cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety of Combined Facial Plastic Procedures Affecting Multiple Planes in a Single Setting in Facial Feminization for Transgender Patients

The objective is to evaluate the safety of performing multiple combined facial plastic surgical procedures affecting various planes of the face including rhytidectomy, forehead contouring with browlift, cheek implants, rhinoplasty, and mandible contouring in a single setting. This is a retrospective study of patients undergoing facial plastic surgery with the senior author at Boston Medical Center from 2005 to 2017. Patients were included if they underwent all of the above procedures in one setting and had not had previous facial surgery. The primary outcome measure was local postoperative complications of tissue necrosis and wound dehiscence. The secondary outcome measures were general postoperative complications of venous thromboembolism and prolonged intubation. A total of 25 patients met inclusion criteria. Four patients experienced an infection—two patients had cheek implant infections delayed by months, one had a facelift hematoma that became infected, and one had an intraoral incision infection. One patient suffered from pulmonary embolism 2 months after surgery in the setting of hormone replacement therapy. All patients were extubated at the end of the case and none required reintubation. All patients had good cosmetic results. Despite elevating multiple planes of the face at the same time, there were no complications related to vascular supply in any of the patients. Complications were limited to those known to occur with the individual procedures. This study demonstrates that concurrent procedures that elevate multiple planes in the face in a single setting may be performed safely and with good cosmetic outcomes. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the table of contents or the online instructions to authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Testing a Musical Game Activity for Community-Dwelling Older Adults:

Leisure programs that combine music with active leisure activities are more common than music combined with passive activities. The latter offers alternatives for older adults with health declines....
Investigation of Architectures for Models of Neural Responses to Electrical Brain Stimulation

Electrical brain stimulation is used clinically to target pathological regions of the brain for treatment of diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and depression. Conventional treatments involve chronic implants that disrupt activity through a fixed periodic train of pulses or bursts of pulses applied to the affected region. However, stimulating one region of the brain necessarily affects other structurally and/or functionally connected areas. Understanding how connected regions of the brain are affected by stimulation at the implant site could improve treatment efficacy by informing optimal placement and stimulation patterns. In this study, we build predictive input-output models from intracranial recordings obtained from 10 epilepsy patients implanted with electrodes. Specific contacts within each subject were electrically stimulated (inputs), and evoked responses were simultaneously captured from all contacts (outputs). From these data, we constructed and compared four different dynamical models that contain causal linear and nonlinear components. All model architectures successfully predicted evoked responses to stimulation with single pulses and sequences of pulses. Results suggest that a linear time-invariant model in series with a quadratic non-linearity best captures the relationship between stimulation amplitudes and evoked responses.
Postembolization Change in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Enhancement of Meningiomas Is a Better Predictor of Intraoperative Blood Loss Than Angiography.

Background Preoperative embolization of meningiomas to reduce tumor vascularity and intraoperative blood loss remains controversial. Incomplete devascularization on angiography is not significantly correlated with intraoperative estimated blood loss (EBL). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide a better assessment of devascularization and prediction of EBL. Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing preoperative embolization for intracranial meningiomas. Cohorts based on postembolization devascularization (>50% vs. ≤50%) were compared. Results Of 84 patients with meningioma undergoing preoperative embolization, 35 (42%) had a postembolization MRI before resection and met study inclusion criteria. The mean tumor diameter was 4.9 ± 1.3 cm, and mean intraoperative EBL was 576 ± 341 mL. Compared with MRI, angiography overestimated devascularization in 22 patients (63%). Using pre- versus postembolization MRIs, 17 (49%) patients had a >50% decrease in enhancement, which was associated with lower mean intraoperative blood loss (444 ± 255 mL) compared with 17 patients with ≤50% devascularization (700 ± 374 mL) (P = 0.03). On angiography, the 22 (63%) patients who demonstrated >50% devascularization during embolization did not statistically differ in intraoperative EBL when compared with 13 (37%) patients with 500 mL blood intraoperatively during resection (95% confidence interval 1.6–54, P = 0.01). Conclusions Postembolization contrast-enhanced MRI is a better predictor of intraoperative blood loss during meningioma resection than postembolization angiography, which overestimates the degree of embolic devascularization. Postembolization preoperative MRI is warranted for optimal patient management.
Adaptive repulsion of long-term memory representations is triggered by event similarity

