cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjunctive use of C-arm CT may eliminate technical failure in adrenal vein sampling.

Purpose To examine whether the use of C-arm computed tomography (CT) during adrenal vein sampling improves the technical success rate of the procedure. Materials and Methods Nine consecutive patients with suspected primary hyperaldosteronism underwent standard adrenal vein sampling that included cortisol stimulation. The procedure was augmented with multiplanar C-arm CT images reconstructed from data acquired during a 180° C-arm rotation. Whenever C-arm CT images showed the sampling catheter to be in the wrong position, the catheter was repositioned. Cortisol response was correlated to C-arm CT findings. Results All patients had successful and diagnostic adrenal vein sampling. C-arm CT showed sampling catheter malposition in two patients (22%). Repeat C-arm CT after repositioning showed proper catheter location. Cortisol stimulation results and C-arm CT findings were concordant in 100% of cases. Conclusions C-arm CT is reliable in confirming the location of sampling catheters during adrenal vein sampling. If the 100% concordance between cortisol stimulation and C-arm CT findings is found in larger groups, the technical success rate may approach 100%. Cortisol stimulation may become obsolete and repeat procedures unnecessary, with significant time and cost savings.
Fluoxetine in pathologic skin-picking : Open-label and double-blind results

Various studies suggest that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be useful in treating pathologic skin-picking. The authors investigated the effectiveness of fluoxetine in treating this behavior. Fifteen subjects with clinically significant skin-picking were recruited by newspaper advertisement. They received 6 weeks of open-label treatment with fluoxetine. Responders were then randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind fluoxetine or placebo. Treatment effect was assessed with standardized rating scales. All 15 subjects completed open-label treatment, and 8 were responders. Of these eight, the four randomized to double-blind fluoxetine maintained clinically significant improvement. The four randomized to placebo returned to their baseline symptom level. Larger studies are needed to determine which individuals are likely to respond to fluoxetine and the relative effectiveness of fluoxetine, other SSRIs, and other forms of treatment.
A corpus-based analysis for the ordering of clause aggregation operators

To better understand the ordering of clause aggregation operators in a text generation application, we manually annotated a small corpus. The annotated corpus supports the preferred ordering of transformations that result in shorter surface expressions, such as adjectives over relative clauses. In addition, we were able to explain why paratactic operators are applied before and after hypotactic operators.
Enrichment of specific protozoan populations during in situ bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater

The importance of bacteria in the anaerobic bioremediation of groundwater polluted with organic and/or metal contaminants is well recognized and in some instances so well understood that modeling of the in situ metabolic activity of the relevant subsurface microorganisms in response to changes in subsurface geochemistry is feasible. However, a potentially significant factor influencing bacterial growth and activity in the subsurface that has not been adequately addressed is protozoan predation of the microorganisms responsible for bioremediation. In field experiments at a uranium-contaminated aquifer located in Rifle, CO, USA, acetate amendments initially promoted the growth of metal-reducing Geobacter species, followed by the growth of sulfate reducers, as observed previously. Analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences revealed a broad diversity of sequences closely related to known bacteriovorous protozoa in the groundwater before the addition of acetate. The bloom of Geobacter species was accompanied by a specific enrichment of sequences most closely related to the ameboid flagellate, Breviata anathema, which at their peak accounted for over 80% of the sequences recovered. The abundance of Geobacter species declined following the rapid emergence of B. anathema. The subsequent growth of sulfate-reducing Peptococcaceae was accompanied by another specific enrichment of protozoa, but with sequences most similar to diplomonadid flagellates from the family Hexamitidae, which accounted for up to 100% of the sequences recovered during this phase of the bioremediation. These results suggest a prey–predator response with specific protozoa responding to increased availability of preferred prey bacteria. Thus, quantifying the influence of protozoan predation on the growth, activity and composition of the subsurface bacterial community is essential for predictive modeling of in situ uranium bioremediation strategies.
Integrative Couples Group Treatment for Emerging Adults With ADHD Symptoms

Abstract Preliminary evidence suggests that adaptations of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are promising interventions for adult ADHD, but few studies have specifically targeted emerging adults. Moreover, given that inaccurate self-appraisals are common among individuals with ADHD, there is reason to suspect that many emerging adults with elevated ADHD symptoms may respond better to interventions that include input from significant others. The present study tested the feasibility and acceptability of a novel program integrating components of CBT for adult ADHD with couples therapy to treat emerging adults with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms in the context of their romantic relationships. Fifteen couples including at least 1 emerging (18- to 35-year-old) adult with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms participated in an open trial of this 6-session, small-group integrated intervention. Primary analyses indicated that participant adherence to the integrated protocol was good and satisfaction ratings of the program content and delivery were high. Exploratory comparisons of effect sizes indicated that individuals with elevated ADHD symptoms reported fewer symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity following treatment, while participants with and without elevated ADHD symptoms indicated lower relationship impairment. Partner ratings corroborated some, but not all, areas of improvement. Though more rigorous investigations are sorely needed, preliminary findings highlight the potential utility of the integrative treatment for emerging adults with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms.
Iniciativa Bairros Críticos: Uma experiência em torno de modelos de governança na gestão do território

