cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A transport protocol for supporting multimedia streaming in mobile ad hoc networks

Transport protocol design for supporting multimedia streaming in mobile ad hoc networks is challenging because of unique issues, including mobility-induced disconnection, reconnection, and high out-of-order delivery ratios; channel errors and network congestion. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a transmission control protocol (TCP)-friendly transport protocol for ad hoc networks. Our key design novelty is to perform multimetric joint identification for packet and connection behaviors based on end-to-end measurements. Our NS-2 simulations show significant performance improvement over wired TCP friendly congestion control and TCP with explicit-link-failure-notification support in ad hoc networks.
Evolvable hardware: from on-chip circuit synthesis to evolvable space systems

Evolvable Hardware (EHW) refers to HW design and self-reconfiguration using evolutionary/genetic mechanisms. The paper presents an overview of some key concepts of EHW, comments on selected applications, and presents a perspective on the development of the field. A fine-grained Field Programmable Transistor Array (FPTA) architecture for reconfigurable hardware is presented as an example of an initial effort toward evolution-oriented devices. Evolutionary experiments in simulations and with a FPTA chip in-the-loop demonstrate automatic synthesis of electronic circuits. Unconventional circuits, for which there are no textbook design guidelines, are particularly appealing to evolvable hardware. To illustrate this situation, one demonstrates here the evolution of circuits implementing parametrical connectives for fuzzy logics. In addition to synthesizing circuits for new functions, evolvable hardware can be used to preserve existing functions and achieve fault-tolerance, determining circuit configurations that circumvent the faults. These characteristics are extremely important for enabling spacecraft to survive harsh environments and to have long life. Expanding reconfiguration to other types of spacecraft hardcore (i.e. optics, MEMS, etc.) could lead to evolvable space systems.
A tutorial on optical networks

In this half-day tutorial, we present the current state-of-the-art in optical networks. We begin by discussing the various optical devices used in optical networks. Then, we present wavelength-routed networks, which is currently the dominant architecture for optical networks. We discuss wavelength allocation policies, calculation of call blocking probabilities, and network optimization techniques. Subsequently, we focus on the various protocols that have been proposed for wavelength-routed networks. Specifically, we present a framework for IP over optical networks, MPLS, LDP, CR-LDP, and GMPLS. Next, we discuss optical packet switching and optical burst switching, two new emerging and highly promising technologies.
Delayed and controlled failures in tamper-resistant software

Tamper-resistant software (TRS) consists of two functional components: tamper detection and tamper response. Although both are equally critical to the effectiveness of a TRS system, past research has focused primarily on the former, while giving little thought to the latter. Not surprisingly, many successful breaks of commercial TRS systems found their first breaches at the relatively naive tamper-response modules. In this paper, we describe a novel tamper-response system that evades hacker detection by introducing delayed, probabilistic failures in a program. This is accomplished by corrupting the program's internal state at well-chosen locations. Our tamper-response system smoothly blends in with the program and leaves no noticeable traces behind, making it very difficult for a hacker to detect its existence. The paper also presents empirical results to demonstrate the efficacy of our system.
Analysis of cell-to-bubble attachment in sparged bioreactors in the presence of cell-protecting additives.

To investigate the mechanisms of cell protection provided by medium additives against animal cell injury in sparged bioreactors, we have analyzed the effect of various additives on the cell-to-bubble attachment process using CHO cells in suspension. Cell-to-bubble attachment was examined using three experimental techniques: (1) cell-bubble induction time analysis (cell-to-bubble attachment times); (2) forming thin liquid films and observing the movement and location of cells in the thin films; and (3) foam flotation experiments. The induction times we measured for the various additives are as follows: no additive (50 to 500 ms), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP: 20 to 500 ms), polyethylene glycol (PEG: 200 to 1000 ms), 3% serum (500 to 1000 ms), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA: 2 to 10 s), Pluronic F68 (5 to 20 s), and Methocel (20 to 60 s). In the thin film formation experiments, cells in medium with either F68, PVA, or Methocel quickly flowed out of draining thin liquid films and entered the plateau border. When using media with no additive or with serum, the flow of cells out of the thin liquid film and film drainage were slower than for media containing Pluronic F68. PVA, or Methocel. With PVP and PEG, the thin film drainage was much slower and cells remained trapped in the film. For the foam flotation experiments, a separation factor (ratio of cell concentration in the foam catch to that in the bubble column) was determined for the various additives. In the order of increasing separation factors (i.e., increasing cell attachment to bubbles), the additives are as follows: Methocel, PVA, Pluronic F68, 3% serum, serum-free medium with no additives, PEG, and PVP. Based on the results of these three different cell-to-bubble attachment experiments, we have classified the cell-protecting additives into three groups: (1) Pluronic F68, PVA, and Methocel (reduced cell-to-bubble attachment); (2) PEG and PVP (high or increased cell-to-bubble attachment); and (3) FBS (reduced cell attachment butslower drainage films compared with F68, PVA, and Methocel with some cell entrapment in those films). These phenomena are discussed in relation to the interfacial properties of the media reported in a companion Study (this issue). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Objective Determination of Standard of Care: Use of Blind Readings by External Radiologists

