cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control of junB and extracellular matrix protein expression by transforming growth factor-beta 1 is independent of simian virus 40 T antigen-sensitive growth-sensitive growth-inhibitory events

Treatment of Mv1Lu mink lung epithelial cells with transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) prevents phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product, RB, in late G1 phase of the cell cycle, which is thought to retain RB in a growth-suppressive state. This effect is paralleled by cell cycle arrest in late G1 (M. Laiho, J. A. DeCapric, J. W. Ludlow, D. M. Livingston, and J. Massague, Cell 62:175-185, 1990). Arrest can be prevented by expression of simian virus 40 T antigen, which binds to underphosphorylated RB, presumably blocking its growth-suppressive activity. The response of cells to TGF-beta 1, however, is complex and includes changes in the levels of expression of genes encoding nuclear transcription factors and extracellular matrix components. To define the relationships among various components of the TGF-beta 1 response, we have investigated the effect of TGF-beta 1 on cells whose growth-inhibitory response to this factor is prevented by T antigen. TGF-beta 1 addition to exponentially growing Mv1Lu cells increased the levels of junB mRNA and of three extracellular matrix proteins: plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, fibronectin, and thrombospondin. Kinetically, the effects on junB and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression occurred faster (half-maximal at 1 to 2 h) than the effects on fibronectin and thrombospondin expression (half-maximal at 6 to 10 h). These effects either preceded or overlapped, respectively, the withdrawal of Mv1Lu cells from the cell cycle. Expression of a transfected T-antigen gene in Mv1Lu cells, however, did not prevent any of these responses to TGF-beta 1. The results indcate that TGF-B1-stimulated expression of junB and extracellular matrix proteins in Mv1Lu cells can occur independently of the T-antigen-sensitive events that lead to growth arrest.
Positively Negative Evidence for Asexuality

No evidence of sexual reproduction has been detected in many eukaryotes, but this "negative evidence" of obligatory asexuality is still met with widespread skepticism. This is partly because obligatory asexual reproduction is deleterious in the long run and partly because it is logically possible that there are undetected sexual individuals. I point out that this skepticism stems from failure to think statistically, and the absence of sexual individuals in a sufficiently large sample can be very convincing evidence of obligatory asexuality. A survey of rotifer workers showed that approximately 458 515 bdelloid rotifers have been examined without finding any males or hermaphrodites; applying the Poisson distribution to these data shows that the upper 95% confidence interval of the number of sexual individuals is less than 8.1 x 10(-6). In darwinulid ostracods, a smaller sample puts the estimate at less than 1.75 x 10(-4) sexual individuals. If there were undetected sexual individuals at these low levels, the frequency of outcrossing must be even lower; so that sex will be ineffective and easily lost. Furthermore, recently published evidence shows that these ancient asexuals are not "scandalous" but merely the tail end of the age distribution of asexual lineages.
Gaia microserver: an extendable mobile middleware platform

The Gaia ubiquitous computing platform currently supports mobile devices through a thin client proxy architecture. Mobile devices run a lightweight proxy client written in J2ME to join an active space. While this approach allows a wide variety of devices to interact with active spaces, it lacks the ability to use device specific functionality. This problem is addressed by combining the J2ME client with a microserver, which is a bridge from the native language to J2ME. The microserver-proxy approach enables thin clients to fully access device-specific features while respecting security through a standard interface as Gaia services.
Progress in polar oceans research using ERS-1 data

Data from ERS-1, especially from the AMI Image Mode, or SAR, have been particularly useful in providing data on ice type and motion and oceanic mesoscale features. These data have been used in studies of ocean and ice circulation, climate processes, mesoscale processes near the ice edge, freshwater fluxes, and convection, and have also proved useful in support of operations in ice covered seas. >
Extended middle fossa approach: quantitative analysis of petroclival exposure and surgical freedom as a function of successive temporal bone removal by using frameless stereotaxy

Object. Conventional wisdom regarding skull base surgery says that more extensive bone removal equals greater exposure. Few researchers have quantitatively examined this assertion, however. In this study the authors used a frameless stereotactic system to measure quantitatively the area of petroclival exposure and surgical freedom for manipulation of instruments with successive steps of temporal bone removal. Methods. With the aid of high-power magnification and a high-speed drill, 12 cadaveric specimens were dissected in four predetermined, successive bone removal steps: 1) removal of the Kawase triangle; 2) removal of the Glasscock triangle; 3) removal of the cochlea together with skeletonization of the anterior internal auditory canal; and 4) inferior displacement of the zygoma. Step 1 offered 62 ± 43 mm2 of exposed petroclival area, with 84 ± 69 mm2 of surgical freedom; Step 2, 61 ± 22 and 76 ± 58 mm2; Step 3, 128 ± 47 and 109 ± 87 mm2; and Step 4, 135 ± 38 and 102 ± 69 mm2, respectively. Conclusions....
A mathematical model for electrical stimulation of a monolayer of cardiac cells.

