cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A literature review of key molecular genetic aberrations in meningiomas: a potential role in the determination of radiosurgery outcomes.

n the present publication, Kilic et al. utilized a rat corneal angiogenesis assay (CAA) to evaluate the effects of various I gamma knife radiosurgery doses on angiogenesis due to corneal grade 1 to 3 meningioma implants. Twenty-four CAAs for each grade were divided into 4 groups of 6, and each group received 0, 14, 18, and 22 Gy, respectively. Vessel numbers were counted on days 5, 10, 15, and 20 after implantation day 0, with the radiosurgery treatment date specified as day 1. Grade 1 meningioma-induced vessel growth was maximally inhibited by 18 Gy and to a lesser degree by 22 Gy, whereas the growth of the grade 2 assays was inhibited by 22 Gy alone. The grade 3 vasculature had no response to any dose.
Directional Momentum Strategies With No-load Mutual Funds

A typical textbook definition of the weak form efficient market hypothesis suggests that past security price changes do not predict future price changes. But a large body of empirical evidence claims that over horizons of three months to a year stock prices exhibit momentum, that is, continuation in a price direction. This pattern of stock price momentum is exploited by some mutual funds that typically buy past stock winners and sell past stock losers. In this paper, we show that if momentum is modified to take into consideration price patterns within the period of selection/formation, the directional momentum strategy applied to stock and/or bond no-load mutual funds proves very profitable for long term (fifteen to twenty years) investors.
Mineralization ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus from decomposing litter in temperate versus tropical forests

Aim Terrestrial ecosystems sequester about 25% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions annually; however, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitation of plant productivity and microbial functioning could curtail this key ecosystem service in the future. Our aim is to address variations in nutrient resupply during decomposition – especially whether the N:P ratio of nutrient recycling via mineralization varies within and across diverse forest biomes. Location Global forest ecosystems. Methods We compiled data on in situ litter decomposition experiments (leaf, wood and root) from the primary literature to examine the relationships between net N and P mineralization across temperate versus tropical forests world-wide. We define net nutrient mineralization ratios as the average N:P released from decomposing substrates at a given ecosystem site. Results We show that net N and P mineralization are strongly correlated within biomes, suggesting strong coupling between N and P recycling in forest ecosystems. The net N:P of leaf-litter mineralization is higher in tropical forests than in temperate forests, consistent with latitudinal patterns in foliar and leaf-litter N:P. At the global scale, the N:P of net mineralization tracks, but tends to be lower than that of litter N:P, pointing to preferential P (versus N) mineralization in forest ecosystems. Main conclusions Our results do not support the view that there is a single, globally consistent mineralization N:P ratio. Instead, our results show that the N:P of net mineralization can be predicted by the N:P of litter, offering a method for incorporating P into global-scale models of carbon–nutrient–climate interactions. In addition, these results imply that P is scarce relative to microbial decomposer demands in tropical forests, whereas N and P may be more co-limiting when compared with microbial biomass in the temperate zone.
Regulation and Failure (Regulación y Fallas) (Spanish)

Government plays a necessary role in keeping markets working efficiently and fairly. Market failures – situations in which the invisible hand does not make everyone better off – are among the oldest and most universally accepted justifications for regulation. However, incidents of market failure are more pervasive than recognized and underappreciated. Well-designed regulatory interventions can often correct these market failures.
Absolute Alpha with Limited Leverage

Yin (2015) leaves an open question about leverage, a multiplier affecting the return of a portfolio that is not quantified. This paper proves Absolute Alpha Theory in Yin (2015) by implementing a leverage definition. We provide an economic explanation on this term by account value and portfolio value. We show consistent results with Yin (2015) and we further conclude a negative inverse relationship between marginal change on alpha w.r.t. account value and portfolio value. Lastly, we economically show the risk-return insight in portfolio management, i.e. that investors like Warren Buffett often outperform market not by winning a lot more but by not losing as much.
Fetal cerebral ventricular pointing as a marker of spina bifida: incidence and observational agreement.

Objective. Occipital cerebral ventricular pointing is a promising intracranial marker for spina bifida. We sought to determine (1) the incidence of pointing in fetuses with and without spina bifida and (2) interobserver and intraobserver agreement for visualizing pointing. Methods. Second-trimester transverse axial images of the lateral cerebral ventricles from an equal number of affected and unaffected fetuses were independently reviewed in a blinded fashion by 2 examiners. Results. Sixty-two fetuses (31 with isolated spina bifida and 31 without) had sonographic examinations at 19.2 ± 1.3 weeks (mean ± SD). Pointing was present in 77.3% of fetuses with spina bifida and 15% of those without by the first examiner and in 78.3% of fetuses with spina bifida and 10% of those without by the second examiner. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement were substantial (κ = 0.69 and 0.78, respectively). Conclusions. Ventricular pointing is a highly agreed-on finding that is substantially associated with but not pathognomonic for fetal spina bifida. Key words: cerebral ventricles; open neural tube defect; prenatal diagnosis; spina bifida.
Heart rate and blood pressure biofeedback: II. A review and integration of recent theoretical models.

