cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic variation that predicts platinum sensitivity reveals the role of miR-193b* in chemotherapeutic susceptibility

Platinum agents are the backbone of cancer chemotherapy. Recently we identified and replicated the role of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs1649942) in predicting platinum sensitivity both in vitro and in vivo. Using the CEU samples from the International HapMap Project, we found the same SNP to be a master regulator of multiple gene expression phenotypes, prompting us to investigate whether rs1649942-mediated regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) may in part contribute to variation in platinum sensitivity. To these ends, sixty unrelated HapMap CEU I/II samples were utilized for our discovery-phase study using high-throughput genome-wide miRNA and gene expression profiling. Examining the relationships among rs1649942, its gene expression targets, genome-wide miRNA expression and cellular sensitivity to carboplatin and cisplatin, we identified 2 platinum-associated miRNAs (miR-193b* and miR-320) that inhibit the expression of five platinum-associated genes (CRIM1, IFIT2, OAS1, KCNMA1 and GRAMD1B). We further replicated the relationship between the expression of miR-193b*, CRIM1, IFIT2, KCNMA1 and GRAMD1B, and platinum sensitivity in a separate HapMap CEU III dataset. We then showed that over-expression of miR-193b* in a randomly selected HapMap cell line results in resistance to both carboplatin and cisplatin. This relationship was also found in 7 ovarian cancer cell lines from NCI60 dataset and confirmed in an ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR-3) that over-expression of miR-193b* leads to increased resistance to carboplatin. Our findings highlight a potential mechanism of action for a previously observed genotype-survival outcome association. Further examination of miR-193b* in platinum sensitivity in ovarian cancer is warranted.
Availability and Metabolism of Various Substrates in Ruminants. IV. Glucose Metabolism in the Young Calf and Growing Steer

Summary The glucose pool size, rate of utilization, and glucose space were measured in three young calves and three growing steers, using an isotope dilution technique. The pool size of glucose, when expressed in terms of grams per 100lb of body weight, was found to be 41% greater in the calves than in the steers, which agrees in magnitude with the recognized differences in whole blood glucose concentrations between young and older animals. These data suggest that differences in blood glucose concentrations reflect differences in pool size. The mean glucose space was approximately 11% higher in the calves than in the steers, averaging 32.0 and 20.7% of the body weight, respectively. These data indicate that the glucose space involves only the extracellular fluids. Glucose was utilized at a rate of 8.3 g/hr/100lb of body weight by the calves, whereas for the steers it was 4.7. This represents a 43% decrease in the rate of glucose utilization by the older animals and is of the same magnitude as the 41% difference obtained in pool size. These data are interpreted as suggesting that glucose utilization is dependent upon the amount available to the tissue.
The design of plane and axisymmetric nozzles by the method of integral relations

The problem of nozzle design in transonic flow is difficult because the governing equations are of mixed type, changing from elliptic in the low speed region near the nozzle entry to hyperbolic in the supersonic region near the exit.
Implementation of tracking controls for constrained discrete time-varying systems via receding horizon strategy

A receding horizon tracking control (RHTC) scheme is proposed for input and tracking-error constrained linear discrete time-varying systems. The control scheme is based on the minimization of a finite horizon cost function with finite terminal weighting matrices, which can easily be implemented by using linear matrix inequality optimization. The proposed RHTC scheme is discussed in terms of the asymptotic property, feasibility, and closed-loop stability. It is shown that imposing the zero control weighting matrix can guarantee the asymptotic property and feasibility for some special systems and tracking commands, and the closed-loop stability for discrete-time systems.
Clinical outcomes for the elderly patient receiving a tracheotomy

Background. Tracheotomies are routinely per- formed for severely ill and elderly patients with respiratory failure. This intervention is questioned, given the poor survival rate in this group. Outcomes analysis is performed after tracheotomy.
MFH classification: differentiating undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in the 21st century

The essence and origin of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) have been debated for now close to five decades. Originally characterized as a morphologically unique soft-tissue sarcoma subtype of unclear etiology in 1963, with a following 15 years of research only to conclude that “the issue of histogenesis [of MFH] is largely unresolvable”; it is “now regarded as synonymous with [high grade] undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and essentially represents a diagnosis of exclusion”. Yet despite this apparent lack of progress, the first decade of the 21st century has seen some significant progress in terms of defining the origins of MFH. Perhaps more importantly these origins might also pave the way for novel therapies. This manuscript will highlight MFH’s troubled history, discuss recent advances, and comment as to what the coming years may promise and what further needs to be done to make sure that progress continues.
Nutrient-Induced Stimulation of Protein Synthesis in Mouse Skeletal Muscle Is Limited by the mTORC1 Repressor REDD1