We tested whether similarity between events triggers an adaptive repulsion of long-term memories. Subjects completed an associative learning task in which objects were paired with faces. Critically, the objects consisted of pairs that were identical except for their color values, which were parametrically varied in order to manipulate interference. Performance on associative memory tests confirmed that color similarity robustly influenced interference. Separate tests of color memory showed that high similarity triggered a repulsion of long-term memories, wherein remembered colors were biased away from colors of competing objects. This repulsion effect was replicated across three experiments. In a fourth experiment, the repulsion effect was fully eliminated when task demands promoted integration, instead of discrimination, of similar memories. Finally, we show that repulsion of color memory was highly adaptive: greater repulsion was associated with less memory interference. These findings reveal that similarity between events triggers adaptive distortions in how events are remembered.
Huanglongbing, Caused by ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus,’ Detected in New Locations Across Southern and Coastal Georgia

Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease is the most devastating disease of citrus worldwide. This disease, caused by the bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), leads to low fr...
The power of collective vision: landscape, visual media, and the production of American mountains

The way we view the landscape is socially constructed and influenced by media. Images from paintings to digital photographs influence how Americans see mountains and reproduce a collective vision. ...
Salivary gland ultrasound training: Improving anatomic identification in residents.

Abstract Objectives/hypothesis The aim of the study was to introduce and study the role of standardized views for ultrasound of the major salivary glands in resident learning and retention. Study design Methods description and prospective case series. Methods Five otolaryngology residents and two patient models were recruited for this study. The participants were timed on their identification of the submandibular gland, sublingual gland, and parotid gland and associated key anatomic structures. Participants were then timed again immediately after being presented a standardized view for each salivary gland: the longitudinal submandibular gland, transverse parotid gland, and submental transverse views. The same participants were then timed one month later to determine retention. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate whether time to identification was equal pre- and post-standardized view instruction. Results There was a significant improvement from pre- to post-standardized view instruction in all glands, which was sustained one month later. Practically speaking, assessment times for all participants at the one-month measurement were reasonable, with averages of 71, 42, and 114 s for the submandibular gland, sublingual gland, and parotid gland respectively. Conclusions Standardized views provided otolaryngology ultrasonography learners with a reliable, fast, and memorable way to assess the salivary glands and their related structures. Level of evidence: 4.
A comparative study on the mechanical and structural design of nacre in gastropod and bivalve molluscs.

Abstract The lesson learnt from nature is presented through the examination of shells from four mollusc species (two gastropods and two bivalves). Individual aragonite tablets together with the organic network have been studied in terms of tablet dimensions, tablet stacking sequence, texture and the weight fraction of the organic present in these bio-composite shells. Mechanical properties viz. elastic modulus and hardness at the macro (bulk), micro (tablet) and nano (aragonite nanograins) levels have been determined using the experimental technique of nanoindentation together with the theoretical formulations offered by the Mori-Tanaka method and other such mechanical models for composites. XRD studies confirm the strong c-axis crystallographic orientation - aligned parallel to the direction of growth and crystallization of nacreous tablets, and fractography performed on the shell specimens suggests a difference in the stacking of individual aragonite layers for the gastropod and bivalve molluscan class, respectively. DSC and TG-DTA data helped in characterizing the organic material present in the shell specimens and in calculating the organic weight and volume fractions across species. Further to this, the DSC data revealed that the nature of the organic in the brick and mortar assembly of nacre, was similar in nature across the two molluscan classes reported in this study. EBSD studies performed on our system revealed a difference in crystallographic texture for the two different tablet stacking (columnar and sheet nacre). It has been shown experimentally that the shells of gastropods (columnar nacre) are orthotropic in nature, while the bivalve mollusc shells (sheet nacre) are anisotropic in nature.
5. Post-thelarche Screening Pelvic Ultrasound in Females with Anorectal Malformations: Compliance and Findings

Background Anorectal malformations (ARM) are congenital defects that affect up to 1 in 5,000 babies; females with ARM are at higher risk for Mullerian anomalies, which are often difficult to diagnose prior to puberty. The objective of this study was to evaluate compliance with the recommended 6 month post-thelarche screening PUS, correlation between suspected Mullerian anatomy and the screening PUS findings, and the likelihood of identifying other gynecologic findings at the time of screening PUS in patients with ARMs. Methods Our institution has 112 post-thelarche females with ARM. After IRB approval, we performed a retrospective chart review of this cohort's medical records for demographics, suspected Mullerian anatomy (identified by previous imaging, either an MRI or US, and/or intraoperative findings), whether a screening PUS was performed, the PUS findings, and subsequent gynecologic interventions. Patient characteristics were reported as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and compared using the nonparametric chi-square test. A significance threshold of p Results Of the 112 patients reviewed, 80 (71.4%) patients received the recommended post-thelarche screening PUS with a compliance rate of 71.4% (p Conclusions Our overall compliance rate with the recommended post-thelarche screening PUS was high (71.4%), correlated well with suspected Mullerian anatomy (96.3%), and changed the clinical management of 9 (11%) of patients. A post-thelarche screening PUS is valuable in the ARM population to stratify the risk of menstrual outflow obstruction, define Mullerian anatomy unknown prior to puberty, and diagnose gynecology abnormalities that required medical or surgical intervention. A prospective controlled study is necessary to confirm these findings.
Disparities in access to food and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related outcomes: a cross-sectional analysis.

