cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in pediatric patients.

Objective To evaluate the incidence of pediatric robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasties (RALPs) and to determine if there were regional or age-related trends associated with the performance of RALP. Methods Using 2005-2010 data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), the incidence of and trends in pyeloplasty in patients less than 18 years of age were assessed. This was broken down by open, laparoscopic, and robotic techniques when possible. Multiple logistic regression determined which characteristics were associated with increased performance of RALP. Population weighting was used to estimate national rates. Results A total of 15,498 pediatric pyeloplasties were performed between 2005 and 2010. Coding for robotics began at the end of 2008, and, since then, 750 of the 5557 pediatric pyeloplasties were robotic. The rate of RALP remained unchanged from 2008-2010 (odds ratio [OR] 0.93, P = .051); however, there was an overall increase in minimally invasively procedures (RALP or laparoscopic) since 2005 (OR 1.4, P P P = .001), midwest (OR 2.9, P = .001), or west (OR 4.31, P Conclusion An estimated 750 robotic pyeloplasties were performed in the United States between the end of 2008 and 2010. There was an increase in the total number of pyeloplasties performed using minimally invasive techniques since 2005. Older children are more likely and patients living in the south are less likely to be treated with robotic assistance.
BACE-1 inhibition by a series of ψ[CH2NH] reduced amide isosteres

A series of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE-1) inhibitors containing a ψ(CH 2 NH) reduced amide bond were synthesized. Incorporation of this reduced amide isostere as a non-cleavable peptide surrogate afforded inhibitors possessing low nanomolar potencies in both an enzymatic and cell-based assay.
Anthelmintic screening of Sub-Saharan African plants used in traditional medicine.

Aim of study This study screened for anthelmintic activity of plant species traditionally used in the treatment of intestinal parasites and their symptoms in Sub-Saharan Africa in an effort to confirm their local use and aid in the search for new compounds since resistance is a growing concern. Materials and methods Aqueous and organic extracts of 33 plant parts from 17 plant species traditionally used in the treatment of intestinal infections in Sub-Saharan Africa were evaluated for their anthelmintic activity. This activity was assessed using a standard motility assay against a levamisole resistant strain of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Results and conclusions Anthelmintic activity was confirmed in 12 plant species. Of these, eight showed strong evidence of activity (p < 0.0001), one exhibited moderate evidence of activity (p < 0.001), three demonstrated weak evidence of activity (p < 0.05), and five plants showed no evidence of activity. The eight species with the strongest evidence of activity were Acacia polyacantha, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Bridelia micrantha, Cassia sieberiana, Combretum nigricans, Grewia bicolor, Strychnos spinosa and Ziziphus mucronata. In only two cases, Anogeissus leiocarpus and Cassia sieberiana, anthelmintic activity has been previously confirmed. The activity demonstrated against the levamisole resistant strain of Caenorhabditis elegans and the presence of molecules in these plants known or suspected of having a broad spectrum of activity provide support for further study of these plants and their compounds as possible treatments for parasitic worm infections.
Identification and characterization of DNA clones encoding group-II glycinin subunits.

DNA clones that encode the group-II subunits of soybean glycinin were identified and compared with clones for group-I subunits. The group-I clones hybridize weakly to those from group-II at low stringency, but fail to hybridize with them at moderate or high stringency. The genes for the group-II subunits are contained in 13 and 9 kb EcoRI fragments of genomic DNA in cultivar CX635-1-1-1. These fragments contain genes for subunits A5A4B3 and A3B4, respectively. The larger size of mature group-II subunits compared with group-I subunits is correlated with a larger sized mRNA. However, the gross arrangement of introns and exons within the group-II coding regions appears to be the same as for the genes which encode group-I subunits. Messenger RNA for both groups of glycinin subunits appear in the seed at the same developmental interval, and their appearance lags slightly behind that of mRNAs for the a/a′ subunits of β-conglycinin. These data indicate that the glycinin gene family is more complex than previously thought.
Community violence exposure, social cognition, and aggression among urban elementary school children

