cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomy Education in an Innovative Medical School Curriculum

Curricular reform is causing many directors of anatomy courses to move in new directions and become innovators. During this process it’s important to remember three basic guidelines (match curriculum or philosophy of education of institution; complement the faculty involved in the teaching; fit the type of students that will participate) and five guiding principles (active versus passive learning; time limited so laboratory must be efficient; use a variety of educational experiences; integrate anatomy with clinical medicine; learning should be longitudinal) as the course is redesigned as part of a changing curriculum or designed for a new academic program. This chapter will discuss these components and provide an example of how they are used when designing a new course.
Semiconductor Devices and the Role of Physics in their Development

Following a brief description of early semiconductor history, important events in device development are presented in perspective, with emphasis on the role of semiconductor physics.
Input data management in real-time AI systems

A real-time AI system in the real world needs to monitor an immense volume of data. To do this, the system must filter out much of the incoming data. However, it must remain responsive to important or unexpected events in the data. This paper describes some simple approaches to data management, shows how they can fail to be both adequately selective and responsive, and presents an approach that improves on the simple approaches by making use of information about the system's resources and ongoing tasks. The new approach has been applied in a system for monitoring patients in a surgical intensive-care unit.
Genetic Contribution to Risk for Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetic kidney disease is a significant complication of diabetes (of all forms) and a major cause of morbidity and mortality that has increased in frequency, despite advances in glycemic control and pharmaceutical interventions ([1][1]). There are several aspects of diabetes that represent
Cyclin-dependent kinase control of motile ciliogenesis

Cycling cells maintain centriole number at precisely two per cell in part by limiting their duplication to S phase under the control of the cell cycle machinery. In contrast, postmitotic multiciliated cells (MCCs) uncouple centriole assembly from cell cycle progression and produce hundreds of centrioles in the absence of DNA replication to serve as basal bodies for motile cilia. Although some cell cycle regulators have previously been implicated in motile ciliogenesis, how the cell cycle machinery is employed to amplify centrioles is unclear. We use transgenic mice and primary airway epithelial cell culture to show that Cdk2, the kinase responsible for the G1 to S phase transition, is also required in MCCs to initiate motile ciliogenesis. While Cdk2 is coupled with cyclins E and A2 during cell division, cyclin A1 is required during ciliogenesis, contributing to an alternative regulatory landscape that facilitates centriole amplification without DNA replication.
Monoclonal Gammopathies and Kidney Disease: Searching for Significance.

Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in kidney diseases related to monoclonal gammopathies. These may occur in the setting of hematologic malignancy or when the underlying plasma or B cell clone does not meet criteria for cancer (multiple myeloma or systemic lymphoma,
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate controls Rab7 and PLEKHM1 membrane cycling during autophagosome–lysosome fusion

The small GTPase Rab7 is a key organizer of receptor sorting and lysosomal degradation by recruiting of a variety of effectors depending on its GDP/GTP-bound state. However, molecular mechanisms that trigger Rab7 inactivation remain elusive. Here we find that, among the endosomal pools, Rab7-positive compartments possess the highest level of PI4P, which is primarily produced by PI4K2A kinase. Acute conversion of this endosomal PI4P to PI(4,5)P2 causes Rab7 dissociation from late endosomes and releases a regulator of autophagosome-lysosome fusion, PLEKHM1, from the membrane. Rab7 effectors Vps35 and RILP are not affected by acute PI(4,5)P2 production. Deletion of PI4K2A greatly reduces PIP5Kγ-mediated PI(4,5)P2 production in Rab7-positive endosomes leading to impaired Rab7 inactivation and increased number of LC3-positive structures with defective autophagosome-lysosome fusion. These results reveal a late endosomal PI4P-PI(4,5)P2 -dependent regulatory loop that impacts autophagosome flux by affecting Rab7 cycling and PLEKHM1 association.
Social inequality: Challenges, consequences, and action; introduction to the issue

In the current paper, we introduce the third edition in a series on Social Inequalities, and highlight the impact of social inequalities and provide evidence-based research to support effective pro...
Where Have All the Direct-Marketing Farms Gone? Patterns Revealed from the 2017 Census of Agriculture

Food system researchers and practitioners have used the U.S. Census of Agriculture historically as a bellwether to measure changes in the direct-marketing sector. The U.S. Department of Agricul­ture has made considerable improvements in meas­uring this sector in recent years, which formed the basis for the phrasing of the 2017 Census of Agri­culture direct-marketing questions. While the new ques­tions make it challenging to infer direct-marketing trends between 2012 and 2017, the 2017 Census of Agriculture data nonetheless reveals a considerable decline in the number of farms selling directly to consumers and wholesalers in the U.S. We discuss possible explanations for this decline and implica­tions for the direct-marketing sector See the press release for this article.
Abstract P1-20-04: Advanced development of the MasSpec Pen technology to aid in breast cancer surgical margin evaluation and diagnosis during surgery

