cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring Hydraulic Conductance and Hydration Potential of Brain Extracellular Matrix by Osmotic Stress

Neuronal function depends on exquisite local regulation of a great variety of molecules and their interactions in the interstitial spaces. The timing and magnitude of interactions in the brain must depend on the hydraulic properties governing water and solute transfer across its matrix, but quantitative information on these properties has proved notoriously difficult to obtain, and uncertainties remain. Here, we adapt osmotic stress techniques to explore pressure-volume relationships and fluid-transfer parameters in brain tissue. Within 15-30 minutes of euthanasia, sets of brain tissue samples (12/brain, ∼1g each) were obtained from pigs (n =11) and immersed in baths adjusted to colloidosmotic pressures of 3-219 mmHg with polyethyleneglycol Mw 8000. The samples’ water influx/efflux was measured gravimetrically as a function of time, normalized by weight. Initial flow rates were calculated from the first derivative, at time = 0, of second-degree polynomials fitted to the progress curves. Rates were linearly proportional to the bath's pressure (r2 > 0.9). The hydraulic conductance calculated from the slope of fitted lines was 0.029 ± 0.008µl/min/g/mmHg, and the hydration potential, calculated from the pressure at initial rate = 0, was 64 ± 27 mmHg (means ± SD, n = 11).The hydraulic conductance, but not the hydration potential, decreased significantly when the bath temperature was reduced from 37 to 4°C. Compared to heart and skin, brain conductance value was higher. Further, the changes in hydraulic parameters with temperature were distinct for each organ. These results illustrate a simple, ex vivo, quantitative approach to probe specific water-transfer parameters and their changes in the brain. They indicate organ-dependent differences in flow regulation and the hydraulic properties of extracellular matrices.
Novel combinations with oxaliplatin.

Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) is a novel antineoplastic platinum derivative that may exert its cytotoxic effects by blocking DNA replication/transcription, thus resulting in cell death in proliferating cells, as well as apoptosis. Oxaliplatin is often more potent than other platinums such as cisplatin (Platinol) in vitro, and shows greater efficacy in preclinical studies against many tumor cell lines, including some that are resistant to cisplatin and carboplatin (Paraplatin). Oxaliplatin is approved for use with the fluoropyrimidines in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. In light of the broad efficacy of oxaliplatin in several solid tumors and the encouraging preclinical data on combination therapy with novel agents (e.g., thymidylate synthase inhibitors, epidermal growth factor-receptor antagonists, microtubule interactive agents), this article will review the published literature on novel combinations that have been tested in the laboratory and/or the clinic.
Structural features, physiological roles, and biotechnological applications of the membrane proteases of the OmpT bacterial endopeptidase family: a micro-review.

The proteins of the OmpT family represent a new class of integral membrane peptidases showing no sequence homology with other known classes of proteases. The prototype of the family, the Escherichia coli K-12 protein OmpT (or omptin), is an outer membrane endopeptidase with unusual specificity: it cleaves the peptide bond between two basic amino acids. A second distinct characteristic of OmpT is its ability to function even under extreme denaturing conditions (e.g. high concentration of urea). There is a growing number of reports that associate the proteases of the OmpT family with pathogenicity of certain gram-negative bacteria such as Yersinia pestis, Shigella flexneri, and pathogenic E. coli strains. This article reviews recent developments in the field of the OmpT proteases, provides a guide for the recognition of residues of the active site, and finally discusses potential uses of these proteins in biotechnology applications.
Enteric Leaks After Sleeve Gastrectomy: Prevention and Management

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is safe and effective for the treatment of morbid obesity. Leaks after LSG are rare (~1–3 %) but can result in significant morbidity. Utilizing bougie ≥40Fr may decrease leak rate without affecting overall weight loss up to 36 months postoperatively. For patients who develop leak after LSG, nutritional support and source control are cornerstones of management, including laparoscopic drainage and washout and feeding jejunostomy tube, if necessary. Most leaks resolve with endoscopic stenting. In rare cases, surgery (resection with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy or placement of Roux limb to the fistula) is required for definitive management.
Simulating the Tevatron Liquid Helium Satellite Refrigerators

A computer program to simulate the Fermilab Tevatron liquid helium satellite refrigeration system has been developed. The simulator program takes advantage of the Macintosh platform upon which it was developed to produce a unique, easy to use Macintosh interface to facilitate ease of cycle design and modification. The user can drag icons representing refrigerator components around on the screen and piece them together to form a variety of liquid helium refrigeration cycle configurations. Extensive use of the icons, windows, and pull-down menus of the Macintosh interface allows the user to easily alter refrigeration component configurations and parameters. Calculation accuracy is retained by using existing helium property subroutines and component models. The user interface, program output, and code details are described. Sample configurations and results are presented.
The Absolute Priority 'Rule' (APR) in Bankruptcy: Has It Now Been Enabled by the Courts to Allow Creditors to Liquidate Productively Viable U.S. Corporations?

