cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical procedures for the treatment of urge incontinence.

PURPOSE: Cure of urge incontinence refractory to conservative management may require the application of several surgical techniques. The Ingelman-Sundberg bladder denervation procedure, detrusor myectomy, and augmentation cystoplasty are among the surgical possibilities aimed at dealing with severe urgency and uninhibited detrusor contractions. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A review of the literature was performed to evaluate surgical treatments for refractory urgency and urge incontinence with a focus on the Ingelman-Sundberg bladder denervation procedure, detrusor myectomy, and augmentation cystoplasty. RESULTS: The Ingelman-Sundberg bladder denervation has a complete response rate of 54% at a mean of 44.1 months. Among a heterogeneous group of patients, the detrusor myectomy resulted in improvement of compliance and/or resolution of uninhibited detrusor contraction in 63%. The augmentation cystoplasty has the highest overall rate of success but with a much higher likelihood of early and late postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical procedures for urge incontinence have a reasonable success rate with respect to cure of symptoms and urodynamic improvement when present. The possibility of cure or improvement appears to vary directly with the invasiveness of the procedure. However, a logical progression from least to most invasive should be undertaken unless very poor compliance and upper tract abnormalities dictate a more aggressive initial course of action.
Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen Antipyretic Efficacy

The antipyretic efficacies of ibuprofen (5 mg/kg dose) and acetaminophen (10 mg/kg dose) were compared in 70 outpatients (mean age, 2.1 years) with a history of febrile seizures by a randomized, multiple dose, double-blind clinical study conducted at the University Hospital, Sophia Children’s Hospital, and Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Teaching secure software engineering: Writing secure code

Writing secure code is critical because a large fraction of security incidents result from flaws in the code. In order to effectively teaching knowledge of secure software engineering we have developed a course module titled “Introduction to Writing Secure Code”. This paper presents the content of this module and reports our teaching experiences. This module has been successfully taught in GEEN 163 Introduction to Java Programming class and GEEN 165 Computer Programming Design class in Spring 2011 in the Department of Computer Science at xxx University. Our experience exhibits that teaching this module in freshman and sophomore levels help students not only understand the impacts of insecure code, but also gain significant knowledge of safe programming practice. Students' survey and feedback reflected that this module is very valuable in their educational experience. This module could be taught in first year freshman and second year sophomore classes of software engineering, computer science and information technology.
Idle state classification using spiking activity and local field potentials in a brain computer interface

Previous studies of intracortical brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have often focused on or compared the use of spiking activity and local field potentials (LFPs) for decoding kinematic movement parameters. Conversely, using these signals to detect the initial intention to use a neuroprosthetic device or not has remained a relatively understudied problem. In this study, we examined the relative performance of spiking activity and LFP signals in detecting discrete state changes in attention regarding a user's desire to actively control a BCI device. Preliminary offline results suggest that the beta and high gamma frequency bands of LFP activity demonstrated a capacity for discriminating idle/active BCI control states equal to or greater than firing rate activity on the same channel. Population classifier models using either signal modality demonstrated an indistinguishably high degree of accuracy in decoding rest periods from active BCI reach periods as well as other portions of active BCI task trials. These results suggest that either signal modality may be used to reliably detect discrete state changes on a fine time scale for the purpose of gating neural prosthetic movements.
Worldwide Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Cereals and Cereal-Derived Food Products: Public Health Perspectives of Their Co-occurrence.

Cereal grains and their processed food products are frequently contaminated with mycotoxins. Among many, five major mycotoxins of aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone are of significant public health concern as they can cause adverse effects in humans. Being airborne or soilborne, the cosmopolitan nature of mycotoxigenic fungi contribute to the worldwide occurrence of mycotoxins. On the basis of the global occurrence data reported during the past 10 years, the incidences and maximum levels in raw cereal grains were 55% and 1642 μg/kg for aflatoxins, 29% and 1164 μg/kg for ochratoxin A, 61% and 71,121 μg/kg for fumonisins, 58% and 41,157 μg/kg, for deoxynivalenol, and 46% and 3049 μg/kg for zearalenone. The concentrations of mycotoxins tend to be lower in processed food products; the incidences varied depending on the individual mycotoxins, possibly due to the varying stability during processing and distribution of mycotoxins. It should be noted that more than one mycotoxin,...
Microgravity Modulates Drug-Induced Enhancement of Cancer Cell Migration