Background:In skeletal muscle, the nutrient-induced stimulatio no f protein synthesis requires signaling through the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Expression of the repressor of mTORC1 signaling, regulated in development and DNA damage 1 (REDD1), is elevated in muscle during various atrophic conditions and diminished under hypertrophic conditions. The question arises as to what extent REDD1 limits the nutrient-induced stimulation of protein synthesis. Objective:The objective here was to examine the role of REDD1 in limiting the response of muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling to a nutrient stimulus. Methods:Wild type REDD1 gene (REDD1 +/+ ) and disruption in the REDD1 gene (REDD1 2/2 ) mice were feed deprived for 16 h and randomized to remain feed deprived or refed for 15 or 60 min. The tibialis anterior was then removed for analysis of protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling. Results:In feed-deprived mice, protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling were significantly lower in REDD1 +/+ than in REDD1 2/2 mice. Thirty minutes after the start of refeeding, protein synthesis in REDD1 +/+ mice was stimulated by 28%, reaching a value similar to that observed in feed-deprived REDD1 2/2 mice, and was accompanied by increased phosphorylation of mTOR (Ser2448), p70S6K1 (Thr389), and 4E-BP1 (Ser65) by 81%, 167%, and 207%, respectively. In refed REDD1 2/2 mice, phosphorylation of mTOR (Ser2448), p70S6K1 (Thr389), and 4E-BP1 (Ser65) were significantly augmented above the values observed in refed REDD1 +/+ mice by 258%, 405%, and 401%, respectively, although protein synthesiswas not coordinately increased. Seventy-five minutes after refeeding, REDD1 expression in REDD1 +/+ mice was reduced (;15% of feed-deprived REDD1 +/+ values), and protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling were not different between refed REDD1 +/+ mice and REDD1 2/2 mice. Conclusions:The results show that REDD1 expression limits protein synthesis in mouse skeletal muscle by inhibiting mTORC1 signaling during periods of feed deprivation and that a reduction in its expression is necessary for maximal stimulation of protein synthesis in response to refeeding. JN utrdoi: 10.3945/jn.114.207621.
Promoting Effective Program Leadership in Psychology A Benchmarking Strategy

Although scholars have scrutinized many aspects of academic life in psychology, the topic of leadership for psychology programs has remained elusive. This article describes the importance of high-q...
Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for the Determination of Free Gossypol in Cottonseed Meal

This research was supported in part by grant 05-635GA from the Georgian Cotton Commission, Perry, GA
Z-138 cell line was derived from a patient with blastoid variant mantle cell lymphoma

The Z-138 cell line, reported in the journal in 1998, was derived from a patient who developed a leukemia initially classified as chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 1987. Splenectomy for massive involvement was required in 1998 and the neoplasm subsequently transformed to an aggressive, mature B-cell leukemia 2 years later. At time of transformation, the neoplasm had a complex karyotype, including the t(11;14)(q13;q32). In light of the extensive updates in lymphoma classification that have occurred since that time, we reviewed the slides of the patient's neoplasm. The initial peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate smears and the spleen were involved by numerous small lymphocytes with mature chromatin. The last bone marrow specimen was involved by slightly larger, irregular lymphocytes with immature chromatin and a high mitotic rate. Immunohistochemical analysis performed on the spleen and last bone marrow for this report showed that the neoplastic cells over-expressed cyclin D1. According to the criteria of the current World Health Organization lymphoma classification, this neoplasm is best classified as mantle cell lymphoma, with blastoid transformation present in the terminal phase of disease.
Acanthamoeba induces cell-cycle arrest in host cells.

Acanthamoeba can cause fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) and eye keratitis. However, the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of these emerging diseases remain unclear. In this study, the effects of Acanthamoeba on the host cell cycle using human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) were determined. Two isolates of Acanthamoeba belonging to the T1 genotype (GAE isolate) and T4 genotype (keratitis isolate) were used, which showed severe cytotoxicity on HBMEC and HCEC, respectively. No tissue specificity was observed in their ability to exhibit binding to the host cells. To determine the effects of Acanthamoeba on the host cell cycle, a cell-cycle-specific gene array was used. This screened for 96 genes specific for host cell-cycle regulation. It was observed that Acanthamoeba inhibited expression of genes encoding cyclins F and G1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 6, which are proteins important for cell-cycle progression. Moreover, upregulation was observed of the expression of genes such as GADD45A and p130 Rb, associated with cell-cycle arrest, indicating cell-cycle inhibition. Next, the effect of Acanthamoeba on retinoblastoma protein (pRb) phosphorylation was determined. pRb is a potent inhibitor of G1-to-S cell-cycle progression; however, its function is inhibited upon phosphorylation, allowing progression into S phase. Western blotting revealed that Acanthamoeba abolished pRb phosphorylation leading to cell-cycle arrest at the G1-to-S transition. Taken together, these studies demonstrated for the first time that Acanthamoeba inhibits the host cell cycle at the transcriptional level, as well as by modulating pRb phosphorylation using host cell-signalling mechanisms. A complete understanding of Acanthamoeba–host cell interactions may help in developing novel strategies to treat Acanthamoeba infections.
Mitigating Highways for a Ghost: Data Collection Challenges and Implications for Managing Wolverines and Transportation Corridors