Complete tumor removal during breast conserving surgery (BCS) remains a challenge for even the most experienced surgeons due to difficulties associated with detecting residual disease at the margin. Additionally, there is limited technology to evaluate resected tissue while the patient is under anesthesia. Mass spectrometry (MS) has been previously used for rapid molecular characterization of healthy and diseased tissue and has shown potential for intraoperative use. We have developed an MS-based technology that couples a handheld and biocompatible device, the MasSpec Pen, to a mass spectrometer for non-destructive ex vivo and in vivo analysis of cancer tissue in a matter of seconds. We have used the MasSpec Pen with multivariate statistical analysis to discriminate the molecular patterns of normal breast and lymph node from invasive cancer tissue, achieving accuracies over 88%. Our results showcase the potential of the MasSpec Pen to provide surgical guidance during BCS. A total of 213 banked human tissues including normal breast and lymph node, IDC, and IDC to lymph node were obtained from the Cooperative Human Tissue Network and stored at -80°C prior to analysis. Samples were then thawed and analyzed using a mass spectrometer coupled to the MasSpec Pen. During MasSpec Pen analysis, a single water droplet is held in contact with the tissue to extract molecules that are then analyzed by a mass spectrometer, yielding a molecular fingerprint. The molecular information obtained is analyzed by the statistical model to provide a predictive diagnosis in seconds. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) statistical method was used to generate predictive models comprised of molecular features indicative of healthy and diseased tissue. Analyzed regions of tissue were demarcated with a surgical ink marker, snap frozen, and sectioned at a thickness of 5µm. Tissue sections were HE 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-20-04.
Developmental Pathways and Aortic Valve Calcification

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) has been associated with activation of molecular pathways involved in both heart valve and bone development. There is increasing evidence that developmental pathways are reactivated during disease and also that the process of calcification during CAVD may mimic that of normal endochondral bone formation. A number of different signaling pathways and transcription factors play essential roles both in heart valve development and bone formation. Notably, these mechanisms have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of CAVD. Although studies in human, mouse, and porcine models demonstrate conserved mechanisms in CAVD, the individual contributions to pathogenesis and requirements of each pathway for the development of aortic valve calcification are not fully understood. Furthermore, the crosstalk among these signaling pathways, although hypothesized, remains unknown. The goal of this chapter is to review pathways involved in development of both heart valves and bone and their reactivation in CAVD.
The influence of available comb storage space on the performance of honey bee communication signals that regulate foraging

Numerous activities within honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies rely on feedback loops for organization at the group level. Many of the processes associated with the feedback loops organizing a honey bee colony’s activities are in striking parallel to other systems, such as intercellular interactions involved in motor neuron function, and principles derived from their study can be applied to these diverse fields, among others. This study looked at the communication signals honey bees employ while provisioning their nest with food to assess whether or not the bees use signals when their hive has no more available storage space. In this experiment, the storage space was alternated each day between no available space and ample space. The communication signals used by the bees were counted during each treatment and compared. When the hive had no storage space available, significantly more stop signals, which inhibit foraging, and tremble dances, which recruit more bees to unload incoming foragers, were observed. This suggests that the bees had noted the absence of storage space and were modifying their communication accordingly.
Combined orthogonal and non-orthogonal light-sheet microscopy for omniscale 3D imaging

In recent years light-sheet microscopy has emerged as a powerful technique for fast volumetric imaging of live specimens [1] . In light-sheet microscopy, a thin "sheet" of light optically (rather than physically) sections a specimen, such that fluorescence is only excited within one "optical section". By using weakly-focused illumination light, the sheet maintains its sectioning ability over hundreds of microns, enabling high-speed capture of 2D images. And by scanning the specimen (or light sheet) a 3D dataset is quickly generated [2] . In most systems, the illumination and collection objectives are oriented orthogonally, such that the light sheet is co-planar with the focal plane of the collection objective [3] . However, more recently a class of light-sheet microscopes which use a single objective for both illumination and collection have been proposed. These non-orthogonal designs, known as oblique-plane microscopy (OPM), swept-confocally aligned planar excitation (SCAPE), epi-illumination selective-plane illumination microscopy (eSPIM), and scanned oblique-plane illumination microscopy (SOPi), illuminate samples with a light sheet which is imaged in a non-orthogonal fashion, which is rectified at a tilted remote image focus [4] - [8] . While this non-orthogonal arrangement results in slightly worse imaging performance (compared to the orthogonal arrangement), the use of a single objective enables more convenient and less physically restricted imaging geometries. To date, these non-orthogonal light-sheet microscopes have primarily been explored for dynamic imaging of live specimens, and more recently water-based expanded tissues. Here we combine this non-orthogonal architecture with a more traditional orthogonal light-sheet microscope. The non-orthogonal optical path providing micron to sub-micron resolution, and the orthogonal system providing lower magnification mesoscale imaging. Combined, the single system is able to provide omniscale 3D imaging.
Bathroom modifications among community-dwelling older adults who experience falls in the United States: A cross-sectional study.

