cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Go Easy with the Fluids? Increased Mortality in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome with Hypervolemia

Introduction: Sepsis is a leading cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The Surviving Sepsis guideline recommends the generous use of fluids, but hypervolemia is also associated with increased lung injury. Purpose: To determine the relationship between hypervolemia and mortality and health care resource utilization in patients admitted to the hospital in the US with ARDS on mechanical ventilation (MV). Method: A retrospective study was conducted using the AHRQ-HCUP National Readmission Database for the year 2014. Adults (≥ 18 years) with a principal diagnosis of ARDS on MV and a secondary diagnosis of hypervolemia were identified using ICD-9 codes as described in the literature. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay (LOS), and total hospitalization costs. Propensity score (PS) using the next neighbor method without replacement with 1:1 matching was utilized to adjust for confounders. Results: In total, 92,438 hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of ARDS on MV were identified, of which 7.76% were hypervolemic. In-hospital morality (33.62%) was higher among the hypervolemic group in comparison to the euvolemic group (25.54%, p The 30-day readmission rate among were similar between the two group (p=0.06). The most common reason for readmission was unspecified acute respiratory failure (9.7%). Hypervolemia was associated with longer LOS (p Conclusion: Excessive use of fluids during resuscitation for sepsis has an impact on lung and distal organ injury in ARDS.
Retrieving Arguments and Support after Publication: Archiving Links in Communication Research

As scholars in the field of communication, replication of our findings may contribute to their robustness and help us avoid potential dead ends (Hunter, 2001; McEwan et al., 2018). The advantages t...
Rethinking the Connection Between Developmental Science and Juvenile Justice

In Rethinking Juvenile Justice, Elizabeth Scott, a legal scholar, and Laurence Steinberg, a developmental psychologist, join forces to consider how the law should respond to adolescent offenders. They offer readers a new “developmental model” for juvenile justice, which they suggest is distinct in important ways from both the “traditional” vision of the early twentieth century progressives and the “contemporary” vision of tough-on-crime reformers (pp 6, 16–18). But the real contribution of the book is more significant for being more subtle. What distinguishes this book from other writings in the field are not the proposals made, which are relatively modest, but rather the developmental sophistication with which they are defended. And in the end, the hard questions the book raises are not about juvenile justice policy, but rather about the interrelationship between law and science. Offering us the gold standard in legal-developmental collaboration, it presses us to consider the role the developmental sciences should play in shaping the law affecting children. In Part I of this Review, I take the authors’ project on its own terms and assess the application of their developmental account to their legal analysis and recommendations. The book represents the best marriage of these disciplines addressing juvenile justice policy to date. Anyone convinced that developmental psychology answers the
Treatment Strategies for Oligometastatic Breast Cancer.

Oligometastatic breast cancer, typically defined as the presence of 1–5 metastases, represents an intermediate state between locally advanced and widely metastatic disease. Emerging research suggests that oligometastatic cancer has a unique molecular signature distinct from widely metastatic disease, and that it carries a superior prognosis. Owing to its more limited capacity for widespread progression, oligometastatic disease may benefit from aggressive ablative therapy to known metastases. Options for ablation include surgical excision, radiofrequency ablation, and hypofractionated image–guided radiotherapy (HIGRT). The phase II SABR-COMET trial, which enrolled patients with oligometastatic disease of multiple histologies and randomized them to HIGRT vs. standard of care, found a notable survival advantage in favor of HIGRT. Other data suggest that HIGRT may synergize with immunotherapy by releasing powerful cytokines that increase anti-tumor immune surveillance and by recruiting tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, helping to overcome resistance to therapy. There are many ongoing trials exploring the role of ablative therapy, most notably HIGRT, with or without immunotherapy, for the treatment of oligometastatic breast cancer. We believe that patients with oligometastatic breast cancer should be offered enrollment on prospective clinical trials when possible. Outside the context of a clinical trial, we recommend that select patients with oligometastatic breast cancer be offered treatment with a curative approach, including ablative therapy to all sites of disease if it can be safely accomplished. Currently, selection criteria to consider for ablative therapy include longer disease-free interval from diagnosis to metastasis (>2 years), fewer metastases, and fewer involved organs. Undoubtedly, new data will refine or even upend our understanding of the definition and optimal management of oligometastatic disease.
Outcomes of robotic-assisted liver surgery versus laparoscopic liver surgery for treatment of stage I hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND This article investigated whether robotic-assisted liver surgery versus laparoscopic liver surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has similar or different short- and long-term clinical outcomes. METHODS A total of 3049 patients from the National Cancer Database who received minimally invasive surgery (ie, robotic or laparoscopic surgery) for stage I HCC cancers between 2010 to 2015, of which 123 had robotic and 2926 had laparoscopic surgeries performed, were identified. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate short-term outcomes. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to estimate all-cause mortality at 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years after surgery, adjusting for potential confounders. Propensity score-matched analyses were conducted to compare long-term outcomes between robotic and laparoscopic surgeries. RESULTS Robotic surgery was associated with improved overall survival, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates (SRs) of 0.92, 0.75, and 0.63 compared with laparoscopic surgery SRs of 0.86, 0.60, and 0.45, respectively (P value <.01). Multivariate analyses showed that robotic compared with laparoscopic surgery had significantly lower 5-year total mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.64 and 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45%-0.93% for intent-to-treat; HR, 0.62 and 95% CI, 0.42%-0.91% for end-treatment analyses). Similar results were found in propensity score matched analyses; robotic surgery was associated with improved overall survival compared with laparoscopic surgery (HR, 0.64 and 95% CI, 0.43%-0.96% for intent-to-treat; HR, 0.59 and 95% CI, 0.39%-0.90% for end-treatment). CONCLUSIONS Robotic surgery is not inferior to laparoscopic surgery in treating early-stage HCC and may be associated with improved long-term survival.
Management of Intraoperative Complications in Open Procedures