Research provides transportation agencies with evidence-based data to guide the planning and design of crossing structures that effectively link critical habitats and populations. To date, research has focused on a range of mammal species. However, for rare-occurring, wide-ranging species such as wolverines (Gulo gulo), collecting the required information can be challenging. Highway crossing structures have been recommended as a conservation strategy for wolverines in the northern U.S. Rocky Mountains. However, there is virtually no information describing wolverine response to crossing mitigation. I describe 15 years of continuous year-round monitoring (1996–2012) of wolverine response to highway mitigation in Banff National Park, Alberta. Crossing structures were monitored using track pads and cameras. Wolverines were detected using crossing structures 10 times. Nine crossings occurred at wildlife underpasses and one at a wildlife overpass. The first detected passage occurred in 2005. Three crossings were recorded during the same crossing check in 2010 and 2011, suggesting use by the same individual of the structures. Few conclusions can be drawn regarding the attributes of crossing structures that facilitate passage of wolverines. Given the scarcity of crossing structures within wolverine range, it will be difficult to collect sufficient information in the short term for this rare and elusive species. Given the proposal to list wolverines under the Endangered Species Act, transportation departments and land managers should begin proactively identifying critical habitat linkages across highways in wolverine range and opportunities for highway mitigation in the short and long term.
Arria™ 10 device architecture

This paper presents the architecture of Arria 10, a high-density FPGA family built on the TSMC 20SOC process. The design of the device includes an embedded dual-core 1.5 GHz ARM A9 subsystem with peripherals, more than 1M logic elements (LEs) and 1.7M user flip-flops, and 64Mb of embedded memory organized into configurable memory blocks. The Arria 10 family is also the first mainstream FPGA family to include hardened single-precision IEEE 754 floating point, with an aggregate throughput of 1.3 TFLOPs. Device I/O consists of 28G programmable transceivers with an enhanced PMA architecture hardened PCIe sub-blocks and hardened DDR external memory controllers. New methods for digitally-assisted analog calibration are used to address process variation. The fabric is optimized for an aggressive die-size reduction and power improvement over 28nm FPGAs and includes features such as time-borrowing FFs for micro-retiming, tri-stated long-lines for improved routability, programmable back-bias at LAB-cluster granularity and power-management features such as Smart-VID for balancing leakage and performance across the process distribution.
Complement reduction impairs the febrile response of guinea pigs to endotoxin

Although it is generally believed that circulating exogenous pyrogens [e.g., lipopolysaccharides (LPS)] induce fever via the mediation of endogenous pyrogens (EP) such as cytokines, the first of these, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is usually not detectable in blood until at least 30 min after intravenous administration of LPS, whereas the febrile rise begins within 15 min after its administration. Moreover, although abundant evidence indicates that circulating LPS is cleared primarily by liver macrophages [Kupffer cells (KC)], these do not secrete EP in immediate response. This would imply that other factors, presumably evoked earlier than EP, may mediate the onset of the febrile response to intravenous LPS. It is well known that blood-borne LPS very rapidly activates the intravascular complement (C) system, some components of which in turn stimulate the quick release into blood of various substances that have roles in the acute inflammatory reaction. KC contain receptors for C components and are in close contact with afferent vagal terminals in the liver; the involvement of hepatic vagal afferents in LPS-induced fever has recently been shown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the initiation of fever by intravenous LPS involves, sequentially, the C system and KC. To test this postulated mechanism, we measured directly the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the interstitial fluid of the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (POA), the presumptive site of the fever-producing controller, of conscious guinea pigs over their entire febrile course, before and after C depletion by cobra venom factor (CVF) and before and after elimination of KC by gadolinium chloride (GdCl3). CVF and GdCl3 pretreatment each individually attenuated the first of the biphasic core temperature (Tc) rises after intravenous LPS, inverted the second into a Tc fall, and greatly reduced the usual fever-associated increase in POA PGE2. We conclude, therefore, that C activation may indeed be pivotal in the induction of fever by intravenous LPS and that substance(s) generated presumably by KC in almost immediate reaction to the presence of LPS and/or C may transmit pyrogenic signals via hepatic vagal afferents to the POA, where they rapidly induce the production of PGE2 and, hence, fever.
Mitotic arrest caused by the amino terminus of Xenopus cyclin B2.