The theoretical models put forth separately by Bremer, Lang, and Schwartz to account for the data on biofeedback and cardiovascular responses are summarized and evaluated in light of recent empirical studies. Although each model makes some use of the idea that learning to control heart rate, particularly heart rate acceleration, is like motor skills learning, each model also emphasizes different sets of factors or variables. An attempted integration of these three models is presented.
A unified account of abstract structure and conceptual change: Probabilistic models and early learning mechanisms

We need not propose, as Carey does, a radical discontinuity between core cognition, which is responsible for abstract structure, and language and “Quinian bootstrapping,” which are responsible for learning and conceptual change. From a probabilistic models view, conceptual structure and learning reflect the same principles, and they are both in place from the beginning.
Towards a Socialist Marketing Concept—The Case of Romania:

Interest in marketing appears to be increasing in all East bloc countries, and Romania is no exception. The context within which marketing activities currently take place there is presented, and a ...
Applying nanostructured materials to future gas turbine engines

The need for improved materials to provide increased gas turbine engine performance is as great today as at any time in the 50-year history of this field. The emerging technology of nanostructured materials holds the potential for satisfying the gas turbine industry’s requirements with a new generation of materials possessing a quantum improvement in properties. In the laboratory, significant increases in strength and hardness combined with toughness and ductility have been demonstrated. Additionally, desirable physical properties such as enhanced diffusivity and reduced thermal conductivity have been found. In the following article, an aggressive and focused technology development strategy is described that will allow an early assessment of this promising technology for year 2000 gas turbine applications.
Influence of Fatigue Loading and Bone Turnover on Bone Strength and Pattern of Experimental Fractures of the Tibia in Mice

Bone fragility depends on bone mass, structure, and material properties, including damage. The relationship between bone turnover, fatigue damage, and the pattern and location of fractures, however, remains poorly understood. We examined these factors and their integrated effects on fracture strength and patterns in tibia. Adult male mice received RANKL (2 mg/kg/day), OPG-Fc (5 mg/kg 2×/week), or vehicle (Veh) 2 days prior to fatigue loading of one tibia by in vivo axial compression, with treatments continuing up to 28 more days. One day post fatigue, crack density was similarly increased in fatigued tibiae from all treatment groups. After 28 days, the RANKL group exhibited reduced bone mass and increased crack density, resulting in reduced bone strength, while the OPG-Fc group had greater bone mass and bone strength. Injury repair altered the pattern and location of fractures created by ex vivo destructive testing, with fractures occurring more proximally and obliquely relative to non-fatigued tibia. A similar pattern was observed in both non-fatigued and fatigued tibia of RANKL. In contrast, OPG-Fc prevented this fatigue-related shift in fracture pattern by maintaining fractures more distal and transverse. Correlation analysis showed that bone strength was predominantly determined by aBMD with minor contributions from structure and intrinsic strength as measured by nanoindentation and cracks density. In contrast, fracture location was predicted equally by aBMD, crack density and intrinsic modulus. The data suggest that not only bone strength but also the fracture pattern depends on previous damage and the effects of bone turnover on bone mass and structure. These observations may be relevant to further understand the mechanisms contributing to fracture pattern in long bone with different levels of bone remodeling, including atypical femur fracture.
Clinical Features That Differentiate Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome from Three Other Acute Respiratory Illnesses

To elucidate the early clinical characteristics of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), we compared the clinical features of 24 cases of HPS with those of cases of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (n = 30), influenza (n = 33), or unexplained adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, n = 21). On admission, patients with HPS were less likely than outpatients with influenza to have reported sore throat (OR = 0.02, P < .01) and cough (OR = 0.1, P = .01) and were less likely than patients with pneumococcal pneumonia to have lobar infiltrates detected by chest roentgenography (OR = 0, P < .01). Multivariate discriminant analysis revealed that three clinical characteristics at admission (dizziness, nausea or vomiting, and absence of cough) and three initial laboratory abnormalities (low platelet count, low serum bicarbonate level, and elevated hematocrit level) served to identify all patients with HPS and to exclude HPS in at least 80% of patients with unexplained ARDS. These findings warrant further study and should facilitate the early recognition of patients with HPS, who may benefit from early critical-care intervention.
Development of a Commercial Method for Freezing Turkey Semen.I. Effect of Prefreeze Techniques on the Fertility of Processed Unfrozen and Frozen-Thawed Semen

Abstract A series of five sequential experiments were conducted to determine the effects of 1) diluent temperature at the time of semen collection, 2) chilling rate before the addition of 4% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), 3) semen-diluent temperature at the time of adding DMSO (final concentration of 4% v/v), 4) time of equilibrating diluted semen with DMSO, and 5) prefreeze processing techniques on frozen-thawed semen. Weekly fertility levels (88 to 96%) were highest with processed, unfrozen semen collected directly into the Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender maintained at 25 C and chilled to 15 C at a rate of .3 C/min; 4% DMSO was added when the semen temperature was 25 C, and a maximum of 40 min was allowed for the equilibration of semen and DMSO. The fertility level of hens inseminated 2 consecutive days during the early stages of egg production with semen processed and frozen to −20 C was 61%, whereas the fertility of hens inseminated with frozen semen during the latter stages of egg production was 4%.
Ephemeral Apps

