cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature-Dependent Interactions between Juvenile Steelhead and Sacramento Pikeminnow in Laboratory Streams

Abstract We examined the temperature dependence of interactions between juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and juvenile Sacramento pikeminnow Ptychocheilus grandis in laboratory streams. Growth of dominant steelhead in water 20-23°C was reduced by more than 50% in trials with Sacramento pikeminnow compared with trials with steelhead alone. Comparison of the two-species treatment with one with an equal density of fish comprised of steelhead alone indicated that the per capita effect of Sacramento pikeminnow was similar to the intraspecific effect of steelhead in water 20-23°C. In contrast, the growth of dominant steelhead in water 15-18°C was unaffected by Sacramento pikeminnow. The temperature-dependence of the effect of Sacramento pikeminnow on dominant steelhead was also reflected in the size of the area defended by steelhead and in the behavior of Sacramento pikeminnow under the two thermal regimes. Compared with all other treatment combinations, dominant steelhead defended the smallest areas when ...
Oxidative effect ferumoxytol and iron dextran on urinary bladder contraction and impact of antioxidants

Introduction: Intravenous (IV) iron compounds enjoy widespread clinical use. No studies have examined the effect of antioxidants on oxidative damage-associated changes in bladder contractility from IV iron compounds. Objective: To determine if oxidative stress from 2 IV iron compounds effect rat bladder contraction and if coadministered antioxidants are protective. Methods: Three groups of 6 SD rats were studied. Group 1 received weekly 1 mg/kg doses of ferumoxytol (FX) or iron dextran (ID) for 5 doses. Group 2 received coenzyme Q10 (5 mg/kg) plus alpha lipoic acid (10 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks before starting IV iron, then 1 mg/kg of the 2 iron compounds weekly for 5 doses. Antioxidant treatment continued until the last iron dose. Group 3 were controls and received saline and half received the antioxidants over the same time period. Seven days after the last iron dose, liver and heart samples were analyzed for nitrotyrosine (NT) and dinitrophenol (DNP) content. The contractile responses of bladder strips to field stimulation (FS) (2, 8, and 32 Hz), carbachol (10 mg), and KCl (120 mM) were determined. Results: DNP concentrations in heart and liver after treatment with FX were similar to control. NT concentrations in both tissues were increased above control with FX. DNP and NT concentrations of both tissues due to ID were higher than both controls and FX. FX had no effect on bladder contractile responses to any form of stimulation, but ID produced decreases in bladder responses to all stimuli. Antioxidants had no effect on bladder contractility in FX-treated rats, but contractile responses to all forms of stimulation were increased by the antioxidants in ID-treated rats. The antioxidants had no effect on control rats. Conclusion: FX and ID caused oxidative stress to several organs, but FX was less stressful than ID. Antioxidants attenuated the effects of ID on bladder contractility.
Contraception and prevention of HIV transmission: a potential conflict of public health principles

Recent research suggests that HIV transmission and acquisition may increase with the use of some forms of hormonal contraception. Current data are not conclusive, but should it be determined that use of hormonal contraception can promote HIV spread, one consequence will be a competition between two important public health goals. The laudable goals of preventing HIV transmission and reducing rates of unintended pregnancy, particularly important in developing regions of the world like sub-Saharan Africa, will be in conflict. In this article we examine the different challenges raised by these competing goals and explore the broad range of factors at play using the six-part ethical framework developed by Baum et al . for managing ethical challenges in public health practice. We conclude that given the array of considerations required prior to restriction of hormonal contraceptive methods in resource-poor regions of the world, such restrictions should not be imposed, even if it were proven that some of these methods could exacerbate the spread of HIV among at-risk individuals. Of the estimated 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, 16 million are women, and infection rates are increasing in women even as the epidemic stabilises globally.1 The countries with the highest rates of HIV also have low rates of contraception use and thus high rates of unintended pregnancy.2 Improving family planning services in these countries has been a key public health goal, as preventing unintended pregnancy reduces maternal and child mortality, reduces rates of mother-to-child (vertical) transmission of HIV, reduces poverty and improves educational and gender equity. Until recently, researchers and policymakers have often overlooked the impact of pregnancy on HIV prevention research and practice. Due to a number of biological and socioeconomic factors, current HIV prevention tools – abstinence, male or female condoms, male circumcision and monogamy – are inaccessible …
Forensic analysis of crib mattress properties on pediatric CPR quality—Can we balance pressure reduction with CPR effectiveness? ,

