cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lymphatic mapping in endometrial cancer: a literature review of current techniques and results

The objective of this study was to review available literature pertaining to lymphatic mapping in endometrial cancer. We reviewed all published series of lymphatic mapping in endometrial cancer available through a PubMed search. Techniques used for identification of sentinel lymph nodes fell into three main categories in relation to the site of injection: 1) uterine subserosal, 2) cervical, and 3) endometrial via hysteroscopy. High detection rates may be achieved in all three categories. The use of both radiolabeled technetium and blue dye has been reported. A combination of cervical and uterine corpus injections appears feasible and less technically demanding than hysteroscopic injections. Immunohistochemistry staining of sentinel nodes coupled with step-serial section may improve the detection of micrometastasis in sentinel nodes. Meaningful sensitivity and false-negative rates cannot be calculated from current series due to their small numbers. The role of lymphatic mapping in endometrial carcinoma and the optimal injection site remains to be determined. A combination of cervical and uterine fundal injections may result in acceptable detection rates. Large-scale validation trials requiring complete pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy are needed to evaluate its role in future clinical practice.
Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education

The current study uses path modeling to investigate the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence early childhood educators’ digital technology use. Survey data from 1234 early childhood educators indicate that attitudes toward the value of technology to aid children’s learning have the strongest effect on technology use, followed by confidence and support in using technology. Additionally, student SES has the strongest effect on attitudes, while support and technology policy influence teacher confidence, which in turn influences attitudes. In contrast, more experienced teachers have more negative attitudes. Overall, the study provides the first path model investigating early childhood educators’ technology use and provides practical considerations to aid teachers’ use of technology in the classroom.
Blind interference rejection for GPS based on a modified despreader

The Global Positioning System (GPS) utilizes low-power spread-spectrum signals which are vulnerable to many kinds of high-power interference signals and jammers. We propose a low-complexity blind adaptive receiver that is based on a novel modified despreader and the one-stage constant modulus (CM) array. This system is capable of nulling directional interference and capturing the GPS signal of interest without requiring explicit angle-of-arrival (AOA) information. Computer simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of the multicomponent receiver for a combination of different types of jamming signals.
Hemoglobin Concentration and Parasitemia on Hospital Admission Predict Risk of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome among Adults with Malaria

Risk factors for progression from acute malaria to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) are poorly understood. The MODS is commonly diagnosed with the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scale, but this scale has been understudied in patients with severe malaria. We conducted a cohort study among 426 adult males admitted to hospital with malaria in Bogota, Colombia. We estimated SOFA scores and relative risks (RRs) for MODS during hospitalization according to patients' characteristics on admission. Risk of MODS was 7.3% over a median 6.0 days in hospital. Baseline hemoglobin was strongly, inversely associated with MODS (adjusted RR for hemoglobin ≤ 8.5 g/dL versus hemoglobin > 11 g/dL = 9.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6, 25.3). Plasmodium falciparum malaria and parasitemia were positively associated with MODS. There was a strong interaction between baseline parasitemia and hemoglobin on MODS risk. In conclusion, the use of parasitemia and hemoglobin on admission to identify high-risk patients deserves consideration.
Endoscopic resection of low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma.

Introduction: This paper evaluates the feasibility of transoral, endoscopic resection of macroscopically localised, low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma. Method: Retrospective case study including patients diagnosed with low grade, subglottic laryngeal chondrosarcoma. Tumours were resected endoscopically via direct laryngoscopy with microlaryngeal technique, under jet ventilation. The post-operative course, vocal fold function, airway patency and oncological results were evaluated. Results: Two male patients aged 49 and 60 years underwent endoscopic, translaryngeal, en bloc resection of low grade chondrosarcoma of the cricoid cartilage. Extubation was performed immediately after surgery. Neither patient required tracheostomy or developed subglottic stenosis. No tumour recurrence was noted after an average follow up of 10.5 months. Voice quality was stable and dyspnoea improved. Summary: Transoral, endoscopic resection of low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma is a viable technique with good functional outcomes. Extensive resection of subglottic disease is possible, which may afford patients an alternative to total laryngectomy.
The Promise of Load Balancing the Parameterization of Moist Convection Using a Model Data Load Index

