cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Each sensory nerve arising from the geniculate ganglion expresses a unique fingerprint of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes

Neurons in the geniculate ganglion, like those in other sensory ganglia, are dependent on neurotrophins for survival. Most geniculate ganglion neurons innervate taste buds in two regions of the tongue and two regions of the palate; the rest are cutaneous nerves to the skin of the ear. We investigated the expression of four neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin 3 (NT-3), and NT-4, and five neurotrophin receptors, trkA, trkB, trkC, p75, and truncated trkB (Trn-B) in single sensory neurons of the adult rat geniculate ganglion associated with the five innervation fields. For fungiform papillae, a glass pipette containing biotinylated dextran was placed over the target papilla and the tracer was iontophoresed into the target papilla. For the other target fields, Fluoro-Gold was microinjected. After 3 days, geniculate ganglia were harvested, sectioned, and treated histochemically (for biotinylated dextran) or immunohistochemically (for Fluoro-Gold) to reveal the neurons containing the tracer. Single labeled neurons were harvested from the slides and subjected to RNA amplification and RT-PCR to reveal the neurotrophin or neurotrophin receptor genes that were expressed. Neurons projecting from the geniculate ganglion to each of the five target fields had a unique expression profile of neurotrophin and neurotrophic receptor genes. Several individual neurons expressed more than one neurotrophin receptor or more than one neurotrophin gene. Although BDNF is significantly expressed in taste buds, its primary high affinity receptor, trkB, was not prominently expressed in the neurons. The results are consistent with the interpretation that at least some, perhaps most, of the trophic influence on the sensory neurons is derived from the neuronal somata, and the trophic effect is paracrine or autocrine, rather than target derived. The BDNF in the taste bud may also act in a paracrine or autocrine manner on the trkB expressed in taste buds, as shown by others.
New Data on European Mortality in West Africa: The Dutch on the Gold Coast, 1719–1760

SINCE 1482, when the Portuguese first built the castle Sao Jorge da Mina, Europeans have been in constant contact with the Gold Coast (Ghana) of West Africa. And, each year, from the middle of the seventeenth century, hundreds of Europeans from various nations have lived and worked there. However, rarely do we know the precise numbers involved, either of those on the coast at a particular time or of those dying in a particular year. Surprisingly little data has been published for this region where the most Europeans were settled for substantial periods of time. Most important, no statistics over a long period have been published to support frequent generalizations of historians about European life and death in West Africa.2 The most common generalization is that the West African coast was a 'white man's grave', a place where mortality rates for Europeans were higher than anywhere else Europeans travelled. Among recently published
The mouse vitronectin receptor is a T cell activation antigen

In this report, we demonstrate that the T cell activation antigen, recognized by monoclonal antibody H9.2B8, is the murine homologue of the vitronectin receptor (VNR) and, thereby, we provide initial evidence that VNR is expressed on lymphoid cells. VNR is expressed on a variety of T cell lines, tumors, and Con A-activated splenocytes, but not resting T cells, and is capable of binding to the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, fibrinogen, and vitronectin, via the tripeptide sequence RGD. There was no evidence of novel beta chains pairing with the VNR alpha chain, as has been demonstrated in some human cells. In view of recent studies demonstrating that this molecule functions as an accessory molecule in T cell activation, the VNR may play an important role in mouse T cell functions.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COTTON FIBER STRENGTH AND CELLULOSE MOLECULAR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION : HVI CALIBRATION STANDARDS

High volume instrument (HVI) classing of the U.S. cotton crop has focused attention on fiber quality, particularly strength. Characteristic of polymers is the relationship between molecular weight and physical properties. Cotton fibers composed mostly of the polymer cellulose were dissolved in the solvent N,N-dimethylacetamide with lith ium chloride without cleanup or derivatization. Molecular weight distributions were determined by automated, nonaqueous gel permeation chromatography; HVI calibra tion standard cottons possessing a range of fiber lengths and strengths were sampled. Molecular compositional profiles indicate correlation of higher average molecular weight with greater strength of cotton fibers.
Endohedral stannaspherenes M@Sn12(-): a rich class of stable molecular cage clusters.