The effects of witnessing community violence on aggressive cognitions and behavior were investigated in an ethnically diverse sample of 4,458 children living in urban neighborhoods. Prior violence exposure had a significant effect in increasing aggression, normative beliefs about aggression, and aggressive fantasy. Although exposure to violence predicted aggressive behavior both in Grades 1 through 3 (ages 5–8) and Grades 4 through 6 (ages 9–12), the effects on social cognition were only evident in the later grades. Furthermore, the effect of violence exposure on aggression in the later grades was partially mediated by its effect on social cognition. These findings suggest that witnessing community violence has an effect on children’s aggressive behavior through both imitation of violence and the development of associated cognitions as children get older. One of the most robust findings in the literature on the etiology of aggression is the statistical continuity of aggression from early childhood into adulthood (Huesmann, Eron, Lefkowitz, & Walder, 1984; Olweus, 1979). Several researchers have argued that one of the mediating factors in maintaining this continuity is the pattern of social cognition the child develops supporting aggression. In other words, aggressive behavior is seen as being increasingly controlled by internal self-regulating processes that become more stable over time (Huesmann & Guerra, 1997). Huesmann (1988, 1998) has emphasized the importance of cognitive schemas used as models of the world, cognitive scripts stored in memory and used as guides for social behavior, and normative beliefs used to evaluate the appropriateness of scripts. The more aggressive child is presumed to have acquired cognitive schemas depicting the world as a more hostile place, to endorse normative beliefs that aggression is more acceptable, and to have encoded in memory more extensive, wellconnected networks of social scripts emphasizing aggressive responses.
Genetic offspring in patients with vaginal agenesis: specific medical and legal issues.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: There are new options for genetic offspring in patients with vaginal agenesis (Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome). The reported world experience to date with genetic offspring of patients with vaginal agenesis consists of five pregnancies (including two reported here and two frozen embryos). The specifics of these cases are presented for discussion. STUDY DESIGN: We present a retrospective description of two women with vaginal agenesis and their matched gestational carriers with positive outcome of two live births. Care was delivered in a private in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer program. RESULTS: In vitro fertilization of oocytes gathered from the genetic mother with vaginal agenesis and sperm from the genetic father were transferred to a gestational carrier. Two live births and one blighted ovum pregnancy resulted. CONCLUSION: Until recently, treatment for patients with vaginal agenesis (Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome) has centered on the creation of a functional vagina. The technology of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, allowing for collection of oocytes from the genetic mother, fertilization by the genetic father, and placement into a gestational carrier, enables a woman without a uterus to have her own genetic children. The specific medical and legal issues involved in facilitating genetic offspring in these instances must be considered; these include the initial matching of the genetic parents with the gestational carrier, cycle synchronization for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, anatomic difficulties of oocyte retrieval, birth certificate documentation, and the current legal status of a gestational carrier.
“Digital Diffusion” Technique for the Administration of Local Anesthetic in Eyelid Surgery

My preferred technique for the administration of local anesthetic has been dubbed “digital diffusion.” This technique involves the administration of a 50/50 mixture of 2% xylocaine with 1 : 100,000 epinephrine, 0.5% marcaine with 1 : 200,000 epinephrine combined with NaHCO3 and hyaluronidase. We add 0.5 ml of NaHCO3 to 9 ml of the local mixture and 0.5 ml or less of the hyaluronidase to a total of 10 ml.
An l 2 -stable feedback structure for nonlinear adaptive filtering and identification

This paper proposes a feedback structure for the design of l2-stable algorithms for nonlinear adaptive filtering and identification, and establishes explicit connections between classical schemes in IIR modeling and more recent results in H∞ theory. In particular, two algorithms due to Feintuch and to Landau, as well as the so-called pseudo-linear regression and Gauss-Newton algorithms, are discussed within the framework proposed here. Additional examples and simulation results are included to illustrate the applicability of the approach to several nonlinear scenarios.
Patterns of Variation in the Evolution of Carotenoid Biosynthetic Pathway Enzymes of Higher Plants

Cellular metabolic networks depend on the products of many loci for proper functioning. These interrelationships between loci at the phenotypic level raise the question of whether they evolve independently. Previous research has demonstrated that in the anthocyanin pathway, which produces important secondary metabolites in plants, the genes encoding downstream enzymes show an increased rate of change at nonsynonymous sites when compared with upstream loci due to relaxed constraint. To test whether this pattern exists more broadly, we compared a set of 4 genes encoding enzymes of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, which produces a set of distinct colored secondary metabolites in plants. Comparisons between copies of phytoene desaturase, f-carotene desaturase, lycopene b-cyclase, and zeaxanthin epoxidase from 6 taxa indicate that the 3 upstream enzymes (phytoene desaturase, f-carotene desaturase, and lycopene b-cyclase) have similar proportions of codons under selective constraint, whereas the most downstream enzyme (zeaxanthin epoxidase) has more codons evolving under relaxed constraint. Overall, nonsynonymous substitution rates appear to be highest for zeaxanthin epoxidase, whereas synonymous substitution rates were highest for the intermediate enzyme lycopene b-cyclase. Analysis of codon bias shows that only lycopene b-cyclase may be under slight selection pressure for codon usage. Taken together, these results show that the enzymes of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway are under strong selective constraint but that the most downstream enzyme is under the least constraint.
Stem Parrots (Aves, Halcyornithidae) from the Green River Formation and a Combined Phylogeny of Pan-Psittaciformes