The parameterization of physical processes in atmospheric general circulation models contributes to load imbalances among individual processors of message-passing distributed-multiprocessor systems. Load imbalances increase the overall time to completion of a model run and should be eliminated or reduced as much as possible. Presented herein is a new technique that shows promise for load balancing the parameterization of moist convection found in the Community Climate System Model’s (CCSM’s) Community Atmosphere Model version 3 (CAM3). At the heart of this technique is a load index that is a marker for moist convection (called a model data load index). The marker for moist convection correlates directly to the amount of processing time per model grid cell and can therefore be used to effect a load balance. Spatial locality on the model grid and temporal locality between model time steps exist that allow a decomposition from a load-balancing step to be retained for multiple time steps. The analysis in this paper shows that the load balance does not need to be applied at every time step and that the number of steps in which the previous load balance remains effective is large enough for the overhead to be cost effective. Tests performed indicate that this technique is scalable to higher-resolution models as well as to higher processor counts than those presented. Through the use of the Load Balancing and Scheduling Framework (LBSF), this technique shows promise in reducing (by 47%) the time of the unbalanced load of one particular subroutine in CAM3 at the T85 spectral truncation. A maximum of 3.75 s of total execution time is saved over a 2430-time-step simulation. When extrapolated to a 1000-yr simulation, this translates to a potential savings of 22 h in that subroutine alone. Similar methods applied to remaining subroutines can add up to a significant savings. These results are encouraging in that a fine-grained load-balancing technique using the evolving characteristics of geophysical data paves the way for load balancing a broad range of physical calculations, both in CAM3 and other scientific applications, where more general techniques are not practical.
Concise Review: The Periosteum: Tapping into a Reservoir of Clinically Useful Progenitor Cells

Elucidation of the periosteum and its regenerative potential has become a hot topic in orthopedics. Yet few review articles address the unique features of periosteum-derived cells, particularly in light of translational therapies and engineering solutions inspired by the periosteum's remarkable regenerative capacity. This review strives to define periosteum-derived cells in light of cumulative research in the field; in addition, it addresses clinical translation of current insights, hurdles to advancement, and open questions in the field. First, we examine the periosteal niche and its inhabitant cells and the key characteristics of these cells in the context of mesenchymal stem cells and their relevance for clinical translation. We compare periosteum-derived cells with those derived from the marrow niche in in vivo studies, addressing commonalities as well as features unique to periosteum cells that make them potentially ideal candidates for clinical application. Thereafter, we review the differentiation and tissue-building properties of periosteum cells in vitro, evaluating their efficacy in comparison with marrow-derived cells. Finally, we address a new concept of banking periosteum and periosteum-derived cells as a novel alternative to currently available autogenic umbilical blood and perinatal tissue sources of stem cells for today's population of aging adults who were "born too early" to bank their own perinatal tissues. Elucidating similarities and differences inherent to multipotent cells from distinct tissue niches and their differentiation and tissue regeneration capacities will facilitate the use of such cells and their translation to regenerative medicine.
Modeling Competitive Marketing Strategies: The Impact of Marketing-Mix Relationships and Industry Structure

This paper empirically analyzes the formulation of competitive marketing strategies consisting of product quality levels, promotional expenditures and prices. Using a simultaneous-equation model, we examine the use of prices and promotional spending as signals or indications of product quality, the impact of promotional spending on prices, and the impact of industry structure on the formulation of the complete marketing mix. The structural equations are developed using a theoretical model of optimal competitive marketing mix, and are estimated using business-level PIMS data, which consists largely of industrial, durable goods producers. For a cross-section of 1,100 of these businesses, three results of the estimation are especially interesting: • Price-cost margins are high for high quality products, suggesting that high prices indicate or signal high quality. • Promotional intensity is unrelated to product quality, suggesting that promotional effort provides no reliable signals of quality. Intensely promoted products earn low price-cost margins, however, indicating that promotional spending is associated with high price sensitivity. • Quality levels, promotional intensity, and price-cost margins vary significantly with competitive and market conditions such as the concentration of competitors and the stability of market shares, although these relationships are generally weaker than relationships between quality, promotion, and price-cost margins. Quality levels are high and margins low in markets with unstable shares or unconcentrated competitors.
Methyl palmitate inhibits lipopolysaccharide-stimulated phagocytic activity of rat peritoneal macrophages.

Macrophages, in general, are critical effectors of body's immune system. Chemical inhibition of phagocytic activity of such macrophages as Kupffer cells has been extensively studied. We have earlier shown that methyl palmitate (MP) inhibits the activation of Kupffer cells. To evaluate the potential of MP to inhibit the activation of other macrophages, we treated rat peritoneal macrophages with varying concentrations of MP. Its treatment led to a dose-dependent inhibition of phagocytic activity, which was found to be 34%, 47%, and 66% at 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 mM MP, respectively, as measured by latex bead uptake. When MP-treated peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the nitric oxide (.NO) release was inhibited at 6 h, while cyclooxygenase-2 expression decreased after 24 h. The treatment with MP increased the release of interleukin (IL)-10 in the LPS-treated cells at 6 h, while IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly increased both at 6 and 24 h. Our data suggest that MP inhibits phagocytic activity and .NO production similar to that observed in isolated Kupffer cells. Therefore, inhibition of phagocytosis by MP may be a general phenomenon, and it could be used as an inhibitor of macrophage function. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 20:302–308, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20150
Relative contribution of lipid sources to eggs of lesser scaup