Abstract Introduction Single mode, pressure reduction (PR) crib mattresses are increasingly employed in hospitals to prevent skin injury and infection. However, single mode PR mattresses risk large mattress deflection during CPR chest compressions, potentially leading to inadequate chest compressions. Hypothesis New, dual mode PR crib mattress technology provides less mattress deflection during chest compressions (CCs) with similar PR characteristics for prevention of skin injury. Methods Epochs of 50 high-quality CCs (target sternum–spine compression depth ≥38mm) guided by real-time force/deflection sensor (FDS) feedback were delivered to CPR manikin with realistic CC characteristics on two PR crib mattresses for four conditions: (1) single mode+backboard; (2) dual mode+backboard; (3) single mode−no backboard; and (4) dual mode−no backboard. Mattress displacement was measured using surface reference accelerometers. Mattress displacement ≥5mm was prospectively defined as minimal clinically important difference. PR qualities of both mattresses were assessed by tissue interface pressure mapping. Results During simulated high quality CC, single mode had significantly more mattress displacement compared to dual mode (mean difference 16.5±1.4mm, p p Conclusions Chest compressions delivered on dual mode pressure reduction crib mattresses resulted in substantially smaller mattress deflection compared to single mode pressure reduction mattresses. Skin pressure reduction qualities of dual mode pressure reduction crib mattress were maintained. We recommend that backboards continue to be used in order to mitigate mattress deflection during CPR on soft mattresses.
Neurobiological Differentiation of Primary and Secondary Language Acquisition

This paper examines language as a multimodal sensory enhancement system, integrating recent neuroanatomical and neurophysiological findings on the ontogenesis of neuronal structures with the generative concept of Universal Grammar (UG) for determination of fundamental differences between primary (PLA) and secondary (SLA) language acquisition. Substantial attention is given to general neurobiological principles such as experience expectant/dependent synaptogenesis, formational/organizational versus associational/reactive plasticity, characteristics of modular cortical organization, and general epigenetic qualities (e.g., intra- and interhemispheric competition, selective neuronal preservation, etc.) of the developing brain. Special emphasis is placed on neurobiological specializations relative to language (e.g., interhemispheric differences in dendritic arborization in Broca's area). The assumed innateness of UG is critically examined, with the neurobiological evidence indicating (a) the first language (L1) does not equal the second language (L2) neurobiologically, and (b) epigenetic factors contributing to PLA are often underestimated. The relevance of these conclusions for SLA is also briefly discussed.
Successful catheter ablation of epicardial ventricular tachycardia worsened by cardiac resynchronization therapy

Soon after an upgrade from a single-chamber implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with an ICD, a 64-year-old man with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy began to have increasingly frequent ICD shocks for slow ventricular tachycardia (VT). At electrophysiological study, no clinical VT was induced by endocardial right ventricular pacing, but was easily induced by epicardial left ventricular (LV) pacing via a subxiphoid pericardial approach. The VT was successfully ablated on the LV epicardial surface. This case suggests that epicardial catheter ablation may be an alternative for managing CRT-induced proarrhythmias without the inactivation of LV pacing.
Sign of Gaussian curvature from curve orientation in photometric space

We compute the sign of Gaussian curvature using a purely geometric definition. Consider a point p on a smooth surface S and a closed curve /spl gamma/ on S which encloses p. The image of /spl gamma/ on the unit normal Gaussian sphere is a new curve /spl beta/. The Gaussian curvature at p is defined as the ratio of the area enclosed by /spl gamma/ over the area enclosed by /spl beta/ as /spl gamma/ contracts to p. The sign of Gaussian curvature at p is determined by the relative orientations of the closed curves /spl gamma/ and /spl beta/. We directly compute the relative orientation of two such curves from intensity data. We employ three unknown illumination conditions to create a photometric scatter plot. This plot is in one-to-one correspondence with the subset of the unit Gaussian sphere containing the mutually illuminated surface normal. This permits direct computation of the sign of Gaussian curvature without the recovery of surface normals. Our method is albedo invariant. We assume diffuse reflectance, but the nature of the diffuse reflectance can be general and unknown. Error analysis on simulated images shows the accuracy of our technique. We also demonstrate the performance of this methodology on empirical data.
Advance care planning documents in nursing facilities: Results from a nationally representative survey

This study assessed clinical, demographic, facility, and regional factors associated with documented do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders, feeding/medication/other treatment (FMT) restrictions, and living wills among nursing facility residents. Using the Nursing Home Component of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative sample of 815 facilities and 5899 residents, three separate multivariate logistic regression models were developed. DNR orders were more prevalent among residents aged 75+ and those with severe cognitive impairment, dementia, emphysema, and cancer, but less common among African Americans and Latinos than whites. Residents with living children were more likely to have DNR orders. Latinos were less likely to have FMT restrictions. Living wills were more common among residents aged 75+ and those with psychiatric/mood disorders and heart disease, but less prevalent among African Americans. Residents with less social engagement and household incomes below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level were less likely to have a living will. Residents with Medicaid as their largest payer were less likely to have an advance care plan than those with Medicare or other payment mechanisms. To increase the use of advance care plans, interventions should focus on groups with less social engagement and lower household income.
A shattered kidney: a pitfall in imaging of renal trauma