Background: The goal of our study is to examine the effect of stimulating a two-dimensional sheet of myocardial cells. We assume that the stimulating electrode is located in a bath perfusing the tissue. Methods: An equation governing the transmembrane potential, based on the continuity equation and Ohm's law, is solved numerically using a finite difference technique. Results: The sheet is depolarized under the stimulating electrode and is hyperpolarized on each side of the electrode along the fiber axis. Conclusions: The results are similar to those obtained previously by Sepulveda et al. (Biophys J, 55: 987–999, 1989) for stimulation of a two-dimensional sheet of tissue with no perfusing bath present.
An Egg-Propagated Immunizing Agent for the Control of Infectious Bronchitis of Chickens

Abstract INFECTIOUS bronchitis, an economically important viral respiratory disease of chickens, has been reported in the United States, Canada, Holland, and England (Delaplane, 1949; Van Roekel et al., 1950). Drugs, inactivated virus preparations, and air sterilization procedures have been found ineffective in the prevention or cure of this disease (Delaplane and Stuart, 1939; Levine and Hofstad, 1947). Where infectious bronchitis is a serious problem in laying flocks, inoculation of immature chickens with a living virus has served as a means of control. Little information has appeared concerning the viability of bronchitis virus. Beach and Schalm (1936) reported that tracheal exudate from an affected bird, after being dried by Swift’s method and stored in a refrigerator for 180 days, produced the disease in birds. This virus mixed with 50 percent glycerin and stored in a refrigerator remained viable for 80 days. Delaplane and Stuart (1941) reported that after an egg-propagated virus had . . .
Applying Experimental Economics to Obesity in the Family Household

The objective of this study is to identify experimental economic tools that can be employed to explain the role of economic behavior in overweight and obesity in the household. We identify three economic experiments that can be used to understand how parent-child economic relationships relate to obesity. Loss aversion experiments are discussed as a tool to understand challenges some individuals face in achieving a healthy diet. Finally, testbed experiments are introduced as a means to test and understand new policies and incentives for better health at the household level.
A piezoelectric microvalve for cryogenic applications

This paper reports on a normally open piezoelectrically actuated microvalve for high flow modulation at cryogenic temperatures. One application envisioned is to control the flow of a cryogen for distributed cooling with a high degree of temperature stability and a small thermal gradient. The valve consists of a micromachined die fabricated from a silicon-on-insulator wafer, a glass wafer, a commercially available piezoelectric stack actuator and Macor TM ceramic encapsulation that has overall dimensions of 1 × 1 × 1c m 3 .A perimeter augmentation scheme for the valve seat has been implemented to provide high flow modulation. In tests performed at room temperature the flow was modulated from 980 mL min −1 with the valve fully open (0 V), to 0 mL min −1 with a 60 V actuation voltage, at an inlet gauge pressure of 55 kPa. This range is orders of magnitude higher flow than the modulation capability of similarly sized piezoelectric microvalves. At the cryogenic temperature of 80 K, the valve successfully modulated gas flow from 350 mL min −1 down to 20 mL min −1 with an inlet pressure of 104 kPa higher than the atmosphere. The operation of this valve has been validated at elevated temperatures as well, up to 380 K. The valve has a response time of less than 1 ms and has operational bandwidth up to 820 kHz. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Reasons for Treatment Changes in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

Background:Psoriasis treatment involves multiple treatment arms. Treatment choice depends on many factors and may change, due to the chronicity of psoriasis.Objective:The purpose of our study is to...
Studies of frog oviducal jelly secretion. I. Chemical analysis of secretory product.

The jelly secreted by the oviduct of Rana pipiens has been analyzed histochemically and biochemically. Histochemical techniques show that the jelly contains neutral carbohydrates and a protein moiety. Colorimetric estimation reveals that the jelly contains protein and also appreciable quantities of hexose and hexosamine. Sialic acid is present. Chromatographic methods were employed to identify the simple sugars, galactose, fucose, mannose, xylose and glucose, and the hexosamines, glucosamine and galactosamine.
Oxygen Interactions Between Sodium and Uranium-Plutonium Oxide Fuel

The oxygen concentration of sodium in equilibrium with uranium-25% plutonium oxide fuel was measured at temperatures of 650 to 900 deg C for fuels with oxygen-to-metal ratios of 1.90, 1.94, and 1.97. The oxygen concentration in sodium at the three-phase Na -- MO/sub 2-x/ Na/sub 3/MO/sub 4/ (M = uranium plus plutonium) equilibrium has also been measured for the same temperature range. This three-phase equilibrium was established by reacting mixed-oxide fuel with sodium to which Na/sub 2/O had been added. The oxygen concentrations in sodium were determined by the vanadium-wire equilibration method. The oxygen concentration in sodium at the three-phase equilibrium varied from ~ 0.1 to 0.4 ppM in the temperature range investigated. Oxygen concentrations in EBR-II primary sodium, which have been measured by the same method, vary from 0.4 to 0.9 ppM oxygen depending on the cold-trap operation. These values indicate that the sodium--fuel reaction product, i.e., Na/sub 3/MO/sub 4/, is stable in sodium at the temperatures (<1000 deg C) and oxygen levels present in EBR-II. (auth)
Measurements of uridine diphosphate glucose and uridine diphosphate galactose ― an appraisal