Studies of how birds mobilize nutrients to eggs have traditionally considered a continuum of possible allocation strategies ranging from income breeding (rely on food sources found on the breeding grounds) to capital breeding (rely on body reserves stored prior to the breeding season). For capital breeding, stored body reserves can be acquired either on or away from the breeding grounds, but it has been difficult to quantify the relative contribution of each, precluding identification of key habitats for acquiring nutrients for clutch formation. During 2006–2009, we explored the importance of spring-staging habitats versus breeding-area habitats for egg-lipid formation in female lesser scaup Aythya affinis using stable carbon (δ13C) isotope analyses. Although δ13C values for abdominal lipid reserves brought to the breeding grounds overlapped those of local amphipods, we were able to quantify the importance of local plant carbohydrates (seeds of emergent wetland plants) to the production of eggs. We compared the importance of local wetland seeds (overall δ13C: −29.1 ± 0.9‰ SD) to combined lipid stores and lipids from local amphipods (overall δ13C: −23.8 ± 2.2‰). Local seeds and stored body lipids contributed equally to egg lipid formation across years but we found evidence of annual variation in their relative importance. Wetland seeds contributed 39% (SE = 10%) to egg lipid production, and the importance of this source varied by year (90% CI = 47–75% in 2006, 13–42% in 2007, 29–65% in 2008, and 7–30% in 2009). In contrast to earlier studies that suggest lesser scaup predominantly employ a capital breeding strategy, our results suggest that in some years females may attain half of their energy for clutch formation from foods on the breeding grounds.
Modeling Biofuels Policies in General Equilibrium: Insights, Pitfalls and Opportunities

Over the past decade, biofuels production in the EU and US has boomed - much of this due to government mandates and subsidies. The US has now surpassed Brazil as the world's leading producer of ethanol. The economic and environmental impact of these biofuel programs has become an important question of public policy. Due to the complex intersectoral linkages between biofuels and crops, livestock as well as energy activities, CGE modeling has become an important tool for their analysis. This chapter reviews recent developments in this area of economic analysis, and suggests directions for future research.
Structured Query Language (SQL)

It has been claimed that over 80% of all applications (including Internet applications) have significant database components. In the various database platforms that are on the market today, the relational model dominates the marketplace. The language of relational databases is SQL. Not only are applications using databases, but also many of today's dynamic Web sites are database-driven. It is therefore crucial for all application developers to know the basics of SQL. This chapter introduces the basics of SQL and its common applications. Keywords: data definition statements (DDS); database; query-by-example (QBE); relational model; set theory
Somatostatin receptor gene transfer inhibits established pancreatic cancer xenografts.

Abstract Background. Most human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells do not express somatostatin receptors, and somatostatin does not inhibit the growth of these cancers. We have demonstrated previously that somatostatin inhibits the growth of pancreatic cancers expressing somatostatin receptor subtype-2 (SSTR2), but not receptor-negative cancers. SSTR2 expression may be an important tumor-suppressor pathway that is lost in human pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that SSTR2 gene transfer would restore the growth-inhibitory response of human pancreatic cancer to somatostatin. Materials and methods. Palpable human pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumors were established on the backs of nude mice by subcutaneous injection of cultured cells (Panc-1). The animals were divided into 5 groups ( n = 10/group). Group I served as an untreated control. Group II received an intramuscular injection of the long-acting somatostatin analogue Sandostatin LAR. Group III received Lac-Z expressing adenovirus via intraperitoneal injection. Group IV received SSTR2 expressing adenovirus via intraperitoneal injection. Group V received SSTR2 expressing adenovirus via intraperitoneal injection and an intramuscular injection of Sandostatin LAR. The rate of tumor growth was assessed with calipers. After 28 days, the animals were anesthetized and exsanguanated, and the tumors were excised and weighed. Plasma somatostatin and octreotide levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Expression of cell-surface somatostatin-receptor protein and known tumor-suppressor proteins was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results. Systemic delivery of SSTR2-expressing adenovirus by intraperitoneal injection resulted in expression of SSTR2 protein in the subcutaneous human pancreatic cancers. Final tumor weight was significantly decreased in the groups expressing SSTR2 receptors compared to the other 3 groups. Treatment with Sandostatin LAR increased plasma octreotide levels as determined by radioimmunoassay, but had no significant effect on tumor growth. Western blot analysis revealed an up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27 and p16 in the SSTR2 transfected tumors. Conclusions. Expression of SSTR2 by human pancreatic cancer causes significant slowing of tumor growth by a mechanism independent of exogenous somatostatin. The mechanism may involve up-regulation of known tumor-suppressor proteins. Restoration of SSTR2 gene expression deserves further study as a potential gene-therapy strategy in human pancreatic cancer.
Pre-Test Assessment

Pre-tests are a non-graded assessment tool used to determine pre-existing subject knowledge. Typically pre-tests are administered prior to a course to determine knowledge baseline, but here they are used to test students prior to topical material coverage throughout the course. While counterintuitive, the pre-tests cover material the student is not expected to know, but serve as a motivational tool and a ‘road map’ for the students, resulting in improved course performance.
Engineered Bivalent Ligands to Bias ErbB Receptor-mediated Signaling and Phenotypes