A Iniciativa "Bairros Criticos" pretende promover uma abordagem territorial integrada e compreensiva, pelo desenvolvimento de uma intervencao experimental em torno de modelos organizacionais alternativos de reabilitacao urbana. Entre os aspectos chave que orientam a iniciativa destaca-se uma forte coordenacao estrategica, com uma cooperacao interministerial e a elaboracao de planos de intervencao focalizados nos diagnosticos dos territorios e desenhados a nivel local pelo conjunto de parceiros locais. A Iniciativa enquadra-se numa nova politica de cidades, que estende o conceito tradicional de reabilitacao urbana a um dominio mais vasto que articule a perspectiva economica, social e ambiental e assegure a coesao social e qualidade de vida, atraves da inovacao organizacional e de modelos de governanca resultantes da adopcao da intervencao a realizar como um projecto conjunto dos varios actores do territorio.
Prediction of bile duct stones and complications in gallstone pancreatitis using early laboratory trends

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether early trends in the serum pancreatic enzymes and liver tests of patients with gallstone pancreatitis predict persistent common bile duct (CBD) stones and complications. METHODS: Medical records of patients with gallstone pancreatitis were reviewed retrospectively. Serial serum pancreatic enzymes and liver tests were recorded until the time of cholangiography. Laboratory trends were analyzed by comparing initial results obtained in the emergency department to subsequent results obtained 8-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h after presentation. RESULTS: Of 154 patients with gallstone pancreatitis, 28 (18%) had persistent CBD stones at cholangiography. Complications and death were more frequent in patients with persistent CBD stones than in those without CBD stones (29% and 11% vs 12% and 1%, respectively; p < 0.05). Laboratory trends predicted both persistent CBD stones and complications of pancreatitis. When any laboratory value rose between admission and 24-48 h of hospitalization, persistent CBD stones were present in 31% of cases, versus 8% of those in whom all laboratory values remained constant or fell (p = 0.001). Likewise, complications occurred in 21% of those with any rising laboratory value, versus 8% of those in whom all values remained constant or fell (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with gallstone pancreatitis and rising serum chemistries had a 4-fold risk of persistent CBD stones and a nearly 3-fold risk of complications compared to patients in whom all chemistry values remained constant or fell. This simple prediction rule may identify patients with biliary pancreatitis who are most likely to benefit from early interventions to diagnose and remove persistent CBD stones.
Recovery of the Hubble: Discovery, Cause, Characterization and Mitigation of the Aberration

This paper reviews the flow of the work, describes how the investigation proceeded, the processes used and describes the opto-mechanical repair, test and verification effort.
THE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING PROJECT: AN EXPERIMENT TO BUILD EVIDENCE AND TRUST

Abstract The Measures of Effective Teaching project has collected performance data using multiple indicators from over three thousand teachers across six urban districts. In the second year of the study, classes of students were randomly assigned to teachers in order to assess the impact of assignment bias on performance judgments. This article discusses the project rationale, design, preliminary findings, justification for the experiment, and details of the random assignment process. Results from the randomized trial will be released in a subsequent report.
Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into pancreatic endoderm in patterned size-controlled clusters

Pancreatic β-cells function optimally when clustered in islet-like structures. However, nutrient and oxygen deprivation limits the viability of cells at the core of excessively large clusters. Hence, production of functional β-cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for patients with diabetes would benefit from the growth and differentiation of these cells in size-controlled aggregates. In this study, we controlled cluster size by seeding hESCs onto glass cover slips patterned by the covalent microcontact-printing of laminin in circular patches of 120 μm in diameter. These were used as substrates to grow and differentiate hESCs first into SOX17-positive/SOX7-negative definitive endoderm, after which many clusters released and formed uniformly sized three-dimensional clusters. Both released clusters and those that remained attached differentiated into HNF1β-positive primitive gut tube-like cells with high efficiency. Further differentiation yielded pancreatic endoderm-like cells that co-expressed PDX1 and NKX6.1. Controlling aggregate size allows efficient production of uniformly-clustered pancreatic endocrine precursors for in vivo engraftment or further in vitro maturation.
GENOMIC STRUCTURE AND CHROMOSOME LOCATION OF THE MURINE PDE1B PHOSPHODIESTERASE GENE

