cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A METHOD FOR COMPARING EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SYNCHRONIZING PROTOCOLS ON MAMMALIAN CELL CYCLE TRAVERSE The Traverse Perturbation Index

After treatment of Chinese hamster cells (line CHO) with various protocols for synchrony induction, the subsequent ability of cells to traverse the cell cycle (i e., to perform, an essential cell cycle process) has been determined by measurement of the DNA distribution pattern among cells in large populations with the Los Alamos flow microfluorometer In the cultures prepared by the various synchronizing techniques the vast majority of cells traversed the cell cycle in a normal fashion; however, in all cultures examined there remained small subpopulations which, though remaining viable for several days, could not carry out normal traverse. After reversible inhibition of DNA synthesis by means of a double-thymidine blockade, approximately 17% of the cells were unable to complete genome replication. After reversal of G1 arrest resulting from cultivation of cells in isoleucine-deficient medium, 12 4% of the cells commenced synthesis of DNA but were unable to complete the S phase. Cells prepared by mitotic selection yielded a subpopulation (5 5% of the total cells) with a G1 DNA content which remained viable but noncycling for at least 5 days. We propose a term "traverse perturbation index" which is defined as the fraction of cells converted to a noncycle-traversing state as the result of experimental manipulation. A knowledge of the perturbation index will allow direct comparison of effects on cell cycle traverse of various synchrony-induction protocols
Characterization of Plasmid Deoxyribonucleic Acid from Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract Five of six independent gonococcal isolates have been found to harbor a plasmid pool of covalently closed-circular deoxyribonucleic acid about 2.4 × 106 daltons in size. The plasmid species were 0.5-mol fraction of guanine plus cytosine and comprised 6 to 8% of the total gonococcal deoxyribonucleic acid equivalent, to approximately 24 to 32 copies per cell. There was no apparent correlation between the presence of these plasmid species and the in vitro clonal variation of gonococci associated with the loss of pili.
The Institutional Context of Industry Consolidation: Radio Broadcasting in the United States, 1920–1934

Shortly after the first commercial radio broadcast in 1920, the medium's popularity exploded and the number of stations on the dial grew tremendously. By 1930, however, a mere 10 years after the first radio broadcast occurred, the industry was dominated by large, commercial stations who sold advertising time in a variety of forms and were operated to generate profit. Because of the nature of broadcasting organizations and markets, explanations based on competitive dynamics and organizational fitness cannot explain this dramatic change in the broadcasting industry. In the absence of a competitive advantage, I argue that this concentration was the result of institutional shifts in legitimate organizational practices and the political environment in which broadcasters operated.
Bacteria isolated after unsuccessful endodontic treatment in a North American population

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the composition of the microbial flora present in teeth after the failure of root canal therapy in a North American population. These results were then compared with those of the previous Scandinavian studies. Study Design: Fifty-four root-filled teeth with persistent periapical radiolucencies were selected for retreatment. After removal of the root-filling material, the canals were sampled with paper points, and by reaming of the apical dentin. Both samples were grown under aerobic and strict anaerobic conditions. Then the bacterial growth was analyzed. Results: The microbial flora was mainly of 1 to 2 strains of predominantly gram-positive organisms. Enterococcus faecalis was the most commonly recovered bacterial species. Conclusions: Bacteria were cultivated in 34 of the 54 teeth examined in the study. E faecalis was identified in 30% of the teeth with a positive culture. (ORAL Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2001;91:579-86)
Mast Cell Adenosine Receptor Characteristics and Signaling

Adenosine appears to be an extremely important contributor to asthma and allergic inflammation. Mast cells, cells thought to be central to immediate hypersensitivity reactions, release markedly more histamine and other granule-associated mediators when activated in the presence of micromolar concentrations of adenosine.1,2 The release of newly-generated mediators such as the leukotrienes and prostaglandins is potentiated modestly by adenosine as well. Hypoxic lung and stimulated mast cells3 release adenosine, providing a ready local source of this molecule during allergic pulmonary inflammation.
NEW CAMBRIAN AND LOWER ORDOVICIAN MONOPLACOPHORANS FROM THE OZARK UPLIFT, MISSOURI

Abstract Seven new monoplacophoran genera and species are described and figured from Cambrian and Lower Ordovician strata of the Ozark Uplift of Missouri; Biloboconus frizelli, Ulrichoconus bonneterrense, Potosiplina delorensis, Gayneoconus echolsi, Irondalia irondalensis, Titanoplina meramecensis, and Wildernessia inexpectans. A new species of Kirengella, K. oregonensis, is described, and Hypseloconus compressus (Ulrich and Bridge, 1930, and H. expansus Stinchcomb, 1986, are assigned to the genus Kirengella. The morphology of Kirengella is compared to highly arched forms of the plated mollusk genus Preacanthochiton and is found to converge with them. Association with stromatolite reefs of both Kirengella and plated mollusks is noted.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) heterodimerization and resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small-cell lung cancer