Falls impose substantial health and economic burdens on older adults. Over half of falls in older adults occur at home, with many involving bathroom areas. Limited information is available on the presence of bathroom modifications for those who experience them. Therefore, we examined factors associated with bathroom modifications among older adults with at least one fall in the United States. We analysed the nationally representative 2016 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Public Use File of Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with ≥1 fall (n = 2,404). A survey-weighted logistic model was used to examine associations between bathroom modifications and factors including socio-demographic characteristics, health-related conditions, and fear of falling. Among Medicare beneficiaries with ≥1 fall, 55.5% had bathroom modifications and 50.1% had repeated falls (≥2 falls). Approximately 40.2% of those with repeated falls had no bathroom modifications. In the adjusted model, non-Hispanic Blacks (odds ratio [OR] = 0.38; p < 0.001) and Hispanics (OR = 0.64; p = 0.039) had lower odds of having bathroom modifications than non-Hispanic Whites. Fear of falling and activities of daily living limitations had incremental impacts on having bathroom modifications. This study highlights the need to improve disparities in bathroom modifications for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries, including those with repeated falls. With the aging population and growing number of older minorities in the United States, reducing these disparities is vital for fall prevention efforts and aging-in-place.
DOAV Estimation Using L-Shaped Antenna Array Configuration

To estimate the two-dimensional Directions of Arrival (DOA) of plane waves, a planar array is often used. The L-Shaped antenna structure provides a mechanism to estimate the 2D parameters without using a fully populated planar array. This antenna array geometry has been studied when we assume the source is stationary in the observation interval. It provides a more computationally efficient 2D DOA estimation. In this paper, we study the L-Shaped antenna array when the source is rapidly moving. In this case, not only we perform the DOA estimation but additional parameters such as angular velocities in azimuth and elevation are also estimated. In this presentation, we assume a white Gaussian background noise, and the Maximum Likelihood estimator is formulated.
The utility of a closed breeding colony of Peromyscus leucopus for dissecting complex traits

Although Peromyscus leucopus (deermouse) is not considered a genetic model system, its genus is well suited for addressing several questions of biologist interest, including the genetic bases of longevity, behavior, physiology, adaptation, and its ability to serve as a disease vector. Here we explore a diversity outbred approach for dissecting complex traits in Peromyscus leucopus, a non-traditional genetic model system. We take advantage of a closed colony of deer-mice founded from 38 individuals between 1982 and 1985 and subsequently maintained for 35+ years ([~]40-60 generations). From 405 low-pass ([~]1X) short-read sequenced deermice we accurately imputed genotypes at 17,751,882 SNPs. Conditional on observed genotypes for a subset of 297 individuals, simulations were conducted in which a QTL contributes 5% to a complex trait under three different genetic models. The power of either a haplotype- or marker-based statistical test was estimated to be 15-25% to detect the hidden QTL. Although modest, this power estimate is consistent with that of DO/HS mice and rat experiments for an experiment with [~]300 individuals. This limitation in QTL detection is mostly associated with the stringent significance threshold required to hold the genome-wide false positive rate low, as in all cases we observe considerable linkage signal at the location of simulated QTL, suggesting a larger panel would exhibit greater power. For the subset of cases where a QTL was detected, localization ability appeared very desirable at [~]1-2Mb. We finally carried out a GWAS on a demonstration trait, bleeding time. No tests exceeded the threshold for genome-wide significance, but one of four suggestive regions co-localizes with Von Willebrand factor. Our work suggests that complex traits can be dissected in founders-unknown P. leucopus colony mice in much the same manner as founders-known DO/HS mice and rats, with genotypes obtained from low pass sequencing data. Our results further suggest that the DO/HS approach can be powerfully extended to any system in which a founders-unknown closed colony has been maintained for several dozen generations.
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Electronic Data Reporting and Outcomes Among Selected Central Cancer Registries of the National Program of Cancer Registries

PURPOSEThe CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries has expanded the use of electronic reporting to collect more timely information on newly diagnosed cancers. The adoption, implementation, and ...
Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome and Bronchial Asthma

One of the basic caveats in endocrinology is that glandular abnormalities tend to occur together. As many as 25% of patients with evidence of hypofunction in one gland have evidence of other end organspecific or non-specific autoimmune disease.
Use of computer graphics and simulation to study robotic and automation systems

