cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma. The concept is only about a 100 years old, initially described in boxers as “dementia pugilistica.” More recently a multitude of cases have been reported in American football players, which has sparked scientific debate. CTE has been described at two different levels; pathological and clinical. It was until recently described clinically as a loose set of nonspecific symptoms seen in boxers, associated with a diverse set of pathologies on autopsy. Attempts are now being made to refine both diagnostic and pathologic criteria. Advances have been made with the pathologic description and criteria, but the clinical diagnostic criteria continue to be less specific. This chapter will review the posited pathology and emerging clinical presentation of CTE, with discussion of limitations of both. A clinical approach to management in patients where CTE is suspected is outlined. Unlike most diagnoses discussed in this book, this chapter will remain putative in its clinical relevance, reflecting the infancy of the scientific understanding of CTE.
Eculizumab for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in adult allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.

Objective To evaluate response rates and survival in adults with transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) who were treated with eculizumab (ECU). Methods Patients were identified retrospectively and data collected through HSCT and pharmacy databases. Results Ten patients with TA-TMA after allogeneic HSCT were treated with ECU between 2013 and 2016. TA-TMA was diagnosed at a median of 93 days post-HSCT. Organ-specific injury was documented in all ten patients at time of TA-TMA diagnosis, the most common being renal dysfunction (90%). Acute GVHD (70%) and active infection (80%) were common at time of diagnosis. The median time to ECU initiation from TA-TMA diagnosis was 4 days. Seven patients received ECU as first-line therapy in combination with other treatment modalities, while three patients were treated with ECU as second-line therapy. ECU was well tolerated with the exception of one case of severe skin rash leading to discontinuation. ECU achieved an overall hematologic response rate of 70% and an overall survival rate of 60%. One patient achieved a complete response with corresponding organ recovery. Conclusion Early initiation of ECU may not alter the disease process enough to restore organ function, but it may prolong survival.
Balloon Observations of Electron Precipitation in Conjugate Regions of the Auroral Zone

A summary of balloon observations of electron bremsstrahlung bearing on conjugate relationships, with particular consideration given to temporal and spatial features of electron precipitation that offer the best means of exploring the problem for energetic particles.
Diet-related risk factors for human atherosclerosis: hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia--current status.

A vast literature exists on the relationship between nutrition, nutrition-related risk factors, and the contemporary epidemic of atherosclerotic disease — especially coronary heart disease — in the industrialized countries (1–4). At the onset in this survey, it is worth emphasizing a point often forgotten due to the understandable preoccupation of atherosclerosis researchers with composition (quality) of the diet — especially lipid composition as it affects serum cholesterol: Nutrition is involved in the etiology of atherosclerotic disease not only via composition of the diet, especially saturated fat and cholesterol intake and the influence of these on serum cholesterol. Quantity is also important. Total caloric intake influences risk, i.e., imbalance between consumption and expenditure, expecially when (as in industrialized populations) the diet tends to be high in saturated fats and cholesterol. The consequence is not only obesity — a common phenomenon among adults in developed countries, even among children and teenagers in the United States — but frequently also obesityrelated hypertriglyceridemic hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperuricemia, all implicated as risk factors for atherosclerotic disease.
Abstract 2769: Targeting malignant mesothelioma with an antibody against the tumor extracellular matrix protein fibulin-3

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor of mesothelial tissues that has poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Pass et al. (N Engl J Med 2012) identified the extracellular matrix protein fibulin-3 as an accurate biomarker of MM progression, which can be detected in the tumor parenchyma and in pleural effusions. Here, we report a systematic study of the mechanisms of fibulin-3 in MM and its value as a molecular target. Fibulin-3 activated canonical NFkB signaling and regulated the expression of NFkB-downstream genes, including the proteases MMP9 and MMP13, and the proinvasive proteins TNC and MLCK. Fibulin-3 knockdown downregulated NFkB signaling, reduced MM cell viability and potentiated the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in vitro. We next developed a function-blocking antibody ("mAb428.2") against an epitope of fibulin-3 required for NFkB activation (Nandhu et al., Clin Cancer Res 2017). This antibody blocked fibulin-3 signaling in vitro and reduced the expression of this protein, as well as NFkB-regulated MMP9, in subcutaneous (sc) MM tumors implanted in nude mice. Next, we treated mice carrying sc or intrapleural models of MM with mAb428.2 or control IgG1 (8x 30 mg/kg, q24h) delivered IV. Our anti-fibulin-3 antibody caused a significant reduction of tumor burden and extension of overall survival in both models. Overall, downregulation and inhibition of fibulin-3 proved a successful approach to enhance MM therapy. Given the value of this protein as a MM biomarker, we expect that detection of fibulin-3 may serve to identify patients with the highest chance to respond to combination therapies including anti-fibulin-3 approaches, achieving maximum therapeutic against these aggressive tumors. Citation Format: Mohan Sobhana Nandhu, Chandra Goparaju, Sharon L. Longo, Harvey I. Pass, Mariano S. Viapiano. Targeting malignant mesothelioma with an antibody against the tumor extracellular matrix protein fibulin-3 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2769.
On a Multivariate Strong Renewal Theorem