13032 Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been used to treat lung cancers, but resistance to these agents has been observed. This study was de...
Quality of Physician Communication about HPV Vaccine-Letter

Gilkey and colleagues ([1][1]) assessed physician recommendations for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in the United States. Several studies have pointed out that parents and patients are more likely to accept the HPV vaccine if it is recommended by a health care provider. In the absence of
Internationalization of the animal science undergraduate curriculum: A survey of its current status, barriers to its implementation and its value

The goal of this project was to identify the current level at which internationalization has been adopted as a theme in the North American animal science curriculum and to identify its value and the barriers to its implementation. We surveyed animal, dairy, and poultry science departments across Canada and the United States. One hundred twenty-four surveys were mailed and 60% were returned. Associations between aspects of internationalization and student outcomes (admission to veterinary and graduate schools and starting salaries) were examined. Although administrators strongly believed internationalization had value, implementation was limited. The most common practices included international content in core animal science classes, advising, international internships, and participation of faculty in international scholarly activities. Few departments have incorporated internationalization into their mission statements or developed a specific international-themed class, scholarships devoted to international activities, or roles for international students. Few departments reported participation of students in international programs. Barriers included finances and limited commitment from higher administration. Student outcomes were positively associated with faculty size, percentage of international faculty, the ratio of international students to the total student population, international content in core animal science classes, a specific international-themed class, availability of international internships, and exchange of class material internationally via the Internet. Departments that did not offer international opportunities had a negative association (r = -0.79) with starting salary, but these relationships may not be causal. Alternatively, progressive departments may attract and retain exceptional students. The analysis indicated an awareness of the value of international programs, positive impacts in student outcomes, and financial barriers to implementation.
Predicting Sunrise and Sunset Times

For a given location and day of the year, can you predict the times of sunrise and sunset? Although the solution to this problem is somewhere between old and ancient, the standard solution requires the understanding of a considerable number of preliminary ideas from celestial mechanics. The following approach uses only simple tools from trigonometry and analytic geometry to produce a fairly good set of approximations for sunrise and sunset times. One can leave it at that and have a nice project for average students or, for students with stronger backgrounds, one can pursue certain corrections that make these sunrise and sunset predictions quite accurate. These corrections can be studied at any level from a simple "Here's the source of the error and here's a term that we can add on to fix it," to a more complete analysis involving Fourier sine series and a deeper understanding of celestial mechanics.
Some Effects of Food and Substrate on Oviposition of the Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Effects of food and substrate on oviposition of the spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, in laboratory culture were studied. Oviposition in soil placed under various foods was used as a measure of adult feeding preference. Several fresh and processed foods elicited an oviposition response. In replicated tests foods in decreasing order of attractiveness were yellow squash slices, snap bean slices, cucumber slices, broad bean leaves, sweet potato slices, and carrot slices. Various natural and artificial substrates were tested for oviposition preference. Coarse soil particles and soil with cracks were preferred to fine, smooth soil. Artificial substrates in decreasing order of attractiveness were: crushed gray stone (10-20 mesh), crushed gray stone (ungraded), vermiculite (10-20 mesh), yellow sand (10-30 mesh), soil (10-20 mesh), Perlite® (ungraded), vermiculite (ungraded), and Permit (10-20 mesh). Effects of moisture level on a Tift fine sandy loam and a Magnolia clay loam soil were tested. Beetles preferred wet soil of both types for oviposition.
“No Monuments, No Heroes” How Accidental Planners Established Bolivia’s Flagship Land Reform Project through Spatial, Facilitated, and Adaptive Strategies

The promises of land reform have always been as seductive as they are elusive. Bolivia’s experience is no different, but one forgotten case may still offer lessons today: a land distribution project initiated in San Julian in 1972. Through archival research and interviews, I argue that several understudied elements of the San Julian project—its spatial design, settler orientation program and implementation process—offer lessons about the role planners can play in structuring more successful land reform. Revisiting the lessons of past exemplars like San Julian is critical given renewed land reform efforts that appear to be replicating past failures.
Clinical Characteristics and Diagnosis of Children with Poliomyelitis-Like Syndrome

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and diagnostic main points of poliomyelitis-like syndrome(PS).Met-hods The clinical data of 15 children with PS were analyzed retrospectively including nervous system manifestation,results of lab andauxiliary examination,diagnosis and reason of misdiagnosis,treatment and progress.Results PS in all 15 children was characterized by mean age of onset(3.3 years),and forerunner infection(in 11 cases,73%)with acute upper respiratory infection of diarrhea 1-2 weeks pre-onset or during onset.All cases were acute flaccid paralysis,12 cases(80%) of which were only one limb.The positive outcome of serologic examination in PS consisted of 4 cases in coxsackie virus-IgM,1 case in EB virus-IgM,1 case in herpes simplex virus-IgM and 1 case in mycoplasma-IgM.All children showed the electromyologram changes in nerve damage.The muscle force of 4 cases increased one grade.Conclusions Children with PS are characterized by the age of onset under 5 years old,acute flaccid paralysis(mostly affected one limb),and the most pathogen being enterovirus.The electromyologram examination can help establish a definite diagnosis in PS.
Investigation on Knowledge and Behavior towards Oral Health of 967 Pupils in Shunyi District of Beijing