Attention to surgical details and a commitment to surgical excellence are two fundamental principles that will help provide the best clinical and functional results following open surgical procedures. Most postoperative complications can be clinically related or traced back to technical errors made in the operating room. Thus, the importance of avoiding or reducing intraoperative surgical complications cannot be overemphasized.
Supporting the Couple With Female Dyspareunia

Patients receiving treatment for cancer often experience changes in sexual functioning but may be hesitant to ask questions. This article focuses on ways in which nurses can support patients and their partners and address their concerns through various evidence-based interventions. At a Glance • Sexuality, as well as how it is affected by cancer and its treatment, is an important aspect of holistic nursing care. • Sexuality is not often brought up by nurses because of concern about a lack of evidence-based interventions. • Many of the skills needed to inquire about sexual concerns are those that nurses use daily: active listening, sensitivity, and knowledge about how cancer and its treatment can physiologically affect sexual functioning.
Thermodynamics of carbohydrate isomerization reactions: The conversion of aqueous allose to psicose

Abstract The thermodynamics of the conversion of aqueous d -Psicose to d -allose has been investigated using high-pressure liquid chromatography. The reaction was carried out in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 over the temperature range 317.25–349.25 K. fThe following results are obtained for the conversion process at 298.15 K: ΔG° = − 1.41 ± 0.09 kJ mol−1, ΔH° = 7.42 ± 1.7 kJ mol−1, and ΔC p° = 67 ± 50 J mol−1 K−1. An approximate equilibrium constant of 0.30 is obtained at 333.15 K for the conversion of aqueous D -Psicose to D -altrose. Available thermodynamic data for isomerization reactions involving aldohexoses and aldopentoses are summarized.
Chapter 2 Art and Culture in the History of Economic Thought

Abstract Attention to art and culture goes far back in the history of economic thought. In the seventeenth century those activities were viewed suspiciously as likely to be either wasteful extravagances of the aristocracy, or dangerous distractions for the working classes. Eighteenth century economic thinkers offered more positive and thoughtful speculations. Mandeville and Galiani observed that the prices of art works were determined almost entirely on the demand side of the market, often by fashion and the search for distinction. The Enlightenment economic thinkers were intrigued by various aspects of art markets. Hume and Turgot perceived positive social benefits emerging from the arts, and they attempted to understand of what these consisted. Smith picked up some of the hints that were dropped and looked at art markets in a depth that had not been undertaken before. Like some other Enlightenment thinkers, Smith pictured the arts as being mainly about the imitation of perfection. Jeremy Bentham, with his emphasis on utility as a tool by which both to understand and judge market performance, insisted that the arts should not be distinguished from other forms of entertainment: pushpin, he asserted, equals poetry. Other political economists followed Bentham's lead and steered away from exploration of the economics of the arts. To some extent the void thus created was filled by humanistic writers, novelists, and essayists, notably Arnold, Ruskin, Dickens, and Morris, who were highly critical of the industrialization of the period and the emerging discipline of political economy that they perceived to go with it. In the “marginal revolution” of the 1870s the Benthamite injunction against special treatment for the arts was largely observed. At the same time, several of the new economists, notably William Stanley Jevons, became “closet esthetes”, enjoying their guilty pleasures but not often subjecting the arts to economic analysis. Disappointingly little concerning the arts and culture can be found in the distinctive American economics of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. There was almost a reversion to the seventeenth century view of the arts as the corrupt playthings of the idle rich. However, something like a return to the rich speculation of the eighteenth century Enlightenment occurred in the Bloomsbury Group that included the economist John Maynard Keynes. They rejected “Benthamism” and distinguished between the artistic experience and human consumption, and between the “imaginative life” of the mind and the biological activity of humans and other creatures. They discerned complex effects of the arts throughout society and placed arts policy high on the policy agenda.
Solar rotation measurements at Mount Wilson. II - Systematic instrumental effects and the absolute rotation rate

