cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mixotrophy in the termite gut acetogen, Sporomusa termitida

Cell suspensions of H2/CO2-grown Sporomusa termitida catalyzed an H2-supported synthesis of acetate from CO2 at rates of about 1 μmol acetate x h-1 x mg protein-1. Cells pre-grown on methanol, mannitol, lactate, or glycine also displayed H2-supported acetogenesis from CO2, although at rates 5–85% that of H2/CO2-grown cells. With methanol-grown cell suspensions: the presence of methanol greatly stimulated the rate of H2-supported conversion of 14CO2 to 14C-acetate (which became labeled mainly in the COOH-group); and like-wise the presence of H2 stimulated the conversion of 14CH3OH+CO2 to 14C-acetate (which became labeled mainlyan the CH3-group). Analogous stimulatory effects were observed for cell suspensions pre-grown on methanol + CO2+H2. Furthermore, when H2 (+CO2) was included as a growth substrate with either methanol or lactate: both substrates were used simultaneously; there was no diauxie in the growth of cells or in acetate production; and the molar growth yield of S. termitida was close to that predicted from summation of the yields observed when grown with each substrate alone. These data indicated that S. termitida can grow by mixotrophy, i.e. by the simultaneous use of H2/CO2 and organic compounds for energy. Results are discussed in light of the ability of H2/CO2 acetogens to outprocess methanogens in H2 consumption in the hindgut fermentation of wood-feeding termites.
Mobilization of Cu(II) from plasma components and the mechanism of Cu(II) transport by rat hepatocytes

Abstract Albumin and amino acid bound Cu are the readily accessible forms of plasma Cu with a half-life of ∼10 min [1]. Hepatic uptake largely accounts for this rapid clearance of exchangeable plasma copper [2]. We have recently characterized the kinetics of a Cu-specific transport protein of rat hepatocytes [3] and here report the effect of plasma components. Albumin markedly inhibits 64Cu(II) uptake at up to 10:1 molar excess of Cu. In the presence of albumin, the nonlinear Lineweaver-Burk plots obtained converge to the same Vmax and Km parameters as for free Cu which indicates inhibition by a substrate-removal mechanism. Histidine facilitates albumin-inhibited Cu(II) uptake, but rates of Cu uptake in the presence of histidine do not exceed the rates Cu(II). Several (10) amino acids were tested including Thr and Gln which have been detected in Cu-complexes isolated from plasma [4], but only histidine facilitated albumin-inhibited Cu-uptake. Moreover, the facilitating activity of a low molecular weight 5000 daltons) rat plasma fraction was accounted for by its histidine content. The tripeptide, Gly-His-Lys which was reported to facilitate Cu uptake in hepatoma cell cultures [5] had inhibitory activity similar to albumin. Albumin was dialyzed with 64Cu [3H]-His, and the transport activities of the albumin-containing and albumin-free fractions in equilibrium were compared. Transport activity was completely accounted for within the excess histidine plus 64Cu(II) fraction. At pH 7.4, the predominant species was His2Cu(II) [6]. This complex exhibited the identical Vmax, but higher (20 vs. 10μM) Km as free Cu(II). Given the stability constant of His2Cu(II) (β102- 1018) [6], the transport activity of the complex cannot be accounted for by free Cu(II) in equilibrium with the complex. Copper uptake experiments with [3H]-His264Cu(II) showed that Cu and His are not co-transported. Thus, histidine apparently facilitates Cu uptake by competing with albumin for Cu. The results are consistent with binding of the His2Cu(II) complex to the Cu transport protein, a ligand-exchange reaction, and transport of free ionic Cu.
Presidential Address: Friction

The sources of trading friction are studied, and simple, robust empirical measures of friction are provided. Seven distinct measures of trading friction are computed from transactions data for 1,706 NYSE/AMSE stocks and 2,184 Nasdaq stocks. The measures provide insights into the magnitude of trading costs, the importance of informational versus real frictions, and the role of market structure. The degree to which the various measures are associated with each other and with trading characteristics of stocks is examined.
Phase equilibria for supercritical fluid process design

Supercritical fluids (SCF's) are powerful solvents with many unique properties. They have great potential for many extraction processes, but reliable and versatile mathematical models of the phase equilibrium thermodynamics are needed for their use in process design and economic feasibility studies. This paper reviews existing experimental data and analytical methods and attempts to delineate their strengths and limitations. Also discussed are new data needs and possible new directions for a better fundamental understanding of the molecular processes in SCF solutions.
Three-dimensional analysis of pelvic volume in an unstable pelvic fracture.

