cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract C16: Disparities in survival outcomes based on insurance status in CML: A national cancer database analysis

Purpose: The treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has made major progress in the last decade. The survival of CML patients has improved with advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The cost of medication, compliance of patients and access to care are important issues that can also affect outcome. The purpose of the present study is to investigate effects of insurance status on outcomes of CML by analyzing data from National cancer database. Methods: Data was analyzed from 18, 415 men and women (≥ 18 years of age) registered in the NCDB who were diagnosed with CML between 2004 and 2012 and had follow-ups to end of 2013. The primary predictor variable was insurance status and the outcome variable was overall survival. Additional variables addressed and adjusted for included sex, age, race, Charleston Co morbidity index, level of education, income, and distance traveled, facility type, diagnosing/treating facility and treatment delay. Results: The mean age of patients was 59 years with standard deviation of 18. In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for secondary predictor variables, insurance status was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival from CML. Relative to privately insured patients, patients with Medicaid had a 62.7% increased risk, Medicare had a 44.3% and no insurance had a 34.7% increased risk of mortality from CML. Among the factors analyzed, age, gender, race, and comorbidity index, were all found to be significant predictors of survival in CML patients, respectively. Conclusion: We observed that insurance status has a statistically significant relationship with overall survival from CML. This remained true after adjusting for other predictive factors. Further research is necessary how the disparities associated with different types of insurance result in inferior treatment outcomes and how they can be addressed. Citation Format: Samip R. Master, Nebu Koshy, Glenn Mills, Runhua R. Shi. Disparities in survival outcomes based on insurance status in CML: A national cancer database analysis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr C16.
The Frequency of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Hurler Syndrome After Peritransplant Enzyme Replacement Therapy: A Retrospective Comparison.

Purpose Children with Hurler syndrome (HS) develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) owing to glycosaminoglycan deposition secondary to enzyme deficiency. Advancement in the treatment of the underlying enzyme deficiency now commonly includes peritransplant intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). The primary objective of this study was to determine if the use of limited ERT in addition to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) for the treatment of children with HS reduces the incidence of surgical intervention for CTS compared with a cohort of historical controls treated with HCT alone. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the impact of demographic and transplant-related characteristics on the incidence of CTS. Lastly, the results of surgical treatment of CTS in HS are reported. Methods Medical records for a historical group of 43 HS patients who underwent HCT alone (group 1) were compared with 31 HS patients who underwent HCT + ERT (group 2). Both groups were compared for genotype, age at transplant, sex, transplant graft source, median/ulnar nerve conduction study parameters as well as the incidence and treatment of CTS. Pre- and postoperative nerve conduction studies were compared for children treated surgically for CTS. Results The cumulative incidence of CTS at 5 years for HS children treated with HCT + ERT was 51% compared with 47% for HS children treated with HCT alone. The incidence of CTS did not depend upon graft source, age at transplant, or sex. Median nerve conduction velocity for both sensory and motor potentials demonstrated significant improvement after carpal tunnel release. Conclusions Although the administration of ERT prior to and for several months after HCT has become routine in our institution, our findings do not suggest this combined therapy is sufficient to decrease the development of CTS. Surgical intervention for median nerve compression remains the treatment of choice for CTS in HS children. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
The Clinical Significance of Craving Across the Addictive Behaviors: a Review

The purpose of this review is (a) to evaluate if the craving construct has clinical significance in the domain of behavioral addictions, as indicated by its practical expediency, descriptive fidelity, diagnostic efficiency, theoretical integrity, and clinical feasibility and (b) to integrate current research on craving in the domains of addictive and eating disorders. Craving is a characteristic feature of established and proposed behavioral addictions, and a central component of prevailing theoretical models. It correlates with symptom severity and may play a role in relapse. Empirical evidence thus supports diagnostic expansion to include craving in the diagnosis of behavioral addictions. Craving is also a powerful trigger of binge eating, and a better understanding of the exact targets and function of craving in weight- and eating-related pathologies may help resolve ongoing debates about their conceptualization as either substance or behavioral addictions. Craving remains a source of much controversy, but evidence strongly suggests that a better understanding of the construct has important implications for the prevention and treatment of diverse pathologies.
Sensor placement for field estimation via Poisson disk sampling

In this paper, we study the problem of sensor placement for field estimation, where the best subset of potential sensor locations is chosen to strike a balance between the number of deployed sensors and estimation accuracy. Potential sensor locations are generated by sampling a continuous field of interest. We investigate the impact of sampling strategies on sensor placement, and show that compared to other commonly-used sampling strategies, the Poisson disk sampling method can provide a more accurate (discretized) representation of the random field. Based on the sampled locations, we propose an efficient placement algorithm that scales gracefully with problem size using the alternating direction method of multipliers and the accelerated gradient descent method. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for sensor placement.
Internet Research in Online Environments for Children: Readability of Privacy and Terms of Use Policies; The Uses of (Non)Personal Data by Online Environments and Third-Party Advertisers

