing perceptions can have a major impact on expectations for the recovery of depleted stocks and the sustainability of various levels of fishing. Efforts should be made to improve estimates of reproductive potential by further exploring the impacts of changes in the spawning characteristics of populations, and by collecting such basic information as fecundity data.
Fast algorithms for L ∞ problems in multiview geometry

Many problems in multi-view geometry, when posed as minimization of the maximum reprojection error across observations, can be solved optimally in polynomial time. We show that these problems are instances of a convex-concave generalized fractional program. We survey the major solution methods for solving problems of this form and present them in a unified framework centered around a single parametric optimization problem. We propose two new algorithms and show that the algorithm proposed by Olsson et al. [21] is a special case of a classical algorithm for generalized fractional programming. The performance of all the algorithms is compared on a variety of datasets, and the algorithm proposed by Gugat [12] stands out as a clear winner. An open source MATLAB toolbox that implements all the algorithms presented here is made available.
Teen parents and academic success.

The purpose of this study was to explore the personal life stories of women who became mothers while still in their teen years. The focus was on themes that evolved as important in the lives of these women, including family support, partner support, mentor support, economic opportunity, resiliency, optimism, and spirituality. Each of the 22 women in the study offered her formulas for success that are useful for consideration by school nurses. Factors the women perceived to contribute to their success in achieving a master’s or doctoral degree are explored. This study helps to identify the support and community efforts necessary to improve the outcome for teen mothers today. Their unique stories are exemplars of resiliency and achievement.
CHANGES IN MEN'S CONSERVATIVE GENDER IDEOLOGIES Cohort and Period Influences

Men's gender ideologies have changed more slowly than women's since the 1970s; this article analyzes the period and cohort processes that underlie men's attitude change and how the individual-level characteristics of conservative men differ by birth cohort. Using multidimensional measures of gender role attitudes from the 1974-1998 General Social Surveys, the author finds that changes in men's attitudes have been brought about both by period influences, especially during the 1970s, and by cohort replacement. Analyses of multivariate interaction effects demonstrate that education has become a much less significant predictor of attitudes for men born after 1945.
Bandwidth and the lower bound on Q for small wideband antennas

The lower bound on quality factor (Q) is a well known performance limit of electrically small, single TM or TE mode antennas that exhibit a single impedance resonance within their operating bandwidth. Since Q and matched VSWR bandwidth are inversely related, the lower bound on Q implies that there exists a corresponding upper bound on achievable matched VSWR bandwidth. Here, we examine the relationship between Q, the lower bound on Q and matched VSWR bandwidth for a reasonably small antenna that is designed to exhibit multiple resonances within a wide operating bandwidth. We show that the Q of the wideband antenna does not violate the lower bound, even though the matched VSWR bandwidth encompasses a range of frequencies containing multiple resonances and antiresonances.
Hypophysectomy of the cyclic mouse. I. Effects on folliculogenesis, oocyte growth, and follicle-stimulating hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin receptors.

The effects of hypophysectomy (HX) on folliculogenesis, oocyte growth, and ovarian FSH and LH receptors were examined by histology, topical autoradiography, and in vitro incubation of isolated follicles with ['H]thymidine. At random stages of the estrous cycle, mice were HX (Day 0), and they were killed from 0 to 20 days thereafter. Four days after HX, the number of preantral (stages 1-3) and antral (stages 4-5) follicles per ovary was reduced by 40% to 60% compared to Day 0 values, and stage 6 (large preovulatory) follicles had vanished. By Day 20 after HX, the numbers of follicles at stages 1, 2, and 4 were comparable to Day 4 values, whereas stage 3 and 5 follicles were still further diminished to 30% and 15% of Day 0 values, respectively. The number of atretic follicles from Days 0 to 20 after HX did not differ for follicles of stages 3-5, and stage 1 and 2 follicles were all healthy. However, oocyte growth was not coordinated with follicular growth after HX; the oocytes of stage 2-4 follicles were significantly larger than Day 0 oocytes. The enlarged oocytes appeared normal as judged by light and electron microscopy. DNA synthesis for stage 1-3 follicles declined significantly from Days 4 to 20 compared with Day 0 values, but did not change for stage 4 and 5 follicles, since atretic follicles at these stages were still labeled by [3H]thymidine and this was rare for Day 0 follicles. Topical autoradiography for [" 5 1]-labeled FSH and hCG showed that follicular receptors for both hormones declined by Day 4 of HX and remained undetectable thereafter, except for trace amounts of [' 2 5 1]-hCG binding in the interstitium. The decrease in follicular DNA synthesis and the greater diameter of oocytes in preantral follicles after HX suggest that longer transit times are required for one stage to progress to the next because of the anhormonal environment of the growing follicle. These results provide concrete evidence that pituitary gonadotropins are essential in the mouse for initiation, proliferation, and differentiation of all stages of growing follicles.
Use of an internet website wiki at oncology Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) and the effects on student confidence with oncology references

