cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attritional extensor tendon rupture in a patient with Phialophora verrucosa tenosynovitis: case report

Deep tissue fungal infections of the hand are exceedingly uncommon. We present a case of fungal tenosynovitis caused by Phialophora verrucosa that led to extensor tendon rupture in a patient who was on chronic immunosuppressive therapy. Indolent fungal cysts can elude clinical diagnosis until excision is performed with definitive pathologic examination. In immunocompromised patients, antifungal therapy may be warranted after cyst excision even in the absence of acute infection to prevent subsequent progression to tenosynovitis.
Information center evaluation

Information centers provide a formal established facility that coordinates and facilitates end-user computing. The author discusses the reasons for information center evaluation, the problems associated with evaluation, and the various techniques, tools, and methods that can be used for evaluation. She then proposes a model by which one can determine which evaluation measure to use based on the reasons for evaluation and the stakeholders concerned. >
Analysis and design of an analog sorting network

An analog sorting neural network is presented. First, existing order representations are discussed and a generalized order representation is introduced. The sorting problem is then formulated as the assignment problem. Based on the assignment problem formulation, the neural network architecture is described. Design principles and an op-amp based circuit realization of the analog neural network are delineated. Three illustrative examples are also discussed to demonstrate the capability and performance of the analog neural network. The proposed analog neural network is shown to be capable of monotonic and bitonic sorting and suitable for hardware implementation. >
Social interactions of free-ranging Przewalski horses in semi-reserves in the Netherlands

Abstract Social interactions were recorded in two bands of free-ranging Przewalski horses living on large (greater than 30 ha) pastures in the Netherlands. The average number of aggressive interactions per hour was 8.86 at Lelystad and 10.36 at Noorderheide. The most common aggressive interactions were lower intensity, lower cost displacements (17.2% of all aggressive acts at Lelystad, 13.2% at Noorderheide), threats to bite (42.3% and 40.7%, respectively) and threats to kick (15.4% and 23.9%, respectively). Analysis of aggression revealed that a clear, linear dominance hierarchy was present in each band. For each band there was a positive and highly significant correlation between the age of a horse and its rank in the hierarchy. In each band, the stallion was not the highest ranked horse. Non-agonistic behaviors exceeded the number of agonistic interactions (1253 vs. 558 for Lelystad; 1257 vs. 995 at Noorderheide). There was a negative correlation between the rank of a horse in the dominance hierarchy and the number of non-agonistic behaviors displayed. The group displaying the highest number of non-agonistic interactions were foals (48.9% of total non-agonistic behaviors at Lelystad; 51.1% at Noorderheide). The non-agonistic/agonistic ratio was greater than 1 for yearlings and the band stallion, as was also the case for foals, but was less than 1 for males.
Palatability of plants to small mammals in nonnative grasslands of east-central Illinois

Understanding the impact of small mammals on the development of grasslands requires information on their food preferences. We conducted feeding trials with 4 species of common small mammals, prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), meadow voles (M. pennsylvanicus), white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), and eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus), to determine the relative palatability of plant shoots and seeds in introduced grasslands of east-central Illinois. Because we needed to conduct many feeding trials we developed a rapid method for comparison of palatability of plants to multiple species of small mammals in the field. We evaluated the method by comparison with previous data on food preference and palatability for voles at nearby study sites. Shoots of herbaceous legumes (Medicago sativa and Trifolium pratense) and dandelions (Taraxacum officianale) were among the most palatable foods for voles, and bluegrass (Poa pratensis) was among the least palatable. Meadow voles found palatable more species of graminoids than did prairie voles, and meadow voles, but not prairie voles, found palatable a greater percentage of graminoids than of forbs. A greater percentage of introduced plants than of native plants were palatable to prairie voles, but this likely reflected a high proportion of introduced graminoids among tested plants. White-footed mice found palatable a few forbs and a greater percentage of annual plants compared with perennial plants, whereas cottontails found palatable many forbs and woody plants and a greater percentage of perennial plants. White-footed mice tended to eat larger amounts and more kinds of seeds than voles, and only white-footed mice tended to eat more of large-seeded species. Plant type did not appear to significantly affect palatability of seeds for any mammal. We used these results to predict the likely impact of small mammals on the development of nonnative grasslands.
Investigation of acoustic radiation force for radio-protecting normal tissues during radiation therapy

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to erradicate malignant cells. Normal tissue tolerance is currently a major dose-limiting factor. As molecular oxygen plays a critical role in creating the radiation damage, we propose a novel approach, that is, the use of acoustic radiation force (ARF) to suppress the normal tissue oxygenation, for the purpose of protecting the normal tissue and increasing its tolerance during radiotherapy. This paper investigated the effects of ARF on tissue oxygenation. Both subcutaneous tissue and tumor were studied for comparison. Experiments have been carried out using a murine model. Preliminary results showed that ARF can effectively suppress normal tissue oxygenation, and at the same time had negligible effect on the tumor oxygenation. Further investigation is ongoing to characterize the time course of oxygen changes with different ultrasound parameters (frequency, intensity, ultrasound pulse duration, etc.), for the purpose of optimal control of tissue oxygenation.
The Solubility of ϵ‐CL‐20 in Selected Materials