Experimental and theoretical evidence is reported that the icosahedral stannaspherene Sn12 2- cage can trap an atom from any of the transition-metal series or the f-elements, giving rise to a myriad of stable endohedral clusters. A selected set of M@Sn12 - cluster has been created using laser vaporization and characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that these clusters maintain perfect or pseudo-icosahedral symmetry with the central metal atom inducing very little distortion to the stannaspherene cage. The doped atom in M@Sn12 - keeps its quasiatomic nature with large magnetic moments. The endohedral stannaspherenes might thus be viewed as “superatoms”, yielding potentially a rich class of new building blocks for clusterassembled materials with tunable magnetic, electronic, and chemical properties.
Convective heat transfer to rapidly flowing, granular materials

Convective heat transfer to a rapidly flowing, granular material is experimentally investigated over a flat plate in an inclined chute. Two different sizes of glass beads are used as the granular materials. A technique was developed to measure the average density of the flowing material, which allowed the more accurate determination of the average velocity as well as of parameters depending on the velocity. The results are presented in terms of the Nusselt number and a model is proposed relating this Nusselt number to a Peclet number and a Froude number. The predicted results of the model are compared with the experimental data.
Identification of NFAT binding sites that mediate stimulation of cathepsin K promoter activity by RANK ligand

The receptor activator of NFkappaB ligand (RANKL) is a critical mediator of osteoclastogenesis and regulates cathepsin K (CTSK) expression, which is essential for normal bone resorption. RANKL acts, in part, via the Ca(2+)/calmodulin/calcineurin signaling pathway, which in turn, activates NFATc1 (nuclear factor of activated T-cells) and downstream gene expression. We investigated the signals and promoter elements that regulate CTSK gene expression in RAW 264.7 cells, which can be differentiated to osteoclasts by RANKL. Disrupting Ca(2+) signaling, by blocking Ca(2+) channels, thus inhibiting calcineurin or chelation of intracellular Ca(2+), prevented the stimulation of CTSK expression by RANKL. Both RANKL treatment and overexpression of NFATc1 dramatically enhanced CTSK promoter activity, but not in an identical manner. NFATc1 regulates CTSK promoter activity, but the motifs have not been explicitly identified. We found that as few as 238 bp of the CTSK promoter were sufficient to elicit a marked response to both RANKL and NFATc1, truncations of the CTSK promoter illustrated differences in regional responsiveness. Transfection analysis of CTSK promoter-luciferase plasmids revealed that NFATc1 binding sites at 85, 289 and 345 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site mediated responses to RANKL and NFATc1. Deletion of a 4-bp core element from the site at -85 bp dramatically reduced the response of the CTSK promoter to both RANKL and NFATc1, whereas a similar deletion at -345 bp decreased NFATc1- but not RANKL-mediated responses. Mutation of the site at -289 bp did not affect NFAT-mediated stimulation of CTSK on its own, but did decrease responsiveness in combination with either or both of the other two deletions. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated NFATc1 binding to oligonucleotides containing the -85-bp and -345-bp sites, while chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated enhanced in situ binding by NFATc1 to two analogous sites in the mouse CTSK promoter in response to RANKL treatment. Therefore, proximal NFAT binding sites play a significant role in the NFATc1-mediated stimulation of CTSK gene expression by RANKL.
Atomic Force Microscopy Study of Hard Coating Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition Method

Aluminum nitride (AIN), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), and silicon carbide (SIC) thin films have been snthesized using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) techniques. AIN and Si 3 N 4 films were deposited on Si (100) substrates at different temperatures (room temperature to 600°C) and partial pressures (15 mTorr N 2 to 200 mTorr N 2 ). SiC films were deposited on Si (100) substrates at different temperatures (room temperature to 400°C) in high vacuum. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a useful tool for studying the surface topography of these technologically interesting thin film surfaces. This paper discusses in detail AFM analysis of thin film coatings.
Religion, Race, and Discrimination: A Field Experiment of How American Churches Welcome Newcomers

This article reports the results of a nationwide audit study testing how Christian churches welcome potential newcomers to their churches as a function of newcomers’ race and ethnicity. We sent email inquiries to 3,120 churches across the United States. The emails were ostensibly from someone moving to the area and looking for a new church to attend. That person's name was randomly varied to convey different racial and ethnic associations. In response to these inquiries, representatives from mainline Protestant churches—who generally embrace liberal, egalitarian attitudes toward race relations—actually demonstrated the most discriminatory behavior. They responded most frequently to emails with white-sounding names, somewhat less frequently to black- or Hispanic-sounding names, and much less to Asian-sounding names. They also sent shorter, less welcoming responses to nonwhite names. In contrast, evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches showed little variation across treatment groups in their responses. These findings underscore the role of homophily, organizational homogeneity, and the costs of racial integration in perpetuating the racial segregation of American religious life.
Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Coumarin Anticoagulants XLIII: Concentration-Dependent Hepatic Uptake of Warfarin in Rats