This paper evaluates the Absolute Priority Rule and a new legal means for its application by the Courts that creates enormous opportunities for profitable financial schemes. In particular, a 2016 case precedent effectively applying the APR dogma is explained that enables taking property away from owners without compensation. It has opened the way for massive value-destroying liquidations of economically productive and financially viable firms current on all obligations, as well as potentially other catastrophes.
The Basic Structure

The complete model of the closed economy developed in this study contains five centralized decision-making units interacting in nine markets. The non-financial markets include those for labor, consumption goods (nondurables), and capital goods. Separate financial markets exist for checkable deposits, advances, IOU’s issued by the household sector, government bonds, equity shares issued by the private nonfinancial business sector, and equity shares issured by the private financial sector. Together these markets simultaneously comprise a market for high-powered money. The model also contains non-market mechanisms through which the household sector produces some of its own services and selects the optimal volume of public goods to be produced by the government. Figure 2.1 provides a visual overview of the closed economy as described in this study.
El género gramatical en español entre los hablantes de herencia y los hablantes nativos

Los hablantes de herencia, es decir, las personas que hablan una lengua desde el nacimiento que acaba convirtiendose en una lengua no dominante con el tiempo, constituyen un grupo tradicionalmente poco estudiado; sin embargo, ultimamente esta recibiendo mayor atencion. Un area que ha emergido en los ultimos anos es la realizacion del genero gramatical en las lenguas de herencia. Las investigaciones previas indican que existe una diferencia significativa entre los hispanohablantes nativos y los de herencia (Montrul, 2014; Valenzuela et al., 2012); por tanto, el proposito de este estudio es contribuir a la literatura de los hablantes de herencia. En el presente estudio, se dividio a 43 participantes hispanohablantes en grupos dependiendo de si eran nativos o de herencia. Cada participante llevo a cabo una Elicited Oral Production Task. Los resultados demuestran que los hablantes de herencia tienden a cometer un numero de fallos de genero significativamente mayor que los hablantes nativos y que usan ciertas estrategias, como la autocorreccion, significativamente mas que los nativos para evitar cometer dichos fallos. Los resultados del estudio respaldan las conclusiones de investigaciones previas, que indican que los hablantes de herencia no realizan el genero gramatical de manera nativa. Heritage speakers, that is, speakers of a language that is spoken since birth but becomes a non-dominant language over time, are classically an understudied group. However, in the field of linguistics, the subfield of heritage speakers is rapidly expanding. Specifically, the realization of grammatical gender in heritage languages has not been studied extensively until just recently. Previous research indicates that a significant difference exists between native and heritage speakers of Spanish (Montrul, 2014; Valenzuela et al., 2012); thus, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature of this growing subfield. In the present study, 43 Spanish-speaking participants were divided into groups depending on whether they were native or heritage speakers. Each of the participants carried out an Elicited Oral Production Task. Results demonstrate that heritage speakers tend to make significantly more gender errors than native speakers and that heritage speakers also utilize certain strategies, like self-correction, significantly more than native speakers in order to avoid committing these errors. Results from this study support the findings in previous research, which indicate that heritage speakers are not native-like in their realization of grammatical gender.
Marine Mammals: At the Intersection of Ice, Climate Change, and Human Interactions

Marine mammals (whales (cetaceans), seals (phocids), sea lions (otariids), walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus ), sea otters ( Enhydra lutris ), and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus )) inhabit almost all oceanic regions of the Arctic and subarctic. Many of these species are dependent on sea ice to raise their young, hunt, rest, and avoid predators. As the sea ice in the Arctic changes with the climate, the availability of this ice platform has decreased throughout the year. Consequently, the distribution and health of many ice-dependent marine mammal species is also changing. Because marine mammals are “warm-blooded” and can regulate their internal body temperature, the absolute temperature of the seawater is not as important to them as the impact of temperature on the sea ice itself and to their prey. Seawater temperature is tightly linked to the distribution of fish and other marine mammal prey (plankton, squid, etc.). Therefore, as the temperature of the water changes, the distribution of prey may also change. Further, the interaction of humans with marine mammals, either through commercial fishing, direct indigenous hunting, increased industrial ship traffic, or tourism, will also change as the mammals alter their own locations and the Arctic Ocean “opens up” from ice thaw. This cascading impact (warmer seawater temperatures, less sea ice, distribution of prey, impact to breeding success, and changes in human interactions) has led some polar marine mammal species to be placed on protected or endangered species lists (e.g., polar bear).
Network of Networks: A Meta-model for Simulated Financial Markets