Microgravity experienced during spaceflights, causes bone, muscular and immune dysfunctions in astronauts. These dysfunctions correlate with changes induced in individual bone cells, muscle cells and white blood cells, both by simulated microgravity on earth as well as microgravity conditions in outer space (as in the international space station). Reported changes include structural/morphological abnormalities, changes in gene expression, protein expression, metabolic pathways and signaling pathways, suggesting that cells mount some response or adjustment to microgravity. However, the implications of such adjustments on many cellular functions and responses are not clear largely because the primary mechanism of gravity sensing in animal cells is unknown. Here we used a rotary cell culture system developed by NASA, to subject leukemic cancer cells to microgravity for 48 hours and then quantified their innate immune-response to common anti-cancer drugs. We found that leukemic cancer cells treated with daunorubicin show increased chemotactic migration (p < 0.01) following simulated microgravity (µg) compared to normal gravity on earth (g). However, cells treated with doxorubicin showed enhanced migration both in g and following µg. Our results show that microgravity modulates cancer cell response to chemotherapy in a drug-dependent manner. This suggests using simulated microgravity as an immunomodulatory tool for the development of new immunotherapies for both space and terrestrial medicine.
FDG-PET/CT Is Superior to Anatomic Imaging for the Staging and Follow Up of Bony Involvement in Patients with Lymphoma.

Abstract Background and Objectives: Positron tomission tomography using 18fluoro-2-deoxyglucose in combination with low dose non-enhanced computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is increasingly utilized in the management of patients with lymphoma. Numerous studies have demonstrated improved accuracy for both staging and restaging as compared to standard diagnostic CT. However, there is a paucity of data on the significance of bone uptake in patients with lymphoma. This is one area in which FDG-PET has the potential to dramatically influence care of lymphoma patients. However, false positive FDG-PET has been shown in patients with traumatic or benign bone lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility and accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in comparison with standard anatomic imaging with CT and MRI in the staging and follow up of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Design and Methods: We reviewed a database of 75 lymphoma patients who underwent concurrent FDG-PET/CT and standard diagnostic CT scans or MRI, and identified those with bone involvement by lymphoma. Involvement of bone was demonstrated by either biopsy of a bone lesion or radiologic appearance and clinical follow up highly suggestive of bone involvement. Follow up studies were evaluated for resolution of FDG avid lesions on PET, and anatomic lesions on CT or MRI. Results: Fourteen patients with either HL or DLBCL who underwent both FDG-PET/CT and diagnostic CT were identified to have bone involvement by lymphoma. FDG-PET identified bone involvement in all 14 patients, whereas CT imaging identified bone involvement in seven. One patient in whom CT did not detect bone involvement had evidence of bone lymphoma by MRI. Eight patients had confirmation of bone lymphoma by biopsy, while 6 were confirmed by clinical criteria (radiologic appearance and clinical follow up). Thirteen of the patients had follow up FDG-PET/CT scans, and 12 had follow up CT and/or MRI. All follow up FDG-PET scans showed resolution of FDG avid bone lesions after anti-lymphoma therapy. In contrast, all CT and MRI scans which originally showed evidence of bone involvement had persistent abnormality on follow up, with only 2 showing improvement. At a median follow up of 9 months (range 0–20 months), 11 patients remain in remission, while 2 patients subsequently showed progression by FDG-PET, CT and biopsy in soft tissue sites, but not bone. One patient remains on therapy. No patient in our series was found to have a benign etiology of a lesion initially thought due to lymphoma. Conclusion: FDG-PET/CT is useful in the staging and follow up of patients with lymphoma with bone involvement. The lack of sensitivity of CT combined with the delayed resolution of anatomic abnormalities limit the utility of standard anatomic imaging, making FDG-PET/CT the imaging modality of choice for patients with bone lymphoma.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Type 2 Reference Strain FH Using Single-Molecule Real-Time Sequencing Technology

ABSTRACT Mycoplasma pneumoniae type 2 strain FH was previously sequenced with Illumina (FH-Illumina) and 454 (FH-454) technologies according to Xiao et al. (2015) and Krishnakumar et al. (2010). Comparative analyses revealed differences in genomic content between these sequences, including a 6-kb region absent from the FH-454 submission. Here, we present a complete genome sequence of FH sequenced with the Pacific Biosciences RSII platform.
The Pharmacology of Opioids

There are a lot of old people. In the 1990 census, patients over the age of 65 comprised 12% of the United States population, or 30,000,000 people. That grew modestly, to 12.5%, by 2000. However, based on the United States population of 301,165,915 as of today, that amounts to 38 million individuals. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that health care for the elderly consumes 5% of the United States gross domestic product.1
Abstract 1679: BET inhibitors suppress PD-L1 expression in pancreatic stellate cells