The purpose of this study was to determine if hepatic warfarin uptake, which has a major quantitative effect on warfarin distribution in rats, is concentration dependent. Adult male rats received either 0.1 or 1.0 mg of racemic warfarin/kg iv and were killed 6 hr later. With increasing dose, the concentrations of free and total (free plus protein-bound) serum warfarin increased much more than proportionally, and the total warfarin concentration in the liver increased much less than proportionally. The liver to serum total warfarin concentration ratios 6 hr after injection of the 0.1- and 1.0-mg/kg doses were 11.3 ± 1.7 and 0.814 ± 0.222, respectively (mean ± SD, n = 6, p < 0.001). The ratio of the total drug concentration in the liver to the free drug concentration in serum (mean ± SD) was 866 ± 105 in animals that received the 0.1-mg/kg dose and 111 ± 42 in animals that received the 1.0-mg/kg dose (p < 0.001). It is concluded that hepatic warfarin uptake decreases with increasing drug concentration and that this may cause the apparent volume of distribution of warfarin to decrease with increasing dose in rats.
Cloudy Sky Over the Range: Whose Home and Why it Matters

Ranching West of the 100th Meridian is a compilation of essays and papers addressing ranching at the dawn of the 21st century, and the intersection of ranching and conservation. Among many worthwhile contributions in the book is W. William Weeks' essay, which discusses ranching and biodiversity conservation, and the prospects for and difficulties with keeping ranching and the open space it conserves a part of the fabric of the West.
Operations Research Techniques Relevant To Corporate Planning Function Practices: An Investigative Look

The article presents a study conducted in 1970 among firms regarding the extent of use of operations research (OR) techniques in corporate planning. A questionnaire was sent out to the companies li...
Beta-Gamma Directional Correlation in the Decay of Eu 154

The directional correlation for the (1855 kev-beta) (123 kev-gamma) cascade in the decay of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{154}$ has been measured. The directional correlation coefficient ${A}_{2}$ varies from -0.15 at a beta energy of 1100 kev to -0.18 at a beta energy of 1600 kev. In terms of a single nuclear matrix element parameter, ${\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{1}$, the directional correlation suggests ${\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{1}=2.6 or \ensuremath{-}0.2$ while the beta spectral shape correction suggests ${\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{1}=1.3$. The results suggest that the attenuation of ordinary first-forbidden matrix elements relative to ${B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ is less marked in ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{154}$ than in the comparable transition in ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152}$. Interpretation of the data in terms of a less restrictive formulation of the theory is investigated. Relations between matrix element ratios may be found but no unique set of matrix element ratios is demanded by the experimental data.
Chlorpromazine in Protection from Acute Effects of Extensive High Temperature Skin Injury in Rats.

Summary1) The burned rat is extremely sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. 2) Fluid therapy substantially increases survival at 24 and 48 hours, whereas 10 day survival is only moderately increased. 3) The immediately lethal consequence of burn shock is nullified by proper dose levels of chlorpromazine. 4) The same dose of chlorpromazine has a deleterious effect later in the post burn course and increases mortality when given for 48 hours or longer.
A non-infectious assay for detecting HIV Env-induced cell-cell fusion

Aim: To develop a non-infectious cell-cell fusion assay that can be used in a regular biological laboratory for high throughput screening for HIV entry inhibitors. Methods: Cells expressing HIV envelope glycoprotein gp160(as effector cells) and expressing receptor and co-receptor for HIV(as target cells),respectively,were mixed and cultured before the syncytium formation was recorded.Specific HIV entry inhibitors were used to validate the established detecting method.Results: We compared the syncytium formation activities of 10 combinations of 2 effector cell lines and 5 target cell lines,respectively,and found that mixing of CHO-WT and MT-2 cells could form syncytia obviously.Further studies showed that HIV entry inhibitors could inhibit the syncytium formation in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:We have developed a simple and non-infectious cell-cell fusion assay that can be used to screen for novel HIV entry inhibitors from natural and synthetic compound libraries.
Preface: Pharmacogenetics: Which of These Medicines Do I Really Need?

cl in ic s. co m Tremendous progress has been made over the last two decades in the pharmacologic treatment of heart failure. Based on evidence from multicenter trials, treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and b-blockers has markedly improved both survival and quality of life for subjects with systolic heart failure. In selected subsets of patients, the addition of angiotensin receptor blockers, aldosterone receptor antagonists, or the combination of nitrates and hydralazine has also been shown to improve survival. Although the stepwise addition of new therapies has improved outcomes over time, the additive nature of guidelines-based therapy has led to an increasing complexity of heart failure regimens. To optimize survival, an African American with ischemic disease and New York Heart Association class III heart failure should be on seven medications: an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a b-blocker, an aldosterone antagonist, isosorbide dinitrate, hydralazine, aspirin, and a statin. If this same patient also has diabetes or fluid overload he could easily require more than 10 different medicines taken several times each day. With polypharmacy come expense, side effects, and decreased patient compliance. As new drugs are developed that improve outcomes, it is increasingly difficult to encourage patients to take ‘‘just one more pill.’’ Clinicians are frequently asked, ‘‘which of these eight medicines do I really need?’’ It can be an extremely difficult question,
Preparation of ribosomes for smFRET studies: A simplified approach.