Millions of Americans are living in food deserts in the United States, however the role of the local food environment on COPD has not been studied. The aim of this study is to determine the association between food deserts and COPD-related outcomes. In this cross-sectional analysis we linked data collected from SPIROMICS (SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study) between 2010 and 2015 and food desert data, defined as an underserved area that lacks access to affordable healthy foods, from the Food Access Research Atlas. COPD outcomes include percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), 6-min walk distance test (6MWD), exacerbations, and air trapping. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the association between living in food deserts and respiratory outcomes, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, income, marital status, BMI, smoking status, pack years, and urban status Among 2713 participants, 22% lived in food deserts. Participants living in food deserts were less likely to be white and more likely to have a lower income than those who did not live in food deserts. In the adjusted model controlling for demographics and individual income, living in food deserts was associated lower FEV1% (β = – 2.51, P = 0.046), higher air trapping (β = 2.47, P = 0.008), worse SGRQ (β = 3.48, P = 0.001) and CAT (β = 1.20, P = 0.003) scores, and 56% greater odds of severe exacerbations (P = 0.004). Results were consistent when looking at food access alone, regardless of whether participants lived in low income areas. Findings suggest an independent association between food desert and food access alone with COPD outcomes. Health program planning may benefit from addressing disparities in access to food.
Volume Resuscitation and Progression to Organ Failure in Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection in Adults.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection is associated with dysentery and the hemolytic uremic syndrome, marked by the triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, acute kidney failure, and thrombocytopenia. Descriptions of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreaks causing hemolytic uremic syndrome in adults are sparse, and management strategies are largely adapted from pediatric literature where aggressive fluid administration is recommended. However, these may not be ideal for adults. DESIGN We present a case series of an Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreak in U.S. Marine Corps recruits. SETTING We review the clinical course, laboratory data, and fluid resuscitation used in hospitalized patients during the 2017 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreak at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. PATIENTS Patients admitted to the hospital for complications from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection. All were previously healthy men between the ages of 17 and 20 years. INTERVENTIONS Isotonic crystalloid fluid resuscitation during the first 72 hours. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Of 244 identified cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection, 30 required hospitalization, 15 progressed to hemolytic uremic syndrome, and five required hemodialysis. Patients were admitted and given aggressive IV fluid hydration. Those who progressed to hemolytic uremic syndrome received on average 8.4 L of isotonic crystalloid over the initial 72 hours, with up to 18% of body weight delivered. The six critically ill patients received a mean 12.2 L in the first 72 hours. Those who did not progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome received a mean 3.0 L of crystalloid. If oligoanuria developed, a net-even fluid balance was maintained. The amount of volume infused was not associated with improved outcomes. The patients with the highest fluid balance totals more often required dialysis than those who received less fluid. One hemolytic uremic syndrome patient developed flash pulmonary edema. CONCLUSIONS The aggressive IV hydration protocols (as a percentage of body weight) in the pediatric literature may not be applicable to adults diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome. A more conservative fluid strategy in adults with hemolytic uremic syndrome merits further investigation.
Li4Ti5O12 spinel anodes

Li4Ti5O12 spinel was initially investigated as a cathode material for a rechargeable lithium battery. It was later successfully exploited as an anode by the lithium-ion battery industry to provide safe, high power but low energy density cells relative to those with graphite/carbon anodes.
The Impact of Choosing Wisely Interventions on Low-Value Medical Services: A Systematic Review.