An inverse kinematics procedure was used to simulate the motions of a robotic arm operating in a workcell environment to develop a tool for studying the operation of such a simulated system relative to a real robotic system. A mathematical model, algorithms, applications, user interface and software was developed for this purpose. The mathematical model and algorithms consist of the kinematic and dimensional parameters of the actual robotic system (Unimation PUMA 560 robot and workcell). Specific algorithms for simulation include specified angular movement of joints, positions of the end effector in Cartesian space (involving inverse kinematics to solve joint rotations) and algorithms for visual display of the robotic workcell components on the computer terminal (color graphics) monitor. >
Factors Influencing Healthy Lifestyle Changes: A Qualitative Look at Low-Income Families Engaged in Treatment for Overweight Children

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity disproportionately affects low-income minority populations, yet there is a paucity of literature about effective interventions in this population. This study sought to understand the experience of low-income majority Hispanic families engaged in obesity treatment. Methods: We conducted six focus groups (2=English, 4=Spanish) with families who completed a community-based, family-oriented obesity treatment program, using standard qualitative focus group interview methods. Transcripts were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content. Two coders using the software program ATLAS.ti (v.7.0; Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany) coded each transcript independently; reflexive team analysis with three study team members was used to reach a consensus. Results: Participants (n=37) indicated high program satisfaction. Parents reported buying less junk/fast food, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, preparing and eating more meals as a fam...
Abstract 814: Novel aspirin based selenium compounds as therapy against pancreatic cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Inflammation plays an important role in tumor growth promotion and has been linked to several human cancers. Evidences have demonstrated that inflammation has a high correlation with pancreatic cancer (PC) growth and promotion. An important mediator of inflammatory process is Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein, which has been shown to be over-expressed in PC. Another major pathway which is crucial for inflammatory responses, cell proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis is the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway. It has been demonstrated that NF-κB pathway is responsible for drug resistance in PC. Aspirin, a well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), has been shown to have anti-cancer effects against PC. The mechanism of action of aspirin against PC is partially dependent on COX inhibition, as well as COX independent mechanism. Through extensive structure-activity relationship studies on Se-NSAID compounds, we have recently identified two Se-Aspirin compounds, ASD-43 and ASD-49, designed by incorporating selenium (Se) into salicylic acid structure, rendering it lethal to cancer cells. Previously, we had reported that Se-aspirin hybrid compounds were effective in different cancers, including PC. In this study we sought to evaluate the mechanism of action of these compounds in inhibiting the growth of PC. Since aspirin induces its effect partially by inhibiting COX, we hypothesized that these agents (ASD-43 and ASD-49) showed their anti-cancer activity by potently inhibiting COX activity as well as by modulating the inflammatory NF-κB pathway. Our studies, in Panc-1 cells, have shown that both ASD-43 and ASD-49 inhibited the degradation of IκB-alpha, which inhibits NF-κB from going into the nucleus, in presence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Upon treatment with ASD-43 and ASD-49, NF-κB regulated proteins like survivin and Bcl-xL expression was down regulated. Furthermore, a dose dependent induction of apoptosis in these cells was detected by activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage. Taken together, these results suggest that both ASD-43 and ASD-49 may represent potentially promising therapeutic agents for PC that induce apoptosis via the inhibition of COX and NF-κB pathways. Detailed investigations regarding the efficacy and mechanism of action of these compounds will be presented. Citation Format: Deepkamal N. Karelia, Manoj K. Pandey, Daniel Plano, Shantu Amin, Arun K. Sharma. Novel aspirin based selenium compounds as therapy against pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 814. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-814
Coherent and random noise attenuation via multichannel singular spectrum analysis in the randomized domain

The attenuation of coherent and random noise still poses technical challenges in seismic data processing, especially in onshore environments. Multichannel Singular Spectrum Analysis (MSSA) is an existing and effective technique for random-noise reduction. By incorporating a randomizing operator into MSSA, this modification creates a new and powerful filtering method that can attenuate both coherent and random noise simultaneously. The key of the randomizing operator exploits the fact that primary events after NMO are relatively horizontal. The randomizing operator randomly rearranges the order of input data and reorganizes coherent noise into incoherent noise but has a minimal effect on nearly horizontal primary reflections. The randomizing process enables MSSA to suppress both coherent and random noise simultaneously. This new filter, MSSARD (MSSA in the randomized domain) also resembles a combination of eigenimage and Cadzow filters. I start with a synthetic data set to illustrate the basic concept and apply MSSARD filtering on a 3D cross-spread data set that was severely contaminated with ground roll and scattered noise. MSSARD filtering gives superior results when compared with a conventional 3D f-k filter. For a random-noise example, the application of MSSARD filtering on time-migrated offset-vector-tile (OVT) gathers also produces images with higher signal-to-noise ratios than a conventional f-xy deconvolution filter.
The Asta-Ja Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Framework (Asta-Ja ENRPF) for Sustainable Development in Nepal

