cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Australopithecines: the hunters or the hunted?

ANY attempt to reconstruct the ecology of the australopithecines must include some guesses as to their locomotion, intelligence, tool using, and diet (Bartholomew and Birdsell 1953). The very human pelvis and small cranial capacity suggest that these plains-living forms were bipeds of a low level of intelligence, but theories as to tool use and diet are much more debatable. Here the evidence is necessarily indirect, depending in large part on the distribution of the bones of the associated fauna and of the australopithecines themselves. Of the hundreds of australopithecine bones which have been discovered, there is not one single whole limb bone (Broom and Schepers 1946; Broom, Robinson and Schepers 1950; Broom 1950; Broom and Robinson 1952). Among the thousands of bones of associated animals, there is a very high frequency of cranial remains. This peculiar frequency of bones has become one of the main arguments that the australopithecines were hunters, and more specifically head hunters and trophy keepers (Dart 1949, 1955, 1956a, 1956b; Hughes 1954). Men were surely hunters from approximately second glacial times, but it is uncertain if the hunting habit was already present in the Lower Pleistocene. The taste for meat is one of the main characteristics distinguishing man from the apes, and this habit changes the whole way of life. Hunting involves cooperation within the group, division of labor, sharing food by adult males, wider interests, a great expansion of territory, and the use of tools. It is therefore important to date the beginning of hunting in order to interpret the origin of human behavior. Did man take to the grasslands because he was a hunter, or did he become carnivorous long after leaving the forests? The answers to these questions may lie in the earliest australopithecine deposits, those at Makapan and Sterkfontein (Oakley 1954; Howell 1954, 1955). These deposits are of Lower Pleistocene age and may be old enough to contain our direct ancestors.
Gastric adenocarcinoma in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency

We describe a 46-year-old man with a 20-year history of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) who developed adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Although the mechanism is still debated, there is an increased frequency of gastric adenocarcinoma of the stomach in patients with CVID. Consequently, gastric complaints in patients with CVID should be pursued aggressively.
Comment on electromagnetic mass splittings of hadrons in the MIT bag model

The explicit inclusion of two additional terms in the MIT-bag-model description of electromagnetic mass splittings $\ensuremath{\Delta}M$ of hadrons permits the extractionof the quark rest-mass differences used in the model. Resulting changes in model values of $\ensuremath{\Delta}M$ are also reported.
Mycobacterium leprae produces extracellular homologs of the antigen 85 complex.

Abstract The antigen 85 complex is a set of at least three closely related secreted proteins (85A, 85B, and 85C) of 30 to 32 kDa produced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria. Their prominence in Mycobacterium leprae, the one obligate intracellular pathogen of the genus, had been assumed on the basis of immunological evidence and proof of the existence of the gene encoding the 85B protein of the complex. We have now observed the production of this family of proteins by M. leprae through analysis of various fractions by Western blotting (immunoblotting) with monospecific rabbit antisera raised against the individual Mycobacterium bovis BCG 85A, 85B, and 85C proteins. A predominant cross-reactive band with an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa was detected in extracts of nondisrupted whole M. leprae and in soluble fractions prepared from the tissues of M. leprae-infected armadillos. Further studies of the subcellular distribution of this protein within the bacterium confirmed that it is secreted by the organism, an observation that explains past difficulties in detecting the antigen 85 complex in M. leprae. Confirmation that the M. leprae product is a member of the antigen 85 complex was obtained by comparison of peptide fingerprints with those from the BCG product. The pattern of reactivity of the M. leprae antigen 85 complex with anti-M. bovis BCG 85B serum, as well as two-dimensional electrophoresis, established that the 85B component was the predominant member of the complex in M. leprae. The fibronectin-binding capacity of the M. leprae and BCG 85 complexes was reinvestigated by new approaches and is questioned. Nevertheless, the results obtained with the native proteins reinforce previous reports, derived primarily from the use of homologous proteins, that the antigen 85 complex is one of the dominant protein immunogens of the leprosy bacillus.
Reliable, rapid and simple voltammetric detection of urea nitrate explosive

A highly selective and rapid electrochemical assay of the improvised explosive urea nitrate (UN) is reported. The method involves a short (∼10 s) acid-catalyzed reaction of UN with 4-nitrotoluene (NT) followed by a rapid (∼2 s) square-wave voltammetric (SWV) detection of the 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) product. The new protocol offers great promise for a reliable field detection of UN, with significant advantages of speed, sensitivity, portability, simplicity, and cost.
Injury thresholds after motor vehicle crash--important factors for patient triage and vehicle design.