Abstract Objective To describe the impact of utilizing an interactive website (wiki) to direct students to oncology resources during Oncology Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) on student ease of use and confidence with utilizing oncology references, and student-preferred initial search strategies. Methods We surveyed students who completed an Oncology APPE at University of Colorado Hospital/Cancer Center (UCH/UCCC) before (Control) and after implementation of the wiki (Intervention). The questionnaire included questions regarding student confidence with oncology and general drug-information (DI) resources, ease of finding information, and student-preferred initial search strategies. Results Of the 33 students completing an Oncology APPE at UCH/UCCC, 26 responded (response rate 78.8%). Before the APPE, fewer students felt somewhat or very confident researching oncology DI questions compared to general DI questions (Control: 16.7% vs 58.3%; Intervention: 0% vs 71.4%). After the APPE, more students felt somewhat or very confident researching oncology and general DI questions in the Control (75% and 83.3%) and Intervention (85.7% for both) groups ( p > 0.05 between groups). Student-preferred initial search strategies were similar between groups ( p > 0.05). Students in the Intervention group reported greater ease using oncology resources than students in the Control group when answering treatment guideline (4.64 vs 3.92) and supportive care questions (4.21 vs 3.92), although this was not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). Conclusions The wiki was received positively by the students and did not adversely impact utilization of oncology resources. These results may provide guidance to oncology and other specialty APPE preceptors regarding use of a wiki to direct students to specialty resources.
Closed-loop asymptotic stability and robustness conditions for large space systems with reduced-order controllers

Velocity-sensor outputs can be fed back for augmentation of damping to large space structures and displacement-sensor outputs can for augmentation of stiffness. The design of feedback controllers for such distributed-parameter systems in practice must be based on only a relatively small number of modeled modes, however. Usually, the existence of spillover and the interaction with unmodeled modes are ignored: even stability of full-order closed-loop (FOCL) system with reduced-order (RO) feedback controllers is not ensured, let alone the additional damping and stiffness desired. This paper presents various useful conditions for ensuring FOCL asymptotic stability. Such conditions and the insights thereby derived are useful as a guide to FOCL asymptotic stability ensuring designs of RO feedback controllers. Large space systems considered are not limited to the class of large space structures; possible presence of rigid or unstable modes are not excluded. For the common class of large space structures having only stable (elastic or rigid) modes, specially useful simpler conditions for ensuring FOCL asymptotic stability are also given; so are conditions for robustness of FOCL asymptotic stability to parameter errors.
Discrete-input receding horizon control applied to pneumatic hopping robot energy regulation

In this work, a discrete input receding horizon controller (DIRHC) is proposed, as motivated by the need to use solenoid valves to control the motion of a pneumatic hoping robot. The proposed controller structure is for a switching control system in which only a finite number of discrete-valued control inputs are available. The controller utilizes a model to predict system behavior along a finite forward horizon, establishes an optimization problem, and finds the optimal control sequence of discrete-valued inputs. Stability is addressed by adding a terminal equality constraint to the control formulation. A modified depth first search algorithm, named sorted depth first search (sDFS), is presented to improve the searching efficiency and then compared to an exhaustive search. The proposed search preserves the completeness of the exhaustive search, while significantly reducing time and space complexity. The approach is applied to a pneumatic hopping robot system where the motion control is re-formulated as an explicit energy regulation problem. The proposed DIRHC controller and sDFS algorithm are used to realize the motion specification by maintaining the system energy around desired levels. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A continuously calibrated 12-b, 10-MS/s, 3.3-V A/D converter