Abstract Progression through mitosis requires the inactivation of the protein kinase activity of the p34cdc2-cyclin complex by a mechanism involving the degradation of cyclin. We have examined the stability in Xenopus egg extracts of radiolabeled Xenopus or sea urchin B-type cyclins synthesized in reticulocyte lysates. Xenopus cyclin B2 and sea urchin cyclin B were stable in metaphase extracts from unfertilized eggs but were specifically degraded following addition of Ca2+ to the extracts. The degradation of either cyclin was inhibited by the addition of an excess of unlabeled Xenopus cyclin B2 but not by the addition of a number of control proteins. A truncated protein containing only the amino terminus of Xenopus cyclin B2, including sequences known to be essential for cyclin degradation in other species, also inhibited cyclin degradation, even though the truncated protein was stable in extracts following Ca2+ addition. The addition of the truncated protein did not stimulate histone H1 kinase activity in extracts but prevented the loss of H1 kinase activity that normally follows Ca2+ addition to metaphase extracts. When the amino-terminal fragment was added to extracts capable of several cell cycles in vitro, progression through the first mitosis was inhibited and elevated histone H1 kinase activity was maintained. These results indicate that although the amino terminus of cyclin does not contain all of the information necessary for cyclin destruction, it is capable of interacting with components of the cyclin destruction pathway and thereby preventing the degradation of full-length cyclins.
The Stories, the Statistics, and the Law: Why Driving While Black Matters

Racial profiling of drivers - often called "driving while black" - has taken an increasingly important role in the public debate on issues of race and criminal justice. It is one of the few such issues that has penetrated not only the public discourse, but the legislative process as well. This article takes three different approaches in attempting to explain that racial profiling is important not only for its own sake, but because it is a manifestation - both a symbol and a symptom - of all of the most difficult problems that we face at the intersection of race and criminal justice. First, the stories of a number of African Americans, selected not for their egregiousness but for their typicality, are used to illustrate the personal pain, humiliation, and anguish racial profiling inflicts on individual people of color. Second, the article marshalls statistical evidence, including the author's own study of four metropolitan areas in Ohio, to show that profiling is not an exaggeration of a few isolated incidents into a social trend, but a real and measurable phenomenon. Third, the bulk of the article aims to show how racial profiling is connected to many of the different issues of race and criminal justice that are on the table today, such as stereotypes of black criminality, rational discrimination by law enforcement, and disproportionate rates of imprisonment among blacks, to name a few. The upshot of the analysis is that "driving while black" may serve as a way for many in the majority to begin to come to grips with issues of race and criminal justice in ways that they have not before.
Avaliação antropométrica da população escolar do concelho de Boticas

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity, the risk of abdominal obesity and established abdominal obesity of school children in Boticas. Type of study: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Schools in Boticas, Portugal. Population: All students in Boticas in the first nine years of school in 2012-2013. Methods: The weight, height, and body mass index of the children were measured and compared with standard growth charts. Waist circumference was measured and compared with the charts of Fernandez et al. Results: In 2012-2013, 372 students attended the Gomes Monteiro Schools in Boticas. There was a prevalence of 19.7% of overweight children, with a male predominance. Obesity was found in 12.2% of students, with a female predominance. There was risk of abdominal obesity and established abdominal obesity in 45.1% of students, with a female predominance. Conclusions: Childhood obesity is a major health problem in Boticas, with a prevalence found in this study similar to that reported in the literature. This study could be the starting point for the development of an intervention program for childhood obesity.
The parse machine

Computational theory is both challenging and essential to the computer science curriculum. Students are exposed to various computer models, but one computer model that is often left out of the subject is the compiler itself. This is unfortunate since students use compilers in most of their classes. The author's goal is to make the subject of parsing more accessible to undergraduates. This paper describes a pedagogical aid called the parse machine, which is similar to a finite automaton. The paper shows how to create a parse machine from a grammar, and how to run it on arbitrary input. The author has used the parse machine concept to teach parsing in computational theory classes. Since the parse machine is designed to be similar to automata the students are already familiar with, they gain confidence that what goes on inside the compiler is not so mysterious after all.
Effects of aging on in vivo synthesis of skeletal muscle myosin heavy-chain and sarcoplasmic protein in humans

A decline in muscle mass and contractile function are prominent features of the sarcopenia of old age. Because myosin heavy chain is an important contractile protein, it was hypothesized that synth...
Utilization of the Robotic Surgical Platform for Radical Nephrectomy: A National Comparison of Trends for Open, Laparoscopic and Robotic Approaches