Abstract Introduction The Committee on Trauma recommends that older motor vehicle crash (MVC) victims or victims of crashes with significant vehicle intrusion of more than 12 in. be transferred to a trauma center since those older than 55 have an increased risk of death after injury. Yet, the precise injury thresholds as they relate to age, gender and velocity remain ill-defined. To maintain a low rate of under triage, reliable methods to identify patients at moderate injury risk are needed. We therefore characterized the likelihood of moderate to severe injury in MVC victims to determine the influence of age, gender and velocity. Methods An analysis of drivers from the National Automotive Sampling System (1993–2001) was performed. Weighted logistic regression models were developed to predict the probability of head, leg, and torso injuries as a function of vehicle speed, age, and gender while controlling for confounders. A 10% probability of injury threshold was set and differences in velocity, gender and age were identified in terms of reaching this probability of injury threshold. Results The analysis yielded 56,459 drivers which is equivalent to a population of 28,877,696 drivers nationwide. Restraint use, steering away prior to impact, breaking maneuver, gender, delta velocity, driver height and age were independent predictors of injury. Women had a higher velocity injury threshold than men for the 10% probability of injury cut-off to the torso or head which disappeared with increasing age. Conversely, men had a higher velocity injury threshold than women for the 10% probability of injury cut-off to the extremity which persisted even in older victims. Conclusions Our data indicate that age and gender must be considered in addition to crash velocity when making triage decisions. Furthermore, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards may need to be modified to address the increased risk of injury among older adults at lower velocities given the increasing number of elderly drivers in the US.
Observations of Greenhouse Gases and Nitrate Concentrations in a Maine River and Fringing Wetland

Abstract In the Sheepscot River, ME, we measured percent saturations of dissolved methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) four times in the main stem and once in the West Branch. River water was super-saturated with CH4 at all sites throughout the study, and measurements were generally higher at lower-gradient sites (1000–5000% saturation) than higher-gradient sites (generally <1000%). Percent saturations of CO2 in the main stem varied in both time and space and were under-saturated at some sites. CO2 percent saturations and NO3- concentrations in the more-developed West Branch were significantly higher than the main stem, likely because of the position of mainstem sites downstream of Sheepscot Pond where primary production and degassing could occur. We also measured CH4 and CO2 fluxes from wetland soil adjacent to the main stem, which averaged 710 (± 59) µmolCH4/m2/h and -51 (± 6.4) mmolCO2/m2/h. Our findings suggest that rivers and fringing wetlands in the formerly gl...
Visualization of the thyrotropin receptor on the cell surface by potent autoantibodies

In autoimmune thyroid disease there are various autoantibodies (Ab) to thyroid cell components. Among the best characterized are those to thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) and to the thyrotropin receptor (TRAb). While TPOAb were successfully used to visualize TPO in human thyroid cells (HTC) and a rat thyroid cell line (FRTL5) by indirect immunofluorescence (IFL), similar attempts with TRAb and thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) failed. This could have been due to either relatively low serum levels of TRAb and/or low number of TSHR on thyroid cells. To test these hypotheses, we estimated the number of TSH binding sites on HTC, FRTL5 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, transfected with cloned human TSHR (JP-26 cells), and for IFL staining employed 3 sera with the highest potency TRAb in our possession. A clear granular surface staining was detected on all 3 cell types with two sera; with the third, the least potent, no staining was seen. The density of staining paralleled the estimated number of TSHR per cell, i.e., ...
BehaviorScope: Real-Time Remote Human Monitoring Using Sensor Networks

In this demonstration we present the BehaviorScope, a system for interpreting human activity patterns using a sensor network and its application to elder monitoring in assisted living. The BehaviorScope provides a runtime, user-programmable framework that processes streams of timestamped sensor data along with prior context information to infer activities and generate appropriate notifications. Human activities are described in high-level scripts that are directly mapped to a hierarchy of probabilistic grammars that parse low-level sensor measurements into high-level distinguishable activities. Activities of interest are pre-programmed into a specification that is used by the system to interpret the incoming sensor data stream. The system interprets the activities to generate summaries and other triggered notifications that are propagated to stakeholders via email and cell-phone text messages.
Digital processing for improved elevation resolution in a three-dimensional tapered phased array imaging system

Three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging with a tapered-thickness phased array (TPA) is investigated. Image data from the lateral and axial dimensions come from conventional B-scan techniques. Information from the third dimension, the elevation dimension, is obtained from frequency analysis of the received signal. The greatest limitation of this system is that the elevation resolution of the image, determined by the quality factor of the tapered transducer element, is significantly worse than the lateral resolution using standard image reconstruction algorithms. By means of digital image restoration techniques based on the degradation model, the elevation resolution can be improved. These methods are discussed, and results from their application to the sampled data from a TPA imaging system are presented. The limitations and uses of these techniques are addressed. >
STUDIES ON A PROTEOLYTIC ENZYME IN HUMAN PLASMA : II. SOME FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ENZYMES ACTIVATED BY CHLOROFORM AND BY STREPTOCOCCAL FIBRINOLYSIN