We investigate the properties of a calibrated network structure of an agent-based model for a simulated financial market. A meta-model of a network of networks is introduced to capture the simulated market structure. The agent-based model consists of heterogeneous agents characterized by two-dimensional attributes that are investment behavior and investment strategy. The resulting groups of agents are viewed as subnetworks giving rise to a network of networks (NoN). The aggregation of activities of agents in a subnetwork trickles up to shape the aggregate activities of the NoN. The objective of introducing the NoN is to provide a testbed for complex models of simulated markets. Furthermore, we investigate the emergence of the market patterns in terms of prices, moments of returns, market capital, and wealth distributions. The investigation was performed for fully connected homogeneous agents. The results show a significant difference in the market emergence behaviors in terms of prices and returns, however, the market capitalization stays close to the calibrated financial market. Also, the deviation of wealth distributions was less than those in the heterogeneous market.
Chapter 57 – Ventilator Support

Publisher Summary When severe hypoxemia develops in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), intubation and mechanical ventilation may be necessary to ensure the delivery of a sufficiently high fractional inspired oxygen concentration. An increase in work of breathing, secondary to an increase in airway resistance or an inspiratory threshold load associated with auto-positive end-expiratory pressure or intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure, often requires mechanical ventilation to rest the respiratory muscles and decrease the oxygen cost of breathing. The term mode refers to the relationship among various breath types such as, mandatory, assisted, supported, spontaneous, and inspiratory phase variables. Studies have established that it is possible to achieve satisfactory bronchodilation using a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) despite the presence of an endotracheal tube in mechanically ventilated patients. It is essential to follow a specified protocol, use an inline chamber device, and actuate the MDI at the onset of inspiratory airflow. Patients receiving mechanical ventilation are at risk of numerous complications, including oxygen toxicity, air leaks, infection, endotracheal tube complications, and decreased cardiac output. These problems occur frequently and they can be life threatening if not promptly detected and treated. Abnormalities in pulmonary gas exchange, lung mechanics, and respiratory muscle function contribute to the development of respiratory failure. Adapting ventilator strategies that account for these abnormalities, such as controlled hypoventilation in acute asthma or the application of external PEEP in patients with COPD, may decrease morbidity and possibly improve patient outcome.
Civil Rights: Lights, Camera, Legislation: Congress Set to Adopt Hate Crimes Bill that May Put Double Jeopardy Protections in Jeopardy

School children are taught that the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Constitution guarantees that no person shall “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life of limb.” They are seldom taught, however, about the dual sovereignty rule, which holds that the Double Jeopardy Clause does not apply when separate sovereign governments prosecute the same defendant. A state cannot oust the federal government from jurisdiction by prosecuting first; similarly the federal government cannot oust the state. This is true even in the event of an acquittal. Such a rule may (or may not) be tolerable when the number of federal crimes and hence of potential federal prosecutions is small. But when large numbers of crimes are potentially federal crimes, it quickly becomes a “two bites at the apple” rule. What does this mean for pending hate crimes legislation? The legislation currently pending in Congress this year (2009) defines hate crimes extremely broadly. It is enough that a crime occur “because of” the race, sex, disability, etc. of the victim (or of some other person). But consider: Rapists are seldom indifferent to the sex of their victims. Literally, they are almost always chosen “because of” their sex. A thief might well steal only from the disabled because, in general, the disabled are less able to defend themselves. Again, literally they are selected “because of” their disability. Is it a good idea to have a statute that makes so many traditional state crimes federal crimes also? Are the efforts in the bill to prevent the double jeopardy problem from exploding good enough? Note that “hate crimes” are frequently the most politically sensitive crimes—i.e. crimes where double jeopardy protections are most important.
Temperature induced deviations to the optical responses of plasmonic materials

Temperature induced deviations to the optical responses of noble metals and refractory plasmonic metals were investigated to temperatures up to 900 °. The manifestation of these deviations in different plasmonic applications will be presented.
Homotopy inverse limits

It is well known that, in general, inverse limits do not exist in the homotopy category of spaces. In this chapter we will, however: (i) (i) discuss a notion of homotopy inverse limits which gets around this difficulty, and (ii) (ii) show that, up to homotopy, the R-completion of Part I of these notes can be considered as such a homotopy inverse limit.
Leadership: Roles or Functions?

One recurring debate in education concerns the importance of leaders. In the late 1970s, the effective schools literature suggested that strong administrative leadership is ‘one of the most tangible and indispensable characteristics… without which the disparate elements of good schooling can neither be brought together nor kept together’ (Edmonds, 1979a, p. 32). Others suggested that principal leadership was the ‘key’ to effective school change (Arends, 1982; Berman & McLaughlin, 1978). Yet, others have concluded that principals are relatively ineffective as instructional leaders (e.g., Martin & Willower, 1981; Morris and colleagues, 1984). In fact Sykes and Elmore (1989) argue that the way schools are structured makes it extremely difficult for principals to exercise leadership in at least one central area: instruction.
The Theory of Games

The theory of games is a branch of mathematics designed to analyze the behavior of people in situations of conflict of interest. The exact nature of these conflicts is best evaluated in the case of parlor games (in which such things as winning and losing are clearly defined) and it is this fact that has given the theory its name. Notwithstanding, the theory is applicable to many serious situations : a game, as the term shall be used here, may be an extremely serious affair, including such things as cutthroat economic competition and nuclear warfare.
ABIM/ACC Competency-Based Education Pilot in Internal Medicine-Cardiology: A Fellow's Perspective.