Possible sources of systematic error in solar Doppler rotational velocities are examined. Scattered light is shown to affect the Mount Wilson solar rotation results, but this effect is not enough to bring the spectroscopic results in coincidence with the sunspot rotation. Interference fringes at the spectrograph focus at Mount Wilson have in two intervals affected the rotation results. It has been possible to correlate this error with temperature and thus correct for it. A misalignment between the entrance and exit slits is a possible source of error, but for the Mount Wilson slit configuration the amplitude of this effect is negligibly small. Rapid scanning of the solar image also produces no measurable effect.
A Phenomenological Description of Particulate Formation during Constant Volume Combustion

Experiments to characterize soot particulate formation processes during the combustion of rich homogeneous mixtures have been conducted in a constant volume combustion bomb. Soot formation is observed to occur very rapidly in the flame front, and the particles are dispersed over the burned gas region as these gases are continually compressed. Particles sampled and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy exhibit three-dimensional chain-like structures. In the present premixed experiments, any parameter change that increases the flame zone temperature, such as reducing the diluent concentration, decreasing the diluent heat capacity, increasing the initial reactant temperature, or changing the fuel type, reduces the quantity of soot formed. Thus, temperature is shown to be a key parameter in determining the tendency of a mixture to soot. In many of these tests, burned gas temperature is nearly constant with time, suggesting that particulate blackbody radiation may be a stabilizing influence on the burned gas temperature. Coupling this radiation back into the chamber influences the particulate oxidation process and actually reduces the quantity of soot formed.
A new open-hole buried heterostructure process for the fabrication of photonic integrated circuits

We have successfully fabricated several batches of open-hole buried heterostructure (BH) lasers using self-align technique with a hole of about 3 /spl mu/m opening. This new processing technology have in the active region, a traditional buried heterostructure (BH) with semiinsulating InP which works as a current block material. While in the passive region, the semiinsulating InP is the waveguide cladding material. The proposed method is very important for integrated photonic devices. Using this method we will be able to develop sophisticated photonic circuits with very good performance for future optical networking applications.
Environmental studies: an educational prospectus

Environmental Studies is a challenging opportunity for undergraduate education. To date relatively few universities have accepted this challenge because they may lack the administrative vehicle and academic rationale to utilize their existing resources or to acquire needed faculty. The problem at most universities is how to develop an intellectual perspective, institutional commitment and administrative strategy to implement this commitment in an era of scarce resources and competing needs. One possible solution or experiment now in process and adaptable to the specific needs and resources of other institutions is outlined to illustrate the: rationale, objectives, concept, scope, emphasis, scale, timing and anticipated products of a prototype Division of Environmental Studies.
ENDF70: A Continuous-Energy MCNP Neutron Data Library Based on ENDF/B-VII.0

Following the release of ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluations, an ACE-formatted continuous-energy neutron data library called ENDF70 for MCNP has been produced at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This new library contains data for 387 isotopes and three elements at five temperatures: 293.6, 600, 900, 1200, and 2500 K. It can be obtained as part of the MCNP5 1.50 release. The new library was created using ENDF/B-VII.0 neutron evaluations and primarily version 248 of NJOY99. A processing script was created that set up the input files for NJOY and employed checking codes to test the content of the processed data. A sample MCNP run was performedfor each isotope and temperature, and cross sections for each isotope were plotted to make sure there were no major problems. The processed ACE libraries did not always pass all quality assurance tests. For example, energy-balance problems were identified for several evaluations having negative heating numbers or inconsistencies between total and partial heating. Similarly, some problems were found with unresolved resonance probability tables, resulting in probability tables being excluded from the final library for several materials. Certain evaluations were modified and reprocessed as a result of the quality assurance tests, and some data points in the final ACE files were changed because they were too small or had other problems. The new ENDF70 library provides MCNP users with the latest ENDF/B data available. This collection of data includes a larger range of isotopes and temperatures than previously released, which will be beneficial in numerous applications. The upgrades included as part of ENDF/B-VII.0 and, hence, ENDF70 should improve calculations.
Bentazon uptake and metabolism by cultured plant cells in the presence of monooxygenase inhibitors and cinnamic acid