The recent disproof of a major deficiency of uridine diphosphate galactose in galactosemia should not lead investigators to assume either that enzymatic methods are unreliable for uridine sugar assays or that a defect in galactosylation in galactosemia has been excluded.
Impacts of ADC-SVC on damping characteristics of interconnected power systems with wind farms

The static var compensator( SVC) is often used to improve voltage stability of the power system concerned,but can also be employed to damp low-frequency oscillations if equipped with the auxiliary damping control( ADC).When the penetration level of the installed wind generation capacity reaches a certain degree,the inter-area low frequency oscillation will limit the transfer capabilities among various areas and the accommodating capability of wind power by the associate interconnected power system,while a SVC equipped with ADC( ADC-SVC for short) can increase the system damping and hence solve this problem to some extent. Given this background,the impacts of the ADC-SVC on the damping characteristics of interconnected power systems with doubly fed induction generators( DFIG) integrated are examined. First,the dynamic model of DFIG is briefly introduced,and the reactive power output limit of DFIG ob-tained. The transient energy associated with area-mode oscillations is next analyzed for the interconnected power system with SVC. Then,ADC is designed for SVC so as to improve the damping characteristic of the power system,and the control parameters of ADC are determined by the eigenvalue sensitivity method. Finally,the IEEE 2- area 4- unit system is employed to demonstrate the proposed method. Specifically,the impacts of the SVC voltage gain and the ADC gain on system damping as well as the damping characteristics of different ADC input signals are examined,and the effects are compared among the scenarios without SVC( NSVC),with conventional SVC( NADC-SVC) and with ADCSVC. Case studies demonstrate that ADC-SVC can effectively enhance the dynamic stability of interconnected power systems,and is robust to the variations of system operating conditions and oscillation modes.
Estimation of Ecological Value for New Constructed Forest Parks,the "Green Core",in Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Urban Agglomeration

In the ecological compensation,the economic and the social value of forest are easy to estimate,which are the main basis for compensation,but the ecological value is usually neglected,which lead to the compensation standard is lower than the theoretical standard.According to the relevant theory and price index in China and abroad,the ecological value of new constructed forest parks,the "green core",in Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan(CZT) urban agglomeration were estimated preliminarily,in order to provide references for determine of ecological compensation standards and the government investment mark.
Importance of topical hypothermia to ensure uniform myocardial cooling during coronary artery bypass.

Recent reports have suggested that the delivery of cardioplegia to regional myocardium is impaired in patients with severe coronary artery disease. This study was designed to determine whether or not topical hypothermia is a necessary adjunct to systemic hypothermia and potassium cardioplegia to provide adequate cooling in regional myocardium supplied by stenotic or occluded coronary arteries. Twenty-two patients ranging in age from 47 to 68 years were included in the study. Patients were placed on bypass and cooled to 28° C. Temperature was measured over the right and left coronary artery distributions. The aorta was then cross-clamped and 1,000 cc of potassium blood cardioplegia, 5.7° to 11° C (mean 8.7°), was infused into the aortic root at a mean pressure of 99 mm Hg. Temperature was measured and 6 L of cold electrolyte (Plasma-lyte) solution, 2.3° to 5.1° C (mean 3.5) was poured over the heart into the pericardial well. The temperature measurements were then repeated. Myocardial temperature in regional myocardium supplied by normal coronary arteries after the injection of cardioplegia was less than 15° C. However myocardium distal to a severe stenosis or complete occlusion was significantly warmer (p
The experience of teaching online and its impact on faculty innovation across delivery methods

Abstract As traditional colleges and universities increasingly incorporate online learning programs into their curriculum, it is important to understand the benefits that may accrue to the faculty who teach in those programs, particularly those that influence instructors' continuing participation in face-to-face (f2f) teaching. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a greater understanding of how the experience of teaching online influenced instructors' thinking, planning, and enactment in their teaching practice across delivery methods. Four overarching themes emerged: 1) Reflecting on Practice , 2) Creating Structure , 3) Conducting the Class , and 4) Facilitating Learning . Reflecting on Practice occurred when instructors questioned themselves about their teaching goals and objectives. Creating Structure encompasses course planning and designing. Conducting the Class refers to the ongoing consideration of maximizing class time for student learning. Facilitating Learning involved creating conditions that promote student learning. Three trends had an impact on the themes: 1) a shift in focus from teaching to learning, 2) a growing awareness of the affordances of technology and media, and 3) a weakening of the boundary between in-class and out-of-class learning activities.
Finding the optimal compression level for strain-encoded (SENC) breast MRI; simulations and phantom experiments

