cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Direct Mammotrophic Action of Lactogenic Hormone

SummaryThirty oophorectornized, virgin rabbits, injected subcutaneously 5 days weekly for 4 weeks with 200 I.U. of estrone and 1 I.U. of progesterone showed prolactational mammary growth approximating that of a 3-weeks′ pregnant rabbit. Three days after the last of these injections, 5 different levels of lactogenic hormone were tested on groups of 6 rabbits. The hormone was given intraductally in such a way that an individual sector in each animal received a constant volume of fluid (1.0 cc). Of the different doses of hormone tested, 6 and 3 I.U. caused localized sector lactation in all 6 animals; 1.5 I.U. in 5 of 6; and 0.75 I.U. in 3 of 6 animals. None of the 6 animals injected with 0.37 I.U. lactated; nor did the uninjected or control-injected sectors in any animal lactate. This experiment demonstrates for the first time that the hypophysial lactogenic hormone has a direct mammotrophic effect just as it was previously shown to have a direct crop sac stimulating action. With all other factors essentiall...
Abstract 4282: The role of glycosphingolipids in the formation of cancer stem cells and drug resistance

Tumorigenesis and malignant progression of cancers rely on a small subset of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). In addition to forming primary tumors, metastasis and relapse, CSCs always display resistance to cytotoxins and this resistant feature protects CSCs during the course of chemotherapy. Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) is a limited enzyme catalyzing the first glycosylation in glycosphingolipids synthesis. Glycosphingolipids are likely to play an essential role in maintaining the stemness of stem cells, since that deletion of GCS induces apoptosis of embryonic stem cell and stops embryo development in GCS knockout mice. The stage-specific embryonic antigens (SSEA-3, SSEA-4) are glycosphingolipids and serve as common pluripotent markers for human embryonic stem cells. In the present study, we have found that GCS modulates the formation and maintenance of breast cancer stem cells. GCS overexpression was interrelated to the increase of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and drug resistance in human breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines after doxorubicin induction. In MCF-7/Dox (doxorubicin-resistant) cells, GCS protein was increased by 39-fold accompanied with enhanced enzyme activity, as compared to wild-type MCF-7 cell. Analyzed by using flow cytometry and immunostaining, the BCSCs with CD44 + /CD24-/ESA + phenotype were increased by 5-fold, and 3-fold in MCF-7/Dox and NCI-ADR/RES cell lines, as compared to MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. In BCSCs, GCS enzyme activity was 2-fold greater than other populations sorted from MCF-7/Dox. Silencing GCS by using mixed-backbone oligonucleotide (MBO-asGCS) significantly decreased the numbers of BCSCs in MCF-7/Dox cells. We observed tumorigenesis of NCI/ADR-RE/GCS (GCS overexpressed) and NCI/ADR-RE/asGCS (GCS silenced) in athymic nude mice. Aggressive tumors were found in all mice inoculated with NCI/ADR-RES and NCI/ADR-RE/GCS cells that were BCSC-enriched; however, no tumor or metastasis was observed in mice injected with NCI-ADR/asGCS cells. Furthermore, MBO-asGCS treatment (1 mg/kg) significantly decreased the numbers of BCSCs isolated from tumors of NCI-ADR/RES, as compared with control groups. Furthermore, BCSCs after MBO-asGCS treatment were more sensitive to doxorubicin. These results, for the first time, demonstrate that glycosphingolipid is involved in the regulation of cancer stem cell formation. Silencing GCS eliminates BCSCs, that can reverses drug resistance as well as prevent tumor relapse. 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 4282.
The Phenomenology of Anorexia Nervosa: The Intertwining Meaning of Gender and Embodiment

Eating disorders affect 5-10 million females, triple the rates of people living with AIDS or schizophrenia. Traditional research acknowledged interconnecting factors in developing anorexia nervosa, yet few studies attempted to examine the meaning of gender and embodiment from the anorexic woman's unique perspective. Thus, this study attempts to describe and illuminate this rift in the literature regarding intertwining regions of gender, embodiment, and the presence of anorexia nervosa. Data were obtained from a mixed-methods approach, with interview reports of subjects' life experiences and the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Female participants (N = 6) between 19 and 29 years old were interviewed in conformity with commonly accepted phenomenological data collection procedures. Results show the meaning of gender and embodiment in the experience of being a woman with anorexia is characterized by events that cause a downward spiral into hopelessness, depression, and negative self-esteem. The study identified no correlation between BSRI and the presence of anorexia, but revealed seven themes: Importance of others' perceptions Negative self-esteem
Survival of docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells in vitro depends on phenotype alterations and continuity of drug exposure

