cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved glycaemia in high-fat-fed neprilysin-deficient mice is associated with reduced DPP-4 activity and increased active GLP-1 levels.

Aim/hypothesis Neprilysin, a widely expressed peptidase, is upregulated in metabolically altered states such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Like dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), neprilysin can degrade and inactivate the insulinotropic peptide glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Thus, we investigated whether neprilysin deficiency enhances active GLP-1 levels and improves glycaemia in a mouse model of high fat feeding.
A Bioengineering Approach to Myopia Control Tested in a Guinea Pig Model.

Author(s): Garcia, Mariana B; Jha, Amit K; Healy, Kevin E; Wildsoet, Christine F | Abstract: PurposeTo investigate the biocompatibility of an injectable hydrogel and its ability to control myopia progression in guinea pigs.MethodsThe study used a hydrogel synthesized from acrylated hyaluronic acid with a conjugated cell-binding peptide and enzymatically degradable crosslinker. Seven-day-old guinea pigs were first form deprived (FD) with diffusers for 1 week. One group was kept as an FD-only control; two groups received a sub-Tenon's capsule injection of either hydrogel or buffer (sham surgery) at the posterior pole of the eye. Form deprivation treatments were then continued for 3 additional weeks. Treatment effects were evaluated in terms of ocular axial length and refractive error. Safety was evaluated via intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, flash electroretinograms (ERG), and histology.ResultsBoth hydrogel and sham surgery groups showed significantly reduced axial elongation and myopia progression compared to the FD-only group. For axial lengths, net changes in interocular difference (treated minus control) were 0.04 ± 0.06, 0.02 ± 0.09, and 0.24 ± 0.08 mm for hydrogel, sham, and FD-only groups, respectively (P = 0.0006). Intraocular pressures, visual acuities, and ERGs of treated eyes were not significantly different from contralateral controls. Extensive cell migration into the implants was evident. Both surgery groups showed noticeable Tenon's capsule thickening.ConclusionsSub-Tenon's capsule injections of both hydrogel and buffer inhibited myopia progression, with no adverse effects on ocular health. The latter unexpected effect warrants further investigation as a potential novel myopia control therapy. That the hydrogel implant supported significant cell infiltration offers further proof of its biocompatibility, with potential application as a tool for drug and cell delivery.
Assessment of Introducing Algorithms with Video Lectures and Pseudocode Rhymed to a Melody

We discuss two video series, one that serves as an introduction to Binary Search, and the other to Selection Sort. Each narrated series begins with an overview of the algorithm and step-by-step simulations on an interactive blackboard. The series next proceeds to a video that illustrates how to perform a complexity analysis with guided examples, and then applies that process to the associated algorithm. The series concludes with a video showcasing a song with algorithm pseudocode as lyrics, which are utilized line by line to implement the algorithm in code. These video series were piloted among a set of introductory courses involving coding and algorithmic concepts at two colleges. We assess the effectiveness of each series in terms of conceptual understanding and changes in student attitudes.
Sleep and Pain in Mid- to Late-Life: An Exploration of Day-to-Day Pain Inconsistency.

ABSTRACTObjectives: This study examined how different quantifications of pain (average vs. day-to-day inconsistency) are related to sleep in older adults beyond known predictors.Methods: Baseline measures from the Active Adult Mentoring Project were used for secondary analyses. Participants included 82 adults in mid- to late-life. Depression was assessed with the BDI-II. Pain intensity was assessed over seven days on a 11-point Likert-scale, while sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), and total wake time (TWT) were assessed using a self-report diary.Results: Regression analyses revealed that pain inconsistency was associated with both SE and TWT and accounted for significant variance over age, gender, and depression. In contrast, average pain was not associated with SE, TST, or TWT.Conclusions: The findings indicate that pain inconsistency may be a more meaningful predictor of sleep disturbance than average pain level, suggesting that one’s ability to regulate pain may be related to one’s ability...
Marinas, Sea-Level Reservoirs, Solar Salt Pans and Other Artificial Shorelines

Humans have modified coastlines in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons throughout much of history. Some of the earliest modifications were nothing more than re-arranging boulders along a rocky coast to trap fish during tidal variations, building mounds in coastal swamps and marshes and creating middens along the shore (Fig. 1). For example, shell middens dating back to the last interglacial are present along the coast of South Africau[1] and underwater cameras have recently (2000) photographed remains of a dwelling site at 91 m deep on the bottom of the Black Sea[2].
Staphylococcus aureus responds to the central metabolite pyruvate to regulate virulence

