cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of IGFBP5, but not IGFBP3, correlates with the histologic grade of human diffuse glioma: A tissue microarray and immunohistochemical study

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) comprise a family of proteins that bind and regulate the functions of IGFs. One of the IGFBPs, IGFBP2, has recently been shown to be overexpressed in glioblastoma. Overexpression of IGFBP2 contributes to the invasiveness of glioblastoma and correlates with histologic grade and survival in patients with diffuse gliomas, suggesting that IGFBP2 expression may contribute to the glioma formation and/or progression. The expression of other IGFBP family members in gliomas has, however, not been examined in detail. This study was designed to evaluate the expression of IGFBP3 and IGFBP5 in diffuse gliomas using immunohistochemistry applied to a tissue array constructed from 259 gliomas, including ten gliosarcomas. Expression of IGFBP5 correlated significantly with glioma histologic grade. 83% (58/70) of glioblastomas (WHO Grade IV) were positive for IGFBP5, which was significantly higher than WHO Grade III gliomas (41%, 41/101) or WHO Grade II gliomas (18%, 13/72) (p 0.05). There was no significant difference in IGFBP3 expression among different grades of glioma. Our study thus demonstrates that the expression of IGFBP5, but not IGFBP3, increases with glioma anaplastic progression. The strong correlation between overexpression of IGFBP5 and histologic grade suggests that, in addition to IGFBP2, IGFBP5 may also play a role in glioma progression.
Phenolic Compounds from Fermented Berry Beverages Modulated Gene and Protein Expression To Increase Insulin Secretion from Pancreatic β-Cells in Vitro

Berries are a rich source of bioactive phenolic compounds that are able to bind and inhibit the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), a current target for type-2 diabetes therapy. The objectives were to determine the role of berry phenolic compounds to modulate incretin-cleaving DPP-IV and its substrate glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells, and genes and proteins involved in the insulin secretion pathway using cell culture. Anthocyanins (ANC) from 50% blueberry–50% blackberry (Blu-Bla) and 100% blackberry (Bla) fermented beverages at 50 μM cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents increased (p < 0.05) glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells (iNS-1E) both when applied directly and following simulated absorption through Caco-2 cells (by 233 and 100 μIU insulin/mL, respectively). ANC 50%Blu-Bla and ANC 100%Bla upregulated the gene for incretin hormone GLP-1 (fold-change 3.0 ± 1.4 and 2.0 ± 0.3, respectively) and genes in the insulin secretory pathway inclu...
Augmented histamine test, Ewald test meal, and diagnex test. Comparison of results.

The augmented histamine test, the Ewald test meal, and the Diagnex tests have been compared in a series of 130 patients. The results indicate that although the results of these tests follow the same trend in a group of patients, no one test can be used to predict satisfactorily the results of the other two tests in the majority of individual patients.
Federal Involvement in Pain Management Policy

The federal government plays a major role in the issue-formulating policies that affect pain management. With the advent of an increase in overdose deaths associated with the misuse of prescription pain medications, the role of the federal government intensified. Multiple agencies within multiple federal departments influence pain policy, from the regulation of prescription pain relievers, to education of providers, to enforcing laws and regulations that govern the use and availability of pain relievers. No discussion of pain management is complete without a review of the various federal activities germane to this critical issue. This chapter summarizes those federal efforts.
The Allergen of Allergic Conjunctivitis in Different Age

Objective:To analyze allergens in patients with allergic conjunctivitis in different age groups.Method:The allergens were detected using Bio-physical therapy devices(MORA).All patients were divided into preschool age group(2-6 years old),school age group(7-17 years old) and adult group(18-63 years old)separately.Results;There were 51 patients with allergic conjunctivitis in the study and the allergens were found in the cases.The total positive person-times were 231 kinds,in which the highest positive rate of allergen were fish and seafood in preschool age group(35.6%),mites in school age group(47.6%) and major allergens in adult group(32.2%).Conclusion:The positive detection rate and types of allergens in allergic conjunctivitis are associated with patients in different age.
Treating obesity with behavior modification.

Behavior modification techniques offer great promise for weight reduction. The system outlined here requires only five 20-minute periods of instruction before the patient applies the principles at home.
Academic and Psychosocial Development of African American Males in PreK-12 Settings

Abstract In this chapter, the authors utilize both risk and resilience as conceptual frameworks to discuss the academic and psychosocial development of African American adolescent males. Given the amount of attention placed on the academic underachievement of African American males, they explore popular academic themes, such as academic disidentification and the role of teachers and parents. The authors examine psychosocial themes related to racial and athletic identity, the phenomenon of cool pose and “acting Black,” and the development of alternative masculinities. They conclude the chapter with recommendations for education research, practice and policy.
New results for several bin packing and related problems