Policy Points Dissemination of Choosing Wisely guidelines alone is unlikely to reduce the use of low-value health services. Interventions by health systems to implement Choosing Wisely guidelines can reduce the use of low-value services. Multicomponent interventions targeting clinicians are currently the most effective types of interventions. CONTEXT Choosing Wisely aims to reduce the use of unnecessary, low-value medical services through development of recommendations related to service utilization. Despite the creation and dissemination of these recommendations, evidence shows low-value services are still prevalent. This paper synthesizes literature on interventions designed to reduce medical care identified as low value by Choosing Wisely and evaluates which intervention characteristics are most effective. METHODS We searched peer-reviewed and gray literature from the inception of Choosing Wisely in 2012 through June 2019 to identify interventions in the United States motivated by or using Choosing Wisely recommendations. We also included studies measuring the impact of Choosing Wisely on its own, without interventions. We developed a coding guide and established coding agreement. We coded all included articles for types of services targeted, components of each intervention, results of the intervention, study type, and, where applicable, study quality. We measured the success rate of interventions, using chi-squared tests or Wald tests to compare across interventions. FINDINGS We reviewed 131 articles. Eighty-eight percent of interventions focused on clinicians only; 48% included multiple components. Compared with dissemination of Choosing Wisely recommendations only, active interventions were more likely to generate intended results (65% vs 13%, p < 0.001) and, among those, interventions with multiple components were more successful than those with one component (77% vs 47%, p = 0.002). The type of services targeted did not matter for success. Clinician-based interventions were more effective than consumer-based, though there is a dearth of studies on consumer-based interventions. Only 17% of studies included a control arm. CONCLUSIONS Interventions built on the Choosing Wisely recommendations can be effective at changing practice patterns to reduce the use of low-value care. Interventions are more effective when targeting clinicians and using more than one component. There is a need for high-quality studies that include active controls.
Moving Encounters With Spatial Racism: Walking in San Jose Japantown:

In this article, I address how walking as a curatorial practice of storying a neighborhood facilitates an irreducible politics of place occurring as affective intensities at various registers, wher...
Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure modifies sex-specific CRFR1 activity in the central amygdala and anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among individuals with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and adolescent rodents demonstrate anxiety-like behavior following moderate PAE on Gestational Day (G) 12. A likely systemic target of PAE is the stress peptide corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), as activation of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) in the medial nucleus of the central amygdala (CeM) is known to increase anxiety-like behavior in adults. To determine if CRF-CRFR1 interactions underly PAE-induced anxiety, functional changes in CRF system activity were investigated in adolescent male and female Sprague Dawley rats following G12 PAE. Compared to air-exposed controls, PAE increased basal spontaneous (s) inhibitory post-synaptic current (IPSC) frequency in the CeM of males, but not females. Furthermore, PAE blunted CRFR1-regulated miniature (m) IPSCs in a sex- and dose-specific manner, and only PAE males demonstrated tonic CRFR1 activity in the CeM. It was further determined that G12 PAE decreased CRFR1 mRNA in the CeM of males while increasing regional expression in females. Finally, infusion of a CRFR1 agonist into the CeM of adolescents produced a blunted expression of CRFR1-induced anxiety-like behavior exclusively in PAE males, mirroring the blunted physiology demonstrated by PAE males. Cumulatively, these data suggest that CRFR1 function within the CeM is age- and sex-specific, and PAE not only increases the expression of anxiety-like behavior, but may reduce the efficacy of treatment for PAE-induced anxiety through CRFR1-associated mechanisms. Therefore, future research will be necessary to develop targeted treatment of anxiety disorders in individuals with a history of PAE.
A Framework for Robust Multivariable Optimization of Integrated Circuits in Space Applications

Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design for space applications involves multiple challenges of maximizing performance, minimizing power and ensuring reliable operation in extreme environments. This is a complex multidimensional optimization problem which must be solved early in the development cycle of a system due to the time required for testing and qualification severely limiting opportunities to modify and iterate. Manual design techniques which generally involve simulation at one or a small number of corners with a very limited set of simultaneously variable parameters in order to make the problem tractable are inefficient and not guaranteed to achieve the best possible results within the performance envelope defined by the process and environmental requirements. What is required is a means to automate design parameter variation, allow the designer to specify operational constraints and performance goals, and to analyze the results in a way which facilitates identifying the tradeoffs defining the performance envelope over the full set of process and environmental corner cases. The system developed by the Mixed Signal ASIC Group (MSAG) at the Goddard Space Flight Center is implemented as framework of software modules, templates and function libraries. It integrates CAD tools and a mathematical computing environment, and can be customized for new circuit designs with only a modest amount of effort as most common tasks are already encapsulated. Customization is required for simulation test benches to determine performance metrics and for cost function computation. Templates provide a starting point for both while toolbox functions minimize the code required. Once a test bench has been coded to optimize a particular circuit, it is also used to verify the final design. The combination of test bench and cost function can then serve as a template for similar circuits or be re-used to migrate the design to different processes by re-running it with the new process specific device models. The system has been used in the design of time to digital converters for laser ranging and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to optimize analog, mixed signal and digital circuits such as charge sensitive amplifiers, comparators, delay elements, radiation tolerant dual interlocked (DICE) flip-flops and two of three voter gates.
A comparison of fear-avoidance beliefs in patients with lumbar spine pain and cervical spine pain.