The continuous calibration of high-linearity, highspeed analog/digital converters (ADCs) can minimize system complexity by allowing a single converter to maintain its accuracy over time. This paper introduces a continuous calibration technique for pipelined and successive approximation ADCs that avoids some of the limitations of earlier designs by performing the calibration in the analog domain. The calibration is made transparent to the overall system by employing an extra stage that is calibrated outside of the main converter's operation and periodically substituted for a stage within the main converter. A 12-b, pipelined ADC employing this architecture has been integrated in a 0.5-/spl mu/m, single-poly, quadruple-metal, 3.3-V CMOS technology. The measured dynamic performance indicates that at a 10-MHz sampling rate, the circuit achieves a peak signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratio of 67 dB and a total harmonic distortion of -77 dR for a 4.8-MHz input. The total power dissipated by the prototype is 335 mW, and its active area is 3.71/spl times/3.91 mm/sup 2/.
Mutation analysis of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene in idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Abstract Objective: To determine if GnRH receptor mutations occur in patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Design: Patients and controls were studied by molecular genetic analysis. Setting: A tertiary medical center setting. Patient(s): Twenty-four patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and 20 controls. Intervention(s): Deoxyribonucleic acid from all individuals was analyzed by Southern blot analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Genomic DNA was digested with restriction enzymes, and Southern blots and denaturing gradient gel blots were constructed. Blots were hybridized with the GnRH receptor complementary DNA probe. The DNA sequencing was performed on samples from two representative patients. Main Outcome Measure(s): Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene structure was ascertained by comparing fragments from autoradiographs in patients and controls. Individual nucleotides were ascertained from DNA sequencing gels. Result(s): No GnRH receptor gene deletions or polymorphisms were identified by Southern blot analysis. New restriction-fragment melting polymorphisms using the enzymes DpnII, RsaI, and HaeIII were identified by denaturing gradient gel blots in patients and controls. Conclusion(s): Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene deletions or rearrangements were not observed in our idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism patients. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis failed to identify single-base differences unique to patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, dramatically reducing the likelihood that point mutations of the GnRH receptor gene are present in idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
Reduced CTLA-4 protein and messenger RNA expression in umbilical cord blood T lymphocytes.

aPediatrics, b Pathology, and c Medicine, Objective. A favorable incidence and severity of graft-vs-host disease is observed in patients transplanted with banked, unrelated, HLA-mismatched umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts, while the incidence of malignant relapse remains low. CTLA-4 mediates negative T-cell signaling and may contribute to the development of allogeneic tolerance. In this study, we compared protein and mRNA expression of CTLA-4 in stimulated UCB and adult peripheral blood T cells. Materials and Methods. T cells were isolated from UCB and adult peripheral blood and stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies. Cells were immunostained and analyzed by flow cytometry for both surface and intracellular expression of CTLA-4 in the presence and absence of cyclosporin A, and kinetics of CTLA-4 expression compared. CTLA-4 mRNA expression was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. NFAT1 protein levels were measured by Western blot analysis. Results. These studies demonstrate reduced surface and intracellular expression of CTLA-4 in stimulated UCB T cells compared to adult controls. Furthermore, reduced CTLA-4 protein expression in UCB T cells was noted to be in part transcriptionally regulated, as CTLA-4 mRNA levels also were significantly lower. Reduced CLTA-4 expression by UCB T cells followed the kinetics of delayed and reduced expression of the transcription factor NFAT1 by UCB T lymphocytes during primary stimulation. Moreover, cyclosporin A, which is known to modulate NFAT activation, reduced CTLA-4 protein expression in adult and UCB T cells. Conclusion. Reduced expression of the key regulatory proteins CTLA-4 and NFAT-1 may contribute to favorable UCB T lymphocyte allogeneic responses. for Experimental Hematology.
Persistent left superior vena cava and cardiac transplantation: Anterior rerouting with anastomosis to the right atrium.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a congenital anomaly resulting from the failed regression of the left anterior cardinal vein and the left horn of the venous sinus. Its prevalence is 0.4% in the general population and as high as 13% in patients with congenital heart disease. It is a benign anatomic anomaly but must be addressed during certain cardiac procedures. It is especially challenging in orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), as either a surgical redirection or preservation of the PLSVC drainage is required. We present a surgical technique of rerouting the PLSVC to the right atrial appendage with bicaval OHT. A 64-year-old woman with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with a history of mitral valve replacement underwent OHT. The presence of a PLSVC was diagnosed at the previous operation. The PLSVC drained into the coronary sinus, and there was an absence of the bridging vein connecting the right and left superior vena cava (SVC). After a median resternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass was established with bicaval venous drainage from the right SVC and the inferior vena cava (IVC) and arterial return to the proximal aortic arch. After the aorta was clamped, the right atrium was opened, and pump suction with a pericardial sump (DLP 20Fr; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) was utilized in the coronary sinus for venous drainage of the PLSVC. The aorta, main pulmonary artery, right SVC and IVC were transected. The heart was excised at the left atrium leaving enough of a cuff to encompass the pulmonary veins. The PLSVC and coronary sinus were isolated from the atrioventricular groove as a long tubular conduit. Care was taken not to injure the PLSVC–coronary sinus conduit, and therefore part of the left atrial wall was left attached as part of the conduit (Figure 1A and B). It was neither necessary nor possible to ligate branches of the coronary veins draining into the coronary sinus during this dissection. The PLSVC was fully mobilized at the pericardial reflection to avoid possible kinking. A routine heart implantation was performed with the bicaval anastomosis technique. The
Control of pattern formation in urodele limb ontogeny: a review and a hypothesis