Single agent treatment with T-cell checkpoint inhibitors has not been effective in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. The PDAC stroma, which can account for as much as 80-90% of the tumor mass, can act as a physical and an immunologic barrier to T-cell-mediated therapies. Transgenic mouse models have shown that ablation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), key regulators of fibrosis in vivo, can sensitize PDAC tumors to immune checkpoint therapies. Recently, inhibitors targeting bromodomains and extra-terminal (BET) proteins, a number of which are currently being evaluated in clinical trials for solid tumors, were shown to induce stellate cells to become quiescent and decrease collagen production. The BET family of proteins binds to acetylation motifs present in histones and enables recruitment of transcription factors and other chromatin regulators during RNA transcription. We have found that PSCs express significantly increased PD-L1 levels compared to pancreatic cancer cell lines. We show that BET inhibitors, and in particular specific knockdown of BRD4 protein, decrease basal and IFN-γ-mediated PD-L1 expression in primary stellate cells. We also show that, in contrast to a recent report using cancer cells, c-MYC does not mediate basal or IFN-γ-mediated PD-L1 expression in stellate cells. Instead, we show that the IFN-γ-mediated PD-L1 expression is regulated by IRF1, suggesting cross talk between BRD4 and IRF1 in the regulation of PD-L1 expression. Ongoing in vivo experiments will evaluate the role of BET inhibitors in the regulation of PD-L1 in mouse models of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Kazumi Ebine, Brian T. DeCant, Katharine A. Collier, Thao N. Pham, Krishan Kumar, Hidayatullah G. Munshi. BET inhibitors suppress PD-L1 expression in pancreatic stellate cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1679. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1679
The feasibility of using smartphones to assess and remediate depression in Hispanic/Latino individuals nationally

Mental Health conditions are now amongst the top five burdensome diseases in the US. Disparities in access to services and health outcomes vary due to several factors including socioeconomic status, shortage of mental health professionals, stigma and the linguistic gap between providers and non-English speaking minority population. This study explores the utility of providing Spanish (mono and bilingual) speaking Latino/Hispanics an option to access low-cost yet modern depression assessment and interventions available through smartphones. This is a fully remotely run study in order to investigate access, engagement, costs, and impact in an ecologically valid manner in a "real life" setting. The main purpose is to directly address issues of culture and language often overlooked in the digital health space, beginning with a thorough characterization of how these modern tools are perceived, utilized, and digested in the largest minority population in the US.
I2S-LWR microchannel heat exchanger design and experimental validation

Abstract The Integral Inherently Safe Light Water Reactor (I 2 S-LWR) includes primary-to-secondary coolant heat exchangers located in the downcomer of the reactor pressure vessel. A microchannel heat exchanger (MCHX) configuration is selected to meet the limited available volume and high heat duty requirements. The design, modeling, and optimization of the liquid-liquid MCHX is outlined. In addition, the performance of a MCHX test section representative of the I 2 S-LWR MCHX design is validated experimentally. Experimental results show that heat transfer and pressure drop correlations developed for larger, macroscale channels lead to accurate predictions of performance. In addition, this study shows that an MCHX can deliver the required heat duties within the available space and pressure drop constraints of the overall I 2 S-LWR design.
"I Have a Kind of Power I Never Knew I Possessed": Surveillance, Agency, and the Possibility of Resistance in YA Dystopian Fiction

Drawing on Foucault’s examination of the gaze as a disciplinary mechanism, and de Certeau’s discussion of how people use tactics to resist oppressive power systems, this article advocates reading the gaze in young adult dystopian fiction. To illustrate the complex readings that doing so makes possible, the author examines three young adult dystopias—M. T. Anderson’s Feed, Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games trilogy, and Corey Doctorow’s Little Brother—to demonstrate how they depict adolescents as having varying degrees of agency to resist the gaze. To conclude, the author discusses the implications for teachers and students of reading the gaze in young adult literature.
Land markets and migration trends in Tanzania: A qualitative-quantitative analysis

While migration has been found to enhance welfare across a range of settings, most of the literature focuses on rural‐to‐urban migrant flows. Using a unique dataset from north‐western Tanzania, this article probes an important, yet overlooked, link between land markets and rural‐to‐rural migration. A mixed‐methods approach is used to discern how these two forces are intertwined in village life. Results indicate that household decisions to migrate are particularly influenced by the ease of market‐based land access in their new communities. This suggests that labour mobility may be facilitated through the development of a well‐functioning land market.
Life History Descriptions of Adelpha naxia naxia and A. nea nea (Nymphalidae) From Costa Rica

Butterflies in the genus Adelpha Hubner (Nymphalidae) are a challenging group to identify owing to their convergence in wing patterns among species. Immature stage biology including morphology and hostplant relationships have helped clarify relationships in this group and will likely continue to do so. Here we report descriptions of the immature stages of two species, Adelpha naxia naxia (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867) and Adelpha nea nea (Hewitson, 1847), based on recent fieldwork on the Osa peninsula of Costa Rica. We observed A. naxia naxia caterpillars feeding on Vitex cooperi Standl. (Lamiaceae), and the immature stage morphology corroborates its position in recent phylogenetic analyses. The food plant of A. nea nea is Micropholis melinoniana Pierre (Sapotaceae), representing the first record of this host family for Adelpha and Neotropical nymphalids. Adelpha nea nea also appears unique in always developing through six larval instars. In addition to descriptions and discussion of immature stage biology and food plant interactions, adult observations are also provided.
La vitalité du décor: Fiske Kimball, du rococo au "Colonial Revival"