Study design A prospective consecutive cohort study of patients with cervical spine pain and patients with lumbar spine pain referred to an academic medical center. Objectives To investigate the presence of fear-avoidance beliefs in a sample of patients with cervical spine pain and to compare the association of pain intensity, disability, and fear-avoidance beliefs in patients with cervical spine pain with that in patients with lumbar spine pain. Summary of background data Fear-avoidance beliefs are a specific psychosocial variable involved in the development of disability from low back pain. Psychosocial variables are believed to play a role in cervical disability, but specific variables have not been investigated. Methods Consecutive patients referred to a multidisciplinary center completed self-reports of disability, pain intensity, and fear-avoidance beliefs during an initial evaluation session. Gender, type of symptom onset, acuity, and payer source were also recorded. Associations between disability, pain intensity, and fear-avoidance beliefs were investigated in patients with cervical spine pain and patients with lumbar spine pain. Results In all, 163 patients completed the self-reports and were included in this study. Weaker relations between fear-avoidance beliefs and disability were found in patients with cervical pain than in those with lumbar pain. Significant differences in fear-avoidance beliefs were found for gender, type of symptom onset, and payer source (workers' compensation, auto insurance, and traditional insurance). Conclusion The associations among fear-avoidance beliefs, pain intensity, and disability differed between patients with cervical spine pain and patients with lumbar spine pain. Fear-avoidance beliefs were significantly different in subgroups of patients.
Alternative Approaches to Modeling time Variation in the Case of the U.S. Real Interest Rate

This paper compares three approaches for modeling time variation in the U.S. real interest rate: a three-state Markov switching model as estimated by Garcia and Perron (1994), a random-walk model with two-state Markov switching variance, and a time-varying parameter model with two-state Markov switching variance. The findings are generally supportive of modeling continual change in the mean of the real rate process rather than employing a model that limits variation in the mean to a specified number of states.
Skin temperature regulation: the effects of suggestion and feedback.

This study focuses on the effects of visual digital feedback and verbal suggestions on an individual's ability to increase hand skin temperature. In this 2×2 factorial design, thirty-eight college students were assigned to conditions receiving feedback or no feedback and suggestions or no suggestions. Subjects receiving suggestions heard a tape recorded imagery phrase related to increasing hand temperature; subjects in the no-suggestion condition received neutral phrases of electronic definitions. All subjects participated in three training sessions. Analysis of the third session indicated an interaction effect; post hoc analysis indicated a significant difference between subjects receiving feedback with suggestion and subjects receiving feedback and no suggestion. The results suggest that the ability to increase skin temperature may require the concomitant use of feedback and suggestion.
Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene encoding a 45-kilodalton protein, elongation factor Tu, from Chlamydia trachomatis serovar F.

Abstract The gene encoding a 45-kDa protein (45K) of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar F was cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Alignment of the deduced peptide sequence with E. coli elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) demonstrated 69% identity. The 45K was recognized by a Chlamydia genus-specific monoclonal antibody GP-45 and cross-reacted with a monospecific polyclonal antibody to E. coli EF-Tu. Purified recombinant 45K has the capability to bind GDP, and the binding was enhanced in the presence of E. coli elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts). The GDP binding was specifically inhibited by the monoclonal antibody GP-45. These data suggest that the 45K is a chlamydial EF-Tu, and it forms a functional complex with E. coli EF-Ts protein.
Immunotoxicity Testing: An Economical Multiple-Assay Approach

Abstract A model for assessing immunotoxicologic effects of chemicals and drugs was developed in the Sprague-Dawley rat whereby multiple concomitant immunoassays were performed in a single animal. The multiple parameters of immunity assessed in each rat included T cell-dependent IgG antibody production, delayed hypersensitivity, natural killer cell cytotoxicity, and production of three potent immune regulating immunocytokines: macrophage-derived interleukin 1 and prostaglandin E 2 , and lymphocyte-derived interleukin 2. Splenocyte and resident peritoneal macrophage numbers were also quantitated and spleen and thymus weights recorded. The sensitivity of this animal model was tested by treating rats with the immune-potentiating drugs, NPT 15392 (erythro-9-[2-hydroxy,3-nonyl]hypoxanthine) and avridine ( N,N -dioctadecyl- N′,N′ -bis-[2-hydroxyethyl]propanediamine, or the immune-suppressive drugs, cyclophosphamide ( N,N -bis[2-chloroethyl]tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorin-2-amine-2-oxide) and dexamethasone. Rats treated with NPT 15392 or avridine generally had enhanced immune responses, while those treated with cyclophosphamide or dexamethasone had decreased immune responses. Differential responsiveness of various immunocyte populations within individual rats to different drugs, or to doses of the same drug, indicates the efficacy of measuring multiple responses within the same animal. The multiassay-single animal approach represents an economical, versatile, sensitive, and relatively comprehensive paradigm for assessing immunotoxicologic/pharmacologic properties of chemicals and drugs. The approach is extremely economical since multiple immune responses are evaluated in each animal. The approach is versatile because it is amenable to incorporation of a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays and could be applied to almost any species. The model is relatively comprehensive because major types of immune responses/immunocyte populations and immunoregulatory pathways are tested. Finally, the model is sensitive for detecting immunosuppression as well as immunoenhancement, as validated by the use of known immune response modifiers in this study.
Folate in demethylation: The crystal structure of the rat dimethylglycine dehydrogenase complexed with tetrahydrofolate.