Effective policy measures are necessary for sustainable utilization, conservation, and development of environmental and natural resources. In order to formulate effective policies, it is important to have a theoretically grounded, holistic, inclusive, science-based, collaborative, forward looking, and systematic policy framework. This paper presents the Asta-Ja Environmental and Natural Resource Policy Framework (Asta-Ja ENRPF) consisting of Asta-Ja policy guidelines and the Asta-Ja policy cycle for sustainable environmental and natural resources development and socioeconomic transformation in Nepal.
Development of smartphone-based public vigilance systems

We present several implementations of public information collection systems. September 11th tragedy, acts of mass terrorism like DC sniper case, and suicide bombings in Europe force authorities to seek the most effective surveillance technique. It is common consensus that a common bystander does see the potentially dangerous events unwrap, and making it possible for him to notify the appropriate personal about his observations is vital to the public safety and the structural integrity of the municipal property. Cell phones are ubiquitous and most of them are equipped with a camera. The paper presents applications, both client-side and server-side, that handle the notification process. It makes it convenient and reliable.
Ocular Immune Privilege Promoted by the Presentation of Peptide on Tolerogenic B Cells in the Spleen. II. Evidence for Presentation by Qa-1

Ocular immune privilege is the result of several unique features of the eye, including the systemic down-regulation of Th1 immune responses to Ags encountered in the anterior chamber of the eye-a phenomenon termed anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID). The induction of ACAID requires the participation of three cell populations: the ocular ACAID APC, the splenic B cell, and the splenic T cell. Because B cells have been implicated in tolerogenic Ag presentation in other systems, we hypothesized that B cells were responsible for the induction of regulatory T cells in ACAID. The central hypothesis for this study is that APC from the eye migrate to the spleen where they release antigenic peptides (OVA) that are captured and presented to T cells by splenic B cells. A combination of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that splenic B cells, incubated with ACAID APC in vitro, were capable of inducing ACAID when transferred to naive mice. The induction of ACAID required the normal expression of ss(2)-microglobulin on both the B cell and ACAID APC, but not on the T suppressor cells. Moreover, the induction of ACAID regulatory cells required histocompatibility between the B cells and regulatory T cells at the TL/Qa region. The results indicate that: 1) B cells are necessary for the induction of ACAID; 2) ACAID B cells do not directly suppress the expression of delayed-type hypersensitivity; and 3) the induction of Ag-specific regulatory T cells by ACAID B cells requires histocompatibility at the TL/Qa region.
Functional regeneration and restoration of locomotor activity following spinal cord transection in the lamprey.

Publisher Summary Severe spinal cord injury, such as a complete transection, can disrupt descending command axons, and this leads to paralysis below the lesion. The degree of behavioral recovery following spinal cord injury depends on the phylogeny and developmental stage of the animal. Lampreys begin to recover locomotor function about 2 weeks following complete transections of the rostra1 spinal cord at 10% body length (BL). Initially, locomotor movements are attenuated, particularly in the caudal half of the body, and muscle activity is limited to a few millimeters below the transection. Between 2 and 8 weeks post-transection (PT), locomotor movements and locomotor activity are gradually restored to normal along the body. Locomotor activity from in vitro brain/spinal cord preparations occurs at progressively greater distances below the transaction with increasing recovery times, but with a slower time course than in whole animals. Anatomical experiments using retrograde tracers and double labeling experiments indicate that several mechanisms contribute to recovery of locomotor function in spinal cordtransected lamprey: regeneration of descending axons from brainstem command neurons; descending propriospinal relay neurons; and mechanosensory inputs.
Time-Resolved Heat Transfer and Skin Friction Measurements in Unsteady Flow

A review of heat transfer and skin friction measurement methods is presented with particular emphasis on techniques that yield details of time-resolved properties. A description of the calibration methods necessary to insure accurate measurements is included. Examples of recent unsteady heat transfer and skin friction measurements with interpretations of the meaning and importance of the results are given.
Transposon mutagenesis in Proteus mirabilis.

A technique of transposon mutagenesis involving the use of Tn5 on a suicide plasmid was developed for Proteus mirabilis. Analysis of the resulting exconjugants indicated that Tn5 transposed in P. mirabilis at a frequency of ca. 4.5 x 10(-6) per recipient cell. The resulting mutants were stable and retained the transposon-encoded antibiotic resistance when incubated for several generations under nonselective conditions. The frequency of auxotrophic mutants in the population, as well as DNA-DNA hybridizaiton to transposon sequences, confirmed that the insertion of the transposon was random and the Proteus chromosome did not contain significant insertional hot spots of transposition. Approximately 35% of the mutants analyzed possessed plasmid-acquired ampicillin resistance, although no extrachromosomal plasmid DNA was found. In these mutants, insertion of the Tn5 element and a part or all of the plasmid had occurred. Application of this technique to the study of swarmer cell differentiation in P. mirabilis is discussed. Images
Letter by Horne et al Regarding Article, “Prognostic Value of Fasting Versus Nonfasting Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels on Long-Term Mortality: Insight From the National Health and Nutrition Survey III (NHANES-III)”