[Objective]To understand the status of knowledge and behavior towards oral health in pupils,provide the basis for oral health education in schools. [Methods]All students in Grades 3-6 of a primary school in Shunyi district of Beijing were selected.The pupils completed the self-designed questionnaire independently.The investigation included general condition,oral health knowledge and behavior. [Results]The pupils had simple oral health knowledge,but the awareness rate of deep knowledge and behavior towards oral health was low,and the total correct answer rate was 47.94%.97.1% of students brush teeth every day,but only 39.4% brush teeth more than 3 min at every time.62.0% of students gargle after dinner always or usually. [Conclusion]Most of pupils in this district have some knowledge about oral health,but there are problems in oral health behavior.Schools should strengthen the oral health education.
Porosity-Tuned Chitosan-Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Microspheres for Improved Protein Conjugation.

We report a robust method to manufacture polyacrylamide-based functional hydrogel microspheres with readily tunable macroporous structures by utilizing a simple micromolding-based technique. Specifically, surface tension-induced droplet formation of aqueous solutions of chitosan and acrylamide in 2D-shaped micromolds followed by photoinduced polymerization leads to monodisperse microspheres. Pore sizes of the microspheres can be readily tuned by simple addition of inert long-chain poly(ethylene glycol) porogen at low content in the prepolymer solution. The as-prepared chitosan–polyacrylamide microspheres exhibit chemical functionality through chitosan’s primary amines, rapid protein conjugation with selective tetrazine–trans-cyclooctene reaction, and nonfouling property. Combined with the potential to create anisotropic network structures, we envision that our simple fabrication-conjugation method would offer a potent route to manufacture a variety of biofunctionalized hydrogel microentities.
Whitebark pine facilitation at treeline: potential interactions for disruption by an invasive pathogen.

In stressful environments, facilitation often aids plant establishment, but invasive plant pathogens may potentially disrupt these interactions. In many treeline communities in the northern Rocky Mountains of the U.S. and Canada, Pinus albicaulis, a stress-tolerant pine, initiates tree islands at higher frequencies than other conifers - that is, leads to leeward tree establishment more frequently. The facilitation provided by a solitary (isolated) P. albicaulis leading to tree island initiation may be important for different life-history stages for leeward conifers, but it is not known which life-history stages are influenced and protection provided. However, P. albicaulis mortality from the non-native pathogen Cronartium ribicola potentially disrupts these facilitative interactions, reducing tree island initiation. In two Rocky Mountain eastern slope study areas, we experimentally examined fundamental plant-plant interactions which might facilitate tree island formation: the protection offered by P. albicaulis to leeward seed and seedling life-history stages, and to leeward krummholz conifers. In the latter case, we simulated mortality from C. ribicola for windward P. albicaulis to determine whether loss of P. albicaulis from C. ribicola impacts leeward conifers. Relative to other common solitary conifers at treeline, solitary P. albicaulis had higher abundance. More seeds germinated in leeward rock microsites than in conifer or exposed microsites, but the odds of cotyledon seedling survival during the growing season were highest in P. albicaulis microsites. Planted seedling survival was low among all microsites examined. Simulating death of windward P. albicaulis by C. ribicola reduced shoot growth of leeward trees. Loss of P. albicaulis to exotic disease may limit facilitation interactions and conifer community development at treeline and potentially impede upward movement as climate warms.
Thymidine kinase activity and its relationship to DNA SYNTHESIS in the primary root of Vicia faba, L

The enzyme thymidine kinase can be induced, or activated, in the apical 6 cm of the primary root of Vicia faba. The activity of this enzyme is correlated with the amount of thymidine triphosphate present in successive 6-mm segments of the root. Thymidine is produced by cell death. Some of this thymidine may reach the meristem and be used by the apical cells in DNA synthesis, once it is phosphorylated by thymidine kinase. Most remains in the basal region of the root, however, where it is used by differentiating cells. Non-radioactive thymidine, at the concentrations used, has no effect on root growth by elongation.
Noncognitive Factors and College Student Success

Farrington and colleagues developed a model that contends that academic mindsets, academic perseverance, learning strategies, social skills, and academic behaviors affect academic success. This stu...
Targeted Gene Delivery in CD30 + Hodgkin Lymphoma Cells Using Lentiviral Vectors.