Abstract Introduction The robotic platform in surgery has been widely adopted as it facilitates complex surgical reconstructions such as renorrhaphy during partial nephrectomy. Although the robotic approach to radical nephrectomy has higher costs and a lack of perioperative and oncologic evidence, the use of robotic platforms for radical nephrectomy is increasing. We evaluated a national database to explain the increased use of robotic radical nephrectomy despite a lack of perioperative and oncologic evidence. Methods The current retrospective cohort study used NIS (Nationwide Inpatient Sample) to identify patients who underwent radical nephrectomy from the last quarter of 2008 through 2010. We investigated hospital and patient specific factors associated with the robotic approach to radical nephrectomy, including hospital volume of robotic partial nephrectomy and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Results Of the 124,462 radical nephrectomies 4.7% were performed robotically. The median cost of robotic radical nephrectomy was $1,324 to $2,759 higher than that of open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. No differences in complications, length of stay, blood transfusion rates or mortality were found between laparoscopic and robotic radical nephrectomy. However the rate of open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy decreased during the study period while the use of robotic radical nephrectomy increased almost fourfold. At hospitals in the middle or highest tertile of robotic partial nephrectomy the procedure was more likely to be performed. Patients younger than 60 years were less likely to undergo the surgery than those older than 80 years (p Conclusions Although increased median costs and equivalent outcomes (perioperative and oncologic) question the benefit of robotic radical nephrectomy, its use is increasing. Robotic radical nephrectomy is more likely to be done at medium-high volume robotic centers for partial nephrectomy. This nationwide overtreatment and inefficiency may reflect the use of robotic radical nephrectomy as a training tool to facilitate the robotic learning curve and the proliferation of robotic partial nephrectomy.
Overall Survival in Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer in the US Veterans Health Administration: Is PIVOT Generalizable?

Abstract A better understanding of overall survival among patients with clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is critical to inform PCa treatment decisions, especially in light of data from the Prostate Intervention Versus Observation Trial (PIVOT). We sought to describe patterns of survival for all patients with clinically localized PCa treated by the VHA. We created an analytic cohort of 35 954 patients with clinically localized PCa diagnosed from 1995 to 2001, approximating the PIVOT inclusion criteria (age of diagnosis ≤75 yr and clinical stage T2 or lower). Mean patient age was 65.9 yr, and median follow-up was 161 mo. Overall, 22.5% of patients were treated with surgery, 16.6% were treated with radiotherapy, and 23.1% were treated with androgen deprivation. Median survival of the entire cohort was 14 yr (25th, 75th percentiles, range: 7.9–20 yr). Among patients who received treatment with curative intent, median survival was 17.9 yr following surgery and 12.9 yr following radiotherapy. One-third of patients died within 10 yr of diagnosis compared with nearly half of the participants in PIVOT. This finding sounds a note of caution when generalizing the mortality data from PIVOT to VHA patients and those in the community. Patient summary More than one-third of patients diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer treated through the US Veterans Health Administration from 1995 to 2001 died within 10 yr of their diagnosis. Caution should be used when generalizing the estimates of competing mortality data from PIVOT.
Alcohol and the heart

Acute alcohol ingestion can lead to alterations of either mechanical function or electrophysiologic properties of the heart, whereas chronic consumption can lead to progressive cardiac dysfunction and congestive cardiomyopathy. On the other hand, alcohol appears to have a protective effect for coronary artery disease when consumed in low amounts, although prophylactic use of alcohol is not recommended.
Knowledge in Psychological Science: That of Process or of Population?

ABSTRACT Two opposing views of the nature of relationships, and thus of the nature of psychological science's subject matter, are implicit in the utterances of psychologists. One, referred to in this article as the process model, is that relationships in psychology are assertions of intraindividual processes common to all human beings. The other view, called here the population model, is that relationships are statements about statistical properties (e.g., the mean) of populations. In this article, I have argued that the process model is consistent with the aspirations of many if not most scientists, and that it provides a logical base for psychological science. In contrast, the population model leads to an unreasonable view of the nature of relationships, foreordains the impossibility of logically justifying the belief in the stability of psychological knowledge, and leads to a number of needless concerns in scientific research.
Patient-administered Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block

Background and Objectives Pain resulting from head and neck cancer can be severe and difficult to manage. Avoiding hospitalization for as long as possible with a reasonable level of comfort requires a number of therapeutic modalities. The usefulness of self-administered sphenopalatine ganglion block was evaluated in a patient with lethal midline granuloma requiring large doses of morphine. Methods A 30-year-old woman with intractable pain from lethal midline granuloma was taught to self-administer 4% lidocaine, 1.5 mL topically into each nostril three times per day. Results A 3-month follow-up examination showed substantial pain relief and reduction in morphine requirement. No adverse side effects or complications developed. Conclusions In certain patients, sphenopalatine ganglion block can be effectively self-administered at home to manage chronic pain.
New developments in epidural anesthesia for obstetrics

Central nervous system toxicity during continuous, lumbar peridural anesthesia for obstetrics is rare in the mother and newborn if the anesthetic agent is lidocaine, lidocaine with epinephrine, or prilocaine. Mepivacaine may be associated with a higher blood level in the mother and newborn, particularly if the anesthetic is injected more than once. Prilocaine may cause methemoglobinemia in a dose greater than 600 mg. Although this condition may be reversed by the administration of methylene blue, prilocaine must be used cautiously in obstetrics. The addition of 1:200,000 epinephrine to an anesthetic retards systemic absorption of the agent and improves the quality of neural blockade. It should not be used if hypertension or tachycardia is to be avoided but probably has little effect on labor in the technique of low-dose lumbar peridural anesthesia. Difficulties in the study of the effect of anesthetics on the forces of labor are noted.
FTIR spectroscopy of metal oxide insertion electrodes: thermally induced phase transitions in LixMn2O4 spinels