The traditional cardiology training pathway has entailed 3 years of internal medicine (IM) residency followed by 3 years of cardiology fellowship with optional additional training. The rationale behind 6 years of training in this traditional pathway has never been rigorously tested or clearly
The Fight for Affordable Rental Housing in 1980s New York: A Tenants’ Association’s Anticonversion Stance

This article examines an historical case study of a moderate-income rental complex’s condominium conversion in New York City during the 1980s. Despite research suggesting that tenants desire homeow...
Dermatitis caused by autochthonous Cercopithifilaria bainae from a dog in Florida, USA: clinical, histological and parasitological diagnosis and treatment.

BACKGROUND Cercopithifilaria bainae is a tick-vectored filarioid nematode associated with erythematous dermatitis in dogs. It has not been reported previously in the United States. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVE To describe clinical, histological and parasitological diagnosis and treatment of C. bainae in a dog. ANIMALS An 11-month-old golden retriever/standard poodle mixed breed dog from Florida (USA). METHODS AND MATERIALS The dog had no travel history within or outside the United States, was presented with a one month history of annular erythematous plaques on the head and ulcers on the medial canthi. Lesions were unresponsive to antibiotic treatment. RESULTS Histopathological evaluation of skin biopsies revealed an eosinophilic to lymphohistiocytic perivascular dermatitis with multiple microgranulomas and rare 5-10 μm diameter microfilariae within microgranulomas. Microfilarial morphology was consistent with C. bainae. PCR and sequencing of 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I genes confirmed the nematodes as C. bainae. The dog was treated with a commercial spot-on containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, and clinical resolution occurred. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of C. bainae in a dog in the United States and the first description of dermatological lesions caused primarily by C. bainae.
Pollen from multiple sunflower cultivars and species reduces a common bumblebee gut pathogen

Pathogens are one of the factors driving pollinator declines. Diet can play an important role in mediating pollinator health and resistance to pathogens. Sunflower pollen (Helianthus annuus) dramat...
Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral contributors to early childhood weight status

Pediatric obesity is a serious public health concern affecting almost 16% of two- to five-year-olds. Prior research has not sufficiently addressed how various factors combine to contribute to the heterogeneous condition of obesity. The goal of this study was to assess multiple individual factors to determine how they collectively contribute to weight status in young children, as this information could lead to tailored interventions. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study of three- to five-year-olds. Child height and weight were measured. Parents completed a demographic survey and validated questionnaires regarding these child characteristics: internalizing and externalizing behaviors, sleep problems, executive functions, and food approach and food avoid behaviors. Data for 154 participants (mean age: 4.4 ± 0.8 years; mean body mass index-z: .28 ± 1.0; 50% male) were analyzed using linear and logistic regression and a stepwise regression procedure. In the stepwise selection procedure for the binary outcome of obese/overweight versus normal weight, food avoid (p = .151), food approach (p = .017), and the White demographic variable (p = .117) were identified as important predictors. In conclusion, when considering various cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors, only food approach and food avoid eating behaviors predicted weight status in young children, suggesting prevention and intervention efforts should specifically address these aspects in young children.
Individual coronary plaque changes on serial CT angiography: Within-patient heterogeneity, natural history, and statin effects in HIV.