BACKGROUND A model was developed to predict changes in pelvic volume associated with increasing pubic diastasis in unstable pelvic fractures. METHODS Intact and postfracture pelvic volumes were calculated in 10 cadavers using computerized axial tomography (CT). The true pelvis was assumed to be either a sphere, a cylinder, or a hemi-elliptical sphere. Using the appropriate equations for calculating the volume of each of these shapes, pelvic volume was predicted and then compared with the measured values. RESULTS The observed volume changes associated with increasing pubic diastasis were much smaller than previously reported. The mean difference between the measured and predicted volume was 20.0 +/- 9.9% for the sphere, 10.7 +/- 6.5% for the cylinder, and 4.5 +/- 5.9% for the hemi-elliptical sphere. The differences between these means were statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This data suggests that the hemi-elliptical sphere best describes the geometric shape of the true pelvis and better predicts quantitative changes in pelvic volume relative to an increasing pubic diastasis as the radius has little effect on the change in volume. Due to the small changes in volume observed with increasing diastasis, factors other than the absolute change in volume must account for the clinically observed effects of emergent pelvic stabilization.
Calculating source line level energy information for Android applications

The popularity of mobile apps continues to grow as developers take advantage of the sensors and data available on mobile devices. However, the increased functionality comes with a higher energy cost, which can cause a problem for users on battery constrained mobile devices. To improve the energy consumption of mobile apps, developers need detailed information about the energy consumption of their applications. Existing techniques have drawbacks that limit their usefulness or provide information at too high of a level of granularity, such as components or methods. Our approach is able to calculate source line level energy consumption information. It does this by combining hardware-based power measurements with program analysis and statistical modeling. Our empirical evaluation of the approach shows that it is fast and accurate.
Converging on a new role for analogy in problem solving and retrieval: when two problems are better than one.

People often fail to retrieve examples analogous to a current problem or situation. There is good evidence that comparing structurally matching cases facilitates subsequent analogical access. However, current approaches offer little at the time of memory search to promote retrieval of a routinely encoded analogous source. We adapted Gick and Holyoak’s (1980, 1983) classic paradigm to investigate whether comparing two unsolved problems at test promotes retrieval of a single previously studied analogue. In Experiment 1, comparison of test problems facilitated analogical problem solving. Experiment 2 showed that comparison is the critical factor since solving two test problems separately proved ineffective. In Experiment 3, comparing two problems led to greater success for participants who read a prior analogous story than those who did not, demonstrating specifically that comparison facilitates retrieval. The three studies show that analogical access is powerfully determined by problem encoding. Implications for psychological theory and real-world applications are discussed.
Update on Optimal Management of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a malignant accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the marrow, presenting with impaired hematopoiesis and its attendant complications, including bleeding, infection, and organ infiltration. Chromosomal abnormalities remain the most powerful predictors of AML prognosis and help to identify a subgroup with favorable prognosis. However, the majority of AML patients who are not in the favorable category succumb to the disease. Therefore, better efforts to identify those patients who may benefit from more aggressive and investigational therapeutic approaches are needed. Newer molecular markers aim at better characterizing the large group of intermediate-risk patients and to identify newer targets for therapy. A group that has seen little improvement over the years is the older AML group, usually defined as age ≥ 60. Efforts to develop less intensive but equally efficacious therapy for this vulnerable population are underway.
Temporal appearance and cyclic behavior of Sertoli cell-specific secretory proteins during the development of the rat seminiferous tubule.

Electrophoretic and morphologic methods have been used to study the time course of [35S]methioninelabeled proteins accumulated in the incubation medium of rat fetal testes and seminiferous cords/tubules during their development. We have found that Sertoli cell-specific secretory proteins S70, 545 and S35 became progressively prominent as premeiotic, meiotic and postmeiotic spermatogenic events were established in the seminiferous tubules. In the sexually mature rat, S70, S45 and S35 were expressed in a spermatogenic stagedependent manner. While S 70, S45 and S35 were present in Stage VII- VIII, S45 and S35 were observed in Stages X and XIV. Neither S70, S45 nor S35 were detected in Stage IV. A relevant group of high molecular weight proteins, previously reported as characteristic products of cultured peritubular cells, accumulated in the incubation medium of seminiferous cords from postnatal Day 0-15 rats. This group of high molecular weight proteins appears when peritubular cells are proliferative and are engaged in the organization of the seminiferous tubular wall. A low molecular weight protein, designated T35, was also detected. T35 was prominent in the mediun; of incubated fetal testes and seminiferous cords of postnatal rats 0- to 5-days-old and disappeared gradually thereafter. A set of proteins (designated SP1 and SP2) previously ascribed to both cultured Sertoli and peritubular cells, were recognized during the early postnatal stages of seminiferous tubular development. SPI and SP2 displayed age-dependent fluctuations in their [35SJ methionine labeling. The timing of appearance of S70, S45, and S35 indicates both age- and spermatogenic stage-related activity that, in the future, may prove to be functionally significant in the spermatogenic process.
The Effect of Low Literacy on the Self-Care Behaviors of Men Receiving Radiation Therapy:

Using Orem's theory as the framework, two purposes guided the study: (a) to test the effectiveness of an audio-visual education program and behavioral contracting to promote self-care behaviors in managing radiation side effects and (b) to determine the extent to which low literacy affects self-care abilities. Seventy men diagnosed with prostate cancer participated in this experimental study. The nursing interventions of education and behavioral contracting significantly increased the self-care behaviors of men in managing radiation side effects. An increase in self-care behaviors was especially shown in men with low-literacy skills.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid in cats

Suberoylanilidehydroxamic acid (SAHA), or vorinostat, is a histone deacetylase inhibitor approved for use as chemotherapy for lymphoma in humans. The goal of this study was to establish pharmacological parameters of SAHA in cats. Our interest in treating cats with SAHA is two-fold: as an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic and as anti-latency therapy for feline retroviral infections. Relying solely on data from studies in other animals would be inappropriate as SAHA is partially metabolized by glucuronidation, which is absent in feline metabolism. SAHA was administered to cats intravenously (2 mg/kg) or orally (250 mg/m2, ~17 mg/kg) in a cross-over study design. Clinically, SAHA was well tolerated at these dosages as no abnormalities were noted following administration. The pharmacokinetics of SAHA in cats was found to be similar to that of dogs, but the overall serum drug exposure was much less than that of humans at an equivalent dose. The pharmacodynamic effect of an increase in acetylated histone proteins in blood was detected after both routes of administration. An increased oral dose of 60 mg SAHA/kg administered to one animal resulted in a surprisingly modest increase in peak drug concentration, suggesting possible saturation of absorption kinetics. This study provides a foundation for future studies of the clinical efficacy of SAHA in treating feline disease.
Why epistasis is important for tackling complex human disease genetics

Epistasis has been dismissed by some as having little role in the genetic architecture of complex human disease. The authors argue that this view is the result of a misconception and explain why exploring epistasis is likely to be crucial to understanding and predicting complex disease.
The Unreluctant Litigant? An Empirical Analysis of Japan’s Turn to Litigation

Abstract This paper analyzes the rapid increase in civil litigation in Japan during the 1990s in light of existing theories of Japanese litigiousness. Using a unique set of prefecture‐level data, it demonstrates that the 1990s increase in litigation is best attributed to two factors: the expansion in institutional capacity for litigation traced to procedural reforms and an expansion in the bar, and structural changes in the Japanese economy related to the postbubble slowdown in growth. The paper contributes to three literatures. First, it builds on earlier institutionally oriented research on civil litigation in Japan by John Haley and Mark Ramseyer by providing new data and detail about the institutional barriers to litigation. Second, it contributes to the literature on the relationship between economic change and litigation more generally. Finally, it contributes to the empirical and comparative literature on litigation rates by providing evidence about the determinants of litigation in one country.
Retinoids Bias Integrin Expression and Function in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by accumulation of malignant T-cells within the skin. Retinoids, metabolic derivatives, and synthetic analogs of vitamin A embody an effective CTCL therapy with over three decades of clinical use. The established mechanism of action is induction of growth arrest and apoptosis. However, the natural role of retinoids in T-cell biology is imprinting gut-homing properties by inducing integrin α4β7 expression. How the natural role of retinoids relates to therapeutic effectiveness in CTCL has not been addressed and merits investigation. Here we provide evidence that retinoids, including Bexarotene, selectively induce CTCL lineages to increase integrin β7 expression and function prior to growth arrest and apoptosis. Interestingly, augmented CTCL cell adhesion obtained with retinoid exposure was potently attenuated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a metabolic vitamin derivative involved in prompting immune cell skin homing. The integrin-dependent adhesion changes in CTCL cells occurred through synergistic activation of RAR and RXR nuclear receptors. These data explore the early cellular changes induced by retinoids that may be pivotal to sensitizing CTCL cells to growth arrest and apoptosis.
Multiresolution wavelet analysis of heart rate variability for heart-failure and heart-transplant patients

We have carried out a study on a collection of electrocardiograms from patients who suffer from congestive heart failure, heart-transplant patients, and normal subjects, using wavelet-based multiresolution techniques and receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis. The scale-dependent wavelet-coefficient standard deviation /spl sigma//sub wav/(m) is found to be superior to two commonly used heart-rate-variability measures for diagnosing cardiac dysfunction, the interbeat-interval standard deviation /spl sigma//sub int/ and the spectral scaling exponent /spl delta/. A recent Israeli-Danish study of diabetic patients that confirms our observations is discussed.
Digital interference on binary-phase-shift-keyed signals