The solubility of the epsilon polymorph of CL-20 was determined in thirteen liquids over the temperature range of ambient to 74°C using high performance liquid chromatography. The experiments included ϵ-CL-20 produced by two different synthesis routes; one lot contained a higher level of polymorphic impurity, the other lot contained a higher level of non-CL-20 impurity.In general, the ϵ-CL-20 was found to be highly soluble in the solvents with carbonyl groups, and relatively insoluble in hydrocarbons and materials containing ether linkages. The amount of phase conversion to γ-CL-20 which occured during the solubility testing was measured using FTIR, and ranged from essentially zero to ∼ 10% conversion. It appears that the presence of β-CL-20 in the virgin ϵ-CL-20 lots will affect the amount of gamma-phase present in the final residue.
Frontal Structure in the Interior of an Intense Mature Ocean Cyclone

Low-level (300 m) aircraft observations, taken within an intense extratropical storm during Intensive Observation Period 2 of the Experiment on Rapidly Intensifying Cyclones over the Atlantic, are used to document the near-surface frontal structure in the interior of the storm at 1800 UTC 14 December 1988, when the storm was at its maximum depth (959 mb). The flight data revealed that a well-defined occluded front spiraled into the low, making one-and-one-half turns about the center. The front followed the inner boundary of a spiral cloud and moisture band seen in satellite visible, infrared, and water vapor imagery. The results provide support for the idea that sharp occluded, or occluded-like, fronts can wrap around the core of deep ocean storms and that satellite imagery can be helpful in locating such fronts.
Bariatric Surgery in the Elderly

Advances in health care enable people to live longer and healthier lives than ever before. The average life span is now well into the 70s. This is a dramatic increase since Roman times, when the average life span was only 25 to 30 years. In 1990, more than 30 million people were above the age of 65 in the United States. This figure is estimated to nearly double to 58.9 million, comprising nearly 20% of the population, by the year 2025 (1). Individuals above the age of 65 currently undergo more surgical procedures than any other age group, the incidence of which is only expected to increase over the next several decades (2). This raises many potential areas of concern for all surgeons, including bariatric surgeons.
Developmentally arrested Austrofundulus limnaeus embryos have changes in post-translational modifications of histone H3.

ABSTRACT Although vertebrate embryogenesis is typically a continuous and dynamic process, some embryos have evolved mechanisms to developmentally arrest. The embryos of Austrofundulus limnaeus, a killifish that resides in ephemeral ponds, routinely enter diapause II (DII), a reversible developmental arrest promoted by endogenous cues rather than environmental stress. DII, which starts at 24–26 days post-fertilization and can persist for months, is characterized by a significant decline in heart rate and an arrest of development and differentiation. Thus, A. limnaeus is a unique model to study epigenetic features associated with embryonic arrest. To investigate chromosome structures associated with mitosis or gene expression, we examined the post-translational modifications of histone H3 (phosphorylation of serine 10, mono-, di- and tri-methylation of lysine 4 or 27) in preDII, DII and postDII embryos. As seen by microscopy analysis, DII embryos have a significant decrease in the H3S10P marker for mitotic nuclei and an inner nuclear membrane localization of the H3K27me2 marker associated with silencing of gene expression. ELISA experiments reveal that the levels of methylation at H3K4 and H3K27 are significantly different between preDII, DII and postDII embryos, indicating that there are molecular differences between embryos of different chronological age and stage of development. Furthermore, in DII embryos relative to preDII embryos, there are differences in the level of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, which may reflect critical chromatin remodeling that occurs prior to arrest of embryogenesis. This work helps lay a foundation for chromatin analysis of vertebrate embryo diapause, an intriguing yet greatly understudied phenomenon.
Healing broken hearts.

1. Posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression have a significant negative effct on the physical functioning of individuals with coronar artery disease. 2. A diagnosis of major depression is recognized to be an independent risk factor for cardiac events. 3. Preoperative and postoperative interventions can increase individuals' compliance with cardiac and psychiatric self-care after discharge. Do you agree with this article? Disagree? Have a comment or questions? Send an e-mail to Karen Stanwood, Managing Editor, at kstanwood@slackinc.com. We're waiting to hear from you!
In Reply: The PARADIGM-HF trial.