This paper takes the so-called probabilistic approach to the strong renewal theorem (SRT) for multivariate distributions in the domain of attraction of a stable law. A version of the SRT is obtained that allows any kind of lattice–nonlattice composition of a distribution. A general bound is derived to control the so-called small-n contribution, which arises from random walk paths that have a relatively small number of steps but make large cumulative moves. The asymptotic negligibility of the small-n contribution is essential to the SRT. Applications of the SRT are given, including some that provide a unified treatment to known results but with substantially weaker assumptions.
Structure, function, and ion-binding properties of a K+channel stabilized in the 2,4-ion-bound configuration.

Here, we present the atomic resolution crystallographic structure, the function, and the ion-binding properties of the KcsA mutants, G77A and G77C, that stabilize the 2,4-ion–bound configuration (i.e., water, K+, water, K+-ion–bound configuration) of the K+ channel’s selectivity filter. A full functional and thermodynamic characterization of the G77A mutant revealed wild-type–like ion selectivity and apparent K+-binding affinity, in addition to showing a lack of C-type inactivation gating and a marked reduction in its single-channel conductance. These structures validate, from a structural point of view, the notion that 2 isoenergetic ion-bound configurations coexist within a K+ channel’s selectivity filter, which fully agrees with the water–K+-ion–coupled transport detected by streaming potential measurements.
Self-disclosure and social media: motivations, mechanisms and psychological well-being

Self-disclosure is pervasive on social media and has significant implications for psychological well-being. In this review we synthesize recent research on the motivations, mechanisms and effects of self-disclosure on well-being and then propose a framework that highlights the bidirectional relationship between self-disclosure and well-being. The framework details the mechanisms by which self-disclosure on social media can influence well-being and how self-disclosure fulfills particular needs of individuals with different well-being characteristics. We call for future research to examine the proposed bi-directional relationship, especially studies designed to tease out causal effects.
Strafing Gain: A Novel Redirected Walking Technique

Redirected walking enables natural locomotion in virtual environments that are larger than the user’s real world space. However, in complex setups with physical obstacles, existing redirection techniques that were originally designed for empty spaces may be sub-optimal. This poster presents strafing gains, a novel redirected walking technique that can be used to shift the user laterally away from obstacles without disrupting their current orientation. In the future, we plan to conduct a study to identify perceptual detection thresholds and investigate new algorithms that can use strafing gains in combination with other existing redirection techniques to achieve superior obstacle avoidance in complex physical spaces.
Near-bottom currents at Station M in the abyssal Northeast Pacific

Abstract Deep-sea currents in the Northeast Pacific Ocean are examined using observations at Station M, located on the abyssal plain 220 km offshore of central California. Collected near the seabed at ~4000 m depth from October 2014–October 2018, the current meter observations supplement long-term investigations of deep-sea benthic ecology at this site. To investigate mechanisms for variability at different time scales, the observed currents are separated into low-frequency fluctuations with periods of 1.4–60 days, fluctuations that are coherent with astronomical tidal forcing, and other high-frequency fluctuations. These motions contribute similarly to the overall variability at this location. Low-frequency currents exhibit elevated energy at periods of ~30 days, consistent with previous observations elsewhere in the abyssal North Pacific. However, unlike some other observations in the deep ocean, there is no consistent seasonal cycle in the variability of low-frequency motion. The theoretical prediction of Sverdrup balance between transport and local wind stress curl does not explain the timing or the magnitude of low frequency currents, suggesting that they are driven by remote winds or eddy dynamics. The non-tidal high-frequency fluctuations show evidence of a near-inertial peak and clockwise rotary motion, consistent with theoretical expectations for the internal gravity wave spectrum. Like the low-frequency currents, interannual variability of internal wave energy appears to be stronger than seasonal variability. Observations of the vertical structure 2.5–17.5 m above bottom are used to characterize the interactions between currents and the seabed. Observational estimates of diurnal and semidiurnal tidal ellipses are consistent with results from an analytical model that incorporates the effects of the Earth's rotation and tidal acceleration. A numerical model of the time dependent boundary layer provides estimates of bottom roughness and friction velocity that are consistent with previous observations at this site. This study shows that the strength, time scale and polarization of the near-bottom currents at Station M vary significantly between years, demonstrating the value of multi-year records in studies of the lateral transport of organic matter, sediment and organisms at this abyssal site.
The enigmatic Galactic Center excess: Spurious point sources and signal mismodeling