Abstract Background It is not known how the volume and composition of individual coronary plaques change over time in HIV-infected people and whether statins influence these changes. Methods We included forty adults with HIV and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis who participated in a randomized controlled trial of placebo vs. atorvastatin. All participants underwent serial coronary computed tomography angiography at baseline and after one year. Individual coronary plaques were measured to assess the within-patient variability of plaque volume and composition changes. Left-main, proximal-right, proximal-left-anterior descending, and proximal-circumflex coronary segments were considered proximal. Plaque voxels with attenuation ≤130 Hounsfield Units (HU) were defined as noncalcified and further divided into fatty ( Results In 37 patients who completed the trial, there were 92 coronary plaques. Individual plaque changes varied highly, with some plaques increasing while others decreased in the same patient. Overall, 77% vs. 51% of individual plaques progressed, while 24% vs. 49% regressed in placebo and statin, respectively (p = 0.016). Substantial increases in proximal plaques drove the progression in placebo. Statins suppressed these large increases, resulting in a 3-fold lower variance in plaque volume change compared to placebo (p = 0.025). Statins suppressed progression of fibrotic (p = 0.015) plaque, with a trend towards reducing fatty (p = 0.075) plaque and no significant effect on the calcified portion (p = 0.203). Conclusion In persons with HIV, a population with increased atherosclerosis burden and cardiovascular risk, individual coronary plaque changes vary within a given individual. Large increases in proximal plaques characterize progression, and statins act in part by stabilizing progressing plaques by reducing fatty and fibrotic plaque components, without influencing the calcified portion.
Teriflunomide's effect on humoral response to Epstein-Barr virus and development of cortical gray matter pathology in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Teriflunomide has been shown to slow cortical gray matter (GM) atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous work showed that higher levels of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are associated with greater development of cortical pathology in MS. Objectives To investigate whether the effect of teriflunomide on cortical volume loss in relapsing MS patients may be associated with the change in humoral response to EBV. Methods This was a prospective, observational, single-blinded, longitudinal study of 30 relapsing MS patients, who started treatment with teriflunomide, and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Subjects were assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months with clinical, MRI and EBV examinations. MRI outcomes included percent changes in cortical, GM, deep GM and whole brain volumes. Serum samples were analyzed for IgG antibodies titers against EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) and nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1). Results There were no significant differences in anti-VCA and anti-EBNA-1 IgG titers between MS patients and HC at baseline. However, over the 12-month follow-up, MS patients experienced a greater decrease in anti-EBNA-1 (−35.1, p = .003) and anti-VCA (−15.9, p = .05) IgG titers, whereas no significant changes were observed in HCs (−3.7 and −1.6, respectively). MS patients who showed the highest decrease in anti-EBV VCA and EBNA-1 IgG titers from baseline to follow-up, developed less cortical (p Conclusions Teriflunomide's effect on slowing cortical and GM volume loss may be mediated by its effect on altering humoral response to EBV.
Intraprocedural Techniques for Prostatic Artery Embolization

PAE is a technically challenging procedure due to multiple factors including variability of arterial anatomy and difficulty traversing small tortuous arteries. Considerations such as access site determination, cross-sectional angiography and advanced wire-catheter technique can improve success rates.
Accounting for Physics Uncertainty in Ultrasonic Wave Propagation using Deep Learning

Ultrasonic guided waves are commonly used to localize structural damage in infrastructures such as buildings, airplanes, bridges. Damage localization can be viewed as an inverse problem. Physical model based techniques are popular for guided wave based damage localization. The performance of these techniques depend on the degree of faithfulness with which the physical model describes wave propagation. External factors such as environmental variations and random noise are a source of uncertainty in wave propagation. The physical modeling of uncertainty in an inverse problem is still a challenging problem. In this work, we propose a deep learning based model for robust damage localization in presence of uncertainty. Wave data with uncertainty is simulated to reflect variations due to external factors and Gaussian noise is added to reflect random noise in the environment. After evaluating the localization error on test data with uncertainty, we observe that the deep learning model trained with uncertainty can learn robust representations. The approach shows potential for dealing with uncertainty in physical science problems using deep learning models.
What Jungian Psychology Can Tell Us About Don Draper’s Unexpected Embrace of Leonard in Mad Men’s Finale

Some critics have suggested that Don Draper’s embrace of fellow group-therapy member Leonard in Mad Men’s finale amounts to a metaphorical embrace of Dick Whitman, the original childhood identity Don left behind. This paper analyses echoing dialogue, the appearance of archetypal symbols, and other mise-en-scene elements to suggest another reading, namely that Leonard recalls two phantoms from Don’s traumatic past: his brother, Adam Whitman, and his business partner, Lane Pryce, who both died by suicide. The persona, shadow, and anima concepts—formulated by C.G. Jung and enriched through critiques by post-Jungian scholars and clinicians—are used to elucidate associations among Adam, Lane, and Leonard and to explain why Leonard’s synchronistic appearance helps catalyse Don’s psychological integration, a process he’d resisted during the entire series’ run.
An adjunctive therapy approach prevents antibiotic resistance emergence in opportunistic pathogens colonizing the gut

Therapeutic antibiotic use drives the spread of antibiotic resistance, a major threat to public health. Ideally, clinicians could treat infections with antibiotics without fueling transmission of resistant pathogens. Here, we show proof of concept for an adjunctive therapy approach that allows treatment of target pathogens without the emergence and onward transmission of resistance. Like many of the bacterial species responsible for the antimicrobial resistance crisis, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is a colonizing opportunistic pathogen and an important cause of drug-resistant healthcare-associated infections. VRE causes life-threatening infections in the bloodstream, but spreads via fecal-oral transmission because it asymptomatically colonizes the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Thus, there is a physical separation between the VRE targeted by treatment (those in the blood) and the VRE contributing to onward transmission (those in the GI tract). An oral adjuvant that can bind or inactivate antibiotic in the GI tract would make possible intravenous patient treatment without promoting transmissible resistance. We tested this idea in a mouse model of VRE GI tract colonization using cholestyramine, which we show binds daptomycin, one of the few remaining front-line antibiotics against VRE. Adjunctive cholestyramine therapy reduced the fecal shedding of daptomycin-resistant VRE by up to 80-fold in mice treated with daptomycin. These results provide proof of concept for an approach that could reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance for many important hospital pathogens.
Advances and Current Issues in Adolescent Sleep