Bin packing is a fundamental problem in theoretical computer science, especially in combinatorial optimization, and has been extensively studied in the past. A long and rich history exists for this problem, and many important results have been obtained. Due to its wide applications in various applied areas, a number of variants of this problem have been investigated and new variants are repeatedly introduced. In this dissertation, we study several new variants of the classical bin packing problem. The first variant we study is a bin coloring problem first introduced in [15]. For this variant, we consider two problems called Minimum Bin Coloring Problem (MinBC) and Online Maximum Bin Coloring Problem (OMaxBC). In both problems, we need to pack a set of unit-sized items with each associating a color into a set of bins with capacity B. For MinBC, the objective is to minimize the maximum number of different colors in each bin, while for OMaxBC, the objective is to maximize the minimum number of different colors in each bin. For the APX-hard MinBC problem, we present two near linear time approximation algorithms to achieve almost optimal solutions, i.e., no more than OPT + 2 and OPT + 1 respectively, where OPT is the optimal solution. For the OMaxBC problem, we first introduce a deterministic 2-competitive greedy algorithm, and then give lower bounds for any deterministic and randomized (against adaptive offline adversary) online algorithms. The lower bounds show that our deterministic algorithm achieves the best possible competitive ratio. The second variant we consider is called Maximum Resource Bin Packing (MRBP), first studied in [3]. In this variant, bins are ordered so that no item in a later bin fits in any earlier bin, and the objective is to maximize the total number of packed bins. The best previous result on this problem is a 65 -approximation achieved by a First-Fit-Increasing (FFI) algorithm. In this dissertation, we present a new algorithm following the spirit of First-Fit-Increasing with an asymptotic approximation ratio of 8071 a 1.12676. We then study a generalized version of the MRBP problem, called the Cardinality Constrained MRBP (CCMRBP) problem, in which each bin is only allowed to contain at most C items, and show that CCMRBP is no harder to approximate than MRBP. At last, we further generalize MRBP to two dimensions and presents an approximation algorithm with asymptotic ratio in [ 136,125 ]. The third variant we investigate is a lazy bin covering problem which minimizes the total number of used bins in such a way that no item can be removed from a covered bin without making it uncovered. For this variant, we consider its both online and offline versions. For the offline version, we first analyze the approximation ratios of a number traditional packing strategies for this problem and its parameterized version, and finally present a near linear time 1715 -approximation algorithm and an APTAS. For the online version, we give competitive analyses for a number traditional packing algorithms, such as Next-Fit, Worst-Fit, First-Fit, and a new HARMONICM algorithm.
The probability distribution of daily streamflow in theconterminous United States

One of the most commonly used tools in hydrology, empirical flow duration curves (FDCs) characterize the frequency with which streamflows are equaled or exceeded. Finding a suitable probability distribution to approximate a FDC enables regionalization and prediction of FDCs in basins that lack streamflow measurements. FDCs constructed from daily 10 streamflow observations can be computed as the period-of-record FDC (POR-FDC) to represent long-term streamflow conditions or as the median annual FDC (MA-FDC) to represent streamflows in a typical year. The goal of this study is to identify suitable probability distributions for both POR-FDCs and MA-FDCs of daily streamflow for unregulated and perennial streams. Comparisons of modeled and empirical FDCs at over 400 unregulated 15 stream gages across the conterminous United States reveal that both the four-parameter kappa (KAP) and three-parameter generalized Pareto (GPA3) distributions can provide reasonable approximations to MA-FDCs; however, even four and five-parameter distributions are unable to capture the complexity of POR-FDC behavior, often with flows ranging over five or more orders of magnitude. Regional regression models developed for the mid-Atlantic and Missouri 20 regions as case studies present a simple and practical method to predict MA-FDCs at ungaged sites, which can be accurately predicted more consistently compared to POR-FDCs. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2016-460, 2016 Manuscript under review for journal Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Published: 22 September 2016 c © Author(s) 2016. CC-BY 3.0 License.
Odpowiedź na biochemiczny argument z projektu

Author points out the flaws of Michael Behe’s concept of irreducible complexity of biochemical systems. He believes that systems regarded by Behe as irreducible complex may be reduced to simpler structures. He offers also a possible way of evolutionary development of such systems, namely the mechanism of cooption, i.e. taking over components which perform some functions selected by natural selection and forming from them a new, more complex systems which also perform functions selected by natural selection. Furthermore, according to the author, basically Behe’s argument is the same as discredited long time ago – as Miller claims – argument of ninetieth century biologist and theologian William Paley.
Quercetin Remodels the Tumor Microenvironment To Improve the Permeation, Retention, and Antitumor Effects of Nanoparticles.