Abstract Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and rice (Oryza sativa L.) suspension-cultured cells, which differ in their ability to metabolize the herbicide bentazon to glucoside conjugates of arylhydroxybentazon, were used to measure the effects monooxygenase inhibitors [1-aminobenzotriazole, piperonyl butoxide, and tetcyclasis (or tetcyclacis)] have on the oxidative metabolism of bentazon. Effects of trans-cinnamic acid, substrate for the cytochrome P-450 mediated monooxygenase trans-cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase in plants, on bentazon uptake and metabolism were evaluated also. At low concentrations (1–100 μM) and short time periods (≤6 hr), each of these compounds reduced bentazon uptake by L78-3263 soybean cells, which do not hydroxylate bentazon. Thus, it appears that the effect(s) of these compounds is not exclusively on the enzymes involved in bentazon metabolism. However, accumulation of bentazon metabolites was reduced by 1-aminobenzotriazole, tetcyclasis, and cinnamic acid in rice and by piperonyl butoxide, tetcyclasis, and cinnamic acid in Corsoy 79 soybean, cell cultures which hydroxylate and then glucosylate bentazon. These experiments provide indirect evidence that bentazon hydroxylation may be catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases.
Automated Duet spot counting system and manual technologist scoring using dual-fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) strategy: comparison and application to FISH minimal residual disease testing in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

The automated BioView Duet system was compared with manual technologist scoring (MTS) using a BCR/ABL dual-fusion FISH (D-FISH) probe strategy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) specimens. In the first study, 500 nuclei were evaluated for 10 distinct signal patterns in various abnormal cell percentages from each of 89 specimens. The Duet system correctly identified all 27 normal specimens and the abnormal signal pattern of all 63 abnormal specimens. The percentage of abnormal nuclei detected was also concordant, with an average difference between MTS and the Duet system of only 2.7%. However, achievement of accurate quantitative results required reclassification by a technologist for nearly 50% of nuclei per specimen. Next, the Duet system was used to evaluate BCR/ABL D-FISH for FISH minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in CML patients. Up to 6,000 nuclei were evaluated for four signal pattern categories for each of 60 CML MRD samples. Excluding four abnormal specimens with insufficient samples, the Duet system correctly identified all of the abnormal specimens and identified four additional abnormal specimens previously diagnosed as normal by MTS. The technologist time required for evaluation and reclassification of the Duet system data for the FISH MRD samples averaged only 1 minute per case, saving significant technologist effort. We conclude that the Duet system appears to be more sensitive and cost-effective than MTS for CML FISH MRD testing.
Steady-state and frequency-domain lifetime measurements of an activated molecular imprinted polymer imprinted to dipicolinic acid.

We recently demonstrated the synthesis and fluorescence activity associated with an optical detector incorporating a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP). Steady-state and time-resolved (lifetime) fluorescence measurements were used to characterize the binding activity associated with MIP microparticles imprinted to dipicolinic acid (DPA). DPA is a unique biomarker associated with the sporulation phase of endospore-forming bacteria. Vinylic monomers were polymerized in a dimethylformamide solution containing DPA as a template. The resulting MIP was then pulverized and sorted into small microscale particles. Tests were conducted on replicate samples of biologically active cultures representing both vegetative stationary phase and sporulation phase of Bacillus subtilis in standard media. Samplers were adapted incorporating the MIP particles within a dialyzer cartridge (500 MW). The permeability of the dialyzer membrane permitted diffusion of lighter molecular weight constituents from microbial media effluents to enter the dialyzer chamber and come in contact with the MIP. Results showed dramatic (10-fold over background) steady-state fluorescence changes (as a function of excitation, emission and intensity) for samples associated with high endospore biomass (DPA), and a frequency-domain lifetime of 5.3 ns for the MIP–DPA complex.
Microwave synthesis and sintering of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3

Abstract Ba(Mg 1/3 Ta 2/3 )O 3 , BMT, was synthesized and sintered by microwave processing at 2.45 GHz. Appropriate amounts of BaCO 3 , MgO, and non-stoichiometric Ta 2 O 5− x were used as starting materials for the synthesis. BMT was obtained by heating the precursors in a multimode microwave cavity of 2 kW between 900°C and 1300°C for just 20 min. The synthesis was carried out in N 2 atmosphere to prevent the oxidation of Ta 2 O 5− x . The perovskite BMT starts forming at 900°C and becomes single phase material at 1300°C. The sintering of BMT was carried out in a single mode microwave cavity for 5 to 30 min at 1400°C to 1600°C without using any sintering aid. A relative density of 97% was obtained in 30 min of microwave sintering at 1600°C. In contrast, it was found that to achieve the same densification, it requires 6 h of soaking at the same temperature in conventional sintering process.
Risky Business: The Socialisation of Managers in the 21st Century

The shrinking supply of labour, the rising expectations of new entrants into the workforce, the trend towards corporate downsizing, and the growth in the number of plateaued middle managers will require corporations to develop innovative ways of recruiting, selecting, training, and developing new employees by the end of the century. Companies will need to be more effective in recruiting and maintaining a culturally diverse workforce, in managing new recruits in “flat track” careers, and in using plateaued middle managers more extensively as mentors.
Functional studies of eppin