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) catalyze the hydrolysis of cAMP and cGMP, thereby participating in regulation of the intracellular concentrations of these second messengers. The PDE1 family is defined by regulation of activity by calcium and calmodulin. We have cloned and characterized the mouse PDE1B gene, which encodes the 63-kDa calcium/calmodulin-dependent PDE (CaM-PDE), an isozyme that is expressed in the CNS in the olfactory tract, dentate gyrus, and striatum and may participate in learning, memory, and regulation of phosphorylation of DARPP-32 in dopaminergic neurons. We screened an I-129/SvJ mouse genomic library and identified exons 2–13 of the PDE1B gene that span 8.4 kb of genomic DNA. Exons range from 67 to 205 nucleotides and introns from 91 to 2250 nucleotides in length. Exon 1 was not present in the 3 kb of genomic DNA 5′ to exon 2 in our clones. The mouse PDE1B gene shares many similar or identical exon boundaries as well as considerable sequence identity with the rat PDE4B and PDE4D genes and the Drosophila dunce cAMP-specific PDE gene dnc, suggesting that these genes all arose from a common ancestor. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we localized the PDE1B gene to the distal tip of mouse Chromosome (Chr) 15.
Robotic surgery for adnexal masses in pregnancy

Adnexal masses are a common finding during pregnancy with an incidence of one in 600 pregnancies [1]. A simple cyst occurs in 76% of cases, compared to a multi-cystic or complex mass in 24% [2]. Simple-appearing cystic masses can be managed expectantly; however, rapid growth, complex ultrasonographic characteristics (papillary projections or solid components), or concerns over complications including ovarian torsion or hemorrhage may lead to surgical intervention [3]. Fortunately, only 1% of adnexal masses in pregnancy are malignant [4]. If surgical exploration is necessary, retrospective studies have demonstrated the feasibility, safety, and advantages of minimally invasive surgery over traditional open techniques [5, 6]. We conducted a literature search using Ovid MEDLINE 1950 to November week 4 2010 using the search terms ‘‘pregnancy, robotics, da Vinci’’ with restrictions to the English language. There were no publications describing the use of robotic surgery for adnexal masses in pregnancy.
Sporadic corticobasal syndrome due to FTLD-TDP

Sporadic corticobasal syndrome (CBS) has been associated with diverse pathological substrates, but frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 immunoreactive inclusions (FTLD-TDP) has only been linked to CBS among progranulin mutation carriers. We report the clinical, neuropsychological, imaging, genetic, and neuropathological features of GS, a patient with sporadic corticobasal syndrome. Genetic testing revealed no mutations in the microtubule associated protein tau or progranulin (PGRN) genes, but GS proved homozygous for the T allele of the rs5848 PGRN variant. Autopsy showed ubiquitin and TDP-43 pathology most similar to a pattern previously associated with PGRN mutation carriers. These findings confirm that FTLD-TDP should be included in the pathological differential diagnosis for sporadic CBS.
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF C-TYPE VIRAL GENE PRODUCTS OF VIRUS-NEGATIVE MOUSE CELLS

Antigens which immunologically cross-react with two mouse C-type viral polypeptides, p30 and p12, are present at very low levels in normal virus-negative mouse cells. These two antigens have been purified by 50–300-fold from cell extracts and shown to cochromatograph with the corresponding labeled viral polypeptides in several systems. Their type-specific antigenicities are shown to be distinct from those of previously tested MuLV isolates suggesting that they may be components of a new class of endogenous C-type virus. The methods utilized in the present studies for concentration of virus-specific antigens of normal mouse cells provide an approach for detection of C-type viral antigens in cells of other species.
Angiotensin II receptor blockade protects against the slow to fast fiber type shift and type I fiber atrophy in the rat soleus with 7 days of hindlimb unloading (LB804)

Reduced mechanical loading during spaceflight and immobilization results in weakening and atrophy of antigravity skeletal muscles. Data indicates that oxidative stress contributes to inactivity-ind...
Tardigrades of North America: Archechiniscus biscaynei, nov. sp. (Arthrotardigrada: Archechiniscidae), a Marine Tardigrade from Biscayne National Park, Florida

Abstract During the 2010 National Park Service BioBlitz at Biscayne National Park, Homestead, FL, barnacles were collected from a submerged mangrove log near the Park headquarters. From the washings of the crushed barnacles, Archechiniscus biscaynei nov. sp. was extracted. This new species can be distinguished by its lack of a median cirrus, its large peduncles at the base of the external claws, the rounded cephalic clava between the internal and external cephalic cirri, a club-shaped papilla above the base of leg IV, and bulbous papilla just above the claws on the anterior of legs I, II, and III. A table of comparison of characteristics among the four known species and a key to their identification are provided.
Lipogranulomatous Lymphangitis in Canine Intestinal Lymphangiectasia