In 1943, the American historian of architecture Fiske Kimball (1888-1955) published "The Creation of the Rococo", a milestone in the study of this movement. Thanks to a close examination of archival documents and drawings, Kimball sought to trace 'objectively' the evolution of the "rocaille". Despite his claims to scholarly neutrality, however, Kimball multiplied value judgments in his writings. For Kimball, the rococo exhibited "vitality", a quality he also found in the classical-inspired buildings of colonial America. Like other memebers of the conservative establishment, Kimball promoted these -and, more generally, the work of American Renaissance architects- as the only legitimate forms of contemporary architecture. The 'vitality' of Kimball's rococo thus matched the one Aglo-Protestant elites celebrated in the Colonial Revival, a style they espoused to combat the 'impurity' of cosmopolitan Modernism.
Branes and Chiral Symmetry

D-branes of type II string theory have provided a very picturesque and intuitive way of studying supersymmetric gauge theories. In a paper by Hanany and Witten [1], it was discovered that when a D5-brane passes through an orthogonally oriented NS 5-brane, a D3-brane is created. This transition was subsequently verified in a number of papers [2]. In [3], Seiberg’s duality in N = 1 supersymmetric QCD [4] was found to arise naturally in the framework of D-branes using the Hanany-Witten transition. A prominent feature of N = 1 supersymmetric QCD and non-supersymmetric QCD is chiral symmetry. Here we review how chiral symmetry can be realized in the D-brane construction. This review is based on the papers [5], [7].
The Geometry of Moduli Spaces of Vector Bundles over Algebraic Surfaces

The study of moduli problems is one of the central topics in algebraic geometry. After the development of GIT theory, the moduli of vector bundles over curves were constructed and in the 1970’s, Gieseker constructed the moduli space of vector bundles over algebraic surfaces. Since then, many mathematicians have studied the geometry of this moduli space. For projective plane, Horrocks discovered the very powerful monad constructions of vector bundles over CP2. The proof that the moduli space of bundles over CP2 is either rational or unirational and is irreducible, and the recent development in understanding its cohomology ring rest on this construction. Brosius [Br] gave a simple description of vector bundles over ruled surfaces. In [Mu], Mukai studied the geometry of moduli of vector bundles over K3 surfaces. In particular, he constructed nondegenerate symplectic forms on these moduli spaces. Recently, Friedman has provided us with a description of the global structure of the moduli of bundles over regular elliptic surfaces [Fr1].
Mockup Method: Heuristic Architectural Fragments as Central Models in Architectural Design

Standardization and increased specialization have slowly begun to separate the means and methods of making from the process of architecture. The introduction of digital tools towards the latter half of the century have functioned to further this divide, removing any remaining traces of materiality and scale. Accordingly, architectural design exploration primarily resides in the creation and modification of digital objects, which must then be translated into the physical world. This positions built architecture in a curious position of constant catch up, chasing the impossible ideal of its digital counterpart. However, the tools predominant in architectural design and fabrication today (CAD, CAM) may be appropriated, along with sensory feedback, towards the development of a new material workflow. This paper presents a prototypical workflow which combines computational methods and robotic fabrication techniques with the spontaneity of the human and the messiness and contingency of material. The workflow is tested through the design of 1:1 heuristic architectural fragments.
Quantum particle production effects on the cosmic expansion

Quantum fields in cosmological spacetimes can experience particle production due to their interaction with the expanding background. This effect is particularly relevant for models of the very early universe, when the energy density generated through this process may backreact on the cosmological expansion. Yet, these scenarios have not been fully explored due to the several technical hurdles imposed by the backreaction calculations. In this work we review the basics of cosmological quantum particle production and demonstrate a numerical algorithm to solve the backreaction problem in regimes dominated by particle production. As an illustration, we compute the effects of a massive quantized scalar field on a cosmological bounce scenario, explicitly showing that quantum particle production can cause the contracting phase to end in a radiation crunch, or can delay the bounce. Finally, we discuss the relevance of quantum particle production/annihilation to bounce and inflationary models of the early universe.
The Impact of Dust and Confinement on Fragmentation of Kidney Stones by Shockwave Lithotripsy in Tissue Phantoms.

Abstract Objective: The goal was to test whether stone composition and kidney phantom configuration affected comminution in extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) laboratory tests. Confinement ...
Assessing Physical Activity Levels and Motivation in an Urban Midwest Private Liberal Arts College.