A young man fell off a bike and landed on his right side, resulting in severe right flank tenderness. A dipstick test revealed the presence of blood (++), protein (++) and ketones (++) in his urine. Contrast-enhanced CT imaging revealed a complex right renal injury. On axial images, the devascularised lower renal pole fragment could not be easily appreciated as it was surrounded by a haematoma/urinoma; but this was better appreciated on reformatted images. CT is the primary modality for assessing renal trauma as the severity of the haematuria is poorly correlated with the severity of the …
Role of Learned Societies in Communicating Science

Examination of the scientific society movement in the developed world shows the predominance of three key constructs that account for their effectiveness and dynamism – civic activism by the scientific community, pursuit of scholarship through science communication, and entrepreneurship. Some examples of these learned societies in different regions of the world are explored with a view towards identifying some best practices. It is shown that leveraging on the brick-and-mortar model for the establishing of scientific academies and scientific societies is not a particularly prudent option for countries in the developing world. The “invisible college” model represents a more effective model for the setting up of such learned societies in the shortest possible time. It is argued that the institutional framework provided by scientific academies and scientific societies affords immense scope for realizing the multidimensional facets of science communication in tandem with other efforts.
Knowledge Spillover on Networks

We introduce the knowledge spillover equation on a network. We construct a tool to investigating the knowledge spillover in terms of network. The mean-filed asymptotic solution of the equation has the following characteristics: (1) the growth rate is common for all agents on the network regardless of the degree; (2) the growth rate is dependent on the mean degree of nearest neighbors, whereas it is independent from the mean degree; (3) the TFP is proportional to degree; (4) the more heterogeneous the network is, the greater the growth rate is. Among representative networks: regular, random, and scale-free networks, the growth rate is the greatest in a scale-free network and the least in a regular one. We investigate other types of knowledge spillover equations. Using the knowledge spillover equation, we show that the growth rate is large if the region size is small, the density of firms is high, or network formation cost is low. We show that the knowledge spillover equation can be applied to the problem of network formation mechanism.
Applied Ethics and Communities of Value

Paul Camenisch presents an important critique of the liberalism and individualism that influence contemporary discussions of decision-making in medical ethics. His essay has important implications for a host of contemporary issues, including life-support decisions, discussions of informed consent (especially recent critiques of physician paternalism and the nature of patient autonomy), and the growing emergence of the role of ethics committees and other attempts at intersubjective decision-making.
How new is the New World

The first settlement of the Americas is one of those research questions in which convictions have sometimes seemed as important as data. There has recently been encouragement both for True Believers, in the very early sequence of dates reported by the French from a Brazilian rock-shelter, and for True Sceptics, in the revised and more recent dates now given to some of the older finds from North America after further study by AMS carbon dating. Here, a review of a major new book is the opportunity to review the issues.
Introduction: The Criminalization of Mental Illness

This Introduction provides an overview of the articles in a volume of the Albany Government Law Review dedicated to addressing the issue of the "criminalization of mental illness." They attempt to address just some of the many questions that this troubling trend raises. They offer insightful analysis and offer compelling, if, at times, controversial, responses to these questions.
[18F]TZ14134, a promising S1PR1/3 PET tracer for imaging vascular injury

327 Objectives Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1/3 (S1PR1/3) activation promotes proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, which is a hallmark of vascular pathologies including vascular injury. TZ14134 showed high in vitro binding and selectivity towards S1PR1/3 (IC 50-S1PR1 = 3.79 ± 1.3 nM, IC50-S1PR3 = 8.81 ± 4.4 nM, IC50-S1PR2 > 1,000 nM). Here, we report the synthesis, radiosynthesis and in vivo evaluation of [18F]TZ14134 to image vascular injury. Methods The chemical synthesis of TZ14134 was accomplished in 5-steps. [18F]TZ14134 was radiosynthesized by Br/18F exchange. MicroPET for imaging vascular injury were conducted in two animal models: ApoE-/- deficiency, wire injured and Western diet C57/BL6 mice (AIW), and healthy control wire injured C57/BL6 mice (HCI), in which [18F]TZ14134 (~7.4 MBq) was i.v. injected. [18F]FDG imaging was also performed for comparison. PET specificity studies were performed by pretreating the AIW mice with S1P (3.3 mg/kg). Autoradiography was also performed, in which the femoral arteries were dissected and exposed to imaging cassette. S1PR1/3 expressions on the femoral arteries were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Results [18F]TZ14134 was radiosynthesized in 9-12% RCY (EOB) and high specific activity (> 2 Ci/µmmol, n > 5). Unlike [18F]FDG which showed high uptake at injured artery on both AIW and HCI, [18F]TZ14134 displayed significantly high uptake at the injured artery of AIW, but not on HCI. Pretreated with S1P, the uptake at the injured artery of AIW was dramatically decreased. Autoradiography also indicated much higher uptake on injured artery compared to the control, radioactivity distribution was consistent with S1PR1/3 expressions assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Conclusions Our studies suggested that [18F]TZ14134 was able to differentiate the injury artery of AIW to that of the HCI. [18F]TZ14134 has potential to be used as a PET tracer for monitoring the progression and therapeutic efficacy of vascular injury. Further evaluation is in progress prior to seeking IND and RDRC approval. Research Support DESC0008432 (DOE)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degrading gene islands in five pyrene-degrading Mycobacterium isolates from different geographic locations.