1. Some conditions for the optimal activation of plasma proteolytic enzyme by chloroform have been described. The activation proceeds slowly. The action of chloroform is probably to remove some substance which inhibits or inactivates the plasma proteolytic enzyme preparation, rather than a direct activation of the enzyme. 2. Plasma proteolytic enzyme is activated by filtrates of cultures of beta hemolytic streptococci. When streptococcal fibrinolysin is present in maximally effective amounts, the activation is almost instantaneous. When the globulin is prepared from heated serum or the globulin is treated with chloroform, the activation of enzyme by streptococcal fibrinolysin appears to be catalytic. If the globulin is not so treated, the reaction appears to involve a stoichiometric process. 3. The plasma proteolytic enzyme activated by chloroform or by streptococcal fibrinolysin digests casein in direct proportion to the concentration of enzyme and to the time of digestion, during the early period of incubation. 4. Fibrinolysin-activated enzyme deteriorates rapidly relative to chloroform-activated enzyme. This may be due to the removal by chloroform of some substance which inactivates plasma proteolytic enzyme.
Adenovirus Proteins II. N-Terminal Amino Acid Analysis

Abstract Adenovirus types 2, 4, 5, 6, 18, 21 and 27, were analyzed for N-terminal amino acids by use of 35S-labeled phenylisothiocyanate of high specific radioactivity. Two free N-terminal amino acids, alanine and glycine, were found in these viruses in the molar ratio (alanine-glycine) of 2.5:1, with the exception of type 2 where the ratio was 3.6:1 and type 5 where the ratio was 5.5:1 Adenovirus type 2 was disrupted by acetone treatment, and two protein fractions were obtained after sucrose gradient centrifugation. One of these fractions, which was associated with the viral deoxyribonucleic acid and comprised approximately 18% of the total protein of the virus, was greatly enriched with respect to N-terminal alanine and glycine.
Nest Lining and Fledging Success in the Piping Plover are Related to Nest Site Characteristics

Abstract. Nest site choice and construction by ground-nesting shorebirds can have important repercussions for survival and reproductive success, potentially impacting predation risk, mate retention and hatching success. One such decision, lining nests with shell fragments, was investigated in the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). Data were collected describing the placement, construction and fate of 34 nests on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA in 2003. Model selection criteria were used to determine the habitat variables that most strongly influence nest lining. The best model included variables related to both the immediate surrounding (proportion of the substrate made up of shell and rock, and sand granularity), as well as nest location (distance from the dune). Plovers used more shell fragments in nests that are on shelly, rocky, or coarse-sanded beaches, and when nesting closer to dunes. There was a negative correlation between fledging success and the amount of shell surrounding the nest. These results...
Antifungals: mechanism of action and resistance, established and novel drugs.

Abstract Serious fungal infections, caused mostly by opportunistic species, are increasingly common in immunocompromised and other vulnerable patients. The use of antifungal drugs, primarily azoles and polyenes, has increased in parallel. Yet, established agents do not satisfy the medical need completely; azoles are fungistatic and vulnerable to resistance, whereas polyenes cause serious host toxicity. Drugs in clinical development include echinocandins, pneumocandins, and improved azoles. Promising novel agents in preclinical development include several inhibitors of fungal protein, lipid and cell wall syntheses. Recent advances in fungal genomics, combinatorial chemistry, and high-throughput screening may accelerate the antifungal discovery process.
Risk reduction in pregnancies of low‐income women. Comprehensive prenatal care through the ob access project

Low birthweight is the chief risk associated with pregnancy and is highly predictive of the eventual disability, illness or death of the newborn. The risk of low birthweight babies is substantially higher for births to low-income mothers. However, comprehensive prenatal care programs have shown improvements in birthweights of the babies of program participants. The OB Access Project in 13 counties in California from 1979 to 1982 was one such comprehensive prenatal care program. Participants in the project (N= 5,244) had a low birthweight rate of 4.7 percent compared with 7.1 percent for the comparison group of Medi-Cal recipients (N= 5,244) match controlled for key characteristics that influence birthweight outcomes. The very low birthweight rate (for babies less than 1500 grams) was 0.5 percent, compared with 1.3 percent for the comparison group. This improvement in birthweights means an impressive savings in costs of infant hospital care. If Medi-Cal were to expand its benefits to include OB Access care, every $1.00 spent in OB Access benefits would save the state $1.70 in reduced costs for neonatal intensive care. Additional expected savings to the state with improvement in birth-weights of low-income births would be expected through California Children's Services, the High Risk infant Follow-Up Programs and Developmental Disabilities Services to infants. Long-term savings to the State would also be expected in the improved health and reduced disabilities of the better birthweight babies through childhood and even into adulthood.
Effect of dietary fat and vitamin E on mouse lung lipids.