IN REPLY : We thank Dr. Blankfield for raising these two important points. Although the findings of the PARADIGM-HF study are compelling, the design and results of this trial have incited many questions. To address his first point, about the differential dosages of the two drugs, we agree, and we
Γ 1 conduction electron g factor and matrix elements in GaAs and Al x Ga 1-x As alloys

We report a new technique for determining $|{g}^{*}|$ of ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1}$ conduction electrons using optical-spin orientation techniques (polarization of luminescence, Hanle effect, and lifetime measurements). The variation of $|{g}^{*}|$ with $x$ in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{As}(0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.21)$ implies a negative ${g}^{*}$ in GaAs, in contrast to previous theoretical interpretations but in agreement with various recent measurements. The experimental values of ${g}^{*}$ and ${m}^{*}$ in GaAs are used to determine the momentum matrix elements connecting the ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1}$ state to the ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{15}$ valence and conduction states. The results obtained for GaAs are employed to calculate matrix elements and $g$ factors in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{As}$ alloys and in a number of zinc-blende crystals. Improved agreement between the calculated and measured values of ${g}^{*}$ is obtained in nearly all cases.
Time-resolved x-ray scattering from phonons

Advances in x-ray sources are enabling the study of material dynamics with unprecedented resolution down to the atomic-scale. We present first time- and momentum-resolved diffuse scattering measurements of nonequilibrium phonons in photoexcited semiconductors.
Uniform Quantum Transport Properties Across Different Chemical Decorations in Bilayer Graphene

The electronic and quantum transport properties of AB-stacked bilayer graphene nanoribbons with various types of chemical and structural modifications are investigated numerically. First-principles calculations evidence that, for parallel ribbons separated by the typical graphitic van der Waals-bond distance, the modification of one ribbon affects the electronic structure of both layers. Oxygen atoms in epoxide configuration, sp3-type defects, p- and n-type doping and Stone–Wales defects are found to enhance the interlayer coupling, introduce quasi-bound states that extend over both ribbons, and affect the conductance of the bilayered network. Most of the impurities exhibit an acceptor-like character that leads to asymmetric electron–hole transmission profiles, providing the possibility of creating mobility gaps that are nearly independent of the type of external modification.
A Comparison of Consumer Perceptions of Product Versus Service Salespeople

Few empirical studies have examined consumer perceptions of product or services salespeople. This paper attempts to fill this gap in the personal selling literature by investigating whether consumers perceive services and product salespeople differently. The literature on the unique characteristics of services was reviewed to provide a conceptual background as to why and how consumers might evaluate these two types of salespeople differently. Data were solicited from the Arkansas Household Research Panel members through mail questionnaires. This study yielded a number of surprising and contradictory findings. Explanations were offered to reconcile the contradictions. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings were discussed.
Gender, Self, and Brand: A Cross-Cultural Study on Gender Identity and Consumerbased Brand Equity

Gender is one of the most profound social factors that shapes and constructs our individual activities and group experiences. Yet, the influence of gender effects has been oversimplified in marketing literature that addresses gender as a singular biological descriptor (Palan 2010). In today’s market place, gender concept is increasingly blurred as a result of rapid and turbulent social-economic changes since the 1960s. Practitioners are targeting emerging gender market segments based on this trend. Accordant with the social and market changes, marketing researchers are becoming increasingly sentient to the fallacy of a consonant biological approach to gender identity, and greater attention has been afforded to a more integrative approach for understanding gender as a multifactorial construct,
Alternative Minimally Invasive Options: Gastric Pacing

It is estimated that 66% of all adult Americans are overweight or obese (1). Furthermore, 4.8% are extremely (morbidly) obese, which is defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 40. Calculations suggest that the number of extremely obese adults in the United States has reached a staggering 14 to 16 million people. These individuals suffer from a wide range of comorbidities and make up the second largest group of preventable deaths after smoking (>300,000 yearly) (2). The cost of treating the obese is staggering, at approximately $70 billion yearly (3). The impact of obesity is also not limited to the United States but is spreading worldwide. Globally, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was recently estimated at 1.7 billion people (4). This accounts for over 2.5 million deaths per year (5). Not far behind obesity in adults is the growing epidemic of overweight adolescents. Currently, surgery is rarely offered to these patients for fear of operative complications and longterm noncompliance.
Potential Benefits To Agriculture of Augmenting Precipitation

This paper discusses ongoing research intended to develop a clearer understanding of the impact of weather modification on a portion of the agricultural sector of the U.S. economy, the feed-livestock complex. The research framework models the interactive effects of changing weather, technology, government policies, and demand on market prices. Supply and demand relations may be estimated and solved within the context of a simultaneous equation econometric model. Within the model, crop yield response relations must be estimated at an appropriate level of geographical aggregation to ensure uniform measurement of weather modification effects. An econometric technique, based on the use of binary variables, is proposed as means for selecting geographical aggregates. The transmission of the "weather effect" to the agricultural sector is accomplished in the supply-demand model. Benefits accruing to various market participants may then be identified under alternative scenarios of weather modification.
Compressed sensing of different size block-sparse signals: Efficient recovery