During the past decade, single-molecule studies of the ribosome have significantly advanced our understanding of protein synthesis. The broadest application of these methods has been towards the investigation of ribosome conformational dynamics using single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). The recent advances in fluorescently labeled ribosomes and translation components have resulted in success of smFRET experiments. Various methods have been employed to target fluorescent dyes to specific locations within the ribosome. Primarily, these methods have involved additional steps including subunit dissociation and/or full reconstitution, which could result in ribosomes of reduced activity and translation efficiency. In addition, substantial time and effort are required to produce limited quantities of material. To enable rapid and large-scale production of highly active, fluorescently labeled ribosomes, we have developed a procedure that combines partial reconstitution with His-tag purification. This allows for a homogeneous single-step purification of mutant ribosomes and subsequent integration of labeled proteins. Ribosomes produced with this method are shown to be as active as ribosomes purified using classical methods. While we have focused on two labeling sites in this report, the method is generalizable and can in principle be extended to any non-essential ribosomal protein.
Clinical significance of proteinuria.

In clinical assessment of proteinuria, careful documentation of family history, types and amounts of drugs administered, and states capable of producing proteinuria should be the initial step in a ...
A Role for the Liver in Parturition and Preterm Birth

Neither the mechanisms of parturition nor the pathogenesis of preterm birth are well understood. Poor nutritional status has been suspected as a major causal factor, since vitamin A concentrations are low in preterm infants. However, even large enteral doses of vitamin A from birth fail to increase plasma concentrations of vitamin A or improve outcomes in preterm and/or extremely low birthweight infants. These findings suggest an underlying impairment in the secretion of vitamin A from the liver, where about 80% of the vitamin is stored. Vitamin A accumulates in the liver and breast during pregnancy in preparation for lactation. While essential in low concentration for multiple biological functions, vitamin A in higher concentration can be pro-oxidant, mutagenic, teratogenic and cytotoxic, acting as a highly surface-active, membrane-seeking and destabilizing compound. Regarding the mechanism of parturition, it is conjectured that by nine months of gestation the hepatic accumulation of vitamin A (retinol) from the liver is such that mobilization and secretion are impaired to the point where stored vitamin A compounds in the form of retinyl esters and retinoic acid begin to spill or leak into the circulation, resulting in amniotic membrane destabilization and the initiation of parturition. If, however, the accumulation and spillage of stored retinoids reaches a critical threshold prior to nine months, e.g., due to cholestatic liver disease, which is common in mothers of preterm infants, the increased retinyl esters and/or retinoic acid rupture the fetal membranes, inducing preterm birth and its complications, including retinopathy, necrotizing enterocolitis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Subject to testing, the model suggests that measures taken prior to and during pregnancy to improve liver function could reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth.
Introduction: Global Migration in the Twenty-First Century

If they were a country of their own, migrants would constitute the fifth most populous nation in the world. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a partner with the United Nations on migration-related issues, at 214 million, international migrants represent 3.1 percent of the world’s population. The percentage of migrants varies widely by country, from a high of 87 percent in Qatar and 70 percent in the United Arab Emirates, to below 1 percent in Nigeria, Romania, India, and Indonesia.1 Although the global recession has substantially dampened immigration to developed countries, one-quarter of the world’s migrants live in Western Europe alone.2 In Australia, Canada, and the United States, respectively, 21.9, 21.3, and 13.5 percent of people are foreign born.3
Calcium plus vitamin D did not prevent hip fracture or colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women.

Source Citation Jackson RD, LaCroix AZ, Gass M, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:669-83. 16481635 Wactawski-Wende J, Kotchen JM, Ander...
Anna Fournier. Forging Rights in a New Democracy: Ukrainian Students Between Freedom and Justice

Book review of Anna Fournier. Forging Rights in a New Democracy: Ukrainian Students Between Freedom and Justice. U of Pennsylvania P, 2012. Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights, edited by Bert B. Lockwood, Jr. x, 214 pp. Illustrations. Notes. References. Index. $59.95, cloth.
Factors Affecting Performance of GPS Receiver and Solutions for Sustainable Signal

This study deals with the factors that affects the functionality of GPS receivers. It intends to give an overview of the potential sources that are causing interference to the GPS signal on the receiver side. It also focuses on the techniques that make an impact in reducing interference level or make them apart. The study procures a quantitative comprehension of the impact of major types of interference. Most of the interfering sources are going to be analyzed with their technical characteristics and the rejection requirements to make them isolated and to keep the good performance of the receiver. Superior methods and circuit designs for GPS signal processing are included which eliminate interference. Keywords- Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); Global Positioning System (GPS); Interferences; Jamming; Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP); Earth Centered Earth Fixed (ECEF); Signal Control Unit (SCU)
Turkey's Environment and Public Health in the Neo-liberal Age: An Inconvenient Truth