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second highest cause of cancer-related death. Diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended to screen high-risk patients. Strain-Encoded (SENC) can improve MRI's specificity by detecting and differentiating masses according to their stiffness. Previous phantom and ex-vivo studies have utilized SENC to detect cancerous masses. However, SENC required a 30% compression of the tissue, which may not be feasible for in-vivo imaging. In this work, we use finite element method simulations and phantom experiments to determine the minimum compression required to detect and classify masses. Results show that SENC is capable of detecting stiff masses at compression level of 7%, though higher compression is needed in order to differentiate between normal tissue and benign or malignant masses. With on-line SENC calculations implemented on the scanner console, we propose to start with small compressions for maximum patient comfort, then progress to larger compressions if any masses are detected.
The Boundaries of Latino Sport Leadership: How Skin Tone, Ethnicity, and Nationality Construct Baseball's Color Line

Ethnoracial minorities constitute a sizeable percentage of the U.S. labor force, but are underrepresented in top management positions. Research examining the leadership gap focuses primarily on blacks and whites without giving ample attention to Latinos, whose experiences differ greatly based on phenotype, birthplace, and citizenship. This research uses an intersectional approach to examine how these categories overlap to influence Latino leadership in Major League Baseball. Using records data and descriptive statistics, the study shows that skin color and nationality influence leadership opportunities more than ethnicity does. Americans from all ethnoracial groups are more likely to lead than foreign-born individuals. Regardless of ethnicity, white and light-skinned individuals are more likely to be pitchers, catchers, managers, coaches, and broadcasters while dark-skinned people are underrepresented in those roles. The data indicate that American-born and light-skinned Latinos have experiences similar to their white counterparts while foreign-born and dark-skinned Latinos merge into collective blackness. This hierarchal structure reinforces historical racialized meanings about race and points toward a racial classification system where individuals will be sorted based on multiple, overlapping categories.
Impact of body mass index on CT dose-index reproducibility with automatic tube current modulation

1954 Objectives To assess the reproducibility of an automated dose-modulation technique used in the CT portion of PET/CT exams performed on patients undergoing multiple scans on the same day and to determine whether body-mass index (BMI) has an impact on dose reproducibility. Dose modulation is a dose reduction technique that automatically estimates the thickness of the body part from scout views and applies different radiation exposure to each projection view. CTDIvol and DLP are commonly cited dose indices that are now routinely documented on CT scans. The reproducibility of this technique has been examined in phantoms but, to our knowledge, has not been reported in human subjects who underwent low-dose cardiac CT scans. Cardiac same day rest/stress PET/CT offers a unique opportunity to assess the reproducibility of the dose modulation technique as the same patient is scanned in one bed position with the same parameters on the same scanner within the same day. Methods A retrospective review of displayed CT indices for adult patients who underwent rest and stress cardiac PET/CT within 24 hours over a two year period was performed with a dose-modulation technique, Smart mA, turned on. All patients were scanned on the same scanner for both their studies. Scan parameters involved one bed position for the PET and the corresponding scan length for the CT portion to cover the heart. CT scan parameters were 64 x 0.625mm collimation, 5mm slice thickness, 0.984 pitch, 1sec rotation time, 120kVp tube voltage. Noise Index (NI) was set at 50 with minimum and maximum tube current of 10 and 200 mA. The displayed CTDIvol was estimated from measured exposure values using a 100mm pencil ionization chamber in a body32 phantom. The percent difference between stress and rest CTDIvol values was defined as the absolute value of the difference between two CTDIvol values, divided by the average of those two CTDIvol values, and then multiplied by 100. Patient BMI and time between scans were analyzed as well. Results 217 patients with same-day cardiac rest/stress PET/CT scans were included in the study: 101 patients had a BMI Conclusions For patients scanned the same day on the same scanner using automatic dose modulation, the dose index, CTDIvol, was reproducible within 7.5% of average percent difference, and reproducibility was worse with higher BMI (蠅30).
Effectiveness of Structured Teacher Adaptations to an Evidence-Based Summer Literacy Program