Mycobacterium sp. strain KMS utilizes pyrene, a high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), as a sole carbon source. Bioinformatic analysis of the genome of isolate KMS predicted 25 genes with the potential to encode 17 pyrene-induced proteins identified by proteomics; these genes were clustered on both the chromosome and a circular plasmid. RT-PCR analysis of total RNA isolated from KMS cells grown with or without pyrene showed that the presence of pyrene increased the transcript accumulation of 20 of the predicted chromosome- and plasmid-located genes encoding pyrene-induced proteins. The transcribed genes from both the chromosome and a circular plasmid were within larger regions containing genes required for PAH degradation constituting PAH-degrading gene islands. Genes encoding integrases and transposases were found within and outside the PAH-degrading gene islands. The lower GC content of the genes within the gene island (61%–64%) compared with the average genome content (68%) sugges...
Presence of secretin in cystic fibrosis of the pancreas.

ConclusionSecretin was found to occur in the upper bowel of 4 infants and children with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas in amounts comparable to those of controls. The hypothesis that a congenital ...
Strong Reciprocal Interaction between Polarization and Surface Stoichiometry in Oxide Ferroelectrics

We present a systematic evaluation of the effects of polarization switchability on surface structure and stoichiometry in BaTiO3 and PbTiO3 ferroelectric oxides. We show that charge passivation, mostly by ionic surface reconstructions, is the driving force for the stability of the surfaces, which suggests that varying the substrate polarization offers a new mechanism for controlling surface reconstructions in polar systems and inducing highly nonstoichiometric structures. Conversely, for thin-films the chemical environment can drive polarization switching via induced compositional changes on the surface. We find that the value of the oxygen partial pressure for the positive-to-negative polar transition is in good agreement with the recent experimental value for thin-film PbTiO3. For BaTiO3, we show that it is harder for oxygen control to drive polar transition because it is more difficult to reduce. This study opens up the possibility of real-time control of structure and composition of oxide surfaces.
Salt of Our Lives

The World Health Organization (WHO) pronouncement that processed meats are carcinogenic is a good thing [1-5], and recommendations should be followed by people all over the world. When applied to modern methods of processing, the pronouncement is an indictment of modern methods of meat processing, with their use of artificial preservatives, food colorings and high temperatures. When applied to traditionally cured and processed meats and seafood, it is an indictment on the traditional methods. The results of the current work came from using this ‘hunch’ and searching for diseases linked to foods preserved in the traditional styles. Seafood was the first food item to be investigated in the current work because it contained salt naturally, and a bunch of pollutants are possible in the seawater in these modern times.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In brain tumor patients, treatment often entails resection of the brain tumor. Of utmost importance in the clinical management of brain tumor patients is quality of life. Thus, the goals of brain tumor surgery are twofold: (1) to maximize resection of the tumor and (2) not to resect important brain structures adjacent to the tumor. Maximizing resection aids in improving survival and quality of life, while not resecting important brain structures adjacent to the tumor avoids neurosurgical complications. To achieve these goals, knowing the location of eloquent brain regions in relation to the tumor is paramount. Awareness of eloquent brain regions helps to plan the surgical approach and techniques used in surgery.
A model system for developing a tissue engineered meniscal enthesis.

Abstract The meniscus acts as a stabilizer, lubricator, and load distributer in the knee joint. The mechanical stability of the meniscus depends on its connection to the underlying bone by a fibrocartilage to bone transition zone called the meniscal enthesis. Tissue engineered menisci hold great promise as a treatment alternative however lack a means of integrated fixation to the underlying bone needed in order for a tissue engineered meniscal replacement to be successful. Tissue engineering the meniscal enthesis is a difficult task given the complex gradients of cell type, mineral, and extracellular matrix molecules. Therefore, there is a need for a simplified and high throughput enthesis model to test experimental parameters. The goal of this study was to develop a simplified enthesis model to test collagen integration with decellularized bone. We found that injection molding collagen into tubing loaded with decellularized bone plugs resulted in a scaffold with three regions: bone, bone-collagen, and collagen. Furthermore, collagen formation was directed in the axial direction by using mechanical fixation at the bony ends. The results of this study showed that this technique can be used to mimic the native enthesis morphology and serves as ideal test platform to generate a model tissue engineered enthesis. Statement of Significance The meniscal enthesis is a complex structure that is essential to mechanical stability of the meniscus and the knee joint. Several studies document the development of anatomically shaped tissue engineered meniscus constructs, but none have focused on how to integrate such tissues with underlying bone. This study establishes a simplified construct to model the meniscal enthesis composed of a collagen gel seeded with meniscal fibrochondrocytes integrated with decellularized cancellous bone. Mechanical fixation at the bony ends induced tissue integration of fibers into the bony tissue, which is critical for mechanical performance and has yet to be shown in enthesis literature. Our test platform is amenable to targeted experiments investigating mineralization gradients, collagen fiber alignment, cell population phenotype, and media conditioning with experimental impact on enthesis studies for meniscus, tendon, and ligament.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators: Cannabinoid Receptor Inverse Agonists with Differential CB1 and CB2 Selectivity.