We evaluated in vitro the effect of paclitaxel and docetaxel on PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cell lines to understand better the downstream events in drug-induced tumor cell death. Taxane treatments of DU-145 cells induced rapid cell death by apoptosis, but in PC-3 cells, treatments achieved growth arrest, followed by extensive karyokinesis resulting in multinucleation, giant-cell formation and delayed cell death. To determine if the giant multinucleated cells were able to produce proliferating and drug-resistant survivors, we first delineated the kinetics of drug activity and cytotoxic dose range. Analysis of both lines by colorimetric and cell viability assays demonstrated improved cytotoxicity of taxanes applied continuously. Selected doses and schedules of docetaxel were used to induce giant multinucleated cells that gave rise to docetaxel-resistant survivors, which remained sensitive to paclitaxel and other chemotherapeutics. Growth and morphology of the recovered clones was similar to parental cells. The resistant phenotype of these clones determined by immunofluorescence and immunoblot was associated with transient expression of the β-tubulin IV isoform and was independent of P-glycoprotein, bcl-2 and bcl-xL. Resistant clones will be useful to model progression of resistance to taxanes and to identify unknown and clinically important molecular mechanisms of cell death and resistance.
Cocoon-Making by the Tarantula

Cocooning of spiders has been observed and described for various species. H. E. Ewing has published a detailed illustrated account dealing with the house spider. Scheffer has recorded observations dealing with a number of species. Other writers such as Emerton, Savory, Pierre Bonnett, T. H. Montgomery, and others have made contributions to this subject. Regarding the cocoon-making by tarantulas there is, so far as I know, very little in the literature.
The natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

There is now sufficient published evidence to describe with confidence much but not all of the natural history of AAA. AAA of 4.0-5.5 cm in diameter have a rupture rate of 0.7-1.0% per year and for AAA 5.5 cm. Median enlargement rate of AAA 4.0-5.5 cm is about 0.3 cm per year. Enlargement rate is influenced by AAA diameter, being approximately half this rate for AAA 3.0-4.0 cm and half again faster for AAA > 5.5 cm. There is, however, considerable individual variability in enlargement rates and a variety of diseases and conditions appear to influence these rates. Rupture rates of AAA > 5.5 cm in fit individuals are unknown and unlikely to be known in the future. However, for unfit individuals with AAA > 5.5 cm, the rupture rate is high, starting at about 10% per year and increasing by several fold in the largest AAA. The search is on for drugs to favorably alter this natural history, and if successful, will doubtless shed much light on the pathophysiology of AAA enlargement.
How Do Perceived Descriptive Norms Influence Indoor Tanning Intentions? An Application of the Theory of Normative Social Behavior.

ABSTRACTIndoor tanning bed use is highly influenced by perceived norms about a tanned appearance. The theory of normative social behavior (TNSB) details the many ways in which norms can impact intentions and behavior, but has never been assessed in the context of indoor tanning. Considering this, we conducted a survey among female university students (N = 274) to determine the extent to which the TNSB predicted intentions to use indoor tanning beds. Overall, the path model predicted about 46% of the variance in intentions, and the majority of significant indirect effects were witnessed through the outcome expectation variables included in the TNSB, suggesting that these may be the most salient mechanisms—as predicted by the TNSB—through which norms can impact tanning intentions. In light of these results, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and specific recommendations are given to extend the predictive utility of the TNSB in the context of indoor tanning.
Intentionality Bifurcated: A Lesson from Early Modern Philosophy?

This paper examines the pressures leading two very different Early Modern philosophers, Descartes and Locke, to invoke two ways in which thought is directed at objects. According to both philosophers, I argue, the same idea can simultaneously count as “of” two different objects—in two different senses of the phrase ‘idea of’. One kind of intentional directedness is invoked in answering the question What is it to think that thus-and-so? The other kind is invoked in answering the question What accounts for the success of our proper methods of inquiry? For Descartes as well as Locke, the two kinds of “ofness” come apart as a result of strong rationalist commitments. However, I will suggest that even if we reject such commitments, we go wrong if we assume that a single kind of intentional directedness suffices to address both questions.
Youth Gang Members’ Transitions into and Within US Prisons

Despite the growth in incarceration nationally and the subsequent increase in gang members in prison, much is to be learned about how inmates become involved in gangs and how gang membership is altered by prison life. The current study was designed to provide a descriptive analysis of gang entry and gang life among a sample of individuals who have served time in federal prison. Having applied the “push” and “pull” typology, we can see that motivations to join gangs may be consistent between street and prison gangs, even though the specific context may be markedly different. As is the case with street gangs, gang membership in prison plays a central role in the inmate experience and is often marked by violence.
Elucidation of Electrostatic Determinants in Cytochrome C-Cardiolipin Binding