Online environments encourage their prospects, including children and teens, to register and provide information about themselves in order to participate in online activities. Many sites' privacy and terms of use policies tend to provide hard-to-understand explanations about their data-using practices, contributing to a widespread confusion regarding the differences between what counts as non-personal versus personal data, and whether this data could be used for behavioral targeting or selling. Little research has been done on online advertising self-regulations and repercussions stemming from privacy-related dilemmas associated with them (Markham & Buchanan, 2012). Given the push of advertising networks to substantiate self-regulatory policies regarding online advertising (Luft, 2008; Lal Bhasin, 2008), this study investigates how privacy and terms of use policies reflect media self-regulations and privacy-related dilemmas worldwide (Federal Trade Commission, 2000; European Commission, 2012). Addressing self-regulatory practices of online media entities and their implications, this study also conducts the readability tests of privacy and terms of use -related policies of Neopets as an example of a popular virtual environment. Finally, it discusses the use of (non)personal data provided by children and teens, while evaluating how marketers' promotional initiatives operate online, and how marketers self-regulate across the United States and the European Union. Implications are discussed and recommendations regarding how marketers in online environments may enhance their reputation by being responsible given their promotional activities in online environments are offered.
Source Code for Dynamic Model of Interplay Between Autophagy and Apoptosis

The Matlab code for solving ODEs used for modeling autophagy and apoptosis pathways is presented in this chapter.
Randomised sequential and parallel algorithms for efficient quorum planted motif search

Motifs are crucial patterns in biological sequences that have numerous applications. Motif search is an important step in obtaining meaningful patterns from biological data. However, most of the existing algorithms are deterministic and the role of randomisation in this area is still unexploited. This paper focuses on (l,d)-motif model, which is also known as Planted Motif Search (PMS) and proposes an efficient randomised algorithm, named qPMS10, to solve PMS. We utilise the most efficient PMS solver until now, named qPMS9, as a subroutine. We analyse the time complexity of both algorithms and provide a performance comparison of qPMS10 with qPMS9 on standard benchmark datasets. In addition, we offer a parallel implementation of qPMS10 and run tests using up to four processors. Both theoretical and empirical analyses demonstrate that our randomised algorithm outperforms the existing algorithms for solving PMS.
Nitrogen fertility effects of alfalfa, pea green manure, and poultry manure on organic wheat productivity in a semiarid climate

Maintaining soil available nitrogen levels in organic systems is a particularly large challenge in the semiarid inland Pacific Northwest. This study compared the nitrogen fertility effects of alfal...
Inside out—Visualizing dynamic chemical transformations in situ with nanometer-scale resolution

In Pixar’s Inside Out, the character Joy proclaims, “Do you ever look at someone and wonder what’s going on inside?” Driven by similar curiosity, the scientific community has developed remarkable in situ characterization tools to visualize the inner workings of complex, dynamic systems, elucidating their functions and enabling next-generation technologies. This article describes our research developing plasmonic techniques to visualize dynamic chemical transformations in situ with nanometer-scale resolution. As a model system, we investigated the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of palladium nanocrystals. Using environmental electron microscopy and spectroscopy, we monitored this reaction with sub-2-nm spatial resolution and millisecond time resolution. Particles of different sizes, shapes, and crystallinities exhibit distinct thermodynamic and kinetic properties, highlighting several important design principles for next-generation catalysts and energy-storage devices.
Downtown tolls and the distribution of trip lengths

Abstract Currently, all downtown tolls are “access tolls,” meaning they charge for gross access to a zone, but tolls levied on distance-traveled are on the horizon. This paper shows how such tolls affect the distribution of trip lengths. A static model is presented in which travelers with potentially different trip lengths decide whether to drive into a downtown zone governed by a Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD), with each traveler’s choice probability declining as tolls and travel time rise. An application of Little's Law allows the model's equilibria to be derived in terms of a familiar supply/demand framework. Analysis proves and numerical simulation demonstrates that, if trip lengths and the value of a trip both vary across travelers, then access tolls inefficiently shift the distribution of car trip lengths toward long trips, whereas a distance toll can achieve the welfare-maximizing set of car trips.
Common Type System

Identifiers are used to describe allocated memory types such as integer, longs, classes, and other types defined by C# or by you, as the developer. The rules for identifiers are simple: Identifiers can start with any Unicode letter or an underscore. Identifiers are case-sensitive. Identifiers must be unique within a particular scope: namespace, class, method, or code block.
Axin phosphorylation in both Wnt-off and Wnt-on states requires the tumor suppressor APC