This paper considers compressed sensing of different size block-sparse signals, i.e. signals with nonzero elements occurring in blocks with different lengths. A new sufficient condition for mixed l 2 /l 1 -optimization algorithm is derived to successfully recover k-sparse signals. We show that if the signal possesses k-block sparse structure, then via mixed l 2 /l 1 -optimization algorithm, a better reconstruction results can be achieved in comparison with the conventional l 1 -optimization algorithm and fixed-size mixed l 2 /l 1 -optimization algorithm. The significance of the results presented in this paper lies in the fact that making explicit use of different block-sparsity can yield better reconstruction properties than treating the signal as being sparse in the conventional sense, thereby ignoring the structure in the signal.
The delay optimization of circuit breaker failure protection based on the CT current tail truncation algorithm

Circuit breaker failure protection (CBFP) is a widely used back-up protection in electrical power system. To avoid maloperation, the CBFP needs a long delay to confirm the status of the circuit breaker, which means the cut off time will be long, sometimes too long to keep the stability of the power system. Therefore, it is very important to propose an optimized method to calculate the CBFP delay time for improving the stability of the system. A CT current tail truncation algorithm based on a CT tailing current-short circuit current criterion plane has been shown in this paper, which can truncate CT tailing current quickly and thereby shorten the delay of CBFP. Without special configuration of P level CT, this algorithm ensures the reliability and rapidity of CBFP, significantly reduces the risk of system operation, and has good economic benefits.
The Reaction of [3H]Norepinephrine with Particulate Fractions of Cells Responsive to Catecholamines

Some previous reports of [3H]norepinephrine binding to beta adrenergic receptors were reexamined in cultured glial cells (C6), other clonal cell lines, and canine cardiac microsomes. There was no correlation between [3H]norepinephrine binding to particulate preparations from five clones and the ability of catecholamines to stimulate cyclic 39,59-AMP synthesis in intact cells. While the [3H]norepinephrine binding with particulate fractions required hours for completion, cyclic AMP accumulation rates in intact cells were maximal within seconds even at low hormone concentrations. The [3H]norepinephrine binding reaction could only be blocked by those adrenergic drugs with a catechol moiety. There was no apparent pharmacological specificity. Furthermore, o- and p-dihydroxybenzene derivatives (1-10 µM), but not meta derivatives (e.g., catechol and hydroquinone, but not resorcinol), blocked the reaction of [3H]norepinephrine with the particulate fractions. Since effective inhibitors thus appeared to be reducing agents, ascorbic acid and sodium metabisulfite were tested. They were found to be potent inhibitors of the reaction in micromolar concentrations. When tested in intact cells, many compounds able to block binding (dopa, 5-hydroxydopa, pyrogallol, catechol, hydroquinone, ascorbate, metabisulfite) neither stimulated (at 0.1 mM) nor blocked (at 105:1 excess) catecholamine-stimulated cyclic AMP synthesis. Inhibition by EDTA of the [3H]norepinephrine binding reaction was reversed by micromolar Cu++, Fe++, and Mn++ but not by Ca++, Mg++, and Ba++. Depletion of oxygen in reaction mixtures with N2 inhibited binding. The reaction of [3H]norepinephrine with cell particulate fractions could not be reversed after prolongee exposure to 1 N HCl, 5% trichloroacetic acid or 1 mM norepinephrine. After incubation little of the 3H in the medium was identifiable as [3H]norepinephrine. We hypothesize that observed [3H]norepinephrine binding to cell fractions involves oxidation and subsequent covalent reaction with macromolecules and, as such, does not represent binding to the beta adrenergic receptor. Conditions are discussed under which true binding of catecholamines to beta adrenergic receptors might be measured.
Human papillomavirus in cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancer: One cause, two diseases

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes greater than 5% of cancers worldwide, including all cervical cancers and an alarmingly increasing proportion of oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). Despite markedly reduced cervical cancer incidence in industrialized nations with organized screening programs, cervical cancer remains the second most common cause of death from cancer in women worldwide, as developing countries lack resources for universal, high-quality screening. In the United States, HPV-related OPC is only 1 of 5 cancers with a rising incidence since 1975 and now has taken over the cervix as the most common site of HPV-related cancer. Similar trends follow throughout North America and Europe. The need for early detection and prevention is paramount. Despite the common etiologic role of HPV in the development of cervical cancer and HPV-associated OPC, great disparity exists between incidence, screening modalities (or lack thereof), treatment, and prevention in these 2 very distinct cohorts. These differences in cervical cancer and HPV-associated OPC and their impact are discussed here. Cancer 2017;123:2219-2229. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
A Matlab program for the determination of thermodynamic properties of steam