Recently, there has been great interest in understanding the role of cytochrome c (Cytc) as it pertains to the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Positively charged domains on Cytc interact with the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin. Although the exact mechanism of this interaction is still under investigation, Cytc undergoes a conformational change upon association with cardiolipin. In the presence of reactive oxygen species, these conformational changes lead to increased peroxidase activity of Cytc. Cytc is capable of oxidizing cardiolipin acyl chains leading to Cytc dissociation from the membrane, and downstream initiation of apoptosis through apoptosome formation. Using circular dichroism, fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopy methods, we investigate the cytochrome c/cardiolipin interaction. To date, three potential cardiolipin interaction sites have been proposed on cytochrome c. Through environmental manipulation, we are able to isolate and study the cytochrome c/cardiolipin interaction at anionic binding site A. Using mutagenesis we are able to investigate the role of specific positively charged amino acids in site A during electrostatic cardiolipin binding. We utilize optimized titration techniques that generate reproducible quantitative data that can then be fit to extrapolate the binding contribution to cardiolipin for each amino acid investigated. Monitoring the binding of Cytc variants to cardiolipin vesicles allows us to investigate the role of individual amino acids in the protein-lipid interaction and elucidate the contribution of different sites on cytochrome c to cardiolipin binding.
Small molecule additive enhances cell uptake of 5-aminolevulinic acid and conversion to protoporphyrin IX

Administration of exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to cancerous tissue leads to intracellular production of photoactive protoporphyrin IX, a biosynthetic process that enables photodynamic therapy and fluorescence-guided surgery of cancer. Cell uptake of 5-ALA is limited by its polar structure and there is a need for non-toxic chemical additives that can enhance its cell permeation. Two zinc-bis(dipicolylamine) (ZnBDPA) compounds were evaluated for their ability to promote uptake of 5-ALA into Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells and produce protoporphyrin IX. One of the ZnBDPA compounds was found to be quite effective, and a systematic comparison of cells incubated with 5-ALA (100 μM) for 6 hours showed that the presence of this ZnBDPA compound (10 μM) produced 3-fold more protoporphyrin IX than cells treated with 5-ALA alone. The results of mechanistic studies suggest that the ZnBDPA compound does not interact strongly with the 5-ALA. Rather, the additive is membrane active and transiently disrupts the cell membrane, permitting 5-ALA permeation. The membrane disruption is not severe enough to induce cell toxicity or allow passage of larger macromolecules like plasmid DNA.
Microbiological Evaluation of Selected Delicatessen Meats from Retail Supermarkets 1.

Roast beef, turkey breast, pastrami, corned beef and pickle and pimento loaf were obtained from delicatessens in eight Gainesville (FL) supermarkets. A total of 80 samples were analyzed for total aerobic counts (APC at 35 and 20 C), yeasts and molds, fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus , Clostridium peifringens , total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella . No Salmonella was recovered from any samples and only one sample contained C. peifringens . S. aureus was recovered from 12.5% of the samples at levels less than 1 log/g and E. coli was found in 11.3% of the samples. All samples contained fecal streptococci and 73.8% contained coliforms. APCs (35 C) were highest in corned beef and pastrami samples with mean counts of 6.75 and 6.91 logs/g, respectively; roast beef samples had lowest APCs with a mean count of 4.84 logs/g. High APCs and coliform counts in many samples indicate a need for improved sanitation procedures at the processor and retail levels.
Breast cancer screening of pregnant and breastfeeding women with BRCA mutations

Screening recommendations for women with BRCA mutations include annual breast MRI starting at age 25, with annual mammogram added at age 30. The median age of childbearing in the US is age 28, therefore many BRCA mutation carriers will be pregnant or breastfeeding during the time when intensive screening is most important to manage their increased breast cancer risk. Despite this critical overlap, there is little evidence to guide clinicians on the appropriate screening for women with BRCA mutations during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Hormonal shifts that occur during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and breastfeeding result in changes to the breasts that may further complicate the sensitivity and specificity of screening modalities. We explore the safety and efficacy of available breast cancer screening modalities, including clinical breast exam, mammogram, breast MRI, and ultrasound among women with BRCA mutations who are pregnant or breastfeeding, providing recommendations from the most current published literature and expert opinion.
Total Lymphocyte and Natural Killer (NK) Cell Count Day 30 Post-Transplant Strongly Predict Transplant Outcome after T Cell Depleted Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Abstract One hundred and fifty-seven patients with leukemia (80 CML, 48 AML/MDS, 29 ALL) received a T cell depleted myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) from an HLA-matched sibling between 09/1993–09/2005. Conditioning consisted of TBI (12–13.6 Gy) + cyclophosphamide (96) or cyclophosphamide and fludarabine (61). The stem cell source was G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) in 129 and bone marrow in 28 patients. T cell dose with graft ranged from 0.2 – 2 × 105/kg CD3+ cells. GVHD prophylaxis was with low dose cyclosporine (level 100–200 ng/ml) in 103 and standard dose in 54. Patients without ≥ grade II acute GVHD received 1–2 donor lymphocyte infusion of 107 CD3+ cells/kg between days 45 and 100. Absolute lymphocytes on day 30 (LC30) was available in 154 patients (3 patients died before day 30) and 54 day +30 post-transplant samples were available for lymphocyte subset analysis. Median lymphocyte count on day +30 (LC30) was 400/μl, (range 10–3295) and 150/μl, (range 6–1005) for CD56+, CD16+ CD3− NK cells (NK30). Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS14 software. Median age of the group was 34 years (range 10–56). 78 patients had standard risk (SR) disease in first remission or first chronic phase of CML. The remaining 79 had high risk (HR) disease. At the time of analysis 85 patients are (51.5±4%) are alive with median follow-up of surviving patients 1392 days (range 147–4208). Only 9 patients (3 above median LC30) developed aGVHD before day+30. Patients with ≥ median LC30 had significantly better transplant outcome: survival 71±5 vs. 36 ±5.5%, p 150/μl: higher survival (RR 3), and DFS (RR 3), less relapse (RR 4.8), less NRM (RR 3) and less aGVHD (RR 5.3). This study does not define whether LC30 is a surrogate for NK cell count or whether both are a surrogate for some other undetected prognostic factor. However the inverse relationship between NK count and aGVHD suggests an NK-mediated effect through elimination of host antigen presenting cells as has been described in mismatched SCT but also in HLA identical SCT by Cook et al ( Blood 2004, 103, 1521) Prospective studies to correlate transplant outcome with NK cell recovery and function after HLA identical SCT are indicated. Download : Download high-res image (73KB) Download : Download full-size image
Fostering hope and career adaptability in children's career development