A new species of stem parrot is reported from the early Eocene Fossil Butte Member of the Green River Formation. Well-preserved specimens including a complete skeleton and referred partial postcranial skeleton reveal new osteological details of the clade Halcyornithidae and expand the known diversity of the Green River avifauna. Cyrilavis colburnorum n. sp. shares key morphologies with the smaller Green River halcyornithid Cyrilavis olsoni. A combined phylogenetic analysis of Pan-Psittaciformes using 101 morphological characters and sequence data from three genes (RAG-1, Z-chromosomal spindlin and cytochrome b) supports the placement of 1) Halcyornithidae, 2) a small clade uniting the Messel fossil taxon Psittacopes lepidus and an unnamed London Clay species, and 3) Quercypsittidae on branches successively closer to the crown clade Psittaciformes. Analysis of the morphological dataset alone yields a similar strict consensus tree with slightly less resolution (one additional branch collapsed). Relationships within the crown clade agree well with recent hypotheses in supporting a basal divergence between the New Zealand Nestoridae and all other extant parrots, and a second major divergence between Cacatuidae and Psittacidae. When fossils are taken into account, many previously proposed synapomorphies of extant parrots are instead optimized as synapomorphies of more inclusive groups including both stem fossil taxa and living taxa. Fossil evidence is consistent with a more recent origin of crown clade Psittaciformes than predicted from divergence dating analyses, and supports environmental shifts and dispersal as key drivers in parrot biogeography.
Plasma-Enhanced Metalorganic Chemical Vapor deposition of Lipon Thin Films

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (Lipon) thin films have been deposited by a plasmaenhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PE-MOCVD) method using triethyl phosphate [(CH2CH3)3PO4] and lithium tert-butoxide [(LiOC(CH3)3] precursors. Growth rates were between 100 and 415 A/min, and thicknesses ranged from 1 to 2.5 μm. X-ray powder diffraction showed that the films were amorphous, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed approximately 6.9 at.% carbon in the films. The ionic conductivity of Lipon was measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and approximately 1.02 μS/cm was obtained, which is consistent with the ionic conductivity of Lipon deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering of Li3PO4 targets. An all-solid-state thin-film lithium microbattery such as Li/Lipon/LiCoO2/Au/substrate was successfully fabricated with Lipon deposited by PE-MOCVD. The battery has a capacity of ca. 22 μAh/cm2μm.
The Cardiovascular World Is Definitely Not Flat

Thomas Friedman’s revolutionary book The World Is Flat describes how recent changes in technology are transforming the world.1 The ubiquitous nature of the Internet now facilitates rapid information exchange, thus empowering the consumer. As a result, the world is becoming more “flat”; ie, traditional regional boundaries are breaking down, and opportunities are more evenly spread. In stark contrast to this new world of commerce, Ko and colleagues2 demonstrate just how “nonflat” the cardiovascular world has been. Rather than homogenized delivery of evidence-based care, the authors observe remarkable intercountry and intracountry variability in both treatments and outcomes. Article p 196 The study by Ko et al, published in this week’s Circulation , was well performed. The authors had access to detailed clinical information on a large random sample of US Medicare acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and a similar cohort of elderly AMI patients from Ontario, Canada, all hospitalized between 1998 and 2001. The authors paid special attention to creating similar entry criteria and examining comparable process indicators. Short and intermediate outcomes also were compared only after risk adjustment. Overall, the study found that AMI patients hospitalized in the United States were slightly less likely to receive aspirin, β-blockers, or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors but much more likely to receive invasive cardiac procedures than their Canadian peers. Yet, the study also demonstrates that the term, US AMI care, is a misnomer in that regional differences within the United States were as large as or larger than those seen across international boundaries. An important first question is whether these findings are of historical interest or applicable to current day practice. Since the 1990s, many publications have highlighted the problems of underuse of evidence-based AMI therapies. Thankfully, recent data demonstrate that the gap between evidence and practice is narrowing.3–6 Using data …
Acute Effects of Salmeterol and Fluticasone Propionate Alone and in Combination on Airway Blood Flow in Patients With Asthma

Background The airway contains airway smooth muscle and airway vascular smooth muscle. The acute effects of inhaled long-acting β 2 -adrenergic agonists (LABAs) alone, or in combination with an inhaled glucocorticoid (ICS), on airway smooth muscle tone in asthma are known; however, to the best of our knowledge, their effect on airway vascular smooth muscle tone has not been investigated previously. The objective of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of a LABA and an ICS alone and in combination on airway blood flow (Qaw) as an index of airway vascular smooth muscle tone in patients with stable asthma. Methods Fourteen subjects with moderate asthma inhaled single doses of salmeterol (50 μg), fluticasone propionate (250 μg), salmeterol/fluticasone propionate (50/250 μg), or placebo; Qaw was measured before and serially for 240 min after drug administration. Results Mean Qaw increased after salmeterol and salmeterol/fluticasone propionate, with peaks at 60 min of 34% and 40%, respectively, and returned to baseline by 240 min after inhalation. Fluticasone propionate alone caused a transient decrease in mean Qaw. The maximal changes in Qaw, which occurred at different times, were 60% for salmeterol, 67% for salmeterol/fluticasone propionate, and −19% for fluticasone propionate ( P Conclusions The LABA salmeterol has an acute vasodilator action on the airway of subjects with stable asthma. The addition of fluticasone propionate, which by itself causes vasoconstriction, does not attenuate the salmeterol-induced vasodilation, suggesting that fluticasone propionate potentiates the vasodilator effect of salmeterol. The vasodilation could be of clinical benefit by promoting the vascular clearance of inflammatory mediators including spasmogens from the airway. Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov ; No.: NCT01231230 ; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov
Analysis of multirobot localization uncertainty propagation