Despite a tremendous increase in the number of mobile apps, coupled with their popularity with consumers, there exists a wide gap in app availability vs. their use. Recent trends suggest that this gap will further widen in the future. Ephemeral apps, proposed in this paper, lower the barrier for end-user app acceptance by removing the app installation step when `trying out' new apps, without requiring modifications to current apps or any additional programming efforts by app developers. We estimate the resulting reduction in time-to-use for apps to be a factor of 10x by leveraging the emerging `edge cloud' tier of the Internet.
292 THE INCIDENCE OF HYPERGLYCEMIA IN THE EXTREMELY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS IN A PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC POPULATION AND RELATED MORBIDITIES.

Background Hyperglycemia (HG) has been reported in up to 70% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (birth weight Objective To describe the incidence of HG in ELBW infants, risk factors, and related morbidities. Design/Methods: Retrospective chart review of live-born ELBW infants admitted to University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, from 1998-2001. 230 charts were reviewed; 45 were excluded due to previable status. HG was defined as serum glucose level $ 150 mg/dL during the first 2 weeks of life. Logistic regression, multivariate analysis, and Fisher exact test were performed using SPSS and SAS. Results 185 patients were eligible for the analysis. The mean gestational age (GA) and mean birth weight (BW) were 25.9 6 2.1 weeks and 760 6 138 g, respectively. Seventy-two percent of the infants were Hispanic and 55% were male. The incidence of HG was 88%. The mean serum glucose level for the HG group was 249 mg/dL 6 83 compared to 128 mg/dL 6 16 for the normoglycemic group; both groups peaked on day of life 6 (1-15 d). On average, the number of days with hyperglycemia was 3.7 days. There were no differences in race, gender, prenatal steroid use, sepsis, and chorioamnionitis between the groups. Using a multivariate analysis, higher GA had a protective effect for HG (OR 0.16, CI 0.04-0.53), whereas BW, small for gestational age (SGA), sepsis, and postnatal steroids had no effect. ROP was significantly associated with HG after adjusting for GA, BW, and postnatal steroid use (OR 4.6, CI 1.12-18.9). Laser treatment was required in 15/66 patients with ROP in the HG group, and 0/3 with ROP in the normoglycemic group (p .37). Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), IVH, length of stay, and death were not associated with HG. Conclusions In our predominantly Hispanic population, the incidence of HG is higher than previously reported. However, race was not identified as a risk factor. HG infants tend to be more immature by GA at birth, independent of BW and SGA status. HG was associated with the development of ROP even after correction for GA, BW, and postnatal steroid use. This association may be due to an expression of severity of illness, although no differences in death, length of stay, IVH, or BPD were demonstrated. Further studies need to be done to determine if this association is causal.
Using calcium chloride injection to improve tenderness of beef from mature cows.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of calcium chloride (CaCl2) injection on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS), sensory panel ratings, and collagen traits of mature cow beef. Within 30 min of exsanguination, subprimals (top round, TR; top sirloin, TS; strip loin, SL) from alternate sides of the carcass were injected with a .3 M CaCl2 solution (10% of the subprimal weight) and aged for 1, 7, or 14 d. The corresponding cold-boned cuts of the other side served as a control. Injecting CaCl2 eliminated the requirement for extended postmortem storage, as indicated by d 1 WBS. During the 14-d aging period, WBS of noninjected cuts decreased by 2.59 kg, whereas WBS of CaCl2-injected samples decreased by only .35 kg. Compared with control cuts, CaCl2 injection improved (P less than .05) d-14 WBS of steaks from SL, TS, and TR by 41.1, 40.1, and 15.3%, respectively. Additionally, CaCl2-injected subprimals exhibited higher (P less than .05) sensory panel tenderness ratings, lower (P less than .05) amounts of detectable connective tissue, and shorter (P less than .05) sarcomere lengths. No differences (P greater than .05) were observed in any quantitative collagen traits between CaCl2-injected and control cuts. These results indicate that CaCl2 injection improved ultimate tenderness and sensory ratings of meat from mature cow cuts.
Genital herpes simplex infections.