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile bacterial pathogen that can cause significant disease burden and mortality. Like other pathogens, S. aureus must adapt to its environment to produce virulence factors to survive the immune responses evoked by infection. Despite the importance of environmental signals for S. aureus pathogenicity, only a limited number of these signals have been investigated in detail for their ability to modulate virulence. Here we show that pyruvate, a central metabolite, causes alterations in the overall metabolic flux of S. aureus and enhances its pathogenicity. We demonstrate that pyruvate induces the production of virulence factors such as the pore-forming leucocidins and that this induction results in increased virulence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) clone USA300. Specifically, we show that an efficient “pyruvate response” requires the activation of S. aureus master regulators AgrAC and SaeRS as well as the ArlRS two-component system. Altogether, our report further establishes a strong relationship between metabolism and virulence and identifies pyruvate as a novel regulatory signal for the coordination of the S. aureus virulon through intricate regulatory networks. IMPORTANCE Delineation of the influence of host-derived small molecules on the makeup of human pathogens is a growing field in understanding host-pathogen interactions. S. aureus is a prominent pathogen that colonizes up to one-third of the human population and can cause serious infections that result in mortality in ~15% of cases. Here, we show that pyruvate, a key nutrient and central metabolite, causes global changes to the metabolic flux of S. aureus and activates regulatory networks that allow significant increases in the production of leucocidins. These and other virulence factors are critical for S. aureus to infect diverse host niches, initiate infections, and effectively subvert host immune responses. Understanding how environmental signals, particularly ones that are essential to and prominent in the human host, affect virulence will allow us to better understand pathogenicity and consider more-targeted approaches to tackling the current S. aureus epidemic.
What activates thermogenesis when lipid droplet lipolysis is absent in brown adipocytes

Cold exposure activates the sympathetic nervous system. It is generally thought that this sympathetic activation induces heat production by stimulating lipolysis of cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs) in brown adipocytes. However, this concept was not examined in vivo due to lack of appropriate animal models. Recently, we and others have demonstrated that LD lipolysis in brown adipocytes is not required for cold-induced nonshivering thermogenesis. Our studies uncovered an essential role of white adipose tissue (WAT) lipolysis in fueling thermogenesis during fasting. In addition, we showed that lipolysis deficiency in brown adipose tissue (BAT) induces WAT browning. This commentary further discusses the significance of our findings and how whole body may be heated up without BAT lipolysis.
Resonator Stabilization Architecture to Suppress Switching Transient Crosstalk in I-CDM

The ever-increasing sizes of transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter arrays motivates improved multiplexed readout with large multiplexing factors, low power dissipation, and low levels of crosstalk. Current-summed code division multiplexing (I-CDM) has been proposed as an alternative to flux-summed code division multiplexing (Φ-CDM) because of its lower power dissipation and greater robustness against the failure of individual readout elements. Simulating I-CDM arrays, we find that unswitched circuit components provide a mechanism for crosstalk, the magnitude of which is determined by their inductance. To mitigate this source of crosstalk, we propose a technique called resonator-stabilized I-CDM (RI-CDM), which the simulations predict will reduce crosstalk by an order of magnitude. RI-CDM reads out dc-biased TESs on an amplitude-modulated carrier wave.
Plato and holistic medicine

Popular visions of holistic health and holistic medicine are not so much reactions to perceived excesses of technological medicine as they are visions of the good life itself and how to attain it. This paper attempts to clarify some of the concepts associated with holistic health and medicine. The particular vision of holistic health presented here is well exemplified in the writings of Plato. First, I examine the scientific concept of holism and argue that, while medicine is inadequately characterized by scientific reductionism, any plausible holistic medicine must make room for a limited scientific reductionism. Next, I analyze the complexity of Plato's usage of “health” and demonstrate some of the parallels between Plato's thought and popular and scientific visions of holistic health. Finally, I look at what Plato has to say about medical practice and the relation of medicine and philosophy as therapies for the whole person.
Cardiovascular Devices: Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Most of us have family members who have had at least a brush with heart disease. In this chapter, we will discuss the anatomy of the heart and how this remarkable organ works. Many technological advances have been made in the treatment of heart disease, though the ultimate goal remains development of a fully implantable artificial heart. We will make sense of the current standard of care and learn how engineering techniques have been used to repair and maintain the body’s pump.
Bioavailability and Metabolism of Curcuminoids

Curcuminoids are biologically active polyphenols present in the spice and coloring agent turmeric. Dietary intake of curcuminoids has been associated a wide range of medicinal properties, including possible beneficial effects in the prevention of many forms of cancer. Studies carried out in vitro on cultured cells show that curcuminoids reduce the rate of cell division and induce apoptosis by affecting signal transduction pathways. However, there is a discrepancy between the curcuminoid dosage required for these in vitro effects and the most optimistic estimates on curcuminoid bioavailability following oral uptake. Therefore, the mechanism by which curcuminoids exert their biological effects through dietary intake remains incompletely understood. Curcuminoid bioavailability is dependent on several factors. These include solubility, chemical stability, efficiency of digestive uptake, metabolic processing, and excretion. This review attempts to illuminate the current state of knowledge on the effect of these factors on curcuminoid bioavailability. In addition, efforts to augment curcuminoid bioavailability through chemical modifications, improved solubilization, increased stability, or alternative routes of administration are addressed.
Regeneration of Plants From Protoplasts of Arachis Species (Peanut)