Studies reflecting a heightened interest in the relationship between environmental degradation and public-health problems often indicate a positive relationship between the two. However, a closer look reveals that these studies have not examined the assumed relationship between environmental predicaments and public health in a systematic fashion, nor have the discussions engaged with the peculiarities of Turkey's historic phases of capitalist development. This article examines the relationship between environmental degradation and public health from a political economy perspective. The author argues that since the 1980s, under intense pressure to comply with neo-liberal policies, Turkey has pursued an unsustainable use of the environment that may be causing public health to deteriorate at an accelerated pace. The situation may worsen as a result of the impoverishment of the public healthcare system, which has been increasingly privatized according to the very same neo-liberal policies.
Causation and Acute Viral Diseases

The discovery of viruses, their growth in mice, in tissue culture, and in embryonated eggs brought new problems in causation and reemphasized the limitations of the original Henle—Koch postulates. Dr. Thomas Rivers (Figure 3.1), the distinguished American virologist, discussed these issues in his presidential address before the American Society of Immunology in 1937 (Rivers, 1937). Dr. Rivers had headed the virology research program at the Rockefeller Foundation and, with Frank Horsfall, had edited one of the first great texts in virology (Rivers and Horsfall, 1959). In his lecture, he pointed out that blind adherence to Koch’s postulates might sometimes act as a hindrance rather than an aid. For example, the idea that an infectious malady can be caused only by the action of a single agent is incorrect. If Shope had adhered to this notion, he would never have discovered that swine influenza as it occurs in nature is caused by the combined or synergistic action of two agents, one a virus not cultivable on lifeless media, the other an ordinary hemophilic bacterium (Shope, 1931). The requirement that the infectious agent be grown in a pure state on lifeless media also hindered the establishment of the causal relation of viruses to disease, because viruses require living tissues for propagation, as in chick embryo or tissue culture. Thus, Rivers felt that “Koch’s postulates have not been fulfilled in viral diseases.” In their place he suggested the conditions to be met before the specific relation of a virus to a disease is established (Table 3.1).
National Identity after a Conflict: National Identity Choice among Northern Irish Youth

This work uses multinomial logistic regression to explore how Northern Irish youth view their national identity and the factors that shape their self-identification post-1998 Good Friday Agreement. We use the 2005-2015 Northern Ireland Young Life and Times Surveys of 16-year-olds to investigate these questions. The results indicate that intergroup contact is less influential than environmental factors on national identity. Residential and school composition has more of an effect on solidifying Irish identity than British identity (relative to that of a Northern Irish identity). Our work adds to the literature on national identity development and choice among young adults in post-conflict and post-peace-agreement environments.
Talking about cancer: Explaining differences in social support among Chinese American and European American breast cancer survivors.

Cultural models of emotional disclosure and its impact on seeking support are understudied in the context of cancer diagnosis. We argue that two different cultural norms must be considered: (1) the...
Psychopathy and suicide: The mediating effects of emotional and behavioral dysregulation

Abstract Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors are positively associated with secondary psychopathy (impulsive-antisocial behaviors) and negatively associated or unrelated to primary psychopathy (interpersonal-affective deficits). While there is evidence that both psychopathy subtypes are associated with the capability for suicide (i.e., pain tolerance, fearlessness about death), a critical risk factor for moving an individual from suicidal ideation to suicidal action, only secondary psychopathy possesses traits associated with both suicidal desire and capability. The following study investigated if certain cognitive, affective, and behavioral features underlying secondary psychopathy could explain the distinct patterns in suicide-related outcomes. In a sample of 201 male and female offenders, we found the association between secondary psychopathy and future suicidal intention was best explained by the indirect path of emotion dysregulation, rumination, recent suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Primary psychopathy correlated with NSSI, a key component in acquiring the capability for suicide, but not suicidal ideations or intention. Results are consistent with ideation-to-action models of suicide, whereby suicidal desire and capability independently contribute to suicidal action.
Selected Papers from the 2017 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy

For 38 years, the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy has been the premier forum for presenting computer security and electronic privacy developments and for bringing together leading researchers and practitioners. We invited authors to submit revised versions of their symposium papers, recast as articles suitable for publication in IEEE Security & Privacy magazine. Specifically, we asked the original authors to revise their papers to speak to the magazine’s audience, which goes beyond the symposium’s traditional academically focused audience to also include policymakers and practitioners.
Risk Factors for Gastrointestinal Leak after Bariatric Surgery: MBASQIP Analysis.