ABSTRACTToday's children, more than ever, will live their life trajectories with indistinct and/or elusive maps, and must find their own ways of being in this world. While finding one's way of being in the world is difficult enough, it is even more challenging for children experiencing barriers and lack of opportunities, often resulting from oppressive forces. Nurturing children's hope and career adaptability can help support, sustain, and prepare them for successful lives as they navigate this ever-changing world. In this article, the author explores hope theory and the construct of career adaptability from career construction theory to inform and stimulate the promotion of childhood career development and life design, while also identifying potential avenues to help deconstruct and mitigate oppressive messaging and forces that can be absorbed early in life, often unconsciously.
First-principles study of direct and indirect optical absorption in BaSnO3

We report first-principles results for the electronic structure and the optical absorption of perovskite BaSnO3 (BSO). BSO has an indirect fundamental gap, and hence, both direct and indirect transitions need to be examined. We assess direct absorption by calculations of the dipole matrix elements. The phonon-assisted indirect absorption spectrum at room temperature is calculated using a quasiclassical approach. Our analysis provides important insights into the optical properties of BSO and addresses several inconsistencies in the results of optical absorption experiments. We shed light on the variety of bandgap values that have been previously reported, concluding that the indirect gap is 2.98 eV and the direct gap is 3.46 eV.
Metallurgical and Stress State Factors Which Affect the Creep and Fracture Behavior of 9% Cr Steels

EPRI-supported research has identified critical material information regarding the factors affecting the performance of creep strength-enhanced ferritic steels, in general, and Grade 91 steel, in particular. EPRI recommendations emphasize that a five-point, integrated strategy should be used for the effective life management of components fabricated from tempered martensitic steels. This integration promotes a balanced use of resources which, when properly focused, reduces uncertainty regarding creep and fracture behavior. Tighter control of processes from steel making, steel processing, and heat treatment ensures that alloys with deficient properties never enter service. One cornerstone of this proactive approach is the definition of ‘Metallurgical Risk’ which links the presence of inclusions and trace elements to the susceptibility for creep damage. The improved confidence in the high temperature performance of CSEF steel components promotes reliability, increases efficiency, and minimizes the risk of component fracture.
Clinical Features, Diagnosis and Treatment of Children's Wernicke’s Encephalopathy

To explore the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) in children and raise awareness of the disease. Summarize the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment characteristics of a WE case in a child patient with severe sepsis as the first manifestation and review the literatures of children cases reported at home and abroad in recent years. Children's WE often have no specific clinical manifestations, so the misdiagnosis rate is high. The MRI features of the brain show signs of symmetric abnormalities in bilateral mammillary body, basal ganglia, and cerebral periaqueductal area, etc. The characteristic brain MRI abnormal signal combined with rapid response after clinical thiamine treatment is helpful for clinical diagnosis. Early and timely supplementation of large doses of thiamine resulted in rapid improvement of neurological abnormalities in most cases with good prognosis.
Bounding a Sacred Space: Mapping the Mt. Taylor Traditional Cultural Property

In the summer of 2006, a group representing Native American tribes from all over the southwestern United States came together with agents of the U.S. Forest Service and created a boundary to delineate a traditional and sacred space. This boundary designation, known as a traditional cultural property or TCP, was created in reaction to the attempted exploitation of the area for uranium mining, an issue that has plagued the region since the mid-1940s. This contested landscape is the peak and mesas collectively known as Mt. Taylor, located in northwestern New Mexico, which sits atop the nation’s largest single deposit of high-grade uranium.
Management of anemia in patients who decline blood transfusion