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether specific findings determined to be critical and standard of care by expert witnesses in a legal case are identifiable by radiologists blinded to clinical outcome and litigation.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Images from six CT studies were sent to radiologists for interpretation. Two studies were performed for screening after major trauma, one of the cases being the subject of a settled legal action; three were randomly selected from studies performed in the evaluation of emergency department patients; and one was the control. The cases were selected to simulate a typical emergency department caseload. In the medicolegal case, four plaintiff expert witness radiologists had identified three findings in the CT study that were not described by the radiologist of record (primary reader). One of these findings was considered critical and was the basis for the legal case.RESULTS. Thirty-one radiologists participated in the study. The three findings made by th...
First passage and cooperativity of queuing kinetics

We model the kinetics of ligand-receptor systems, where multiple ligands may bind and unbind to the receptor, either randomly or in a specific order. Equilibrium occupation and first occurrence of complete filling of the receptor are determined and compared. At equilibrium, receptors that bind ligands sequentially are more likely to be saturated than those that bind in random order. Surprisingly however, for low cooperativity, the random process first reaches full occupancy faster than the sequential one. This is true except near a critical binding energy where a "kinetic trap" arises and the random process dramatically slows down when the number of binding sites N > or = 8. These results demonstrate the subtle interplay between cooperativity and sequentiality for a wide class of kinetic phenomena, including chemical binding, nucleation, and assembly line strategies.
Impact of Market Uncertainty on Congestion Revenue Right Valuation

Congestion revenue rights (CRRs) are property rights that entitle and/or obligate their holders to receive specified (possibly negative) congestion revenues. They provide price certainty for transmission customers who need to purchase open access transmission service. Auctions and bilateral transactions allocate CRRs to market participants who value the transmission rights the most. If valued correctly, CRRs would yield market signals required in valuing congested transmission facilities and inducing capital investment in the transmission sector. Financial transmission rights (FTRs) and flowgate rights (FGRs) are two specific forms of CRRs. This paper presents a simulation based approach for valuing FTRs and FGRs. Using the proposed approach, we derive the probabilistic characteristics of FTR and FGR values under market uncertainties resulting from fluctuating system loads, varying fuel prices, and other system contingencies such as unplanned transmission circuit and generator outages. A theoretical framework consisting of a multilateral-transaction model, a nonconforming electric load model, and CRR valuation models under different market structures incorporating market aforementioned uncertainties is proposed. A Monte Carlo simulation procedure is employed to obtain the distributions of FTR and FGR values. Numerical implementation of the proposed approach is illustrated on a sample test system.
Combined-Modality Therapy Versus Radiotherapy Alone for Treatment of Early-Stage Hodgkin's Disease: Cure Balanced Against Complications

Purpose The treatment of early-stage Hodgkin's disease (HD) has evolved from radiotherapy alone (RT) to combined-modality therapy (CMT) because of concerns about late adverse effects from high-dose subtotal nodal irradiation (STNI). However, there is little information regarding the long-term results of CMT programs that substantially reduce the dose and extent of radiation. In addition, lowering the total radiation dose may reduce the complication rate without compromising cure. This retrospective study compares the long-term results of STNI with CMT using modestly reduced RT dose in the treatment of early-stage HD. Patients and Methods Between 1982 and 2002, 111 patients with stage IA and IIA HD were treated definitively with RT (mean dose, 37.9 Gy); 70 patients were treated with CMT with low-dose involved-field radiotherapy (LDIFRT; mean dose, 25.5 Gy). Median follow-up was 11.7 years for RT patients and 8.1 years for the CMT group. Results There was a trend toward improved 20-year overall survival wit...
Partitioning directed graphs based on modularity and information flow

Although models of the behavior of individual neurons and synapses are now well established, understanding the way in which they cooperate in large ensembles remains a major scientific challenge. We present two novel graph theory methods to study cortical interactions and image the highly organized structure of large scale networks. First, we present a new method to partition directed graphs into modules, based on modularity and an expected network conditioned on the in- and out-degrees of all nodes. We also propose a method to segment graphs based on information flow. These methods are combined to study the community structure of brain networks and information flow within the modules.
Federated Collaborations with Exertions