Our laboratory has characterized EPPIN [epididymal protease inhibitor; SPINLW1] as a novel gene on human chromosome 20q12-13.2, which encodes a cysteine-rich protein of 133 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 15.283 kDa, containing both Kunitz-type and WAP (whey acidic protein)-type four-disulfide core consensus sequences. Eppin is secreted by Sertoli cells in the testis and epididymal epithelial cells; it is predominantly a dimer, although multimers often exist, and in its native form eppin is found on the human sperm surface complexed with LTF (lactotransferrin) and clusterin. During ejaculation SEMG (semenogelin) from the seminal vesicles binds to the eppin protein complex, initiating a series of events that define eppin's function. Eppin's functions include (i) modulating PSA (prostate-specific antigen) enzyme activity, (ii) providing antimicrobial protection and (iii) binding SEMG thereby inhibiting sperm motility. As PSA hydrolyses SEMG in the ejaculate coagulum, spermatozoa gain progressive motility. We have demonstrated that eppin is essential for fertility because immunization of male monkeys with recombinant eppin results in complete, but reversible, contraception. To exploit our understanding of eppin's function, we are developing compounds that inhibit eppin-SEMG interaction and mimic anti-eppin, inhibiting sperm motility. These compounds should have potential as a male contraceptive.
Suppression of hepatic hepcidin expression in response to acute iron deprivation is associated with an increase of matriptase-2 protein

Recent studies demonstrate a pivotal role for bone morphogenic protein-6 (BMP6) and matriptase-2, a protein encoded by the TMPRSS6 gene, in the induction and suppression of hepatic hepcidin expression, respectively. We examined their expression profiles in the liver and showed a predominant localization of BMP6 mRNA in nonparenchymal cells and exclusive expression of TMPRSS6 mRNA in hepatocytes. In rats fed an iron-deficient (ID) diet for 24 hours, the rapid decrease of transferrin saturation from 71% to 24% (control vs ID diet) was associated with a 100-fold decrease in hepcidin mRNA compared with the corresponding controls. These results indicated a close correlation of low transferrin saturation with decreased hepcidin mRNA. The lower phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 detected in the ID rat livers suggests that the suppressed hepcidin expression results from the inhibition of BMP signaling. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed no significant change in either BMP6 or TMPRSS6 mRNA in the liver. However, an increase in matriptase-2 protein in the liver from ID rats was detected, suggesting that suppression of hepcidin expression in response to acute iron deprivation is mediated by an increase in matriptase-2 protein levels.
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener effects on the longevity of the housefly

The microsomal monooxygenase system in the housefly is well-characterized, active, inducible and inhibited by the same types of compounds as in vertebrate systems. Flies metabolize PCBs to polar products and retain congeners from a commercial mixture in proportions consistent with PCB biotransformation and elimination in vertebrates. Although TCDD has been shown to have a high affinity for, and be an effective agonist of the juvenile hormone receptor in insects, toxic manifestations in adult insects may differ from those in certain highly sensitive vertebrate species. This study was undertaken to determine if the housefly bioassay could effectively compare the net adverse biological activity of a group of PCB congeners independent of Ah receptor effects.
Newly paired zebra finches have higher dopamine levels and immediate early gene Fos expression in dopaminergic neurons

Most birds are socially monogamous, yet little is known about the neural pathways underlying avian monogamy. Recent studies have implicated dopamine as playing a role in courtship and affiliation in a socially monogamous songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In the present study, we sought to understand the specific contribution to pair formation in zebra finches of the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway that projects from the midbrain ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens. We observed that paired birds had higher levels of dopamine and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the ventral medial striatum, where the nucleus accumbens is situated, than unpaired birds. Additionally, we found that the percentage of dopaminergic neurons expressing immediate early gene Fos, a marker of neuronal activity, was higher in the ventral tegmental area of paired birds than in that of unpaired birds. These data are consistent with a role for the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway in pair formation in zebra finches, suggesting the possibility of a conserved neural mechanism of monogamy in birds and mammals.
KINETICS OF THERMAL SOFTENING OF FOODS – A REVIEW

Methods for measuring thermal softening of foods are reviewed. The principal physical tests for softening are based on puncture, shear, back extrustion, and deformation. Sensory scores for softening are based on 9-point scales. Few studies on kinetics of thermal softening of foods have taken thermal lag and uneven heating of sample into consideration. Published data on thermal softening of foods are tabulated in terms of apparent first order rate constants and activation energies.
New soot diagnostics in flames based on laser vaporization of soot

Laser vaporization of soot has been developed into several new diagnostics for soot in flames. Soot diffusion and nucleation rates are sufficiently slow in most flames that the vaporized soot volumes persist, as optically labeled regions for tens of milliseconds. This provides new means of flow visualization in sooting flames with and without probe lasers; nucleation zone determination; laser doppler velocimetry using the nascient soot rather than seed particles; and a method for “point” soot absorption measurements using crossed vaporization and probe laser beams.
Method for evaluating the potential of 14C labeled plant polyphenols to cross the blood–brain barrier using accelerator mass spectrometry