This paper deals with the problem of cooperative localization for the case of large groups of mobile robots. A Kalman filter estimator is implemented and tested for this purpose. The focus of this paper is to examine the effect on localization accuracy of the number N of participating robots and the accuracy of the sensors employed. More specifically, we investigate the improvement in localization accuracy per additional robot as the size of the team increases. Furthermore, we provide an analytical expression for the upper bound on the positioning uncertainty increase rate for a team of N robots as a function of N, the odometric and orientation uncertainty for each robot, and the accuracy of a robot tracker measuring relative positions between pairs of robots. The analytical results derived in this paper are validated in simulation for different test cases.
Bootstrapping Your Fish or Fishing for Bootstraps? Precision of Welfare Loss Estimates from a Globally Concave Inverse Demand Model of Commercial Fish Landings in the U.S. Great Lakes

We extend Holt and Bishop’s (2002) normalized quadratic inverse demand function by obtaining measures of precision of elasticities and consumer welfare loss estimates due to reductions in commercial landings in the U.S. Great Lakes. Even with curvature constraints imposed, confidence intervals are obtained by using the bootstrap, subsample bootstrap, and subsample jackknife.
Directional Tuning of Single Motor Units

The directional activity of whole muscles has been shown to be broadly and often multimodally tuned, raising the question of how this tuning is subserved at the level of single motor units (SMUs). Previously defined rules of SMU activation would predict that units of the same muscle (or at least of the same neuromuscular compartment) are activated homogeneously with activity peaks in the same “best” direction(s). In the present study, the best directions of SMUs in human biceps (both heads) and deltoid (anterior, medial, and posterior portions) were determined by measuring the firing rate and threshold force of units for recruitment during isometric force ramps in many different directions. For all muscles studied, neighboring motor units could have significantly different best directions, suggesting that each muscle receives multiple directional commands. Furthermore, 17% of the units sampled clearly had a second-best direction, consistent with a convergence of different directional commands onto the same motoneuron. The best directions of the units changed gradually with location in the muscle. Best directions did not cluster into separate groups, thus, not supporting the existence of clearly distinguished neuromuscular compartments. Instead, the results reveal a more gradually distributed activation of the biceps and deltoid motoneuron pools. A model is proposed in which the central control mechanism optimizes the fulfillment of the continuously changing directional force requirements of a movement by gradually recruiting and derecruiting those units ideally suited for the production of the required force vector at any given time.
Contingent Negative Variation to Emotional In- and Out-Group Stimuli Differentiates High- and Low-Prejudiced Individuals

Low- and high-prejudiced individuals exhibited differential cortical and behavioral responses to the pending and actual evaluation of emotional in- and out-group faces. Participants viewed warning stimuli indicating the subsequent presentation of an angry or happy African-American or Caucasian face. Upon presentation of the face, participants judged whether they would enjoy working with the individual. The contingent negative variation (CNV ) component of the event-related potential in response to the pending presentation of in- and out-group emotional stimuli distinguished low- from high-prejudiced individuals. Specifically, low-prejudiced individuals showed greater early CNV in anticipation of angry African-American targets, and increased reaction time to evaluating these faces. High-prejudiced individuals showed decreased early CNV in anticipation of angry African-American faces, accompanied by decreased response latencies, and enhanced CNV in anticipation of happy Caucasian faces. Notably, no group differences emerged in either the pending or actual evaluation of happy out-group faces. The data are discussed with regard to implications for understanding the nature of prejudice, and underscore both the importance of emotional expression on how a target is appraised and also the utility of using converging measures to clarify processes that may contribute to social behavior.
Alteration of Gene Expression by Chromosome Loss in the Postnatal Mouse Brain