An introductory course in thermodynamics seeks to acquaint students with the laws of thermodynamics and to enable them to analyze energy transformations in various engineering systems. The latter r...
Management of the innovation project in the area of design and implementation of microprocessor systems for the railways

In the paper, the main elements of the management of product innovation projects in the field of microprocessor systems for the railway industry are identified. The advantages and drawbacks of methods, tools and techniques used for the management of innovation projects are discussed. Also, their influence on efficiency, quality, safety and effectiveness of the management of this kind of projects is described. Based on the available literature sources, contemporary tools and technology means enabling development of safe (from the functional point of view) microprocessor systems as well as the significance and influence of formal and legal factors on the way of projects execution are presented. The conducted analyses result in recommendations for necessary changes and improvements of the execution phase and identification of key success and threat factors in the management of innovation projects for the railways.
Biomass Yield and Composition of Switchgrass Bales on Marginal Land as Influenced by Harvest Management Scheme

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is well suited to marginal croplands, but is difficult to manage sustainably both for maximum yield and optimal biomass composition. Quality can be improved by overwintering switchgrass in the field, but more information is needed on amount and consistency of yield recovery in spring. Two cultivars of switchgrass were sown on separate fields in Freeville, NY, and mowed and baled in late fall (FALL), mowed in fall and baled in spring (WINTER), or mowed and baled in spring (SPRING), using conventional field harvesting equipment. Samples were collected for analysis of plant morphological components and for determining the influence of harvest stubble height on yield and composition. Recovery of FALL biomass yields the following spring ranged from 52 to 82% and was related to both total winter snowfall and to the spring date when soil was dry enough to allow equipment traffic. Approximately 1% of dry matter yield was left in the field for each centimeter of stubble height following mowing. Bale moisture content was very low in spring, averaging 7.3%, but was much more variable and higher in the fall, averaging 22% for “Cave-in-Rock”. Inflorescence and leaf blade were the primary morphological components lost in standing switchgrass over winter. The SPRING treatment can be mowed and baled on the same day without other field operations and has higher quality than WINTER, with no consistent yield advantage for either spring baling treatment. The large and variable yield loss due to overwintering switchgrass in the field makes the practice questionable.
PRMT5 as a druggable target for glioblastoma therapy

Background In spite of standard multimodal therapy consisting of surgical resection followed by radiation and concurrent chemotherapy, prognosis for glioblastoma (GBM) patients remains poor. The identification of both differentiated and undifferentiated "stem cell like" populations in the tumor highlights the significance of finding novel targets that affect the heterogeneous tumor cell population. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is one such candidate gene whose nuclear expression correlates with poor survival and has been reported to be required for survival of differentiated GBM cells and self-renewal of undifferentiated GBM cells. In the current study we screened the specificity and efficacy of 4 novel PRMT5 inhibitors in the treatment of GBM. Methods Efficacies of these inhibitors were screened using an in vitro GBM neurosphere model and an in vivo intracranial zebrafish model of glioma. Standard molecular biology methods were employed to investigate changes in cell cycle, growth, and senescence. Results In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that among the 4 PRMT5 inhibitors, treatment of GBM cells with compound 5 (CMP5) mirrored the effects of PRMT5 knockdown wherein it led to apoptosis of differentiated GBM cells and drove undifferentiated primary patient derived GBM cells into a nonreplicative senescent state. Conclusion In vivo antitumor efficacy combined with the specificity of CMP5 underscores the importance of developing it for translation.
Photo-Field Emission from Needle Cathodes

Abstract Previous experiments examined photocurrent from tungsten needles using 10-ns laser pulses at 532 nm, 355 nm, and 266 nm. Using a nitrogen laser at 337 nm, peak currents are observed up to 1 mA. Photocurrent is observed to increase linearly with laser power, with a quantum efficiency of 10 −3 at 266 nm. PACS codes: 41.75. Fr; 79.70. + q; 79.60. -i
Blockchain-Enabled Multisensor Clinical Laboratory Information System

The purpose of this paper is to design an information system for clinics to implement multiple sensors for laboratory testing and telemedicine use. IoT is adopted in major hospitals but many smaller healthcare organizations have not benefited from the recent innovation due to lack of access to technology [1]. The paper presents the 'sensor lab' information system architecture for small clinics that includes sensors, a secure blockchain cloud to link the sensors and transmit data, and an electronic health record (EHR) analytics tool to evaluate patients’ health conditions. Additionally, costs and benefits for smart clinics are shown to prove the business value of smart clinics. The goal of a smart clinic is to improve outpatient visit efficiency and patient data security, provide telemedicine care management, and reduce clinic expenses.
Cholesterol Depletion by TASIN-1 Induces Apoptotic Cell Death through the ER Stress/ROS/JNK Signaling in Colon Cancer Cells