A recent article by Doran and colleagues1 reported that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in both fasting and nonfasting states. Given the clinical history of requiring an 8- to 12-hour fast before LDL-C measurement, the possible use of a nonfasting LDL-C for clinical purposes is thought provoking, but prudence suggests further evaluation.2 Other evidence suggests that LDL-C transiently increases during fasting. Previously, periodic (ie, intermittent) fasting was shown to be associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.3 To evaluate the potential mechanisms of those associations, a randomized crossover trial of 24-hour water-only fasting, the Fasting and Enhanced Expression of Longevity Genes during Food Abstinence (FEELGOOD) trial (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov …
Out of the shadows: DREAMer identity in the immigrant youth movement

“DREAMers” – undocumented immigrants in their teens, twenties and thirties who reveal their undocumented status in support of the DREAM Act and other immigration and higher education reforms – have become a recognizable and persuasive force in US immigration politics despite having little formal political power. This article explores the ongoing creation of the DREAMer identity, how it is put to work by movement participants, and the role it plays in participants’ own biographies and perceptions of themselves. In addition to published works, we rely on original interviews conducted with leaders and participants of the immigrant youth movement. We argue that a key purpose of the DREAMer identity is to invert and confound negative images of undocumented immigrants by revealing the complexity of immigrant biographies, highlighting the similarities that come with acculturation and demonstrating immigrants’ contributions to society. The form that this identity has taken, and the fact that it plays a fundamental role in the immigrant youth movement, is the product of a long dialogic process of constant renegotiation with allies, opponents and actors within the movement.
The generation of protective memory-like CD8+ T cells during homeostatic proliferation requires CD4+ T cells.

The generation of protective memory-like CD8 + T cells during homeostatic proliferation requires CD4 + T cells
Bio-inspired varying subspace based computational framework for a class of nonlinear constrained optimal trajectory planning problems

Biological species have produced many simple but efficient rules in their complex and critical survival activities such as hunting and mating. A common feature observed in several biological motion strategies is that the predator only moves along paths in a carefully selected or iteratively refined subspace (or manifold), which might be able to explain why these motion strategies are effective. In this paper, a unified linear algebraic formulation representing such a predator–prey relationship is developed to simplify the construction and refinement process of the subspace (or manifold). Specifically, the following three motion strategies are studied and modified: motion camouflage, constant absolute target direction and local pursuit. The framework constructed based on this varying subspace concept could significantly reduce the computational cost in solving a class of nonlinear constrained optimal trajectory planning problems, particularly for the case with severe constraints. Two non-trivial examples, a ground robot and a hypersonic aircraft trajectory optimization problem, are used to show the capabilities of the algorithms in this new computational framework.
Locus of the Moses Illusion: Imperfect encoding, retrieval, or match?

Abstract Five experiments are described that attempt to isolate the mechanism that produces the failure to notice discrepancies in questions or assertions, called the Moses Illusion ( T. A. Erickson & M. E. Mattson, 1981 , Learning and Verbal Behavior , 20 , 540–552). Experiments 1 through 5 involved asking subjects to either (1) discriminate between distorted questions such as “How many animals of each kind did Moses take on the ark?” or (2) ignore the distortions and answer the question as if it were perfectly formed. Experiments 2, 3, and 5 also varied the familiarity of the assertions that were queried. Experiments 4 and 5 recorded reading times of the words in the question as well. Four alternative explanations for the Moses Illusion are considered: (1) the so-called illusion is just a cooperative response adopted by the listener/reader; (2) the retrieved memory structures are impoverished or incomplete and thus discrepancies cannot be detected; (3) the question is not carefully encoded and therefore the distorted word may not be fully processed during encoding; and (4) people often do incomplete matches between a complete representation of the question and a complete representation of the stored proposition that contains the answer. The evidence from these experiments does not support the first three alternatives, but is consistent with the partial-match hypothesis.
Glycolipid receptor for human migration inhibitory factor: fucose and sialic acid are important for the human monocyte response to migration inhibitory factor.

Abstract The role of carbohydrate in the interaction of human migration inhibitory factor (MIF) with human peripheral blood monocytes was investigated by studying the effects of different exoglycosidases on the cellular response to MIF. When monocytes were pretreated with neuraminidase, an exoglycosidase specific for sialic acid, they became unresponsive to MIF. Other glycosidases, such as β-galactosidase and α-mannosidase, were inactive in this respect. The effect of neuraminidase was reversible since the response to MIF was restored to normal levels after 24 hr. In parallel studies, a glycolipid-enriched extract from U937 cells, a human macrophage-like cell line, known to enhance the monocyte response to MIF, lost this activity when treated with neuraminidase and α- l -fucosidase, but not with β-galactosidase. This suggests the importance of terminal sialic acid and fucose residues for the interaction between monocyte membrane glycolipids and MIF.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infectivity of Raji and Molt 4 Cells: Differences in Cellular Membrane Lipids and Apparent Microviscosity