Frequent chromosomal aneuploidy has recently been discovered in normal neurons of the developing and mature murine CNS. Toward a more detailed understanding of aneuploidy and its effects on normal CNS cells, we examined the genomes of cells in the postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ), an area that harbors a large number of neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs), which give rise to neurons and glia. Here we show that NPCs, neurons, and glia from the SVZ are frequently aneuploid. Karyotyping revealed that ∼33% of mitotic SVZ cells lost or gained chromosomes in vivo , whereas interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated aneuploidy in postnatal-born cells in the olfactory bulb (OB) in vivo , along with neurons, glia, and NPCs in vitro . One possible consequence of aneuploidy is altered gene expression through loss of heterozygosity (LOH). This was examined in a model of LOH: loss of transgene expression in mice hemizygous for a ubiquitously expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) transgene on chromosome 15. Concurrent examination of eGFP expression, transgene abundance, and chromosome 15 copy number demonstrated that a preponderance of living SVZ and OB cells not expressing eGFP lost one copy of chromosome 15; the eGFP transgene was lost in these cells as well. Although gene expression profiling revealed changes in expression levels of several genes relative to GFP-expressing controls, cells with LOH at chromosome 15 were morphologically normal and proliferated or underwent apoptosis at rates similar to those of euploid cells in vitro . These findings support the view that NPCs and postnatal-born neurons and glia can be aneuploid in vivo and functional gene expression can be permanently altered in living neural cells by chromosomal aneuploidy.
Scanning mutagenesis of Mcm1: residues required for DNA binding, DNA bending, and transcriptional activation by a MADS-box protein.

MCM1 is an essential gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is a member of the MADS-box family of transcriptional regulatory factors. To understand the nature of the protein-DNA interactions of this class of proteins, we have made a series of alanine substitutions in the DNA-binding domain of Mcm1 and examined the effects of these mutations in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate which residues of Mcm1 are important for viability, transcriptional activation, and DNA binding and bending. Substitution of residues in Mcm1 which are highly conserved among the MADS-box proteins are lethal to the cell and abolish DNA binding in vitro. These positions have almost identical interactions with DNA in both the serum response factor-DNA and α2-Mcm1-DNA crystal structures, suggesting that these residues make up a conserved core of protein-DNA interactions responsible for docking MADS-box proteins to DNA. Substitution of residues which are not as well conserved among members of the MADS-box family play important roles in contributing to the specificity of DNA binding. These results suggest a general model of how MADS-box proteins recognize and bind DNA. We also provide evidence that the N-terminal extension of Mcm1 may have considerable conformational freedom, possibly to allow binding to different DNA sites. Finally, we have identified two mutants at positions which are critical for Mcm1-mediated DNA bending that have a slow-growth phenotype. This finding is consistent with our earlier results, indicating that DNA bending may have a role in Mcm1 function in the cell.
A prototype and algorithms for tree ring area measurement

The analysis of tree cross-sections (discs) by measuring the rings (annuli) of a disc to determine a tree's growth history is conducted frequently by foresters, botanists and ecologists. The purpose of this paper is to discuss algorithms and approaches that were used to develop a prototype for a system to automate the measurement of tree rings through image analysis. A system was developed to define the area of annuli of a disc with clearly defined boundaries and no perturbations. The area of the entire region enclosed by a ring is determined by defining a ring's perimeter using a conventional radially-sweeping contour-tracing algorithm. The area of an annuli is calculated by subtraction of the area enclosed by the adjoining inner rings. This portion of the system is O((r+1)n) for the measurement of a disc, where n=(Ymax-Ymin+1) and r = the number of rings in the disc. A flood (polygon) fill algorithm must be used to verify the center of the disc was found. Thus, the efficiency of the entire system is O(n2). The area that must be visited by the flood fill algorithm is small thus the approach is efficient. Its utility for tree ring analysis is limited due to tree discs often having indistinct boundaries and flaws. Research is being conducted on image capture, edge detection and contour tracing methods to further develop the prototype. These capabilities must be incorporated to make this system a useful tool for analyzing a normal imperfect disc.
Typification of Smittium, an important genus in the taxonomy of Harpellales

The Harpellales genus Smittium is based on a type species, S. arvernense, which was described by Poisson in 1937 without designation of a type specimen. Smittium arvernense has not been reported since its original publication. Because the other 79 species of Smittium cannot be compared to the type species, a lectotype is proposed as well as an epitype for that lectotype that is also the holotype of S. mucronatum. Because Smittium is believed to be polyphyletic these type designations will provide stable application of names and, as well resolved phylogenetic analyses of member species emerge based on morphological and DNA sequence characters, they will provide a foundation for a more robust and revised classification.
CD8 T Cells Recruited Early in Mouse Polyomavirus Infection Undergo Exhaustion

Repetitive Ag encounter, coupled with dynamic changes in Ag density and inflammation, imparts phenotypic and functional heterogeneity to memory virus-specific CD8 T cells in persistently infected hosts. For herpesvirus infections, which cycle between latency and reactivation, recent studies demonstrate that virus-specific T cell memory is predominantly derived from naive precursors recruited during acute infection. Whether functional memory T cells to viruses that persist in a nonlatent, low-level infectious state (smoldering infection) originate from acute infection-recruited naive T cells is not known. Using mouse polyomavirus (MPyV) infection, we previously showed that virus-specific CD8 T cells in persistently infected mice are stably maintained and functionally competent; however, a sizeable fraction of these memory T cells are short-lived. Further, we found that naive anti-MPyV CD8 T cells are primed de novo during persistent infection and contribute to maintenance of the virus-specific CD8 T cell population and its phenotypic heterogeneity. Using a new MPyV-specific TCR-transgenic system, we now demonstrate that virus-specific CD8 T cells recruited during persistent infection possess multicytokine effector function, have strong replication potential, express a phenotype profile indicative of authentic memory capability, and are stably maintained. In contrast, CD8 T cells recruited early in MPyV infection express phenotypic and functional attributes of clonal exhaustion, including attrition from the memory pool. These findings indicate that naive virus-specific CD8 T cells recruited during persistent infection contribute to preservation of functional memory against a smoldering viral infection.
Rethinking suicide bombing.