The Galactic Center GeV excess (GCE) has garnered great interest as a possible signal of either dark matter annihilation or some novel astrophysical phenomenon, such as a new population of gamma-ray emitting pulsars. In a companion paper, we showed that in a 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} radius region of interest (ROI) surrounding the Galactic Center, apparent evidence for GCE point sources (PSs) from non-Poissonian template fitting (NPTF) is actually an artifact of unmodeled north-south asymmetry of the GCE. In this work, we develop a simplified analytic description of how signal mismodeling can drive an apparent preference for a PS population, and demonstrate how the behavior pointed out in the companion paper also appears in simpler simulated datasets that contain no PS signals at all. We explore the generality of this behavior in the real gamma-ray data, and discuss the implications for past and future studies using NPTF techniques. While the drop in PS preference once north-south asymmetry is included is not ubiquitous in larger ROIs, we show that any overly-rigid signal model is expected to yield a spurious PS signal that can appear very convincing: as well as apparent significance comparable to what one would expect from a true PS population, the signal can exhibit stability against a range of variations in the analysis, and a source count function that is very consistent with previous apparent NPTF-based detections of a GCE PS population. This contrasts with previously studied forms of systematic mismodeling which are unlikely to mimic a PS population in the same way. In the light of this observation, and its explicit realization in the region where the GCE is brightest, we argue that a dominantly smooth origin for the GCE is not in tension with existing NPTF analyses.
Site-selective, catalytic, and diastereoselective sp3 C–H hydroxylation and alkoxylation of vicinally functionalized lactams

The C–H bond functionalization of sp3 carbon centres presents a significant challenge due to the inert nature of hydrocarbons as well as the need to selectively functionalize one of the numerous aliphatic C–H bonds embodied in organic molecules. Here, we describe catalytic, diastereoselective, and site-selective sp3 C–H hydroxylation/alkoxylation protocols featuring dihydroisoquinolones, γ-, and δ-lactams, which bear vicinal stereocenters. The hydroxylation strategy utilizes oxygen, a waste-free oxidant and affords attractive fragments for potential drug discovery. Fe-catalyzed dehydrative coupling of the resulting tertiary alcohols with simple primary alcohols has led to the construction of highly versatile unsymmetrical dialkyl ethers.
Spontaneous formation of wrinkle-driven tubular structure as a versatile platform for adaptive 3D stretchable electronics

A stretchable, 3D tubular structure formed due to processing-induced wrinkles is proposed as a platform to develop adaptive stretchable electronics. This integrated structure is fabricated by releasing a pre-stretched 2D film-substrate precursor, resulting in a wrinkled surface, that shows a strong directional dependence that drives the tube formation. This 3D shape adaptivity can control the radial opening and closing of the tube through longitudinal strain, which inspires the development of a dual-channel piezoresistive strain sensor/switch concomitant with mechanochromic effect and an intriguing tactile responsive artificial Mimosa pudica device. In addition, the system is compatible with 2D film deposition technologies, which allows customized electrode patterns to be coated on the pre-stretched 2D precursor followed by wrapped inside as precursor released. Upon sealing the tube, this “coating and self-wrapping” feature allows for the invention of a highly stretchable tactile switch, and a stretchable tubular supercapacitor with dual stimuli-responsiveness.
Nursing in the American Justice System

Efforts to provide humane care for the mentally ill has led to growth of more suitable services in community-based settings, yet resources are insufficient to meet the needs of mentally ill who interface with the criminal justice system. The resulting collateral damage has created a pathway to prison for massive numbers of impaired individuals, and the inhumane warehousing of thousands of mentally ill people is reminiscent of a century ago. The criminal justice system was never intended to be a safety net for the public mental health system. While advances in expanding the role of the nurse in the healthcare system have shifted because of efforts by nursing's response to the 2010 Institute of Medicine report, the challenges for correctional/custody nursing have not been adequately articulated. This paper seeks to enhance awareness of Correctional Nursing through a discussion of challenges posed to nurses who work at the intersection of justice and public health in prisons, jails, detention centers and community supervision in this response to the Future of Nursing report.
Supply chain management under simultaneous supply and demand risks

In this chapter, we characterize how supply risks arising from yield uncertainties impact on supply chain management. We first consider the implications for the procurement strategies of a firm which has access to a set of potential suppliers which differentiate themselves in terms of their prices and yield distributions. The fundamental questions that arise here are (i) how many suppliers to maintain and diversify one’s purchase orders amongst; (ii) how to select the desired number of suppliers from the set of potential suppliers; (iii) how to adjust one’s inventory strategy to account for the supply risk, in particular how total purchase quantities should be set in the simultaneous presence of supply and demand risks; (iv) the final question is how aggregate orders are to be split among the selected suppliers and whether the tradeoffs between reliability and cost differentials among the suppliers can be captured in terms of simple allocation rules.
Critical Support Where High-Risk Pregnancy Meets Addiction