This paper describes a service-oriented P2P architecture and related federated metaprogramming model to support development of highly scalable and reliable distributed collaborative applications. In the proposed architecture, autonomic service providers, corresponding to various activities that occur in the collaborative process, reside on the overlay network and are discovered dynamically during the execution of the process. To execute a specific collaboration, a set of services that map into the collaboration specification (exertion) are federated together and executed in a choreographed workflow. All services (peers) implement a standardized top-level interface and this allows any service to be seamlessly replaced with another service without affecting the performance of the federation. The paper describes a service object-oriented environment (SORCER) and presents how it supports programming of three collaboration types.
Evidence That Meizothrombin Is an Intermediate Product in the Clotting of Whole Blood

Meizothrombin is an intermediate that is produced during the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin in systems composed of purified factor Xa and factor Va that are quantitatively assembled on an anionic phospholipid surface. The biological significance of this intermediate has recently been challenged by the apparent absence of meizothrombin during clotting of sodium citrate-anticoagulated plasma. We analyzed the formation of thrombin during coagulation of nonanticoagulated, unchilled, minimally manipulated whole blood in glass tubes. The process was stopped at 0, 3, 5, and 7 minutes by the addition of biotinylated peptidyl chloromethyl-ketone active-site labeling reagents. Plasma/serum was separated by centrifugation, and labeled species were extracted by immunoadsorption with a polyclonal anti-prothrombin antibody. The purified prothrombin-derived species were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and visualized on a chemiluminescent avidin blot. Meizothrombin appeared as an intermediate product of this reaction and persisted with some increase through the 7-minute time point. We also observed incorporation of the active-site label into a species of lower molecular weight consistent with the B1 chain of beta- and/or gamma-thrombin. These degraded forms of thrombin have not been previously demonstrated in a biologically relevant preparation. Our data clearly establish the generation of meizothrombin as an intermediate product of thrombin generation during whole-blood clotting. The data also represent the first experimental evidence for the generation of beta- and gamma-thrombin in a biologically relevant environment and time scale.
Secondary Chemoprevention of Barrett's Esophagus With Celecoxib: Results of a Randomized Trial

Barrett’s esophagus is a premalignant condition in which normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus is replaced by specialized columnar mucosa. It occurs as a result of chronic gastroesophageal reflux and is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the United States is rapidly increasing (1–4). The 5-year survival rate after surgical resection of esophageal cancer is approximately 24% (5). Although clinical trials evaluating potential new agents and new approaches in the treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma are underway, this disease remains associated with high morbidity and mortality. Strategies to prevent or reverse esophageal tumorigenesis include antireflux surgery, aggressive medical management of acid secretion, and ablation of premalignant tissue (6–8). With the exception of Barrett’s mucosal ablation with photodynamic therapy for patients with high-grade dysplasia, most strategies have not been effective (9). Photodynamic therapy can ablate high-grade dysplasia and substantially decrease the incidence of adenocarcinoma, but it is expensive and associated with adverse reactions, including prolonged photosensitivity, chest pain, and esophageal stricture (9). Hence, there is an urgent need for newer agents and/or methods to decrease the risk of progression from dysplasia to this deadly cancer. Several epidemiologic studies (10–13) have found that, among patients at risk for esophageal cancer, treatment with aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. One potential mechanism for chemoprevention is inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX), an enzyme that is crucial to the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid (14). Esophageal tumorigenesis has been associated with overexpression of the inducible COX isoform COX-2 (15). Treatment with a COX-2 inhibitor led to a reduction in esophageal adenocarcinomas in an animal model of Barrett’s esophagus (16). We report the results of Chemoprevention for Barrett’s Esophagus Trial (CBET), a phase IIb randomized, parallel treatment, placebo-controlled, double-masked multicenter trial evaluating the long-term administration of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, in Barrett’s esophagus patients with lowor high-grade dysplasia.
The Pressure Dependence of the Elastic Constants of Cubic Crystals in the NaCl and Spinel Structures from a Lattice Model

S-Y The method of homogeneous static deformation is used to compute the pressure dependence of the elastic constants of spinel under the assumption of a Born-Mayer two-body potential. The method, originally used by Fuchs (1935), is first applied to a number of alkali halides and periclase which have the sodium chloride structure, and reasonable agreement with the measured pressure derivatives is obtained. When applied to the spinel structure, the theory predicts that dc,,/dP is positive at low pressure but becomes negative at pressures of a few hundred kilobars. The geophysical implications of a negative d~~~/dP for the spinel region of the mantle are discussed.
ECC-1 human endometrial cells as a model system to study dioxin disruption of steroid hormone function.