Declining a treatment modality should not be considered the same as refusal of medical care as illustrated by the management of Jehovah's Witness patients who do not accept transfusions. Over the years, a comprehensive set of strategies have been developed to meet the specific needs of these patients and these strategies are collectively called "Bloodless Medicine and Surgery" (BMS). The focus in BMS is to optimize the patients' hematopoietic capacity to increase hemoglobin (Hgb) level, minimize blood loss, improve hemostasis, and provide supportive strategies to minimize oxygen consumption and maximize oxygen utilization. We present 3 case reports that illustrate some of the challenges faced and measures available to effectively treat these patients. Under BMS programs, patients with extremely low hemoglobin levels, not conducive to survival under ordinary conditions, have survived and recovered without receiving allogeneic transfusions. Additionally, the valuable experience gained from caring for these patients has paved the way to develop the concept of Patient Blood Management as a standard care to benefit all patients, and not only those for whom blood is not an option.
HIV DISEASE IN PREGNANCY: Ethics, Law, and Policy

Legal and ethical principles mandate that informed consent be an integral element of HIV-related education, counseling, testing, treatment, and intervention. Minimizing patient counseling and education (for economic reasons or otherwise) is likely to backfire. The presumption that a parent will act in her child's best interest, accepted in analogous contexts, should be foundational in the development of HIV policy in the obstetric and gynecologic setting. Most women, when provided with counseling, care, and confidentiality, consent to prenatal or perinatal testing and, most important, engage their families in HIV-related care and services. Because of the changing terrain of knowledge about and treatments of HIV disease, providers must thoroughly counsel women regarding the risks and benefits of available treatment and intervention.
Within-canopy experimental leaf warming induces photosynthetic decline instead of acclimation in two northern hardwood species

Northern hardwood forests are experiencing higher temperatures and more extreme heat waves, potentially altering plant physiological processes. We implemented in-situ leaf-level warming along a vertical gradient within a mature forest canopy to investigate photosynthetic acclimation potential of two northern hardwood species, Acer saccharum and Tilia americana. After seven days of +3 °C warming, photosynthetic acclimation was assessed by measuring differences between heated and control photosynthetic rates (Aopt) at leaf optimum temperatures (Topt). We also measured the effects of warming and height on maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and leaf traits: leaf area, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen, and leaf water content. We found no evidence of photosynthetic acclimation for either species, but rather Aopt declined with warming overall. We found slight shifts in LMA and Narea, leaf traits associated with photosynthetic capacity, after one week of experimental warming. T. americana LMA and Narea was lower in the upper canopy heated leaves than in the control leaves, contributing a shift in Narea height distribution in the heated leaves. T. americana showed evidence of greater resiliency to warming, with greater thermoregulation, physiological plasticity, and evapotranspiration. As expected, Aopt of A. saccharum increased with height, but Aopt of T. americana was highest in the sub canopy, possibly due to constraints on leaf water balance and photosynthetic capacity in the upper canopy. Thus, models relying on canopy height or light environment may incorrectly estimate vertical variation of photosynthetic capacity. If these species are not able to acclimate to warmer temperatures, we could see alteration of plant carbon balance of these two key northern hardwood species.
Serum levetiracetam concentrations after transdermal levetiracetam administration, 3 times daily, to healthy cats

Background Repeated oral administration of antiepileptic drugs can be challenging for cat owners, resulting in reduced compliance, poor seizure control, and reduced quality of life for cats. Levetiracetam (LEV) has several properties that make it an appealing drug for transdermal application. Objectives The aims were to (1) determine if transdermal LEV, in a lipophilic, liposomic cream vehicle, resulted in serum concentrations above 5 μg/mL; (2) identify clinical adverse effects; and (3) evaluate the concentration of LEV in a lipophilic liposomic cream at set intervals. Animals Six healthy, client-owned cats weighing ≤5 kg. Methods Prospective clinical trial. Transdermal LEV was applied to the inner pinna at a dosage of 60 mg/kg (400 mg/mL concentration) at home for 6 days. Day 7, cats were hospitalized for blood sample collection for LEV concentration at times 0 (before dose administration), 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after administration. Results Median (range) timed serum concentrations were 16.6 (8.6-39.6) μg/mL, 16.1 (6.8-34.4) μg/mL, 15.4 (10.1-36.7) μg/mL, 17.4 (9.2-32.7) μg/mL, 15.1 (8.3-25.9) μg/mL, and 14.8 (11.9-28.4) μg/mL, respectively. Adverse events were limited to sedation (1/6 cats) and pinna crusting (1/6 cats). The LEV, in the proposed vehicle, retained concentration above 95% at 400 mg/mL up to 5 weeks. Conclusions and clinical importance Thrice daily transdermal LEV resulted in median serum concentrations ≥5 μg/mL throughout the sampling period and clinical adverse events were minimal. Transdermal LEV can provide an alternative for cats resistant to administration of other forms of anticonvulsant medication.
Recipients of the 2016 Early Career Investigator Awards