SUMMARY Herpes simplex virus infection is a sexually transmitted disease that is becoming increasingly more common. Symptomatic primary infections tend to be severe and prolonged, whereas recurrences are milder and shorter in duration. The most sensitive and specific laboratory test currently available for detecting and typing HSV is tissue culture. The most appropriate management strategy for pregnant women at risk for transmitting the virus at delivery is currently being studied and debated, but evidence indicates that routine surveillence cultures in pregnant women with a history of HSV infection are of no clinical usefulness and that, if there are no visible lesions, culture is not necessary and vaginal delivery is acceptable. Although acyclovir can effectively control symptomatology and speed the healing of lesions, it does not, with current dosage regimens, decrease the frequency of subsequent recurrences. Asymptomatic viral shedding is now considered to cause a large proportion of HSV transmissions; the role of acyclovir in suppression of viral shedding is an area requiring further study.
Too Little, Too Late: France’s Zone Humanitaire Sûre in Rwanda

In the midst of the UN Secretary-General’s desperate efforts to speed the deployment of UNAMIR II, the French government announced unexpectedly its decision to launch a military mission to Rwanda so as to maintain a humanitarian presence in the country pending the arrival of UNAMIR II. Assuring the international community that the operation’s humanitarian purpose excluded ‘any interference in the development of the balance of military forces between the parties involved in the conflict’,4 the French tabled a resolution in the Security Council on 22 June 1994, which was adopted by ten votes, with five abstentions. Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council stressed the ‘strictly humanitarian character’ of the mission and welcomed ‘the establishment of a temporary operation under national command and control aimed at contributing, in an impartial way, to the security and protection of displaced persons, refugees and civilians at risk in Rwanda…’5 Operation Turquoise was accorded a similar mandate to UNAMIR II in terms of the tasks it was allowed to perform, including the ‘establishment and maintenance, where feasible, of secure humanitarian areas’,6 but was authorized to use all necessary means to achieve these humanitarian objectives.
Globalization and risk averse workers: The roles of labor market and trade policies

This paper studies the implications of globalization for aggregate output and welfare when risk averse workers face the risk of unemployment. The impact of globalization on the welfare of workers and aggregate output depends on the degree of substitutability between domestic workers and imported inputs. When the degree of substitutability is high (low), then globalization reduces (increases) wages and increases (reduces) unemployment. Irrespective of the substitutability, free trade doesn’t maximize the aggregate output. A small tariff (import subsidy) increases aggregate output when the substitutability is low (high), however, it can exacerbate the distributional conflict. Domestic labor market policies such as unemployment benefits and severance payments can protect workers against labor income risk but the firing restrictions do not. Free trade is optimal when labor market policies provide insurance against unemployment.
Mechanisms of collateral development and hemodynamics of gradual coronary occlusion

The mechanisms for development of collaterals following a gradual occlusion (Ameroid technique) of one the coronary arteries in the dog were investigated. A control systems approach, based on quantitative experimental data, was utilized. The peripheral coronary pressure, peripheral coronary flow, coronary reserve flow, collateral resistance, peripheral coronary resistance, oxygen availability and demand were among the parameters studied. These variables were followed through the preocclusion phase, occlusion phase, ischemic phase, and post-ischemic phase of a gradual coronary constriction. The simulation studies were examined for the following basic assumptions: 1) ischemia is the sole stimulus for collateral development, 2) the peripheral coronary vasculature exhibits autoregulation and the peripheral coronary resistance increases during ischemia, 3) autoregulation occurs but during ischemia the peripheral vasculature remains maximally dilated without increase in resistance, and 4) the peripheral coronary vasculature is non-autoregulatory. It was concluded that neither ischemia nor a pressure differential can solely account for collateral development It is believed that ischemia begins the collateral growth process and it is sustained by the pressure differential (or some manifestation thereof) during the post-ischemic phase. Assumption 2 is most consistent with both physiological and clinical data. The autoregulatory capacity of the peripheral coronary bed allows a constriction of 76% before the resting coronary flow is impaired.
Romantic Forecasts in Later Life: Older Single Women’s Perspectives on Family and Kin Relationships

This study examines the ways in which family and cultural context influence the romantic prospects of rural women in later life. Using a feminist life course perspective, we interviewed 14 single w...
Autonomous surface vehicle 3D seafloor reconstruction from monocular images and sonar data

Traditionally seafloor surveys have been conducted with research vessels, divers or with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and are time consuming, expensive and high risk. In this paper we present an approach to merge sonar and monocular images to perform large scale mapping of shallow areas from an autonomous surface vessel (ASV), reducing the mission time, cost and risk. Our method uses multibeam sonar data to generate a mesh of the seafloor. Optical images are then blended and projected onto the mesh after a color correction process which increases contrast and overall image quality. In applicable scenarios, ASVs offer an alternative approach to AUVs for autonomous acoustic and optical site mapping. ASVs are typically less expensive than AUVs and often offer easier deployment and recovery logistics. Also, the mechanical requirements are less demanding because they do not have to withstand increased atmospheric water pressure at depth.
Longitudinal Pancreaticojejunostomy (Puestow Procedure)

Longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy, also known as the Puestow procedure, is a drainage operation performed in selected cases of chronic pancreatitis. This chapter lists the indications, essential steps, common technical variations, and complications of the procedure. A detailed operative dictation note template is included.
First confirmed record of Elodea canadensis Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae) in Greece