ECC-1, an established epithelial cell line derived from an adenocarcinoma of human endometrial lining, was examined for growth optimization, steroid hormone receptor- and Ah receptor content, and dioxin modulation of estrogen receptor function. Proliferation of ECC-1 cells was accelerated by growth on a lethally irradiated feeder layer of murine 3T3 fibroblasts. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated the presence of Ah receptor, an intracellular protein that binds and regulates the toxic action of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The Ah receptor was functional in these cells as assessed by concentration and kinetic patterns of CYP1A1-mediated 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) induction. The half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) for TCDD was 0.2 nM, and maximal activity appeared after 24-h exposure. A limited structure-activity examination of ECOD activity provided additional evidence for Ah receptor involvement. Competitive binding assays were performed to examine kinetic parameters for estrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors. Binding parameters of dissociation constant (Kd) and number of binding sites (Bmax) derived from Scatchard analysis were: estrogen, Kd=0.67 nM; Bmax=321 fmol/mg cytosolic protein; progesterone, Kd=1.31 nM; Bmax=258 fmol/mg cytosolic protein; dexamethasone, Kd=1.75 nM, Bmax=128 fmol/mg cytosolic protein. Exposure of ECC-1 cells to TCDD reduced the estrogen receptor level by 40% without affecting the Kd value, and reduced estrogen receptor-mediated transcription by 50% assessed by transient transfection of an estrogen-responsive reporter plasmid. These data suggest that the ECC-1 cell line is a useful model system for examining the action of dioxin in human endometrial tissue. Both the estrogen receptor and Ah receptor have been implicated in diseases of the endometrium, and examining their interactions may elucidate mechanisms of uterine disease etiology, as well as potential targets for disease prevention.
Human acardiac anomalies.

The embryopathy and embryogenesis of acardiacus were interpreted from a morphologic examination of two human acardiac specimens. The morphologic findings tend to bear out that the initial insult occurs prior to cardiac formation and does not result from a secondary atrophy of previously established structures. The findings also suggest an interdependence between the heart and thyroid, esophagus, lungs, and liver for the normal development of these named structures. Although the etiology of acardiacus remains obscure, it does not appear to be related to a chromosomal defect. The two specimens examined were classified as acardiacus cryptomorphus.
Should Children with Suspected Nonaccidental Injury Be Admitted to a Surgical Service

Background In many hospitals, children with suspected nonaccidental trauma (sNAT) are admitted to nonsurgical services (NSS). Although the surgical service (SS) initially admitted sNAT patients at our American College of Surgeons (ACS)-verified level 1 pediatric trauma center (vPTC), a change in hospital policy allowed admission to NSS. The objective of this study was to determine if the rate of care-related indicators (CRIs) varies by admission to an SS vs an NSS in the sNAT patient population. Study Design We conducted a retrospective review of patients admitted to an ACS vPTC with a final diagnosis of sNAT between January 2009 and December 2013. The primary study outcome was the presence of a CRI. Surgical service and NSS admissions were compared on age, Injury Severity Score, and Abbreviated Injury Scale to account for population differences among admissions by service and type of CRIs, using chi-square or Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Rates of CRIs over time were also evaluated. Results During the study period, 5,340 total patients were admitted—671 (13%) with sNAT. Nonsurgical services admitted 306 patients (46%) of these patients, but 71% (n = 102) of the CRIs occurred in patients admitted to an NSS. The rate of CRIs per 100 patients was 33 for NSS compared with 12 for SS (p Conclusions Nonaccidental trauma patients admitted to an NSS were shown to have more CRIs than those admitted to an SS. This study supports an ACS requirement of admission of sNAT to an SS.
Educational Assessment: A Brief History