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are used to treat estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer and osteoporosis. Interestingly, tamoxifen and newer classes of SERMs also exhibit cytotoxic effects in cancers devoid of ERs, indicating a non-estrogenic mechanism of action. Indicative of a potential ER-independent target, reports demonstrate that tamoxifen binds to cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) with affinity in the low μM range and acts as an inverse agonist. To identify cannabinoids with improved pharmacological properties relative to tamoxifen, and further investigate the use of different SERM scaffolds for future cannabinoid drug development, this study characterized the affinity and activity of SERMs in newer structural classes at CBRs. Fourteen SERMs from five structurally distinct classes were screened for binding to human CBRs. Compounds from four of five SERM classes examined bound to CBRs. Subsequent studies fully characterized CBR affinity and activity of one compound from each class. Ospemifine (a triphenylethylene) selectively bound to CB1Rs, while bazedoxifine (an indole) bound to CB2Rs with highest affinity. Nafoxidine (a tetrahydronaphthalene) and raloxifene (a benzothiaphene) bound to CB1 and CB2Rs non-selectively. All four compounds acted as inverse agonists at CB1 and CB2Rs, reducing basal G-protein activity with IC50 values in the nM to low μM range. Ospemifine, bazedoxifene and raloxifene also acted as inverse agonists to elevate basal intracellular cAMP levels in intact CHO-hCB2 cells. The four SERMs examined also acted as CB1 and CB2R antagonists in the cAMP assay, producing rightward shifts in the concentration-effect curve of the CBR agonist CP-55,940. In conclusion, newer classes of SERMs exhibit improved pharmacological characteristics (e.g., in CBR affinity and selectivity) relative to initial studies with tamoxifen, and thus suggest that different SERM scaffolds may be useful for development of safe and selective drugs acting via CBRs.
Serum biomarkers for primary graft failure in pediatric heart transplantation

Abstract Primary graft failure has been broadly defined as cardiac and circulatory insufficiency in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac transplantation. Risk factors for primary graft failure have been identified in the donor, recipient, and within the perioperative period. Donor serum biomarkers have been identified. The use of donor serum cardiac troponin levels, while most studied, is of questionable value. Basic markers of renal and hepatic function in the recipient are associated with risk of hospital mortality after transplant. HLA antibodies in the recipient to donor HLA antigens are a marker of primary graft failure. Accumulating experience and investigation suggest that cardiac transplantation may be performed in the presence of low levels of donor specific antibodies. Increasing sophistication in the assessment of HLA antibodies may allow for a more precise assessment of their impact on allograft function and survival and increase the capability to transplant these sensitized children.
Assessing the effects of consumers’ product evaluations and trust on repurchase intention in e-commerce environments

Abstract This study enhances the existing literature on online trust by integrating the consumers’ product evaluations model and technology adoption model in e-commerce environments. In this study, we investigate how perceived value influences the perceptions of online trust among online buyers and their willingness to repurchase from the same website. This study proposes a research model that compares the relative importance of perceived value and online trust to perceived usefulness in influencing consumers’ repurchase intention. The proposed model is tested using data collected from online consumers of e-commerce. The findings show that although trust and e-commerce adoption components are critical in influencing repurchase intention, product evaluation factors are also important in determining repurchase intention. Perceived quality is influenced by the perceptions of competitive price and website reputation, which in turn influences perceived value; and perceived value, website reputation, and perceived risk influence online trust, which in turn influence repurchase intention. The findings also indicate that the effect of perceived usefulness on repurchase intention is not significant whereas perceived value and online trust are the major determinants of repurchase intention. Major theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.
Simulation-Based Valuation of Transactive Energy Systems

Transactive energy (TE) has been recognized as a promising technique for integrating responsive loads and distributed energy resources as well as advancing grid modernization. To help the industry better understand the value of TE and compare different TE schemes in a systematic and transparent manner, a comprehensive simulation-based TE valuation method is developed. The method has the following salient features: first, it formally defines the valuation scenarios, use cases, baseline, and valuation metrics; second, an open-source simulation platform for transactive energy systems has been developed by integrating transmission, distribution and building simulators, and plugin TE and non-TE agents through the framework for network cosimulation (FNCS); third, transparency and flexibility of the valuation is enhanced through separation of simulation and valuation, base valuation metrics, and final valuation metrics. A valuation example based on the smart grid interoperability panel use Case 1 is provided to demonstrate the developed TE simulation program and the valuation method.
Non-coding RNAs in Various Stages of Liver Disease Leading to Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Differential Expression of miRNAs, piRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and sno/mt-RNAs