In a Western North Carolina region ravaged by opioids, innovative programming provides comprehensive, judgement-free care.
Ch’i: Scaling Microkernel Capabilities in Cache-Incoherent Systems

Hardware cache coherence limits the scalability of shared-memory multicore and multi-processors. Recently, there has been an increasing shift towards cache-incoherent architectures in many computing environments. Supercomputers can benefit from shared memory, yet must avoid the price of coherency across the system. To support co-locating multiple applications on cores, processors, and the overall system, an Operating System must manage the distributed memory resources. In this context, incoherence poses a significant challenge for OS that must manage memory access permissions across the system without compromising the performance of software. In this paper, we introduce the Ch'i microkernel that leverages incoherent shared memory using quiescence-based techniques to bound the extent of non-coherency. Ch'i maintains type and context consistency of its core data structures: capabilities. This enables a uniform, capability-based security model to manage system-wide memory. Using this approach, we demonstrate data-structure consistency in software in support of high-throughput, low-latency applications.
Shakespeare in the Hong Kong Chinese Classroom: Exploring an Intercultural Approach to Teaching

This chapter reflects on the rise of China in Shakespeare and performance, before pondering whether the nation could also be said to be influencing or having a similarly ‘remedial effect’ on Shakespeare and pedagogy. Focusing specifically on the case of Hong Kong, it explores the extent to which Chinese educational systems might help shape the future direction of how Shakespeare is taught in the west. Lee argues that not only is Shakespeare playing a prominent role in Chinese classrooms, he is also serving as a catalyst for current adjustments to teaching strategies. More specifically, she argues that, as in Shakespeare on stage, China could potentially hold the key to modifications in the west with the Hong Kong classroom, where pedagogical approaches might be deemed intercultural due to the territory’s colonial past and the influence of Confucian values and beliefs, serving as a potential model.
Neighborhoods with the Highest Eviction Filing Rates Have the Lowest Levels of COVID-19 Vaccination

The aim of this visualization is to determine whether populations at greatest risk for eviction have been vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the end of the U.S. federal eviction moratorium. The a...
Cross-Scale, Cross-Domain Model Validation Based on Generalized Hidden Markov Model and Generalized Interval Bayes' Rule

Reliable simulation protocols supporting integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) requires uncertainty to be quantified. In general, two types of uncertainties are recognized. Aleatory uncertainty is inherent randomness, whereas epistemic uncertainty is due to lack of knowledge. Aleatory and epistemic uncertainties need to be differentiated in validating multiscale models, where measurement data for unconventionally very small or large systems are scarce, or vary greatly in forms and quality (i.e., sources of epistemic uncertainty). In this paper, a recently proposed generalized hidden Markov model (GHMM) is used for cross-scale and cross-domain information fusion under the two types of uncertainties. The dependency relationships among the observable and hidden state variables at multiple scales and physical domains are captured by generalized interval probability. The update of imprecise credence and model validation are based on a generalized interval Bayes’ rule (GIBR).
Machine learning in a dynamic world

The paper discusses the interactions between machine learning and intelligent control. The presentation is divided into four sections. The first section is devoted to the trends in the development of the two disciplines, machine learning and intelligent control. In the second section, the panelists' view on the main paradigm within the two disciplines are presented. The following section contains the common challenges to both communities which occur as a result of the need to control complex dynamic systems. In the last section, some similarities between the research issues and methods in the two disciplines are identified. >
Cumulant-based approach to the harmonic retrieval problem

A time-series consisting of sinusoids observed in additive i.i.d. noise or in additive colored Gaussian noise of unknown spectral density is considered. The number of harmonics, as well as their amplitudes and frequencies are determined using the one-dimensional diagonal slice of the fourth-order cumulant. Applications to the detection of cubic phase coupling are discussed. >
A Case Study of Completion Modulo Distributivity and Abelian Groups

We propose an approach for building equational theories with the objective of improving the performance of the completion procedure, even though there exist canonical rewrite systems for these theories. As a test case of our approach, we show how to build the free Abelian groups and distributivity laws in the completion procedure. The empirical results of our experiment on proving many identities in alternative rings show clearly that the gain of this approach is substantial. More than 30 identities which are valid in any alternative ring are taken from the book “Rings that are nearly associative” by K.A. Zhevlakov et al., and include the Moufang identities and the skew-symmetry of the Kleinfeld function. The proofs of these identities are obtained by Herky, a descendent of RRL and a high-performance rewriting-based theorem prover.
Alterations in the polypyrimidine sequence affect the in vitro splicing reactions catalyzed by HeLa cell-free preparations.