To examine the effect of dietary fat on lung lipids, male weanling mice (CD-I strain) were fed purified diets containing 5% stripped lard or corn oil and kept in chambers supplied with air filtered free of airborne bacteria. Vitamin E was fed at 0, 10.5 or 105 mg dl-a- tocopheryl acetate/kg diet. Dietary fat and vitamin E (0 or 10.5 mg/kg) had no significant effects on the lung levels of triacylglycerol (TG) or phospholipid ( PL ) molecular species through 4 weeks of intake. Alterations in lung fatty acid composition were followed through 6 weeks of intake at 0, 10.5 and 105 mg vitamin E/kg diet. Vitamin E, at all levels of supple mentation, had no significant effect on mouse lung fatty acid composition. Saturated fatty acids of the lung also showed little alteration by diet, but feeding the lard diet significantly elevated oleic and palmitoleic acids. In mice fed the corn oil diet the levels of linoleic acid (18:2) were twice those of lard-fed mice, and arachidonic acid (20:4) was elevated by 15.8%. The diet elevated the mean peroxidizability index (PI) of lung tissue in corn oil-fed mice. J. Nutr. 109: 1856-1864, 1979.
Performance Comparison between capacitively driven low swing and conventional interconnects for CU and carbon nanotube wire technologies

The on-chip interconnect bottleneck with conventional Cu/low-k and delay optimized repeater scheme presents a compelling reason to explore novel interconnect circuit architectures. The capacitively driven low-swing interconnect (CDLSI) has the potential to affect a significant energy saving and latency reduction. The purpose of this work is two fold: Firstly, to develop an accurate analytical, optimized model for CDLSI wire scheme; Secondly, to quantify and compare the delay and energy expenditure for not only different interconnect circuit schemes, but also various future technologies such as Cu, carbon nanotube and optics. We find that CDLSI circuit scheme outperforms the conventional interconnects in latency and energy per bit for lower bandwidth requirement, while these advantages degrade for higher bandwidth requirements.
Short-lag spatial coherence of backscattered echoes: imaging characteristics

Conventional ultrasound images are formed by delay-and-sum beamforming of the backscattered echoes received by individual elements of the transducer aperture. Although the delay-and-sum beamformer is well suited for ultrasound image formation, it is corrupted by speckle noise and challenged by acoustic clutter and phase aberration. We propose an alternative method of imaging utilizing the short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) of the backscattered echoes. Compared with matched B-mode images, SLSC images demonstrate superior SNR and contrast-to-noise ratio in simulated and experimental speckle-generating phantom targets, but are shown to be challenged by limited point target conspicuity. Matched B-mode and SLSC images of a human thyroid are presented. The challenges and opportunities of real-time implementation of SLSC imaging are discussed.
Noun-Pronoun Pleonasms: The Role of Age and Situation.

The process of topicalization occasionally produces pleonasms with nominal-pronominal reduplication (NPR). In these structures the topic nominal is often accompanied by a comment clause containing a pronoun which is co-referential with the topic. This article discusses NPR in the language of children ages seven and nine in four different situations, one of which was child-child in free play, three of which were child-adult in retelling stories, describing pictures, and answering questions. The younger children produced more NPR. Influenced by their attitudes toward their interlocutors, the content of the situations and themselves as communicators, all of the children produced little NPR talking to their peers and increasing amounts talking to adults. Examples are given and analysed.
Promoter Extraction from GenBank (PEG): automatic extraction of eukaryotic promoter sequences in large sets of genes

Summary: Promoter Extraction from GenBank (PEG) extracts promoter sequences for large sets of genes using information present in GenBank. For a gene whose promoter sequence is not found, PEG will attempt to extract promoter sequences of the orthologous genes instead. Availability: It is freely available to academic users at
Evidence-Based Medicine and the Recognition and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke, Part II: A Perspective From the Clinical Athletic Trainer

Context: Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is one of the leading causes of death in athletes. Certified athletic trainers (ATs) demonstrate strong knowledge of recommended practices with EHS but are app...
The identity and origin of antigens in human semen.

To identify some of the antigens in human semen and to establish their site of origin samples of semen obtained from 20 healthy donors were studied and isolated by immune electrophoresis. There were 9 identifiable antigens whose origins were determined. 4 were identified as arising from the blood plasma: albumin transferrin immunoglobulin G and a beta 1-globulin. Lactoferrin a Beta-1 and beta-2 globulin were from the seminal vesicles. Acid phosphatase a beta-2 globulin and possibly lactoferrin came from the prostate gland. The epididymis also contributed lactoferrin. The lactoferrin was found to be a sperm-coating antigen which was present on the surfaces of ejaculated and spermatocele spermatozoa.
Geographic variation of size in feral pigeons

ABsTRAcr.-Even though they originated from phenetically and genetically heterogeneous domestic stocks, feral pigeons (Columba livia) today show significant interlocality variation in size of skeletal elements. About 30% of the size variation in European feral pigeons is owing to interlocality effects, compared to about 20% for American ferals. Additionally, size varies positively with latitude. Owing to the independent origin and long-term geographic isolation of American and European feral pigeons, the organization of size variation necessarily was developed independently in the two stocks. This instance of replicate size clines is probably a result of natural selection by environmental variables on common heritable variation in size. Received 10 September 1992, accepted 13 January 1993.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls-contaminated Soil Washing with Mixed Surfactants Enhanced by Electrokinetics