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the fifth leading cause of cancer death in men and eighth leading cause of death in women in the United States in 2017. In our study, we sought to identify sncRNAs in various stages of development of HCC. We obtained publicly available small RNA-seq data derived from patients with cirrhosis (n = 14), low-grade dysplastic nodules (LGDN, n = 9), high grade dysplastic nodules (HGDN, n = 6), early hepatocellular carcinoma (eHCC, n = 6), and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, n = 20), along with healthy liver tissue samples (n = 9). All samples were analyzed for various types of non-coding RNAs using PartekFlow software. We remapped small RNA-seq to miRBase to obtain differential expressions of miRNAs and found 87 in cirrhosis, 106 in LGDN, 59 in HGDN, 80 in eHCC, and 133 in HCC. Pathway analysis of miRNAs obtained from diseased samples compared to normal samples showed signaling pathways in the microRNA dependent EMT, CD44, and others. Additionally, we analyzed the data sets for piRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and sno/mt-RNAs. We validated the in silico data using human HCC samples with NanoString miRNA global expression. Our results suggest that publically available data is a valuable resource for sncRNA identification in HCC progression (FDR set to <0.05 for all samples) and that a data mining approach is useful for biomarker development.
Introduction to Public Policy in an Entrepreneurial Society

At a crossroads! Europe — with a long history of tightly managed economic and social structures designed to enhance state control – is now confronted by weakening growth, employment and collapsing social welfare systems (Audretsch, Grilo and Thurik, 2007). The U.S. - with its strong anti-statist traditions – maintained substantial control of the economy by the state until the 1970s. However, growing international competition forced the U.S. to rethink its position in the global marketplace. Economists regularly demonstrated how regulated systems actually create higher, not lower, costs for consumers. Thus, the U.S. began an economic era of reform and deregulation, which has led to the emergence of the present state: The Entrepreneurial Society (Acs and Audretsch, 2002).
Toward upgrades-as-a-service in distributed systems

Unavailability in distributed enterprise systems is usually the result of planned events, such as upgrades, rather than failures. Major system upgrades entail complex data conversions that are difficult to perform on the fly, in the face of live workloads. Minimizing the downtime imposed by such conversions is a time-intensive and error-prone manual process. We propose upgrades-as-a-service, a novel approach that can eliminate all the causes of planned downtime recorded during the upgrade history of one of the ten most popular websites. Building on the lessons learned from past research on live upgrades in middleware systems, upgrades-as-a-service trade off a need for additional hardware resources during the upgrade for the ability to perform end-to-end upgrades online, with minimal application-specific knowledge.
Multi-Channel Jamming Attacks against Cooperative Defense: A Two-Level Stackelberg Game Approach

In this paper, a network consisting of a source- destination pair and multiple relays in the presence of a smart jammer who can launch multi- channel jamming attacks is considered, where the direct link between the source and destination does not exist. A game-theoretic framework is proposed to analyze the conflict between the jammer and the legitimate nodes, i.e., the source and the relays, and the cooperation among the legitimate nodes. Specifically, a two-level Stackelberg game is formulated, where the jammer as a leader combats against the legitimate nodes by allocating the jamming powers at the upper level, and the relays as leaders cooperate with the source by selling forwarding powers at the lower level after observing the strategy of the jammer. The Stackelberg equilibrium of the proposed game is derived and analyzed. An algorithm is further designed to obtain the optimal jamming power allocation. Numerical results are provided to verify the theoretical analysis and show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
A feasibility study exploring self-care and parenting for adults recovering from addictive substances.

Abstract Little information is available on parental self-care while in recovery from addictive substances, and its relationship to parenting and recovery outcomes. We evaluated the feasibility of obtaining self-care and parenting outcomes for adults in long-term recovery from addictive substances, and explored potential contributing factors. Nineteen mothers and fathers who self-reported at least two years of sobriety participated in this study. Feasibility challenges included recruitment and scheduling interviews, given multiple work and personal demands on participants' schedules. Possible associations of self-care to parental efficacy (PE), parenting behaviors, resilience, and total recovery years were examined as indicators to parental functioning. The exploratory analyses showed a significant moderate correlation between PE and parenting behaviors (r = 0.45, p
Darwin's Supporting Evidence