Despite the success of combination chemotherapy for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), chemotherapy-resistant disease still remains an unresolved problem with most patients eventually dying due to progression. HL is an ideal disease for targeted therapy. CD30 is a 120-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor superfamily and strongly expressed in HL Reed-Sternberg cells. We hypothesize that specific, antibody-mediated, CD30-directed delivery of lentiviral vector constructs, encoding for a lethal cellular toxin, will be an effective anti-lymphoma strategy. However, gene delivery based therapy is limited by the transduction of non-target cells. The technology developed by Morizono et al. [Cell Cycle2005: 4: p854; Nature Medicine2005: 11: p346] demonstrates that lentiviruses can be specifically and effectively directed to target cells by conjugation of an antibody to a modified ZZ SINDBIS viral envelope (m168). In this study, we have used HL cell lines (CD30 + : L591, L428, Hs445, RPMI6666) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cell lines (CD20 + /CD30 − : Raji, Ramos). We show that conjugation of an anti-CD30 antibody to m168 (m168 anti-CD30 ), permits specific targeting and transduction of CD30 + Hodgkin lymphoma cells while avoiding CD30 − Raji and Ramos cells [range 11–83% for HL cells versus 1–4% for BL cells]. Similarly, targeting of CD20 + cells can be achieved. Several of our HL cell lines (L591, Hs445 and RPMI6666) are CD30 + /CD20 + [range 11–25% by flow cytometry] and we show that we can equally transduce these cells with an anti-CD20 antibody conjugated to our lentivirus [range 11–30% for CD20 + HL cells; 3% for L428 cells; 40–47% for BL cells]. In addition, we show in L591 cells, that the re-targeted viruses can transduce a greater percentage of target cells than an unmodified virus [83% for m168 anti-CD30 versus 43% for VSVG]. These results demonstrate that the efficacy and specificity of targeted therapy can be greatly enhanced and lay the foundation for the development of more stable anti-CD30 directed lentiviral constructs expressing cellular toxins.
The effect of stable thermal stratification on turbulent boundary layer statistics

The effects of stable thermal stratification on turbulent boundary layers are experimentally investigated for smooth and rough walls. For weak to moderate stability, the turbulent stresses are seen to scale with the wall shear stress, compensating for changes in fluid density in the same manner as done for compressible flows. This suggests little change in turbulent structure within this regime. At higher levels of stratification turbulence no longer scales with the wall shear stress and turbulent production by mean shear collapses, but without the preferential damping of near-wall motions observed in previous studies. We suggest that the weakly stable and strongly stable (collapsed) regimes are delineated by the point where the turbulence no longer scales with the local wall shear stress, a significant departure from previous definitions. The critical stratification separating these two regimes closely follows the linear stability analysis of Schlichting ( Z. Angew. Math. Mech. , vol. 15 (6), 1935, pp. 313–338) for both smooth and rough surfaces, indicating that a good predictor of critical stratification is the gradient Richardson number evaluated at the wall. Wall-normal and shear stresses follow atmospheric trends in the local gradient Richardson number scaling of Sorbjan ( Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. , vol. 136, 2010, pp. 1243–1254), suggesting that much can be learned about stratified atmospheric flows from the study of laboratory scale boundary layers at relatively low Reynolds numbers.
Energy and Exergy Analysis of Modular Data Centers

The data center industry focuses on initiatives to reduce its enormous energy consumption and to minimize its adverse environmental impact. Modular data centers provide considerable operational flexibility in that they are mobile and are manufactured using standard containers. This paper develops steady-state energy and exergy destruction models for modular data centers with the open-source EnergyPlus software package. Three different cooling approaches are examined: direct expansion (DX) cooling, evaporative cooling (direct evaporative cooling, DEC, in this study), and free air cooling (air-side economization in this study). This paper shows that for hot and arid climates like those in the southwestern U.S., augmenting DX cooling with evaporative and free air cooling can result in energy savings of up to 38% and 36%, respectively. This paper also applies exergy analysis to suggest that the Energy Reuse Effectiveness of the data center increases with decreasing ambient (outdoor) temperature and increasing server inlet–outlet temperature difference. Furthermore, simulations indicate that the use of passive cooling techniques (e.g., DEC and free air cooling) decrease data center heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning energy consumption, except in extremely hot and humid climates.
Electromagnetic Field of Plasmonic Nanoparticles Extends the Photoisomerization Lifetime of Azobenzene