With the increasing popularity of direct sequence spread spectrum communications for code division multiple access (CDMA) and the established base of frequency division multiple access (FDMA) satellite networks, the possibility exists of combining CDMA and FDMA signals in the same satellite transponder to increase throughput. The typical approach used to model CDMA-on-FDMA interference effects is to assume that the interference is additive white Gaussian interference. Four different methods for modeling the effects of a single digital interferer are presented. The average bit error probability predictions of the models are compared to hardware test results. One conclusion of this paper is a range of parameter values over which the various models are accurate to within the measurement error of the hardware tests. >
Distributed multi-agent tracking and estimation with uncertain agent dynamics

This paper addresses distributed target tracking and estimation using multiple mobile agents whose dynamics are subject to uncertainties and disturbances. A consensus-based distributed estimator is applied to estimate the motion of the target. To compensate for the uncertainties in the dynamics and prevent them from propagating into the communication network, a cascaded control structure is proposed, which uses the − 1 adaptive controller to drive the real uncertain system to an ideal closed-loop system obtained from an existing flocking algorithm. Since the communication graph is induced by the position of the real agents, we cannot exactly implement the ideal flocking algorithm, which leads to coupling between the communication topology and the system dynamics. The guaranteed transient performance bounds of the − 1 adaptive controller are essential towards resolving this coupling issue. Extensive simulation results demonstrate the capability of the proposed algorithms to recover the desired flocking behavior
The Regulatory Role of Human Helper T-Cell Clones on Antithyroid Antibody Production by Peripheral B-Cells*

The helper effects of thyroid antigen-specific T-cell clones (TCC) on antibody production by peripheral B-cells were studied and compared with similar effects of self major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II)-reactive TCC as well as uncloned CD4+ cells. Ten TCC were derived from thyroid tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with Graves' disease. Uncloned CD4+ cells were also obtained from PBMC in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. All TCC were CD3+/CD4+. B-Cell s from patients with mainly high serum levels of microsomal antibodies (McAb) were cultured alone and with either TCC or uncloned CD4+ cells in the presence or absence of thyroid antigens [microsomal antigen/thyroid peroxidase (McAg/TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg)] or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and specific thyroid antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Self MHC-II-reactive TCC induced B-cell production of total IgG and even McAb independent of antigens or PWM. Specif...
Do Development INGOs Really Work? The Impact of International Development NGOs on Human Capital and Economic Growth

We argue that the presence of development INGOs has both a direct and an indirect effect on economic growth. Directly, development INGOs help economic growth through providing access to capital, supporting entrepreneurship, and facilitating economic stability. Indirectly, development INGOs impact economic growth through increasing human capital. Following recent research, we develop a simultaneous equation statistical model to assess the direct and indirect effect of development INGOs on growth cross-nationally. We find much support for both the direct and indirect effects of development INGOs on economic growth. These findings have positive implications for the ability of these organizations to improve economic well-being in lesser developed countries.
Synchrony between growth and reproductive patterns in human females: Early investment in growth among Pumé foragers.

Life history is an important framework for understanding many aspects of ontogeny and reproduction relative to fitness outcomes. Because growth is a key influence on the timing of reproductive maturity and age at first birth is a critical demographic variable predicting lifetime fertility, it raises questions about the synchrony of growth and reproductive strategies. Among the Pume, a group of South American foragers, young women give birth to their first child on average at age 15.5. Previous research showed that this early age at first birth maximizes surviving fertility under conditions of high infant mortality. In this study we evaluate Pume growth data to test the expectation that if early reproduction is advantageous, then girls should have a developmental trajectory that best prepares them for young childbearing. Analyses show that comparatively Pume girls invest in skeletal growth early, enter puberty having achieved a greater proportion of adult body size and grow at low velocities during adolescence. For early reproducers growing up in a food-limited environment, a precocious investment in growth is advantageous because juveniles have no chance of pregnancy and it occurs before the onset of the competing metabolic demands of final reproductive maturation and childbearing. Documenting growth patterns under preindustrial energetic and demographic conditions expands the range of developmental variation not otherwise captured by normative growth standards and contributes to research on human phenotypic plasticity in diverse environments.
A Monte Carlo investigation of low-temperature geminate pair recombination dynamics in amorphous semiconductors

Abstract We present Monte Carlo results for the T=0K recombination of an electron hopping on a spatially and energetically disordered lattice under the influence of the Coulomb interaction of a stationary hole as a function of the width Σ of the energy distribution and of the localization radius Γ. Those simulations indicate that, when Σ is small, the dynamics is anisotropic towards the hole and when Σ is large, isotropy is recovered, and that, when Γ is large, recombination is diffusion limited and when Γ is small, the lifetime is limited by the final transition. The diffusion−limited regime is further analysed as a function of the excitation density. Simulations show that, for densities below 1017 cm−3, recombination is geminate and the lifetime distribution peaks at 10−4s; above that density, it is non-geminate and the lifetime distribution shifts to 10−6s.
The new American Academy of Pediatrics urinary tract infection guideline