Lipogranulomatous lymphangitis of the intestine occurred in four dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia. All four presented with chronic diarrhea; three had ascites and two had hypoalbuminemia. Lipogranulomas appeared in lymphatics, often at the point of mesenteric attachment, of small intestine, ileum, or ileum and colon. Mesenteric lymphatics were obstructed and villous lacteals were distended. Mesenteric lymph nodes of one dog contained large lipid spaces and that same animal had a solitary subcapsular lipogranuloma of the liver. This disorder is one of several that result in protein-losing enteropathy in dogs.
A Software System Development for Probabilistic Relational Database Applications for Biomedical Informatics

Probabilistic relational databases (PDB) have extended from the relational database model by incorporating probability measures to capture the data uncertainty associated with data items. There are many useful applications have been studied such as consolidation the results of market surveys for many major industries; improving internet comparison shopping; consolidating crime-fighting information from different witnesses. In BioCom'08, we have applied the probabilistic relational database techniques to the area of biomedical informatics. In this paper, we further present a software system development for probabilistic relational database web-based applications and services. Our discussions are focused on more biomedical informatics applications such as disease analysis, control and prevention; data mining and discovery on medical records; hospital information management.
Price reversal and drift following earnings announcements

Systematic patterns in returns following earnings announcements are difficult to interpret. This study provides additional insights into the observation of price reversal and drift by examining the effects of both the method used to identify winners and losers and also the length of the subsequent period analyzed. The results show that both drift and reversal can be observed for the same sample and event. This evidence indicates that security price behavior following earnings announcements, especially in the short-term, depends not only on the earnings information, as in the drift studies, but also on the price reaction to the earnings information.
Real-time model and convergence time of BGP

BGP allows routers to use general preference policies for route selection. This paper studies the impact of these policies on convergence time. We first describe a real-time model of BGP. We then state and prove a general theorem providing an upper bound on convergence time. Finally, we show how to the use the theorem to prove convergence and estimate convergence time in three case studies.
Diet modification alters plasma HDL cholesterol concentrations but not the transport of HDL cholesteryl esters to the liver in the hamster

These studies were undertaken to investigate the mechanism whereby diet modification alters the plasma concentration of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesteryl ester and apoA-I and to determine whether diet-induced alterations in circulating HDL levels are associated with changes in the rate of reverse cholesterol transport. Rates of HDL cholesteryl ester and apoA-I transport were measured in hamsters fed a control low-cholesterol, low-fat diet or the same diet supplemented with soluble fiber (psyllium) or with cholesterol and triglyceride (Western-type diet). The Western-type diet increased the plasma concentration of HDL cholesteryl ester by 46% compared to the control diet and by 86% compared to the psyllium-supplemented diet; nevertheless, the absolute rates of HDL cholesteryl ester transport to the liver were identical in the three groups. Diet-induced alterations in circulating HDL cholesteryl ester levels were due to changes in the rate of HDL cholesteryl ester entry into HDL (whole body HDL cholesteryl ester transport) and not to regulation of HDL cholesteryl ester clearance mechanisms. The Western-type diet increased the plasma concentration of HDL apoA-I by 25% compared to the control diet and by 45% relative to the psyllium-supplemented diet. Diet-induced alterations in plasma HDL apoA-I concentrations were also due entirely to changes in the rate of apoA-I entry into HDL (whole body HDL apoA-I transport). These studies demonstrate that the absolute flux of HDL cholesteryl ester to the liver, which reflects the rate of reverse cholesterol transport, remains constant under conditions in which plasma HDL cholesteryl ester concentrations are altered over a nearly 2-fold range by diet modification.
Practicing Medicine in a Technological Age: Using Smartphones in Clinical Practice

Mobile technology has the potential to revolutionize how physicians practice medicine. From having access to the latest medical research at the point of care to being able to communicate at a moment's notice with physicians and colleagues around the world, we are practicing medicine in a technological age. During recent years, many physicians have been simultaneously using a pager, cellular telephone, and personal digital assistant (PDA) to keep in communication with the hospital and to access medical information or calendar functions. Many physicians have begun replacing multiple devices with a "smartphone," which functions as a cellular telephone, pager, and PDA. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the currently available platforms that make up the smartphone devices and the available medical software. Each platform has its unique advantages and disadvantages, and available software will vary by device and is in constant flux.
Transmission Manager in Heterogeneous WSNs