Abstract The polypyrimidine tract, located at the 3' end of intron 1 of the adenovirus major late transcript, was studied for its role in splicing using cell-free preparations isolated from HeLa cells. A plasmid (pIz) was constructed in which seven purine bases were substituted for pyrimidine bases within the 14-nucleotide polypyrimidine sequence. Runoff transcripts extending to the middle of intron 2 were tested for their ability to support in vitro splicing. The efficiency of these reactions was compared with pre-mRNA transcripts made from the wild-type nonmutated plasmid (p1-2). Neither spliced products nor splicing intermediates were detected in reactions with the pIz pre-mRNA. The formation of the nucleoprotein complexes involved in splicing was examined with this altered pre-mRNA. No 55 S splicing complex was detected and only low levels of the 30 S presplicing complex formed (30-fold less than with wild-type pre-mRNA). However, when a longer runoff transcript was prepared from the polypyrimidine mutated plasmid pIz, spliced RNA was formed. This activity required specific downstream sequences, since transcripts produced from pIz which contained substituted downstream sequences were not spliced. Although intron 2 of the adenovirus major late transcript does not contain a discernible 3' polypyrimidine sequence, pre-mRNA (p2-3) containing this intron was efficiently spliced. However, when the 3' region of intron 2 was substituted for the polypyrimidine sequence of intron 1, the resulting pre-mRNA did not support efficient splicing in vitro. However, when the polypyrimidine sequence of intron 1 was substituted for the sequence at the 3' end of intron 2, efficient splicing occurred, and the rate of formation of splicing intermediates and the accumulation of nucleoprotein complexes was greater than with the wild-type pre-mRNA (p2-3).
Elderly Man With 1-Month History of Flank and Abdominal Pain

An elderly man presented to the emergency department with a 1-month history of new-onset, persistent lower abdominal and flank pain. The pain was sharp and constant with intermittent radiation to the back and associated anorexia with a 10-kgweight loss.Hedidnot reportanypreviousabdominal surgery.Thepatientstated that he had not had any procedures with intravascular instrumentation in the past year, dental cleanings, intravenous drug use, cutaneousabscesses, or recent trauma.Physical examination revealedhewas afebrile and in normal sinus rhythm; there was minimal epigastric abdominal tendernesswithoutsignsofperitonitisandnopalpablemasses. Femoral pulses were palpable and symmetric. Laboratory examination revealed mild anemia (hematocrit, 35% [to convert to a proportion of 1.0, multiply by 0.01]), no leukocytosis, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (71 mm/h). Blood and urine cultures were negative for organisms. A computed tomographic (CT) angiogram showed asymmetric attenuation surrounding the infrarenal aorta (Figure 1). On comparison, a CT scan that was performed 6 months before presentation had identified no aneurysmal disease. Quiz at jamasurgery.com Axial view A Coronal reconstruction B
Identification of in vivo regulators of the Vibrio cholerae xds gene using a high‐throughput genetic selection

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, remains a threat to public health in areas with inadequate sanitation. As a waterborne pathogen, V. cholerae moves between two dissimilar environments, aquatic reservoirs and the intestinal tract of humans. Accordingly, this pathogen undergoes adaptive shifts in gene expression throughout the different stages of its lifecycle. One particular gene, xds, encodes a secreted exonuclease that was previously identified as being induced during infection. Here we sought to identify regulators responsible for the in vivo-specific induction of xds. A transcriptional fusion of xds to two consecutive antibiotic resistance genes was used to select transposon mutants that had inserted within or adjacent to regulatory genes and thereby caused increased expression of the xds fusion under non-inducing conditions. Large pools of selected insertion sites were sequenced in a high throughput manner using Tn-seq to identify potential mechanisms of xds regulation. Our selection identified the two-component system PhoB/R as the dominant activator of xds expression. In vitro validation confirmed that PhoB, a protein which is only active during phosphate limitation, was responsible for xds activation. Using xds expression as a biosensor of the extracellular phosphate level, we observed that the mouse small intestine is a phosphate-limited environment.
A two-phase algorithm for mining sequential patterns with differential privacy

Frequent sequential pattern mining is a central task in many fields such as biology and finance. However, release of these patterns is raising increasing concerns on individual privacy. In this paper, we study the sequential pattern mining problem under the differential privacy framework which provides formal and provable guarantees of privacy. Due to the nature of the differential privacy mechanism which perturbs the frequency results with noise, and the high dimensionality of the pattern space, this mining problem is particularly challenging. In this work, we propose a novel two-phase algorithm for mining both prefixes and substring patterns. In the first phase, our approach takes advantage of the statistical properties of the data to construct a model-based prefix tree which is used to mine prefixes and a candidate set of substring patterns. The frequency of the substring patterns is further refined in the successive phase where we employ a novel transformation of the original data to reduce the perturbation noise. Extensive experiment results using real datasets showed that our approach is effective for mining both substring and prefix patterns in comparison to the state-of-the-art solutions.
URETERAL TISSUE EXPANSION FOR BLADDER AUGMENTATION: A LONG-TERM PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED TRIAL IN A PORCINE MODEL