The ErbB receptor family is dysregulated in many cancers, and its therapeutic manipulation by targeted antibodies and kinase inhibitors has resulted in effective chemotherapies. However, many malignancies remain refractory to current interventions. We describe a new approach that directs ErbB receptor interactions, resulting in biased signaling and phenotypes. Due to known receptor-ligand affinities and the necessity of ErbB receptors to dimerize to signal, bivalent ligands, formed by the synthetic linkage of two neuregulin-1β (NRG) moieties, two epidermal growth factor (EGF) moieties, or an EGF and a NRG moiety, can potentially drive homotypic receptor interactions and diminish formation of HER2-containing heterodimers, which are implicated in many malignancies and are a prevalent outcome of stimulation by native, monovalent EGF, or NRG. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this approach by showing that bivalent NRG (NN) can bias signaling in HER3-expressing cancer cells, resulting in some cases in decreased migration, inhibited proliferation, and increased apoptosis, whereas native NRG stimulation increased the malignant potential of the same cells. Hence, this new approach may have therapeutic relevance in ovarian, breast, lung, and other cancers in which HER3 has been implicated.
Brittle fracture in PVC pipe material

Methods to measure the plane strain fracture toughness (K1c) of PVC pipe material, valid according to linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM), have been developed. As in metals practice, the crack tip plastic zone must be small compared to initial crack length, section thickness, and other specimen dimensions to achieve validity. Other conditions of test rate and temperature also must be fulfilled. K1c values vary from 2.8 to 4.0 MN m−3/2. Quantitative micromechanical analyses of the plastic flow regions on the fracture surfaces account for only a fraction of the measured toughness. Other deformation mechanisms (crazing) below but near the surfaces have been observed; apparently they absorb the balance of the work required to drive the stable crack. Under catastrophic, rapid crack propagation, only a single craze exists ahead of the crack tip; the multiple crazes disappear. Thus the dynamic fracture toughness may be several factors less than the static or stable value.
Lateral Tunnel Fontan in the Current Era: Is It Still a Good Option?

Background Construction of a total cavopulmonary anastomosis using an intra-atrial lateral tunnel Fontan (LTF) is known to yield good early and midterm results. Given the current controversy regarding indications for a total extracardiac conduit Fontan, we reviewed the long-term outcomes after a LTF operation and compared them with recently published series using one or both techniques. Methods Between 1992 and 2008, 220 of 280 patients (median age, 2.5 years; range, 1 to 45) with a wide range of underlying diagnoses underwent a fenestrated or nonfenestrated LTF operation at our institution. Current follow-up information was available for 215 patients (98%; mean follow-up, 6.7 ± 3.9 years). Risk factor analysis included patient-related and procedure-related variables, with death, failure (takedown or transplantation), and bradyarrhythmia or tachyarrhythmia as outcome variables. Results There was 1 early death, 10 late deaths, 3 takedown operations, and 1 heart transplantation. Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was 96% at 5 years and 95% at 10 and 15 years, and freedom from failure was 94% at 5 years and 93% at 10 years. Freedom from new supraventricular tachyarrhythmia was 98% at 5 years and 95% at 10 years; freedom from new bradyarrhythmia was 97% at 5 years and 96% at 10 years. Six patients have protein-losing enteropathy, and 2 of 6 have had Fontan takedown. Multivariable risk factors for development of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia included atrioventricular valve abnormalities ( p = 0.02), and preoperative bradyarrhythmia ( p = 0.01). Risk factors for bradyarrhythmia included the need for early postoperative pacing ( p = 0.001). None of the patient-related variables significantly influenced survival. Conclusions The LTF operation results in excellent midterm outcome even when used in patients with complex anatomy. The incidence of postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmia is low and depends largely on the underlying cardiac morphology and incidence of preoperative arrhythmia. The good midterm outcome after a LTF operation should serve as a basis for comparison with other surgical alternatives to complete the Fontan circulation.
Association Between Level of Frailty and Bone Mineral Density in Community-Dwelling Men

Abstract The goal of this study is to determine the associations between the components of a frailty definition and bone mineral density (BMD) in older men. A total of 392 community dwelling men (age range: 58–95 yr) with a mean age of 73±8 yr were evaluated. Femoral neck BMD T-scores ranged from −5.78 to +2.50, with 48.7% who had T-scores between −1 and −2.5 (low bone mass) and 8.7 % who had T scores≤−2.5 (osteoporosis). Participants were characterized as normal (39%), intermediate (55%), or frail (6%). Hand grip strength was 31.5±9.1 kg in those with normal BMD compared with 26.5±7.9 kg in those with osteoporotic BMD ( p =0.0026). Walk speed (8 ft) was 2.32±0.49 s in those with normal BMD compared with 2.87±1.30 s with osteoporotic BMD ( p =0.0015). Femoral neck T-score declined significantly with increasing level of frailty ( p =0.014), but significance of decline was lost when corrected for age. Increasing frailty was associated with lower femoral neck BMD, although the association was not independent of age. Two components of the frailty model (i.e., hand grip strength and walking speed) were independently associated with lower femoral neck BMD, a finding that has not previously been reported in men.
VORTEX MOTION IN A VISCOUS FLUID