The paper confrms the presence of Elodea canadensis Michx. in Greece and outlines the history of contradictory relevant reports. Tis is also the frst report of the species’ presence in the transboundary lake Great Prespa.
Synergistic chemopreventive effect of the Chinese medicinal herbs Scutellaria barbata and Oldenlandia diffusa on tumor progression and development in TRAMP mice and induction of Caspase 9 in LNCaP cells

LB-325 Scutellaria barbata (SB) and Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) have long been used in Chinese medicine to treat various cancers. Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) mimics heterogenic tumor progression in human prostate cancer. Histopathological examination and palpation were used to detect tumor progression and development in this model. Our previous data demonstrated that treatment with SB or OD could delay in vivo tumor development in TRAMP mice. Positive in vitro TUNEL assay results in TRAMP C-1 and human LNCaP cells also indicated significant apoptotic induction of SB or OD via DNA fragmentation and activation of caspase 9. In this study, the combined effect of these two herbs on TRAMP mice was investigated. Male mice (9 weeks of age) were randomized into two groups. Daily, the placebo group (n = 21) was given distilled water while the experimental groups were fed with SB (32 mg, n = 8), OD (32 mg, n = 9), and SB + OD (16 mg + 16 mg, n = 11), respectively. The extent of caspase 9 activation and necrosis of living LNCaP cells on chamber slides was also examined. 50 μl of distilled water was added to the control chamber while 50 μl of aqueous extract of SB + OD (0.5 + 0.5 mg/ml) was added in the experimental chambers for 2 and 8 hr separately. A specific carboxyfluorescein (FAM) labeled peptide fluoromethyl ketone (FMK) caspase inhibitor (FAM-Peptide-FMK) was used to detect the presence of caspases. Kaplan-Meier survival plots revealed significant synergistic effects of SB + OD on the inhibition of tumor development in TRAMP mice as revealed by palpation. Overall log rank results revealed that mice fed with SB + OD had a significant increase in survival time when compared to the placebo (P in vivo data demonstrated significant synergistic inhibitory effects of SB + OD on tumor progression and development in TRAMP mice. The complimentary in vitro data indicate these herbs might up-regulate the apoptotic pathway of cancer cells via the induction of the caspase 9 cascade suggesting their chemopreventive and treatment potential.
Angioplasty vs stent in the treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis

OBJECTIVE To compare outcomes between percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent placement in the treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS). METHODS We retrospectively studied patients who underwent angiography for TRAS between 1/1/2008 and 9/20/2016 at 1 center. We compared the rates of restenosis in patients who were treated with angioplasty alone vs those who were treated with stenting. Secondary outcomes included serum creatinine and blood pressure after intervention and graft and patient survival. RESULTS A total of 82 patients were identified as having TRAS after angiography. Restenosis occurred in 28% (16 of 58) of the angioplasty patients compared with 8% (2 of 24) of the stented patients (P = .04). Repeat angiography occurred in 14% (8 of 58) of angioplasty patients vs 13% (3 of 24) of stented patients (P = .9). The stented group had significantly higher pre-intervention stenosis (71% vs 64%, P = .01) and lower postintervention stenosis (4% vs 30%, P < .001). Serum creatinine and blood pressures were not significantly different between the 2 groups at 30, 90, or 360 days postintervention. There was no statistically significant difference in graft or patient survival between groups (P = .37). CONCLUSIONS Stent placement resulted in fewer cases of restenosis compared with angioplasty alone, although no benefit in terms of serum creatinine, blood pressure, or patient and graft survival was shown.
Existential Sexuality and Intimacy

This article will discuss sexuality from an existentialist and constructivist point of view. Constructivism will be used as a means to grasp a dynamic understanding of sexual existence and intimate...
Autoantibodies in Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

Abstract Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a common and clinically important autoimmune disease in which antibodies to complexes of platelet factor 4 (PF4) and heparin cause platelet activation, thrombocytopenia, and predisposition to thrombosis. HIT provides a model of autoimmunity in which a heterologous GAG combines with a normal endogenous protein that is released from platelets in specific clinical settings to generate autoantibodies in a high percentage of otherwise immunologically normal individuals. A subset of seropositive individuals develops thrombocytopenia and is at risk for life-threatening thrombotic complications. Recent studies using recombinant proteins and murine models have provided insights into mechanisms governing PF4/heparin antigenicity, autoantibody development, and thrombotic injury.
Intramedullary low-grade astrocytomas: long-term outcome following radical surgery

The management of low-grade intramedullary astrocytomas is controversial. Unlike ependymomas, which have a distinct cleavage plane, astrocytomas are diffuse infiltrative tumors. The intramedullary tumor database at NYU Medical Center was searched to identify all patients with intramedullary astrocytoma from 1988 to 1994. Seventeen patients presented with a low-grade diffuse astrocytoma. The medical, surgical and office records were reviewed retrospectively and statistically analyzed. All patients underwent a radical resection of the intramedullary tumor; of these, 12 patients had gross-total removal and 5 had subtotal removal. Nine patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 7.4 years. Fourteen patients are alive and have stable disease. Eleven patients (79%) are functionally independent at last follow-up. The remaining patients are at functional Grade III. The 5-year overall survival was 82% for this group. These results indicate that aggressive surgery is associated with a prolonged survival for patients with intramedullary astrocytomas. Radiation therapy should only be reserved for patients who have radiographic progression or inoperable disease.
Is It Happening Again? Twin Peaks and ‘The Return’ of History