The thermodynamically stable azobenzene trans conformation photoisomerizes to the cis form on an ultrashort time scale when photoirradiated with photons of sufficient energy. Irradiating p,p′-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) adsorbed on the surface of plasmonic nanoparticles with a 532 nm laser led to the appearance of Raman bands corresponding to a ring stretching. The torsion of DMAB during the photoisomerization is responsible for the appearance of the ring stretching, which disappeared after several minutes. Colloidally prepared gold nanorods (AuNRs) are assembled into two-dimensional (2-D) arrays on the surface of a glass substrate. AuNR 2-D arrays on a glass substrate are coated with silver half-shells (AgHAuNRs) of different thicknesses. The irradiation time required to induce the isomerization of DMAB adsorbed on the surface of AgHAuNRs and the lifetime of the isomerization is increased by increasing the thickness of the silver layer. The plasmon field calculated with the discrete-dipole approximation ...
Realistic Models for Characterizing the Performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being adopted for military and civilian applications. UAVs available on the market are well known to be resource constrained, especially in terms of available energy. As a result, it is very challenging to predict the critical performance characteristics of a UAV, such as flight time or the ability of a UAV to complete a mission, given the system parameters. Nevertheless, such predictions would have several benefits, such as improving the effectiveness of mission planners and optimization algorithms in general, as well as enabling researchers to perform more realistic simulations. The goal of this paper is to gain understanding in how physical, mechanical, or electrical hardware aspects of a UAV affect the UAV performance and ultimately its capability to accomplish a mission. We propose two models for UAV performance. The first model considers basic UAV operations, while the second model considers the UAV physical characteristics as well as the mission specifications to predict the UAV flight time and the number of waypoints it can safely traverse. We validate our models thorough experiments using a real test-bed based on 3DR Solo UAVs. The results show that our approach is able to reliably predict performance to within less than 5\% margin of error.
Burnout, Moral Distress, Work–Life Balance, and Career Satisfaction among Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Professionals

Abstract A projected shortage of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) health professionals was identified as a major issue during the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match System Capacity Initiative. Work-related distress and work–life balance were noted to be potential barriers to recruitment/retention. This study examined these barriers and their association with career satisfaction across HCT disciplines. A cross-sectional, 90-item, web-based survey was administered to advanced practice providers, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and social workers in 2015. Participants were recruited from membership lists of 6 professional groups. Burnout (measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory subscales of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) and moral distress (measured by Moral Distress Scale—Revised) were examined to identify work-related distress. Additional questions addressed demographics, work–life balance, and career satisfaction. Of 5759 HCT providers who received an individualized invitation to participate, 914 (16%) responded; 627 additional participants responded to an open link survey. Significant differences in demographic and practice characteristics existed across disciplines (P
Complete Versus Staged Repair for Neonates With Tetralogy of Fallot: Establishment and Validation of a Cohort of 2235 Patients Using Detailed Surgery Sequence Review of Health Care Administrative Data

Background The surgical strategy for neonates with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) consists of complete or staged repair. Assessing the comparative effectiveness of these approaches is facilitated by a large multicenter cohort. We propose a novel process for cohort assembly using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), an administrative database that contains clinical and billing data for inpatient and emergency department stays from tertiary children's hospitals. Methods A 4-step process was used to identify neonates with TOF: (1) screen neonates in PHIS with International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) diagnosis or procedure codes for TOF; (2) include patients with TOF procedures before 30 days of age; (3) exclude patients with missing 2-year follow-up data; (4) analyze patients' 2-year surgery sequence patterns, exclude patients inconsistent with a treatment strategy for TOF, and designate patients as complete or staged repair. Manual chart review at 1 PHIS center was performed to validate this process. Results Between January 2004 and March 2015, 5862 patients were identified in step 1. Step 2 of cohort assembly excluded 3425 patients (58%); step 3 excluded 148 patients (3%); and step 4 excluded 54 patients (1%). The final cohort consisted of 2235 neonates with TOF from 45 hospitals. Manual chart review of 336 patients showed a positive predictive value for accurate PHIS identification of 44% after step 1 and 97% after step 4. Conclusions This systematic cohort identification algorithm resulted in a high positive predictive value to appropriately categorize patients. This carefully assembled cohort offers a unique opportunity for future studies in neonatal TOF outcomes.
Classical continuum theory limits to determine the size-dependency of mechanical properties of GaN NWs

We used the stable strain gradient theory including acceleration gradients to investigate the classical and nonclassical mechanical properties of gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires (NWs). We predicted the static length scales, Young's modulus, and shear modulus of the GaN NWs from the experimental data. Combining these results with atomic simulations, we also found the dynamic length scale of the GaN NWs. Young's modulus, shear modulus, static, and dynamic length scales were found to be 318 GPa, 131 GPa, 8 nm, and 8.9 nm, respectively, usable for demonstrating the static and dynamic behaviors of GaN NWs having diameters from a few nm to bulk dimensions. Furthermore, the experimental data were analyzed with classical continuum theory (CCT) and compared with the available literature to illustrate the size-dependency of the mechanical properties of GaN NWs. This practice resolves the previous published discrepancies that happened due to the limitations of CCT used for determining the mechanical properties of Ga...
Effect of switching from glatiramer acetate 20 mg/daily to glatiramer acetate 40 mg three times a week on gray and white matter pathology in subjects with relapsing multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal DTI study