The current generation of sensor networks are application-specific and exposed only to a limited set of users who need them. The new emerging IoT will run multiple applications that have diverse delay requirements for generated and received measurements. Transmission manager has been proposed for single application sensing infrastructures to get optimal transmission time for measurements with different timing requirements. In this paper, we propose a transmission manager that supports multiple applications with different timing requirements.We formulate the problem with Markov decision process and dynamically adjust transmission instances based on delay requirements of buffered packets. The results show that the proposed approach decreases the energy per bit by 47% on average while guarantee at most 7% of measurements expire before reaching the next node in the network. Under same conditions, other approaches have at most 30% expired measurements.
Minimally invasive specialists and rates of laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Background and objective Despite the prevalence of hysterectomy for treatment of benign gynecologic conditions, providers nationwide have been slow to adopt minimally-invasive surgical techniques. Our objective is to investigate the impact of a department for minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS) on the rate of laparoscopic hysterectomy at an academic community hospital without robotic technology. Methods This retrospective observational study included all patients who underwent hysterectomy for benign indications from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2012. The primary outcome was route of hysterectomy: open, laparoscopic, or vaginal. Secondary outcomes of interest included length of stay and factors associated with an open procedure. Results In 2004, only 24 (8%) of the 292 hysterectomies performed for benign conditions at Newton-Wellesley Hospital (NWH) were laparoscopic. The rate increased to more than 50% (189/365) by 2008, and, in 2012, 72% (316/439) of hysterectomies were performed via a traditional laparoscopic approach. By 2012, more than 93% (411/439) of all hysterectomies were performed in a minimally invasive manner (including total laparoscopic hysterectomy [TLH], laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy [LSH], total vaginal hysterectomy [TVH], and laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy [LAVH]). More than 85% of the hysterectomies at NWH in 2012 were outpatient procedures. By this time, the surgeon's preference or lack of expertise was rarely cited as a factor leading to open hysterectomy. Conclusions A large diverse gynecologic surgery department transformed surgical practice from primarily open hysterectomy to a majority (>72%) performed via the traditional laparoscopic route and a large majority (>93%) performed in a minimally invasive manner in less than 8 years, without the use of robotic technology. This paradigm shift was fueled by patient demand and by MIGS department surgical mentorship for generalist obstetrician/gynecologists.
A STAT3 decoy lures AML out of hiding.

The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is perhaps best known for its prosurvival effects in a wide variety of cancers, but for some, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), its role in immune evasion may be just as important. In this issue of Blood, Zhang et al1 report the development of an engineered STAT3 decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (dODN) that is stable in serum, is taken up specifically by target cells, and exerts its antileukemia effects largely by restoring the host anti-AML immune response.
Mechanical Properties and Porosity of Organo-Silicate Glass (OSG) Low-k Dielectric Films

Low-k material integration issues that plague the microelectronics industry include the compromise in mechanical properties that one incurs in abandoning fully dense silica dieletrics. Typical elastic moduli of OSG low-k dieletric films are 2-10 GPa with corresponding hardnesses of 0.5 to 1.5 GPa. In the present study, the hardness and elastic modulus properties measured by nanoindentation of porous silica based low-k films are correlated with in initial estimates of density using a novel technique of spectroscopic ellispsometry. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show the structural and chemical similarity of the films. Nanoindentation and spectroscopic ellipsometry results reflect significant deviations in material behavior from that expected from a simple model of silica (SiO 2 ) with included voids or porosity, suggesting that the methyl groups are actively participating in the mechanical and optical properties of the material.
Tandem Catalysis for the Preparation of Cylindrical Polypeptide Brushes

Here, we report a method for synthesis of cylindrical copolypeptide brushes via N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization utilizing a new tandem catalysis approach that allows preparation of brushes with controlled segment lengths in a straightforward, one-pot procedure requiring no intermediate isolation or purification steps. To obtain high-density brush copolypeptides, we used a "grafting from" approach where alloc-α-aminoamide groups were installed onto the side chains of NCAs to serve as masked initiators. These groups were inert during cobalt-initiated NCA polymerization and gave allyloxycarbonyl-α-aminoamide-substituted polypeptide main chains. The alloc-α-aminoamide groups were then activated in situ using nickel to generate initiators for growth of side-chain brush segments. This use of stepwise tandem cobalt and nickel catalysis was found to be an efficient method for preparation of high-chain-density, cylindrical copolypeptide brushes, where both the main chains and side chains can be prepared with controlled segment lengths.
The “Public Philosophy” of Organizations

A new instrument for measuring the beliefs, attitudes, or values held by the management of a firm with respect to its various publics is used in a field study of managers in 19 firms. This instrume...
Clinical application of cell transplantation in ophthalmology

Cell transplantation is an important procedure for tissue repairing.Clinical applications of cell transplantation in ophthalmology include retinal and iris pigment epithelium transplantation,corneal limbus stem cell transplantation,conjunctival epithelium transplantation and photoreceptor transplantation.The past,present and future status of cell transplantation in ophthalmology are reviewed.The indications,long-term results and potential side effects of cell transplantation in ophthalmology need to be further studied.The cell transplantation combination with stem cell engineering,gene engineering and tissue engineering has good prospect.
Budesonide Inhalation in Treatment of Children with Cough Variant Asthma

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of method of aerosol inhalation of budesonide in treatment of children with cough variant asthma. Methods The hospital from 2012 May to 2014 May were Suffering from cough variant asthma 60 cases were randomly divided into the observation group 30 cases and control group 30 cases, two groups were treated with bronchiectasis, relieving cough and phlegm and other comprehensive treatment, the control group plus fluticasone propionate Eph aerosol, every time1 spray inhalation, 2 times a day; the observation group received budesonide atomization inhalation of 1ml, 2 times daily clinical symptom index and curative effect comparison between the control group and the observation group patients. Results The total effective rate of observation group was 96.6%, control group, the total efficiency is 70%, the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05). Conclusion Budesonide atomization inhalation in the treatment of children cough variant asthma, can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of it.
Interaction of metronidazole with nucleic acids in vitro.