Our previous work demonstrated that Wnt16 expression in cisplatin-damaged tumor-associated fibroblasts is a key factor contributing to cisplatin resistance in malignancies. Natural antifibrotic compounds with low toxicities are promising candidates to downregulate Wnt16 expression, improving the antitumor effect of cisplatin nanoparticles. Upon screening several natural chemicals, we found that a dietary flavonoid, quercetin, significantly suppresses Wnt16 expression in activated fibroblasts. To facilitate drug delivery, we have prepared a targeted lipid/calcium/phosphate nanoparticle formulation consisting of a prodrug of quercetin, i.e., quercetin phosphate, with a high loading efficiency (26.6% w/w). This quercetin nanoparticle with a particle size of around 35 nm significantly improved the bioavailability and metabolic stability of the parent quercetin. Quercetin phosphate is released from the nanoparticles and converted back to the parent quercetin under physiological conditions. Following systemic a...
Games People Play

ABSTRACTAn academic and public library collaborate on a tabletop gaming event for the whole community.
Can patients with non-convulsive seizure be identified in the emergency department?

Background Non-convulsive seizure (NCS) is an underdiagnosed, potentially treatable emergency with significant mortality and morbidity. The objective of this study is to examine the characteristics of patients with NCS presenting with altered mental status (AMS) and diagnosed with electroencephalography (EEG), to identify the factors that could increase the pre-test probability of NCS. Methods Retrospective study using the data collected prospectively. Inclusion criteria: patients older than 13 years with AMS. Exclusion criteria: (1) immediately correctable AMS (e.g., hypoglycemia, opiod overdose); (2) inability to undergo EEG; (3) hemodynamic instability. Outcomes compared between NCS and non-NCS cases: vital signs, lactate level, gender, witnessed seizure, use of anticonvulsive in the field or in the ED, history of seizure or stroke, head injury, abnormal neurological finding and new abnormal findings on head CT. Data presented as medians and quartiles for categorical and percentages with 95%CI for continuous variables. Univariate analyses were performed with Man-Whitney U and Fisher's Exact tests. A multivariate analysis model was used to test the predictive value of clinical variables in identifying NCS. Results From 332 patients (median age 66 years, quartiles 50-78), 16 were diagnosed with NCS (5%, 95%CI 3%-8%). Only age was significantly different between the NCS vs. non-NCS groups in both univariate (P=0.032) and multivariate analyses (P=0.016). Conclusion Other than age, no other clinically useful variable could identify patients at high risk of NCS. ED physicians should have a high suspicion for NCS and should order EEG for these patients more liberally.
Differences in bone structure and unloading-induced bone loss between C57BL/6N and C57BL/6J mice

The C57BL/6 mouse, the most frequently utilized animal model in biomedical research, is in use as several substrains, all of which differ by a small array of genomic differences. Two of these substrains, C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6N (B6N), are commonly used but it is unclear how phenotypically similar or different they are. Here, we tested whether adolescent B6N mice have a bone phenotype and respond to the loss of weightbearing differently than B6J. At 9 weeks of age, normally ambulating B6N had lower trabecular bone volume fraction but greater bone formation rates and osteoblast surfaces than corresponding B6J. At 11 weeks of age, differences in trabecular indices persisted between the substrains but differences in cellular activity had ceased. Cortical bone indices were largely similar between the two substrains. Hindlimb unloading (HLU) induced similar degeneration of trabecular architecture and cellular activity in both substrains when comparing 11-week-old HLU mice to 11-week-old controls. However, unloaded B6N mice had smaller cortices than B6J. When comparing HLU to 9 weeks baseline control mice, deterioration in trabecular separation, osteoblast indices, and endocortical variables was significantly greater in B6N than B6J. These data indicate specific developmental differences in bone formation and morphology between B6N and B6J mice, giving rise to a differential response to mechanical unloading that may be modulated, in part, by the genes Herc2, Myo18b, and Acan. Our results emphasize that these substrains cannot be used interchangeably at least for investigations in which the phenotypic makeup and its response to extraneous stimuli are of interest.
Approximation-Variance Tradeoffs in Facility Location Games

We revisit the well-studied problem of constructing strategyproof approximation mechanisms for facility location games, but offer a fundamentally new perspective by considering risk averse designers. Specifically, we are interested in the tradeoff between a randomized strategyproof mechanism's approximation ratio, and its variance (which has long served as a proxy for risk). When there is just one facility, we observe that the social cost objective is trivial, and derive the optimal tradeoff with respect to the maximum cost objective. When there are multiple facilities, the main challenge is the social cost objective, and we establish a surprising impossibility result: under mild assumptions, no smooth approximation-variance tradeoff exists. We also discuss the implications of our work for computational mechanism design at large.
The Clothing Factory During the 1930s and the Second World War

The 1930s represented a decade of consolidation for the Australian Government Clothing Factory, but the demands placed upon the Factory as a result of the Second World War led to shortages of uniforms. Having been established in 1912 with what was then modern equipment, the Factory was now in need of an equipment and production overhaul. The types of uniforms produced by the Factory had also expanded as additional units had sprung up, including the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), requiring separate uniforms. Many of the Factory’s lines were short production runs, which did not assist the efficient running of the Factory, and was also a complaint often heard by private contractors. However, an analysis of output per employee shows that the Factory was still performing better than the private clothing sector. Nevertheless, it was time to streamline the Factory’s production lines and the supply of raw materials. New ways to place orders and to run the production were investigated. This involved the Army’s role in forward planning and logistics so that clothing lines could be produced on time, in the required quantities and in the required sizes. The Defence Department undertook several reviews, including the standardisation of clothing lines between the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Theories Emerging from Family Therapy