The authors conducted a cluster-randomized trial to examine the effectiveness of structured teacher adaptations to the implementation of an evidence-based summer literacy program that provided students with (a) books matched to their reading level and interests and (b) teacher scaffolding for summer reading in the form of end-of-year comprehension lessons and materials sent to students’ homes in the summer months. In this study, 27 high-poverty elementary schools (75–100% eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch) were matched by prior reading achievement and poverty level and randomly assigned to one of two implementation conditions: a core treatment condition that directly replicated implementation procedures used in previous experiments, or a core treatment with structured teacher adaptations condition. In the adaptations condition, teachers were organized into grade-level teams around a practical improvement goal and given structured opportunities to use their knowledge, experience, and local data to extend or modify program components for their students and local contexts. Students in the adaptations condition performed 0.12 standard deviation higher on a reading comprehension posttest than students in the core treatment. An implementation analysis suggests that fidelity to core program components was high in both conditions and that teachers in the adaptations condition primarily made changes that extended or modified program procedures and activities in acceptable ways. Adaptations primarily served to increase the level of family engagement and student engagement with summer books. These results suggest that structured teacher adaptations may enhance rather than diminish the effectiveness of an evidence-based summer literacy program.
Salespeople and Stress: The Moderating Role of Locus of Control on Work Stressors and Felt Stress

This paper examines factors that contribute to salespersons’ feelings of stress. Common situational factors (job stressors) related to the sales job are examined for their contribution to the understanding of salesperson stress. Locus of control is examined as a moderator of the stressor - stress relationship. Implications for managers and researchers are presented.
Hands-On Engagement Online: Using a Randomised Control Trial to Estimate the Impact of an At-Home Lab Kit on Student Attitudes and Achievement in a MOOC.

A shortcoming of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is the lack of substantive integration of hands-on activities into online classrooms. We conducted a randomised control trial (RCT) in a MOOC wh...
Comparative Law and Language Revisited

Comparative law shares with language the pitfalls of miscommunication and misunderstanding, as well as the potentials of learning to see, to communicate and to shed light in that elusive, inevitable, shifting and ever-reconfiguring space that, like language, it occupies between the same and the other. Today, the role of comparative law as translator for the international, the cross-border, the transnational, has emerged as so crucial so often and in so many places that one may say what comparative law has become today has changed as domestic courts’ confrontations with foreign law has made the need for comparative law understanding vital, if not dire.
Engineering ethics education, ethical leadership, and Confucian ethics

Ethical leadership skills are crucial for professionally competent engineers working in a global context. This article explores the possibility of integrating a non-Western ethical tradition of Confucian ethics into the teaching of ethical leadership in engineering ethics. First comes a brief discussion of the historical origins of Confucianism and its persistence in contemporary Chinese culture. Second is a conceptualization of the major aspects of Confucian ethical leadership including moral power, role modeling, and meritocratic ethical leadership, introducing a prevalent approach to developing ethical leadership in the Confucian tradition: self-cultivation. The practice of self-cultivation often includes three interrelated processes: observation, reflection, and practice. The Confucian development of ethical leadership goes through four different moral psychological stages: beginner, developing learner, junzi, and sage. Finally, I discuss potential implications of the Confucian understanding of ethical leadership for teaching engineering ethics.
Timing of Case-Based Discussions and Educational Outcomes for Dental Students

The aim of this study was to determine if the timing of a case-based discussion affected dental students' assessment scores. The study specifically investigated whether the timing of a 60-minute case-based discussion before or after a 90-minute lecture affected students' performance on a quiz on topics in pediatric dentistry. In addition, students' preferences for the timing of the case discussion and confidence in the material with different timings were assessed in a survey. In a crossover design, all 52 second-year students in fall 2016 at one U.S. dental school participated in a case-based discussion either before or after lectures on stainless steel crowns and pulp therapy, compared to a control unit on space maintenance with no case-based discussion. The students took quizzes and responded to questionnaires a week after the lectures. A total of 45 (87%) of the 52 students consented to have their scores used. The results showed that the students performed better on the quiz when participating in a case-based discussion after the lecture compared to the discussion before the lecture (after mean=6.1±0.8 vs. before mean=5.5±1.3). The students' control quiz mean following a lecture with no associated case discussion was 6.3±0.8. Students also expressed more confidence when the case was held after the lecture (12.7 vs. 11.6, p=0.02) and preferred the case after (p=0.01). This study found that higher quiz and confidence scores resulted when a case discussion was held after (vs. before) a lecture. When dental educators consider adding a case discussion to a lecture format as a method of increasing students' active learning, these results suggest that having the case discussion after the lecture may be more effective for learners new to the material.
How Can We Best Communicate with Adolescents

Pediatric patients with normal development require a transition in care from a parent-focused model of care to an adolescent-focused model at some point during their teenage years and beyond that to an adult model of care around age 18 years. There are two major challenges to the physician-patient relationship during this period of time: one, how to effectively communicate with the adolescent patient, and two, how to transition them to the adult provider who will ultimately provide care when the teen has reached adulthood. In this chapter we will explore effective communication strategies for talking with adolescents and their families, as well as the elements of an effective transition to an adult-style model of care.
Cubes and the Radon Transform

Let us now consider a more interesting example of a graph G, one whose eigenvalues have come up in a variety of applications. Let \(\mathbb{Z}_{2}\) denote the cyclic group of order 2, with elements 0 and 1 and group operation being addition modulo 2.
Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Critical Analysis Review.