Bioactive compounds in botanicals may be beneficial in preventing age-related neurodegenerative diseases, but for many compounds conventional methods may be inadequate to detect if these compounds cross the blood brain barrier or to track the pharmacokinetics in the brain. By combining a number of unique technologies it has been possible to utilize the power of AMS to study the pharmacokinetics of bioactive compounds in the brain at very low concentrations. (14)C-labeled compounds can be biosynthesized by plant cell suspension cultures co-incubated with radioisotopically-labeled sucrose and isolated and separated into a series of bioactive fractions.To study the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of (14)C labeled plant polyphenols, rats were implanted with jugular catheters, subcutaneous ultrafiltration probes and brain microdialysis probes. Labeled fractions were dosed orally. Interstitial fluid (ISF) and brain microdialysate samples were taken in tandem with blood samples. It was often possible to determine (14)C in blood and ISF with a β-counter. However, brain microdialysate samples (14)C levels on the order of 10(7) atoms/sample required AMS technology. The Brain Microdialysate(AUC)/Serum(AUC) ranged from .021- to .029, with the higher values for the glycoside fractions. By using AMS in combination with traditional methods, it is possible to study uptake by blood, distribution to ISF and determine the amount of a dose which can reach the brain and follow the pharmacokinetics in the brain.
Just‐in‐Time Teaching for Food Science: Creating an Active Learner Classroom

: Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) combines the best features of traditional in-class instruction with the communication potential available via the Web. We describe here how JiTT has been used in Biology Education and how it can be used in Food Science Education. JiTT uses Webbased “Warm Up” assignments due before class to stimulate critical thinking and create a feedback loop between faculty and students. By examining responses to “Warm Up” exercises before class, faculty members determine students' prior knowledge and misconceptions and directly address these misconceptions while discussing course content in class. Assessment results in Biology include decreased attrition rates and increases in student attitudes, motivation, interactivity, study habits, and cognitive gains.
Is it justified to classify patients to Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer based on nodal involvement only

Abstract Background. Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer is generally associated with upper abdominal tumor implants of greater than 2 cm and carries a grave prognosis. A subset of patients is upstaged to Stage IIIC because of lymph node metastases, in which prognosis is not well defined. We undertook this study to describe the clinical behavior of occult Stage IIIC. Methods. All consecutive patients found to have Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer during a 9-year period (1994–2002) were analyzed for surgical procedures, pathology, and disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results. Thirty-six patients were upstaged to Stage IIIC by virtue of positive nodes. Nine had small volume upper abdominal disease (IIIA/B before upstaging), 15 had disease limited to the pelvis and 12 had disease confined to the ovaries. 32/36 patients had no gross residual disease at the conclusion of surgery. The 5-year DFS and OS survivals were 52% and 76% respectively, for all patients. We observed no significant difference in outcomes between patients upstaged from IIIA/B versus I–II stage disease. The outcomes were superior to a control group of patients cytoreduced to either no gross RD or RD p Conclusions. Patients upstaged to Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer for node involvement have an excellent 5-year OS relative to all patients with Stage IIIC disease. These data demonstrate the necessity for stratifying patients classified as having Stage IIIC disease based solely on nodal disease when comparing outcomes. This information is particularly valuable when counseling patients regarding prognosis.
Potential therapeutic uses of BDNF in neurological and psychiatric disorders

The growth factor brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tropomyosin-related kinase receptor type B (TRKB) are actively produced and trafficked in multiple regions in the adult brain, where they influence neuronal activity, function and survival throughout life. The diverse presence and activity of BDNF suggests a potential role for this molecule in the pathogenesis and treatment of both neurological and psychiatric disorders. This article reviews the current understanding and future directions in BDNF-related research in the central nervous system, with an emphasis on the possible therapeutic application of BDNF in modifying fundamental processes underlying neural disease.
Confidence intervals for proportions of total variance in the two-way cross component of variance model