This is the 11th year of competition for ATVB Early Career Investigator Awards. The Awards recognize papers published in ATVB in 2015 that were submitted by new investigators and judged to be the most outstanding in the Atherosclerosis/Lipoprotein, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology sections of the journal. The 3 awards are named for Dr Daniel Steinberg, who devised a method to determine the site of degradation of the proteins and lipids …
The Path of Reform: The Consequences of Institutional Volatility

The new institutional literature widely acknowledges the benefits of growth‐enhancing institutions but rarely discusses the path of institutional reform. While good institutions stabilize the structure of exchange and decrease uncertainty in market transactions, institutional reform may involve institutional volatility. If institutional volatility increases uncertainty, it can mitigate the benefits of reform. Using a sample of 89 countries from 2000‐2015, this paper empirically examines the effects of institutional volatility on economic growth. We find that institutional volatility decreases economic growth, particularly during liberalization for countries with low quality institutions and low income. In fact, a one standard deviation increase in volatility decreases growth by about 0.50 percentage points. This finding is robust to multiple estimation techniques and omitted variable bias. Evidence is provided suggesting that this effect is partially mediated through volatility's impact on private investment. These results support prior works that policy makers should pursue economic freedom, but our work indicates they should do so along a stable reform path to maximize economic growth.
Eugene M. Shoemaker (1928-97) - Founder of the scientific study of impact cratering - Obituary

Eugene Shoemaker, who died on 18 July, founded the scientific study of planetary impact cratering on the Earth, Moon, planets and their satellites, as well as pioneering surveys of near-Earth asteroids and comets, often in collaboration with his wife Carolyn. His most important scientific legacy was recognizing how pervasive the impact cratering process was in the early Solar System.
Ocular surface disease in dogs part 2: diagnosis and treatment

Dry eye disease (DED) is a commonly diagnosed disorder in small animals. It has been historically described as a quantitative or qualitative deficiency in tear production; however, the pathogenesis...
Pessimistic Cardinality Estimation: Tighter Upper Bounds for Intermediate Join Cardinalities

In this work we introduce a novel approach to the problem of cardinality estimation over multijoin queries. Our approach leveraging randomized hashing and data sketching to tighten these bounds beyond the current state of the art. We demonstrate that the bounds can be injected directly into the cost based query optimizer framework enabling it to avoid expensive physical join plans. We outline our base data structures and methodology, and how these bounds may be introduced to the optimizer's parameterized cost function as a new statistic for physical join plan selection. We demonstrate a complex tradeoff space between the tightness of our bounds and the size and complexity of our data structures. This space is not always monotonic as one might expect. In order combat this non-monotonicity, we introduce a partition budgeting scheme that guarantees monotonic behavior. We evaluate our methods on GooglePlus community graphs~\citegoogleplus, and the Join Order Benchmark (JOB)~\citeLeis:2015:GQO:2850583.2850594. In the presence of foreign key indexes, we demonstrate a $1.7\times$ improvement in aggregate (time summed over all queries in benchmark) physical query plan runtime compared to plans chosen by Postgres using the default cardinality estimation methods. When foreign key indexes are absent, this advantage improves to over $10\times$.
Gedankenexperiment for degree of flatness, or lack of, in early Universe conditions

This document will from first principles delineate the degree of flatness, or deviations from, in early universe models. We will, afterwards, make comparison with recent results we have looked at concerning metric tensor fluctuations and comment upon the role of what early universe gravitational energy may play a role in the presumed deviation from flat space results. Note that N ~ S ~ 10^37 will be tied into the presumed results for initial state density, in ways we will comment upon. Leading to this document as to GW, we are talking about taking steps to avoid the same mistake as Bicep2 which measured Dust, from Galaxies, i.e. steps to find a frequency of presumed GW different from Inter Galactic dust
What Can Play: The Potential of Non-Human Players

What can post-humanism teach us about game design? This paper questions the line drawn between what species and matter can play and what cannot play. Combining works by scholars of feminist post-humanism, new materialism, and game studies, primarily Jane Bennett, Donna Haraway, and T.L. Taylor, it proposes that play is a form of communication not only between animals and humans but also between plants and cyborgs, insects and atoms. Beginning by interrogating the borders of the human that have been built on ableist and racist discourses, this paper moves towards considering the human as interspecies and outlines that we must reassess the ways in which a multiplicity of species experience the intra-action that constitutes “play.” With a brief look into the history of defining play in both game studies and animal studies and their small crossover, play is reconfigured into an outlook or an approach rather than a set of rules. It is a drive that all species and matter experience, including insects, bacteria, and metal. This moves us beyond considering solely the materiality of our bodies at play by reconsidering the objects of play as our co-players, as matter with agential force. I argue that we need to reconsider the videogame player as an interspecies being, an assemblage of human and non-human bodies. The de-anthropocentricization of the popular notions of player agency allows for a multiplicity of reactions not created in the linear cause and effect course, the belief in ultimate player control within procedural systems, which dominates game studies. This paper concludes by submitting possibilities of what considering the non-human through a feminist and anti-ableist lens can offer game designers, players, and critics, such as considering the material platform’s impact on play, reforming the individualistic agency of players, and designing for the Other(s).
Mutation of a Conserved Motif of PP2C.D Phosphatases Confers SAUR Immunity and Constitutive Activity