AbstractPurpose: We recently described a technique that iatrogenically produces segmental megaureter while preserving renal function. In our initial report in 5 of 8 pigs that underwent this procedure bladder augmentation with the expanded ureter was successful. Throughout the expansion and reconstructive process renal function was preserved and all 5 animals that underwent augmentation had increased bladder capacity at sacrifice 1 month postoperatively. In the present study we evaluated the long-term durability and performance of the ureteral segment used for augmentation.Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective, controlled, double armed study in 8 pigs, including 4 control animals that underwent subtotal cystectomy only (group 1) and 4 animals that underwent subtotal cystectomy followed by bladder augmentation using the expanded ureteral segment (group 2). End point measurements included cystography, and measurement of bladder capacity, serum creatinine and random bladder residual urine volumes...
A Coarse-Grained Model for Force-Induced Protein Deformation and Kinetics

Force-induced changes in protein conformation are thought to be responsible for certain cellular responses to mechanical force. Changes in conformation subsequently initiate a biochemical response by alterations in, for example, binding affinity to another protein or enzymatic activity. Here, a model of protein extension under external forcing is created inspired by Kramers' theory for reaction rate kinetics in liquids. The protein is assumed to have two distinct conformational states: a relaxed state, C1, preferred in the absence of external force, and an extended state, C2, favored under force application. In the context of mechanotransduction, the extended state is a conformation from which the protein can initiate signaling. Appearance and persistence of C2 are assumed to lead to transduction of the mechanical signal into a chemical one. The protein energy landscape is represented by two harmonic wells of stiffness k1 and k2, whose minima correspond to conformations C1 and C2. First passage time tf from C1 to C2 is determined from the Fokker-Plank equation employing several different approaches found in the literature. These various approaches exhibit significant differences in behavior as force increases. Although the level of applied force and the energy difference between states largely determine equilibrium, the dominant influence on tf is the height of the transition state. Distortions in the energy landscape due to force can also have a significant influence, however, exhibiting a weaker force dependence than exponential as previously reported, approaching a nearly constant value at a level of force that depends on the ratio k1/k2. Two model systems are used to demonstrate the utility of this approach: a short a-helix undergoing a transition between two well-defined states and a simple molecular motor.
IL-9 by INFERence

Despite the discovery of the cytokine over 20 years ago, the relevant biological sources of interleukin-9 (IL-9) have remained a mystery. In this issue of Immunity, Licona-Limon et al. (2013) use a newly generated reporter mouse to demonstrate a role for IL-9-secreting T cells in helminthic parasite immunity.
Application of SKIPSM to grey-level morphology

An overview of SKIPSM (eparated-Kemel Jinage rocessing using Finite state Machines), a powerful new way to implement many standard image processing operations, is presented in a two companion ape2 This paper describes the application of SKJPSM to grey-level morphology, which involves . in some cases, the reformulation of the grey-level morphology problem as a set of binary morphology operations, . the separation of 2-D morphological operations into a row operation followed by a column operation, . the formulation of these row and column operations in a form compatible with pipelined operation, S the implementation of the resulting operations as simple finite-state machines, and S theautomated generation of the finite-state machine configuration data. Grey-level morphology presents some difficulties to the SKJPSM paradigm having to do with word length. In spite of this, some very useful results can be obtained. Some key features of SKIPSM, as applied to grey-level morphology, are S There is a tradeoffbetween structuring element (SE) size and number of grey levels. . The SEs can be arbitrary . With currently-available components, SEa up to 5x5 and larger can be obtained. S Jfl certain special cases, SEs up to 9x9 and larger can be obtained. . Multiple SEs can be applied simultaneously in a single pipeline pass. S The user specifies the SE or SEs. All other steps can be automated. This paper includes some simple examples of the results and gives implementation feasibility guidelines based on SE size and number of grey levels. The limitations of SKIPSM in this application all relate to the capabilities of the available RAM microchips. As chip capabilities expand, larger SE sizes and greater numbers of grey levels will become feasible. KEYWORDS: image processing, separability, real time, implementations, finite-state machines, grey-level morphology
Inhibitory effects of megakaryocytic cells in prostate cancer skeletal metastasis