Consider the two-factor crossed components of variance model given by The random variables Ai, Tj, ∊ij are normal and independent with means zero and variances Approximate confidence intervals are presented and evaluated for the ratios .
Abstract 3505: EGFR-targeted hybrid plasmonic magnetic nanoparticles induce autophagy and apoptosis through DNA damage in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Nanoparticles represent a novel class of agents for cancer treatment. In the present study, we examined the effects of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted hybrid plasmonic magnetic nanoparticles (NP) on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. The nanoparticles (NP) consisted of a paramagnetic iron core that is surrounded by a gold layer and is functionalized with monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody (C225) or control rabbit IgG antibody (IgG). The nanoparticles were tested against a panel of human lung cancer cells that were mutant (HCC827, H1819), wild-type (H1299) or null (H520) for EGFR and compared to EGFR-positive normal fibroblasts (MRC9, WI38) and normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Treatment of tumor cells with C225-NP resulted in a strong and significant inhibitory effect of cell growth compared to normal cells. C225-NP-mediated inhibitory effect was observed only in EGFR-positive tumor cells (HCC827, H1819, H1299) but not in EGFR-null H520 cells. EGFR-mutant cells (HCC827) were the most sensitive to C225-NP. No significant growth inhibitory effects were observed in IgG-NP-treated cells when compared to untreated cells. Molecular analysis showed C225-NP selectively inhibited phosphorylated p-EGFR protein expression and EGFR-mediated signal transduction resulting in induction of autophagy followed by apoptosis. Autophagy occurred as early as twenty-four hours after treatment with an increase in LC3-II content and autophagic vacuoles observed by Western blotting and electron microscopy respectively. Apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry and Western blotting showed an increase in the number of sub-G1 population cells and cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP in C225-NP-treated cells. Optical images determined by dark-field microscopy showed an increase in the concentration of C225-NP bound to EGFR-expressing NSCLC cells but not EGFR-null NSCLC cells. C225-NP exhibited 2-7 fold higher efficiency in induction of cell killing in comparison with the same amount of free C225 antibody. Free C225 antibody did not induce autophagy in cells. Investigation into how C225-NP but not C225 antibody or NP-alone triggers autophagy and initiates apoptosis showed induction of a DNA damage response as evidenced by the formation of γH2AX foci in C225-NP-treated cells. Minimal to no γH2AX foci were observed in cells that were untreated, treated with C225 antibody or NP-alone or treated with IgG-NP. Our data show that EGFR specific NP selectively induced cytotoxic effects in EGFR-expressing lung cancer cells via a novel cell-death mechanism that is not characteristic of the free antibody thus increasing efficacy of therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3505.
Abstract B65: Targeted resequencing of the EphB2 gene in colorectal cancer for SNP discovery using next generation sequencing

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. CRC is the third most common cause of deaths in the U. S. with the highest incidence observed in the African American (AA) population compared to other American populations. Our group was the first to implicate the EphB2 tyrosine kinase receptor as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer (PC), where we reported somatic inactivating mutations occurring in 5%-10% of sporadic tumors. With its role in maintaining normal epithelial architecture and functional data suggestive of a tumor suppressor in both prostate and colon cancer. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) afford new opportunities for large scale SNP discovery using a targeted resequencing approach. Several methodologies have been developed for targeted resequencing. Among these methods is the RainDance picoliter massive single-plex PCR assay, which provides the capability to assess up to 10,000 independent amplicons in a single reaction. We designed a RainDance PCR assay containing 700 amplicons, encompassing the entire 225,000bp genomic region of the EphB2 gene. These individual pools of amplicons from each sample were then used as template for NGS and barcoded to generate pools of 16 unique individuals using the Life Technologies SOLiD version 3-Plus system. Utilizing this method we screened 20 colorectal cancer cases and 27 sporadic prostate cancer cases. Thus far we have identified both known and novel variants within the EphB2 gene region among of which are several common coding variants including the 2055A>T nonsense mutation (K1019X) in three of 10 female CRC cases. We will provide data on the number of novel and known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for all CRC and PC cases as well as quality assessment and overall performance of the RainDance method and performance metrics for SOliD NGS along with a comparison of utilizing several different analyses pipelines to identify the novel and known SNPs. These data will provide us with unprecedented details of the genetic variation of the EphB2 gene in African Americans. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B65.
The Value of Capture-the-Flag Exercises in Education: An Interview with Chris Eagle

IEEE Security & Privacy talks with Chris Eagle of the US Naval Postgraduate School about capture-the-flag exercises and their applicability to high school and college computer science education.
Dynamic changes in chromatin acetylation and the expression of histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases regulate the SM22α transcription in response to Smad3-mediated TGFβ1 signaling

TGFbeta1 plays critical roles in stimulating smooth muscle gene transcription during myofibroblast and smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. Increasing evidence demonstrates that histone modification plays important roles in regulating gene transcription. Here, we investigated the effect of changes in the expression of histone acetyltransferases (HAT) or histone deacetylases (HDAC) on TGFbeta1-induced SM22 promoter activities. We found that overexpressing HAT proteins such as p300 and CBP enhances TGFbeta1-induced SM22 promoter activities; conversely, overexpressing HAT inhibitor such as Twist1 (but not Twist2/Dermo-1) and E1A suppresses this effect of TGFbeta1. We also found that TSA, a HDAC inhibitor that stimulates histone acetylation of the SM22alpha locus, further enhances the transactivational activity of Smad2, Smad3 and Smad4, and relieves the inhibitory effect of Smad6, Smad7, and the dominant negative mutants of Smads. TGFbeta1 also stimulates the association of Smad3 (a potent transactivator for the SM22 promoter) and p300 by co-immunoprecipitation assay. In contrast, overexpressing HDAC 1-6 inhibits TGFbeta1-induced as well as Smad3 and myocardin-activated SM22 promoter. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays show that TGFbeta1 induces histone acetylation at the SM22alpha locus. This study demonstrates that the balance of HAT and HDAC expression affects TGFbeta1-induced SM22alpha transcription; TGFbeta1-induced SM22alpha transcription is accompanied by histone hyperacetylation at the SM22alpha locus. This study provides the first evidence showing that histone hyperacetylation of the SM22 promoter is a target of TGFbeta1 signaling, suggesting that modulation of histone acetylation is involved in the molecular mechanisms of TGFbeta1-regulated SMC gene transcription.
How deeply cells feel