The aberrant activation of Wnt signal transduction initiates the development of 90% of colorectal cancers, the majority of which arise from inactivation of the tumor suppressor Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). In the classical model for Wnt signaling, the primary role of APC is to act, together with the concentration-limiting scaffold protein Axin, in a "destruction complex" that directs the phosphorylation and consequent proteasomal degradation of the transcriptional activator β-catenin, thereby preventing signaling in the Wnt-off state. Following Wnt stimulation, Axin is recruited to a multiprotein "signalosome" required for pathway activation. Whereas it is well-documented that APC is essential in the destruction complex, APC's role in this complex remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate in Drosophila that Axin exists in two distinct phosphorylation states in Wnt-off and Wnt-on conditions, respectively, that underlie its roles in the destruction complex and signalosome. These two Axin phosphorylation states are catalyzed by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), and unexpectedly, completely dependent on APC in both unstimulated and Wnt-stimulated conditions. In a major revision of the classical model, we show that APC is essential not only in the destruction complex, but also for the rapid transition in Axin that occurs after Wnt stimulation and Axin's subsequent association with the Wnt co-receptor LRP6/Arrow, one of the earliest steps in pathway activation. We propose that this novel requirement for APC in Axin regulation through phosphorylation both prevents signaling in the Wnt-off state and promotes signaling immediately following Wnt stimulation.
Input Estimation for Nonminimum-Phase Systems With Application to Acceleration Estimation for a Maneuvering Vehicle

The goal of state and input estimation is to simultaneously estimate both the unmeasured states and unknown input. Although this problem has been widely studied, existing techniques are confined to the case where the system is minimum phase. This paper introduces retrospective cost input estimation (RCIE), which is based on retrospective cost optimization. It is shown that RCIE automatically develops an internal model of the unknown input. This internal model provides an asymptotic estimate of the unknown input regardless of the location of the zeros of the plant, including the case of nonminimum-phase (NMP) dynamics. RCIE is applied to the NMP problem of estimating inertial acceleration of a maneuvering unmanned aerial vehicle using optical position data.
Kinematic Fast Dynamo Action in a Time-Periodic Chaotic Flow

Magnetic dynamo action is the generation and maintenance of magnetic field through the motions of conducting fluid. In the kinematic approximation (where magnetic field feedback on velocity is ignored) we consider velocity fields u which result in exponential growth of magnetic field B. A fast dynamo is a dynamo which maintains strictly positive exponential growth in the limit of magnetic diffusivity going to zero. Here a three dimensional chaotic flow consisting of perturbed helical cells is considered for kinematic fast dynamo action. A dynamo mechanism common to many chaotic flows is identified, and magnetic field growth rate is measured by numerically solving the magnetic induction equation using Brownian motion techniques. To better understand the dynamo mechanism, the scale of the initial magnetic field relative to shear magnitude is varied and resulting growth rates are compared with a model dynamo.
Topical Microbicides for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention

The landscape of topical microbicides has changed dramatically in the past decade. Non-specific microbicides were shown to be ineffective at protecting women from acquisition of HIV and other STDs in clinical trials, and some have shown harm. The transition of the microbicide field from non-specific inhibitors to potent antiretroviral-based products has led to the development of new approaches and formulations. The release of conflicting results on the effectiveness of tenofovir gel-based microbicides from two major clinical trials has provided both optimism and concern for the future promise of topical microbicides to prevent HIV and HSV-2 infection. Efforts to incorporate microbicides into multipurpose technologies for HIV/STD prevention and contraception are gaining strong support.
Report of the Conference on Southeastern Pottery Typology

[2] The Conference on Southeastern Ceramic Typology was an informal meeting of archeologists directly concerned with the problems of analyzing the pottery recovered in the course of archeological investigation of aboriginal sites in the Southeastern United States.
Adjusted regularization of cortical covariance

It is now common to record dozens to hundreds or more neurons simultaneously, and to ask how the network activity changes across experimental conditions. A natural framework for addressing questions of functional connectivity is to apply Gaussian graphical modeling to neural data, where each edge in the graph corresponds to a non-zero partial correlation between neurons. Because the number of possible edges is large, one strategy for estimating the graph has been to apply methods that aim to identify large sparse effects using an [Formula: see text] penalty. However, the partial correlations found in neural spike count data are neither large nor sparse, so techniques that perform well in sparse settings will typically perform poorly in the context of neural spike count data. Fortunately, the correlated firing for any pair of cortical neurons depends strongly on both their distance apart and the features for which they are tuned. We introduce a method that takes advantage of these known, strong effects by allowing the penalty to depend on them: thus, for example, the connection between pairs of neurons that are close together will be penalized less than pairs that are far apart. We show through simulations that this physiologically-motivated procedure performs substantially better than off-the-shelf generic tools, and we illustrate by applying the methodology to populations of neurons recorded with multielectrode arrays implanted in macaque visual cortex areas V1 and V4.
Who Does the Affordable Care Act Help and Who Does it Fail