Dimethylglycine dehydrogenase (DMGDH) is a mammalian mitochondrial enzyme which plays an important role in the utilization of methyl groups derived from choline. DMGDH is a flavin containing enzyme which catalyzes the oxidative demethylation of dimethylglycine in vitro with the formation of sarcosine (N-methylglycine), hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde. DMGDH binds tetrahydrofolate (THF) in vivo, which serves as an acceptor of formaldehyde and in the cell the product of the reaction is 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate instead of formaldehyde. To gain insight into the mechanism of the reaction we solved the crystal structures of the recombinant mature and precursor forms of rat DMGDH and DMGDH-THF complexes. Both forms of DMGDH reveal similar kinetic parameters and have the same tertiary structure fold with two domains formed by N- and C-terminal halves of the protein. The active center is located in the N-terminal domain while the THF binding site is located in the C-terminal domain about 40A from the isoalloxazine ring of FAD. The folate binding site is connected with the enzyme active center via an intramolecular channel. This suggests the possible transfer of the intermediate imine of dimethylglycine from the active center to the bound THF where they could react producing a 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. Based on the homology of the rat and human DMGDH the structural basis for the mechanism of inactivation of the human DMGDH by naturally occurring His109Arg mutation is proposed.
THE CHALLENGE OF THE FUTURE TO THESCIENCE‐RELIGION DIALOGUE

. Zygon and the Center for Advanced Study in Religionand Science have exhibited two foci: the theoretical, concernedwith questions of cosmology and human nature, and the practical, concerned with issues of morality and ritual. These foci overlap, but in recent years interest in the practical has increased. This hasimplications for science-religion dialogue: rather than simply dis-cussing theoretically points of identity, similarity, and differencebetween science and religion, focus on the practical leads to exa-mining how each functions in its own way to inform moral life.Increased interest in the practical is commendable, but theoreticalconcerns should not be excluded.
Conclusion Li Hung-chang: An Assessment

China in the year 1775 was a great empire. Under the long and dynamic reigns of the K'ang-hsi and Ch'ien-lung emperors the country had expanded its boundaries in all directions. It had a long and illustrious history. Its population, largest by far among all other peoples for centuries, enjoyed a relatively high standard of living. China was powerful, rich, and the cynosure of all the world, or so it seemed. Yet by 1900 the nation had been utterly humiliated, her sacred capital of Peking defiled under the boots of the eight "barbarian" nations in the wake of the Boxer debacle. By then, world opinion regarded China as another fading empire like that of the Persians, the Romans, and the Ottomans; the self-assurance of the Chinese themselves was severely shaken. The nineteenth century was a tragic period in Chinese history.
How Do You Know If the Informant is Telling the Truth

Research workers who deal with interview data frequently are asked the question: "How do you know if the informant is telling the truth?" If they are experienced research workers, they frequently push aside the question as one asked only by those unsophisticated in the ways of research. But the persistence with which it comes up suggests that we take it seriously and try to formulate it in respectable terms.
Dynamically reconfigurable optical morphological processor and its applications

An innovative optically implemented morphological processor is introduced. With the use of a large space-bandwidth-product Dammann grating and a high-speed shutter spatial light modulator, effective structuring element with large size and arbitrary shape can be constructed with dynamic reconfigurability. This reconfigurability is a major improvement over the conventional correlator-based morphological processor in which fixed holographic filters are used as structuring elements (Casasent and Botha, 1988). A novel two-dimensional thresholding photodetector array, capable of performing parallel thresholding and feedback, is utilized in this system and makes possible the implementation of many complex morphological operations requiring iterative feedbacks and full programmability. The optical architecture and the principle of operation are presented. Experimental demonstration of binary image morphological erosion, dilation, opening, and closing are also demonstrated. A technique for extending this technique to gray-scale image using thresholding decomposition technique is also discussed.
Kindled non-convulsive behavioral seizures, analogous to primates. A 24th case of ‘limbic psychotic trigger reaction’: Bizarre parental infanticide —might nonvoluntariness during LPTR become objectified by primate model?