The genus Avachis (Leguminosae), native to South America, contains 30 to 50 species in seven distinct taxonomic sections (Gregory et al. 1973; Gregory and Gregory 1979). Avachis hypogaea L., the cultivated peanut, is one of the most important protein-rich oilseed crops in the world and is cultivated on all the continents throughout the tropical, subtropical, and warmer temperate areas of the earth. Average peanut production increased by 17% from 1979 to 1989 to a total of 19.8×105metric tons even though the average world land area in peanut cultivation remained unchanged (Fletcher et al. 1992).
Hormonal Control of Amphibian Metamorphosis

The phenomena of development and metamorphosis have fascinated biologists and naturalists alike for centuries, and comparative physiologists, biochemists, and endocrinologists have systematically studed these processes for almost a century now. Accordingly, a large body of information has accumulated on various aspects of vertebrate biology relating to growth and transformation. Space limitations require that we restrict our coverage in this chapter primarily to recent work on the endocrine control of development and metamorphosis in amphibians. Hence, we will not be able to consider environmental factors that affect these processes, or the recent findings on the control of transformations in other vertebrates, such as smoltification in salmonids. In addition, we will not be able to cite many pertinent references on the control of growth and metamorphosis even in the amphibians. Readers are referred to the excellent and comprehensive reviews of Frieden and Just (1970) and Dodd and Dodd (1976), and to other chapters in this volume for references on some of the earlier literature not cited by us.
Diamonds in the Rough: The Peirce-Percy Semiotic in The Second Coming

Karey Perkins makes the case for the view that Percy is more than a novelist with occasional random existential musings or themes. Although Percy begins in existentialism, his exploration of semiotics sparked his interest in language as the uniquely human symbolic activity. Moreover, Percy attempts a systematic philosophy based in Peirce’s semiotic, by applying semiotic principles not just in his philosophical essays, but also in his novels—something rarely mentioned, even by Percy himself.
The value of indirect selection : II. Progeny testing.

Conditions are developed under which progeny-testing using indirect selection can give more rapid genetic improvement than using direct selection. Analogous conditions for mass selection are given in Searle [1954].
Sixth order analysis of crack closure in bending of an elastic plate

The bending of a rectangular, elastic plate containing a central, through crack is analyzed. Results are obtained numerically via a finite element analysis based on the assumptions of Mindlin sixth order plate theory. A special feature of the analysis is the modeling of crack face interference, or closure, at the compression surface of the plate. Results are presented for two cases, one that includes the effects of closure and one that does not, and comparisons are made with prior results based on Kirchhoff theory. It is shown that proper modeling of the boundary conditions is essential for obtaining accurate, credible results and that the effects of closure are significant and must be included when demanded by the actual physical situation.
GRAPH CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORKS FOR HYPERSPECTRAL DATA CLASSIFICATION

Graph based manifold learning and embedding techniques have been very successful at representing high dimensional hyperspectral data in lower dimensions for visualization and classification. Graph based convolutional neural networks (GCNs) have been recently developed for applications on high-dimensional irregular domains represented by graphs, such as citation networks. In this paper, we demonstrate a framework that can leverage GCNs to effectively represent data residing on smooth manifolds, such as reflectance spectra of hyperspectral image pixels. We also propose a robust spatial-spectral semi-supervised adjacency matrix that learns the underlying manifold structure of the data using a limited amount of labeled spectra and a large amount of unlabeled spectra. Classification performance with a benchmark hyperspectral image analysis dataset is also provided that demonstrates the efficacy of this approach.
Pulse Pressure as an Early Warning of Hemorrhage in Trauma Patients

Background Hypotension based on low systolic blood pressure (SBP) is a well-documented indicator of ongoing blood loss. However, the utility of pulse pressure (PP) for detection of hemorrhage has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a narrowed PP in nonhypotensive patients is an independent predictor of critical administration threshold (CAT+) hemorrhage requiring surgical or endovascular control. Study Design We performed a retrospective single-center study (January 2010 to October 2014), including trauma patients ≥16 years old with SBP ≥ 90 mmHg upon emergency department (ED) admission. We identified patients who were both CAT+ and required either surgical or interventional radiology for definitive hemorrhage control as the active hemorrhage (AH) group. Analyses were then performed to elucidate the association between PP and hemorrhage. Results Of the total 18,015 patients identified, 283 (1.6%) met the criteria for clinically significant hemorrhage. Mean PP was significantly lower in the AH group compared with the non-AH group (39 ± 18 mmHg vs 53 ± 19 mmHg, p Conclusions In patients who are nonhypotensive, a narrowed PP is an independent early predictor of active hemorrhage requiring blood product transfusion and intervention for hemorrhage control.
Sonoelastography of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in a case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare genetic disorder typically presenting with muscle weakness and reduced tone of trunk and lower extremities. The sonoelastographic properties of DMD are poorly understood. We describe sonoelastographic characteristics of a patient's trunk and lower extremity musculature. An 8-year-old male presented with a 5-year history of DMD. Sonoelastographic measures of the gluteus maximus and medius, lumbar erector spinae, rectus abdominis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles were obtained. Sonoelastography demonstrated increased elasticity by elevated kiloPascals (kPa) across all muscles, except the lumbar erector spinae. Patient values were compared to an age-matched healthy control. These abnormal sonoelastographic findings reflected the pathological mechanical properties of DMD. Sonoelastography was valuable for characterizing the mechanical properties of normal and abnormal muscle tissue. There is limited information on the sonoelastography application to DMD. Sonoelastography may serve as a useful measure for diagnosis and monitoring clinical outcomes for DMD.
A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Rooming-in and Breastfeeding in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal

Objective Our cost-effectiveness analysis investigated rooming-in versus not rooming-in to determine optimal management of neonates with neonatal opioid withdrawal (NOW). Study Design A decision-analytic model was constructed using TreeAge to compare rooming-in versus not rooming-in in a theoretical cohort of 23,200 newborns, the estimated annual number affected by NOW in the United States. Additional considerations included the effect of breast milk versus formula milk in evaluating the need for pharmacotherapy. Primary outcomes were needed for pharmacotherapy and neurodevelopment. We assumed a societal perspective in evaluating costs and maternal-neonatal quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) using a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY. Model inputs were derived from literature and varied in sensitivity analyses. Results Rooming-in resulted in fewer neonates requiring pharmacotherapy when compared with not rooming-in. The rooming-in group had more neonates with intact/mild neurodevelopmental impairment and fewer cases of moderate to severe impairment. Rooming-in resulted in cost savings of $509,652,728 and 12,333 additional QALYs per annual cohort. When the risk ratio of need for pharmacotherapy in rooming-in was varied across a clinically plausible range, rooming-in remained the cost-effective strategy. Conclusion Maternal rooming-in with newborns affected by NOW leads to reduced costs and increased effectiveness. Management strategies should optimize nonpharmacological interventions as first-line treatment.
Review of the AVERT, a Global Information and Education on HIV and AIDS Resource

Avert.org, the website of the Avert charity, is a global information and education resource on HIV and AIDS which sets the standard for HIV/AIDS consumer health websites. Its general flow sets the ...
South Australia: Registration and the Market for Land

Founded on an ideal of well-ordered settlement of empty land, early South Australia had neither. The answer, proposed by Robert Richard Torrens, the son of one of the colony’s most active promoters, was a system of registering titles to land through which the state certified fee simple ownership. The idea of ownership was basic here, for subsidized emigration of a labor force as well as public works were to be financed by sales of Crown Land—land, that is, that had belonged to Aboriginal peoples whose use and access rights were supposed to be protected but in fact were not.
Animal Capabilities and Freedom in the City

Animals who live in cities must coexist with us. They are, as a result, entitled to the conditions of their flourishing. This article argues that, as the boundaries of cities and urban areas expand...
De Facto Parentage and the Modern Family

Today, many children — both marital and nonmarital — are parented by people who are not connected to them through marriage or biology. Fortunately, the majority of states protect these functional parent-child relationships that are so important to so many children. Some states protect these relationships under equitable doctrines. Increasing, functional parents are being recognized as legal parents. Written for the Family Advocate, this short piece provides an overview of these legal developments.
Metastatic retinoblastoma of the mandible. Report of a case.

Abstract The case of a 2 1 2 - year-old Cuban girl with bilateral retinoblastoma discovered at the age of 3 months has been presented. The first known metastasis was to the left mandible. This occurred 27 months after the initial diagnosis was established. Other metastatic foci were subsequently discovered.
Haemophilus influenzae Type b Immunization of Children With Sickle Cell Diseases

Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine is recommended for children 1.5 to 6 years of age with sickle cell anemia, but the adequacy of their response is unknown. A total of 69 children with sickle cell syndromes, 1.5 to 5.6 years of age, were immunized with two vaccines alternatively, single blind. PRP vaccine was given to 36 children and a diphtheria toxoid conjugated vaccine, PRP-D, was given to 36. Coded pre- and postvaccine sera were tested by radioimmunoassay for anti-PRP antibody. The groups did not differ in age distribution or type of sickle hemoglobinopathy. Preexisting antibody levels were low in both vaccine groups; 65% were less than 0.15 microgram/mL. The vaccines were safe but associated with frequent minor reactions. PRP-D gave higher geometric mean titers and mean fold titer increase than PRP in all children (15.58 micrograms/mL [234-fold] v 2.63 micrograms/mL [29-fold]) and in the subgroups 1.5 to 2.5 years of age or with pretiter values less than 0.15 microgram/mL. Titers for 64% of children receiving PRP and 94% receiving PRP-D were greater than or equal to 1.0 microgram/mL. Thus, both vaccines were useful in this population, but PRP-D was more immunogenic. Duration of antibody levels postvaccination, booster responses, and PRP-D immunogenicity in younger children with sickle cell syndromes all require further study.
Investigating RhoC-GTPase’s role in the metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1815 Introduction: In previous studies it has been shown that the expression of RhoC in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with the clinical stage and lymph node involvement. RhoC-GTPase on a cellular level is involved with cytoskeleton rearrangement, cell motility, and the ability to migrate across membranes. We look to correlate RhoC-GTPase with the ability of squamous cell carcinoma to become more aggressive and metastatic. Methods: A preliminary sample (14) of squamous cell cancer cell lines from the University of Michigan cell bank (UMSCC) were screened by isolating RNA and using reverse transcriptase to make a cDNA library. PCR was then used with a specific RhoC primer and a gel electrophoresis was run. From the 14 original screened cell lines, four were selected. According to the RT-PCR, four cell lines were selected, two of these cell lines were the highest expresser of the RhoC gene (UM-SCC- 74B, UM-SCC-38) and the other two were the lowest expressers of RhoC (UMSCC 5PT, UMSCC 22B). Cell lysate was taken from these four cell lines and RhoC protein levels were quantified using a western blot with a polyclonal antibody for RhoC. To evaluate each cell line’s motility, the cells were allowed 20 hours on a micro bead lined plate with serum being the stimulant for motility. The area of each cell lines movement was measured. To further evaluate the metastatic properties of these four cell lines, the cells were placed on a micro-pore membrane insert with serum as a chemo-attractant on the opposite side. The cells that migrated to the opposite side of the gel in a 24-hour period were stained with immunoflorescence and counted. Results: The western blot done with the two high expressers and low expressers of RhoC showed the same correlation as the RT-PCR. The data gathered from the cell motility showed that the UM-SCC- 5PT cell line covered approximately 65% less area than the UMSCC 74B cell line. The invasion assay showed that the UMSCC 5PTcell line had approximately 82% fewer cells that migrated to the opposing side of the membrane. Conclusion: The results from the cell motility and the cell invasion assays correlate with the expression of RhoC. The highest expresser (UM-SCC- 74B) of the RhoC gene showed to be more motile than the lowest expresser (UMSCC 5PT). The 74B cell line also proved to have a better ability to migrate through a synthetic membrane. These findings support that the RhoC-GTPase is involved with the aggressiveness and metastatic qualities of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Plasma free fatty acids and glucose concentrations in the human fetus and newborn exposed to various environmental conditions

Abstract The concentrations of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose were measured in fetuses, and newborns whose mothers were exposed to various procedures (i.e., intravenous glucose administration, cesarean section, abnormal gestation) and stresses (i.e., labor and hypoxia). The results demonstrate that the regulation of fetal plasma FFA is controlled by the same mechanisms as those of the pregnant adult. The fetus is however, unable to respond to a high plasma glucose concentration as the pregnant woman does (i.e., by a decrease in plasma FFA concentration). This difference is probably due to a limited supply of fetal insulin and/or to the saturation of the enzyme systems synthesizing lipids in fetal tissues. Pathologic conditions of gestation and stresses in utero have no effect on the fetal plasma FFA concentrations. This is considered as an expression of fetomaternal homeostatic ability. Increase in fetal plasma FFA concentrations takes place after birth. It is triggered by the transition from the intra- to the extrauterine environment. The activity of the newborn sympathetic system coupled to a change in glucose availability postnatally is the basic mechanism which stimulates the increase in plasma FFA concentrations.
Cultural Identity and Public Health

Cultural identity represents an individual’s identity as a member of a group with shared characteristics, which often (but not always) include racial, ethnic, or geographical origins. Cultural identity influences multiple life domains, including the ways in which people make decisions about performing behaviors that ultimately influence their health. This chapter reviews the role of cultural identity in public health. I present a theoretical model in which the effects of cultural identity on health-related behaviors are mediated by perceptions of risk of disease, perceptions of cultural norms, desire to self-present as a member of a cultural group, functional meanings of behaviors, and cultural values. Through these mediated pathways, cultural identity can influence the likelihood that individuals will engage in health-protective behaviors, seek early detection of illness, and obtain treatment for existing illness. These pathways also can be moderated by enabling factors such as access to care, information, and resources. These mediating and moderating mechanisms are then illustrated with examples from multiple domains of public health research such as genetic testing, smoking, healthcare decision-making, and adolescent drug use. Further research is needed to develop improved measures of cultural identity, understand the effects of changes in cultural identity on health-related behaviors, understand the interactions between the individual’s cultural identity and the larger cultural context, and develop health education interventions that are compatible with patients’ cultural identities. The theoretical model presented in this chapter could be a useful starting point for researchers, interventionists, and evaluators to include cultural identity in public health efforts.
From unicuspid to quadricuspid: the impact of aortic valve morphology on 3D hemodynamics