The binding of metronidazole [1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole] to nucleic acids was quantitated and characterized in vitro. [14C]Metronidazole was incubated with nucleic acid under various conditions, the nucleic acid and associated 14C were separated from lower molecular weight compounds by molecular sieve chromatography, and nucleic acid concentration and radioactivity were measured in the eluate. Maximum binding occurred when metronidazole was reduced by sodium dithionite in the presence of calf thymus DNA (0.73 molecule of drug per 103 nucleotides). Binding was significantly less if metronidazole was reduced prior to incubation with DNA, and did not occur with unreduced metronidazole. Binding of reductively activated metronidazole to bacterial and phage DNA and yeast tRNA was also demonstrated; it was 2 times greater to alkali-denatured than to native DNA, was less in the presence of MgCl2 or NaH2PO4 and at higher pH, and did not affect the melting temperature or renaturation profile of calf thymus DNA. While 15-30% of bound 14C was released by dialysis or rechromatography, the majority of the label remained complexed to nucleic acid under a variety of conditions known to dissociate noncovalent complexes. Studies with synthetic polynucleotides suggested binding specificity of reductively activated metronidazole for guanine and cytosine. Both unreduced and dithionite-reduced metronidazole bound to bovine serum albumin, and binding of the reduced drug was approximately 35% of binding to nucleic acids. The results indicate that reduction of metronidazole in vitro yields a short-lived, activated compound(s) which, while not cross-linking, binds largely in a covalent fashion primarily to guanine and cytosine of mammalian, bacterial, and phage DNA. This binding may have implications for the antimicrobial, mutagenic, and radiosensitizing actions of this drug.
Potent Induction of Human γ Globin Gene Expression by Largazole, a New Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor.

Abstract 2022 Poster Board I-1044 Previous studies have demonstrated that Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors such as butyrate and several short chain fatty acids, can induce fetal hemoglobin in humans and animal models; however induction of Hb F is achieved in relatively high concentrations of these compounds. We have previously investigated the induction of human γ globin gene activity by the prototypical HDAC inhibitor, FK228. The results demonstrated that FK228 is a more potent γ globin gene inducer compared to other HDAC inhibitors we have tested before (Am J Hematol. 12:981). In this study, we investigated the induction of human γ globin gene function of largazole and it9s thiol analogue in vitro in cultures of normal human adult BFUe and in vivo in the mice carrying a human γ globin transgene. Largazole is a HDAC inhibitor which was recently isolated from a marine vyanobacterium by Luesch and co-workers. Structural features of largazole, a macrocyclic depsopeptide, closely resemble those of FK228, FR901375 and spiruchostatin. We have reported that largazole and numerous synthetic analogues are highly potent Class I histone deacetylase inhibitors (J Am Chem Soc. 130:11219, J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Feb 4). We used flow cytometry to measure the in vitro effect of largazole and it9s derivatives on the frequency of HbF-positive erythroblasts in BFUe cultures from normal individuals; real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to measure the in vivo effects of largazole on human γ globin induction in γ transgenic mice carrying a human γ globin gene.. Our results show that largazole and it9s thiol derivative are potent γ hemoglobin gene inducers. In the human BFUe cultures, largazole increased the levels of fetal hemoglobin positive cells from 21.9% (control level) to 62.8% at a concentration of 0.1μM; largazole thiol increased the levels of fetal hemoglobin positive cells to 62.0% at a concentration of 1μM. Transgenic mice carrying the human μLCR A γ construct continue to express the human γ gene in the adult stage (Blood. 77:1326). Largazole was administered through IP injection at the dosages of 0.3mg/kg/day and 0.6mg/kg/day, 5 days per week, for 2 weeks to two cohorts of transgenic mice. Largazole at the dose of 0.3mg/kg/day increased the level of human γ mRNA at the end of injection by 160.7%; at a dose of 0.6mg/kg/day human γ mRNA increased by 174.7%. At the 0.6mg/kg/day dosage the level of fetal hemoglobin in the peripheral blood of the animals increased by 3.4 and 3.2 fold at day 21 and day 28, respectively. These results provide strong in vitro and in vivo evidence that Largazole and it9s thiol analogue are potent HbF inducers acting at low concentrations, and thus provide promising alternatives to compounds currently considered for induction of Hb F in patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Stress assignment in Hittite and Proto-Indo-European