This study uses the 2007 and 2013 Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey to examine the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on health insurance coverage among adults in the U.S. It finds that the ACA has improved coverage for men, youth, minorities, and low-income and less-educated individuals. However, those who are self-employed or do not work full-time have been negatively impacted.
A Mixed Methods Evaluation of an Inclusive Sexual History Taking and HIV Prevention Curriculum for Trainees

Health disparities exist in HIV risk in the USA among the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer (LGBTQ) community. There is also scarce literature on curricula for HIV prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for trainees. To create a curriculum to train residents to perform inclusive sexual history taking and HIV prevention care. The curriculum covers sexual history, LGBTQ health, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV risk assessment and risk reduction counseling including use of PrEP. A dedicated PrEP Clinic was created within an Academic Medical Center Outpatient HIV Clinic. Patients were primarily LGBTQ identified, but also included HIV sero-discordant couples, cisgender individuals, heterosexual invididuals, and those with experience of homelessness, sex work, and substance abuse. Thirty-four internal medicine residents completed the course between November 2017 and May 2018. The curriculum was delivered as Just in Time Teaching (JiTT) via online virtual patient cases followed by directly observed clinical care at a large urban PrEP clinic. The effectiveness of the curriculum was assessed through paired pre/post-self-assessment surveys (n = 19), additional post-surveys on the online modules (n = 22), and interviews (n = 9). Many respondents reported no prior training or inadequate prior training in the course content. As a result of the course, participants reported statistically significant increased confidence and comfort in all seven HIV prevention topic areas, with the greatest gains in safe sex counseling for LGBTQ patients and in discussing PrEP (mean changes of 1.21, 1.58 on 5-point Likert scale, respectively, p < 0.0001). Six of nine interviewees post-course had applied what they learned to patient care; five indicated their learning would benefit patients. An HIV prevention curriculum focused on cultural humility in care can improve trainee’s skills in HIV risk reduction counseling, including PrEP, among all patients including those identifying as LGBTQ.
OXIDE GROWTH AND DISSOLUTION ON 316L STAINLESS STEEL DURING IRRADIATION IN HIGH TEMPERATURE WATER

Abstract Helium was implanted in 316L stainless steel to produce a marker layer of bubbles to provide a reference for the assessment of oxidation and dissolution during proton irradiation in 320 °C hydrogenated water for 24 h and 72 h. Inner oxide thickness characterized by TEM dropped by a factor of 4.5 with irradiation. Marker layer measurements reveal a factor of 3 lower metal loss with irradiation. Metal loss increased without inner oxide growth between 24 h and 72 h of irradiation. Greater enrichment of chromium in the oxide under irradiation yields a more protective oxide film despite evidence of oxide dissolution.
Non-O blood group thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patients take longer to recover as measured by number of therapeutic plasma exchanges needed for platelet recovery.

Abstract Introduction Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is mainstay therapy for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). However, it remains controversial if ABO type influences diagnosis or time to remission. Materials and methods We investigated if ABO type influences length of TPE regimen in TTP patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency at our institution. Seventy out of 71 patients with suspected TTP who had ADAMTS13 activity measured were included. ADAMTS13 activity Results We found that among patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency, non-O patients required a significantly greater number of TPE (NoP) compared to O patients (p = 0.039). Additionally, patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency regardless of ABO type needed more TPE to achieve platelet recovery compared to those patients without deficiency (p = 0.00002). In regard to other variables that may affect response to therapy in TTP patients, we found no association between obesity and NoP; however, obesity rate was higher among ADAMTS13 deficient patients compared to overall obesity rate of our regional general population. Likewise, were found that blood group O did not occur with greater frequency in our cohort. Conclusions: Our data indicates that ABO may affect the NoP patients required for disease remission. We found that non-O patients needed more procedures to overcome their disease. Further work with greater number of patients will be needed to determine if specific non-O blood types require more procedures to recover their platelet count.
Cathelicidin Mediates a Protective Role of Vitamin D in Ulcerative Colitis and Human Colonic Epithelial Cells.