Darwin's Fossils: The Collection That Shaped the Theory of Evolution . By Adrian Lister. 2018. Smithsonian Books. (ISBN 978-1588346179). 160 pp. Softcover, $19.95. Adrian Lister's new book offers an excellent account of the thrust of scientific discovery as it developed within Darwin during his formative years, complete with ample and detailed photographs and artwork of fossil specimens collected by the eminent scientist during the voyage of the Beagle . These fossils, collected over a span of five years, were pivotal in the argument for natural selection and the writing of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (Darwin, 1859). Lister also offers insight into the process and the adventure of scientific thinking and discovery. In the chapter “The Making of a Naturalist,” the reader learns about the training Darwin received that led to his position aboard the Beagle . Upon arrival in South America, he set upon a series of excursions focused on geological inquiry and fossil collection. The book's …
Extracellular Free Water and Glutathione in First-Episode Psychosis-A Multimodal Investigation of an Inflammatory Model for Psychosis

Evidence has been accumulating for an immune-based component to the etiology of psychotic disorders. Advancements in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have enabled estimation of extracellular free water (FW), a putative biomarker of neuroinflammation. Furthermore, inflammatory processes may be associated with altered brain levels of metabolites, such as glutathione (GSH). Consequently, we sought to test the hypotheses that FW is increased and associated with decreased GSH in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (SZ) compared with healthy controls (HC). SZ (n = 36) and HC (n = 40) subjects underwent a multi-shell diffusion MRI scan on a Siemens 3T scanner. 1H-MR spectroscopy data were acquired using a GSH-optimized MEGA-PRESS editing sequence and GSH/creatine ratios were calculated for DLPFC (SZ: n = 33, HC: n = 37) and visual cortex (SZ: n = 29, HC: n = 35) voxels. Symptoms and functioning were measured using the SANS, SAPS, BPRS, and GSF/GRF. SZ demonstrated significantly elevated FW in whole-brain gray (p = .001) but not white matter (p = .060). There was no significant difference between groups in GSH in either voxel. However, there was a significant negative correlation between DLPFC GSH and both whole-brain and DLPFC-specific gray matter FW in SZ (r = -.48 and -.47, respectively; both p < .05), while this relationship was nonsignificant in HC and in both groups in the visual cortex. These data illustrate an important relationship between a metabolite known to be important for immune function-GSH-and the diffusion extracellular FW measure, which provides additional support for these measures as neuroinflammatory biomarkers that could potentially provide tractable treatment targets to guide pharmacological intervention.
Abstract LB-290: Telomere dysfunction is a driver of inflammatory bowel disease

The molecular instigators and therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are limited. Here, telomere dysfunction is shown to activate pAtm/c-Abl-mediated phosphorylation and stabilization of Yap1 up-regulates pro-IL-18 expression, a major pro-inflammatory factor in IBD. This signaling axis cooperates with gut microbiome which stimulates cytosolic receptors causing activation of caspase-1, which in turn cleaves pro-IL-18 into its mature IL-18 form. Epithelial-derived IL-18 leads to recruitment of IFNγ-secreting T cells and other immunocytes to provoke classical IBD pathology. Consistent with a role for DNA damage signaling as a driver of IBD, newly diagnosed IBD patient samples exhibited elevated expression of pγH2AX, YAP1, Caspase-1 and IL-18 along with significantly reduced telomere lengths compared to healthy tissue controls. Alleviation of IBD pathology can be achieved in mice via telomerase reactivation in intestinal epithelium or pharmacological inhibition of Atm, Yap1, or caspase-1 as well as antibiotic treatment - each intervention dramatically reducing pro-IL-18 cleavage and inflammation. Thus, telomere dysfunction-induced activation of the Atm-Yap1-pro-IL-18 pathway identifies DNA damage signaling as a key instigator and promoter of IBD, illuminating several novel therapeutic strategies for disease interception and management. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Deepavali Chakravarti, Asha Multani, Prasenjit Dey, Baoli Hu, Di Zhao, Kyle Chang, Mao Xizeng, Guocan Wang, Christoper Terranova, Wen-ting Liao, Denise Spring, Pingping Hou, Jianhua Zhang, Pablo Okhuysen, Eduardo Vilar, Mary K. Estes, Sarah blutt, Alan Wang, Ronald DePinho. Telomere dysfunction is a driver of inflammatory bowel disease [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-290.
Free-Breathing Three-Dimensional T 1 Mapping of the Heart Using Subspace-Based Data Acquisition and Image Reconstruction

Mapping the longitudinal relaxation time constant (T1) of the myocardium using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an emerging technique for quantitative assessment of the morphology and viability of the myocardium. However, three-dimensional (3D) T1 mapping of the heart is challenging due to the high dimensionality of the signal and the presence of cardiac and respiratory motions. We propose a subspace-based method for free-breathing 3D T1 mapping of the heart without respiratory gating. The image function is represented as a high-order partially separable (PS) function to explore the inherent spatiotemporal correlations of the underlying signal. A special data acquisition scheme enabled by the high-order PS model is used for sparse sampling of the (k,t)-space, where complementary sparse datasets are acquired, each covering only a small portion of the (k,t)-space to characterize a single subspace (spatial or temporal). High-resolution dynamic MR images are reconstructed from the highly undersampled (k,t)-space using low-rank tensor and sparsity constraints. We demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed method using in vivo data obtained from healthy subjects on a 3T MR scanner. The proposed method can enable new clinical applications of T1 mapping in cardiac MR.
Links Between Sexual Orientation and Disclosure Among Black MSM: Sexual Orientation and Disclosure Matter for PrEP Awareness