Truncated APC selective inhibitor-1 (TASIN-1) is a recently identified small molecule that selectively kills colorectal cancer cells that express truncated adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) by reducing cellular cholesterol levels. However, the downstream mechanism responsible for its cytotoxicity is not well understood. In this study, we show that TASIN-1 leads to apoptotic cell death via inducing ER stress-dependent JNK activation in human truncated APC colon cancer cells, accompanied by production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, TASIN-1 inhibits AKT activity through a cholesterol-dependent manner. Human colon tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice also show the same TASIN-1 induced molecular mechanisms of tumor cell death as observed in vitro Taken together, cholesterol depletion by TASIN-1 treatment induces apoptotic cell death through activating ER stress/ROS/JNK axis and inhibiting AKT pro-survival signaling in colon cancer cells with truncated APC both in vitro and in vivoMol Cancer Ther; 17(5); 943-51. ©2018 AACR.
Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life: A Fresh Physically Based Paradigm for Cell Function

The cytoplasm is broadly acknowledged to be a gel. Textbook mechanisms nevertheless build on the presumption that it is an aqueous solution. Gels and aqueous solutions are quite different: Gels are polymer matrices to which water clings-that’s why the cracked egg feels gooey, and why gelatin dessert does not shrivel up despite 95% water content. The concept of a gel-like cytoplasm is replete with power. Partitioning of ions between the inside and outside of the cell is directly explainable from the cytoplasm’s gel-like character and the organization of its water molecules; such partitioning requires zero maintenance energy, unlike ion-pumping mechanisms. The cell’s electrical potential is also explainable: substantial potentials are measured in gels, as well as in cells stripped of their membrane. Gels also undergo phase-transition-transformation of protein and water from one physical state to another. In so doing, the gels change volume, ion content, solvency, permeability, electrical characteristics, etc.- changes similar to those experienced by organelles within the functioning cell. Hence, the phase transition may have broad applicability for cell function. These ideas are explored in depth n a recent book (Pollack, “Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life,” 2001, www.ebnerandsons.com), and will be presented at the meeting.
Pollen Tube Chemotropism

The pollen tube of flowering plants may grow through as much as 50 cm of the stylar tissue, enter the micropyle of an ovule and then discharge from its tip two non-motile sperm cells in the immediate vicinity of an unfertilized egg. This review is concerned with the factors that direct the pollen tube to the egg.
A Third Sector in the Third Millennium

Three trends since the 1960s underscore the need for different ways of conceptualizing the new mixed economy in the human services. First, there has been an enormous increase in the number and types of nonprofit organizations, and greater dependence on governmental revenue. Second, extensive growth in privatization and commercialization in the human services. Third, this culminated in the convergence and blurring of sectoral boundaries. Numerous metaphors have been suggested to describe these new patterns, but more suitable concepts and theories are needed. Four theoretical frameworks are analyzed for an intersectoral study of organizations in the same industry: (1) political economy, (2) organizational ecology, (3) neoinstitutionalism, and (4) mixed, open systems. As analytic paradigms, these frameworks could supplement, complement, or be integrated with other research models for third sector studies, and could contribute to theory building and social policy.
cAMP levels in fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle after an acute bout of aerobic exercise.

The present study examined whether exercise duration was associated with elevated and/or sustained elevations of postexercise adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) by measuring cAMP levels in skeletal muscle for up to 4 h after acute exercise bouts of durations that are known to either produce (60 min) or not produce (10 min) mitochondrial proliferation after chronic training. Treadmill-acclimatized, but untrained, rats were run at 22 m/min for 0 (control), 10, or 60 min and were killed at various postexercise (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h) time points. Fast-twitch white and red (quadriceps) and slow-twitch (soleus) muscles were quickly excised, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and assayed for cAMP with a commercial kit. Unexpectedly, cAMP contents in all three muscles were similar to control (nonexercise) at most (21 of 30) time points after a single 10- or 60-min run. Values at 9 of 30 time points were significantly different from control (P < 0.05); i.e., 3 time points were significantly higher than control and 6 were significantly less than control. These data suggest that the cAMP concentration of untrained skeletal muscle after a single bout of endurance-type exercise is not, by itself, associated with exercise duration.
Dermatitis Facial por Malassezia pachydermatis.

Se presenta un caso de dermatitis facial por Malassezia pachydermatis en un paciente de 34 anos de edad, diagnosticado mediante clinica y estudio micologico. M. pachydermatis es una levadura que forma parte de la microbiota de mamiferos domesticos y animales salvajes, donde frecuentemente puede provocar dermatitis y otitis externa. En humanos, son escasas las infecciones por este agente, describiendose desde infecciones superficiales hasta fungemias. En Chile se la ha encontrado como agente causal de pitiriasis versicolor y dermatitis seborreica principalmente en pacientes inmuno-comprometidos.
Early Pregnancy Hemoglobin A1C and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Population-Based Study.