Background Vitamin D plays a protective role in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients through unclear mechanisms. Cathelicidin is an antimicrobial peptide induced by 1,25(OH)D2. Our goal was to evaluate the link between cathelicidin and vitamin D-associated clinical outcomes in UC patients, explore vitamin D induction of cathelicidin in human colon cells, and evaluate the effects of intrarectal human cathelicidin on a murine model of colitis. Methods Serum and colonic cathelicidin levels were measured in UC patients and correlated with clinical and histologic outcomes. Human colon cells were treated with 1,25(OH)2D and production of cathelicidin and cytokines were quantified. Antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli from cell culture supernatants was measured. Mice were treated with intrarectal cathelicidin, and its effects on DSS colitis and intestinal microbiota were evaluated. Results In UC patients, serum 25(OH)D positively correlated with serum and colonic cathelicidin. Higher serum cathelicidin is associated with decreased risk of histologic inflammation and clinical relapse but not independent of 25(OH)D or baseline inflammation. The 1,25(OH)2D treatment of colon cells induced cathelicidin and IL-10, repressed TNF-α, and suppressed Escherichia coli growth. This antimicrobial effect was attenuated with siRNA-cathelicidin transfection. Intrarectal cathelicidin reduced the severity of DSS colitis but did not mitigate the impact of colitis on microbial composition. Conclusions Cathelicidin plays a protective role in 25(OH)D-associated UC histologic outcomes and murine colitis. Cathelicidin is induced by vitamin D in human colonic epithelial cells and promotes antimicrobial activity against E. coli. Our study provides insights into the vitamin D-cathelicidin pathway as a potential therapeutic target.
The Value Proposition for Pathologists: A Population Health Approach

The transition to a value-based payment system offers pathologists the opportunity to play an increased role in population health by improving outcomes and safety as well as reducing costs. Although laboratory testing itself accounts for a small portion of health-care spending, laboratory data have significant downstream effects in patient management as well as diagnosis. Pathologists currently are heavily engaged in precision medicine, use of laboratory and pathology test results (including autopsy data) to reduce diagnostic errors, and play leading roles in diagnostic management teams. Additionally, pathologists can use aggregate laboratory data to monitor the health of populations and improve health-care outcomes for both individual patients and populations. For the profession to thrive, pathologists will need to focus on extending their roles outside the laboratory beyond the traditional role in the analytic phase of testing. This should include leadership in ensuring correct ordering and interpretation of laboratory testing and leadership in population health programs. Pathologists in training will need to learn key concepts in informatics and data analytics, health-care economics, public health, implementation science, and health systems science. While these changes may reduce reimbursement for the traditional activities of pathologists, new opportunities arise for value creation and new compensation models. This report reviews these opportunities for pathologist leadership in utilization management, precision medicine, reducing diagnostic errors, and improving health-care outcomes.
Phlox Species Show Quantitative and Qualitative Resistance to a Population of Powdery Mildew Isolates from the Eastern United States.

Ornamental plants in the genus Phlox are extensively planted in landscapes and home gardens around the world. A major limitation to a more widespread use of these plants is their susceptibility to ...
Investigating Trainees’ Nonverbal Behaviors in Virtual Patients Communication in Virtual Reality

In this paper, we want to explore which verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors health professions trainees will employ during the training of interpersonal skills through the interaction experience with virtual patients. We investigated participants’ eye gaze position, nodding gesture, speeches, interaction distance, and questions participants asked in a pilot study. We compared the results of verbal behaviors and non-verbal behaviors observed in the pilot study with what we would expect to find given prior research from real-world interactions. Then we tried to explore the potential reasons if our results are different from what we expect.
Cardiac Arrest and the Post-arrest Syndrome

More than half a million Americans annually suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. Initial resuscitation of the pulseless patient should follow American Heart Association guidelines. Patients with return of spontaneous circulation are at significant risk for rearrest or poor outcome without early and advanced critical care interventions. Early post-arrest management should focus on three parallel goals: diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause of cardiac arrest, evaluation of the severity of post-arrest illness, and supportive care of the postcardiac arrest syndrome. Patients who remain comatose after cardiac arrest should be cared for at hospital capable of providing advanced cardiac and critical care interventions.
Laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy for superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a 13 year-old boy

Abstract Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare condition in which the third portion of the duodenum is compressed between the SMA anteriorly and the aorta posteriorly. The resulting duodenal obstruction is often due to rapid weight loss and commonly resolves with distal tube feeds. Occasionally, patients fail this medical management, and require a surgical bypass. We present the case of a male adolescent who presented with SMA syndrome and underwent laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy using a retroperitoneal technique that avoids crossing of the transverse colon and does not create a duodenal diverticulum proximal to the mesenteric root.
Anatomy of intraday volatility at the Chilean stock exchange