Recent research indicates that over one third of U.S. adults are obese and 51.6% of adults meet the recommended 2008 physical activity (PA) guidelines. In this context, understanding what makes people engage or not in PA becomes of key importance when attempting to prevent obesity and its related comorbidities. The objective is to assess the PA and motivation levels of students, faculty, and staff in an urban Midwest Private College. Participants completed an anonymous online survey (n=119) on PA and Exercise Motivation. Fitness levels were tested and obtained from wellness assessments (n=74). Multiple regression statistical models were used to test age, body composition, and sex effects on motivation, PA engagement and fitness factors. Less than half of participants met the 2008 PA Guidelines. BMI was a significant predictor of overall fitness. Males were more motivated by competition and age was a significant predictor on 5 subscales of motivation. Males had greater muscle strength and endurance, while females were more flexible. PA and obesity prevalence didn’t match national averages. Results suggest that age and sex are significant predictors of fitness and motivation to exercise.
Codebook Requirements for Estimating Multi-Antenna SAR in Linear Time

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is an exposure safety measure used by regulatory agencies for determining the compliance of portable wireless transmitting devices. It has been shown that compliance of devices with multiple transmitter chains operating at a single frequency can be determined with measurement time that is linear in the number of antennas per probe location. One known example relies on a specific set of excitation signals that turns on one or two antennas at a time. We provide a general requirement on the excitation signals such that a wide class of signals can be used for SAR compliance in linear time. This general requirement allows a subset of the signal "codebook" of the device to be considered as the excitation signals for SAR compliance. We give an example where the excitation signals turn all of the antennas on simultaneously and show its advantages over the existing method.
Immunization Status at the Time of Liver Transplant in Children and Adolescents.

This study characterizes the percentage of pediatric patients undergoing liver transplant who were up to date for their age on immunizations at the time of transplant and risk factors for underimmunization.
Calorimetric metal vapor adsorption energies for characterizing industrial catalyst support materials

Abstract Many important catalysts and electro-catalysts for energy and environmental technologies involve late transition metal atoms and nanoparticles dispersed across the surface of high-surface-area support materials, for example, oxide nanoparticles. The surface reactivity and long-term stability against deactivation of these materials depends strongly on the strength of bonding of the metal atom and nanoparticles to the support surface. Here, we introduce a novel calorimetry method that implements a LiTaO3 crystal for heat detection and extends metal adsorption calorimetry to surfaces of nanomaterials that are deposited from liquid solutions, as is typical when preparing industrial catalyst supports. This allows one to measure the strength of metal atom bonding and the adhesion energy of metal nanoparticles to clean surfaces of technologically relevant catalyst supports. We demonstrate that here by measuring the heat of Ag vapor adsorption onto the clean surfaces of high-surface-area TiO2 anatase powdered support materials (i.e., 5-nm-diameter nanoparticles). These heats of adsorption show a pulse-to-pulse standard deviation of only 9.3 kJ/mol (3.3%) for pulses containing only 1% of a monolayer of Ag vapor, with potential for a 5-fold reduction in noise if used with another metal evaporator. The calorimeter was also proven to work well measuring heats of Ag adsorption on calcium niobate (0 0 1) nanosheets deposited as thin films from liquid solution. This calorimeter opens up the possibility of using metal adsorption calorimetry to screen catalyst support materials for the strengths with which they bind metal atoms and metal nanoparticles, offering new opportunities to discover better support materials or for basic scientific study of structure / function relationships with respect to metal / support bond energies.
Creation of Superficial Temporal Arteriovenous Loop for Staged Free Tissue Transfer for Dural Coverage in the Setting of Radiation: A Case Report:

Free tissue transfer for dural coverage can be challenging for various reasons. In the case of malignancy, patients often have received significant doses of radiation to the head and neck leading t...
Numerical and Serial Aspects of the Interneurons Controlling Abdominal Positioning in Crustaceans

The interneuronsthat underlie abdominal positioning movements in crustaceans, known also as command elements, have certain characteristics which we believe strongly influence their form and function. Key among them are: a) their large numbers, b) the prevalence of synaptic interactions with other command elements, c) the presence of axons that can project into distant parts of the nervous system (projection cells, instead of local cells), d) the presence of a stronger motor effect (bias) in either the rostral or caudal direction away from the site of stimulation and finally, e) a loss of similarity (“serial homology”) among abdominal positioning interneurons in different ganglia. Evidence is presented which suggests that these morphological, synaptic and metameric characteristics may be both causally and functionally interrelated.
Translation of laser-based three-dimensional printing technologies

Laser-based three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, including laser direct-write cell printing and two-photon polymerization, have seen significant advances because of their unique photonic characteristics. Several mechanisms have been developed to increase the overall throughput of two-photon polymerization. Recent efforts to develop complex medically relevant structures using laser direct-write cell printing have also been demonstrated; for example, an ex vivo experimental platform for time-lapse imaging of cancer cell dynamics during angiogenesis within a microvascular network, which combines laser direct-write cell printing into the rat mesentery culture model; a model that simulates a 3D in vivo culture. Laser 3D printing methods hold significant promise for 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds, microstructured medical devices, and other medically relevant structures.
Do-It-Yourself Music Archives: A Response and Alternative to Mainstream Exclusivity

The preservation of popular music has traditionally faced numerous philosophical and practical obstacles, but do-it-yourself archives present an alternative method that warrants further attention. ...
NELL2-cdc42 signaling regulates BAF complexes and Ewing sarcoma cell growth