Cellular organization within a multicellular organism requires that a cell assess its relative location, taking in multiple cues from its microenvironment. Given that the extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of the most abundant proteins in animals and contributes both structure and elasticity to tissues, ECM probably provides key physical cues to cells. In vivo, in the vicinity of many tissue cell types, fibrous characteristics of the ECM are less discernible than the measurably distinct elasticity that characterizes different tissue microenvironments. As a cell engages matrix and actively probes, it senses the local elastic resistance of the ECM and nearby cells via their deformation, and - similar to the proverbial princess who feels a pea placed many mattresses below - the cell seems to possess feedback and recognition mechanisms that establish how far it can feel. Here, by utilizing polyacrylamide hydrogels with various thickness, we showed that cells increasingly respond to the rigidity of an underlying `hidden' surface starting at about 10-20 μm gel thickness with a characteristic tactile length of less than about 5 μm.
Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis of Evolved Gases in Polymerization and Pyrolysis Processes

The use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy for characterizing evolved gases produced during polymerization and pyrolysis processes is demonstrated. Several polyimides were polymerized and the evolved gases were identified and quantitatively determined by FT-IR spectroscopy. By monitoring of the infrared absorbance of the O-H bending vibrational mode of water as a function of temperature, different sources of the evolved water were observed. We also found a correlation between the temperature at which the maximum evolution of alcohol occurs in different polyimides and the strength of the alcoxy bond to the amic acid; a comparison of the data suggests the strong dependency of the mechanism of polyimidization upon the nature of the alcoxy group. We have also studied the decomposition products of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) at temperatures higher than 300°C in a nitrogen atmosphere and found that carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, benzoic acid, and an acid para-substituted aromatic ester are the major decomposition products; these observations suggest that under the experimental conditions PET degrades by cleavage of the C-O bonds on the ethylate part of the chain and produces benzoxy and aromatic ester groups.
Acute Respiratory Failure Secondary to Polymyxin-B Inhalation

A patient with asthma was given aerosol treatment with a solution containing 25 mg of polymyxin-B, and 0.7 ml of isoetherine diluted in 2 ml of isotonic saline. After a few inhalations, he had a severe, near-fatal asthmatic reaction requiring resuscitation, intubation, and mechanical ventilation. The reaction was attributed to the polymyxin-B and occurred despite the patient's receiving maintenance prednisone, 80 mg per day, and the concomitant administration of isoetherine. Possible mechanisms include: (1) bronchial irritant effect or reflex bronchoconstriction, (2) type I (IgE mediated) allergic reaction, or (3) direct histamine release induced by polymyxin, a basic polypeptide known to cause histamine release.
Cytokinins: Influence of side-chain planarity of N6-substituted adenines and adenosines on their activity in promoting cell growth

Abstract Eight compounds have been synthesized to define the relationship between side-chain planarity and cytokinin activity within a series of N 6 -substituted adenines and adenosines. These compounds and closely related ones have been tested for relative promotion of growth in the tobacco bioassay. It has been concluded from the examples available that side-chain planarity is important in imparting the highest order of cytokinin activity.
Diagnostic laparoscopy for chronic abdominal pain after gastric bypass.

Abstract Background To evaluate, in an observational study, the utility of diagnostic laparoscopy as a tool to evaluate patients with abdominal pain of unknown etiology after gastric bypass surgery. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of data from patients who had undergone laparoscopy for diagnosis or treatment of abdominal pain. This study included 13 patients with negative preoperative radiographic and/or endoscopic findings. Results A total of 13 patients who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass underwent diagnostic laparoscopy for abdominal pain. The findings included internal hernia (4), adhesions (3), ventral hernia (2), partial small bowel obstruction (1), and chronic cholecystitis (1). There were 2 negative laparoscopies, while a diagnosis was made in 85%. After an average follow-up of 3.2 months, 7 of 11 patients had unresolved abdominal pain and 4 patients experienced pain resolution (2 patients were lost to follow-up). Conclusion The results from this small retrospective study suggest that significant pathologic findings can be identified in most patients who have negative preoperative evaluation findings; however, the efficacy of diagnostic laparoscopy to eliminate pain in this patient population requires additional study. Despite the potential complications, we believe that diagnostic laparoscopy has a role in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic abdominal pain after gastric bypass.