This issue of Pediatrics includes a long-awaited update1 of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 1999 urinary tract infection (UTI) practice parameter.2 The new guideline is accompanied by a technical report3 that provides a comprehensive literature review and also a new meta-analysis, for which the authors obtained individual-level data from investigators. The result is an exceptionally evidence-based guideline that differs in important ways from the 1999 guideline and sets a high standard for transparency and scholarship. The guideline and technical report address a logical sequence of questions that arise clinically, including (1) Which children should have their urine tested? (2) How should the sample be obtained? (3) How should UTIs be treated? (4) What imaging and follow-up are recommended after a diagnosis of UTI? and (5) How should children be followed after a UTI has been diagnosed? I will follow that same sequence in this commentary. I will mention some important areas of agreement and make other suggestions when I believe alternative recommendations are supported by available evidence. Unlike the 1999 practice parameter, which recommended urine testing for all children aged 2 months to 2 years with unexplained fever,2 the new guideline recommends selective urine testing based on the prior probability of UTI, which is an important improvement. The guideline and technical report do an admirable job summarizing the main factors that determine that prior probability (summarized in Table 1 in the clinical report). This table will help clinicians estimate whether the probability of UTI is ≥1% or ≥2%, values that the authors suggest are reasonable thresholds for urine testing. The guideline appropriately states that the threshold probability for urine testing is not known and that “clinicians will choose a threshold depending on factors such as their confidence that contact will be maintained through the illness… … Address correspondence to Thomas B. Newman, MD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF Box 0560, San Francisco, CA 94143. E-mail: newman{at}epi.ucsf.edu
SNAI2/Slug promotes growth and invasion in human gliomas

Numerous factors that contribute to malignant glioma invasion have been identified, but the upstream genes coordinating this process are poorly known. To identify genes controlling glioma invasion, we used genome-wide mRNA expression profiles of primary human glioblastomas to develop an expression-based rank ordering of 30 transcription factors that have previously been implicated in the regulation of invasion and metastasis in cancer. Using this approach, we identified the oncogenic transcriptional repressor, SNAI2/Slug, among the upper tenth percentile of invasion-related transcription factors overexpressed in glioblastomas. SNAI2 mRNA expression correlated with histologic grade and invasive phenotype in primary human glioma specimens, and was induced by EGF receptor activation in human glioblastoma cells. Overexpression of SNAI2/Slug increased glioblastoma cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and promoted angiogenesis and glioblastoma growth in vivo. Importantly, knockdown of endogenous SNAI2/Slug in glioblastoma cells decreased invasion and increased survival in a mouse intracranial human glioblastoma transplantation model. This genome-scale approach has thus identified SNAI2/Slug as a regulator of growth and invasion in human gliomas.
Research Team Design and Management for Centralized R&D

We demonstrate from a multilevel field study of 39 research teams within a global Fortune 100 science/technology company that teams containing breadth of both research and business unit experience are more effective in their innovation efforts under two conditions: 1) there must be a knowledge-sharing climate in the team (arguably allowing the team to have access to the knowledge developed through the members' breadth of experience) and 2) the team leader also has a breadth of research and business experience allowing for the member breadth to be knowledgably managed. We identify and interpret cross-level effects of team membership within organizational divisions and discuss implications for the management of central R&D teams and for future research on organizational dynamics. Our data suggest that it is possible to maintain a centralized R&D approach and still address market-focused milestones.
The impact of nanocomposite formulations on electrical voltage endurance

Previous work in which a conventional micron-sized filler was replaced by nanomaterials in an epoxy matrix has shown significant, and encouraging enhancements in the electric strength of the composites. The advantages gained were associated with the mitigation of Maxwell-Wagner polarization and the internal associated space charge, and an optimum particulate loading established. This contribution seeks to extend the previous work, by examining the electrical voltage endurance and partial discharge in a divergent field geometry. The voltage endurance tests demonstrate that significant improvements in endurance are also indicated. Similar results are seen in the partial discharge measurements. In order to gain a mechanistic understanding, the same electrode configuration has also been subjected to electroluminescence experiments in which both the steady-state and temporally-resolved light emission has been compared in these materials. Changes in the magnitude and onset field of the emission suggest that both the enhanced scattering of the nanocomposite and the mitigation of internal charge play a pivotal role in the enhanced voltage endurance obtained. Microscopy, dielectric spectroscopy and free volume measurements are also introduced to provide insight into the possible underlying mechanisms involved.
Effect of aligning field on easy-axis orientation of directly synthesized L1/sub 0/ nanoparticles