BAF chromatin remodeling complexes play important roles in chromatin regulation and cancer. Here, we report that Ewing sarcoma cells are dependent on the autocrine signaling mediated by NELL2, a secreted glycoprotein that has been characterized as an axon guidance molecule. NELL2 uses Robo3 as the receptor to transmit critical growth signaling. NELL2 signaling inhibits cdc42 and upregulates BAF complexes and EWS-FLI1 transcriptional output. We demonstrate that cdc42 is a negative regulator of BAF complexes, inducing actin polymerization and complex disassembly. Furthermore, we identify NELL2highCD133highEWS-FLI1high and NELL2lowCD133lowEWS-FLI1low populations in Ewing sarcoma, which display phenotypes consistent with high and low NELL2 signaling, respectively. We show that NELL2, CD133, and EWS-FLI1 positively regulate each other and upregulate BAF complexes and cell proliferation in Ewing sarcoma. These results reveal a signaling pathway regulating critical chromatin remodeling complexes and cancer cell proliferation.
The Gut-Brain Axis: Literature Overview and Psychiatric Applications.

Importance Literature exploring the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and its effects on general health and well-being has grown significantly in recent years, and our knowledge of this subject continues to grow. Mounting evidence indicates that the intestinal microbiome is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in psychiatric illness and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease. It is reasonable to consider modulating not just a patient's neurochemistry, behavior, or cognitive habits, but also their intestinal microbiome in an effort to improve psychiatric symptoms. Observations In this review paper, we show that intestinal microbiota possess the ability to directly influence both physical and mental well-being; therefore, should be included in future discussions regarding psychiatric treatment. Conclusions Clinicians are encouraged to consider patients' gut health when evaluating and treating psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Optimization and diversification of gut flora through the use of psychobiotics-probiotics that confer mental health benefits-may soon become standard practice in conjunction with traditional psychiatric treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.
Synchronization of Heinrich and Dansgaard-Oeschger Events Through Ice-Ocean Interactions

The cause of Heinrich events and their relationship with Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events are not fully understood. Previous modeling studies have argued that Heinrich events result from either inter...
MULTIMODAL IMAGING OF SYPHILITIC MULTIFOCAL RETINITIS.

Purpose To describe multimodal imaging of syphilitic multifocal retinitis. Methods Observational case series. Results Two patients developed multifocal retinitis after treatment of unrecognized syphilitic uveitis with systemic corticosteroids in the absence of appropriate antibiotic therapy. Multimodal imaging localized the foci of retinitis within the retina in contrast to superficial retinal precipitates that accumulate on the surface of the retina in eyes with untreated syphilitic uveitis. Although the retinitis resolved after treatment with systemic penicillin in both cases, vision remained poor in the patient with multifocal retinitis involving the macula. Conclusion Treatment of unrecognized syphilitic uveitis with corticosteroids in the absence of antitreponemal treatment can lead to the development of multifocal retinitis. Multimodal imaging, and optical coherence tomography in particular, can be used to distinguish multifocal retinitis from superficial retinal precipitates or accumulations.
Computationally-efficient stochastic cluster dynamics method for modeling damage accumulation in irradiated materials

An improved version of a recently developed stochastic cluster dynamics (SCD) method (Marian and Bulatov, 2012) 6 is introduced as an alternative to rate theory (RT) methods for solving coupled ordinary differential equation (ODE) systems for irradiation damage simulations. SCD circumvents by design the curse of dimensionality of the variable space that renders traditional ODE-based RT approaches inefficient when handling complex defect population comprised of multiple (more than two) defect species. Several improvements introduced here enable efficient and accurate simulations of irradiated materials up to realistic (high) damage doses characteristic of next-generation nuclear systems. The first improvement is a procedure for efficiently updating the defect reaction-network and event selection in the context of a dynamically expanding reaction-network. Next is a novel implementation of the ?-leaping method that speeds up SCD simulations by advancing the state of the reaction network in large time increments when appropriate. Lastly, a volume rescaling procedure is introduced to control the computational complexity of the expanding reaction-network through occasional reductions of the defect population while maintaining accurate statistics. The enhanced SCD method is then applied to model defect cluster accumulation in iron thin films subjected to triple ion-beam (Fe3+, He+ and H+) irradiations, for which standard RT or spatially-resolved kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are prohibitively expensive.
Valuation of a hydro-electric power project in emerging markets : an application of real options

We apply a contingent-claims technique and demonstrate how to value an emerging market hydro electric power investment under uncertainty. The investment project depends on reliable weather conditions and the capacity of a river to drive the water turbines. Uganda's Bujagali dam project located at the source of the Nile River is the focus of our study. We identify four mutually-exclusive real options and incorporate the correlation of returns on rainfall and cash flows as well as a premium for lack of transparency in the estimation of project risk. We document a leverage effect and a volatility effect on project value.
Microphthalmia-4: A Sex-Influenced Inherited Eye Condition of the Chicken