Abstract A discussion is given of a three-dimensional vortex in a viscous fluid. A theory is outlined that leads to a reduction of the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations of an incompressible fluid to three ordinary, nonlinear, differential equations. Although no numerical results are available, qualitative arguments based on these equations and on the form of their dependent and independent variables throw considerable light on the structure of the vortex. One important result is that the vertical velocity is of the same order of magnitude as the horizontal velocity.
Building Transatlantic Italy: Architectural Dialogues with Postwar America

The premise of Building Transatlantic Italy: Architectural Dialogues with Postwar America seems simple enough: Paolo Scrivano sets out to trace the ways in which American culture influenced postwar...
Evaluating the Validity of the Client Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing Scale in a Brief Motivational Intervention for College Student Drinkers

The Client Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing scale (CEMI) is a measure for assessing client perceptions of clinicians' use of motivational interviewing (MI). This study explored the factorial, convergent and predictive validity of the CEMI with a sample of 137 college students who completed a brief motivational intervention for alcohol harm reduction. A two factor structure was confirmed, supporting previous findings of relational and technical subscales. The CEMI technical subscale partially mediated an increase in readiness to change drinking, while the relational subscale did not. Higher scores on CEMI technical subscale predicted higher scores on the tasks, bond and goals subscales of the Working Alliance Inventory while higher scores on the CEMI relationship subscale predicted an increase in the goals subscale. Finally, the correlations between the CEMI subscales and observer-rated MI spirit score and MI adherent and non-adherent behavioral counts were in the expected directions but did not reach statistical significance. Further revision and evaluation of the CEMI is recommended. Clinical, training and research implications are provided.
Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Frequency Modulation Devices in Improving Academic Outcomes in Children With Auditory Processing Difficulties

This systematic review describes the published evidence related to the effectiveness of frequency modulation (FM) devices in improving academic outcomes in children with auditory processing difficulties. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards were used to identify articles published between January 2003 and March 2014. The Cochrane Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome, Study Design approach and the American Occupational Therapy Association process forms were used to guide the article selection and evaluation process. Of the 83 articles screened, 7 matched the systematic review inclusion criteria. Findings were consistently positive, although limitations were identified. Results of this review indicate moderate support for the use of FM devices to improve children's ability to listen and attend in the classroom and mixed evidence to improve specific academic performance areas. FM technology should be considered for school-age children with auditory processing impairments who are receiving occupational therapy services to improve functioning in the school setting.
Abstract WP259: CaMKII Inhibitor tatCN21 Decreases Neuronal Damage Following Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Mice

INTRODUCTION: Glutamate excitotoxicity is considered an important mechanism of ischemic neuronal damage. However, directly inhibiting glutamate receptors can cause severe side effects due to their key physiological functions in the central nervous system (CNS). Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major downstream target of glutamate-induced Ca2+ signaling. The aim of this study is to examine the neuroprotective potential of the CaMKII inhibitor tatCN21 on experimental cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR). Methods: Global cerebral ischemia was induced with 8 min of cardiac arrest followed by CPR in C57BL/6 male mice. The mice were randomly administered either tatCN21 (1 mg/kg, n=14) or vehicle (saline, n=13) 2 minutes after resuscitation (intravenous). Hippocampal neuronal damage was analyzed three days after resuscitation by H&E staining. Primary hippocampal neurons were insulted with 400 μm glutamate for 5 min and treated with tatCN21 (5 μm), the scrambled CN peptide (tatRev, 5 μm) or KN93 (10 μm) 1 hr after removal of glutamate, cell viability was measure by LDH release 24 hrs later. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and t tests, with P Results: Analysis of histological damage 72 hrs after resuscitation revealed that tatCN21 significantly reduces hippocampal CA1 neuronal injury compared to vehicle-treated mice, reducing damage from 72.9±4.5% (n=13) for vehicle to 54.1±7.6% (n=14, P Conclusions: Our data showed that the novel CaMKII inhibitor tatCN21 decreases neuronal damage both in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, this study indicated that CaMKII may have an important role in glutamate excititoxicity and that tatCN21 may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for minimizing brain injury following cardiac arrest.
Augmentation of Glucose Transport in Macrophages After Particle Ingestion