Abstract LixMn2O4 spinels with x = 0.1, 1.0 and 2.0 were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy at temperatures ranging from −150 to 250 °C. The occurrence of a reversible phase transition near 10 °C in LiMn2O4 was confirmed. The thermal decomposition of Li0.1Mn2O4 to β-MnO2 was studied as a function of time and temperature. The instability of this material in its charged state raises some concern about its viability in rechargeable lithium cells.
Gender Gap in Health Status of Children in the Context of One-Child Policy in China: Is it Sibling Rivalry or Son Preference?

This paper used data from 6 waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 1993–2009 to examine the effects of child gender, number of siblings, and sibling composition on children’s health status, noting particularly any gender gaps, in the context of China’s one-child policy. In the 1990s, the enforcement of the policy became less stringent, and ultrasound technologies, which enable prenatal gender selection, became more available. This led us to believe that the girls who were born were wanted by parents. In addition, growing income and industrialization should also narrow the gender gap in health status. Our results showed that on average, being a female decreased height-for-age approximately by 0.08 z-score as well as having an additional male sibling decreased height-for-age roughly by 0.17 z-score for a child under age 8. These results were particularly strong in the rural area but were non-existent in urban areas and among only-children. Our argument is that the gender gap was due to son preference and not sibling rivalry. Additionally, we found that having only one brother appeared to have a positive effect on girls’ health status, compared to boys with another brother who tended to become rivals for household resources.
Dispersion and Packing of Narrow Size Distribution Ceramic Powders

A major problem in ceramics processing is that improved and reliable ceramic materials having the required properties, critical elements in the development of high technology systems, cannot be reproducibly manufactured. This lack of reproducibility in properties lies in the inability to control the development of specified microstructures, which for sintered materials depends on the characteristics of the starting powder, the green compact microstructure, and the sintering and coarsening processes.1 Although much significant work has been performed on the processes which occur during firing, many researchers now believe that the microstructures developed during sintering are essentially determined by the powder characteristics and packing.2 Recent studies have demonstrated improved stability of the microstructure against exaggerated grain growth with a monodisperse powder,3 and a significant reduction of sintering time and temperature with a submicron, narrow particle size distribution and with uniform, but not necessarily high, green density.4,5
Efficacy and perception of trail use enforcement in an urban natural reserve in San Diego, California

Abstract This article presents results of enforcement efforts to curb unauthorized trail uses in an urban nature reserve of San Diego, California. We assessed the effectiveness and longevity of enforcement efforts by measuring behavioral changes to redirect users to authorized trails. The study was conducted from May through December 2013 and included photo motion cameras to document human use in three periods: prior to enforcement, during enforcement and after enforcement conducted by California Department of Fish and Wildlife Wardens. In addition, social media sites were monitored to determine user perceptions and attitudes. A total of 7155 photo captures were collected over the 170-day study period. Mountain bikers were the greatest number of users (both legal and illegal) and declined significantly post enforcement. Results demonstrated that enforcement was an effective tool in reducing and sustaining the amount of unauthorized uses in the open space reserve (66.0% decline). Enforcement, however, led to hostility among key user groups that may be counterproductive to larger management effectiveness, as users may go to other unenforced areas for recreation. Lessons learned include the need to balance enforcement; with ample authorized trails for recreational opportunities in natural areas, and the importance of social media in providing ongoing user education, outreach and self-policing forums to discourage unauthorized activities. Management Implications • Management activities to change user behavior through education, signage and outreach can be ineffective in some areas leading to chronic, self-perpetuating problems affecting those resources that were set aside for conservation and outdoor recreation. • While hard enforcement actions was shown to be a highly effective tool in changing the behavior of users, it can lead to hostility, miscommunication, and create adversity among constituents that could be some of the greatest stewards of urban natural areas. • Social media was determined to be a highly powerful outreach tool for recreationalist, yet untapped by land managers for promoting prosocial behavior. • A better understanding of user precipitations, rational for non-compliance and utilization of self-policing polices is needed prior to initiating a hard enforcement campaign.
Use of intravaginal 17-β estradiol to improve sexual function and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women with breast cancer on aromatase inhibitors.