This chapter describes contributions from the field of marriage and family therapy to theory about the family. It is intended for readers who have little familiarity with family therapy and emphasizes theories about how families function rather than how families change in therapy.
Colon cancer surveillance in chronic ulcerative colitis: historical cohort study

Screening for dysplasia in ulcerative colitis is expected to improve cancer-related survival by advancing the diagnosis of cancer to a more favorable pathologic stage or by identifying patients for prophylactic colectomy who are at at high risk of developing cancer. To evaluate the effectiveness of a surveillance program of annual colonoscopy and mucosal sampling, 91 screened and 95 control ulcerative colitis patients with extensive disease for at least 8 yr were compared for differences in survival, cancer detection, and colectomy rates. The two groups were of similar age at symptom onset, duration of disease, and sex. In the surveillance group, there were eight fewer deaths (p less than 0.05 by survival-curve analysis), but two more cancer deaths (not significant). Colectomy was less common (p less than 0.05) and was performed 4 yr later in the surveillance group. The effect of surveillance was not confounded by age at symptom onset, sex, or duration of disease. In our program, screening for cancer in ulcerative colitis was associated with improved survival and delayed colectomy. However, improvement was not related to the anticipated benefits of improved cancer-related survival.
The Compressive Creep and Stress Relaxation of Human Temporomandibular Joint Discs and Implanted Teflon-Proplast II Laminates

ABSTRACT Compressive creep and stress relaxation tests were performed on human temporomandibular joint discs and implanted and unimplnated Teflon-Proplast II laminates. The standard linear solid model for viscoelasticity was used to described the observed creep and stress relaxation behavior of the tested materials. The results from testing can be summarized as follows: (1) human and implanted Teflon-Proplast II laminates are viscoelastic; (2) the unimplanted Teflon-Proplast II laminate are elastic; (3) when Teflon-Proplast II laminates are implanted, sissue grows into the porous Proplast II structure, changing the intrinsic mechanical properties of the implant from an elastic to a viscoelastic material.
Planning with curriculum materials: Interactions between prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ attention, interpretations and responses

Abstract This paper reports a study of four prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ (PSTs) attention to different sets of curriculum materials when planning lessons. Specifically, it addresses how this attention interacted with their interpretations of and responses to the materials and how the curriculum elements and format of each set of materials influenced the interaction. Attention, interpretations, and responses were analyzed by capturing quantitative data from eye tracking glasses the PSTs wore and qualitative data from coding the transcripts from two staged planning interviews. Results indicate that PSTs’ interpretations and responses were initiated by their attention and that the curriculum elements and format of each set of materials influenced this attention. The authors conclude with implications for curriculum development and teacher education.
An efficient prototype method to identify and correct misspellings in clinical text

Misspellings in clinical free text present challenges to natural language processing. With an objective to identify misspellings and their corrections, we developed a prototype spelling analysis method that implements Word2Vec, Levenshtein edit distance constraints, a lexical resource, and corpus term frequencies. We used the prototype method to process two different corpora, surgical pathology reports, and emergency department progress and visit notes, extracted from Veterans Health Administration resources. We evaluated performance by measuring positive predictive value and performing an error analysis of false positive output, using four classifications. We also performed an analysis of spelling errors in each corpus, using common error classifications. In this small-scale study utilizing a total of 76,786 clinical notes, the prototype method achieved positive predictive values of 0.9057 and 0.8979, respectively, for the surgical pathology reports, and emergency department progress and visit notes, in identifying and correcting misspelled words. False positives varied by corpus. Spelling error types were similar among the two corpora, however, the authors of emergency department progress and visit notes made over four times as many errors. Overall, the results of this study suggest that this method could also perform sufficiently in identifying misspellings in other clinical document types.
THE COTYLOCIDIUM LARVA OF COTYLOGASTEROIDES OCCIDENTALS (NICKERSON, 1902) YAMAGUTI 1963 (ASPIDOGASTERIDAE ASPIDOCOTYLEA - TREMATODA)

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the cotylocidium larva of Cotylogasteroides occidentals . Adult Cotylogasteroides occidentalis normally live within the intestine of Ligumia nasuta , and Anodonta grandis . In infection experiments described in the chapter, cotylocidia are directed by pipette into the incurrent siphon of uninfected mussels. Cotylocidia are evidently ingested with food and begin development in the stomach area. As development proceeds, the typical sucking disk is formed from the anterior edge of the posterior sucker. In the infection experiments, cotylocidia were directed by pipette into the incurrent siphon of uninfected mussels. Cotylocidia are evidently ingested with food and begin development in the stomach area. As development proceeds, the typical sucking disk is formed from the anterior edge of the posterior sucker. Further developmental studies are underway. The term miracidium is universally applied to the ciliated larvae of digeneans that are distinctive in not possessing a digestive tract and by the presence of germinal cells or larvae that will give rise to another larval generation.
NP23 Garden-Based Intervention for Youth Improves Dietary and Physical Activity Patterns, Quality of Life, Family Relationships, and Indices of Health