Abstract Background Glatiramer acetate (GA) 40 mg × 3/weekly was approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). While the beneficial effect of GA 20 mg/daily in MS patients on non-conventional MRI measures has been demonstrated, the effect of GA 40 mg × 3/weekly at the microstructural tissue level has yet to be explored. Objective To investigate the effect of switching from GA 20 mg/daily to GA 40 mg × 3/weekly on the evolution of microstructural changes in the thalamus and normal appearing white matter (NAWM), using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods In this observational, longitudinal, cross-over, 34-month MRI study, we recruited 150 RRMS patients that underwent MRI 12–18 months before switching (pre-index), during the switch (index) and 12–18 months after switching (post-index) from GA 20 mg/daily to GA 40 mg × 3/weekly. Regional DTI metrics and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analyses were performed. Mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in thalamus and NAWM. Results Regional DTI measures, measures of whole brain, white and gray matter, and thalamus volumes, as well as lesion volume, showed no significant changes. However, the voxel-wise TBSS analysis showed increased FA both in the NAWM and thalamus, as well as increased MD and AD in NAWM, and decreased RD in NAWM (p Conclusions This study confirms a comparable effect of GA 40 mg × 3/weekly to GA 20 mg/daily on DTI measures over 34 months.
Abstract P140: Association Between Physical Activity and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Generally Healthy Women: The Nurses’ Health Study

Background: The associations between physical activity and oxidative stress biomarkers are still controversial, and few large human studies have comprehensively investigated the relationship between physical activity and oxidative stress biomarkers. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physical activity and oxidative stress biomarkers in a large sample of women by measuring biomarkers of both oxidation and antioxidant defense. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1,144 generally healthy women ages 43-70 years, who were included in a prospective nested case-control study of coronary heart disease in the Nurses’ Health Study. Fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) are oxidation markers reflecting global oxidation burden. Antioxidant defense was quantified by the activities of three major antioxidant enzymes in erythrocyte (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and catalase [CAT]). Self-reported physical activity was estimated in metabolic equivalents per week. The associations of physical activity with the levels of FlOPs and the activities of SOD, GPx, CAT were analyzed with linear regression models. Results: Physical activity was not associated with FlOP levels, or GPx and CAT activities after adjusting for covariates (all Ptrend > 0.15). Higher levels of physical activity were associated with decreased SOD activity (Ptrend Conclusions: Greater physical activity was associated with lower SOD activity, but not with higher plasma FlOPs in generally healthy women.
Concurrent regulation of LKB1 and CaMKK2 in the activation of AMPK in castrate-resistant prostate cancer by a well-defined polyherbal mixture with anticancer properties

Zyflamend, a blend of herbal extracts, effectively inhibits tumor growth using preclinical models of castrate-resistant prostate cancer mediated in part by 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master energy sensor of the cell. Clinically, treatment with Zyflamend and/or metformin (activators of AMPK) had benefits in castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients who no longer responded to treatment. Two predominant upstream kinases are known to activate AMPK: liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a tumor suppressor, and calcium-calmodulin kinase kinase-2 (CaMKK2), a tumor promotor over-expressed in many cancers. The objective was to interrogate how Zyflamend activates AMPK by determining the roles of LKB1 and CaMKK2. AMPK activation was determined in CWR22Rv1 cells treated with a variety of inhibitors of LKB1 and CaMKK2 in the presence and absence of Zyflamend, and in LKB1-null HeLa cells that constitutively express CaMKK2, following transfection with wild type LKB1 or catalytically-dead mutants. Upstream regulation by Zyflamend of LKB1 and CaMKK2 was investigated targeting protein kinase C-zeta (PKCζ) and death-associated protein kinase (DAPK), respectively. Zyflamend’s activation of AMPK appears to be LKB1 dependent, while simultaneously inhibiting CaMKK2 activity. Zyflamend failed to rescue the activation of AMPK in the presence of pharmacological and molecular inhibitors of LKB1, an effect not observed in the presence of inhibitors of CaMKK2. Using LKB1-null and catalytically-dead LKB1-transfected HeLa cells that constitutively express CaMKK2, ionomycin (activator of CaMKK2) increased phosphorylation of AMPK, but Zyflamend only had an effect in cells transfected with wild type LKB1. Zyflamend appears to inhibit CaMKK2 by DAPK-mediated phosphorylation of CaMKK2 at Ser511, an effect prevented by a DAPK inhibitor. Alternatively, Zyflamend mediates LKB1 activation via increased phosphorylation of PKCζ, where it induced translocation of PKCζ and LKB1 to their respective active compartments in HeLa cells following treatment. Altering the catalytic activity of LKB1 did not alter this translocation. Zyflamend’s activation of AMPK is mediated by LKB1, possibly via PKCζ, but independent of CaMKK2 by a mechanism that appears to involve DAPK. Therefore, this is the first evidence that natural products simultaneously and antithetically regulate upstream kinases, known to be involved in cancer, via the activation of AMPK.
Psychiatric Disease and Diagnoses: The Scientific Basis for Establishing Validity