This is the first study, to our best knowledge, that investigates the intraday volatility characteristics of the Santiago Stock Exchange. The Chilean Stock market has grown consistently over the last 40 years and is now the second largest equity market in South America behind that of Brazil. Using a recently available dataset for the most actively traded stocks, we examine the patterns of intraday volatility. We show that intraday volatility declines during the day with an accentuation at the end of trading for the stocks we examine. We document the necessity of an opening auction system for the market and justify the benefits of the proactive implementation of a closing call auction system by exchange regulators in February 2019. Showing evidence that periods of efficiency alternate with periods with lack thereof, we provide suggestions as to when different types of traders should participate during the trading session.
Prevention and Treatment of Aging Skin with Topical Antioxidants

Publisher Summary This chapter describes some of the most effective, scientifically proven formulations to revitalize aging skin. There are two great advantages to applying an active formulation of topical antioxidants to the skin. First, the skin attains far higher levels of each antioxidant than can be achieved by only taking these supplements orally. For example, the level of vitamin C attained in the skin by topical application is 20–40 times the level achievable with oral vitamin C. With topical application, the concentration of vitamin E increases by a factor of 10.6 and selenium, by a factor of 1.7. While sunscreens are still mainstay for protecting skin from photodamage, they are not enough. Because most of us actually apply only about one-fourth of the amount of sunscreen needed to give the designated SPF. Frequent application is absolutely necessary even for “highly water-resistant” formulations because sunscreen is washed off not only by swimming and sweating, but also by imperceptible perspiration. Furthermore, while sunscreens reduce UV-induced erythema and the DNA damage of 8-OHdG and thymine dimer, they only block about 55 percent of the free radical production. This protection over time not only protects the skin by diminishing the ongoing free radical insult and inflammation, but also reverses the unattractive appearance of previous photodamage by directly enhancing collagen synthesis and elastic tissue repair.
Human Protozoan Parasites in Molluscan Shellfish

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the occurrence of human protozoan parasites in molluscan shellfish. Some concerns have been raised worldwide regarding health risks, particularly from molluscan shellfish contaminated with human pathogens. Consumed oysters are more likely than other seafood items to contain infective microorganisms because they recover and contain pathogens from surrounding waters and are very often eaten raw. Clams, mussels, cockles, and scallops are less of a public health concern because they are usually consumed cooked or steamed, which significantly alters the infectivity of potential pathogens. Methods for the identification of human protozoan parasites in the tissue of molluscan shellfish include (1) immunofluorescent antibodies (IFA) alone or in combination with immunomagnetic separation (IMS), (2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) alone or combined with restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for genotyping, (3) multiplexed nested PCR, and (4) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The monitoring of water for fecal coliform at molluscan shellfish-harvesting sites may not be sufficient indicating the presence of human waterborne parasites, such as Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia, Toxoplasma, and human infectious microsporidia.
Topography of the neurotensin (NT)(8−9) binding site of human NT receptor-1 probed with NT(8–13) analogs

A series of neurotensin (NT)(8-13) analogs featuring substitution of the Arg8 and/or Arg9 residues with non-natural cationic amino acids was synthesized and evaluated for binding to the human NT receptor-1 (hNTR-1). The modifications were designed to probe specific steric and electrostatic requirements in the N-terminal cationic region of NT(8-13) for receptor binding as a general evaluation of the feasibility of incorporating minor structural changes into a peptide at a crucial polar receptor binding site. Many of the non-natural amino acids are more or less isosteric to Arg but more lipophilic as a result of addition of alkyl groups or through removal or replacement of NH character with methylene or methyl substituents, whereas others vary the distance between the cation and the alpha-amino acid carbon. Substitution of Arg8 with N(G)-alkylated Arg derivatives or homolysine (Hlys) maintained the subnanomolar affinity of NT(8-13) to the hNTR-1. Position 8 incorporation of Hlys produced the most favorable primary amine side-chain substitution to date. Moderate losses in affinity observed with position 9 substitutions were attributed to adverse steric effects. Doubly substituted [Hlys8, DAB9]NT(8-13), in which DAB is 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, was also prepared and tested as the shorter side-chain of DAB is known to be favored in position 9 of NT(8-13). This analog maintained 60% of NT(8-13) binding affinity making it the most favored des-guanidinium-containing analog known. These results demonstrate that adequate receptor binding affinity can be maintained over a structural range of Arg analogs, thus providing a range of peptides expected to exhibit altered pharmacokinetic properties. From the standpoint of the hNTR-1 cationic binding sites, these results help to map out the structural stringency inherent in the formation of a tight binding complex with NT(8-13) and related analogs.
Verifying LOC based functional and performance constraints

In the era of billion-transistor design, it is critical to establish effective verification methodologies from the system level all the way down to the implementations. Assertion languages (e.g. IBM's Sugar2.0, Synopsys's OpenVera) have gained wide acceptance for specifying functional properties for automatic validation. They are, however, based on linear temporal logic (LTL), and hence have certain limitations. Logic of constraints (LOC) was introduced for specifying quantitative performance constraints, and is particularly suitable for automatic transaction level analysis. We analyze LTL and LOC, and show that they have different domains of expressiveness. Using both LTL and LOC can make the verification process more effective in the context of simulation assertion checking as well as formal verification. Through industrial case studies, we demonstrate the usefulness of this verification methodology.
Opportunities and challenges of establishing a nationwide strategy for adolescents and young adults in Canada with cancer: impressions from the Toronto workshop.