The HIV epidemic in the United States has disproportionately burdened Black men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly in the South. While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has high demonstrated efficacy, uptake is low among Black MSM. We utilized a sample of 345 HIV-negative or unknown HIV status Black MSM from Atlanta, Georgia. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models examined the effects of sexual orientation and disclosure on PrEP awareness and use. Despite the majority of the sample reporting PrEP awareness (91%), few Black MSM in our sample had ever used PrEP (10%). Bisexual Black MSM were less likely to have been aware of PrEP compared to their same-gender loving/gay counterparts. Black MSM who had disclosed their sexual orientation to some or all of the members of their networks were more aware of PrEP compared to their counterparts who reported lower levels of disclosure, but were not more likely to actually use PrEP. Alarmingly, the gap in PrEP awareness and use has not decreased over the past 5 years. These findings suggest that disclosure may be a relevant characteristic to consider for PrEP awareness, but there may be more to consider in closing the awareness-uptake gap among Black MSM.
The Early Developments of the Electrochemistry of Polymer Membranes

After some personal recollections of some of the great masters in the field of membranes, this paper reviews the pre-1930 history of the electrochemistry of polymer membranes which virtually coincides with the physical chemistry of porous membranes in electrolytic systems.
A method for eliminating the need to know when contact is made with soft surfaces: Data processing and error analysis

Abstract The material properties of soft substances can be measured from bulk, homogeneous samples using rheometers and tensile testing instruments, while such characterization often requires indentation methods when sample preparation and geometry are highly constrained. For example, it is advantageous to use indentation instruments to measure the elastic moduli of living cells, confluent cell layers, tissue samples, hydrogel coatings, or soft objects with defined shapes and heterogeneous compositions like contact lenses. However, it is often exceedingly difficult to determine the point of contact between an indenting instrument and a soft sample. Here we describe a method that eliminates the need to determine the point of contact and we perform a thorough analysis of the errors associated with this analysis approach. The method involves averaging and differentiating experimental force-depth curves and reformulating classical contact mechanics models in terms of the applied force, F, and the first derivative of force with respect to indenter position, F′. Simulated indentation measurements of thick and thin hydrogel slabs with varying levels of noise and data averaging reveal that small errors are generated over a wide range of parameter space. Additionally, we provide a method for propagating errors from statistical variations in data to generate confidence intervals, facilitating the use of this data analysis method.
Antiaromaticity gain increases the potential for n-type charge transport in hydrogen-bonded π-conjugated cores

Density functional theory computations suggest that formally non-aromatic organic dyes, like diketopyrrolopyrrole, naphthodipyrrolidone, indigo, and isoindigo, show increased [4n] π-antiaromatic character and decreased LUMO orbital energies upon hydrogen bonding, making them suitable molecular candidates for applications in n-type organic field effect transistors.
The relationship between stress and vitiligo: Evaluating perceived stress and electronic medical record data

Vitiligo is a T-cell mediated skin disorder characterized by progressive loss of skin color. In individuals genetically predisposed to the disease, various triggers contribute to the initiation of vitiligo. Precipitating factors can stress the skin, leading to T-cell activation and recruitment. Though hereditary factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, it is unknown whether precipitating, stressful events play a role in vitiligo. To understand this, we utilized a validated perceived stress scale (PSS) to measure this parameter in vitiligo patients compared to persons without vitiligo. Additionally, we probed a clinical database, using a knowledge linking software called ROCKET, to gauge stress-related conditions in the vitiligo patient population. From a pool of patients in an existing database, a hundred individuals with vitiligo and twenty-five age- and sex-matched comparison group of individuals without vitiligo completed an online survey to quantify their levels of perceived stress. In parallel, patients described specifics of their disease condition, including the affected body sites, the extent, duration and activity of their vitiligo. Perceived stress was significantly higher among vitiligo individuals compared to those without vitiligo. ROCKET analyses suggested signs of metabolic-related disease (i.e., 'stress') preceding vitiligo development. No correlation was found between perceived stress and the stage or the extent of disease, suggesting that elevated stress may not be a consequence of pigment loss alone. The data provide further support for stress as a precipitating factor in vitiligo development.
Treatment of Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring Rare Oncogenic Mutations

Non-small-cell lung cancer is a major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide, and these patients have traditionally had a grim prognosis. As our understanding of actionable molecular aberrations that drive oncogenesis has grown, so too has the number of available therapies with improved outcomes in selectively targeted patient populations. This review provides an overview of the clinical response of tumors harboring relatively rare oncogenic drivers to currently approved targeted agents and those in late-stage clinical development. Molecular testing methods available for screening for oncogenic drivers will be discussed.