Guinea pig and mouse peritoneal macrophages in culture transport glucose by a specific, saturable system with characteristics compatible with facilitated diffusion. Phagocytosis of killed staphylococci or polystyrene latex spheres results in a significant increase in uptake of 2-deoxy-d-glucose. Reciprocal plot analysis showed that the Km values were lowered as a consequence of phagocytosis by a factor of between 2 and 3 in both cell types; Vmax values were not significantly changed. The nature of the intracellular sugar pool was analyzed and found to consist of free and phosphorylated 2-deoxy-d-glucose at a relatively constant ratio of 1:2 after periods of uptake between 1 and 20 min. Phagocytosis resulted in increased levels of both free and phosphorylated sugars in the cytoplasm. Since the Km values were lowered, augmented glucose uptake could not be accounted for by altered hexokinase activity. It was concluded that phagocytosis induces changes in the glucose transport system per se. The data are compatible with the metabolic changes known to be associated with particle ingestion by phagocytic cells. The mechanism by which glucose transport is augmented after loss of significant amounts of cell surface during the phagocytic process is not yet known.
Resistance of the Spotted Alfalfa Aphid to Certain Oreganophosphorus Insecticides in Southern California

During the late summer of 1956 an increasing number of failures were reported in alfalfa fields where parathion and malathion were used to combat the spotted alfalfa aphid, Therioaphis maculate (Buckton), in southern California. A survey of the troubled area strongly indicated the presence of a resistant strain of aphids. Field tests showed that the aphid has developed a low degree of resistance to parathion and Trithion in localized areas. In one test, malathion, Phosdrin, and demeton (Systox) applied at 9.1, 0.7, and 0.9 ounces per acre, respectively, gave only mediocre control. These same dosages gave excellent control of susceptible aphid populations. Laboratory studies showed that the aphid had developed approximately 4-fold resistance to parathion residues. If time of exposure to mortality is considered, the degree of resistance is probably even greater. Resistant aphids continued reproduction when exposed to the toxicant, and many of their young survived. Reproduction in nonresistant aphids was markedly reduced, and the young died. The developmental pattern of resistance in parthenogenetic species does not progress in the same manner as in multivoltine bisexual species. Resistance probably arose through mutation after the aphid arrived in North America.
DISPERSAL AGENTS OF VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN A DISTURBED ARID ECOSYSTEM

An evaluation of wind, small mammals and grasshoppers as dispersal agents of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi (Endogonaceae) was conducted in a shrub-steppe community disturbed by strip...
Primary investigation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in soils from some areas in Zhejiang

Objective:To reveal the pollution level of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in soils from five areas of Zhejiang province.Methods:Soil was air dried,grinded and sifted with 200 meshes stainless steel sieve.After 13C-labeled surrogate internal standards had been spiked,soil sample was extracted by soxhlet apparatus and purified by a series of columns like multiple silica column,silver nitrate column and alumina column,and at last analyzed by HRGC-HRMS.Results:Concentration ranges and averages of dioxins and PCBs in soil from five areas are 218.5～5098.9 pg/g d.w,1993.5 pg/g d.w,and 1520～318380 pg/g d.w,97000 pg/g d.w,respectively;Ranges of total dioxin and PCB WHO-TEQ in soils are 5.880~47.598pg/g d.w and 0.153~34.833 pg/g d.w,respectively.Total WHO-TEQ in soils are 11.937~47.598pg/g d.w,and average is 27.61 pg/g d.w.Conclusion:Compared with other investigation of typical polluted areas in China,dioxins and PCBs in soils from five areas in Zhejiang was nearly with others.The pollution is serious.
Effects of harvesting cell density, medium depth and environmental factors on biomass and lipid productivities of Chlorella vulgaris grown in swine wastewater

A regression model was developed to determine the growth rate of Chlorella vulgaris that is affected by the environmental factors of temperature, light intensity and pH value. The optimum environmental condition for growing C. vulgaris was experimentally determined at light intensity of 240μEm−2s−1, 24°C and pH of 7.4. At the optimum environmental condition, the growth rate of C. vulgaris in swine wastewater with 102 mg N/l and 76 mg P/l was 0.160 g/l/day, compared to 0.191 g/l/day for its growth on a modified Bold's medium with 100 mg N/l and 53 mg P/l. The regression model was further integrated with a light and heat transfer model to estimate the biomass productivity of C. vulgaris grown on the swine wastewater in an open raceway pond (ORP) with different medium depths and harvesting cell densities under the weather condition in North Carolina yearly around. At 20 cm medium depth, the highest growth rate was 0.162 g/l/day, which was obtained at 0.1 g/l harvesting cell density, 24°C and 1350μEm−2s−1 solar irradiance in August. If the medium depth increased to 30 cm, the highest growth rate at 0.1 g/l harvesting cell density was 0.156 g/l/day, which was obtained at 23°C and 1500μEm−2s−1 in June. If the harvesting cell density increased to 0.4 g/l, the highest growth rate decreased significantly to 0.033 and 0.02 g/l/day for 20 cm and 30 cm medium depths, respectively. At 0.1 g/l harvesting cell density, the yearly algal productivity was 80 and 59 t/ha at 30 cm and 20 cm medium depths, respectively. At the average 25% lipid content of C. vulgaris grown in swine wastewater, the highest lipid yield was 20 and 14.75 t/ha/year at 30 cm and 20 cm medium depths, respectively.
Teaching the Social Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow

Social entrepreneurs work in the context of humanitarian problems; they are innovators working to create social change. This chapter establishing a working definition of social entrepreneurialism, then examines businesses that balance profit with social impact, and then looks to education models that attempt to prepare the social entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Two-dimensional photonic bandgap defect laser

We have demonstrated optically pumped two-dimensional photonic crystal defect InGaAsP MQW lasers at 1.5 /spl mu/m. Pulsed lasing action at 143 K has been obtained in microcavities as small as 2(/spl lambda//2n)/sup 3/.
On Two-Dimensional Lyndon Words

A Lyndon word is a primitive string which is lexicographically smallest among cyclic permutations of its characters. Lyndon words are used for constructing bases in free algebras, constructing de Bruijn sequences, finding the lexicographically smallest or largest substring in a string, and succinct suffix-prefix matching of highly periodic strings. In this paper, we extend the concept of the Lyndon word to two dimensions. We introduce the 2D Lyndon word and use it to capture 2D horizontal periodicity of a matrix in which each row is highly periodic, and to efficiently solve 2D horizontal suffix-prefix matching among a set of patterns. This yields a succinct and efficient algorithm for 2D dictionary matching. We present several algorithms that compute the 2D Lyndon word that represents a matrix. The final algorithm achieves linear time complexity even when the least common multiple of the periods of the rows is exponential in the matrix width.
Direct and Indirect Photochemical Reactions in Viral RNA Measured with RT-qPCR and Mass Spectrometry.

RNA carries the genetic instructions for many viruses to replicate in their host cells. The photochemical reactions that take place in RNA and affect viral infectivity in natural and engineered environments, however, remain poorly understood. We exposed RNA oligomer segments from the genome of bacteriophage MS2 to UV254, simulated sunlight, and singlet oxygen (1O2) and analyzed the oligomer reaction kinetics with reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and quantitative matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Following UV254 exposure, quantitative MALDI-TOF-MS detected significantly more RNA modifications than did RT-qPCR, suggesting that certain chemical modifications in the RNA were not detected by the reverse transcriptase enzyme. In contrast, MALDI-TOF-MS tracked as much 1O2-induced RNA damage as RT-qPCR. After 5 h of simulated sunlight exposure (5100 J/m2 UVB and 1.2 × 105 J/m2 UVA), neither MALDI-TOF-MS nor RT-qPCR detected significant d...
Droidsentry: Efficient Code Integrity and Control Flow Verification on TrustZone Devices

The fast evolution of mobile devices has made them the center of attention for not only the research industry, but also malicious actors, as smartphones are used to store, transmit and process sensitive information. The diversity and number of typically installed applications create windows of opportunity for attackers. Attackers can use vulnerable applications to gain control over the device or change the behavior of applications relied on to manage user's finances or store their secret data. Thus, current mobile systems need application execution verification mechanisms. In consequence, we present a framework for current ARM mobile devices that can detect application control flow manipulation attempts by looking at the history of executed control flow altering instructions on the processor. This history examination provides enough information to implement the state-of-the-art fine-grained control policies, without additional binary instrumentation. Moreover, this framework is designed to work with existing hardware and have a minimal impact on performance.
Analysis of Human Endogenous Retrovirus Expression in Multiple Sclerosis Plaques.

Background It has been suggested that Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to broadly evaluate the expression of HERV core (GAG) and envelope (ENV) genes in diseased brain white matter samples from MS patients compared to normal controls. Methods Twenty-eight HERV GAG and 88 ENV gene sequences were retrieved, classified by phylogeny, and grouped into clades. Consensus qPCR primers were designed for each clade, and quantitative PCR was performed on 33 MS and 9 normal control frozen brain samples. MS samples included chronic progressive (n=5), primary progressive (n=4), secondary progressive (n=14), relapsing remitting (n=3) and unclassified confirmed MS cases (n=7). The levels of GAG and ENV RNA within each of the samples were quantitated and normalized using the neuronal reference gene RPL19. Expression differences were analyzed for MS vs control. Results Expression of GAG clades 1A, 3B, and 3C mapping to HERV-E and HERV-K were significantly increased compared to controls, while GAG clade 3A expression was decreased. Expression of HERV ENV clades 2, 3A, 3B, mapping to RTVL, HERV-E and HERV-K and MSRV (HERV-W), were significantly increased in the MS group. However, the relative expression differences between the MS and control groups were small, differing less than 1.5-fold. Conclusion Expression of GAG and ENV mapping to HERV-E, RTVL and HERV-K10 families were significantly increased in the MS group. However, the relative expression differences between the MS and control groups were small, differing less than 1.5-fold. These results indicate that the expression of HERV GAG and ENV regions do not differ greatly between MS and controls in these frozen brain samples.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Transplant Technique for Degenerative Joint Disease

The treatment of mild to moderate osteoarthritis can be a challenging problem for orthopaedic surgeons. As new research and treatment strategies have emerged, stem cell therapy has risen in popularity for the management of degenerative joint conditions. In this article, we describe a stepwise technical approach with tips and pearls to performing adipose-derived stem cell transplantation for degenerative joint disease of the knee.
Unilateral hand training on functional performance in patients with upper extremity trauma.