Educational assessment in the Western world has a long but very irregular history. Two distinct threads are woven together: the first is the variety of settings in which testing itself came to have practical use while the second is the incorporation of increasingly rigorous methods by which to make sense out of the results of that testing. This chapter sets out some of the key developments in each of these two areas, from their origins until the dawn of contemporary psychometrics. For extended periods of time even the simplest improvements in either testing or statistics fought long and hard against tradition and inertia. It took many generations for the two threads to finally merge into a full-fledged science of educational measurement.
Cardiac Safety of Paclitaxel Plus Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab in Patients With HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Introduction Myocardial strain imaging and blood biomarkers have been proposed as adjuncts to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) monitoring for the early detection of cardiotoxicity during cancer therapy. We report the results of a preplanned cardiac safety analysis of global longitudinal strain (GLS), and troponin-I (TnI) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in the phase II study of paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (THP) for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Patients and methods Patients with 0-1 lines of prior therapy were treated with weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2)) plus trastuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose followed by 6 mg/kg) and pertuzumab (840 mg loading dose followed by 420 mg) every 3 weeks. Exploratory endpoints were GLS measured with speckle-tracking echocardiography every 3 months and TnI and BNP levels measured every 6 weeks (immediately pre- and postchemotherapy infusion) at 6 time points. Results Sixty-seven of 69 enrolled patients were treated with THP: 19 (28%) had hypertension, 8 (12%) had diabetes, 11 (16%) had hyperlipidemia, and 26 (38%) had smoking history. After a median follow-up of 21 months (range: 3-38 months), no patients developed symptomatic heart failure. Two patients (3.0%) experienced asymptomatic LVEF decline (grade 2). The mean GLS (±SD) was 19% ± 2% (baseline), 19% ± 2% (month 6), and 19% ± 3% (month 12). Detectable TnI (>0.06 ng/mL) and elevated BNP (>100 pg/mL) levels were observed in 3 (4.3%) and 2 (3.0%) patients, respectively, but were not associated with LVEF decline. Conclusion The absence of any significant changes in GLS and cardiac biomarkers (TnI and BNP) further support the cardiac safety of THP in patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Implications for practice Dual anti-HER2 therapy with trastuzumab and pertuzumab in combination with taxane-based chemotherapy improves overall survival in patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. There is a critical need to investigate the potential cardiotoxicity of dual anti-HER2 blockade, given the importance of HER2 signaling in cardiac homeostasis and stress response. Global longitudinal strain and cardiac biomarkers have been proposed as adjuncts to left ventricular ejection fraction for the early detection of cardiotoxicity. In this phase II study of combination trastuzumab and pertuzumab with paclitaxel, no clinically significant change was observed in global longitudinal strain or cardiac biomarkers. These results further support the cardiac safety of dual anti-HER2 blockade previously reported in the CLEOPATRA study. The findings in the current study also call into question the role of intensive cardiac monitoring among patients treated with anti-HER2 therapy in the absence of anthracyclines. Less frequent cardiac assessments could lead to a reduction in unnecessary treatment interruption and is an important consideration given the rise in medical expenditures, but this requires further investigation.
Review and study of physics driven pitting corrosion modeling in 2024-T3 aluminum alloys

Material degradation due to corrosion and corrosion fatigue has been recognized to significantly affect the airworthiness of civilian and military aircraft, especially for the current fleet of airplanes that have served beyond their initial design life. The ability to predict the corrosion damage development in aircraft components and structures, therefore, is of great importance in managing timely maintenance for the aging aircraft vehicles and in assisting the design of new ones. The assessment of aircraft corrosion and its influence on fatigue life relies on appropriate quantitative models that can evaluate the initiation of the corrosion as well as the accumulation during the period of operation. Beyond the aircraft regime, corrosion has also affected the maintenance, safety and reliability of other systems such as nuclear power systems, steam and gas turbines, marine structures and so on. In the work presented in this paper, we reviewed and studied several physics based pitting corrosion models that have been reported in the literature. The classic work of particle induced pitting corrosion by Wei and Harlow is reviewed in detail. Two types of modeling, a power law based simplified model and a microstructure based model, are compared for 2024-T3 alloy. Data from literatures are used as model inputs. The paper ends with conclusions and recommendations for future work.
Self-directed Moral Development

Ethical development is a necessary prerequisite, if good character is to become a matter of practical life. Of course, your ethicality begins in childhood and emerges with observation, learning, time, and experience. The etymological ancestor of the word ethics, ethike, is a compound formed from the words ethos and techne. It literally means “the art or skill necessary to produce a showing of characteristic manner or spirit,” complemented by a “bonding attitude” or “sense of comportment toward others.” Interestingly, the notion of competency to act in a particular manner and to work well with others is at the very heart of the original term.
Seed longevity and dormancy state in a disturbance-dependent forest herb, Ageratina altissima

Does seed dormancy allow disturbance-oriented forest herbs such as Ageratina altissima to persist in heterogeneous natural communities? To document seed longevity and dormancy state, Ageratina seeds were buried in nylon mesh bags in second-growth forest stands in south-eastern Ohio, USA. Bags were recovered at 2-month intervals, and seeds were tested for viability and germinability in the lab. Live seed numbers declined rapidly, with seed banks exhausted in an estimated 33–37 months. Seeds showed a strong dormancy polymorphism, with 71–84% of live seeds germinable between March and July, the season of natural seedling emergence. At other dates, most seeds appeared to be in a state of induced dormancy, allowing little (0–21%) germination. The slope aspect of the burial site, an important factor controlling aboveground vegetation, had no effect on seed longevity or dormancy condition. Dormancy in Ageratina appears to be adapted to allow opportunistic germination in late spring–early summer, but to prevent germination in less benign periods. Seed longevity is shorter than the natural frequency of gaps in mesophytic forest. We conclude that a long-term dispersal/dormancy trade-off is probably an oversimplification of the spatial ecology of this species. The primary function of dormancy appears to be short-term tracking of seasonal variation.
Peroral cholangioscopy in the new millennium

Peroral cholangioscopy was first described in 1970s and has recently gained popularity. Peroral cholangioscopy is appealing to therapeutic endoscopists because a direct intraluminal view of the biliary duct system offers possibilities for diagnosis and interventions beyond that which other imaging or endoscopic modalities can provide. As the image quality of cholangioscopies improves, so too does their diagnostic capability, and as their durability and maneuverability increases, so too does their potential use for therapeutic applications. This editorial is intended to provide a brief review of recent developments in peroral cholangioscopy and current indications for its use.
Effects of an 8-Month Ashtanga-Based Yoga Intervention on Bone Metabolism in Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Study