Objective Childhood obesity remains a significant health issue, especially in disparate populations and during the summer months, when millions of children lose access to school-based feeding programs and suffer gaps in meals. The objective of this study was to measure the efficacy of a three-month garden-based summer intervention targeting low-resource youth. Description Summer Harvest Adventure (SHA) is a five-year randomized controlled trial targeting children and parent/adult caregivers (PAC). In year one (of three), a total of 72 children (ages 8-11 years) were randomized to a garden-based intervention or enhanced control group. The intervention consisted of theoretical-driven and evidence-based group education, produce (fruits, vegetables, and herbs) harvesting, cooking demonstrations, remote motivational interviewing, and e-technologies. Data collected at baseline (month zero) and post-intervention (month three) included sociodemographics, quality of life, dietary patterns, family dynamics, program satisfaction; anthropometrics, body composition, physical activity, cardiovascular risk, and skin carotenoids were measured objectively. Evaluation Sixty-four percent of SHA participants met study adherence criteria (> 75% attendance). The mean age of enrolled was 8.7 (+/- 0.47) years with 50% male and 57% African American or mixed race. Over 90% of SHA participants rated SHA as “excellent or very good.” Compared to controls, SHA youth exhibited greater improvements in FV intake, physical activity, quality of life, family relationships, skin carotenoids, and carotid intimal thickness. Statistically significant improvements were seen in blood pressure and visceral adiposity (both P Conclusion and Implications Powered for three years, this project will continue to evaluate the impact of SHA in promoting an anti-obesogenic environment for low-resource families during the summer months. Information gleaned from this project will be used to empower families and to establish a summer obesity prevention model for youth, built upon replicable criteria that can be implemented on a national scale.
Using polytomous latent class analysis to compare patterns of substance use and co-occurring health-risk behaviors between students in alternative and mainstream high schools.

Abstract Introduction Alternative high school (AHS) students, an understudied and underserved population, experience educational, social, and health disparities relative to students in mainstream high schools. Disparities in single types of substance use are particularly high, yet no known studies have compared patterns of substance use or relationships between these patterns and other health-risk behaviors between AHS and mainstream high schools. Methods Using data from the Texas Alternative School Health Survey (n = 515; mean age 17.1 years, 49% male, 59% Hispanic, 23% White, 15% Black) and the Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 2,113; mean age 16 years, 47% male, 64% Hispanic, 22% White, 7% Black), we used latent class analyses to compare patterns of substance use in AHSs and mainstream high schools. We used latent class regression to examine relationships between patterns of substance use and involvement in other health-risk behaviors in each school setting. Results Students in AHSs and mainstream high schools had similar patterns of substance use, and youth in higher risk categories engaged in higher levels of other health-risk behaviors. A substantially greater proportion of AHS students, however, fell into the moderate and high use categories, in support of continuing disparities for AHS students. Conclusions Additional support is needed in AHSs to address the prevalence of high-risk patterns of substance use and associated health-risk behaviors. For example, ongoing public health surveillance is needed in AHSs, just as is done in mainstream high schools, to monitor trends in substance use and impact of policies and interventions.
A suborbital IMU test mission

This paper presents work conducted in preparation for a suborbital test flight to test an inertial measurement unit’s (IMU’s) ability to serve as a position determination mechanism in a GPS-denied environment. Because the IMU could potentially be used at several points during flight, it is not guaranteed that a GPS fix can be used to reset the IMU after the stresses of launch. Due to this, the specific goal of this work is to characterize whether a rocket launch disrupts the IMU-based position knowledge to the extent that it is unusable. This paper discusses preparations for a sub-orbital launch mission to this end. It include a description of the hardware and software used. A discussion of the data logging mechanism and the onboard and post-flight processing which is required to compare the GPS fixes and IMU-generated positions is also presented. Finally, the utility of an IMU capable of maintaining position awareness during launch is discussed.
Plasminogenuria is associated with podocyte injury, edema, and kidney dysfunction in incident glomerular disease