Ellis and Theus argue that The Return narrates the impossibility of representing history as something one returns to, as well as something which itself returns, affirming that the show’s third season poses a distinct challenge to existing models of conceiving of history as a series of representable events or as a space which can be eventually (re)occupied. In this sense, The Return becomes an epistemic problem staged over the course of more than two decades of American history rising in the years between Seasons Two and Three, both diegetic and off-screen. By treating the impossibility of history through this concept of the ‘return,’ the chapter brings together the insights of psychoanalytically oriented literature on Twin Peaks with the literature focused on televisual narrative and postmodernity.
Patient characteristics associated with treatment initiation and engagement among individuals diagnosed with alcohol and other drug use disorders in emergency department and primary care settings.

Background: Treatment initiation and engagement rates for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders differ depending on where the AOD use disorder was identified. Emergency department (ED) and pri...
Evaluation of Drinking Water Antimicrobial Interventions on Water Usage, Feed Consumption, and Salmonella Retention in Broilers Following Feed and Water Withdrawal

SUMMARY A series of experiments were conducted to measure the effects of adding antimicrobials for 2 d: cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), hydrogen peroxide (HP), and/or sodium bisulfate (SB) to water drinker lines of market-age broilers on water usage, feed consumption, and inoculated Salmonella retention during feed and water withdrawal. The following experiments were evaluated: Salmonella retention with CPC (Experiment 1), water and feed consumption with CPC (Experiment 2) or with CPC and HP (Experiment 3), Salmonella retention with HP (Experiment 4) or with HP and SB (Experiment 5). For Experiment 1, water usage in the CPC treatment pens was only 14% of control pens and had no impact on Salmonella retention. For Experiments 2 and 3, the water usage by broilers was depressed 40 to 97% compared to controls. For Experiment 4, the number of Salmonella-positive enriched crop samples was significantly lower for 50 ppm HP+ citric acid (CA) pens (17%) compared to control (100%). For Experiment 5, water antimicrobial treatments did not differ significantly in Salmonella recovery from the control for both enriched crops (65%) or ceca (82%). Neither CPC nor SB was determined to be effective intervention against Salmonella when added to drinking water during feed/water withdrawal. In Experiment 4, 50 ppm HP+CA was an effective Salmonella intervention in crops while broilers remain on water during feed withdrawal.
Potential Role of Endonuclease Inhibition and Other Targets in the Treatment of Influenza.

Background Influenza is a single-stranded RNA virus that is highly contagious and infects millions of people in the U.S. annually. Due to complications, approximately 959,000 people were hospitalized and another 79,400 people died during the 2017-2018 flu season. While the best methods of prevention continue to be vaccination and hygiene, antiviral treatments may help reduce symptoms for those who are infected. Until recently, the only antiviral drugs in use have been the neuraminidase inhibitors: oseltamivir, zanamivir, and peramivir. Objective We reviewed novel drug targets that can be used in the treatment of influenza, particularly in the case of neuraminidase inhibitor-resistant strains that may emerge. Results More recently, a drug with a new mechanism of action has been approved. Baloxavir marboxil inhibits the influenza cap-dependent endonuclease that is needed for the virus to initiate replication within the host cell. This endonuclease target is within the polymerase acid (PA) subunit of RNA polymerase. Since the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase consists of two other subunits, polymerase basic 1 and 2, RNA polymerase has several targets that prevent viral replication. Other targets still under investigation include viral kinases, endocytosis, and viral fusion. Conclusion Due to the possibility of viral mutations and resistance, it is important to have antivirals with different mechanisms available, especially in the case of a new pandemic strain. Several novel antivirals are within various stages of development and may represent new classes of treatments that can reduce symptoms and complications in those patients who may be at higher risk.
Using Direct Observation to Document "Practice-Based Evidence" of Evidence-Based Mathematics Instruction.

Implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) is paramount to students’ development of mathematics proficiency. This study investigated “practice-based evidence” of interventionists’ actual use...
Antibody Formation by Single Cells during Experimental Immunogenic Uveitis

The Jerne plaquing technique for the demonstration of single antibody-forming cells was employed to study the kinetics of the antibody response that accompanies experimental immunogenic uveitis in rabbits produced by intravitreal injection of sheep erythrocyte stromas. Prior to the onset of uveitis, a modest increase in antibody formation in the spleen can be detected. With the appearance of uveitis, the proportion in the uveal tract of inflammatory cells that form antibody rapidly increases, reaches a peak at about the tenth day, and then slowly declines; 150 days after clinical uveitis has subsided, no antibody-forming cells can be found in the uveal tract. The role of ocular antibody formation in the pathogenesis of recurrent uveitis is discussed.
Nonspecific esterases of leukemia cell lines: evidence for activation of myeloid-associated zymogens in HL-60 by phorbol esters

Myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 contains fluoride-sensitive, myeloid-associated isoenzymes of nonspecific esterase that increase in activity when cultures are treated with phorbol ester. These isoenzymes are not detectable in B-lymphoblast cell line KLM-2, either in control or in phorbol-ester-treated cultures. No increased de novo synthesis of the isoenzymes is detectable in HL-60 treated with phorbol ester. The data suggest stimulated conversion of a preformed, myeloid-associated zymogen in HL-60.
Abstract PR22: Collagen scavenging alters macrophage phenotype in pancreatic cancer

A hallmark of pancreatic tumors is their highly desmoplastic stroma composed of fibroblasts, immune cells and a dense network of collagen fibers. Pancreatic tumor-associated macrophages are considered M2 macrophages and are thought to support tumor progression through the engagement of multiple mechanisms that promote immune tolerance. Another well-documented role of M2 macrophages is the remodeling of the tumor stroma via collagen production and degradation, with the latter being mediated by mannose receptor (Mrc1)-mediated endocytosis of collagen. Given our previous work showing that protein scavenging by tumor cells can be utilized as a nutrient delivery mechanism, we set out to investigate the functional significance of collagen scavenging by macrophages. We have found that, in M2 macrophages, Mrc1-mediated collagen internalization and subsequent lysosomal degradation leads to a metabolic reprogramming that is characterized by the accumulation of collagen-derived intracellular free amino acids and an increase in arginine biosynthesis. The increase in arginine levels results in a significant upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and arginase 1 (ARG1), giving rise to an M1/M2 hybrid macrophage. Moreover, iNOS+ARG1+ double-positive macrophages are present in the microenvironment of pancreatic tumors. The functional contribution of this cell population to pancreatic tumorigenesis is being investigated. Our findings suggest a new modality for the functional modulation of tumor-associated macrophages through the coupling of extracellular matrix remodeling to protein scavenging. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A58. Citation Format: Madeleine M. LaRue, Jane Cullis, Dafna Bar-Sagi. Collagen scavenging alters macrophage phenotype in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PR22.
The Relational Context of School Engagement and Associations With Youth Behaviors

Youth in foster care face many academic risks, including diminished engagement in school and behavior problems that further threaten learning and academic achievement. However, school engagement is...
Diagnostic journey and impact of enzyme replacement therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis IVA: a sibling control study

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA, also known as Morquio A syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase. Early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of this progressive, multisystem disease by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) can lead to improved outcomes and reduced mortality. This report documents the diagnostic journey and treatment with ERT of three siblings with MPS IVA. Clinical outcome measures included growth, endurance, imaging, cardiac, respiratory, ophthalmology, and laboratory evaluations. Three siblings, diagnosed at 14.7, 10.1, and 3.2 years of age, demonstrated clinical improvement with weekly infusions of 2.0 mg/kg elosulfase alfa (Vimizim®, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Novato, CA, USA). Patient 1 (oldest sibling) and Patient 2 (middle sibling) experienced a diagnostic delay of 8 years 7 months and 4 years after symptom onset, respectively. All three patients demonstrated improvements in growth, 6-min walk distance, joint range of motion, and respiratory function after 30 months of ERT. The treatment was well tolerated without any adverse events. This case series highlights the importance of early recognition of the clinical and imaging findings that are initially subtle in MPS IVA. Early treatment with ERT is necessary to slow irreversible disease progression and improve patient outcomes. The oldest sibling experienced improvements in mobility despite severe symptoms resulting from a late diagnosis. When evaluating patients with skeletal anomalies, imaging multiple body regions is recommended. When findings such as anterior beaking of vertebrae or bilateral femoral head dysplasia are present, MPS IVA should be included in the differential diagnosis. Newborn screening must be considered for early detection, accurate diagnosis, and initiation of treatment to reduce morbidity.
A non-convulsant delta-opioid receptor agonist, KNT-127, reduces cortical spreading depression and nitroglycerin-induced allodynia.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine if the non-convulsant delta-opioid receptor (DOR) agonist, KNT-127, could inhibit migraine-associated endpoints. BACKGROUND The DOR has been identified as a therapeutic target for migraine. However, the development of delta agonists is limited as some ligands have seizurogenic properties, which may be related to their ability to induce receptor internalization. While both pro- and non-convulsant delta agonists can reduce migraine-associated allodynia, only the proconvulsant agonist, SNC80, has been shown to decrease cortical spreading depression (CSD). It is unclear if the ability of delta agonists to modulate cortical activity is related to the same signaling mechanisms that produce proconvulsant effects. METHODS The effects of the non-convulsant delta agonist, KNT-127, were examined. Repetitive CSD was induced in female C57BL6/J (n = 6/group) mice by continuous application of KCl and the effect of KNT-127/vehicle (Veh) on both local field potentials and optical intrinsic signals was determined. To assess the effect of KNT-127 on established chronic migraine-associated pain, male and female C57BL6/J mice were treated with nitroglycerin (NTG; 10 mg/kg, ip) every other day for 9 days and tested with KNT-127 (5 mg/kg, sc) or Veh on day 10 (n = 6/group). DOR-enhanced green fluorescent protein mice (n = 4/group) were used to confirm the internalization properties of KNT-127 in the trigeminal ganglia, trigeminal nucleus caudalis, and somatosensory cortex. RESULTS KNT-127 inhibited CSD events (t(10) = 3.570, p = 0.0051). In addition, this delta agonist also reversed established cephalic allodynia in the NTG model of chronic migraine (F(1, 20) = 12.80, p < 0.01). Furthermore, KNT-127 caused limited internalization of DOR in key migraine processing regions. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that the antimigraine effects of DOR agonists can be separated from their proconvulsant effects. This data provides valuable information for the continued development of delta agonists for the treatment of migraine.
The Impact of Obesity on Wages: The Role of Personal Interactions and Job Selection