Objective Women with prediabetes are identified from screening for overt diabetes in early pregnancy, but the clinical significance of prediabetes in pregnancy is unclear. We examined whether prediabetes in early pregnancy was associated with risks of adverse outcomes. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Washington from 2011 to 2014. Early pregnancy hemoglobin A1C (A1C) values, covariates, and outcomes were ascertained from electronic medical records and state birth certificates. Women with prediabetes (A1C of 5.7–6.4%) were compared with those with normal A1C levels ( Results Of 7,020 women, 239 (3.4%) had prediabetes. GDM developed in 48% of prediabetic women compared with 11% of women with normal A1C levels (adjusted RR: 2.8, 95% CI: 2.4–3.3). Prediabetes was not associated with all other adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Conclusion Prediabetes in early pregnancy is a risk factor for GDM. Future research is needed to elucidate whether early intervention may reduce this risk.
Regression-Based Documents Reranking for Precision Medicine

Precision medicine information retrieval (PM IR) is about matching the most relevant scientific articles to an individual patient for reliable disease treatment. To achieve effectiveness and efficiency, the task usually consists of two stages: conventional information retrieval and reranking. Many approaches have been proposed for reranking. However, the performance is still far from satisfactory. In this work, we propose a regression-based reranking scheme for PM IR which uses labelled data regardless of empirical knowledge from similar but not identical documents set. Experiments validate that the performance of our approach is significantly better than that of the state-of-the-art approaches.
An Evidence Supported Medical Laboratory Science Program Admissions Selection Process

After a recent enrollment expansion, a Medical Laboratory Science program experienced a higher than desired student attrition rate due to a number of academic and non-academic student readiness factors. In an attempt to address retention and other issues, the program completed a curriculum update and revision as well as a conversion to a hybrid or flipped classroom delivery model, but in spite of an overall improvement in student learning outcomes, the program still experienced a high level of student attrition. Program faculty then developed and implemented a two stage holistic admissions selection process, which included an interview and skills test, in an attempt to assess candidate background knowledge and abilities in an equitable manner. Comparison of student factors associated with on-time successful graduation, probation (delayed graduation), or dismissal from the program indicated that the science and prerequisite science grade point averages were significantly higher for students who graduated on-time compared to delayed or non-successful (dismissed) students. Review of applicants9 performance in the interview and skills test showed significant differences for multiple factors for students who graduated on-time from the program compared to delayed (probation) and non-successful (dismissed) students. Continuing reviews of program retention rates are needed, however the attrition rate for the next cohort dropped from 24% to 4% when the program focused the selection process on factors shown to be associated with successful graduation. ABBREVIATIONS:MCAT - Medical College Admission Test, ACT – American College Test, SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test, GPA – Grade Point Average, AHPAT – Allied Health Professions Admission Test, MLS – Medical Laboratory Sciences, ANOVA - Analysis of variance, sGPA - Science GPA, preGPA – Prerequisite science course GPA, TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language, PPB – Purdue Pegboard
On the explanatory demands of the Special Composition Question

The Special Composition Question may be formulated as follows: for any xs whatsoever, what are the metaphysically necessary and jointly sufficient conditions in virtue of which there is a y such that those xs compose y? But what is the scope of the sought after explanation? Should an answer merely explain compositional facts, or should it explain certain ontological facts as well? On one natural reading, the question seeks an explanation of both the compositional facts and the ontological; the question seeks to explain how composite objects exist; how there is a y such that the xs compose y. But it turns out that some answers to the Special Composition Question presuppose those ontological facts rather than explain those ontological facts. In this paper, I will indicate what I take to be the different explanatory demands met by the representative answers. I will argue that the wide scope explanatory demands can’t be satisfied. I will also show that this result has bearing on the current debate about composition.
Food insecurity and bulimia nervosa in the United States.

Background Food insecurity occurs when access to food is limited by financial hardship. Yet, paradoxically, food insecurity is associated with overeating, with emerging evidence that it may be related to disordered eating. A recent report found that food insecurity was associated with binge-eating disorder (BED), but it is not yet known whether food insecurity is also associated with bulimia nervosa (BN). Methods Participants were 873 respondents recruited online who completed a battery of established measures and were categorized into three study groups: healthy-weight (HW), BED, and BN. Hierarchical logistic regressions evaluated the extent to which low and very low food security were associated with BN compared with HW and BED study groups. Results Low and very low food security were both associated with increased likelihood of BN group membership compared with HW but not BED. Conclusions Our findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with BN and also suggest that food insecurity's association with BN is similar to that for BED. These findings highlight the need for greater clinical and research attention to associations between food insecurity and eating disorders that include binge eating to inform eating-disorder prevention and treatment.
A hierarchical Bayesian model for single-cell clustering using RNA-sequencing data