In this research, the improved synthesis and alignment of L1/sub 0/ FePt nanoparticles and the measured dependence of alignment on the orienting field are investigated. From the in-plane hysteresis loops of the particles after aligning and drying with a 20-kOe field, the normalized remanence values in the parallel and perpendicular in-plane directions are found to be 0.72 and 0.33 respectively. Also from the loops, the coercivities in the parallel and perpendicular directions are 1.48 kOe and 0.87 kOe, respectively. For comparison, a model for the easy-axis alignment is done assuming that the nanoparticles can freely rotate and achieve a Boltzmann orientation distribution during the drying process. Also, the anisotropy energy is assumed to be sufficiently large so that the easy axis and moment of each particle are nearly parallel during the drying process. Using an appropriate distribution of particle sizes, the model gives semiquantitative agreement with the measured field dependence of the orientation.
Employing Gene Set Top Scoring Pairs to Identify Deregulated Pathway-Signatures in Dilated Cardiomyopathy from Integrated Microarray Gene Expression Data

It is well accepted that a set of genes must act in concert to drive various cellular processes. However, under different biological phenotypes, not all the members of a gene set will participate in a biological process. Hence, it is useful to construct a discriminative classifier by focusing on the core members (subset) of a highly informative gene set. Such analyses can reveal which of those subsets from the same gene set correspond to different biological phenotypes. In this study, we propose Gene Set Top Scoring Pairs (GSTSP) approach that exploits the simple yet powerful relative expression reversal concept at the gene set levels to achieve these goals. To illustrate the usefulness of GSTSP, we applied this method to five different human heart failure gene expression data sets. We take advantage of the direct data integration feature in the GSTSP approach to combine two data sets, identify a discriminative gene set from >190 predefined gene sets, and evaluate the predictive power of the GSTSP classifier derived from this informative gene set on three independent test sets (79.31% in test accuracy). The discriminative gene pairs identified in this study may provide new biological understanding on the disturbed pathways that are involved in the development of heart failure. GSTSP methodology is general in purpose and is applicable to a variety of phenotypic classification problems using gene expression data.
2-Di-phenyl-phosphanyl-1-methyl-1H-benzimidazole.

In the title compound, C20H18N2P, the P atom is bonded to the two phenyl and imidazole groups, with an average P—C bond length of 1.828 (2) A. The three C—P—C bond angles have values consistent with a tetra­hedral geometry around the P atom with the fourth site occupied by a H atom. Crystal packing is through van der Waals inter­actions.
Nitric Oxide Effects in Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a complex hemoglobinopathy characterized by microvascular occlusion and hemolytic anemia. Patients suffer from a myriad of both acute and chronic problems affecting virtually every organ system. Historically, microvascular occlusion has been the focus of scientific investigations into these manifestations and the chronic hemolysis of SCD was overlooked. More recently, however, the importance of the pathophysiology of hemolysis has been appreciated and related to a subset of the clinical manifestations of SCD, including pulmonary hypertension, priapism, skin ulcers, and possibly stroke. This subphenotype of SCD has been convincingly related to impaired nitric oxide (NO) homeostasis due to hemolysis. NO has pleiotropic effects including vaso-dilatory, antioxidative, anti-adhesion, and anti-thrombotic properties, which are all potentially important in the pathophysiology of SCD. Perturbation of NO homeostasis, therefore, could profoundly impact patients with SCD. Animal and human data support a state of “NO resistance” in SCD patients. Human studies have shown that SCD patients have a decreased response to exogenous NO donors and that is likely due to the scavenging of NO by free plasma hemoglobin that results from ongoing hemolysis. “NO resistance” is further augmented by the increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) known to occur in SCD patients. High levels of ROS favor additional hemolysis through increased oxidant stress on the sickle red blood cell and reduce NO bioavailability by inactivation of circulating NO. With the substantial human and animal data to support a role for “NO resistance” in the pathophysiology of SCD, investigation with NO-based therapy have begun. Several approaches to overcoming “NO resistance” can be devised including increasing the precursors to NO, decreasing hemolysis, direct NO donors, and decreasing oxidant stress. To date, studies evaluating arginine (NO precursor), inhaled NO, and sildenafil (NO donor) have been reported. Oral arginine showed no benefit in a large clinical trial, and a preliminary trial of inhaled NO had only minimal benefit. Sildenafil may be more promising and is under further study. Lastly, although impaired NO bioavailability has been related to a subset of patients with pulmonary hypertension, skin ulcers and priapism, it will be important to determine what impact NO has on other manifestations, such as vaso-occlusive pain episodes and whether NO modulation can also be used therapeutically in this setting.
Effects of supine rest duration on ultrasound measures of the vastus lateralis