From a review of the literature, the hypothesis is advanced that the forelimb region of the urodele embryoacquires its transverse axial polarity and pattern by the action of posterior and dorsal polarizing regions. The anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes are determined simultaneously and their determination is a prerequisite for proximal-distal outgrowth. Outgrowth of the limb bud is accompanied by the generation, between proximal and distal boundaries, of a set of positional values specifying proximal-distal axial polarity and pattern. The proximal boundary is the initial positional value carried by the cells of the limb area. The distal boundary is imposed upon the outermost layer of limb disc cells by the overlying ectoderm.
Transcatheter Aortic and Mitral Valve Replacement in a Patient With Critical Aortic and Mitral Valve In-Ring Stenosis.

A 72-year-old man with a history of mitral valve (MV) repair (Carpentier-Edwards Physio 26-mm ring, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California), and coronary artery bypass grafting was referred for evaluation of critical aortic valve (AV) stenosis and in-ring MV stenosis. Transesophageal
Review: Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age

Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, London 25 September 2014–11 January 2015 Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age , curated by Alona Pardo and Elias Redstone, presented a survey of eighteen photographers whose work centers on representations of the built environment. It was a short survey that strove to cover a lot of ground. Most of the photographers are loosely united under a shared desire to record and comment on the social, political, and economic conditions of modernism, as manifested in residential design, the vernacular landscape, and the industrial city. The curatorial selections extended from the early twentieth to the early twenty-first century and across the globe, and the images themselves were diverse in scale and composition. The challenge facing an exhibition of this type is perhaps reflective of the growing pains experienced by the field itself. While photography that takes the built environment as its primary subject matter goes back as far as the medium of photography itself, it has been largely neglected as a distinctive field with its own disciplinary history. Robert Elwall’s Building with Light: The International History of Architectural Photography (2004) was a significant text in this regard, a challenge to, in Elwall’s words, “architectural historians [who] too often treat photographs as if they were the buildings themselves and not particular interpretations of them made at particular moments.”1 With the exhibition In Focus: Architecture (2013) at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the “Building with Light” (2014) symposium honoring Elwall at the Royal Institute of British Architects, and a number of monographs on architectural photographers released in the past few years, the subject is receiving broad academic interest. Constructing Worlds was one of the first exhibitions to acknowledge this cultural condition by laying out a select history of the field while striving to maintain curatorial focus. The exhibition began in the 1930s …
Dietary walnut reduces hepatic triglyceride content in high-fat-fed mice via modulation of hepatic fatty acid metabolism and adipose tissue inflammation

In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of dietary walnuts on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and studied the underlying mechanisms. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a regular rodent chow or HFD (45% energy-derived) with or without walnuts (21.5% energy-derived) for 20weeks. Walnut supplementation did not change HFD-induced increase in body weight or visceral fat mass. However, dietary walnuts significantly decreased the amounts of hepatic triglyceride (TG) observed in HFD-fed mice. The addition of walnuts significantly altered the levels of proteins, involved in the hepatic lipid homeostasis, including AMP-activated protein kinase, fatty acid synthase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α. Since adipocyte inflammation and apoptosis are reportedly important in regulating hepatic fat accumulation, we also evaluated the protective effects of walnuts on adipose tissue injury. Real-time polymerase chain reaction results revealed that adipose tissues isolated from mice fed the HFD+walnut diets showed significantly decreased levels of macrophage infiltration with suppressed expression of proinflammatory genes compared to those significantly elevated in mice fed HFD alone. These improvements also coincided with reduction of HFD-induced apoptosis of adipocytes by dietary walnuts. However, the supplemented walnuts did not significantly alter HFD-induced peripheral glucose intolerance or insulin resistance despite a trend of improvement. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the protective effects of walnuts against HFD-induced hepatic TG accumulation in mice are mediated, at least partially, by modulating the key proteins in hepatic lipid homeostasis and suppression of the genes related to adipose tissue inflammation and macrophage infiltration as well as prevention of adipocyte apoptosis.
Models and algorithms for cyber-physical systems