Infection of lymphocytes by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is initiated by attachment of the major virus glycoprotein gp350/220 to a cell surface glycoprotein, known as CR2 (CD21). In a productive infection the virus envelope fuses with host cell membranes either at the cell surface or within endocytic vesicles. To investigate the relevance of host cell membrane properties in the fusion process, we used the lymphoblastoid cell lines Raji and Molt 4. Both cell lines express CR2 and bind EBV; however, only the Raji cell supports virus-cell fusion. Lipid analysis of the two cell lines indicated that Raji cells had a significantly lower cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio due to a greater membrane content of phospholipid relative to protein. Determination of cell membrane fluid dynamics by fluorescence polarization indicated that the apparent membrane microviscosity of Molt 4 cells was significantly greater than that of Raji. Increasing Raji cell membrane apparent microviscosity to values similar to those of Molt 4 cells by incubation with cholesteryl-hemisuccinate caused a reduction in EBV fusion with Raji cells. However, experiments designed to allow EBV infection of Molt 4 cells whose plasma membranes had been fluidized were unsuccessful. These studies suggest that the lipid composition and other as yet unidentified factors are involved in entry of EBV into cells.
ELECTRODISPERSION OF FINE AQUEOUS DROPLETS IN SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE

This first study of electrospraying of a liquid into a dense, supercritical fluid has demonstrated a new method for dispersing aqueous liquid into supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) using pulsed high-voltage electric fields. The electrodispersion cell (EDC) was equipped with a laser light scattering system to determine the dependence of mean droplet size on operating variables such as field strength, pulse frequency, and liquid flow rate. Over a range of operating conditions, electrospraying produced micron-size aqueous dispersions with high interfacial area, and the micron-size dispersions were very efficiently coalesced by the wire-mesh electrode so that entrainment of liquid in the CO2 flowing from the cell was negligible. In related work elsewhere, results have been presented on the effects of temperature and pressure of the SC-CO2 on the droplet size and on the extraction of ethanol from an aqueous solution into SC-CO2 using the EDC. This new method of contacting an aqueous phase with SC-CO2 may f...
Inhibition of ATF‐3 expression by B‐Raf mediates the neuroprotective action of GW5074

GW5074 a brain-permeable 3' substituted indolone, protects neurons from death in culture and in an in vivo paradigm of neurodegeneration. Using low potassium (LK) induced apoptosis of cerebellar granule neurons, we report here that the protective action of GW5074 is mediated through the activation of B-Raf. Over-expression of a kinase-dead form of B-Raf blocks the ability of GW5074 to neuroprotect, whereas over-expression of active forms of B-Raf protect even in the absence of GW5074. Although mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) are activated by GW5074, pharmacological inhibition of MEK-ERK signaling by U0126 or PD98059 does not reduce neuroprotection suggesting that B-Raf signals through a non-canonical signaling pathway. GeneChip microarray analyses identified activating transcription factor-3 (ATF-3) as a gene whose expression is induced by LK but that is negatively regulated by GW5074. Forced inhibition of ATF-3 expression using siRNA protects neurons against LK-induced apoptosis, whereas the over-expression of ATF-3 blocks GW5074-mediated neuroprotection. Not unexpectedly, expression of active B-Raf inhibits the apoptosis-associated increase in ATF-3 expression. We extended our work to include three other 3' substituted indolones - a commercially available inhibitor of RNA-dependent protein kinase and two novel compounds designated as SK4 and SK6. Like GW5074, RNA-dependent protein kinase inhibitor, SK4, and SK6 all inhibited c-Raf in vitro but activated B-Raf in neuronal cultures. All four compounds also inhibited ATF-3 expression. Taken together our results indicate that all four indolones mediate neuroprotection by a common mechanism which involves B-Raf activation, and that a downstream target of B-Raf is ATF-3.
Measuring the performance of scanning electron microscope detectors

A simple digital method of measuring the performance of detectors in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is described. The value derived is absolute and can therefore be used to compare both different detectors on the same instrument as well as different detectors on different instruments. The technique can be applied to secondary electron, backscattered electron, and energy-dispersive x-ray detectors. Examples are given of measurements made on a variety of commercial detectors installed on a number of current SEMs.
Vimentin Affects Actin Network Percolation and Mechanics