Currently, there is priority to address the complex needs of the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer population. At a workshop in Toronto, the Canadian healthcare community brought together a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of developing a nationwide strategy for AYA cancer patients. Summarized here is an overview of the workshop objectives and considerations coming from the conference participants relative to opportunities, challenges, and future directions. It is concluded that the Canadian healthcare and advocacy communities are well-positioned to have a major impact and assume a leadership role in AYA cancer care. Cancer 2011;117(10 suppl):2351–4. © 2011 American Cancer Society..
Isolation and Characterization of Mutations in the β-Tubulin Gene of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Of 173 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae resistant to the antimitotic drug benomyl (BenR), six also conferred cold-sensitivity for growth and three others conferred temperature-sensitivity for growth in the absence of benomyl. All of the benR mutations tested, including the nine conditional-lethal mutations, were shown to be in the same gene. This gene, TUB2, has previously been molecularly cloned and identified as the yeast structural gene encoding beta-tubulin. Four of the conditional-lethal alleles of TUB2 were mapped to particular restriction fragments within the gene. One of these mutations was cloned and sequenced, revealing a single amino acid change, from arginine to histidine at amino acid position 241, which is responsible for both the BenR and the cold-sensitive lethal phenotypes. The terminal arrest morphology of conditional-lethal alleles of TUB2 at their restrictive temperature showed a characteristic cell-division-cycle defect, suggesting a requirement for tubulin function primarily in mitosis during the vegetative growth cycle. The TUB2 gene was genetically mapped to the distal left arm of chromosome VI, very near the actin gene, ACT1; no CDC (cell-division-cycle) loci have been mapped previously to this location. TUB2 is thus the first cell-division-cycle gene known to encode a cytoskeletal protein that has been identified in S. cerevisiae.
Team-based learning in the gross anatomy lab improves academic performance and student attitudes towards teamwork (721.14)

As the healthcare climate shifts towards increased interdisciplinary patient care, it is essential that students become accomplished at group problem solving and develop positive attitudes towards teamwork. Team-based learning (TBL) has become a popular approach to medical education because of its ability to promote these factors. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of TBL and perceptions of teamwork among physical therapy students who were exposed to a traditional model of gross anatomy education and those who were involved in a lecture and hybrid lab experience (dissection/TBL). We surveyed students at the beginning and completion of gross anatomy as well as students who had previously completed a traditional anatomy course and found that the inclusion of TBL in the anatomy lab significantly improves student attitudes towards working with peers. Comparison of academic performance between TBL and non-TBL students revealed that students who participated in TBL scored significantly higher o...
The firing of hippocampal place cells in the dark depends on the rat's recent experience

Hippocampal "place cells" fire when a freely moving rat is in a given location. The firing of these cells is controlled by visual and nonvisual environmental cues. The effects of darkness on the firing of place cells was studied using the task of Muller et al. (1987), in which rats were trained to chase randomly scattered food pellets in a cylindrical drum with a white cue-card attached to the wall. The position of the rats was tracked via an infrared LED on the headstage with a video system linked to computer. Two experimental protocols were used: in the first, lights were turned off after the rat had already been placed in the chamber; in the second, the rat was placed in the darkened chamber. The dark segments produced by these 2 methods were identical with respect to light and other cues but differed with respect to the rat's experience. The firing patterns of 24 of 28 cells were unaffected by darkness when it was preceded by a light period. In contrast, the firing patterns of 14 of 22 cells changed dramatically when the rats were put into the darkened chamber. Furthermore, the majority of cells that changed their firing pattern in initial darkness maintained that change when the lights were turned on. These results show that place cells can fire differently in identical cue situations and that the best predictor of firing pattern is a combination of current cues and the rat's recent experience. The results are discussed in terms of mnemonic properties of hippocampal cells and "remapping" of place cell representations.
Organic Compounds in Meteorites: They may have formed in the solar nebula, by catalytic reactions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and ammonia

Organic compounds in meteorites seem to have formed by catalytic reactions of CO, H2, and NH3 in the solar nebula, at 360 degrees to 400 degrees K and (4 to 10) x 10-6 atm. The onset of these reactions was triggered by the formation of suitable catalysts (magnetite, hydrated silicates) at these temperatures. These reactions may be a source of prebiotic carbon compounds on the inner planets, and interstellar molecules.
Immunologic effects of hand-assisted surgery on peritoneal macrophages: comparison to open and standard laparoscopic approaches.