ABSTRACT Urinary plasminogen/plasmin, or plasmin(ogen)uria, has been demonstrated in proteinuric patients and exposure of cultured podocytes to plasminogen results in injury via oxidative stress pathways. A causative role for plasmin(ogen) as a “second hit” in kidney disease progression has yet to be demonstrated in vivo, and the association between plasmin(ogen)uria and kidney function in glomerular diseases remains unclear. We performed comparative studies in a puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) nephropathy rat model treated with amiloride, an inhibitor of plasminogen activation, and measured changes in plasmin(ogen)uria and urinary endothelin-1 (ET1). In a glomerular disease biorepository cohort (n=128), we measured time-of-biopsy albuminuria, proteinuria, and plasmin(ogen)uria for correlations with renal outcomes. Increased glomerular plasmin(ogen) was found in PAN rats and FSGS patients. PAN nephropathy was associated with increases in plasmin(ogen)uria, proteinuria, and urinary ET1. Amiloride was protective against PAN-induced glomerular injury, reducing urinary ET1 and oxidative stress. In patients, we found associations between plasmin(ogen)uria and edema status as well as eGFR. Our study demonstrates a role for plasmin(ogen)-induced podocyte injury in the PAN nephropathy model, with amiloride having podocyte-protective properties. In one of largest glomerular disease cohorts to study plasminogen, we validated previous findings while suggesting a potentially novel relationship between plasmin(ogen)uria and eGFR. Together, these findings suggest a role for plasmin(ogen) in mediating glomerular injury and as a viable targetable biomarker for podocyte-sparing treatments. TRANSLATIONAL STATEMENT Proteinuria is associated with CKD progression, and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The underlying mechanisms of podocyte injury, the hallmark of proteinuric kidney disease, are poorly understood with limited, non-specific therapeutic options. This study adds to the evidence that plasmin(ogen) in the urine of proteinuric patients is associated with podocyte injury, edema, and impaired renal function. Previously published results from us and others, taken together with our current rodent model and human data, suggest that urinary plasmin(ogen) is a potential targetable biomarker. Efforts to decrease plasmin(ogen)-mediated podocyte injury could be part of a novel therapeutic strategy for glomerular disease.
Preserving connectivity under climate and land-use change: No one-size-fits-all approach for focal species in similar habitats

Abstract Habitat connectivity is essential for maintaining populations of wildlife species, especially as climate changes. Knowledge about the fate of existing habitat networks in a changing climate and in light of land-use change is critical for determining which types of conservation actions must be taken to maintain those networks. However, information is lacking about how multiple focal species that use similar habitats overlap in the degree and geographic patterns of threats to linkages among currently suitable habitat patches. We sought to address that gap. We assessed climate change threat to existing linkages in the southeastern United States for three wildlife species that use similar habitats but differ in the degree to which their ranges are limited by climate, habitat specificity, and dispersal ability. Linkages for the specialist species (timber rattlesnake), whose range is climate-restricted, were more likely to serve as climate change refugia – that is, they were more likely to be climate-stable – by the middle of the 21st century. This contrasts with the two more generalist species (Rafinesque's big-eared bat and American black bear), whose linkages were threatened by climate change and thus required adaptation measures. Further incorporation of projected land-use change and current protection status for important linkages narrows down our recommended conservation actions for each species. Our results highlight the surprising ways in which even species that use similar habitats will experience differences in the degree and geographic patterns of threats to connectivity. Taking action before these projected changes occur will be critical for successful conservation.
A Systematic Review of Treatment Strategies for the Prevention of Junctional Complications After Long-Segment Fusions in the Osteoporotic Spine:

Study Design:Systematic reviewObjectives:Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF) are well-known complications after long-segment fusions in the thoracolumbar spine ...
Rasburicase and Glucose 6-Phophaste Dehydrogenase: Clinical Utility in the Management of Acute Leukemia Related Hyperuricemia

Abstract Background: Rasburicase is a recombinant urate oxidase enzyme commonly used to treat hyperuricemia of malignancy especially in cases with associated renal failure and very high uric acid level. However, it is contraindicated in patients with glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency as it may lead to increased hemolysis and methemoglobinemia, and rarely anaphylactic reaction. G6PD level evaluation is indicated prior to rasburicase administration. Here we sought to analyze the incidence of toxicity, level of G6PD in association with rasburicase in patients with acute leukemia. Methods: The Mayo Clinic database was interrogated using terms, acute leukemia, rasburicase and G6PD. Patients with acute leukemia and documented G6PD result who received rasburicase were selected. Time interval from documented G6PD report and rasburicase administration; concomitant hemoglobin level, and white blood cell count and creatinine level was collected. Results: One hundred sixteen patients with G6PD level and/or rasburicase use were identified. Thirty eight (36%) patients (AML 27, ALL 2, MPN 3, and lymphoma 6) received rasburicase, and 33 of them have concomitant G6PD level. The median (range) age was 76 years (27-91), and male accounted for 79% (30/38). The median (range) hemoglobin (gm/dL), uric acid (gm/dL) and creatinine (gm/dL) level was 9.1 (5.6-14.7), 12 (8-27) and 1.8 (0.8-4) respectively. All patients were reported to be non-Hispanic White except one with Asian ancestry. The G6PD level was high, normal, and low in 15 (39%), 13 (34%), and 5 (13%) patients respectively. Rasburicase was given without G6PD level in 5 (13%) patients, before the result for G6PD level available in 6 (16%) patients, and 4 (11%) had low level of G6PD; and none of them develop documented side effects. Conclusion: G6PD level is very variable at the time of diagnosis of hemological malignancies, and checking its level before rasburicase may have very limited clinical utility in certain patient groups. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The key role of the latent N–H group in Milstein's catalyst for ester hydrogenation