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of aortic valve morphology on aortic 3D blood flow dynamics and wall shear stress (WSS) in normal and a wide range of congenitally altered aortic valves ranging from unicuspid to quadricuspid morphology. Methods In-vivo aortic 3D hemodynamics were evaluated by MRI in 17 patients with unicuspid (n=3), bicuspid (n=9, 3 true bicuspid, 3 right-left (RL) coronary leaflet fusion, and 3 right-non (RN) coronary leaflet fusion), trileaflet (n=3), and quadricuspid aortic valves (n=2). Valve morphology and dynamics were assessed using 2D CINE MRI. Aortic blood flow was measured using ECG and respiration synchronized 4D flow MRI with full volumetric coverage of the aorta. Data analysis included co-registered visualization of aortic valve morphology with systolic 3D blood flow and grading of valve-specific aortic out-flow patterns. The influence of valve geometry on aortic hemodynamics was quantified by calculation of valve flow angle and segmental distribution of ascending aorta WSS. Results All congenitally altered valves showed marked flow derangement, elevated velocity jets along the aortic wall and distinct flow impingement locations. While all RLBAV valves were associated with flow jets directed towards the right anterior aortic wall, RN-fusion and unicuspid valves showed jet patterns towards the right-posterior wall. Quantitative analysis revealed higher flow angles for unicuspid, true BAV, RN-BAV, RL-BAV, and quadricuspid
Factors associated with advanced liver disease in adults with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Background & Aims: Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AAT) is an autosomal recessive disease that affects 1 in 2500 persons and might lead to cirrhosis. Our study aim was to characterize the liver disease in AAT and identify factors associated with advanced liver disease. Methods: A cohort of the Alpha-1 Foundation Registry who reported liver disease was surveyed with a liver disease questionnaire to obtain information related to liver disease, liver transplantation, and AAT phenotype. Results: One hundred sixty-five of the 2175 participants in the registry reported a history of jaundice or liver disease, and 139 (84.2%) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 71.3% were PiZZ, 18.0% were PiMZ, and 5.7% did not know their phenotype. Analysis of 104 participants with a known age of diagnosis included 30 participants diagnosed with liver disease before 18 years, of whom 15 had advanced liver disease defined as liver transplantation or listed for liver transplantation. No differences in age, age at diagnosis, gender, race, phenotype, or infant jaundice were identified. Seventy-four participants were diagnosed after age 18 years, of whom 25 had advanced liver disease. In this group, advanced liver disease was associated with male gender (P = .006) and a greater mean body mass index (P = .01), but not with race, Pi phenotype, infant jaundice, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia. Viral hepatitis was more frequently reported in the nontransplant group (34.7% vs 8.0%, P = .01), and the mean daily alcohol use was significantly greater in this group (P = .04). Conclusions: Our results suggest that male gender and obesity but not alcohol or viral hepatitis predispose to advanced liver disease in adults with AAT.
Importance of clustered 2'-O-(2-aminoethyl) residues for the gene targeting activity of triple helix-forming oligonucleotides.

We are developing triple helix-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) as gene targeting reagents in living mammalian cells. We have described psoralen-linked TFOs with 2‘-O-methyl and 2‘-O-(2-aminoethyl) (2‘-AE) substitutions that are active in a gene knockout assay in cultured cells. The assay is based on mutagenesis by psoralen, a photoactive DNA cross-linker. Previous work showed that TFOs with three or four 2‘-AE residues were disproportionately more active than those with one or two substitutions. Here we demonstrate that for optimal bioactivity the 2‘-AE residues must be clustered rather than dispersed. We have further characterized bioactive and inactive TFOs in an effort to identify biochemical and biophysical correlates of biological activity. While thermal stability is a standard monitor of TFO biophysical activity, we find that Tm values do not distinguish bioactive and inactive TFOs. In contrast, measurements of TFO association rates appear to correlate well with bioactivity, in that triplex formatio...
Interspectral combination type resonances of nonlinear conservative/nonconservative distributed parameter vibratory systems

Abstract This paper investigates the properties/formation of combination type resonances of nonlinear conservative/nonconservative distributed parameter vibratory systems subject to external harmonic inputs containing a profusion of frequencies. Overall, this includes the evaluation of simultaneously excited harmonic, sub/superharmonics as well as combination harmonics created by interactions between external and interspectral system frequency branches. Additionally, effort is also given to handling nonconservative characteristics wherein critical damping levels may suppress specific combination harmonics. The foregoing is made possible through the development of a warped and constrained multiple time scales perturbation solution scheme. To illustrate the scheme as well as the nature and form of external and interspectral interaction, a nonlinear nonconservative version of the wave equation which is excited by complex external harmonic fields is given detailed consideration.
Multiplayer networked gaming with the session initiation protocol