Limbic psychotic trigger reaction (LPTR) includes paroxysmal, out-of-character, motiveless, unplanned felonies (or similarly bizarre social misbehavior), all committed during flat affect, autonomic arousal and a fleeting de novo psychosis. A transient limbic hyperactivation is implicated that impairs prefrontal monitoring (judgment, planning, intent, volition, emotional participation) but preserves memory for the acts. It is hypothesized that LPTR implicates an atavistic regression to a limbic ‘paleo-consciousness’, exemplified by a 24th patient (parental infanticide), presented herein. He had closed head injury and borderline abnormal posterior brain pathology (EEG/CT), which might have contributed to his unusually numerous visual hallucinations.
Thermodynamics of Binary and Ternary Ion Exchange in Zeolites: The Exchange of Sodium, Ammonium and Potassium Ions in Mordenite

In many ion exchanges that involve zeolites, more than two types of exchanging ions are involved. Most work to date has been concerned with equilibria involving two different types of ion only. In this paper, a recently devised thermodynamic treatment for exchange equilibria involving three ions is tested experimentally. In section 1 the most important aspects of this thermodynamic model are discussed, and after this the experimental techniques necessary to obtain a ternary exchange isotherm are summarized. Data for three binary exchanges in synthetic mordenite are presented in section 3 (the ion pairs Na-NH$\_{4}$, NA-K and K-NH$\_{4}$) together with a ternary isotherm obtained for the simultaneous exchange of Na$^{+}$, NH$\_{4}^{+}$ and K$^{+}$ ions in the same zeolite, all data being measured at a temperature of 25 degrees C. After some general considerations in section 4 on the nature of non-ideality in the zeolite phase and its effects on the variation of observed ion selectivities as a function of exchanger composition, the experimental data are next used to test, first, the validity, and secondly the range of applicability of numerous models found in the literature, all of which attempt to predict multicomponent exchange equilibria from binary exchange data alone. In section 5 models that were developed primarily with ion exchange resins in mind are discussed (Soldatov & Bychkova 1980). In section 6 approaches that attempt to predict, from binary activity data, the coefficients of ternary exchanger systems are considered, especially those that have been used with some success on clays (Elprince & Babcock 1975; Chu & Sposito 1981). All of these models are shown to be, at best, only partially successful in predicting experimental data for the comparatively simple Na-NH$\_{4}$-K-mordenite exchange system. The use of zeolites seems, therefore, to introduce additional complications. The recently developed model of Fletcher & Townsend (1981 b) is next used to determine directly the exchanger phase activity coefficients $\phi \_{\text{Na}}$, $\phi \_{\text{NH}\_{4}}$ and $\phi \_{\text{K}}$, and these are indeed found to vary with the exchanger phase composition in a complicated manner. Finally, in section 8, the observed non-ideality of the ternary exchange system is rationalized in terms of site heterogeneity within the zeolite framework, and the consequences of this phenomenon are discussed, particularly with respect to the problems this presents in the successful prediction of multicomponent exchange phenomena, when only a limited quantity of data are available.
Effects of L/N-type calcium channel antagonist, cilnidipine on progressive renal injuries in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

The sympathetic nerve activity plays an important role on the renal function through the vasoactive system and the renin-angiotensin system. Although interest in the renal protective effects of anti-sympathetic agents has been increased, there are not enough data to clarify this efficiency. Therefore, we investigated the effects of L/N-type calcium channel antagonist, cilnidipine on progressive renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats. Male Dahl S rats (6 weeks of age) were fed a high salt (4% NaCl) diet. They were divided into groups with similar blood pressure at 12 weeks of age and they received vehicle (n=7) or cilnidipine (30 mg/kg/d as food admix, n=9) for 8 weeks. Cilnidipine treatment suppressed the increase in systolic blood pressure. Although urinary protein excretion was not influenced, cilnidipine inhibited the increase in blood urea nitrogen and decrease in creatinine clearance. Histological investigation revealed that progression of gromerular sclerosis was inhibited in cilnidipine treatment group. Of notes, cilnidipine reduced plasma norepinephrine level and plasma rennin activity compared with vehicle-treated Dahl S rats. These data indicated that cilnidipine has suppressive effects against progressive renal injury in Dahl S rats. This effect is not only explained by the L-type calcium channel blocking action that lowered blood pressure, but also partially explained by the N-type calcium channel blocking action that lead to suppression of the sympathetic nerve activity and renin-angiotensin system.
Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Stimulates Post-translational Activation of Glucokinase in Pancreatic β Cells