A new mutation of the chicken that causes a reduction in eyeball size is described. Eyeball size reduction is extreme in over 80% of affected individuals. Two-thirds of affected chickens have bilateral expression, while the rest are unilaterally affected. The trait appears to affect liveability beyond that which might be expected of blind individuals. Embryonic mortality was increased five-fold among microphthalmic individuals, and all but two of the 35 microphthalmic chicks that hatched died within a week. Data from various crosses indicate that this condition is inherited as an autosomal recessive with expression being limited primarily to females. The name microphthalmia-4 and the gene symbol mi-4 are proposed for this trait.
Fostering collective intelligence: helping groups use visualized argumentation

This chapter discusses lessons learned from applying visualized argumentation in realtime, face-to-face group settings. Using visualized argumentation in this manner requires special skills and considerations. Argumentation structures, especially when represented with software tools and manipulated in real time according to the needs and goals of the group using them, can be tricky to manage. Of special concern are the multiple issues involved in keeping the representations both coherent and tractable, both for immediate and later use (or re-use). This chapter focuses particularly on the role played by a facilitator - a person charged with managing both the creation and maintenance of the representation as well as the interaction of the group with it, and with each other and with the task at hand. The author has practiced such facilitation with hundreds of groups over a ten-year period and trained other practitioners in the art. The chapter provides a characterization of the practical, aesthetic, and ethical components of facilitating visualized argumentation for groups, with the goal of contributing to the development of improved means (tools, methods, and training) and to the wider spread of this competence and its benefits.
The fate of rural hell: Asceticism and desire in Buddhist Thailand, by Benedict Anderson

Do not be deceived by the slight size, superficially sensationalist topic and photographs and the acerbic humour of this perceptive exploration of lived Thai Buddhism. Benedict Anderson presents us...
A SHAPE AND SIZE OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM FOR MACHINE TOOL ELEMENT DESIGN

A shape and size optimization algorithm is developed to incorporate the shape and size variables in a recently developed machine tool simulation and design methodology known as Integrated Machining Process Design Simulator (IMPDS). This shape optimization algorithm, using coordinates of master nodes, parameters of geometric equations, coordinate linking and symmetry option approaches presents a general and flexible way of controlling and optimizing the structural shape of machine tool elements. An application of the proposed shape and size optimization algorithm indicates that the shape and size parameters have significant effects on the structural characteristics and the dynamic behavior of machine tool elements.
A Novel Transcription Factor Regulates Expression of the Vacuolar H+-ATPase B2 Subunit through AP-2 Sites during Monocytic Differentiation

Abstract During monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation, the cellular content of vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) increases more than 4-fold. We have shown previously that amplified expression of the B2 subunit of the V-ATPase occurs solely by increased transcription, and that the 5′-untranslated region of the B2 gene, containing multiple consensus binding sites for the transcription factors AP-2 and Sp1, is required for this expression. The present study demonstrates that AP-2 binding sequences are essential for increased transcription from the B2 promoter during monocyte-macrophage differentiation and that AP-2, expressed exogenously in THP-1 and other cells, activates transcription from the B2 promoter. In mobility shift assays, a nuclear factor from THP-1 and U-937 cells was identified that binds to several AP-2 response elements within the B2 promoter, but does not react with AP-2 antibodies, and has a DNA sequence binding affinity profile that differs from AP-2. These findings suggest that a novel AP-2-like transcription factor is responsible for V-ATPase B subunit amplification during monocyte differentiation.
Presumed topiramate-induced bilateral acute angle-closure glaucoma

Abstract PURPOSE: We describe a case of bilateral angle-closure glaucoma associated with oral topiramate therapy. METHODS: Interventional case report. Case report with echographic illustration. RESULTS: A 51-year-old man developed bilateral acute angle-closure glaucoma 2 weeks after beginning topiramate therapy for bipolar affective disorder. Laser peripheral iridotomy was performed in the right eye without resolution of the acute attack. Echography revealed lens thickening and ciliochoroidal detachments in both eyes. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and anterior and posterior segment anatomy normalized 2 weeks after cessation of topiramate therapy. CONCLUSION: Topiramate, a new sulfa-derivative antiepileptic medication, may cause idiosyncratic ciliochoroidal detachments and ciliary body edema leading to anterior displacement of the lens-iris diaphragm, lens thickening, and acute angle-closure glaucoma.
Now we must work even harder.