9610 Background: The majority of women with early stage breast cancer (BC) will become long-term survivors, living with the sequelae of treatment. Attention to symptoms and quality of life (QoL) ar...
A Web-Based User Interface for Machine Learning Analysis

The purpose of this study is to develop a user-friendly web application that follows human computer interaction design guidelines and principles and is used to recognize patterns in datasets and to predict outputs of instances that it hasn’t previously encountered. The application design follows human computer interaction design guidelines and principles and it employs supervised machine learning algorithms linear regression, logistic regression, and backpropagation for prediction. Java is used in the backend to create a model that maps the input and output data based on any of the machine learning algorithms while Play Framework and Bootstrap are used to display content in frontend. The application allows users to upload datasets that will be used to train and test the system. Each column of an uploaded dataset represents an attribute and each row represents an instance. The system is also developer friendly and allows changes be made to the source code for a more customized interaction.
Inhibition of the Schizophrenia-Associated MicroRNA miR-137 Disrupts Nrg1α Neurodevelopmental Signal Transduction.

Summary Genomic studies have repeatedly associated variants in the gene encoding the microRNA miR-137 with increased schizophrenia risk. Bioinformatic predictions suggest that miR-137 regulates schizophrenia-associated signaling pathways critical to neural development, but these predictions remain largely unvalidated. In the present study, we demonstrate that miR-137 regulates neuronal levels of p55γ, PTEN, Akt2, GSK3β, mTOR, and rictor. All are key proteins within the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway and act downstream of neuregulin (Nrg)/ErbB and BDNF signaling. Inhibition of miR-137 ablates Nrg1α-induced increases in dendritic protein synthesis, phosphorylated S6, AMPA receptor subunits, and outgrowth. Inhibition of miR-137 also blocks mTORC1-dependent responses to BDNF, including increased mRNA translation and dendritic outgrowth, while leaving mTORC1-independent S6 phosphorylation intact. We conclude that miR-137 regulates neuronal responses to Nrg1α and BDNF through convergent mechanisms, which might contribute to schizophrenia risk by altering neural development.
Creating Safer and More Nurturing Schools: Expanding the Capacity of Schools in the Era of Future National Reform

ABSTRACTPositive academic performance is a strong indicator of subsequent positive life course outcomes (e.g., employment) as well as underrepresentation in psychiatric populations, drug use, school dropout, and subsequent legal trouble (A. Farn & J. Adams, 2016). As such, helping all children to be successful in school is a top priority for parents, educators, and politicians alike. However, schools are challenged by an increasing demand to meet children's health and metal health needs in order for them to benefit from, and progress in, their educational experience. Public concerns regarding violent acts on school property have highlighted the need to address student and teacher safety. The authors provide recommendations for school psychologists regarding promising practices that respond to national initiatives to prevent school violence, increase access to health and mental health care, and enhance equity among students.
Roadmaps to Transition Countries to 100% Clean, Renewable Energy for All Purposes to Curtail Global Warming, Air Pollution, and Energy Risk

Solving the problems of global warming, air pollution, and energy security requires a massive effort by individuals, communities, businesses, nonprofits, and policy makers around the world. The first step in that process is to have a plan. To that end, roadmaps to transition 139 countries of the world to 100% clean, renewable wind, water, and solar power for all energy purposes (electricity, transportation, heating, cooling, industry, agriculture, forestry, and fishing) by 2050, with 80% by 2030, have been developed. The evolution, characteristics, and impacts to date of these plans are briefly described.
Moving Beyond Pain as the Fifth Vital Sign and Patient Satisfaction Scores to Improve Pain Care in the 21st Century

Abstract In an attempt to address the issue of undertreated pain, the Pain as the Fifth Vital Sign (P5VS) Initiative was established to improve the quality of pain care across clinical settings. This initiative included policy efforts such as mandatory pain screening and the implementation of pain-related questions on patient satisfaction surveys. These policies have failed to enhance the treatment of pain and may have unintentionally contributed, in part, to the opioid epidemic. To assess pain more effectively, an inter-professional team approach using multi-dimensional pain assessment tools is needed. The inter-professional team can use these multi-dimensional tools to conduct comprehensive assessments to measure aspects of the pain experience (e.g., psychological, spiritual and socio-emotional pain; impact on daily functioning) beyond its sensory component and establish realistic goals that align with patients' needs. To implement multi-dimensional pain assessments in busy clinical practices, nurses will need to play a central role. Nurses can work to ensure that patients complete the questionnaires prior to the visit. Nurses can also take the lead in the use of new technologies in the form of tablets, smart phones, and mobile apps to facilitate collecting patient-level data in the home or in a waiting room before their visits.
The Arabidopsis E3 Ubiquitin Ligase SP1 Targets to Chloroplasts, Peroxisomes, and Mitochondria.

Dear Editor, Our recent work discovered a role of the Arabidopsis E3 ubiquitin ligase SP1 in peroxisome matrix protein import ([Pan et al., 2016][1]). Recently, a Letter to the Editor published in Plant Physiology raised criticism against the localization and function of SP1 in peroxisomes ([Ling
Broccoli Sprouts Delay Prostate Cancer Formation and Decrease Prostate Cancer Severity with a Concurrent Decrease in HDAC3 Protein Expression in Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) Mice.