Total ankle arthroplasty has become an accepted alternative to ankle arthrodesis for end-stage ankle arthritis, with usage increasing considerably over the past decade.Recent publications have shown good early to intermediate-term outcomes and high patient satisfaction. Patients with large coronal p
Pathologic Predictors of Local Recurrence in Atypical Meningiomas Following Gross Total Resection.

Purpose To assess the local recurrence rate of gross totally resected atypical meningiomas and evaluate for pathologic predictors of recurrence. Methods and Materials All patients meeting the 2016 World Health Organization grade 2 meningioma criteria who received gross total resection were included in this retrospective analysis. A neuropathologist re-reviewed all surgical specimens for the following pathologic factors: brain invasion, macronuclei, necrosis, sheeting architecture, hypercellularity, high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio, Ki67 proliferative index, mitotic number, and choroid or clear cell histology. Local recurrence and salvage therapy were recorded. Results Ninety-seven patients met the inclusion criteria and had a median radiographic follow-up of 53 months (range, 3-153). Necrosis was present in 41 specimens (42%), and brain invasion occurred in 30 (31%). Seventy-six patients (78%) had 3 of 5 World Health Organization grade 2 qualifying atypical features. Median mitotic number and Ki67 index were 3 (0-12) and 15 (2%-55%), respectively. Only Ki67 proliferative index and mitotic number predict for local recurrence. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of local recurrence was 30.3% at 3 years. Conclusions In this cohort of gross totally resected atypical meningioma followed with observation, local recurrence occurred in 30.3% at 3 years. Ki67 index and mitotic number predict for local failure and could help stratify patients who would benefit from adjuvant therapy.
Development and Characterization of a Genetic Mouse Model of KRAS Mutated Colorectal Cancer

Patients with KRAS mutated colorectal cancer (CRC) represent a cohort with unmet medical needs, with limited options of FDA-approved therapies. Representing 40-45% of all CRC patients, they are considered ineligible to receive anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies that have added a significant therapeutic benefit for KRAS wild type CRC patients. Although several mouse models of CRC have been developed during the past decade, one genetically resembling the KRAS mutated CRC is yet to be established. In this study C57 BL/6 mice with truncated adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) floxed allele was crossed with heterozygous KRAS floxed outbred mice to generate an APCf/f KRAS+/f mouse colony. In another set of breeding, APC floxed mice were crossed with CDX2-Cre-ERT2 mice and selected for APCf/f CDX2-Cre-ERT2 after the second round of inbreeding. The final model of the disease was generated by the cross of the two parental colonies and viable APC f/f KRAS +/f CDX2-Cre-ERT2 (KPC: APC) were genotyped and characterized. The model animals were tamoxifen (TAM) induced to generate tumors. Micro-positron emission tomography (PET) scan was used to detect and measure tumor volume and standard uptake value (SUV). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to establish neoplasm and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to determine histological similarities with human FFPE biopsies. The MSI/microsatellite stable (MSS) status was determined. Finally, the tumors were extensively characterized at the molecular level to establish similarities with human CRC tumors. The model KPC: APC animals are conditional mutants that developed colonic tumors upon induction with tamoxifen in a dose-dependent manner. The tumors were confirmed to be malignant within four weeks of induction by H&E staining and higher radioactive [18F] fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake (SUV) in micro-PET scan. Furthermore, the tumors histologically and molecularly resembled human colorectal carcinoma. Post tumor generation, the KPC: APC animals died of cachexia and rectal bleeding. Implications: This model is an excellent preclinical platform to molecularly characterize the KRAS mutated colorectal tumors and discern appropriate therapeutic strategies to improve disease management and overall survival.
Imaging VIPER-labeled Cellular Proteins by Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy

Advances in fluorescence microscopy (FM), electron microscopy (EM), and correlative light and EM (CLEM) offer unprecedented opportunities for studying diverse proteins and nanostructures involved in fundamental cell biology. It is now possible to visualize and quantify the spatial organization of cellular proteins and other macromolecules by FM, EM, and CLEM. However, tagging and tracking cellular proteins across size scales is restricted by the scarcity of methods for attaching appropriate reporter chemistries to target proteins. Namely, there are few genetic tags compatible with EM. To overcome these issues we developed Versatile Interacting Peptide (VIP) tags, genetically-encoded peptide tags that can be used to image proteins by fluorescence and EM. VIPER, a VIP tag, can be used to label cellular proteins with bright, photo-stable fluorophores for FM or electron-dense nanoparticles for EM. In this Bio-Protocol, we provide an instructional guide for implementing VIPER for imaging a cell-surface receptor by CLEM. This protocol is complemented by two other Bio-Protocols outlining the use of VIPER ( Doh et al., 2019a and 2019b).
Is N-Hacking Ever OK? A Simulation-based study