In this dissertation, we propose a cyber-physical system model, and based on this model, present algorithms for a set of distributed computing problems. Our model specifies a cyber-physical system as a combination of cyber-infrastructure, physical-infrastructure, and user behavior specification. The cyber-infrastructure is superimposed on the physical-infrastructure and continuously monitors its (physical-infrastructure's) changing state. Users operate in the physical-infrastructure and interact with the cyber-infrastructure using hand-held devices and sensors; and their behavior is specified in terms of actions they can perform ( e.g., move, observe). While in traditional distributed systems, users interact solely via the underlying cyber-infrastructure, users in a cyber-physical system may interact directly with one another, access sensor data directly, and perform actions asynchronously with respect to the underlying cyber-infrastructure. These additional types of interactions have an impact on how distributed algorithms for cyber-physical systems are designed. We augment distributed mutual exclusion and predicate detection algorithms so that they can accommodate user behavior, interactions among them and the physical-infrastructure. The new algorithms have two components—one describing the behavior of the users in the physical-infrastructure and the other describing the algorithms in the cyber-infrastructure. Each combination of users' behavior and an algorithm in the cyber-infrastructure yields a different cyber-physical system algorithm. We have performed extensive simulation study of our algorithms using OMNeT++ simulation engine and UPPAAL model checker. We also propose Cyber-Physical System Modeling Language (CPSML) to specify cyber-physical systems, and a centralized global state recording algorithm.
Abstract 4385: The green tea polyphenol EGCG induces mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) and tumor regression in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and mouse xenograft model: involvement of CCN5.

Background: Epithelial to Mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important and coordinated series of events associated with tumor metastasis and invasion. Recent studies had shown the importance of CCN5 (also known as WISP-2,Wnt-1-induced signaling protein-2) in the regulation of various carcinomas including the breast cancer. Recent studies had showed that ectopic expression of CCN5 can reverse Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibit cancer metastasis. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, has been extensively studied as a bioactive dietary component against various types of carcinomas through multiple mechanisms such as anti-oxidation, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis. However, the mechanism of action of EGCG in breast carcinoma is uncertain. Objective: The objective of the present study is to determine whether CCN5 plays any significant role in EGCG-mediated cytotoxicity in triple negative breast cancer cells. Results: Exposure of triple negative human breast cancer (TNBC) cells, MDA-MB-231 and HCC70 to EGCG resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation after 72h and the IC50 was observed around 75μM for MDA-MB-231 cells and 50μM for HCC70 respectively. We found EGCG-treatment effectively induces MET and inhibits the in vitro migration parallel with the induction of CCN5 expression in TNBC cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Furthermore, consistent with in vitro findings, tumor progression was drastically inhibited in EGCG-treated MDA-MB-231-tumor xenograft in nude mouse model. Conclusion: EGCG imparts its anti-cancer activity in both TNBC cells as well as MB-231-tumor xenografts via induction of CCN5. Citation Format: Amlan Das, Snigdha Banerjee, Archana De, Inamul Haque, Gargi Maity, Matt McEwen, Sushanta K. Banerjee. The green tea polyphenol EGCG induces mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) and tumor regression in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and mouse xenograft model: involvement of CCN5. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4385. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4385
Identification of Sperm Stimulating Factor of Rabbit Oviduct Fluid.