There are no pathophysiological tests that are diagnostic for any psychiatric disorder including bipolar disorder. Psychiatric diseases have been established based on individual psychiatrists’ subjective observations and opinions, sometimes from more than several hundred years ago. It should not be surprising that a disease described in the nineteenth century could be found flawed when its diagnostic symptoms, initially conceived as disease specific, turn out to be nonspecific and accounted for by another disease. An early example was the multiple “established” medical and psychiatric diseases that were utilized to explain varied symptom complexes of syphilis, such as general paresis of the insane. Another changing variable has been the diagnostic weight given to certain symptoms (Table 13.1). From the mid-­nineteenth century, psychosis and chronicity trumped mood symptoms, resulting in the diagnoses of schizophrenia, not bipolar disorder in psychotic manic and depressed patients. This is changing as psychosis and chronicity have been recognized as ­common to psychotic mood disorders. Psychosis, including hallucinations, delusions and disorganization, and chronicity are nondisease specific and inappropriate to use as diagnostic of schizophrenia or any other disease. Mood symptoms have gained in diagnostic importance over the last two decades but are sometimes not pursued in psychotic patients because of the misconception that psychosis means schizophrenia. Diagnostic symptoms of mania and depression have proved to be disease specific and consistent for over 2,000 years in contrast to the psychotic symptoms that are still considered to be the defining criteria for schizophrenia in the DSM-IV-TR (Table 2.5) (APA, DSM 2000).
Open repair of chronic complicated type B aortic dissection using the open distal technique

Aim: The present study aimed to analyze early and late outcomes after open repair of chronic type B aortic dissection. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our cases of open descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA) with chronic dissection from 1991-2013. Long-term survival and aortic reinterventions were analyzed and patient comorbidities were evaluated in order to determine the risk of adverse outcomes. Furthermore, the technique for “distal first approach” is described. Results: Between 1991 and 2013, 240 (40%) descending thoracic aortic repairs with associated chronic dissection were performed. Mean age is 59 years and 178 (74%) are men. The majority of patients (218, 91%) underwent repair using the adjunct of distal aortic perfusion with cerebral spinal fluid drainage. Early mortality was 8.3% (20/240). Permanent neurologic deficit occurred in 1.3% (3/240). Stroke occurred in 2.9% (7/240), and dialysis on discharge in 6% (12/240). 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year survival was 72%, 60%, 45%, and 39%, respectively. Freedom from reoperation on the operated segment was 97%, 94%, 94% and 94% at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Conclusions: Open repairs of chronic descending thoracic dissections can be performed with respectable morbidity and mortality. Risk of neurologic deficit remains low with use of adjuncts, and risk of reintervention on the involved aortic segment is also low. These results allow comparison with endovascular repair for chronic aortic dissection.
The Mystery of Movie Stardom

When Queen Christina’s director, Rouben Mamoulian, instructed Greta Garbo to “think of nothing” as she took her place for the movie’s concluding shot, was he confirming that a movie actor amounts to nothing more than Frederick Taylor’s “Schmidt,” an unskilled laborer obeying orders from a supervisor? If as David Thomson suggests, moving well in front of a camera is preferable to “understanding a part,” how can we begin to understand the task we call “movie star performance”? Does the quality enabling movie stardom amount to a skill or a trait? Why can movie stars, unlike Taylor’s workers, be neither standardized nor easily replaced?
On the validity of using the Debye model to quantitatively correlate the shear modulus with vibrational properties in cubic metals

Abstract The relationship between the shear modulus and the flexibility volume has been examined using molecular dynamics simulations in fifteen cubic metallic elements over a range of temperatures. We have observed a universal correlation, and identified the applicability range in which this correlation is quantitatively consistent with the prediction based on the Debye model. Deviation is observed for high modulus metals, and its origin is discussed in terms of the Debye assumptions regarding the vibrational mean squared displacement and the phonon density of states.
Impact of an online depression prevention intervention on suicide risk factors for adolescents and young adults

Background: Adolescent death by suicide is an emergent health crisis in the United States of America. Although many suicide prevention programs have been created to address suicide in this population, rates continue to increase. Online interventions can disseminate treatments world-wide and reach large numbers of users. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of CATCH-IT, an Internet-based depression prevention intervention on risk factors for suicide (i.e., suicidal ideation, hopelessness, low self-esteem and social isolation). Methods: A total of 83 participants aged 14–21 years [mean =17.5; standard deviation (SD) =2.04] consented to take part in the intervention study. Results: Results indicated that suicidal ideation decreased from baseline to post-intervention. For those who completed the entire CATCH-IT program, the effect size was moderate ( d =0.60, P d =0.22, P Conclusions: The findings provide initial evidence that online depression prevention programs could be related to decreased suicidal ideation, and that those who complete the entire program may benefit more than those who complete only a part of CATCH-IT.
A Survival Analysis of Adult Male Black/White Labor Market Flows