After an experiment has been completed and analyzed, a trend may be observed that is "not quite significant". Sometimes in this situation, researchers incrementally grow their sample size N in an effort to achieve statistical significance. This is especially tempting in situations when samples are very costly or time-consuming to collect, such that collecting an entirely new sample larger than N (the statistically sanctioned alternative) would be prohibitive. Such post-hoc sampling or "N-hacking" is condemned, however, because it leads to an excess of false positive results. Here Monte-Carlo simulations are used to show why and how incremental sampling causes false positives, but also to challenge the claim that it necessarily produces alarmingly high false positive rates. In a parameter regime that would be representative of practice in many research fields, simulations show that the inflation of the false positive rate is modest and easily bounded. But the effect on false positive rate is only half the story. What many researchers really want to know is the effect N-hacking would have on the likelihood that a positive result is a real effect that will be replicable: the positive predictive value (PPV). This question has not been considered in the reproducibility literature. The answer depends on the effect size and the prior probability of an effect. Although in practice these values are not known, simulations show that for a wide range of values, the PPV of results obtained by N-hacking is in fact higher than that of non-incremented experiments of the same sample size and statistical power. This is because the increase in false positives is more than offset by the increase in true positives. Therefore in many situations, adding a few samples to shore up a nearly-significant result is in fact statistically beneficial. In conclusion, if samples are added after an initial hypothesis test this should be disclosed, and if a p value is reported it should be corrected. But, contrary to widespread belief, collecting additional samples to resolve a borderline p value is not invalid, and can confer previously unappreciated advantages for efficiency and positive predictive value.
Nuclear Interaction of μ -Mesons Underground

The nuclear interactions of $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons and the genetic relations among their secondary particles are analyzed on the basis of the data obtained with photographic plates exposed underground by George and Evans. The results are used to analyze the experiment performed by Cocconi and Tongiorgi, in which the neutron showers produced in an absorber at different depths of water were studied. The contributions to the neutron showers from various components are compared. It is shown that the $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons directly producing neutron showers in the absorber and the nucleons produced by the $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons in the water above the apparatus and interacting in the absorber give the main contribution to the large neutron showers observed. The multiplicity spectrum of the neutrons is calculated by making use of a simplified model of the nucleon cascade and is shown to depend upon the selection bias of the detecting apparatus. The experimental results are consistently accounted for by assuming for the $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons a nuclear interaction cross section of \ensuremath{\sim}10 \ensuremath{\mu}b per nucleon. The experiments at great depths suggest the predominance of small momentum transfers by nuclear collisions. The large cross section and the small momentum transfer can be described in terms of the virtual photons associated with $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons. These virtual photons produce in nuclear collisions real or virtual $\ensuremath{\pi}$-mesons which can either escape or be absorbed in the nucleus.
18 F-FDG PET/CT total lesion glycolysis is associated with circulating tumor cell counts in patients with stage I to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer

Background In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) uptake determined by PET and presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood independently predict outcomes. For 18F-FDG PET/CT staging interpretation, standardized uptake values (SUVmax/avg) are routinely used in clinical reporting. The goal was to investigate whether 18F-FDG uptake measured by SUVmax/avg, but also measures of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) (MTV × SUVavg), are associated with CTCs. Methods Prospectively, 7.5 mL blood was drawn from NSCLC patients at the time of staging 18F-FDG PET/CT and from healthy control subjects. CTCs were identified by immunofluorescent staining (CK8/18/19pos/EpCAMpos/CD45neg/DAPIpos nucleus). 18F-FDG PET/CTs were analyzed for SUVmax, SUVavg, MTV, and TLG. Results In 16 NSCLC patients with stage I-IIIA, MTV and TLG, in contrast to SUVmax and SUVavg, were positively associated with CTCs (linear regression analysis). No CTCs were detectable in 20 healthy control subjects. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrates that 18F-FDG PET/CT TLG correlates with CTCs in NSCLC patients without distant metastases. TLG might be a more appropriate marker for hematogenous micrometastatic potential than SUVs.
Management of Expander- and Implant-Associated Infections in Breast Reconstruction

Periprosthetic infection remains the most common complication after implant-based breast reconstruction. Objectives of the study were to (1) describe our clinical approach and treatment protocol for managing patients with suspected periprosthetic infection, (2) identify the microorganisms causing periprosthetic infections at our institute, and (3) report on outcomes of implant salvage versus explantation. A retrospective chart review of patients who were treated with parenteral antibiotics for periprosthetic infection was carried out. Patient characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings, outcomes, treatment modalities and complications were extracted from electronic medical records. Data were compared between patients whose implants were salvaged versus explanted. Fifty-nine patients with 67 tissue expander (TE)/implants underwent parenteral antibiotic treatment for suspected infection. Thirty-three (49%) of the TE/implants were salvaged. Mean follow-up was 14.3 months. The most commonly cultured organisms were P. aeruginosa followed by S. epidermidis. All suspected infections were treated with broad spectrum parenteral antibiotics with MRSA coverage. The most common combination was daptomycin 6 mg/kg combined with Zosyn 4.5 g. Explantations were significantly more common in patients with history of chemotherapy (p = 0.03), hypertension (p = 0.04) and those who underwent therapeutic mastectomy (p = 0.04). Risk factors for explantation due to postoperative periprosthetic infections following TE/implant-based breast reconstruction include chemotherapy, hypertension and therapeutic mastectomy. Prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of periprosthetic infection, particularly in these high-risk patients, are imperative to salvage the breast reconstruction. Gram-negative bacteria are increasingly found in breast implant infections and should be covered when employing empiric antibiotherapy. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Taking Culture and Context Seriously: Advancing Health Communication Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention in Tanzania with the PEN-3 Cultural Model