Adolescents have unique risks for inadequate sleep. There are constant updates in the understanding of natural biologic tendencies, technological advancements, social constrictions, and medical conditions affecting sleep. This article aims to review and highlight recent advances in these areas. There is a greater understanding of the natural tendencies of adolescent sleep towards circadian phase delay. New research has better delineated the effects of artificial light and school start times, on sleep and circadian phase. There have also been updates about the diagnosis and management of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Greater understanding of how light exposure affects the circadian system allows for more concrete recommendations about managing electronics exposure. Growing evidence suggests that delaying school start times may be beneficial for adolescents. Advances in diagnostic techniques for various disorders may allow greater flexibility and greater accuracy in testing, as well as better evidenced-based care.
Abstract 423: Novel patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model for preclinical studies of breast cancer brain metastasis

BACKGROUND: Currently available breast cancer brain metastasis patient-derived xenografts (PDX) are technically challenging to generate with unstable results. Such PDXs are critical for preclinical studies of drug development for treatment of brain metastasis. This is because the biology and microenvironment of metastasis in brain are very different from those of primary tumors or metastases at other organs. Brain metastasis occurs in as many as 30% of patients with advanced breast cancer and is a major cause of mortality. Here, we describe a new method of breast cancer brain metastasis PDXs. We also compare drug responsiveness of orthotopic brain PDXs made with the new method and ectopic PDXs grown in mouse mammary fat pad (MFP). METHODS: One mm3 fragments of metastatic brain tumors of breast cancer patients were xenografted in brain caudate putamen or MFP of immunodeficient NSG mice using various methods. MRI was used to assess engraftment and tumor growth. Brain and MFP PDXs were examined for responsiveness to epothilone B. RESULTS: We tested 3 methods for tumor implantation in brain: direct placement of tumor fragment using fine forceps (Forceps method), and injection of gently crushed tumor fragment using beveled 23 G needle with syringe (Needle method) or a pipettor with 10-ul pipette tip of 1 mm bore (Pipette method). PDXs in 8-10 mice were generated using each method. Post-operative mortality was zero with the Forceps and Pipette methods. However, 5 of 8 mice died within a day of implantation with the Needle method. At 6 weeks post-implantation, tumors were detectable in 80%, 67%, and 100% of surviving mice implanted using the Forceps, Needle, and Pipette methods, respectively. Tumor volumes were less variable with the Pipette compared to the Forceps method. Unlike the 100% engraftment for brain PDXs, the engraftment rate of patient brain metastasis implanted ectopically in MFP was only 75%. However, both orthotopic and ectopic PDXs grew about 2-fold faster after 3x serial passaging (all t test P CONCLUSION: We established and characterized orthotopic breast cancer brain metastasis PDXs that were generated using a novel method that was facile, inexpensive, and efficient. PDXs created with our novel method may be powerful tools for preclinical studies of metastatic breast cancer. Citation Format: Masanori Oshi, Maiko Okano, Kazuaki Takabe. Novel patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model for preclinical studies of breast cancer brain metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 423.
Permeable Base Transistor

Many important applications exist for a three-terminal device capable of amplifying and generating power in the EHF frequency range and of operating at high speeds in a logic circuit. Although sufficiently fast two-terminal devices are presently available, three-terminal devices provide greater fan-out capability in a logic circuit and greater isolation of input and output signals in an analog circuit. The permeable base transistor(PBT) was conceived at Lincoln Laboratory in 1979 [1,2] as a device capable of being used in these applications [3,4,5]. It is presently one of several devices being developed for high frequency and high speed applications. Other devices include the conventional field-effect transistor (FET) [6,7], the high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) [8,9], and the heterojunction bipolar transistor (HJBT) [10].
Progressive QRS Duration and Ventricular Dysfunction in Pediatric Patients with Chronic Ventricular Pacing

Pacemakers are a mainstay of therapy for patients with congenital and acquired heart block, but ventricular pacing is related to ventricular dysfunction. We sought to evaluate patient and device characteristics associated with ventricular dysfunction in pediatric patients with chronic ventricular pacing. This was a retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with heart block and chronic ventricular pacing. Patient, ECG, and device characteristics were analyzed to determine factors associated with ventricular dysfunction. Longitudinal ECG and echocardiogram parameters were obtained to track changes in QRS and systemic ventricular systolic function over time. In total, 82 patients were included (median age at implant 0.81 years). Over a follow-up time of 6.1 years, 18% developed ventricular dysfunction. Patients with dysfunction had greater current QRS duration (p = 0.002) compared to those with preserved function with a similar time from device implantation. There was no difference between lead location or age at device implantation. QRS duration increased with time from implant and the resultant ΔQRS was associated with ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.01). QRS duration >162 ms was associated with a 5.8 (2–9)-fold increased risk for dysfunction. Transvenous leads were associated with longer QRS duration with no difference compared to epicardial leads in development of ventricular dysfunction. This study demonstrated that the absolute paced QRS duration and Δpaced QRS were association with long-term ventricular dysfunction independent of how long a given patient was paced. Patients in high-risk categories may benefit from close echocardiographic monitoring. Whether permissive junctional rhythm or His bundle/biventricular pacing decreases the rate of dysfunction needs further study.
A systematic, mixed studies review of the outcomes of community garden participation related to food justice