Background: Current issues in the emerging psychiatric literature on suicide bombing tend to center around the pathologies of suicide bombers and the role of psychiatry as an adequate tool for analysis. Aims: Attention to broader social science research may allow mental health professionals to develop more accurate models of behavior to explain and possibly prevent future attacks. Methods: The psychiatric literature on suicide bombing was reviewed and compared to similar anthropological literature. Results: A probe into the methodologies of researching suicide bombing, definitions of “war” and “terrorism”, and beliefs on life, death, homicide, and suicide demonstrate that most of the psychiatric literature reflects a particular perspective which aspires towards a certain universalism. Conclusions: Anthropological approaches can disclose standpoints taken for granted since any interventions with respect to suicide bombing must eventually account for values which are ultimately culturally determined.
Phase I/II Trial of Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy and Surgery for Locoregionally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Background We used a novel combination of induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine (GEM) and cisplatin (CDDP), followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with the same agents in patients with locoregionally advanced pancreatic cancer. Surgery or additional chemotherapy followed on the basis of response.
Suicide prevention by suicide detection.

Abstract Suicide prevention is based on detection followed by intervention. Detection is accomplished by being aware of known high-risk factors when interviewing patients, and keeping these in mind as high indices for potential suicide. These high-risk factors include: history of previous treatment for emotional problems; present depressive disorder, anxiety, or alcoholism; decreased physical health with multiple ailments; presence of self-blame and guilt; loss of self-control; and lack of emotional support systems. Intervention includes the use of hospitalization, psychotropic drugs, and the doctor-patient relationship.
Beta-adrenergic drugs in the management of asthma in athletes

beta-Adrenergic drugs are effective as bronchodilators and as inhibitors of exercise-induced asthma. Inhalation is the route of choice, but technique determines adequacy of delivery of the drug to the lower airways. The duration of bronchodilation can differ from the duration of inhibition of exercise-induced asthma. Albuterol aerosol usually prevents exercise-induced asthma for 4 to 6 hr, but metaproterenol aerosol affords protection to most asthmatics for less than 2 hr. Albuterol aerosol is the drug of choice for prevention of exercise-induced asthma. When a beta-adrenergic drug alone does not afford adequate protection, addition of theophylline, cromolyn, or an inhaled corticosteroid may enhance protection.
Efficacy of PD-1 blockade in tumors with MMR deficiency.

Efficacy of PD-1 blockade in tumors with MMR deficiency Immune checkpoint blockade has become a new option in clinical practice with US FDA approvals of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors in melanoma and squamous cell lung cancer. Broader use of these well-tolerated PD-1 inhibitors becomes more likely as evidence of activity accumulates in many other tumor types including head and neck, gastroesophageal, renal cell, small cell lung and bladder cancer. Studies in previously treatment refractory patients with these cancers have shown response rates to PD-1 inhibitors of up to 20–30% (and higher responses in selected subsets), including a number of durable responses of months to years [1–3]. Despite these advances, PD-1 inhibition in other disease histologies such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreaticobiliary cancers has been negligible. The rare exceptional responder may lend insight into a subset of susceptible patients and i dentification of predictive biomarkers. The PD-1 pathway (consisting of the PD-1 receptor and its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2) are found on a number of immune cells, including activated T cells, B-cells, NK cells, monocytes and dendritic cells. The inhibitory antibodies against PD-1 currently on the market include pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo). Normal activation of the PD-1 pathway leads to suppression of immune function by modification of cytokine production and suppression of activated T-cells. This pathway is overexpressed in a number of tumors, leading to development of immune tolerance and tumor evasion. PD-L1 overexpression has been correlated with worsened survival, but allows for an intriguing target by allowing reinstatement of the normal immune function. Tumors with more antigenicity are presumed better targets for immune modulation, and so virally-mediated tumors and those with high mutational load are among the tumor subsets that are being explored [4]. These groups both result in enhanced production of antigens, which are more likely to be presented as ‘nonself ’ to T cells, potentially overcoming tolerance, and enhancing an immune attack. A recent trial of PD-1 inhibition in patients with tumors with high mutational load has shown dramatic and durable responses, even in patients with colon cancer, and suggests a shifting mode of patient selection based not on tumor type, but upon molecular signature [5].
A Research Approach to Social Skills Training