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells, yet does not directly stimulate secretion. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are incompletely understood. Here, we report that GLP-1 augments glucose-dependent rises in NAD(P)H autofluorescence in both βTC3 insulinoma cells and islets in a manner consistent with post-translational activation of glucokinase (GCK). GLP-1 treatment increased GCK activity and enhanced GCK S-nitrosylation in βTC3 cells. A 2-fold increase in S-nitrosylated GCK was also observed in mouse islets. Furthermore, GLP-1 activated a FRET-based GCK reporter in living cells. Activation of this reporter was sensitive to inhibition of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS), and incorporating the S-nitrosylation-blocking V367M mutation into this sensor prevented activation by GLP-1. GLP-1 potentiation of the glucose-dependent increase in islet NAD(P)H autofluorescence was also sensitive to a NOS inhibitor, whereas NOS inhibition did not affect the response to glucose alone. Expression of the GCK(V367M) mutant also blocked GLP-1 potentiation of the NAD(P)H response to glucose in βTC3 cells, but did not significantly affect metabolism of glucose in the absence of GLP-1. Co-expression of WT or mutant GCK proteins with a sensor for insulin secretory granule fusion also revealed that blockade of post-translational GCK S-nitrosylation diminished the effects of GLP-1 on granule exocytosis by ∼40% in βTC3 cells. These results suggest that post-translational activation of GCK is an important mechanism for mediating the insulinotropic effects of GLP-1.
Abstract 2337: Effect of embryonic stem (ES) cell-conditioned microenvironment on the reprogramming of human cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC During embryonic development, the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in the regulation of stem cells to different lineages, cell migration and proliferation. A recently developed 3-dimensional (3D) ES-conditioned matrigel matrix culture of metastatic melanoma cells induces reprogramming and differentiation. However, although the ES-cell conditioned microenvironment induces melanoma cell reprogramming to suppress invasive behavior, the mechanisms have not yet been clearly understood. To investigate the effect of the cancer cell microenvironment, we hypothesized that 1) the microenvironment might induce nuclear reprogramming; 2) microenvironment-induced reprogramming might affect cell proliferation; 3) microenvironment-induced reprogramming might induce differentiation-mediated cellular senescence; and 4) microenvironment-induced reprogramming causes a loss of anchorage-independent cell growth, which is a hallmark of cancer cell properties. Here, we found that the ES-conditioned 3D-microenvironment induced a dramatic change in the morphology of A431 human skin epidermoid carcinoma cells and SK-MEL-28 human skin malignant melanoma cells. In the anchorage-independent cell growth assay, we found that A431 and SK-MEL-28 cells grown in the 3D ES-conditioned microenvironment exhibited dramatically decreased colony growth in soft agar. Real time PCR analysis indicated that ES-conditioned microenvironment suppressed endogenous Oct4 and Nanog gene expression in A431 and SK-MEL-28 cells and inhibited c-jun and c-fos promoter activities, which are components of the AP-1 transcriptional factor complex. Very importantly, we found that the ES cell-conditioned microenvironment inhibited telomerase activity, resulting in the induction of cellular senescence in human skin melanoma cells. We found that ES-conditioned medium contained a greater amount of Gremlin, a natural inhibitor of TGF-β signaling. Gremlin treatment of A431 and SK-MEL-28 cells induced morphological changes as observed in the 3D ES-conditioned matrigel matrix. Our results demonstrated that the ES-cell conditioned microenvironment inhibited proliferation and induced cellular senescence of A431 and SK-Mel-28 cells through the inhibition of TGF-β signaling by Gremlin. Furthermore, our data strongly suggests that modulation of TGF-β signaling in the cancer microenvironment is a potential strategy to modulate cancer cell behaviors and properties. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2337.
Perceptions of Peacebuilding: The Dynamic of Imposer and Imposed Upon

The role of perception has a significant effect in cases of contemporary peacebuilding. Because the circumstances in which it takes place are highly polarized, groups within the target society tend to be distrustful of change, convinced of their victimization, and suspicious of reforms that do not satisfy the demands of their ethnic, religious, or cultural group. Those factors can lead to resentment against international efforts, especially when reforms require compromise, and a perception that change is externally enforced. A sense of imposition or broken promises can result and spark a local backlash that undermines the legitimacy of reforms and may even result in violence. Because local support is crucial to peacebuilding's success we need to analyze these perceptual challenges more closely. By learning to understand the role of perception in this non-traditional context we may be able to anticipate the cycle of action and response and prevent it from turning to violence.
Good Evaluation Measures: More Than Their Psychometric Properties

In this commentary, we examine Braverman's insights into the trade-offs between feasibility and rigor in evaluation measures and reject his assessment of the trade-off as a zero-sum game. We, argue...