Community gardens have been proposed as a way to build community capacity while simultaneously improving equity in food systems, core tenets of the food justice movement. Yet to date, there is no l...
‘You Have a Grand Gift of Silence, Watson’: Reinventing Agency in Twenty-First-Century Adaptations of Dr. Watson

Wren’s chapter re-examines the oft-perpetuated imbalanced sidekick–detective relationship between Arthur Conan Doyle’s Dr. John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. Focusing on two twenty-first-century adaptations of Conan Doyle’s Watson and Holmes, Wren hypothesizes that the subordinate role of sidekick is transformed into one of equal partner through more nuanced understandings of and appreciation for both intelligence quotient (IQ) and the emotional quotient (EQ). These adaptations produce equal partnerships by creating a new power dynamic between Holmes and Watson. Elementary’s Sherlock and Brittany Cavallaro’s Charlotte are drug addicts that embody their progenitor’s high IQ but lack a corresponding EQ. These Holmeses rely on their Watsons, Joan and Jamie respectively, to foster sobriety and this ensures that they are stable enough to emotionally and psychologically mature. These themes embody trends in contemporary American popular psychology, which purports the ideology of self-help and stresses a positive correlation between building EQ confidence and increasing self-esteem.
Cross‐Cultural Psychology

Cross-cultural psychology is the scientific study of human behavior across cultural or national boundaries (Adler & Gielen, 2002). It is based on the two premises that (1) our culture deeply impacts all aspects of our psyche, including perception, cognition, development, personality, abnormality, and social behavior; and (2) for scientific psychology to be accurate, it must study these cultural variations rather than overlook them. Keywords: multi-cultural psychology; international psychology; cultural psychology; indigenous psychology
A NiII–Bis(diphosphine)–Hydride Complex Containing Proton Relays – Structural Characterization and Electrocatalytic Studies

The syntheses of the new 1,5-diphenyl-3,7-di(isopropyl)-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane ligand, PiPr2NPh2, is reported. The two equivalents of the ligand react with [Ni(CH3CN)6](BF4)2 to form the bis-diphosphine Ni(II)-complex [Ni(PiPr2NPh2)2](BF4)2, which acts as a proton reduction electrocatalyst. In addition to [Ni(PiPr2NPh2)2]2+, we report the syntheses and structural characterization of the Ni(0)-complex Ni(PiPr2NPh2)2, and the Ni(II)-hydride complex [HNi(PiPr2NPh2)2]BF4. The [HNi(PiPr2NPh2)2]BF4 complex represents the first Ni(II)-hydride in the [Ni(PR2NR'2)2]2+ family of compounds to be isolated and structurally characterized. In addition to the experimental data, the mechanism of electrocatalysis facilitated by [Ni(PiPr2NPh2)2]2+ is analyzed using linear free energy relationships recently established for the [Ni(PR2NR'2)2]2+ family. We thank Dr. Aaron Appel, Dr. Simone Raugei and Dr. Eric Wiedner for helpful discussions. This research was supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Mass spectrometry was provided at W. R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a national scientific user facility sponsored by the Department of Energy’s office of Biological and Environmental Research located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Nucleoside transport by Novikoff rat hepatoma cells growing in suspension culture: Specificity and mechanism of transport reactions and relationship to nucleoside incorporation into nucleic acids

The transport of adenosine, guanosine, inosine, uridine and cytidine by Novikoff rat hepatoma cells (subline N1S1-67) is competitively inhibited by each of the other nucleosides, thymidine, persantin and phenethyl alcohol. Comparisons of the transport kinetics of the various nucleosides (Km and vmax), of the Km/Ki ratios for the inhibitions and of the effect of heat shock (47.5°, 5 min) on nucleoside transport suggest that guanosine and inosine are transported by a single system, whereas different specific systems transport adenosine and the pyrimidine nucleosides. Uridine and cytidine also seem to be transported by a single system. All systems are inactivated to about the same extent by treatment of the cells with p-chloromercuribenzoate. Incubation of the cells in media containing 2% trypsin or chymotrypsin, 1% neuraminidase or 0.025% phospholipase C for 15 min has no significant effect on uridine transport, and energy poisons have an effect only at relatively high concentrations. The incorporation of each of the nucleosides into nucleic acids by the cells also follows simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics and the apparent Km for each nucleoside is similar to that of its transport into the cell. Competitive inhibition of nucleoside transport by heterologous nucleosides, persantin or phenethyl alcohol results in an apparent competitive inhibition of nucleoside incorporation into nucleic acids and the apparent Ki values for the inhibitions are similar for both processes. The results suggest that the rate-limiting step in the incorporation of each of the nucleosides into nucleic acids is its transport into the cell.
β-Carotene Supplementation Increases Antioxidant Capacity of Plasma in Older Women