An important element of the Adult Development Program (1) is the training of social-skill behaviors. These behaviors, conceptualized in terms of human territorality (2), are aimed chiefly at either territorial acquisition or defense. According to the territorality model, individuals are alerted to undesired trespass by feelings of anger or irritation. If such feeling states are ignored and the individual fails to assert, i.e., to take effective defensive action, then several highly undesirable consequences will occur: Feelings of anger will continue, feelings of resentment and depression will emerge, and behavioral and emotional withdrawal from the trespassor will be likely. If this formulation is valid, then nonassertive persons not only lose territory but experience unpleasant affective states and place their relationships in jeopardy.
Restorative Justice and School Closures: Recommendations for Facilitating Community Repair after Neighborhood Institutions are Condemned

The closing of neighborhood public schools can have longstanding and detrimental effects on community life. Tools of restorative justice, however, provide means of facilitating authentic relationships among community members and officials during the stages of a closure. This paper identifies effects of school closures on communities and discusses strategies for actors charged with education reform in this event. By facilitating vibrant discourse during the planning stages of school closings and involving community members in the formation of reformed schools, administrators can use the tools of restorative justice to mitigate the distress and distrust that follow from the condemnation of neighborhood schools. A critical review of educa* Bridget Nugent, J.D., Notre Dame Law School, 2013. A.B. Economics, Georgetown University, 2010. Ms. Nugent currently serves as a federal law clerk. She received training in restorative justice practices at the University of Notre Dame and worked in the pre-trial diversion program of South Bend, Indiana to implement restorative justice measures in that court system. She would like to thank Susan Sharpe and Margaret Pheil for their inspiration and for offering invaluable insights throughout early drafts of this article; Dean Reineking, for his unwavering encouragement; and her family, for their constant support. She graciously thanks the editing team that has supported this article's publication and strengthened its value, especially Javier Castro, for his close scrutiny and gracious guidance.
Multiband spectral-spatial RF excitation for hyperpolarized [2-13 C]dihydroxyacetone 13 C-MR metabolism studies.

PURPOSE To develop a specialized multislice, single-acquisition approach to detect the metabolites of hyperpolarized (HP) [2-13 C]dihydroxyacetone (DHAc) to probe gluconeogenesis in vivo, which have a broad 144 ppm spectral range (∼4.6 kHz at 3T). A novel multiband radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse was designed for independent flip angle control over five to six spectral-spatial (SPSP) excitation bands, each corrected for chemical shift misregistration effects. METHODS Specialized multiband SPSP RF pulses were designed, tested, and applied to investigate HP [2-13 C]DHAc metabolism in kidney and liver of fasted rats with dynamic 13 C-MR spectroscopy and an optimal flip angle scheme. For comparison, experiments were also performed with narrow-band slice-selective RF pulses and a sequential change of the frequency offset to cover the five frequency bands of interest. RESULTS The SPSP pulses provided a controllable spectral profile free of baseline distortion with improved signal to noise of the metabolite peaks, allowing for quantification of the metabolic products. We observed organ-specific differences in DHAc metabolism. There was two to five times more [2-13 C]phosphoenolpyruvate and about 19 times more [2-13 C]glycerol 3-phosphate in the liver than in the kidney. CONCLUSION A multiband SPSP RF pulse covering a spectral range over 144 ppm enabled in vivo characterization of HP [2-13 C]DHAc metabolism in rat liver and kidney. Magn Reson Med 77:1419-1428, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Phase Transitions in Gold Contacts to Gallium Arsenide

X-ray diffraction was used in situ to study the phase transitions which occurred in 1500 A Au/GaAs(100) upon heating and cooling. The reaction between Au and GaAs took the form Au + Ga → α Au-Ga. Upon heating, α Au-Ga completely dissolved in liquid Au-Ga. Upon subsequent cooling, β Au-Ga (or Au7Ga2) formed. In 1 atm of nitrogen, phase transitions were observed reversibly at 525 ± 25°C (due to the complete dissolution of α Au-Ga upon heating) and 415 ± 5°C (due to the peritectic transformation of β Au-Ga to α Au-Ga and liquid Au-Ga upon heating). In a vacuum of 425 μ (0.031 Kg/2m) similar phase transitions were observed at 425 ± 25°C and 387 ± 13°C, respectively.
Synthesis of 2′-Deoxy-9-deaza Nucleosides Using Heck Methodology

During the synthesis of a series of 2′-deoxy-9-deaza nucleosides using Heck methodology, the necessity for a pyrrole protecting group was discovered. The results of this brief study revealed that the benzyloxymethyl (BOM) group proved optimal, and Heck coupling using Jeffery conditions increased the coupling yield significantly. The results are reported herein.
P3.161 Triple-Dip: Expanded Extragenital Testing For Neisseria Gonorrhoeae and Chlamidia Trachomatis Identifies High Rates of Asymptomatic Infection in Persons Living with HIV