We previously demonstrated that Milstein's seminal diethylamino-substituted PNN-pincer–ruthenium catalyst for ester hydrogenation is activated by dehydroalkylation of the pincer ligand, releasing ethane and eventually forming an NHEt-substituted derivative that we proposed is the active catalyst. In this paper, we present a computational and experimental mechanistic study supporting this hypothesis. Our DFT analysis shows that the minimum-energy pathways for hydrogen activation, ester hydrogenolysis, and aldehyde hydrogenation rely on the key involvement of the nascent N–H group. We have isolated and crystallographically characterized two catalytic intermediates, a ruthenium dihydride and a ruthenium hydridoalkoxide, the latter of which is the catalyst resting state. A detailed kinetic study shows that catalytic ester hydrogenation is first-order in ruthenium and hydrogen, shows saturation behavior in ester, and is inhibited by the product alcohol. A global fit of the kinetic data to a simplified model incorporating the hydridoalkoxide and dihydride intermediates and three kinetically relevant transition states showed excellent agreement with the results from DFT.
Effect of High-κ Dielectric Layer on 1/f Noise Behavior in Graphene Field-Effect Transistors

We report the 1/f noise characteristics at low frequency in graphene field-effect transistors that utilized a high-κ dielectric tantalum oxide encapsulated layer (a few nanometer thick) placed by a...
Estimating Center of Mass Kinematics During Perturbed Human Standing Using Accelerometers.

Estimating center of mass (COM) through sensor measurements is done to maintain walking and standing stability with exoskeletons. The authors present a method for estimating COM kinematics through an artificial neural network, which was trained by minimizing the mean squared error between COM displacements measured by a gold-standard motion capture system and recorded acceleration signals from body-mounted accelerometers. A total of 5 able-bodied participants were destabilized during standing through: (1) unexpected perturbations caused by 4 linear actuators pulling on the waist and (2) volitionally moving weighted jars on a shelf. Each movement type was averaged across all participants. The algorithm's performance was quantified by the root mean square error and coefficient of determination (R2) calculated from both the entire trial and during each perturbation type. Throughout the trials and movement types, the average coefficient of determination was 0.83, with 89% of the movements with R2 > .70, while the average root mean square error ranged between 7.3% and 22.0%, corresponding to 0.5- and 0.94-cm error in both the coronal and sagittal planes. COM can be estimated in real time for balance control of exoskeletons for individuals with a spinal cord injury, and the procedure can be generalized for other gait studies.
ROUND LICENSING, HARMONY, AND BISYLLABIC TRIGGERS IN ALTAIC

Many Altaic languages restrict round vowel distribution. This paper exam- ines round harmony in Classical Manchu and Oroqen, where round spreading occurs only when the first two syllables of a word are round, that is, it requires a bisyllabic trigger (Zhang 1996). It is argued that the binary threshold emerges from conflict between well- established phonological demands - numeric reference is neither necessary nor desirable. The study isolates two distinct restrictions on rounding in bisyllabic trigger languages: initial round licensing and round spreading - requirements occurring independently in Classical Mongolian and Ulcha. Separating these restrictions is key: each is active in languages with bisyllabic triggers, but they are ranked asymmetrically with respect to a conflicting constraint that restricts features to a tautosyllabic domain. Ranking the tautosyl- labic constraint between round licensing and spreading prevents cross-syllable spreading except when violations of tautosyllabicity are independently necessitated by round li- censing. As a result, spreading is initiated only when the first two syllables are round. Implications are identified for the characterization of faithfulness. Positional faithfulness constraints play a key role in realizing the privileged status of the root-initial syllable in round licensing and harmony. In addition, the analysis supports the separation of IDENT(F) into IO and OI constraints, which distinguish between the loss and gain of privative fea- ture specifications, respectively. The distinction proves essential in the case of bisyllabic triggers. The constraint interaction that produces the two-syllable trigger threshold is an instance of a general phenomenon explored here, termed Parasitic Constraint Satisfaction. This kind of interaction arises when there are two constraints or constraint sets, α and β, whose satisfaction each necessitates violating a constraint, γ, and they are ranked α � γ � β. When satisfaction of α compels violations of γ that also permit satisfaction of β, then β is described as parasitic on α. Two outcomes for Parasitic Constraint Satisfaction are discussed. The first is an emergence of the unmarked, occurring when β is a marked- ness constraint whose activity emerges in contexts where it is parasitic on α. The second outcome, where β is a faithfulness constraint, is an emergence of the faithful.
Simulation of Loss of RHR During Midloop Operations and the Role of Steam Generators in Decay Heat Removal Using the RELAP5/MOD3 Code