Summary1. Rabbit spermatozoa are stimulated to respire at a greater rate in oviduct fluid than in calcium-free Krebs-Ringer phosphate solution. From experiments involving dialysis, heating, and acid neutralizing of oviduct fluid, it appears that bicarbonate may be the sole stimulating factor present. 2. Bicarbonate stimulates maximally the respiration of rabbit sperm at 2.36 × 10-3 M and rooster, bull, and human sperm at 3.54 × 10-3 at pH 7.0. The respiration rate for human sperm of ZO2 = 13.7 is the highest rate so far reported suggesting that reports that human sperm do not respire or respire at a very slow rate were due to improper bicarbonate concentrations. 3. Bicarbonate appears to stimulate respiration by increasing the concentration of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. 4. Stimulation of respiration of sperm may be important in essential processes in the female tract.The authors are grateful to Mr. George Jones of the Poultry Department, Dr. Leroy Taul of the School of Veterinary Medicine for...
Untersuchungen an isolierten Mitochondrien

Mitochondrien wurden nach verschiedenen Verfahren isoliert und elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Die besten Ergebnisse lieferte das modifizierte Verfahren von Birbeck und Reid, mit dem es gelang, isolierte Mitochondrien ohne Einbettung bei der Praparation intakt zu halten. Es wurden Versuche angestellt, ob es moglich ware, isolierte Mitochondrien unfixiert zu trocknen und wieder aufzuschwemmen Die Ergebnisse wurden diskutiert.
79 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES BY METFORMIN THERAPY DURING PREGNANCY IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME.

We prospectively assessed whether a metformin diet safely provided primary and secondary prevention of gestational diabetes (GD) in 142 nondiabetic women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who had at least one livebirth pregnancy. Women with BMI 2 or ≥ 25 kg/m 2 were instructed in 2,000 or 1,500 calorie/d, respectively, high-protein (26%), low-carbohydrate (44%), low-fat (30%) diets, with P/S ratio = 2/1. Metformin, targeted to 2 to 2.55 g/d, was given preconception and through pregnancy. On metformin, GD developed in 12 of 171 (7.0%) pregnancies in the 142 women. Of the 142 women, 46 had 1 or more previous livebirth pregnancies ( n = 62) without metformin, developing GD in 19 (30.6%). Subsequently, on metformin, these 46 women had 49 livebirth pregnancies, developing GD in 6 (12.2%), McNemar9s S = 11.3, p = .0008. Fifteen women without metformin had 19 GD pregnancies. In their subsequent pregnancies on metformin, 10 of these 15 women had 11 pregnancies without GD and 5 of the 15 women had 5 pregnancies with GD. Metformin appears to protect against GD and, speculatively, later type 2 diabetes in PCOS, by reducing insulin resistance and protecting pancreatic beta cells9 reserve during pregnancy, when both insulin resistance and insulin secretion are increased. Metformin during pregnancy in women with PCOS may provide primary and secondary prevention against GD.
Epidemiological analysis on breakthrough cases from varicella outbreaks in Minhang district of Shanghai

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of break-through cases in varicella outbreaks,and to provide evidence for varicella prevention and control. Methods A descriptive epidemiological method was used to describe the reported data of varicella outbreaks and sporadic cases from 2008to 2012,as well as the epidemiological features of breakthrough cases from outbreaks in accordance with time,space and population distribution.SPSS 13.0was used for data analysis. Results A total of 9 968varicella cases were reported in Minhang district from 2008to 2012,most of which were sporadic cases,some were from local outbreaks.124local varicella outbreaks were recorded with average duration of 45.8days and total 1 225 cases.392were breakthrough cases with the incidence of 32.00%(392/1 225)which was the lowest in 2008(21.47%)and the highest in 2012(46.85%)and showed an uprising trend.Breakthrough cases were used as the index cases in 10outbreaks,accounting for 8.06% of the total.Analysis on time distribution of breakthrough cases revealed that March to May and October to December were two peak seasons which was basically the same as unvaccinated regular cases.The breakthrough cases appeared in 12communities with different incidence in accordance to local vaccine coverage(χ2=254.003,P0.01).Majority of breakthrough cases were children under 5,accounting for 64.80%.In general,one dose of VarV vaccination could trigger a high protection in children ages 3to 4,but not for those over 5.Further analysis on the interval from VarV vaccination to disease onset showed that the mean interval was 6.17±2.26years.The intervals of 92.86% cases were 3 years and longer,while more than half were even longer than 5years.There were no significant differences between the vaccine types(χ2=1.950,P=0.377 3).The interval period seemed shortened in recent years.Conclusions The breakthrough cases in varicella outbreaks have been increasing,and due to the atypical clinical symptoms,they may spread the disease quickly.These cases might be caused by wild virus infection due to the vaccination failure or immunization fading instead of potential vaccine stain.Therefore,it is suggested that primary and secondary school students may need a second dose of VarV because the protective effect of one dose VarV is insufficient.