Background US guidelines now call for expanded extragenital testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) in HIV infected individuals. In January 2012, we instituted a new policy to promote routine three-site testing (genital, oropharyngeal, rectal) for GC/Ct among HIV-infected persons in our clinic population. The purpose of this study is to assess implementation of the “triple-dip” programme, as well as the prevalence and incidence of STI at each site. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of HIV-infected patients seen in our clinic before (Jan.-Dec. 2011) and after (Jan.-Dec. 2012) implementation of a routine three-site testing policy, to compare GC/Ct prevalence during these two time periods. Self-reported behavioural data were also evaluated. Results For the three months after the transitioning from symptom-triggered testing to routine three-site screening for GC/Ct, the number of oropharyngeal tests performed increased from 38 to 325, and the number of rectal tests increased from 32 to 290, an 8 to 9 fold increase in testing. Although the rate of infection at most sites decreased with increased screening, the rate of rectal GC/Ct remained unchanged (13% pre-expanded testing verses 12% after initiating broader testing, p = n.s.). This suggests that the prevalence of asymptomatic rectal infections in patients living with HIV in our clinic is high. Preliminary analyses indicate that rectal infections are more common in our tested patient population (12%) than at other sites of testing (4.5% oropharyngeal tests were positive, 1.5% genital tests were positive). Conclusion Although extragenital testing increased with expanded testing, not all patients at risk were screened. Given the higher percentage of positive rectal tests, enhanced testing should focus on increasing awareness of rectal infection, treatment intervention, and risk counselling.
Medical Providers' Oral Health Knowledgeability, Attitudes, and Practice Behaviors: An Opportunity for Interprofessional Collaboration

Abstract Objective Evaluation of current knowledgeability, attitudes, and practice behaviors of medical providers from a large health care system toward oral health was undertaken as a pilot effort to better understand and integrate oral health into the overall health care delivery. Methods Invitations to complete a 28-question survey, designed in a web-based platform (SurveyMonkey ® ), were emailed to 1407 medical multispecialty physicians, residents, and nurses within the health system. The questionnaire included sections on provider demographics, oral health knowledgeability and attitudes, and current practice conducting oral health screenings. Results A 14% ( n = 199/1407) response rate was achieved for survey completion. There were 16% who reported good coverage of oral/dental health topics in their medical training curriculum. Competency level was 80% answered knowledge-based questions correctly. Frequency rates for dental referral by the medical providers were 32% ‘frequently’ and 68% ‘infrequently.’ Perceptions of optimal frequency for conducting oral health assessment in their professional practices ranged from 69% indicating ‘frequently’ to 25% indicating ‘infrequently.’ Conclusion Overall, positive attitudes were observed toward incorporation of oral health examination into medical practice. The study identified lack of oral health treatment and infrequent referral by medical providers to dental providers. Results support likelihood for acceptance of care models that incorporate a medical/dental team-based approach complemented by oral health training for medical providers to enhance holistic health care delivery. Limitations of this pilot study include potential selection bias and lack of generalizability beyond our institution; further studies are planned in additional settings statewide to validate findings.
3 dimensional optical tomography: Modeling for imaging in the female breast

Optical tomography has the potential of detection and characterization of cancerous regions within physiological tissue. Reconstructed images of optical properties from boundary measurements of Near-Infrared light propagation within the female breast hold promise of providing clinically useful information about the infected tissue. Here, we describe our 3 dimensional model and discuss our image reconstruction algorithm.
Rectal Cancer: Preoperative Evaluation and Staging

Preoperative staging of the patient with rectal cancer can provide valuable information to guide the selection of treatment options. The modalities used for preoperative staging include CT, ERUS, MR, and PET, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. These tests are complimentary and staging accuracy improves when the tests are used in combination. The resolution of these tests drops in detection of micrometastases, and thus patients may be understaged. In contrast, patients with a significant peritumoral tissue reaction may be overstaged. Treating physicians should remain cognizant of the possibility of understaging or overstaging patients when making therapeutic plans.
Medicare Beneficiaries Face Growing Out-Of-Pocket Burden For Specialty Drugs While In Catastrophic Coverage Phase.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes provisions to reduce Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs by gradually closing the coverage gap between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic coverage threshold (known as the doughnut hole) beginning in 2011. However, Medicare beneficiaries who take specialty pharmaceuticals could still face a large out-of-pocket burden because of uncapped cost sharing in the catastrophic coverage phase. Using 2008–12 pharmacy claims data from a 20 percent sample of Medicare beneficiaries, we analyzed trends in total and out-of-pocket spending among Medicare beneficiaries who take at least one high-cost specialty drug from the top eight specialty drug classes in terms of spending. Annual total drug spending per specialty drug user studied increased considerably during the study period, from $18,335 to $33,301, and the proportion of expenditures incurred while in the catastrophic coverage phase increased from 70 percent to 80 percent. We obse...