Background Gastrointestinal leak remains one of the most dreaded complications in bariatric surgery. We aimed to evaluate risk factors and the impact of common perioperative interventions on the development of leak in patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Study Design Using the 2015 database of accredited centers, data were analyzed for patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). Emergent, revisional, and converted cases were excluded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for leak, including provocative testing of anastomosis, surgical drain placement, and use of postoperative swallow study. Results Data from 133,478 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (n = 92,495 [69.3%]) and LRYGB (n = 40,983 [30.7%]) were analyzed. Overall leak rate was 0.7% (938 of 133,478). Factors associated with increased risk for leak were oxygen dependency (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.97), hypoalbuminemia (AOR 1.66), sleep apnea (AOR 1.52), hypertension (AOR 1.36), and diabetes (AOR 1.18). Compared with LRYGB, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was associated with a lower risk of leak (AOR 0.52; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.61; p Conclusions The overall rate of gastrointestinal leak in bariatric surgery is low. Certain preoperative factors, procedural type (LRYGB), and interventions (intraoperative provocative test and surgical drain placement) were associated with a higher risk for leaks.
Gestational Age is Dimensionally Associated with Structural Brain Network Abnormalities Across Development

Prematurity is associated with diverse developmental abnormalities, yet few studies relate cognitive and neurostructural deficits to a dimensional measure of prematurity. Leveraging a large sample of children, adolescents, and young adults (age 8-22 years) studied as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort, we examined how variation in gestational age impacted cognition and brain structure later in development. Participants included 72 preterm youth born before 37 weeks' gestation and 206 youth who were born at term (37 weeks or later). Using a previously-validated factor analysis, cognitive performance was assessed in three domains: (1) executive function and complex reasoning, (2) social cognition, and (3) episodic memory. All participants completed T1-weighted neuroimaging at 3 T to measure brain volume. Structural covariance networks were delineated using non-negative matrix factorization, an advanced multivariate analysis technique. Lower gestational age was associated with both deficits in executive function and reduced volume within 11 of 26 structural covariance networks, which included orbitofrontal, temporal, and parietal cortices as well as subcortical regions including the hippocampus. Notably, the relationship between lower gestational age and executive dysfunction was accounted for in part by structural network deficits. Together, these findings emphasize the durable impact of prematurity on cognition and brain structure, which persists across development.
Optical Control of Protein Activity by Fluorescent Protein Domains

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are widely used as sensors of protein localization and activity, while other classes of light-absorbing proteins have been used for optogenetic control of proteins with light. Here we describe a previously unknown feature of a variant of the photochromic green FP Dronpa - the ability to undergo light-dependent dissociation and association, and use it to control protein activities with light. We created a fluorescent light-inducible protein (FLIP) design in which Dronpa domains are fused to both termini of an enzyme domain. In the dark, the Dronpa domains tetramerize and cage the protein, but light induces Dronpa dissociation and activates the protein. This method enabled optical control over guanine nucleotide exchange factor and protease domains without extensive screening. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a light-dependent interaction outside of natural light-responsive regulatory proteins, and this method also uniquely has self-reporting abilities. In ongoing work, we are examining the mechanism of caging by Dronpa domains in more detail and adapting the FLIP design to photochromic red FPs. Our findings extend the applications of FPs from exclusively sensing functions to also encompass optogenetic control.
Mechanisms for Carbon Adsorption on Au(110)-(2 × 1): A Work Function Analysis

Abstract The variation of the work function upon carbon adsorption on the reconstructed Au(110) surface is measured experimentally and compared to density functional calculations. The adsorption dynamics is simulated with ab-initio molecular dynamics techniques. The contribution of various energetically available adsorption sites on the deposition process is analyzed, and the work function behavior with carbon coverage is explained by the resultant electron charge density distributions.
Syngeneic inbred lines of chickens and their use in immunogenetics.

The chicken has seen wide use in immunology and has, among other things, the distinction of giving the B lymphocyte its letter, from the unique bursa of Fabricius. The use of rodent species has, however, dominated immunogenetics.
Holocene Lacustrine Ooids from Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Since the pioneering work of Sorby (1879), considerable attention has been directed toward the examination of compositions and fabrics exhibited by modern and ancient ooids. Although volumetrically important in modern settings and in the rock record, marine ooids show little variation from locality to locality, and therefore represent a small sample of compositions and fabrics possessed by coated grains. Although volumetrically insignificant, non-marine ooids from both high- and low-salinity systems are important in understanding the physical and chemical processes which give rise to variations in coated grains.
Language Danger: Metal Gear Solid V and the Weaponization of English