Prostate cancer cells commonly spread through the circulation, but few successfully generate metastatic foci in bone. Osteoclastic cellular activity has been proposed as an initiating event for skeletal metastasis. Megakaryocytes (MKs) inhibit osteoclastogenesis, which could have an impact on tumor establishment in bone. Given the location of mature MKs at vascular sinusoids, they may be the first cells to physically encounter cancer cells as they enter the bone marrow. Identification of the interaction between MKs and prostate cancer cells was the focus of this study. K562 (human MK precursors) and primary MKs derived from mouse bone marrow hematopoietic precursor cells potently suppressed prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells in coculture. The inhibitory effects were specific to prostate carcinoma cells and were enhanced by direct cell-cell contact. Flow cytometry for propidium iodide (PI) and annexin V supported a proapoptotic role for K562 cells in limiting PC-3 cells. Gene expression analysis revealed reduced mRNA levels for cyclin D1, whereas mRNA levels of apoptosis-associated specklike protein containing a CARD (ASC) and death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) were increased in PC-3 cells after coculture with K562 cells. Recombinant thrombopoietin (TPO) was used to expand MKs in the marrow and resulted in decreased skeletal lesion development after intracardiac tumor inoculation. These novel findings suggest a potent inhibitory role of MKs in prostate carcinoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. This new finding, of an interaction of metastatic tumors and hematopoietic cells during tumor colonization in bone, ultimately will lead to improved therapeutic interventions for prostate cancer patients. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
“We're not horsing around” Conceptualizing the Kentucky Horse Industry as an Economic Cluster

Michael Porter's concept of an economic cluster is used as a heuristic tool for assisting residents and policy-makers in understanding the diverse economic impacts of the horse industry in Kentucky. “A cluster is a geographically proximate group of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities” (Porter, 2000, p. 16). This concept helps us to understand the complex relationships and social dynamics that link seemingly disparate businesses into a competitive economic sector. The importance of research and information from public institutions as well as policies and investments by local and state governments on the survival of clusters will also be explored. It will be argued that the concept of a cluster can stimulate a more comprehensive way of thinking about regional economic development, especially in resource-dependent areas.
The influence of portacaval anastomosis on gonadal and anterior pituitary hormones in a rat model standardized for gender, food intake 9 and time after surgery

Abstract Portacaval anastomosis causes delayed growth, decreased testes and liver weights, and elevated estradiol serum levels in male rats compared with sham-operated controls. Female rats treated with portacaval anastomosis grow at a normal rate despite changes in liver weight and estradiol levels similar to those observed in the male rats. This study examined the pituitary gonadal axis in both genders in this animal model. The rats receiving portacaval anastomosis were compared with both pair-fed and sham-operated control groups. Portacaval anastomosis decreased serum testosterone and increased estradiol in the male animals, while both testosterone and estradiol were increased in the females compared with gender-matched pair-fed and sham controls. Because pair feeding lowers male testosterone to a lesser extent, impaired nutrition may partially account for the decrease in the males treated with portacaval anastomosis. The ratio of estradiol to testosterone increased following anastomosis in male rats, but it was decreased in similarly treated females. Portacaval anastomosis decreased luteinizing hormone without changing follicle-stimulating hormone in both male and female rats compared with sham-operated controls. Growth hormone was significantly decreased in male portacaval-treated rats compared with sham- and pair-fed animals. Increased insulin levels were found in both male and female pair-fed and portacaval anastomosis-treated animals. These data suggest that following portacaval anastomosis in rats, growth, serum testosterone, estradiol to testosterone ratios, and growth hormone are altered in a gender-specific manner with gender-independent changes in insulin and luteinizing hormone levels. These gender-specific effects may protect the portacaval anastomosis-treated female rat from growth retardation.
The frame dimension and the complete overlap dimension of a graph

Roberts (F. S. Roberts, On the boxicity and cubicity of a graph. In Recent Progress in Combinatorics, W. T. Tutte, ed. Academic, New York (1969)), studied the intersection graphs of closed boxes (products of closed intervals) in Euclidean n-space, and introduced the concept of the boxicity of a graph G, the smallest n such that G is the intersection graph of boxes in n-space. In this paper, we study the intersection graphs of the frames or boundaries of such boxes. We study the frame dimension of a graph G—the smallest n such that G is the intersection graph of frames in n-space. We also study the complete overlap dimension of a graph, a notion that is almost equivalent. The complete overlap dimension of a graph G is the smallest dimension in which G can be represented by boxes that intersect but are not completely contained in one another. We will prove that these dimensions are in almost all cases the same and that they both can become arbitrarily large. We shall also obtain a bound for these dimensions in terms of boxicity.
Attainment of 500-GeV Beam in the Fermilab Synchrotron

A successful experiment to accelerate a proton beam to 500 GeV in the Fermilab synchrotron is described.
An L log L characterization of H1