Background Cruciferous vegetables have been associated with the chemoprevention of cancer. Epigenetic regulators have been identified as important targets for prostate cancer chemoprevention. Treatment of human prostate cancer cells with sulforaphane (SFN), a chemical from broccoli and broccoli sprouts, inhibits epigenetic regulators such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes, but it is not known whether consumption of a diet high in broccoli sprouts impacts epigenetic mechanisms in an in vivo model of prostate cancer. Objective In the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model, we tested the hypothesis that a broccoli sprout diet suppresses prostate cancer, inhibits HDAC expression, alters histone modifications, and changes the expression of genes regulated by HDACs. Methods TRAMP mice were fed a 15% broccoli sprout or control AIN93G diet; tissue samples were collected at 12 and 28 wk of age. Results Mice fed broccoli sprouts had detectable amounts of SFN metabolites in liver, kidney, colon, and prostate tissues. Broccoli sprouts reduced prostate cancer incidence and progression to invasive cancer by 11- and 2.4-fold at 12 and 28 wk of age, respectively. There was a significant decline in HDAC3 protein expression in the epithelial cells of prostate ventral and anterior lobes at age 12 wk. Broccoli sprout consumption also decreased histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation in the ventral lobe (age 12 wk), and decreased histone H3 lysine 18 acetylation in all prostate lobes (age 28 wk). A decline in p16 mRNA levels, a gene regulated by HDAC3, was associated with broccoli sprout consumption, but no significant changes were noted at the protein level. Conclusions Broccoli sprout intake was associated with a decline in prostate cancer occurrence and HDAC3 protein expression in the prostate, extending prior work that implicated loss of HDAC3/ corepressor interactions as a key preventive mechanism by SFN in vivo.
QBO-MJO Connection

Activities of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) in boreal winter has recently been found to be stronger in easterly phases of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) than its westerly phases. This QBO-MJO connection was investigated in this study using a method that identifies individual MJO events by tracking their eastward propagating signals in precipitation. Stronger MJO activities in QBO easterly phases are a consequence of more MJO days, not larger amplitudes of individual MJO events as previously thought. More MJO days come from more MJO events initiated over the Indian Ocean and their longer duration because of a weaker barrier effect of the Maritime Continent on MJO propagation. Zonal heterogeneity exists in the connection between QBO, MJO, and tropical total precipitation in general. This poses a challenge to our current understanding of the MJO dynamics, which has yet to fully include upper-tropospheric and stratospheric processes.
Case report: Significant quantitative MRI brain volumetric finding associated with electrical brain injury

Abstract Electrical injury (EI) occurs when current comes in contact with the body, and can result in skin burns, tissue damage, respiratory arrest, and death in some cases. Many EI patients experience neuropsychological deterioration and show symptoms of memory problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sensory disturbances, depression, and other cognitive deficits. In this study, we present the uncommon case of a 43-year-old male with a statistically significant increase in his right lateral ventricle after coming into contact with stray voltage. Upon injury, he sustained retrograde amnesia and first-degree burns on his right underarm and on the dorsal aspect of both forearms; the total surface area affected was 3.3%. One month later, he began experiencing anxiety, depression, memory problems, PTSD, and insomnia, all of which persisted up to at least six years after the electrical injury. The patient's magnetic resonance imaging scans were used to perform quantitative volumetric analysis and identify various regions of interest that were statistically significant against Functional Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN) controls. We ran a two-sample t -test of the patient against FBIRN controls (n = 42, mean age = 34.12 years, SD = 11.02 years, females = 14, males = 28) with gender and age as covariates. Regions of interest were identified (P t -test, and fractional anisotropy values were extracted from the patient and male controls (n = 15, mean = 41.47 years, SD = 8.22 years). We found an increase in the patient's right lateral ventricle 2 standard deviations above the mean value of the controls, consistent with right-sided fractional anisotropy abnormalities found in the statistical comparison.
Empire of Individuals: American Expansion, British Angst and Tanzanian Anger

In providing a more imperial theoretical paradigm, highlighting earlier and more informal intervention by T.E.A. and Peace Corps volunteers and addressing their successes and failures, this article demonstrates the complexities created by new transnational connections and interactions between young Americans and East African students and their importance specifically in Tanzania. It delves into the conflicts with the T.E.A. and Peace Corps and the departing British colonial teachers worried about their declining influence, the American volunteers and the Tanzanian government, as well as organizational conflict between the T.E.A. and the new Peace Corps.
Reform of Policies of Global Institutions

This chapter offers an assessment of the global trade policies under the WTO framework suggests greater scope for the adoption of ecosystems approach and other relevant mechanisms to enhance trade-environment supportiveness. The roles of the multilateral development banks, generally and the World Bank in particular, have been examined and several measures are found lacking practice of their own declared policies. Examination of the scope for effective integration of environmental features, and identification of enhanced efficiency potential for global coordination of economic and environmental policies constitute other important elements of this chapter.