Unemployment rates of black groups are roughly twice those of white groups, regardless of age, sex, and geographic location. Seeking to identify the labor market flows responsible for this differential, Marston [14] and Ehrenberg [4] use Current Population Survey gross flow data to compute average monthly flow probabilities among the states employment, unemployment, and nonparticipation. They find that blacks and other minorities are more likely to exit employment for unemployment, less likely to exit unemployment for employment, and less likely to successfully enter the labor force.
P39 Prevalence and Correlates of Medical Disorders Among Food Insecure Students at Appalachian State University

Background Food insecurity is a public health problem among US college students. Research has focused on identifying sociodemographic correlates, with few studies identifying co-existing medical disorders that may make it more challenging for food insecure students to access an adequate diet. Objective Compare rates of medical disorders and correlates among food insecure students. Study design, setting, and participants Cross-sectional online survey of 247 food insecure students at Appalachian State University, 20% males and 60% females, 24% freshmen/sophomores and 50% juniors/seniors, and 75% whites. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Food insecurity, medical disorders, coping strategies and perceived barriers for accessing food, and academic progress. Descriptive and inferential procedures were used for comparisons. Statistical significance was P Results Six thousand students were recruited, and 437 (7.3%) submitted complete questionnaires. Food insecurity affected 247 (56.5%) students, of whom 166 (67.2%) had one or more medical disorders. The most common disorders were psychiatric (40.5%) and gastrointestinal (31.6%). Coping strategies for food insecure students with and without disorders, respectively, included “brought food back to school” (90.9% vs. 63.0%) and “ate less healthy food to eat more” (77.7% vs. 49.4%). Food insecure students with disorders more often spent money on medications and medical devices (P Conclusion Rates of food insecurity are higher among students with than without medical disorders. Findings indicate a need for continued efforts to facilitate access to nutritious food by college students, especially by those with medical disorders. Funding None.
Redefining landmarks to improve #safefemoral outcomes

Retroperitoneal hemorrhage (RPH) and other femoral artery access site complications are associated with "high" arterial punctures. Using the nadir of inferior epigastric artery (IEA) as the landmark for identifying the inguinal ligament and high punctures can reduce access site complications. Traditional teaching of aiming for the middle of the femoral head while obtaining femoral access can result in higher than desired puncture site more frequently than aiming for the lower quarter. Enhanced understanding of anatomical landmarks, use of imaging guidance and strict adherence to safe access practices can help improve outcomes.
Resolution of the Ba (6pjndj)1 and (6pjndj)3 autoionizing states and their mixing with the (6pjns1/2)1 and (6pjngj)3 states.

We report the resolution of the Ba (6${p}_{j}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$${)}_{J=1}$ and (6${p}_{j}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$${)}_{J=3}$ autoionizing levels and their mixing with the (6${p}_{j}$${\mathrm{ns}}_{1/2}$${)}_{J=1}$ and (6${p}_{j}$${\mathrm{ng}}_{j}$${)}_{J=3}$ states by a three-step laser excitation approach. For the 6${p}_{1/2}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$ levels we are unable to discern a difference between J=1 and J=3. For the 6${p}_{3/2}$nd levels we are able to identify the two J=3 states, but only one J=1 feature, and measure their quantum defects. Furthermore we are able to measure the mixing of the (6${p}_{3/2}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$${)}_{J=1}$ states with the (6${p}_{3/2}$${\mathrm{ns}}_{1/2}$${)}_{J=1}$ states and determine that the analogous mixing of the (6${p}_{3/2}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$${)}_{J=3}$ states with the (6${p}_{3/2}$${\mathrm{ng}}_{j}$${)}_{J=3}$ states is not observable, nor is any mixing of the 6${p}_{1/2}$${\mathrm{nd}}_{j}$ states with either 6${p}_{1/2}$${\mathrm{ns}}_{1/2}$ or 6${p}_{1/2}$${\mathrm{ng}}_{j}$ states.
Grade Prediction with Neural Collaborative Filtering

Over the past decade low graduation and retention rates has plagued higher education institutions. To assist students in choosing a sequence of courses, choosing majors and successful academic pathways; many institutions provide several on-site academic advising services supported by data driven educational technologies. Accurate performance prediction can serve as the backbone for degree planning software, personalized advising systems and early warning systems that can identify students at-risk of dropping from their field of study. In this work, we present a deep learning based recommender system approach called Neural Collaborative Filtering (NCF) for predicting the grade a student will earn in a course that he/she plans to take in the next-term. Prior grade prediction methods are based on matrix factorization (MF) where students and courses are represented in a latent "knowledge" space. The deep learning inspired approach provides added flexibility in learning the latent spaces in comparison to MF approaches. The proposed approach also incorporates instructor information besides student and course information. Moreover, for proper analysis of the learned model parameters, we assume the embeddings obtained for students, courses and instructors should be non-negative. This non-negative NCF model referred by NCFnn model adds a rectified linear units (ReLU) on the embedding layer of NCF. The experimental results on datasets from George Mason University, a large, public university in the United States, demonstrate that the proposed NCF approaches significantly outperform competitive baselines across different test sets.