The phytohormone auxin promotes the growth of plant shoots by stimulating cell expansion via plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase activation, which facilitates cell wall loosening and solute uptake. Mechanistic insight was recently obtained by demonstrating that auxin-induced SMALL AUXIN UP RNA (SAUR) proteins inhibit D-CLADE TYPE 2C PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE (PP2C.D) activity, thereby trapping PM H+-ATPases in the phosphorylated, activated state, but how SAURs bind PP2C.D proteins and inhibit their activity is unknown. Here, we identified a highly conserved motif near the C-terminal region of the PP2C.D catalytic domain that is required for SAUR binding in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Missense mutations in this motif abolished SAUR binding but had no apparent effect on catalytic activity. Consequently, mutant PP2C.D proteins that could not bind SAURs exhibited constitutive activity, as they were immune to SAUR inhibition. In planta expression of SAUR-immune pp2c.d2 or pp2c.d5 derivatives conferred severe cell expansion defects and corresponding constitutively low levels of PM H+-ATPase phosphorylation. These growth defects were not alleviated by either auxin treatment or 35S:StrepII-SAUR19 coexpression. In contrast, a PM H+-ATPase gain-of-function mutation that results in a constitutively active H+ pump partially suppressed SAUR-immune pp2c.d5 phenotypes, demonstrating that impaired PM H+-ATPase function is largely responsible for the reduced growth of the SAUR-immune pp2c.d5 mutant. Together, these findings provide crucial genetic support for SAUR-PP2C.D regulation of cell expansion via modulation of PM H+-ATPase activity. Furthermore, SAUR-immune pp2c.d derivatives provide new genetic tools for elucidating SAUR and PP2C.D functions and manipulating plant organ growth.
What Is Population Health

This article defines population health as the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group. Population health includes health outcomes, patterns of health determinants, and policies and interventions that link these two. Attention to social and environmental, as well as medical, determinants of health is essential. The population health lens can be used at the individual, practice, institutional, and community levels. The need for primary care to engage in population health stems from the importance of social and environmental factors, the nature of primary care, and contextual changes.
The Body of the Infant and the Parents, Parent–Child Interaction, and the Embodiment of Cultural Patterns: Commonalities and Differences

As a highly “altricial” animal, the human infant is utterly dependent on caregivers for his or her survival until several years after birth. This chapter explores the influence of the body of others on the infant and the “embodiment of the self.” The chapter describes the phenomenon of inter-corporeity from the first encounter between the mother and the infant and then between the baby and the father. Different cultures apply different strategies to provide touch to the baby; some favor the caregivers to be in constant touch with the baby during the first year or 2 of life, during the day and night, while others favor a more “distant” approach in which parents respond mostly to distress signals in the baby who vies for attention through vocal cues and cry. The chapter also describes the “diet of touch” through caregiving and “somatic games” between caregivers, siblings, and the infant. During the preschool years, some cultures promote interpersonal touch or practice massage, while in others, children are taught from very early on to “keep their hands to themselves.” Caregivers such as teachers may in some settings be prevented from carrying or touching children as much as possible for fear of negative interpretations about this touch. As a result children learn to use touch and interpersonal proximity in different ways, often depending on their earliest experiences in this regard.
Identifying Challenges of Fabricating E-textile Garments Via a Case Study

Integration of electronic components and circuits into clothing is a key requirement of garment-integrated technologies, especially when the electronics need to be distributed over the clothing surface, which allows power and networking to be localized, placement of electronics to be more broadly distributed, and reduces the necessity of using and managing many body-worn units. The disparity in material properties between electronics (primarily hard goods) and textiles (primarily soft goods), as well as differences in their manufacturing processes, exacerbate the difficulty of scalable integration of electronics into clothing. Though many researchers have developed example applications of e-textiles in fashion and other artistic applications, these garments often use hand-sewing methods that are not efficiently replicable in the industrial setting. In this paper, the scalable manufacturing technique we have developed that facilitates surface-mount soldering of discrete components and ICs directly onto fabric surfaces is translated into garment form as an intermediate step toward full-scale manufacturing. Through the fabrication process of an example garment, variables relevant to manufacturing garment-integrated electronics are discovered and discussed.
Abortion Trends in Georgia Following Enactment of the 22-Week Gestational Age Limit, 2007–2017

Objectives. To measure trends before, during, and after implementation of Georgia House Bill 954, a limit on abortion at 22 or more weeks of gestation passed in 2012, in total abortions and abortio...
Investigating Processes Linking Emotional Response to Impressions of Weight-loss Testimonials: The Role of Message Framing and Perceived Risk

Persuasion research highlights the central role emotions play in driving persuasion processes. This investigation addressed the influence of message factors and risk perceptions in determining how ...
The Left Atrial Septal Pouch: A New Stroke Risk Factor?