SummaryIntroduction Due to the potential for intramuscular fluid shifts from changing body position, researchers often utilize a 10- to 15-min period of supine rest as a standardizing procedure prior to ultrasound assessment of the lower limbs. However, no previous research has observed the changes in muscle morphological characteristics via ultrasonography of the lower limbs depending on the length of time of supine rest to determine whether 10–15 min of supine rest is necessary. The aim of this study was to examine changes in muscle morphology of the vastus lateralis (VL) at various time-points over the course of 15 min of supine rest. Methods Muscle thickness (MT), cross-sectional area (CSA) and echo intensity (EI) of the VL were assessed in 24 adults at four time-points including the following: immediately upon moving from a standing to supine position (T0), after 5 (T5), 10 (T10) and 15 min (T15) of lying in a supine position. Results CSA significantly decreased from T0 to T10 (P = 0·001) and T15 (P<0·001), with no difference between any other time-points (P = 0·055–0·666). However, the reported changes in CSA did not exceed the standard error of the measurement for this procedure. No significant differences between any time-points for MT (P = 0·726–0·966) or EI (P = 0·061–0·783) were observed. Discussion These findings suggest extended periods of supine rest may not be needed to obtain consistent muscle morphological measurements of the VL using ultrasonography.
Periocular MALT Lymphomas (Conjunctival/Orbital): Complete Responses with Antibiotic Therapy.

Abstract There is mounting epidemiologic, histologic, experimental and therapeutic evidence that MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphomas may be related to chronic infections. While H. pylori infection-initiated MALT lymphomas of the stomach are now well documented, only recently has evidence for infectious sources of MALT lymphomas of the intestine (Campylobacter), skin (Borrelia), and the eye (Chlamydia) been reported. Chlamydia psittaci has been implicated in ocular MALT lymphoma in 2 reports (Ferreri et al, JNCI , 96(8):586–594, 2004 and Yeung et al, Cornea , 23:71–75, 2004). In these reports, only 2 of 4 evaluable patients treated with doxycycline were noted to have objective responses. We retrospectively reviewed data on 4 patients who have now undergone antibiotic therapy for subconjunctival MALT lymphomas, three of whom are evaluable for response to treatment. Complete evaluations for systemic disease (including CT scans of neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, PET scans, and bone marrow examination) were all negative. Serologic tests for antibodies to Chlamydia psittaci were negative in all 4 individuals. Patients were 58, 74, 76 and 79 years of age with 2 males and 2 females. Treatment of one patient was with a PrevpacR (lansoprazole 30 mg capsule, amoxicillin 500 mg capsules, and clarithromycin 500 mg tablets BID) x 14 days, while three received doxycycline 100 mg daily for one month. Of the three patients evaluable to date for response, all demonstrated prompt and sustained responses (2 CR and 1 PR) with followup of 38 months, 12 months, and 7 months respectively. Definitive evidence for a particular infectious organism was not demonstrated, but the prompt and sustained response to antibiotics is consistent with an infectious origin. While further evaluation and followup is warranted in additional patients, we conclude that a trial of anti-microbial therapy should be considered for patients diagnosed with ocular MALT lymphoma.
Bottom-up gamma and stages of waking

Gamma activity has been proposed to promote the feed forward or "bottom-up" flow of information from lower to higher regions of the brain during perception. The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) modulates waking and REM sleep, and is part of the reticular activating system (RAS). The properties of PPN cells are unique in that all PPN neurons fire maximally at gamma band frequency regardless of electrophysiological or transmitter type, thus proposed as one origin of "bottom-up" gamma. This property is based on the presence of intrinsic membrane oscillations subserved by high threshold, voltage-dependent calcium channels. Moreover, some PPN cells are electrically coupled. Assuming that the population of PPN neurons has the capacity to fire at ∼40Hz coherently, then the population as a whole can be expected to generate a stable gamma band signal. But what if not all the neurons are firing at the peaks of the oscillations? That means that some cells may fire only at the peaks of every second oscillation. Therefore, the population as a whole can be expected to be firing at a net ∼20Hz. If some cells are firing at the peaks of every fourth oscillation, then the PPN as a whole would be firing at ∼10Hz. Firing at rates below 10Hz would imply that the system is seldom firing at the peaks of any oscillation, basically asleep, in slow wave sleep, thus the activation of the RAS is insufficient to promote waking. This hypothesis carries certain implications, one of which is that we awaken in stages as more and more cells are recruited to fire at the peaks of more and more oscillations. For this system, it would imply that, as we awaken, we step from ∼10Hz to ∼20Hz to ∼30Hz to ∼40Hz, that is, in stages and presumably at different levels of awareness. A similar process can be expected to take place as we fall asleep. Awakening can then be considered to be stepwise, not linear. That is, the implication is that the process of waking is a stepwise event, not a gradual increase, suggesting that the brain can spend time at each of these different stages of arousal.
Patient Activation Mediates Health Literacy Associated with Hospital Utilization Among Whites