This paper develops a new optimality theoretic analysis of lexical accent in Hittite (Anatolian, Indo-European). I demonstrate that Hittite synchronic stress assignment is consistent with Kiparsky and Halle's (1977) Basic Accentuation Principle, which assigns primary stress to the leftmost morpheme lexically specified for prosodic prominence or else to the left edge of a prosodic word. The Hittite evidence is thus shown to converge with Kiparsky and Halle's reconstruction of this principle for the common ancestor of the non-Anatolian Indo-European languages (i.e. Proto-Nuclear-Indo-European), and in view of this agreement, argued to be reconstructible for Proto-Indo-European itself.
Answering Old Questions: The Potential of Multilevel Models

A number of disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences address data that are quantitative and hierarchical. Examples include quantitative data on students who attend various schools, psychiatric patients who are treated by different mental health specialists, and workers who are employed by different types of firms. Longitudinal data are also hierarchical in the sense that data on individuals are collected at different time points. Similar to students being nested in schools, observations may be nested within individuals. This paper discusses a set of very useful statistical tools, known as multilevel models, that may be used to examine hierarchical data. It begins with a general description of these models and then provides specific examples that address common social science research issues. It also discusses software that makes these models available for even the novice social statistician.
Micro-signatures: The Effectiveness of Known Bad N-Grams for Network Anomaly Detection

Network intrusion detection is broadly divided into signature and anomaly detection. The former identifies patterns associated with known attacks and the latter attempts to learn a ‘normal’ pattern of activity and alerts when behaviors outside of those norms is detected. The n-gram methodology has arguably been the most successful technique for network anomaly detection. In this work we discover that when training data is sanitized, n-gram anomaly detection is not primarily anomaly detection, as it receives the majority of its performance from an implicit non-anomaly subsystem, that neither uses typical signatures nor is anomaly based (though it is closely related to both). We find that for our data, these “micro-signatures” provide the vast majority of the detection capability. This finding changes how we understand and approach n-gram based ‘anomaly’ detection. By understanding the foundational principles upon which it operates, we can then better explore how to optimally improve it.
Pre-diagnosis health-related quality of life, surgery, and survival in women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: A SEER-MHOS study

Objective Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been found to be associated with overall survival in women with ovarian cancer. However, previous studies assessed HRQOL after surgery within clinical trial populations only. The study goal was to determine the association of pre-cancer diagnosis HRQOL with the likelihood of receiving surgery and with overall survival in a national, population-based cohort of older women with advanced ovarian cancer.
The Influence of Relationship Power and Partner Communication on the Syndemic Factor among Hispanic Women.

Abstract Background This study expands research on the substance abuse, intimate partner violence, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and depression syndemic theory for Hispanic women. We hypothesized relationship power and partner communication would be related to the syndemic. Methods Data were used from the baseline assessment of an effectiveness trial of SEPA ( Salud /Health, Educacion /Education, Prevencion /Prevention, and Autocuidado /Self-care), an HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk reduction program for Hispanic women. Hispanic adult women ( n = 320) completed measures (in Spanish or English) of relationship power, partner communication about HIV, and acculturation. The syndemic was defined with a factor model of substance abuse, intimate partner violence, risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infection, and depression using structural equation modeling. Results Controlling for acculturation and education, relationship power was inversely related to the syndemic factor (β = −0.49, p p = .054). Acculturation and education were also related to the syndemic factor. These variables combined accounted for more than one-half (53%) of the variance in the syndemic factor. Conclusions Findings suggest the need to develop and test interventions that address the power dynamics of intimate relationships as a means of reducing health disparities among Hispanic women.
Attachment security mediates the longitudinal association between child-parent psychotherapy and peer relations for toddlers of depressed mothers

Numerous investigations have demonstrated that child-parent psychotherapy (CPP) promotes secure attachment between mothers and offspring. However, the role of postintervention attachment security as it relates to long-term child outcomes has never been evaluated. The present study therefore examined postintervention attachment status as a mediator of the association between CPP for depressed mothers and their offspring and subsequent peer relations among offspring. Depressed mothers and their toddlers were randomized to receive CPP (n = 45) or to a control group (n = 55). A prior investigation with this sample indicated that offspring who received CPP attained significantly higher rates of secure attachment postintervention, whereas insecure attachment continued to predominate for offspring in the control group. The present study examined follow-up data of teachers' reports on participants' competence with classroom peers when they were approximately 9 years old. Findings indicated that children who received CPP were more likely to evidence secure attachments at postintervention, which in turn was associated with more positive peer relationships at age 9.
Extubation to high-flow nasal cannula in critically ill surgical patients