Although health communication research on the effects of a radio soap opera on HIV/AIDS prevention in Tanzania was groundbreaking, it was conducted from individualistic and Western perspectives tha...
Developing a Spacecraft Air Quality Index for Future Missions

Commercial space transportation must address air quality on flights in the same way that the commercial aircraft transportation industry has worked to ensure a standard of air cleanliness and breat...
Feasibility and utility of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation combined with walking-based therapy for people with motor incomplete spinal cord injury.

Study design Prospective case series. Objectives To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of combining transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) with walking-based physical therapy. Setting Hospital-based outpatient center in Maryland, United States. Methods Ten individuals with chronic (>1 year) motor incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) completed 23 sessions of 2-h therapy over 8 weeks. TSCS was delivered for the first 30 min of each session using a clinically available device with adjustable current. To assess feasibility of the intervention, we tracked pain, adverse events, and participant retention. Preliminary efficacy was assessed by evaluating changes in walking speed, endurance, and quality following the intervention with select functional outcome measures (10-m walk test (10MWT), 6-min walk test (6MWT), timed up and go, and walking index for spinal cord injury II). Results We found that the combined intervention was feasible in an outpatient clinical setting. Participants tolerated the TSCS well, with no reports of significant adverse events or other issues (e.g., skin irritation or pain that disrupted training). None of the participants elected to discontinue the study. Participants also showed significant improvements in each measure of walking function following the intervention. Changes in walking speed, as measured by the 10MWT (0.56 ± 0.29 m/s to 0.72 ± 0.36 m/s), exceeded the minimal clinically important difference for individuals with iSCI. Changes in walking quality and endurance, as measured by the 6MWT (149.88 ± 99.87 m to 194.53 ± 106.56 m), exceeded the minimal detectable change for individuals with iSCI. Conclusions These results indicate that TSCS is clinically feasible and may be useful as an adjunct to walking-based therapy for adults with iSCI.
Obesity Rate, Economy Condition and Races: Exploration on Spatial Heterogeneity of Obesity- Related Factors Based on Geographical Weighted Regression (GWR) in City of Los Angeles

Obesity is a severe health problem in the world and obesity prevention in the United States is vital for the well-being of citizens and society as a whole. Goal of this research is to examine the correlation between adult obesity rate and economy condition and different races. It also explores the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of studied variables using geographic weighted regression (GWR) by census tract. Study area is city of Los Angeles where has diverse population and the income disparities. Results show that spatial distribution of adult obesity rate has significant clustering effect (Moran’s I = 0.72). We also found high spatial heterogeneity in adult obesity rate and studied variables. Since at different locations, impacts of different races and economy condition varied greatly, this research can provide useful information for more targeted obesity prevention programs in city of Los Angeles in the future.
Mitofusins 1 and 2 collaborate to fuel pancreatic beta cell insulin release via regulation of both mitochondrial structure and DNA content

Mitochondria are vital for {beta}-cell function, yet the importance of mitochondrial fusion for glucose homeostasis is uncertain. Here, we report that the dynamin-like GTPases Mitofusin 1 and 2 (Mfn1 and Mfn2) are critical for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Whereas Mfn1 and Mfn2 individually were dispensable for glucose control, combined Mfn1/2 deletion in {beta}-cells induced mitochondrial fragmentation, reduced mtDNA content, and impaired respiratory function, ultimately resulting in severe glucose intolerance. Importantly, gene dosage studies revealed that Mfn1/2 control of glucose homeostasis is dependent on maintenance of mtDNA content, rather than mitochondrial structure. Mfn1/2 maintain mtDNA content by regulating the expression of the crucial mitochondrial transcription factor Tfam, as Tfam overexpression ameliorated the reduction in mtDNA content and GSIS in Mfn1/2-deficient {beta}-cells. Further, mitofusin agonists rescued mtDNA content and GSIS in islets from db/db mice, a model of type 2 diabetes. Thus, Mfn1 and 2 act collectively to promote both optimal mitochondrial dynamics and mtDNA copy number in {beta}-cells, and may be promising therapeutic targets to improve insulin release in diabetes.