With a strong push from commercial ventures like Microsoft Xbox® and Sony Playstation®, the multiplayer networked gaming industry continues to grow steadily. Multiplayer games allow geographically dispersed players to participate in a single game and in order to provide interaction amongst players in such environments, text messaging and real-time voice through VoIP is used. However, such interactions are out-of-band (not based on game contexts), user-initiated and severely limited in operability and functionality. In this paper, we present mechanisms and design of a prototype that uses the lightweight Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to provide context-aware gaming. In addition to allowing players to talk to each other to coordinate teammates and activities (through a static team-based audio conference) as in current systems, it supports real-time communication among players based on shared contexts like the same physical location or room within the gaming environment. This is provided through seamless management of audio sessions (conferences) based on player movements/behaviors which change the shared game context. We extend our earlier work by providing a dynamic form of shared context, using a modified SIP session negotiation mechanism. In addition, through the use of SIP as the game communication protocol, we propose to make VoIP a first class member of the game state. This allows a unified architecture for context-aware communication and gaming. We also present a sophisticated gaming scenario, in which VoIP is used to relay information about another player's distance and location with respect to the recipient, e.g. players farther away sound farther away.
Clapeyron slope reversal in the melting curve of AuGa 2 at 5.5 GPa

We use x-ray diffraction in a resistively heated diamond anvil cell to extend the melting curve of AuGa2 beyond its minimum at 5.5 GPa and 720 K, and to constrain the high-temperature phase boundaries between cubic (fluorite structure), orthorhombic (cottunite structure) and monoclinic phases. We document a large change in Clapeyron slope that coincides with the transitions from cubic to lower symmetry phases, showing that a structural transition is the direct cause of the change in slope. In addition, moderate ( 30 K) to large (90 K) hysteresis is detected between melting and freezing, from which we infer that at high pressures, AuGa2 crystals can remain in a metastable state at more than 5% above the thermodynamic melting temperature. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
Building Tomorrow's Information Assurance Workforce through Experiential Learning

The Department of Computer and Information Technology (CIT) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has built a comprehensive and experience-based learning environment. Students coming to the department seeking knowledge and skills in the areas of networking and security are exposed to traditional learning methodologies focusing on terms, concepts and history of the subject matter. In addition to this, students gain practical knowledge and capture experience-based lessons in the field of networking and security. Through class work and outside projects students are given opportunities to gain valuable and relevant hands-on experience designing, implementing, and managing live network environments for the department, other on-campus groups, and ultimately for groups outside of the university. This experience-based teaching methodology not only addresses the challenges of preparing future technologists in an ever-changing field, but also arms students with the experience that many employers are seeking. This article discusses the growth, benefits, challenges, and future goals of the networking and security tracks of classes offered at IUPUI in the CIT Department
Evidence that suckling pups, through an exteroceptive mechanism, inhibit the milk stimulatory effects of prolactin in the rat during late lactation.

Abstract Lactating rats were removed from the animal room on postpartum Day 20 and placed in a room where there were no other rats. On postpartum Day 21, these rats released prolactin either in response to exteroceptive signals from their own pups which were placed underneath or in response to those from 25 to 30 other lactating rats which along with their litters were placed in a rack 3 ft in front of the mothers' cage. Milk secretion was stimulated in the isolated rats on Day 21 by the prolactin released in response to exposure to the rack of lactators, but paradoxically was not stimulated by that released in response to exposure of the mother to her own pups. In fact, the stimulatory effects upon milk secretion, resulting from exposure to the rack of lactators was totally prevented if the mother was exposed to her pups 3–4 min before exposure to the rack of lactators. The blocking effect of the pups, however, did not occur when the pups were placed in cages alongside the mothers' cage. From subsequent experiments, it was concluded that sensory cues, from the pups, appeared to activate the sympathetico-adrenal system of the mother to release catecholamines which then blocked the milk stimulatory effects of prolactin which already had been discharged into the circulation. The pups did not inhibit milk secretion on Day 14 which indicates that the inhibiting mechanism becomes established sometime between Days 14 and 21 of lactation. These data suggest that a peripheral mechanism may operate to reduce milk secretion in the rat during late lactation, and thus, may be involved in the normal weaning process.
Juvenile intervertebral disc calcification: recognition, management, and pathogenesis

Juvenile intervertebral disc calcification is an uncommon disorder of childhood, characterized by calcification of the nucleus pulposus of one or more intervertebral discs. Calcification may remain dormant or subsequently become symptomatic. The symptoms include fever, malaise, and neck pain and are associated with an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and, occasionally, leukocytosis. Although disc protrusion occurs in 38% of patients, neurological signs are distinctly uncommon. We report the case of a patient with a herniated T2-T3 calcified intervertebral disc and compressive myelopathy. Juvenile intervertebral disc calcification is generally a self-limiting disease that seldom requires an operation. The symptoms are transient, and resorption of the disc calcification is the rule once symptoms occur. Neither the cause of the disc calcification nor the trigger for the onset of symptoms is known. An inflammatory response within the disc appears to give rise to clinical symptoms and is associated with eventual resorption of the disc calcification.
Consecrated garments and spaces in the cherubim and seraphim church diaspora