Abstract Background High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is increasingly used to reduce reintubations in patients with respiratory failure. Benefits include providing positive end expiratory pressure, reducing anatomical dead space, and decreasing work of breathing. We sought to compare outcomes of critically ill surgical patients extubated to HFNC versus conventional therapy. Methods A retrospective review was conducted in the surgical intensive care unit of an academic center during August 2015 to February 2016. Data including demographics, ventilator days, oxygen therapy after extubation, reintubation rates, surgical intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and mortality were collected. Self and palliative extubations were excluded. Characteristics and outcomes, with the primary outcome being reintubation, were compared between those extubated to HFNC versus cool mist/nasal cannula (CM/NC). Results Of the 184 patients analyzed, 46 were extubated to HFNC and 138 to CM/NC. Mean age and days on ventilation before extubation were 57.8 years and 4.3 days, respectively. Both cohorts were similar in age, sex, and had a similar prevalence of cardiopulmonary diagnoses at admission. Although prior to extubation HFNC had lengthier ventilation requirements (7.1 versus 3.4 days, P Conclusions Ventilated patients at risk for recurrent respiratory failure have reduced reintubation rates when extubated to HFNC. Patients with prolonged intubation or those with high-risk comorbidities may benefit from extubation to HFNC.
A Novel Functional Splice Variant of AKT3 Defined by Analysis of Alternative Splice Expression in HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancers

The incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased more than 200% in the past 20 years. Recent genetic sequencing efforts have elucidated relevant genes in head and neck cancer, but HPV-related tumors have consistently shown few DNA mutations. In this study, we sought to analyze alternative splicing events (ASE) that could alter gene function independent of mutations. To identify ASE unique to HPV-related tumors, RNA sequencing was performed on 46 HPV-positive OPSCC and 25 normal tissue samples. A novel algorithm using outlier statistics on RNA-sequencing junction expression identified 109 splicing events, which were confirmed in a validation set from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Because the most common type of splicing event identified was an alternative start site (39%), MBD-seq genome-wide CpG methylation data were analyzed for methylation alterations at promoter regions. ASE in six genes showed significant negative correlation between promoter methylation and expression of an alternative transcriptional start site, including AKT3. The novel AKT3 transcriptional variant and methylation changes were confirmed using qRT-PCR and qMSP methods. In vitro silencing of the novel AKT3 variant resulted in significant growth inhibition of multiple head and neck cell lines, an effect not observed with wild type AKT3 knockdown. Analysis of ASE in HPV-related OPSCC identified multiple alterations likely involved in carcinogenesis, including a novel, functionally active transcriptional variant of AKT3. Our data indicate that ASEs represent a significant mechanism of oncogenesis with untapped potential for understanding complex genetic changes that result in development of cancer.
6.632 – Retina Reconstruction

In the body, tissues are formed to maintain order, organization, and optimization of function. This is particularly demonstrated in the retina, where the arrangement of cells into layers and arrays is a key element for efficient visual processing. Vision loss due to neuronal cell death represents one of the most difficult challenges in regenerative medicine, as these cells display little to no regeneration capacity. Although pharmacological therapies aimed at halting the progression of cell loss are being investigated, cell-based therapy is a promising strategy to not only rescue but also restore lost cells. With the promising development of a new source of retinal cells for transplantation, successful vision restoration is closer to becoming a reality. However, cell-based therapies have been limited by the poor survival of grafted cells upon transplantation to the subretinal space. Deterioration of the retinal microenvironment in advanced stages of retinal degeneration and the lack of signaling cues to allow for proper cell organization and function appear as some of the main challenges highlighting the need for a tissue-engineering approach to the problem of retinal restoration. By providing the appropriate mechanical and signaling cues, biomaterials can efficiently improve cellular differentiation and function.
Sorting Out the Complexities of Autoimmunity and Checkpoint Inhibitors: Not So Easy

Clinical use of checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy for cancer has grown rapidly: 6 approved agents are increasingly being used for a broad array of tumors. Abdel-Wahab and colleagues' systematic re...
Learning to teach online: Measuring the influence of faculty development training on teaching effectiveness through a TPACK lens

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine one model for training new online instructors and measure the influence it had on their teaching effectiveness and knowledge integration. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model served as the conceptual framework. Using a quantitatively-driven mixed-methods design, three data sources were used: (1) instructors' pre and post-training course syllabi, (2) pre and post-training student evaluations of teaching scores, and (3) results of a follow-up online survey. The findings of this study revealed that instructors demonstrated: (a) statistically significant changes in their incorporation of elements into the redesign of course syllabi and (b) improvements in their teaching abilities as self-reported in the follow-up survey. However, there were no significant changes in their student evaluations of teaching pre- and post-training. Overall, instructors demonstrated modest improvements in their teaching effectiveness.