We estimate the effects of obesity on wages accounting for the selection of workers into jobs requiring different levels of personal interactions in the work-place. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 combined with detailed information about jobs from O*Net, we confirm the results from the literature finding a wage penalty for obese white women. This penalty is higher in jobs that require a high level of personal interactions. Accounting for job selection using three different specifications does not significantly change the estimated wage penalty.
Measuring allometry in dimensions of western North American Clovis points

Abstract Paleoindian Clovis points are a well-studied type whose size and shape at first use are reasonably documented. Yet Clovis points probably suffered damage and experienced reduction in use. Points are divisible into modules, which may have undergone different degrees of reduction, generating allometry—changing shape with changing size—distinct from original size and shape. Recognizing allometry improves typological assignment, measures curation and gauges prehistoric behavior against theoretical models. Bivariate and multivariate tests of linear dimensions of stem and blade modules in a sample of western North American Clovis points document clear allometric patterns, blades exhibiting more positive allometry than stems. Allometry was not an original design element of points but emerges as an integral character of their use-histories that requires control before attempting other inferences.
The Personal Experiences of Pastoral Leaders During the COVID-19 Quarantine

COVID-19 proved to be a unique crisis for churches and their pastoral leaders as they were forced to move their worship and work to an online format. This article reports on 33 pastoral leaders in 13 states who identified surprisingly positive experiences to go with the unsurprisingly negative reality of quarantine. It would appear that COVID-19, while brutal in its methods, naturally incubated reflection and positive growth in the lives of these pastoral leaders.
Contribuciones estructuralistas - ¿y limitaciones? - al estudio de la reducción científica

Structuralism provides useful resources for advancing our understanding of the intertheoretic reduction relation and its place in the history of science. This paper begins by surveying these resources and assessing their metascientific significance. Nevertheless, important challenges remain. I close by arguing that the reductionism implicit in current scientific practice in a paradigmatic reductionistic scientific field –“molecular and cellular cognition”– is better understood on an “intervene and track” model rather than as any kind of intertheoretic relation. I illustrate my alternative model by describing briefly a recent reductionistic result from the field. It appears doubtful that any structuralist resources will illuminate this newly-recognized type of reduction-in-actual-scientific-practice.
CTLA-4+CD8+ T Cells That Encounter B7-2+ Iris Pigment Epithelial Cells Express Their Own B7-2 to Achieve Global Suppression of T Cell Activation

Pigment epithelial (PE) cells cultured from the eye possess the novel property of suppressing TCR-dependent activation of T cells in vitro. Iris PE (IPE) cells accomplish this suppression by a direct cell contact mechanism in which B7-2 expressed by the PE cells interacts with CTLA-4 on responding T cells. Because CTLA-4 expression is constitutively expressed on a very small proportion of naive splenic T cells and since exposure of splenic T cells to IPE leads to global T cell suppression, we have inquired into the mechanism by which suppression is achieved. Using splenic T cells and IPE from donor mice with disrupted genes for CD80 (B7-1), CD86 (B7-2), CTLA-4, and/or CD28, we report that B7-2+ IPE in the presence of anti-CD3 supported selectively the activation of CTLA-4+ CD8+ T cells that express their own B7-2 and secrete enhanced amounts of active TGFβ. By contrast, activation of CTLA-4-negative T cells, especially CD4+ cells, in these cultures was profoundly suppressed. Because global suppression of T cell activation in these cultures was obtained only when both IPE and T cells possessed B7-2 genes and expressed the costimulators as surface molecules, we propose that T cells activated in the presence of parenchymal cells from the eye (an immune privileged site) express B7-2 in a manner that equips them to suppress bystander T cells. Thus, B7-2 expression on T cells participates in their eventual ability to function as regulators in vitro.