Understanding the heterogeneity of cells is an important biological question. The development of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology provides high resolution data for such inquiry. A key challenge in scRNA-seq analysis is the high variability of measured RNA expression levels and frequent dropouts (missing values) due to limited input RNA compared to bulk RNA-seq measurement. Existing clustering methods do not perform well for these noisy and zero-inflated scRNA-seq data. In this manuscript we propose a Bayesian hierarchical model, called BasClu, to appropriately characterize important features of scRNA-seq data in order to more accurately cluster cells. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method with extensive simulation studies and applications to three real scRNA-seq datasets.
A Stepwise Approach to Assess the Occupancy State of Larval Lampreys in Streams

Abstract Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus is an ecologically and culturally important anadromous species of conservation concern for which fisheries managers use information on occupancy sta...
Focusing Our View of Dyslexia Through a Multifactorial Lens: A Commentary:

Multifactorial models of dyslexia have expanded how we consider heterogeneity within the population of children with dyslexia. These models are predicated on the idea that cognitive/linguistic risk...
Characterizing the hyperuniformity of ordered and disordered two-phase media.

The hyperuniformity concept provides a unified means to classify all perfect crystals, perfect quasicrystals, and exotic amorphous states of matter according to their capacity to suppress large-scale density fluctuations. While the classification of hyperuniform point configurations has received considerable attention, much less is known about the classification of hyperuniform two-phase heterogeneous media, which include composites, porous media, foams, cellular solids, colloidal suspensions, and polymer blends. The purpose of this article is to begin such a program for certain two-dimensional models of hyperuniform two-phase media by ascertaining their local volume-fraction variances ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{{}_{V}}^{2}(R)$ and the associated hyperuniformity order metrics ${\overline{B}}_{V}$. This is a highly challenging task because the geometries and topologies of the phases are generally much richer and more complex than point-configuration arrangements, and one must ascertain a broadly applicable length scale to make key quantities dimensionless. Therefore, we purposely restrict ourselves to a certain class of two-dimensional periodic cellular networks as well as periodic and disordered or irregular packings of circular disks, some of which maximize their effective transport and elastic properties. Among the cellular networks considered, the honeycomb networks have minimal values of the hyperuniformity order metrics ${\overline{B}}_{V}$ across all volume fractions. On the other hand, for all packings of circular disks examined, the triangular-lattice packings have the smallest values of ${\overline{B}}_{V}$ for the possible range of volume fractions. Among all structures studied here, the triangular-lattice packing of circular disks have the minimal values of the order metric for almost all volume fractions. Our study provides a theoretical foundation for the establishment of hyperuniformity order metrics for general two-phase media and a basis to discover new hyperuniform two-phase systems with desirable bulk physical properties by inverse design procedures.
Data Mining and Machine Learning Retention Models in Higher Education

This study presents a systematic review of the literature on the predicting student retention in higher education through machine learning algorithms based on measures such as dropout risk, attriti...
Investigation to Hole Surface Microstructure Evolution in Drilling of Aerospace Alloys: Ti-5553

Ti-5553 (Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr-0.5Fe) is a newly developed near β titanium (Ti) alloy with excellent fatigue performance and corrosion resistance. Hence, it is of significant importance in several high-performance aerospace applications such as landing gear components and helicopter rotors. The machinability of Ti-5553 is low owing to its high strength at elevated temperature, low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity. Although there is a profound knowledge about the machinability of α + β Ti alloys (typically Ti-6Al-4V), there is a lack of understanding regarding the surface microstructure evolution during machining of Ti-5553. This paper presents experimental investigations on the microstructure evaluation in the hole surface produced from drilling of Ti-5553. A series of high-speed drilling tests were conducted to evaluate the influence of cutting conditions on the hole surface microstructure alternation in relation to the cutting temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique were used to characterize the hole surface microstructure evolution. The precipitation of new α phase from β matrix in the hole surface was observed in dry drilling; however, this phenomenon was not detected in wet drilling with a coolant supplied.
Do Primaries Improve Electoral Performance? Clientelism and Intra‐Party Conflict in Ghana

We consider the effect of legislative primaries on the electoral performance of political parties in a new democracy. While existing literature suggests that primaries may either hurt a party by selecting extremist candidates or improve performance by selecting high valence candidates or improving a party’s image, these mechanisms may not apply where clientelism is prevalent. A theory of primaries built instead on a logic of clientelism with intra-party conflict suggests different effects of legislative primaries for ruling and opposition parties, as well as spillover effects for presidential elections. Using matching with an original dataset on Ghana, we find evidence of a primary bonus for the opposition party and a primary penalty for the ruling party in the legislative election, while legislative primaries improve performance in the presidential election in some constituencies for both parties.