On the basis of comparing the adsorption loss of different surfactants[single nonionic surfactant sorbitanmonooleatepolyoxyethylene ether(Tween 80), anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS), and mixed surfactants Tween 80/SDBS(3:2), Tween 80/SDBS(4:1)] and their performance in the enhancement of polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) desorption from soil, the impact of electric field intensity on the desorption of PCBs and the transport of surfactants in washing resulted solution were investigated in this study. With regard to the remediation cost, 1000 mg/L mixed Tween 80/SDBS(3:2) was recognized as an optimum concentration in the remediation of PCBs-contaminated soil, because Tween 80/SDBS(3:2) had the highest washing capacity and relatively low adsorption loss onto soil. Electrokinetics can enhance the washing efficiency of PCBs-contaminated soil by Tween 80/SDBS(3:2) effectively and safely at an electric field intensity of 1.5 V/cm for 10 d, for the desorption of PCBs was 1.57 times more than that without electrokinetics, and the most of organic residue in washing resulted solution was removed in an electrical field to avoid the possible secondary contamination risk.
Immunologic responses of neonatally thymectomized rats to sheep red blood cells and to flagellin from Salmonella adepaide.

SummaryRats thymectomized at birth and immunized with sheep erythrocytes at 4 to 8 weeks of age showed cellular and serologic responses comparable with normal or sham-thymectomized rats. However, thymectomized rats immunized at 4 weeks of age with flagellin from S. adelaide showed a markedly impaired serologic response, while sham-thymectomized rats had high titers of immobilizing antibody in their sera. Despite the impaired serologic response to flagellin, thymectomized rats acquired nearly equal numbers of lymphoid cells with specificity for flagellin as measured by adherence to their surfaces of viable bacteria possessing flagellar antigens in common with the flagellin used for immunization. This work implies that neonatal thymectomy in this antigen system may interfere with the synthesis of specific antibody rather than antigen recognition following immunization. Although the origin and role of these lymphoid cells showing immunocytoadherence has not been clarified, these data may represent evidence f...
$N$ -Player Statistical Nash Game Control: $m$ -th Cost Cumulant Optimization

In this note, we study a Statistical Nash Game control problem where multiple players optimize system performance by shaping the distribution of their cost functions through cost cumulants. Our focus is on the nonzero-sum dynamic Statistical Nash Game, which generalizes the Risk-sensitive Nash game. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the Nash equilibrium solution are given for the $N$ -player $m$ -th cost cumulant optimization using the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations. In addition, we derive the optimal control strategies and provide simulation results to demonstrate the performance of our method.
New development in macrolide immunosuppressant

Macrolide immunosuppressant is a new class of compounds with marked immunosuppressive activity and macrolide structure.They include tacrolimus,ascomycin and its derivative SDZASM 981,sirolimus etc.They not only can be administrated by oral route but can also be used by local application.Therefore,macrolide immunosuppressants are effective agents for treatment of some dermatosis,atopic dermatitis,psoriasis,pyoderma gangrenosum,and lichen planus etc.In this paper,the mechanism of action,pre clinical studies,clinical studies and progress in research of macrolide immunosuppressants were reviewed.
Neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral sequelae of selected substances of abuse and psychiatric medications in utero.

This article discusses the current state of knowledge regarding outcome in two broad categories of prenatal exposure: to selected substances of abuse including alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, and cocaine; and to some of the most widely used psychiatric medications.
Multiply Tapered Fiber Devices

Multiply tapered fiber devices are described. Multiple tapering adds desirable functionality to the simple fused biconic single-mode coupler. Example devices include band splitters and gain flattening filters.
Gradient Decoding Revisited

Modern coding applications, including dirty paper coding and information hiding, hinge critically on a classical 'general decoding problem,' known to be NP hard. Various attempts to find good solutions at reasonable complexity can be traced throughout the decades, most recently with attempts to achieve the rate-distortion bound in code word quantization. Here we take a step back to examine two computationally simple procedures in this direction: gradient decoding and a simple yet surprisingly effective variant on belief propagation that we dub truthiness propagation.
ABC Planning and Resolving ABC Issues

The infrastructure difficulties faced by the public are highlighted in this chapter, and the economic and public comfort benefits derived from early completion of projects are reviewed. Bridges are a sensitive part of any highway system, and their importance is based on the network of highways that they serve and the average daily volume of traffic. A bridge's relative importance determines the funding allocation and priority of its repair. Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) can assist in the timely completion of bridge projects. The steps of ABC methodology are discussed herein. This chapter outlines the successful ABC projects completed by many states. Partial ABC for rehabilitation of existing bridges can also be implemented. The restrictions to partial ABC in these scenarios are discussed in this chapter, along with the options available for the design of new or replacement bridges.
Lysosomal cholesterol activates mTORC1 via an SLC38A9-Niemann-Pick C1 signaling complex