In the final installment of Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid series, 2015’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, language takes on a function entirely outside of its longstanding role in constructing artistic worlds. Even as it is used to build the world around protagonist Punished “Venom” Snake, spoken language becomes a weapon in the hands of nemesis Skull Face, who deploys a species of deadly parasite that attacks its host’s vocal cords, with the eventual aim of destroying the English language and all who speak it. This paper explores both how language is used to construct, in Marie-Laure Ryan’s terms, the “storyworld” of MGSV, and how the spoken word comes, through Skull Face, to threaten that world (2014). By applying the rhetorical approach to videogame analysis of Ian Bogost, this project investigates the interpretive potentialities for spoken English as a lingua franca (ELF) made possible by MGSV’s “procedural representation” of language, especially regarding English as a weaponizable force ([2007] 2010). In extending Skull Face’s implications of English as a destructive power into real-world situations of language-based oppression, the paper shows how MGSV creates opportunities for interrogating the role of the English language in constructing reallife colonial worlds. To contextualize these concerns, the project incorporates other “worlds” that share MGSV’s language-based concerns, particularly that of George Orwell’s 1984. ELF scholarship, as well as the anti-colonialist work of Paulo Freire and Edward Said, are applied in an exploration of language as a tool for both totalitarianism and revolution, and the article concludes by gesturing toward means of ideological and linguistic decolonization. Through this approach to MGSV, the project conveys the real-world dangers of English as a lingua franca, and theorizes how we might move from media theory to real-world action. “Words can kill” -Skull Face
Factors associated with pregnant adolescents' access to sexual and reproductive health services in New York City.

Abstract Objective This longitudinal study examined access to, and factors associated with, receipt of sexual and reproductive health services deemed essential by the World Health Organization among pregnant adolescents in New York City. Methods Participants included 649 pregnant adolescents, ages 14–21 who were enrolled in a clustered randomized controlled trial from 2008 to 2012. Data were collected via medical record abstraction and structured surveys during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and 12-months postpartum. We used multivariable logistic regression to test associations between measures of social and economic vulnerability (age, race/ethnicity, immigration status, food and housing security, relationship status, perceived discrimination) and access to core sexual and reproductive health services (perinatal care, contraception, HIV testing, sexual health knowledge). Results Only 4% of participants received all four core aspects of sexual and reproductive health assessed. Adolescents Conclusions Access to sexual and reproductive health services in New York City is poor among vulnerable adolescents. Health practice and policy should assure access to fundamental sexual and reproductive health services among vulnerable populations in the United States.
Improving autonomous vehicle safety—Using acoustic source localization to influence the decision making capabilities of an autonomous vehicle

The manner in which autonomous vehicles (AVs) and other vehicles will coexist, and communicate with one another, is still unclear, especially during the prolonged period of mixed vehicles sharing the road. During this time, it will be important that AVs are equipped to respond to acoustic alerts in urban environments. Consider the case of an emergency vehicle in a city. In this situation, a visual perception system alone will not suffice, as it requires a direct view of the source. The goal of this ongoing project is to define a new set of audio-visual detection and localization tools to identify the location of an unexpected rapidly approaching emergency vehicle. In particular, this paper focuses on the localization of a sound source in a complex environment by combining a ray tracing approach with a direction-of-arrival algorithm. This algorithm reports a number of source directions, arising from multiple reflections in the environment. Results are combined with a three-dimensional map, acquired live from a mobile robot equipped with digital sensors including LiDAR, and a reverse ray tracing approach is used to triangulate the likely position of the source.
Metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with sarcomatoid component carries a poor prognosis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) have been approved for the treatment of metastatic RCC, but their efficacy in patients with sarcomatoid component is not known. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 30 consecutive patients at our center who were treated for metastatic RCC with sarcomatoid component. Results: Ten patients were treated with CPI group while 20 patients were in No-CPI group. There were no significant differences in age, sex, race, and stage at diagnosis between the two groups. After a median follow-up of 35 months, 3 of 10 patients in CPI arm and 5 of 20 patients in No-CPI group were alive. The median overall survival was 33.8 m in immunotherapy group compared to 8.8 m in nonimmunotherapy group (p = .001). Discussion: In our experience, CPI therapy resulted in better outcomes compared to traditional therapy with molecular-targeted agents or chemotherapy in these patients.
Urothelial Carcinoma Variants: Morphology and Association with Outcomes

During these past few decades, several uncommon and unique variants of urothelial carcinoma have been described. These variants’ morphologies constitute < 5 % of bladder carcinomas and may occur in pure form, or more often, are admixed with conventional urothelial carcinoma. Most tumors are recognized descriptively according to their unique histo- or cyto-morphology such as nested, microcystic, micropapillary, plasmacytoid, clear cell, and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma variants. Awareness of these variants is important as some are suggested to have an aggressive behavior and differing therapeutic response when compared to conventional urothelial carcinoma. Some may also have a unique presentation and pattern of tumor spread. Further, since these variants have distinct morphology from conventional urothelial carcinoma, they may histologically resemble benign processes or tumors of other organ primaries. Diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma variants may pose a challenge particularly in bladder biopsies or at metastatic sites.
5-Azacytidine Induces Human Fetal Hemoglobin Production through Activation of the p38 MAPK and Integrated Stress Response Signaling Pathways