Background Exaggerated activation of peritoneal immunity after major abdominal surgery activates peritoneal macrophages (PMs), which may lead to a relative local immunosuppression. Although laparoscopy (L) is known to elicit a smaller attenuation of peritoneal host defenses, compared with open (O) surgery, effects of the hand-assisted (HA) approach have not been investigated to date. Methods Eighteen pigs underwent a transabdominal nephrectomy via O, HA, or L approach. PMs were harvested at 4, 12, and 24 hours through an intraperitoneal drain and stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide. The production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) by the purified macrophage cultures was measured with the use of a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Statistical comparison was performed by using analysis of variance and Student t test. Results In vitro lipopolysaccharide–induced IL-6 and TNF-α production by PMs increased over the 24-hour period in all 3 groups. Stimulated PMs harvested at 12 and 24 hours postoperatively secreted higher levels of IL-6 in the O group, compared with both the HA group (P = .02, P = .01) and L group (P = .04, P = .001). PMs harvested at 4, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively also produced more TNF-α in O group, compared with both the HA group (P = .03, P = .03, and P = .01) and L group (P = .01, P = .05 and P = .03). There was no significant difference between H and L groups in production of either cytokine. Conclusions Abdominal surgery attenuates peritoneal host defenses regardless of the surgical approach employed. However, for the first time, we demonstrated that the HA approach, similar to laparoscopy, is superior to open surgery in the degree of PM activation. Overall, in addition to clinical benefits of minimal access, HA surgery may confer an immunologic advantage over laparotomy.
Tandem mass spectrometry for studies of drug action and metabolism

Abstract We have investigated the application of triple quadrupole MS/MS to toxicological, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacological studies. Techniques have been developed for rapid screening and quantitation of drugs and metabolities in physiological fluids and tissues, including the detection of illegal drugs in racing animals. Studies on antiepileptic drugs have centered on determination of the regional distribution of drugs and metabolites in target organs and on monitoring the time course of drug uptake and release. A new method for rapidly determining all the metabolites of a particular drug has also been developed.
A model to estimate service levels when a portion of the master production schedule is frozen

Abstract An illustrative example is presented to show how freezing can affect performance of the master production schedule (MPS). An analytical expression is then derived for the expected customer service level when a specified number of orders in the MPS is frozen. The analytical model is used to estimate the effects of MPS freezing in a variety of situations. Controlled simulation experiments are then run to assess the usefulness of the analytical model in estimating customer service under more complex situations. The results suggest that the impact of MPS freezing on customer service is predictable and not as severe as might be anticipated.
Lifting the gossamer veil

Copper oxides become superconductors at much higher temperatures than conventional metals. This transition might involve a state of 'gossamer' superconductivity, and new work shows how.
Repeatability of regression stability indexes for grain yield of oats (Avena sativa L.)

Two lines of descent were established from an F3 bulk lot of oats (Avena sativa L.) initiated by mixing seeds from approximately 250 crosses. For one line of descent, seeds were radiated with thermal neutrons or X-rays from F3 through F6, followed by five generations of bulk propagation. The second was propagated for 10 generations. No artificial selection was practiced in either line of descent. Grain yield data from 20 random strains from each of four generations from the radiated (F7, F8, F9, and F11) and five from the nonradiated (F3, F6, F7, F8, and F12) line of descent and 20 check cultivars tested in 14 environments were used for estimating regression stability indexes of oat strains.
Fighting for Justice, Dying for Hope On the Protest Line in Colombia

The author provides a vivid account of her most recent trip to Colombia where she has been conducting research on the impact of political and economic violence on efforts by Coca-Cola workers to organize with SINALTRAINAL, a Colombian labor union. On July 22, 2006, SINALTRAINAL (the National Food and Beverage Workers Union) organized demonstrations in several Colombian cities for the third annual “International Day of Protest Against Coca-Cola.” Gill describes events of the day in Barrancabermeja, an oil town in the country's conflicted Magdalena Medio region. In 1998, the city fell under paramilitary domination by means of murder and massacre. Eight years later, the paramilitary vise is clamped tight by selective assassination of unionists, social movement leaders and other “disposable people.” Despite death threats against them, workers from the local Coca-Cola plant organized a peaceful demonstration against“ the crimes of Coca-Cola”– crimes that include human rights violations and collusion with paramilitary groups. After the successful protest in Barrancabermeja, exhilaration was replaced by despair as word of another assassination spread.