Although Yoga has the potential to be an alternative physical activity to enhance bone health, there is a lack of high quality evidence for this type of intervention. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of a progressive 8-month Ashtanga-based Yoga program on bone turnover markers (BTM), areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and volumetric bone characteristics in premenopausal women. Thirty-four premenopausal women (35-50 years) were randomly assigned either to a Yoga group (YE, n = 16) or a control group (CON, n = 18). Participants in YE group performed 60 minutes of an Ashtanga-based Yoga series 2 times/week with one day between sessions for 8 months, and the session intensity was progressively increased by adding the number of sun salutations (SS). Participants in CON were encouraged to maintain their normal daily lifestyles monitored by the bone specific physical activity questionnaire (BPAQ) at 2 month intervals for 8 months. Body composition was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone formation (bone alkaline phosphatase, Bone ALP) and bone resorption (Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase-5b, TRAP5b) markers were assessed at baseline and after 8 months. aBMD of total body, lumbar spine and dual proximal femur and tibia bone characteristics were measured using DXA and peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT), respectively. We found that the serum Bone ALP concentrations were maintained in YE, but significantly (p = 0.005) decreased in CON after the 8 month intervention, and there were significant (p = 0.002) group differences in Bone ALP percent changes (YE 9.1 ± 4.0% vs. CON -7.1 ± 2.3%). No changes in TRAP5b were found in either group. The 8-month Yoga program did not increase aBMD or tibia bone strength variables. Body composition results showed no changes in weight, fat mass, or % fat, but small significant increases in bone free lean body mass occurred in both groups. The findings of this study suggest that regular long-term Ashtanga Yoga had a small positive effect on bone formation but did not alter aBMD or tibia bone characteristics in premenopausal women. Key pointsRegular long-term Ashtanga-based Yoga program had a small positive effect on bone formation, but no effects were found on bone resorption.None of the bone density or geometry variables were changed by the 8-month Ashtanga-based Yoga intervention.Future Yoga interventions should focus on longer duration and greater frequency to elicit improvements in bone mineral density.
Self-Awareness (svasaṃvitti) and Related Doctrines of Buddhists Following Dignāga: Philosophical Characterizations of Some of the Main Issues

Framed as a consideration of the other contributions to the present volume of the Journal of Indian Philosophy, this essay attempts to scout and characterize several of the interrelated doctrines and issues that come into play in thinking philosophically about the doctrine of svasaṃvitti, particularly as that was elaborated by Dignāga and Dharmakīrti. Among the issues thus considered are the question of how mānasapratyakṣa (which is akin to manovijnāna) might relate to svasaṃvitti; how those related doctrines might be brought to bear with respect to some problems addressed with reference to the further doctrine (also closely related to svasaṃvitti) concerning pramāṇaphala; and the distinctiveness of Dharmakīrti’s sahopalambhaniyama argument for svasaṃvitti. A question recurrently considered throughout the essay has to do with whether (following Akeel Bilgrami) svasaṃvitti reflects a perceptual or a constitutive understanding of self-awareness.
Emptiness is Suchness

Buddhists emphasize ‘Emptiness’ and say that everything is empty. Although this is a very important point for Buddhism in general and for Zen in particular, I am afraid that it is quite misleading, ox at least very difficult to understand, particularly for the Western mind. So I think that ‘everything is empty’ may be more adequately rendered in this way: ‘Everything is just as it is.’ A pine tree is a pine tree; a bamboo is a bamboo; a dog is a dog; a cat is a cat; you are you; I am I; she is she. Everything is different from everything else. And yet, while everything and everyone retain their uniqueness and particularity, they are free from conflict because they have no self-nature. This is the meaning of the saying that everything is empty.
Integrating metabolomics and transcriptomics data to discover a biocatalyst that can generate the amine precursors for alkamide biosynthesis.