Abstract Study Design Case series. Introduction Upper extremity (UE) trauma and subsequent immobilization affects functional performance. Purpose of the Study Determine the usefulness and feasibility of unilateral hand training (UHT) on improving functional performance in patients with UE trauma. Methods Nine participants received UHT within 10 days of immobilization. Functional performance, dexterity, grip, and pinch strength were measured at initial and 4-week visits. Qualitative interviews were coded to develop themes. Results All Jebsen-Taylor hand function test subtests improved from pretest to post-test. Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores of all 9 participants improved. Functional performance was more impaired for participants with dominant UE injury. Four themes emerged: participants were forced to alter or avoid most daily activities, had an increased dependency on others, took longer to perform activities, and felt UHT decreased the impact of UE trauma on function. Discussion Functional performance was impaired for all participants. Participants believed that UHT was useful and contributed to improved function. Conclusion This case series tracked a comprehensive intervention based on a holistic activities of daily living framework that considered the nuances of individual complexities of immobilization following hand trauma. Knowledge from this study supports an early intervention like UHT to educate clients on effective strategies to improve immediate activities of daily living functioning and potentially prevent longer term impairments.
The Role of Kainate Receptors in the Pathophysiology of Hypoxia-Induced Seizures in the Neonatal Mouse.

Kainate receptors (KARs) are glutamate receptors with peak expression during late embryonic and early postnatal periods. Altered KAR-mediated neurotransmission and subunit expression are observed in several brain disorders, including epilepsy. Here, we examined the role of KARs in regulating seizures in neonatal C57BL/6 mice exposed to a hypoxic insult. We found that knockout of the GluK2 subunit, or blockade of KARs by UBP310 reduced seizure susceptibility during the period of reoxygenation. Following the hypoxic insult, we observed an increase in excitatory neurotransmission in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells, which was blocked by treatment with UBP310 prior to hypoxia. Similarly, we observed increased excitatory neurotransmission in CA3 pyramidal cells in an in vitro hippocampal slice model of hypoxic-ischemia. This increase was absent in slices from GluK2−/− mice and in slices treated with UBP310, suggesting that KARs regulate, at least in part, excitatory synaptic neurotransmission following in vivo hypoxia in neonatal mice. Data from these hypoxia models demonstrate that KARs, specifically those containing the GluK2 subunit, contribute to alterations in excitatory neurotransmission and seizure susceptibility, particularly during the reoxygenation period, in neonatal mice. Therapies targeting KARs may prove successful in treatment of neonates affected by hypoxic seizures.
How to be a rabbit-friendly practice

AbstractFor years many small animal practices have strived to be “cat friendly”. Nowadays, rabbit owners expect and deserve the same standards of care for their rabbits, and with more and more rabb...
Nonparametric distributed detection using bootstrapping and fisher's method

This paper addresses the problem of distributed decision making when there is no or very vague knowledge about the probability models associated with the hypotheses. Such scenarios occur for example in the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, radio spectrum monitoring, sensor networks, environmental surveillance. It may not be feasible to specify accurate probability models needed in inference for a large number of distributed sensors. The probability models are learned from the data via empirical distributions that provide an accurate approximation of the true model. The bootstrap method is employed to approximate the distributions with high accuracy. The Anderson-Darling test is employed in each sensor and the computed p-values are communicated to the Fusion Center (FC) that makes the final decision. The FC employs the Fisher's method to fuse the local p-values. The decision is based on the distribution of p-values instead of actual p-values. The proposed method detects changes in probability model even if the distributions differ only slightly. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the Fisher's method evaluating the distribution of obtained local p-values consistently outperforms widely used Boolean fusion rules.
Letter by Rahman and McEvoy Regarding Article, "Influence of Baseline Diastolic Blood Pressure on Effects of Intensive Compared With Standard Blood Pressure Control".

We read with interest the post hoc analysis by Beddhu and colleagues1 from SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial). The authors demonstrated that the subgroup of SPRINT participants with baseline diastolic blood pressure (BP) <68 mm Hg benefited from intensive systolic BP lowering (target of 120 mm Hg) similar to those with higher baseline diastolic BP. This benefit was seen for both death and the primary composite end point of nonfatal myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome not resulting in myocardial infarction, stroke, acute decompensated heart failure, or cardiovascular death. This excellent analysis …
Anti-Stokes Scattering as an XUV Radiation Source

Laser induced scattering from atoms stored in a metastable level may be used to produce an XUV radiation source with several unique properties: narrow linewidth, tunability, linear polarization, picosecond pulsewidth, and relatively high peak spectral brightness [1].