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) protein kinase is a master growth regulator that becomes activated at the lysosome in response to nutrient cues. Here, we identify cholesterol, an essential building block for cellular growth, as a nutrient input that drives mTORC1 recruitment and activation at the lysosomal surface. The lysosomal transmembrane protein, SLC38A9, is required for mTORC1 activation by cholesterol through conserved cholesterol-responsive motifs. Moreover, SLC38A9 enables mTORC1 activation by cholesterol independently from its arginine-sensing function. Conversely, the Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) protein, which regulates cholesterol export from the lysosome, binds to SLC38A9 and inhibits mTORC1 signaling through its sterol transport function. Thus, lysosomal cholesterol drives mTORC1 activation and growth signaling through the SLC38A9-NPC1 complex.
Adult Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors: Fundamental Concepts

Although the choices available for imaging evaluation of musculoskeletal masses have changed dramatically, the basic objective of this assessment has remained constant: diagnosis and staging. The fundamental principles of evaluating musculoskeletal masses and achieving these objectives also have not changed. This review addresses application of the current imaging methods in assessment of adult bone and soft tissue musculoskeletal masses, emphasizing fundamental concepts. We do not intend to provide a comprehensive review of imaging techniques or diagnoses, but rather to provide a useful review of the fundamental concepts needed to select and protocol the appropriate studies to optimize diagnostic information and allow local staging.
Prevalence of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis and Colitis in a Population-Based Study, From 2012 to 2017.

Background & Aims Although eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has been extensively studied, there have been few epidemiology studies of other eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs). Using a large, population-based database, we investigated epidemiologic features of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EoGE) and eosinophilic colitis (EoC) in the United State. Methods We collected data from a commercial database (Explorys Inc, Cleveland, OH) that provided electronic health records from 26 major integrated U.S. healthcare systems from 1999 to March 2017. We identified a cohort of adult and pediatric patients with EoGE and EoC from March 2012 to March 2017, based on the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms. We calculated the overall prevalence of EoGE and EoC among different patient groups, and performed age- and gender-adjusted analyses to assess for differences in the prevalence of associated medical conditions in patients with EoGE and EoC and control patients (patients in the database between March 2012 and March 2017 without EGID-associated diagnoses). Results Of the 35,826,830 individuals in the database, we identified 1820 patients with EoGE and 770 with EoC. The overall prevalence rate of EoGE was 5.1/100,000 persons; the overall prevalence rate of EoC was 2.1/100,000 persons. Each of the non-EoE EGIDs was more prevalent in Caucasians than in African-Americans and Asians, and in female patients than male patients. Although EoGE was more prevalent in children (under 18 years of age) than in adults, EoC was more prevalent in adults (older than 18 years of age). Compared with control patients, individuals with non-EoE EGIDs were more likely to have been diagnosed with other gastrointestinal or allergic disorders. Conclusions In a population-based study in the United States, using the Explorys database, we found the overall prevalence rate of EoGE to be 5.1/100,000 persons and the prevalence rate of EoC to be 2.1/100,000; these values are at the lower end of prevalence rates previously reported in the United States.
Iodine- and Bromine-Based Dry Etching of LaCaMnO3

Two novel plasma chemistries, BI3and BBr3, have been employed for dry etching of LaCaMnO3thin films. For both mixtures there is some chemical enhancement of etch rates at low halide compositions in the discharge, and the rates are a strong function of ion/neutral ratio. Maximum rates are obtained at ratios near 0.02. Etch yields are typically low (<0.3) under inductively-coupled plasma (CICP) conditions. Smoothdsurface morphologies are obtained over a wide range of conditions, with high-fidelity pattern transfer using SiO2or SiNxmasks.
Perceptions of Supervisors and Performance: A Thematic Analysis:

Observation is a common occurrence within the workplace, and can often manifest as either peer-to-peer monitoring or supervisor-to-peer monitoring. To date, there is a limited body of research that...
A Communities of Practice Approach to Field Experiences in Teacher Education

This article argues that prospective teachers who have the most productive experiences within pre-student teaching field experiences are those whose field sites allow them to become members of communities of practice, the conditions of which, according to Wenger (1998) include joint enterprise, mutual engagement, and shared repertoire. Employing interviews and content analysis of documents, the researchers explored the experiences of a cohort of teacher candidates in a pre-student teaching practicum to better understand elements of field experience that might influence identity development. We highlight the cases of two prospective teachers as illustrative and contrasting experiences of the cohort as a whole. We conclude by offering recommendations for how teacher education programs might assist prospective teachers with negotiating for conditions within field sites that allow for productive participation and growth.
Disaster Mental Health Counseling: Responding to Trauma in a Multicultural Context