Pharmacologic induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) has the potential to improve the health and quality of life of people with β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) is a key lead compound as it, and the related drug decitabine, are active in most β-thal and SCD patients including those resistant to butyrate and because they have been shown to produce clinical benefits for selected patients. However, these drugs must be administered by injection, they depress blood counts and they are known to alter DNA structure and cause changes in genome-wide DNA methylation. Efforts to design improved inducing agents have been limited by an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms underlying pharmacologic induction of HbF. Current theories include proposals that 5-Aza and decitabine induce increased γ-globin gene expression by altering the kinetics of erythroid differentiation or by decreasing γ-globin promoter DNA methylation. We recently provided evidence that the primary action 5-Aza is not through either of these mechanisms. These results, and data from the literature, have led us to propose a new model of HbF induction based on activation of cell stress signaling pathways. To begin to evaluate this model, we used a human in vitro CD34 erythroid differentiation system to test the hypotheses that the p38 MAPK stress signaling pathway was involved in 5-Aza induction of HbF. Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting and HPLC were used to assess mRNA, protein and Hb levels. Our results showed that 500 nM 5-Aza causes p38 MAPK pathway activation as evidenced by phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, the downstream kinase MK2 and the downstream target Hsp27. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (SB) prevented pathway activation and suppressed both baseline and 5-Aza-induced γ-globin mRNA production. On day +13 of differentiation, relative γ-globin mRNA levels were 1.00 (untreated), 0.40 (SB alone), 2.18 (5-Aza alone) and 0.46 (5-Aza + SB) All values were p
Introducing a Measurement Feedback System for Youth Mental Health: Predictors and Impact of Implementation in a Community Agency.

Measurement feedback systems (MFSs) that routinely collect and report client progress to mental health therapists have demonstrated beneficial impact on outcomes in numerous studies, with evidence that there is a dose–response relationship related to the implementation of the MFS. The current study examined the impact of MFS implementation (Implementation Index) on youth symptom outcomes separately by caregiver and youth self-report. Additionally, we tested the extent to which Implementation Index rates varied by individual therapists and clients, and whether therapist and client characteristics predicted MFS implementation. Methods: Administrative data (client charts, youth- and caregiver-reported Youth Outcome Questionnaires) for 229 youth (52.83% Latinx, 42.79% girls, M age = 10.33) treated during a 1-year period at a community mental health organization in Central Texas were analyzed using multi-level modeling. Caregiver-reported symptoms decreased faster for those with a higher MFS Implementation Index. Between-group differences among therapists accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the Implementation Index for caregiver report, whereas client differences accounted for most of the variance in the Implementation Index for youth self-report. Therapist trainee status predicted a significant increase in the Implementation Index for caregiver-report data. Youth symptom improvement as reported by caregivers varied with the extent of MFS implementation fidelity, and MFS implementation fidelity was higher for clients treated by trainees relative to staff therapists for caregiver report of symptoms.
Clinical examination of partial ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament: A retrospective case-control study

Abstract Background Anterior drawer test, Lachman test including evaluation of the endpoint, and pivot shift test have been commonly applied clinically in diagnosing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury but how they function in the appraisal of partial ACL tears is less known. The aims of this study were to examine the diagnostic values of the commonly used knee function tests on patients in detecting ACL injury including partial injury patterns, to assess each of the test's predictive values on the specific ACL injury pattern, and to assess if using multiple tests collectively for the diagnosis of the injury could improve diagnostic accuracy. Methods We evaluated 36 consecutive patients who underwent ACL single bundle augmentation surgery. Those patients were matched by gender and age to 36 patients with a complete rupture of the ACL. Data was obtained from the patients' records. The rupture pattern was confirmed by arthroscopy. An examination under anesthesia was routinely performed by two surgeons who were blinded to the rupture pattern prior to surgery. Results Collectively using both Lachman test and pivot shift test increases ability to distinguish between partial tears and complete ruptures. When comparing partial PL tears and complete ruptures the pivot shift test is more important than the Lachman test. In diagnosing a complete rupture, the evaluation of the endpoint during the Lachman test is more sensitive than the evaluation of the anterior tibial translation during the Lachman test. Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, a diagnostic algorithm has been implemented and is presented in this manuscript.
Forces Involved with Labor and Delivery—A Biomechanical Perspective

Childbirth is a primarily biomechanical process of physiology, and one that engineers have recently begun to address in a broader fashion. Computational models are being developed to address the biomechanical effects of parturition on both maternal and fetal tissues. Experimental research is being conducted to understand how maternal tissues adapt to intrauterine forces near the onset of labor. All of this research requires an understanding of the forces that are developed through maternal efforts-both uterine contractions and semi-voluntary pushing-and that can be applied by the clinician to assist with the delivery. This work reviews the current state of knowledge regarding forces of labor and delivery, with a focus on macro-level biomechanics.