During a visit to Japan years ago, I was impressed that most sumo wrestlers stated during interviews after their victories, ‘Now we must work even harder.’ This sentiment describes the feeling of the new editorial team after the 40th birthday jubilee of Kidney International in January 2012, when it succeeded the editorial team led by Qais Al-Awqati.1 Under his leadership, KI, the flagship journal of the International Society of Nephrology, has become one of the two leading nephrology journals worldwide, a position that the new editorial team will work hard to maintain and strengthen by publishing the newest and most exciting developments covering all aspects of nephrology. In order to achieve this goal, we have expanded the editorial team to achieve broad thematic and geographic diversification. The team includes associate editors Daniel Cattran (Toronto, Canada), covering clinical glomerular diseases and research; P. Toby Coates (Adelaide, Australia), for immunology and transplantation; Andrew Davenport (London, UK), for dialysis and ICU nephrology; Tilman Drueke (Paris/Amiens, France), for the broad range of comorbidity and complications of chronic renal diseases; Masaomi Nangaku (Tokyo, Japan), for studies on clinical and experimental aspects of the generation and progression of renal diseases, including the role of genetics; Mark Okusa (Charlottesville, VA, USA), for experimental and clinical acute kidney injury and for fluid, electrolyte, and acid–base problems; Jai Radhakrishnan (New York, NY, USA), for the latest clinical studies and the Nephrology Image and Make Your Diagnosis sections of KI; and Maria Pia Rastaldi (Milan, Italy), for clinical and experimental pathology and cell biology; and finally, Michael Ross (New York) as deputy editor, covering molecular aspects of kidney disease. Hypertension, diabetic kidney disease, and renal physiology and development are topics covered by several members of the editorial team. I have the privilege of coordinating this wonderful team in our efforts to provide you with enjoyable and enlightening reading of cutting-edge nephrology papers.
Microchannels created by sugar and metal microneedles: Characterization by microscopy, macromolecular flux and other techniques

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using microneedle technology to enhance transcutaneous permeation of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) across hairless rat skin. Microchannels created by maltose and metal (DermaRoller™) microneedles were characterized by techniques such as methylene blue staining, histological examination, and calcein imaging. Methylene blue staining and histological sections of treated skin showed that maltose microneedles and DermaRoller™ breached the skin barrier by creating microchannels in the skin with an average depth of ∼150 µm, as imaged by confocal microscopy. Calcein imaging and pore permeability index values suggested the uniformity of the created pores in microneedle-treated skin. Transdermal studies with IgG indicated a flux rate of 45.96 ng/cm 2 /h, in vitro , and a C max of 7.27 ng/mL, in vivo , for maltose microneedles-treated skin while a flux rate of 353.17 ng/cm 2 /h, in vitro , and a C max of 9.33 ng/mL, in vivo , was achieved for DermaRoller™-treated skin. Transepidermal water loss measurements and methylene blue staining, in vivo , indicated the presence of microchannels for upto 24 h, when occluded. In conclusion, the microchannels created by maltose microneedles and DermaRoller™ resulted in the percutaneous enhancement of a macromolecule, human IgG. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99: 1931–1941, 2010
Modeling the Effects of Various Radiant Transfers in Mountainous Terrain on Sensor Response

In mountainous terrain, variations in remotely sensed spectral data caused by variations of slope orientation with respect to sources of incident radiation need to be considered before accurate classification of multispectral data can be achieved. A model was developed to study a number of problems relevant to remote sensing in mountainous terrain. The model is capable of simulating the effects of anisotropic sources of irradiance (direct solar, sky, and adjacent slope fluxes) and bidirectional reflectance properties of the target surface on sensor response for various slope orientations. The model was described and utilized to explore the errors associated with two practical techniques for accounting for the topographic effect on sensor response. Technique #1 was a simple cosine correction of the direct solar source, while technique #2 considered both the direct solar and the diffuse sky sources. For the specific anisotropic irradiance conditions and Lambertian scenes of this study relatively significant errors (> 11-percent error in reflectance) of technique #1 occurred at all wavelengths with slope inclinations greater than 20°. This error was diminished by greater than 50 percent when technique #2 was used. With the recent development of methods for integrating digital terrain data with remote sensing data it has become possible to apply such techniques.
Scientific information for Stalin's laboratories 1945–1953

Abstract During the twentieth century the strategic value of science and scientific information forced world powers to support supply systems for foreign publications even when their governments' official ideologies militated against such openings. This was the case both under National Socialism in Germany (Richards, 1994) and in the Soviet Union at the height of Soviet xenophobia in the period 1945–1953. While on the one hand fulminating against “toadying to the West”, Soviet authorities were simultaneously laying the foundations of a complex importation system to supply their own researchers with scientific publications from the West. The Central Committee of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union played a role in building this supply system, as did librarians, documentalists and the state security police. This article will attempt to reconstruct the pathways along which Western scientific publications got to scientists in the Soviet Union between 1945 and 1953, wherever they were working—at Academy of Science institutes, universities, military laboratories, prison laboratories (sharashki) or forced labor camps. It will be an incomplete, preliminary account, based on interviews, published memoirs and histories, and accessible archival sources. Ultimately, the article will try to determine what effect the conflict between official xenophobia and the state's scientific needs had on information processing.