New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.ISBN 978-0-8261-3288-8Edited by Stebnicki, M. A. (2017).“At the epicenter of disaster” is the focal point of Mark A. Stebnicki's resource guide for di...
A Resource Theory of Organizational Structure

This chapter presents the development of concepts, primarily from the complex organizations literature. The various separable dimensions of industrial structure are seen as representing resources and vulnerabilities for workers in their struggle to attain higher wages and better working conditions. The chapter discusses a few organizing expectations about the impact of economic structure on earnings. The dual model falters because it is grounded on an inadequate reconstruction of the history of industrial structure. Labor control is only one of the goals of the capitalist class that has an impact on industrial organization. Capitalists also pursue goals in relation to the state and, most importantly, in relation to other capitalists. A variety of structures emerge as various strategies are developed and implemented in the pursuit of these goals. The history of working class struggles, particularly as that history is embodied in the trade union movement, has also been misread in the dual approach. Union-organizing victories are not simply a reflection of the emergence of monopoly-controlled mass production industries at the turn of the century. A review of the organizational history of capitalist enterprises reveals that many different structures have emerged that provide strategic solutions to a variety of problems posed by the development of capitalism.
Worst-case absolute loss bounds for linear learning algorithms

The absolute loss is the absolute difference between the desired and predicted outcome. I demonstrate worst-case upper bounds on the absolute loss for the perceptron algorithm and an exponentiated update algorithm related to the Weighted Majority algorithm. The bounds characterize the behavior of the algorithms over any sequence of trials, where each trial consists of an example and a desired outcome interval (any value in the interval is an acceptable outcome). The worstcase absolute loss of both algorithms is bounded by: the absolute loss of the best linear function in the comparison class, plus a constant dependent on the initial weight vector, plus a per-trial loss. The per-trial loss can be eliminated if the learning algorithm is allowed a tolerance from the desired outcome. For concept learning, the worst-case bounds lead to mistake bounds that are comparable to previous results.
Staging of Esophageal Cancer Based on Wall Penetration and Lymph Node Status

For a staging system to be useful clinically, it must correlate with the prognosis in treatable cases and distinguish among cases with variable prognoses in order to permit evaluation of varying methods of therapy. For esophageal cancer, the current widely used staging system was described by the American Joint Commission on Cancer and revised in 1978 [1]. In this system, a stage I esophageal cancer can be up to 5 cm in size provided there is no obstruction clinically or circumferential involvement of the esophagus, no extraesophageal spread, no lymph node metastases, and no distant metastases. A stage II esophageal cancer is greater than 5 cm in largest diameter, causes obstruction, or has circumferential involvement, but with no extraesophageal spread, no distant metastases, and no positive lymph nodes for thoracic tumors. Positive lymph nodes are acceptable if movable in stage II cervical esophageal cancer. A stage III carcinoma is any cancer with extraesophageal spread, distant metastases, positive intrathoracic or abdominal lymph nodes, or fixed palpable nodes in the neck. According to this staging system, most patients with symptomatic esophageal cancer are placed in stage III and there is little discrimination in results between stages I and II.
Step-by-Step Approach to Robotic Cystectomy and Extracorporeal Urinary Diversion

Abstract Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is an evolving approach for the treatment of bladder cancer. The technique of RARC allows for the following potential advantages: minimal blood loss, decreased fluid shifts, and smaller surgical incisions, which will theoretically translate into less patient morbidity. Herein, we describe the operative technique of RARC, robot-assisted extended pelvic lymph node dissection, and extracorporeal urinary diversion, along with a brief review of the published literature. The potential advantages of robot-assisted surgery can be transferred into advanced uro-oncologic surgery such as bladder cancer surgery. However, long-term oncological and functional outcomes are yet awaited.
The North American BSE Situation

The identification of BSE in North American cattle has dramatically affected the beef industry, from the feed manufacturers to producers to processors. Investigation of the two cases of BSE confirmed in 2003 have provided important clues as to the North American situation. Actions taken by both Canada and the US over the past 15 years provided a strong foundation on which to build additional measures to protect animal and public health. Public confidence in the food system and in the safety of beef remains high. Nevertheless, trade in beef and beef products has been affected strongly, as many of the major export markets have taken a precautionary approach. Following is a summary of the BSE investigation results in North America and the subsequent regulatory actions taken by Canada and the US to protect animal and public health. Relevant international trends affecting both the regulation of BSE and the trade in cattle and cattle products will be reviewed.
3D Multilayered paper- and thread/paper-based microfluidic devices for bioassays