The antioxidant effect of dietary beta-carotene supplementation on the peroxidation potential of plasma was investigated in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Twelve healthy women (62-80 y) supplemented their usual daily diet with 90 mg of beta-carotene (n = 6) or placebo (n = 6) capsules for 3 wk. Plasma concentrations of beta-carotene, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, ascorbate, urate, bilirubin and in vitro production of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxides (PC-OOH) and utilization of plasma antioxidants in the presence of 50 mmol/L 2,2'-azobis (2-aminopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), a free radical generator, at 37 degrees C were measured before and after dietary treatment. Plasma beta-carotene increased from 0.76 +/- 0.16 to 6.45 +/- 1.16 micromol/L (P < 0.05) in supplemented but not placebo-treated subjects. The plasma concentrations of other antioxidants did not change significantly in either group. beta-Carotene supplementation did not affect basal levels of plasma PC-OOH as measured by HPLC post-column chemiluminescence but did affect AAPH-induced production of PC-OOH. Before supplementation, the induction period of plasma PC-OOH production was 2.4 +/- 0.4 h, with levels reaching 5.39 +/- 1.50 micromol/L after 6 h of incubation. After supplementation, the induction period increased significantly to 4.2 +/- 0.4 h (P < 0.01), with a lower PC-OOH production of 2.16 +/- 0.90 micromol/L after 6 h (P < 0.05). In this system, plasma ascorbate concentrations were depleted first, followed by loss of bilirubin and alpha-tocopherol and then by the sequential loss of gamma-tocopherol, urate and beta-carotene. These results indicate that beta-carotene supplementation increases the plasma antioxidant capacity of older women.
Bayesian Modeling and Inference for Geometrically Anisotropic Spatial Data

A geometrically anisotropic spatial process can be viewed as being a linear transformation of an isotropic spatial process. Customary semivariogram estimation techniques often involve ad hoc selection of the linear transformation to reduce the region to isotropy and then fitting a valid parametric semivariogram to the data under the transformed coordinates. We propose a Bayesian methodology which simultaneously estimates the linear transformation and the other semivariogram parameters. In addition, the Bayesian paradigm allows full inference for any characteristic of the geometrically anisotropic model rather than merely providing a point estimate. Our work is motivated by a dataset of scallop catches in the Atlantic Ocean in 1990 and also in 1993. The 1990 data provide useful prior information about the nature of the anisotropy of the process. Exploratory data analysis (EDA) techniques such as directional empirical semivariograms and the rose diagram are widely used by practitioners. We recommend a suitable contour plot to detect departures from isotropy. We then present a fully Bayesian analysis of the 1993 scallop data, demonstrating the range of inferential possibilities.
Biologically Reversible Exploration

International policies for protection of Mars and other planets from biological contamination need to be maintained and strengthened.
Structured Long-Range Connections Can Provide a Scaffold for Orientation Maps

In the visual cortex of the cat and ferret, it is established that maturation of orientation selectivity is shaped by experience-dependent plasticity. However, recent experiments indicate that orientation maps are remarkably stable and experience-independent. We present a model to account for these seemingly paradoxical results. In this model, a scaffold consisting of non-isotropic lateral connections is laid down in horizontal circuitry before visual experience. These lateral connections provide an experience-independent framework for the developing orientation maps by inducing a broad orientation tuning bias in the model neurons. Experience-dependent plasticity of the thalamocortical connections sharpens the tuning while the preferred orientation of the neurons remains unchanged. This model is verified by computer simulations in which the scaffolds are generated both artificially and inferred from experimental optical imaging data. The plasticity is modeled by the BCM synaptic plasticity rule, and the input environment consists of natural images. We use this model to provide a possible explanation of the recent observation in which two eyes without common visual experience develop similar orientation maps. Finally, we propose an experiment involving the disruption of lateral connections to distinguish this model from models proposed by others.
Media Logic, Social Control, and Fear

The role of mediated communication and media logic in social order is discussed, along with recent examples involving social media and popular culture, surveillance, commercialism and marketing, social change and revolution, and military strategies and weapon systems. The relevance of an ecology of communication—the structure, organization, and accessibility of information technology, various forums, media, and channels of information—is proposed as a template for inspecting the interaction of social context, information technology, communication formats, and how these affect social activities. Suggestions are offered for continued investigation and mapping of media logic across information technologies in order to clarify the reflexive relationship between communication, social interaction, and institutional orders.