The Echinacea genus is exemplary of over 30 plant families that produce a set of bioactive amides, called alkamides. The Echinacea alkamides may be assembled from two distinct moieties, a branched-chain amine that is acylated with a novel polyunsaturated fatty acid. In this study we identified the potential enzymological source of the amine moiety as a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent decarboxylating enzyme that uses branched-chain amino acids as substrate. This identification was based on a correlative analysis of the transcriptomes and metabolomes of 36 different E. purpurea tissues and organs, which expressed distinct alkamide profiles. Although no correlation was found between the accumulation patterns of the alkamides and their putative metabolic precursors (i.e., fatty acids and branched-chain amino acids), isotope labeling analyses supported the transformation of valine and isoleucine to isobutylamine and 2-methylbutylamine as reactions of alkamide biosynthesis. Sequence homology identified the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent decarboxylase-like proteins in the translated proteome of E. purpurea. These sequences were prioritized for direct characterization by correlating their transcript levels with alkamide accumulation patterns in different organs and tissues, and this multi-pronged approach led to the identification and characterization of a branched-chain amino acid decarboxylase, which would appear to be responsible for generating the amine moieties of naturally occurring alkamides.
High glucose promotes the migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells through increased oxidative stress and PEDF expression

Defects in the outer blood-retinal barrier have significant impact on the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. However, the detailed mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. This is, in part, attributed to the lack of suitable animal and cell culture models, including those of mouse origin. We recently reported a method for the culture of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells from wild-type and transgenic mice. The RPE cells are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the outer blood-retinal barrier whose dysfunction during diabetes has a significant impact on vision. Here we determined the impact of high glucose on the function of RPE cells. We showed that high glucose conditions resulted in enhanced migration and increased the level of oxidative stress in RPE cells, but minimally impacted their rate of proliferation and apoptosis. High glucose also minimally affected the cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions of RPE cells. However, the expression of integrins and extracellular matrix proteins including pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) were altered under high glucose conditions. Incubation of RPE cells with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine under high glucose conditions restored normal migration and PEDF expression. These cells also exhibited increased nuclear localization of the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2 and ZO-1, reduced levels of β-catenin and phagocytic activity, and minimal effect on production of vascular endothelial growth factor, inflammatory cytokines, and Akt, MAPK, and Src signaling pathways. Thus high glucose conditions promote RPE cell migration through increased oxidative stress and expression of PEDF without a significant effect on the rate of proliferation and apoptosis.
Intussusception Causing Painless Hematochezia in an Adult.

A 63-year-old woman was hospitalized after 2 episodes of mucoid, maroon-colored stools. She denied any prior or current episodes of abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, or recent travel. She was hemodynamically stable without significant drop in hematocrit. Colonoscopy revealed a 5-cm polypoid mass in the ascending colon with ulceration and fat eroding through the mucosa (Figure 1). The colonicsegment proximal to the mass could not be visualized on colonoscopy, but abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a 5 x 3 x 4-cm fat density mass at the hepatic flexure causing colocolic intussusception of the ascending colon into the proximal transverse colon. Axial CT demonstrated the classical “target” sign and coronal view demonstrated a “sausage-shaped” mass (Figure 2). Initially, the patient refused surgical intervention but subsequently agreed, as she had recurrent rectal bleeding. On laparotomy, the ascending colonic segment was found gangrenous; therefore, a right hemicolectomy with ileocolic anastomosis was performed. Histolopathology confirmed a benign submucosal lipoma (Figure 3) and normal lymph nodes. Postoperatively the patient recovered well.
Prospects for the protection of religious pluralism (Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria)

The drastic changes that have dramatically altered the political fabric of Europe raise significant questions as to the future of the interrelationship of religions with states whose political structure is now in flux. A commitment to pluralism, democracy, and respect for religious belief and practice is easily made. The difficult question is the manner in which it is going to be accomplished and secured. Further, given the often strong interaction between nationalistic goals and religious identity, the call for democracy and human rights were and often are in the mutual interest of the religious establishment and those who have nationalistic agendas. Once the immediate goal has been achieved, and religions are free to function, conceivably there is a potential that adherents of a majority religion can use their political dominance to obtain privileges at the expense of minority beliefs. This is especially true due to the long period of abuse perpetrated by states antagonistic to religion. It is not hard to comprehend a desire to return to the status quo and reimpose conditions that existed prior to the establishment of anti-religious regimes and recreate conditions favorable to a majority religion. This article considers the situation in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
Self-interested agents create, maintain, and modify group-functional culture

We agree that institutions and rules are crucial for explaining human sociality, but we question the claim of there not being "alternatives to CGS [that] can easily account for the institutionalized cooperation that characterizes human societies" (target article, sect. 7). Hypothesizing that self-interested individuals coercively and collaboratively create rules, we propose that agent-based hypotheses offer viable alternatives to cultural group selection (CGS).
Immune mechanisms associated with enhanced influenza A virus disease versus cross-protection in vaccinated pigs. (VAC4P.1064)

Vaccine associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) has been described in pigs vaccinated with whole-inactivated influenza virus (WIV) following infection with heterologous influenza A virus (IAV). WIV vaccination elicits production of cross-reactive, non-neutralizing antibody to the challenge IAV strain suggesting circulating immune complexes and/or antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity could contribute to pathology. Moreover, pathological findings in VAERD lungs include significant lymphocytic infiltration and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. In order to further delineate the immune mechanism associated with VAERD versus partial-protection we defined the lymphocyte populations infiltrating the lungs following challenge, as well as level of complement activation. Post-challenge, IAV-specific IFNγ secreting cells in the lungs were increased in pigs with VAERD compared to non-vaccinated, challenged controls. CD8 T cells and NK cells were significantly higher in the lungs of pigs protected from homologous challenge, suggesting these cells may play a role in protection. Interestingly, pigs with VAERD had a significant increase in memory T cells that was not observed in pigs without VAERD. Additionally, complement activation was significantly higher in the lungs of pigs experiencing VAERD. These data further describe the lymphocytic pathology associated with VAERD and suggest a role for complement activation in the development of VAERD disease pathology.
David Oliver: The non-story of "NHS Airbnb".