The mechanics of the cytoskeleton are determined largely by actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. In vitro, composite actin/microtubule networks and actin/myosin networks have revealed unexpected emergent features, suggesting that cytoskeletal mechanical behavior is greater than the sum of its parts.Here, we construct in vitro composite networks of actin and the intermediate filament vimentin, and study the composite network mechanics using bulk rheology. When using biotin-neutravidin as an actin crosslinker, we find that vimentin can have opposing effects on network mechanics, depending on the actin and crosslinker concentrations. Vimentin strengthens actin networks with abundant biotinylation, and weakens composite networks when actin biotinylation is sparse, suggesting that vimentin can either add to or subtract from the number of effective crosslinks in the composite system. The crossover between these two effects occurs when the actin crosslinker spacing is roughly comparable to the actin network mesh size, pointing to a reduction of actin crosslinking through steric constraints by vimentin as the origin of the mechanical changes.When actin networks are crosslinked using Filamin-A or alpha-actinin, vimentin causes a mechanical weakening of the composite network, suggesting that the effective degree of crosslinking is reduced. This is confirmed by confocal fluorescence imaging, which shows actin networks reaching an earlier state of dynamic arrest in the presence of vimentin.Together, these data suggest that vimentin affects the formation of an interpenetrating actin network through steric interactions between the polymers. These indirect interactions affect both the final percolation state and the mechanical strength of the composite network, indicating that the polymers must be considered together as a composite system in determining the properties of the network.Support: NIH (P01GM096971)
Torsion in biochemical reaction networks

This article starts in Part I with a simple example of two biochemical reaction networks that are indistinguishable at the macroscopic level but are different at the molecular level and are shown to have significantly different kinetic properties. So, if one completely ignores the fact that reactions advance in discrete steps at the molecular level, then one can fail to distinguish between networks with widely different kinetics. In part II biochemical reaction networks are treated in a general way to discover what property of a network, only seen at the molecular level, affects its kinetics. It is shown that every such network has a unique torsion group which can be described numerically and readily determined by a programmable computation. If the group is found to be the singleton {0} (as is most often the case in practice), then the network is said to be torsion-free and its kinetic properties unaffected by ignoring its discrete character. A chemical reaction network has to be represented algebraically to calculate its torsion group. If the network is to be understood only at the macroscopic level, it can be placed in the context of real vector spaces, but to recognize its discrete character and its torsion group, each vector space is replaced by a discrete subset of that space, where each molecule can be recognized as a distinct and indivisible entity. Next, the process of calculating a torsion group is shown in several cases, including the example in part I. In this particular case it is shown to have the torsion group with 2 elements, reflecting the fact that the substrate molecules become product molecules 2 at a time, with the result that the overall macroscopic reaction is R ⇔ T, whereas at the molecular level it is 2R ⇔ 2T. In general, however, the torsion group of a biochemical reaction network can be any finite additive group, which is a property of the network that can only be seen at the molecular level. Finally, this fact is demonstrated by showing how to construct a hypothetical, but plausible, biochemical reaction network that has any given finite additive group as its torsion group.
Cyclical trends in psychiatric practice: The case of Bettelheim and Tuke

Abstract Psychiatric historians like to buttress psychiatry's claims to scientific status by presenting a picture of the history of the field dominated by a “march of progress” motif; successive theoretical advances allegedly find themselves reflected in cumulative therapeutic progress. But a more jaundiced view may be advanced, one which draws attention to the curiously cyclical character of therapeutic practices in psychiatry and which views the “theoretical advances” as often no more than more elaborate and intellectually sophisticated ideological rationalizations of otherwise shopworn approaches. The evidence presented in this paper, which takes the form of a detailed comparison of the therapies employed by the Tuke family in 1814 and by Bruno Bettelheim in 1974, provides important support for the latter position.
Length of glycoprotein spikes of vesicular stomatitis virus and Sindbis virus, measured in situ using quasi elastic light scattering and a resistive-pulse technique.

Abstract Sindbis and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were sized in aqueous medium using two nondestructive methods: quasi-elastic laser light scattering (LLS), which measures the hydrodynamic Stokes-Einstein diameter of particles in suspension, and the Nanopar resistive-pulse technique (RP), which measures the diameter corresponding to the nonconductive volume of the particles. The total length of the glycoprotein spikes on the external surface of viral particles contributes to the hydrodynamic diameter, but the spikes make only a marginal contribution to the nonconductive diameter. Spherical Sindbis virus has a hydrodynamic Stokes-Einstein diameter of 735 ± 20 A as measured by LLS, and a diameter of 625 ± 6 A as measured by RP. Sindbis particles made spikeless by protease treatment have an RP diameter of 595 ± 6 A. From these measurements, a spike length of 70 ± 20 A was calculated. Similar comparison between the equivalent sphere diameters of intact and spikeless VSV measured by LLS and RP led to a calculated spike length of 175 ± 25 A. Upon the adsorption of purified VSV glycoprotein to uniform spherical polystyrene beads, a corresponding value of 170 ± 20 A was obtained via LLS as the thickness of the protein layer. Thus, the glycoproteins of VSV extend almost twice as far out of the membrane as do those of Sindbis, suggesting that the glycoprotein of these viruses must be characterized by quite different protein conformations.