Loss of residual heat removal during midloop operations was simulated for a typical four-loop pressurized water reactor operated under reduced inventory level using the RELAP5/MOD3 thermal-hydrauli...
Toluene 4-Monooxygenase and its Complex with Effector Protein T4moD

Toluene 4-monooxygenase (T4MO) is a multiprotein diiron enzyme complex that catalyzes the regiospecific oxidation of toluene to p-cresol. Catalytic function requires the presence of a small protein, called the effector protein. Effector protein exerts substantial control on the diiron hydroxylase catalytic cycle through protein–protein interactions. High-resolution crystal structures of the stoichometric hydroxylase and effector protein complex described here reveal how protein–protein interactions and reduction of the diiron center produce an active site configuration poised for reaction with O2. Further information from crystal structures of mutated isoforms of the hydroxylase and a peroxo adduct is combined with catalytic results to give a fuller picture of the geometry of the enzyme–substrate complex used for the high fidelity oxidation of hydrocarbon substrates. 3D Structure Keywords: oxygenase; diiron enzyme; protein-protein complex; X-ray crystallography; reaction mechanism
Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist competitively inhibits the binding of interleukin-1 to the type II interleukin-1 receptor.

The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) inhibits the binding of interleukin-1 (IL-1) to T-cell lines possessing the type I IL-1 receptor; evidence has been published (Carter, D. B., Deibel, M. R. J., Dunn, C. J., Tomich, C. S., Laborde, A. L., Slightom, J. L., Berger, A. E., Bienkowski, M. J., Sun, F. F., McEwan, R. N., Harris, P. K. W., Yem, A. W., Waszak, G. A., Chosay, J. G., Sieu, L. C., Hardee, M. M., Zurcher-Neely, H. A., Reardon, I. M., Heinrickson, R. L., Truesdell, S. E., Shelly, J. A., Eessalu, T. E., Taylor, B. M., and Tracey, D. E. (1990) Nature 344, 633-638; Hannum, C. H., Wilcox, C. J., Arend, W. P., Joslin, F. G., Dripps, D. J., Heimdal, P. L., Armes, L. G., Sommer, A., Eisenberg, S. P., and Thompson, R. C. (1990) Nature 343, 336-340) that IL-Ira does not bind to the type II IL-1 receptor (IL-1RtII). In this study we examined the ability of human recombinant IL-1ra to block the binding of IL-1 to the IL-1RtII on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and Raji human B-lymphoma cells. The binding of 125I-IL-1 beta to PMN was competively inhibited by IL-1ra. IL-1 beta was more potent in inhibiting the binding of 125I-IL-1 beta than IL-1ra. Incubating PMN with 125I-IL-1ra in the presence of increasing concentrations of IL-1 beta or IL-1ra showed that IL-1 beta was an approximately 40-fold more potent inhibitor of binding of 125I-IL-1ra than unlabeled IL-1ra. The IL-1ra was approximately 500-fold less potent in inhibiting the binding of 125I-IL-1 alpha than IL-1 alpha. IL-1ra was also able to competitively inhibit binding of 125I-IL-1 beta to Raji cells. PMN or Raji cells were also incubated with 125I-IL-1 in the absence or presence of IL-1 or IL-1ra. After cross-linking of IL-1 to cells followed by specific immunoprecipitation, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a band at 85 kDa corresponding to the 68-kDa IL-1RtII. However, in the presence of an excess of either unlabeled IL-1 or IL-1ra, the 85-kDa IL-1.IL-1RtII complex was not present. These findings demonstrate that the IL-1ra recognizes and blocks IL-1 binding to the IL-1RtII.
Resonance Raman determination of vinyl group disposition in different derivatives of native myoglobin and its heme‐disoriented form

In heme-reconstituted heme proteins, the heme inserts such that some of the heme is rotated 180° about the α–γ meso axis, eventually equilibrating to native conformations. Also, proteins from different species may naturally possess both conformers. Resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy is effective in signaling this conformational heterogeneity, detecting altered interactions with active site residues. While shifts of the vibrational modes of the two vinyl groups could be readily detected, they could not be assigned to a particular vinyl group. This deficiency is alleviated by employing a specifically labeled protoheme isotopomer, wherein only the 4-vinyl group is labeled (i.e. –CH=C2H2), providing a spectral editing mechanism for selectively tracking the individual vinyl groups. The RR spectral data acquired here for the met-, deoxy-, and ferrous CO adduct of myoglobin, along with their ‘flipped heme’ isomers, provide convincing evidence for the anticipated effects of ‘swapping’ the environments of the two vinyl groups; i.e., in the native form, the 2-vinyl group assumes a more out-of-plane orientation with respect to the pyrrole plane than does the (nearly in-plane) 4-vinyl group, whereas in the ‘reversed’ orientation, the 4-vinyl group now assumes a position that is more out-of-plane than the newly positioned 2-vinyl group. The ability of RR spectroscopy to document such differences in the orientation of the vinyl substituents is made important by the fact that changes in the disposition of these groups has long been known to carry functional consequences. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.