We show that if Xt is a continuous martingale with X0 = 0 then the quantity supt E(Xt log(Mt+Mt−)) defines a norm on H1 martingales equivalent to the usual norm. Here Mt+ and Mt− are one-sided maximal functions. This result is a generalization of Gundy's theorem that a positive martingale is in H1 if and only if it is in L log L.
The Rebels' Yell: Mr. Perestroika and the Causes of This Rebellion in Context

Ten years ago this October, the members of the political science community might have heard a short, but quite fascinating, cri de coeur about the prevailing practices of the discipline in the United States at the turn of the century. Circulating as an e-mail message shortly after the 2000 APSA Annual Meeting, it popped up in the inboxes of a few political scientists and graduate students throughout the academy, who then quickly redirected its message to hundreds and then thousands of their colleagues. Signed “Mr. Perestroika,” the e-mail's short passages bemoaned the profession of political science as it was unfolding under the allegedly misguided aegis of an “Orwellian system” of methodological formalism. Portraying the discipline as trapped in this intellectual cul de sac, Mr. Perestroika depicted an essentially degraded social science discipline that favored the political views of a “coterie” of “East Coast Brahmins” by ratifying their narrow methodological practices (cited in Monroe 2005, 9–11). Such practices, based mostly on “statistics or game theory,” wrongly promoted a simplistic and, for far too many students of the state and society, discredited economic understanding of politics. This unenviable methodological parochialism in turn favored a style of “professional correctness” that froze out other political perspectives and analytical approaches (Luke 1999, 345–63) in the discipline's key journals, major organizations, and scholarly practices. For Mr. Perestroika, these distorted academic norms were also compromising the relevance, utility, and validity of political science as an applied social science.
The mgd77 supplement to the generic mapping tools

Marine geophysical data collected by government and academic vessels are archived at the US National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, Colorado. Data exchanges between NGDC and source institutions use an ASCII, punch-card format known as the MGD77 format, reflecting a style of file design common in the 1970s. We have developed a set of new software tools that can convert between this exchange format and a new COARDS-compliant, netCDF-based, architecture-independent file format that we call the MGD77+ format. The new mgd77 tools allow the data to be manipulated in a variety of ways useful for marine research. These tools are written in POSIX-compliant C, are distributed as a supplement to the Generic Mapping Tools, and can be installed on any computer platform. Because the new format is COARDS and CF-1.0 compliant, the files can be read by any general-purpose program capable of decoding these standards; a welcome side effect. One such program is the Java application ncBrowse developed by NOAA. Furthermore, the more compact netCDF files have file sizes that are, on average, only 30% of the original sizes. Because procedural changes at NGDC and source institutions necessarily occur infrequently, it is expected that the MGD77 format will remain the official exchange format for underway geophysical data for some time, whereas the new MGD77+ format offers users much needed flexibility in how they use the data.
Cultivation and morphogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi in improved liquid media.

SYNOPSIS. Two liquid media (F-29 and F-32) have been developed for the serial cultivation of T. cruzi amastigotes. F-29 consists of synthetic tissue culture fluid 199, trypticase, hemin and bovine fetal serum; F-32 is F-29 plus chicken plasma. The inocula for serial cultivation in both media contained over 99% epimastigotes. The proportion of structural types in the original inocula did not change significantly during 10 serial passages in F-29 medium at 29.5 C. However, in the 2nd passage in F-29 medium at 35.5 C most of the organisms becme amastigotes, and after several more subcultures over 92% were amastigotes. During the original passage in F-32 medium at 35.5 C. over 90% of the organisms were trypomastigotes with terminal kinetoplasts. After several more passages, and regardless of incubation temperature (29.5–35.5C), over 94% became amastigotes. In either F-29 or F-32 a 7-fold increase of amastigotes may be obtained after 4-day incubation at 35.5 C.
Ultra-violet finiteness of supersymmetric non-linear sigma models

Abstract It is shown that N = 4 supersymmetric non-linear sigma models in two spacetime dimensions are ultra-violet finite to all orders in perturbation theory.
High-frequency supersonic heating of hydrogen for propulsion

The possibility of increasing the specific impulse of hydrogen by supersonic heating is shown on the basis of thermodynamics. The application of high-frequency electric fields to heat the gas permits a control over the heating rates in the nozzle, and results in a reduction in energy losses to walls, electrodes, etc. The efficiencies of the various energy transfer processes are considered in some detail. A simple process of expansion and heating is presented. Results of calculations of heat transfer rates to the nozzle wall are given. A consistent set of electron densities and electric fields are also calculated and presented. Some qualitative results of experimental work previously carried out are included. It is concluded that the process should increase the specific impulse of hydrogen appreciably, in a reasonably efficient manner, and that further experimental work is indicated. (auth)