In this paper we describe the fabrication of novel 3D microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (3D-μPADs) and a 3D microfluidic thread/paper-based analytical device (3D-μTPAD) to detect glucose and BSA through colorimetric assays. The 3D-μPAD and 3D-μTPAD consisted of three (wax, heat pressed wax-printed paper, single-sided tape) and four (hole-punched single-sided tape, blank chromatography circles, heat-pressed wax-printed paper, hole-punched single-sided tape containing trifurcated thread) layers, respectively. The saturation curves for each assay were generated for all platforms. For the glucose assay, a solution of glucose oxidase (GOx), horseradish peroxidase, and potassium iodide was flowed through each platform and, upon contact with glucose, generated a yellow-brown color indicative of the oxidation of iodide to iodine. For the protein assay, BSA was flowed through each device and, upon contact with citrate buffer and tetrabromophenol blue, resulted in a color change from yellow to blue. The devices were dried, scanned, and analyzed yielding a correlation between either yellow intensity and glucose concentration or cyan intensity and BSA concentration. A similar glucose assay, using unknown concentrations of glucose in artificial urine, was conducted and, when compared to the saturation curve, showed good correlation between the theoretical and actual concentrations (percent differences <10%). The development of 3D-μPADs and 3D-μTPADs can further facilitate the use of these platforms for colorimetric bioassays.
Identification of biomarkers indicative of functional skeletal stem cells

Objectives Skeletal stem cells (SSCs) are characterized by expression of cell surface biomarkers and their ability to differentiate into bone, cartilage and fat. However, the current biomarkers used to identify these cell populations are not cell-type-specific or indicative of the differentiation status of these cells and are therefore unreliable. Our objective was to identify alternative cell surface biomarkers and transcription factors shared between SSCs isolated from the bone marrow (BM) and those derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSC). Materials and methods Human PSCs were induced into SSCs. FACS and qRT-PCR were used to determine differences in expression of cell surface biomarkers and transcription factors between SSCs derived from PSCs and isolated from BM, in differentiating cells, in cells from early and late passage, and in fibroblasts. Results A significant reduction in proliferation and capacity of SSCs to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts was observed after 3 passages. Protein and mRNA analysis indicated that commonly used biomarkers remain highly expressed in cells that lost capacity for differentiation. However, integrin α6 (CD49f) and transcription factors GATA6, PRDM16, SIM2 and SOX11 were significantly upregulated in SSCs compared to fibroblasts. In early stages of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation, the expression of CD49f, GATA6 and SIM2 was reduced in later passage cells, which have limited proliferation and differentiation capabilities. Conclusions Our results suggest that CD49f and transcription factors GATA6 and SIM2 identify functional SSCs.
Current trends in the abuse of pentazocine and tripelennamine: the metropolitan St. Louis experience.

A discussion of the intravenous use by narcotic addicts in metropolitan St. Louis of a combination of pentazocine and tripelennamine, known as “T's and blues,” is presented. The folklore and ritual of “T's and blues” use were gleaned from interviews with addicts. The cause of, possible adverse reactions to, and medical examiners' experience with this new mode of drug abuse are discussed. Pharmacology relative to the abuse of pentazocine and tripelennamine is reviewed.
Phenotypic clines across an unstudied hybrid zone in Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) comprises 7 subspecies, ranging from the Rocky Mountains to southern Mexico. We quantified the phenotype of specimens throughout Mexico and found support for significant phenotypic differences between “Sumichrast's group” in southern Mexico (A. w. sumichrasti and A. w. remota) and the 2 subspecies in northern Mexico, or “Woodhouse's group” (A. w. grisea and A. w. cyanotis). Despite significant differentiation in body size and mantle color, we found no clear geographic boundary between the groups, suggesting either a geographic cline or hybridization upon secondary contact. We tested for selection against hybridization by fitting models to geographic clines for both body size and back color, and found support for a stable contact zone centered near Mexico City, with selection against intermediate back color. Based on these results, we infer that Sumichrast's and Woodhouse's groups diverged during a period of geographic and genetic isolation. The phenotypic introgression between Sumichrast's and Woodhouse's groups near Mexico City likely represents a case of recent secondary contact, with selection against hybridization maintaining a geographically stable contact zone.
STAT1 Gain of Function, Type 1 Diabetes, and Reversal with JAK Inhibition.

STAT1 Gain of Function, Diabetes, and Ruxolitinib This letter describes the case of an adolescent boy with heterozygous STAT1 gain-of-function syndrome and type 1 diabetes. Diabetes and other featu...
Developing a pilot lifestyle intervention to prevent cardiovascular disease in midlife women with HIV

Background: Women with HIV (WWH) are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to men with HIV. Lifestyle interventions, like the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), may reduce CVD ...
Seven approaches to research in socio-ecological practice & five insights from the RWC-Schön-Stokes model.

In this review article, I examine seven commonly used approaches to research in socio-ecological practice and share insights about their defining characteristics, similarities, differences and connections. I derived these approaches and gained insights through the RWC–Schon–Stokes model, a theoretical framework for codifying, tabulating, examining and comparing multiple ways of methodical knowing in socio-ecological systems. For this reason, I begin with an introduction of the model and, in a chronological order, provide a review of its association with three intellectual ancestors: the Bush linear model (1945), the Stokes quadrant model (1997) and the Schon–Stokes model (2017).