As the NHS approaches its busiest time of year, politicians and the media are ramping up their focus on very real winter pressures. Overcrowded emergency departments, ambulances stacked outside, and patients on trolleys in corridors, are sure to make headlines. And don’t forget a pandemic scare: this year it’s Australian flu. No laughing matter, but hardly the only significant challenge to the service or to population health. In an NHS where even senior managers seem reluctant to speak out, it was good to see Dame Julie Moore, a hospital chief executive, doing so on Newsnight on 25 October.1 Seeing that even the best led hospitals are experiencing …
Political Uncertainty and Market Liquidity: Evidence from the Brexit Referendum and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

This paper examines whether political events create, or resolve uncertainty in financial markets. In the few days following the surprise outcomes of the Brexit referendum and the 2016 U.S. presidential election, bid-ask spreads increase, quoted depth decreases, and volatility increases. We fail to find evidence of deteriorating market liquidity in the minutes preceding the verdicts. These results support the notion that uncertainty about political events increases information asymmetry among market participants, which causes a transitory decline in market liquidity. Overall, our results suggest that market participants respond to uncertain political events by revising their expectations ex-post.
The role of maternal care in borderline personality disorder and dependent life stress.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects 0.9%–3.2% of adolescents, and more than 20% of inpatient adolescents. Life stress has been linked to BPD across the lifespan, and previous research in adults has linked BPD to dependent stress (i.e., stress induced by the individual). However, prior research has not examined dependent stress alongside BPD in adolescents. Additionally, the potential protective effect of maternal care has not been considered in this relation. This study tested a moderation model expecting that (1) BPD would be positively associated with dependent life stress, (2) maternal care would be negatively associated with BPD, and (3) maternal care would moderate the relation between BPD and dependent life stress. The sample consisted of 184 adolescents recruited from an inpatient psychiatric facility serving a diverse population in the Southwestern United States. Dependent life stress, BPD, and maternal care were measured using the UCLA Life Stress Interview, DSM-IV Childhood Interview for BPD, and Kerns Security Scale, respectively. Results supported the first two hypotheses; BPD diagnosis was significantly, positively associated with dependent life stress, and negatively associated with maternal availability and dependability. Contrary to the third hypothesis, no significant evidence that maternal care acts as a buffer in the relation between BPD and dependent life stress was found. Although maternal care was not found to moderate the association between BPD and dependent life stress, results supported previously found relations between BPD, dependent life stress, and maternal care, and did so within a diverse inpatient adolescent sample.
Hierarchical Figure-Based Shape Description for Medical Imaging

Medical imaging has long needed a good method of shape description, both to quantitate shape and as a step toward object recognition. Despite this need none of the shape description methods to date have been sufficiently general, natural, and noise-insensitive to be useful. We have developed a method that is automatic and appears to have great hope in describing the shape of biological objects in both 0 and 3D.
Activation of Dictyostelium myosin light chain kinase A by phosphorylation of Thr166.

Abstract Phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain is an important mechanism for the activation of myosin in non-muscle cells. Unlike most myosin light chain kinases (MLCKs), MLCK-A from Dictyostelium is not activated by Ca2+/calmodulin. Autophosphorylation increases activity, but only to a low level, suggesting that there is an additional activation mechanism. Here, we show that MLCK-A is autophosphorylated on Thr289, which is C-terminal to the catalytic domain. Phosphorylation of MLCK-A increases in response to concanavalin A (conA) treatment of cells, which was previously shown to activate MLCK-A. However, a mutant kinase with an alanine at position 289 (T289A) is also phosphorylated in vivo, indicating that there is an additional phosphorylated residue. Based on comparisons with other protein kinases, we tested whether phosphorylation of Thr166 drives activation of MLCK-A. Our data indicate that phosphorylation of Thr289 occurs in vivo, but is not associated with conA-induced activation, whereas phosphorylation of Thr166 by some as yet unidentified kinase is associated with activation. Replacement of Thrl66 with glutamate results in a 12-fold increase in activity as compared with the wild-type enzyme, supporting the idea that phosphorylation of Thr166 increases MLCK-A activity.