Background Reducing the 30-day hospital readmission rate is a national priority and patient activation has emerged as a modifiable target to reduce hospital readmissions. Objective Prior studies demonstrate that low patient activation and low health literacy are each associated with higher rates of hospital utilization. The aim of this study was to use path analysis methods to assess if patient activation mediates the relationship between health literacy and hospital utilization in the 30 days after discharge. Design and Participants We performed a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of patients receiving care at an urban safety net hospital. Path analyses were used to assess patient activation as a mediator of the relationship of education and health literacy with 30-day hospital utilization. The final model was stratified by race and ethnicity. Measure 30 day Hospital Utilization. Results In the overall study sample, a one standard deviation (SD) higher patient activation measure (PAM) score was associated with 18% reduced odds of hospital utilization (odds ratio (OR) 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73, 0.91, p=<0.001). PAM mediated the relationship between education level and health literacy and hospital utilization. When stratified by race, the mediating effect of PAM was evident among Whites, but not among non-Whites. Specifically, a one SD higher PAM score was significantly associated with a 33% reduced odds of utilization among Whites (OR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.79, p<0.001). With the inclusion of PAM in the model, there was no direct relationship between either health literacy or education and 30-day hospital utilization. Conclusion Patient activation is only associated with hospital utilization among Whites. Further research is needed to assess if this selective protection is seen in other cohorts. Potential interventions to reduce hospital readmissions may need to consider other modifiable factors in racially and ethnically diverse populations.
GRAM-CNN: a deep learning approach with local context for named entity recognition in biomedical text

Motivation Best performing named entity recognition (NER) methods for biomedical literature are based on hand-crafted features or task-specific rules, which are costly to produce and difficult to generalize to other corpora. End-to-end neural networks achieve state-of-the-art performance without hand-crafted features and task-specific knowledge in non-biomedical NER tasks. However, in the biomedical domain, using the same architecture does not yield competitive performance compared with conventional machine learning models. Results We propose a novel end-to-end deep learning approach for biomedical NER tasks that leverages the local contexts based on n-gram character and word embeddings via Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). We call this approach GRAM-CNN. To automatically label a word, this method uses the local information around a word. Therefore, the GRAM-CNN method does not require any specific knowledge or feature engineering and can be theoretically applied to a wide range of existing NER problems. The GRAM-CNN approach was evaluated on three well-known biomedical datasets containing different BioNER entities. It obtained an F1-score of 87.26% on the Biocreative II dataset, 87.26% on the NCBI dataset and 72.57% on the JNLPBA dataset. Those results put GRAM-CNN in the lead of the biological NER methods. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to apply CNN based structures to BioNER problems. Availability and implementation The GRAM-CNN source code, datasets and pre-trained model are available online at: https://github.com/valdersoul/GRAM-CNN. Contact andyli@ece.ufl.edu or aconesa@ufl.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Analytic Network Process: Astronomy, Icebergs, and Big Box Stores

The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is a disruptive technology that has had significant impacts in the field of decision-making. By drawing on an analogy to the field of astronomy we can see that even with all that has been developed we must avoid the illusion of thinking that the field is mature and fully discovered. The ANP has many parallels to icebergs from what portion is visible to the value of providing relevant warning products. One of the most important contributions going forward will be the discovery of the more complex and hidden relationships and tests that ANP decision makers can use to test their models. These discoveries will improve both the reputation of the ANP and decision maker’s confidence in their models. Without these discoveries, the ANP runs the risk of becoming like a big box retail store.
Consumer preferences for seafood attributes of wild-harvested and farm-raised products

With the increase in consumer interest in local foods and the expectation of the USDA to unveil standards for organic aquaculture U.S. shellfish and seaweed producers could anticipate changes in co...
Activated FLT3 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase as a Therapeutic Target In Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous neoplastic disease characterized by deregulated proliferation of myeloid precursor cells combined with an arrest in the differentiation process. The abnormal survival advantage of transformed immature myeloid precursors further contributes to a marked impairment of the functional maturation of the various myeloid cell lineages. Intensive studies over the past 20 yr have resulted in the identification of leukemia-specific cytogenetic abnormalities, which provided considerable insight into the underlying pathogenesis of AML. This has also resulted in the prognostic stratification of AML patients into three different risk groups: those with favorable, intermediate or standard, and poor risk disease. Patients with favorable cytogenetics, i.e., those with translocations t(15;17), t(8;21), and inversion inv(16), have particularly benefited from an improved understanding of the molecular pathology of their disease, which has resulted in the identification of potential therapeutic targets. For example, the addition of all-trans retinoic acid during induction chemotherapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients with the PML/RARα (promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor-α) fusion gene in t(15;17) has increased the 5-yr survival a further 20–30% compared with chemotherapy alone (1,2).
Developmental and Dynamic Changes in the Nature of the Self-Concept

Since the late 1970s, there has been increasing interest in the child’s developing understanding of his or her self-attributes and emotions. Much of this work has been normative in nature, positing models and presenting evidence in support of such developmental change. Moreover, many have attempted to interpret the findings from a cognitive-developmental perspective, indicating how underlying structural changes are responsible for developmental shifts in self-understanding. The goal of the present chapter is to suggesf how this knowledge may aid our therapeutic efforts with children, allowing us to better understand the child and evaluate his or her potential for personal growth.