The left atrial septal pouch (LASP) occurs due to incomplete fusion of septa primum and secundum at the inter-atrial septum, creating an open flap that may serve as a thromboembolic source. Prior studies have demonstrated increased prevalence of LASP in cryptogenic strokes. The aim of the current study was to validate the above findings in a separate, larger group of stroke and non-stroke patients. We examined transesophageal echocardiograms (TEEs) performed between July 2011 and December 2018. LASP prevalence was determined in TEEs referred for ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (“stroke”) and compared with LASP prevalence in patients undergoing TEEs for other reasons (“non-stroke”). Stroke subtyping was performed using the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. There were 306 TEEs from 144 non-stroke and 162 stroke patients. Mean age and sex distribution were 56 ± 1 (mean ± SE) and 65% male in the non-stroke group and 58 ± 1 and 54% male in the stroke group. The overall prevalence of LASP was 31%. The prevalence of LASP was 28% (41/144) in non-stroke patients, 25% (24/95) in non-cryptogenic stroke patients, and 43% (29/67) in cryptogenic stroke patients. LASP prevalence was significantly higher in the cryptogenic subgroup compared with the non-cryptogenic subgroup (p = 0.02). These findings demonstrate a significant association of LASP with risk of cryptogenic stroke, suggesting that LASP may serve as a thromboembolic nidus. Additional studies are needed to determine the generalizability of these findings, and their therapeutic implications, supporting LASP as a stroke risk factor.
Population-Based Prevalence of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Using Genetic Analysis of Statewide Blood Screening Program.

Objective To determine whether the genetic prevalence of the CTG expansion in the DMPK gene associated with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) in an unbiased cohort is higher than previously reported population estimates, ranging from 5 to 20 per 100,000 individuals. Methods This study used a cross-sectional cohort of deidentified dried blood spots from the newborn screening program in the state of New York, taken from consecutive births from 2013 to 2014. Blood spots were screened for the CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK gene using triplet-repeat primed PCR and melt curve analysis. Melt curve morphology was assessed by 4 blinded reviewers to identify samples with possible CTG expansion. Expansion of the CTG repeat was validated by PCR fragment sizing using capillary electrophoresis for samples classified as positive or premutation to confirm the result. Prevalence was calculated as the number of samples with CTG repeat size ≥50 repeats compared to the overall cohort. Results Of 50,382 consecutive births, there were 24 with a CTG repeat expansion ≥50, consistent with a diagnosis of DM1. This represents a significantly higher DM1 prevalence of 4.76 per 10,000 births (95% confidence interval 2.86–6.67) or 1 in every 2,100 births. There were an additional 96 samples (19.1 per 10,000 or 1 in 525 births) with a CTG expansion in the DMPK gene in the premutation range (CTG)35–49. Conclusion The prevalence of individuals with CTG repeat expansions in DMPK is up to 5 times higher than previous reported estimates. This suggests that DM1, with multisystemic manifestations, is likely underdiagnosed in practice.
Regulation of NF-κB Signaling by Regulatory Ubiquitination: Specific Pathways and A20

Upregulation of NF-κB proceeds through the inducible phosphorylation and resulting activation of the IκB kinase (IKK) complex. However 16 years after the IKK complex was first characterized, and in spite of the large volume of publications, it is still not completely clear how IKK is activated. Over the past decade, an increasing body of mostly in vitro data suggests a role for regulatory (K63-linked) polyubiquitination in IKK activation. The first part of this chapter critically examines the literature for the evidence of regulatory ubiquitination in different NF-κB pathways. Activation of NF-κB by regulatory ubiquitination has been proposed to be balanced by deubiquitinases which cleave the regulatory ubiquitin chains, thereby downregulating NF-κB activation. The second part of the chapter therefore takes a look at these deubiquitinases, focusing on a specific deubiquitinase called A20, which has been shown to be critical in downregulating NF-κB-mediated inflammation.
Faience in French colonial Illinois

Faience, a tin-glazed earthenware, has been recovered at many colonial-period archaeological sites in North America. Intersite analysis towards recognition of ceramic patterning has been impeded by the lack of a standard classificatory typology for faience vessel fragments. Such a classification system is offered in this paper and summary data are presented for the faience assemblages from eight Illinois sites, including French forts and domestic settlements and related Illini villages. Interpretations are offered concerning the availability, utilization, and social role of faience in the Illinois Country during the French colonial period.
Partial Differential Equations

Spherical harmonics are for many purposes the natural generalization of the Fourier analysis of the circle to higher dimensions. Spherical harmonics are also intimately connected to the representation theory of the orthogonal group. As a result, analogues of the spherical harmonics play an important role in general representation theory.