ABSTRACTThe Cherubim and Seraphim Church, an African independent church founded in 1925 in Lagos, Nigeria, is best-known for its members' white garments, fashioned to resemble the angelic beings, the cherubim and seraphim, of the Bible. With the movement of church members to different parts of the globe, these garments have become increasingly important to some as spiritual ties with the Nigerian homeland. Similarly, these homeland connections may be established and maintained by the founding of churches in the United States and Canada, which serve as satellite churches for established C&S churches in Nigeria, sharing identical names, related personnel, and similar altar decoration. This paper considers that ways that C&S Church art and dress overcome distance through the connections made by holy bodies, and consecrated garments and spaces.
Stable-boundary-layer regimes from the perspective of the low-level jet

This paper reviews results from two field studies of the nocturnal stable atmospheric boundary layer (SBL) over the Great Plains of the United States. Data from a scanning remote-sensing system, a High-Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL), provided measurements of mean and turbulent wind components at high spatial and temporal resolution through the lowest 500–1000 m of the atmosphere. This data set has allowed the characteristics of the low-level jet (LLJ) maximum (speed, height, direction) to be documented through entire nights. LLJs form after sunset and produce strong shear in the layer below the LLJ maximum or nose, which is a source of turbulence and mixing in the SBL. Simultaneous HRDL measurements of turbulence quantities related to turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) has allowed the turbulence in the subjet layer to be related to LLJ properties. Turbulence structure was found to be a function of the bulk stability of the subjet layer. For the strong-LLJ (> 15 m s−1), weakly stable cases the strength of the turbulence is proportional to the strength of the LLJ. For these cases with nearly continuous turbulence in the subjet layer, low-level jet scaling, in which lengths are scaled by the LLJ height and velocity variables are scaled by the LLJ speed, was found to be appropriate. For the weak-wind (< 5 m s−1 in the lowest 200 m), very stable boundary layer (vSBL), the boundary layer was found to be very shallow (sometimes < 10 m deep), and turbulent fluxes between the earth’s surface and the atmosphere were found to be essentially shut down. For more intermediate wind speeds and stabilities, the SBL shows varying degrees of intermittency due to various mechanisms, including shearinstability and other gravity waves, density currents, and other mesoscale disturbances.
Backward angle heavy ion elastic on 40Ca and 58Ni

Abstract The excitation functions of elastic scattering at 180° for 16O + 40Ca and 12C + 40Ca are observed to oscillate between σ σ R = 10 −3 and 10−4 over a wide range of energies; the 16O + 58 Ni system shows a monotonic decrease to a value of σ σ R = 10 −5 over the energy range studied.
Clinical effectiveness protocols for imaging in the management of ureteral calculous disease: AUA technology assessment.

Purpose: This technology assessment addresses the optimal use of imaging in the evaluation and treatment of patients with suspected or documented ureteral stones.Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search addressing 4 guiding questions was performed for full text in English articles published between January 1990 and July 2011. The search focused on major subtopics associated with the imaging of ureteral calculi, and included specific imaging modalities used in the diagnosis and management of ureteral calculous disease such as unenhanced (noncontrast) computerized tomography, conventional radiography, ultrasound, excretory urography, magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine studies. Protocols (in the form of decision tree algorithms) were developed based on this literature review and in some instances on panel opinion. The 4 questions addressed were 1) What imaging study should be performed for suspected ureteral calculous disease? 2) What information should be obtained? 3) After diag...
Fear of success versus fear of gender-inappropriate behavior.

To test the prediction that both males and females would show evidence of “fear of success” when success was achieved in a nontraditional field, male and female subjects wrote five-minute stories in response to cues depicting a male's or female's success in medical school or nursing school. Results showed that both sexes wrote more fear of success stories in gender-inappropriate than in gender-appropriate conditions. The need for a broader conception of fear of success motivation is discussed.
Arthroscopic biceps tenodesis in the beach chair position

Abstract Arthroscopic biceps tenodesis is indicated for the treatment of severe biceps tendinopathy, partial or full thickness biceps tendon tears or biceps instability typically associated with rotator cuff tear. Tenodesis is indicated to establish the appropriate length tension to the muscle avoiding scaring and spasm, allow biceps use for complex elbow motion, and avoidance of cosmetic defects where occasionally deformity can sometimes equal disability. This technical note will provide figures, and detailed descriptions of our arthroscopic tenodesis technique using a Arthrex Bio-Tenodesis system (Arthrex Inc., Naples, FL) in the beach chair position.