cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microwave optomechanics in the strong coupling regime

In the longstanding endeavor to access the quantum nature of macroscopic mechanical motion, the experimental challenge is not only that of state preparation, but also one of measurement. The flourishing field of cavity optomechanics, in which an electromagnetic resonance couples parametrically to a mechanical oscillator, addresses both of these challenges—providing a nearly ideal architecture for both manipulation and detection of mechanical motion at the quantum level. In this talk, I present experiments in which the motion of a high-Q, micromechanical membrane couples to a superconducting microwave resonator. When this ‘cavity’ is excited with coherent microwave photons near its resonance, the displacement of the membrane becomes encoded as modulation of this tone. The microwaves, in turn, also impart forces back on the oscillator, which enforce the Heisenberg limits on measurement and can also be exploited either to cool or amplify the motion. The unprecedented optomechanical coupling strength allows the driven system to enter the strong-coupling regime, where the normal modes are now hybrids of the original radio-frequency mechanical and the microwave electrical resonances. This normal-mode splitting is verified by direct spectroscopy of the ‘dressed states’ of the hybridized cavity resonance, showing excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. As all of these experiments take place in at a temperature below 40 mK, this system operates in the quantum-enabled regime where the thermal decoherence rate is small enough to allow sideband cooling of the mechanical mode to the ground state. By measuring the noise spectrum of this mechanical system with an efficient, nearly shot-noise limited microwave detection, the residual thermal motion of the membrane is easily resolvable above the measurement imprecision. The final part of this talk will quantify the thermal motion occupancy of the mechanical mode as it is cooled with radiation-pressure forces to below its quantum zero-point motion and enters the strong coupling regime.
Histamine and other imidazole compounds as bacterial growth stimulators.

SummaryHistamine and certain derivatives of imidazole nucleus have been found in trace amounts to exercise stimulatory effects on the growth of K. pneumoniae.
SOLUBILITY OF NITROUS OXIDE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF METHYLDIETHANOLAMINE, DIETHANOLAMINE AND MIXTURES OF METHYLDIETHANOLAMINE AND DIETHANOLAMINE

The solubility of nitrous oxide (N2O) in aqueous solutions of 0-50 mass % methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), 0-30 mass % diethanolamine (DEA), and 50 mass % total amine with DEA/MDEA weight ratios of 0.04413-0.5883 was measured over the temperature range 293-353 K and at N2O partial pressures near atmospheric. The solubility data from this work were found to be in fair agreement with the literature where data were available. The N2O solubility data for the aqueous MDEA and aqueous DEA solutions were fitted using the extended scaled-particle model proposed by Li and Mather (1994) (which was based on the work of Hu et al. (1985)). The parameter estimates obtained from these fits were then used to predict the N2O solubility in the aqueous DEA + MDEA solutions. The model predictions were found to agree with the experimental data with an average deviation of 3.4%
Immunological response of female macaques to the PH-20 sperm protein following injection of recombinant proteins or synthesized peptides

Because of its location on the sperm surface and its multiple functions during fertilization, the PH-20 protein is a potential target for contraceptive vaccines. Cynomolgus macaques were immunized using four different adjuvants together with synthesized peptides or recombinant proteins representing selected regions of macaque PH-20. The synthesized peptide (amino acids 387-412, designated Peptide 4) was used as a linear molecule in a 1:1 ratio with a peptide sequence of tetanus toxoid, as well as a multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) matrix held together by scaffolding lysine residues. In the MAP construct, the ratio of Peptide 4 to tetanus peptide was 4:1. To circumvent the poor production of recombinant PH-20 in bacterial cells, two truncated forms of the molecule were expressed in Escherichia coli, G18 (encoding amino acids 143-510) and E10 (encoding amino acids 291-510). The adjuvants were Montanide ISA 51, Titermax Gold, Syntex adjuvant formulation (SAF), and QS-21. All of the antigen/adjuvant combinations produced significant immune responses as measured by ELISA. The circulating antibodies from immunized animals recognized macaque sperm surface PH-20 on Western blots and were shown by indirect immunofluorescence to bind to the surface of macaque sperm. Montanide and Titermax were associated with higher titers of anti-PH-20 antibodies than QS-21 and SAF adjuvants. Immunization with Titermax, however, resulted in sterile abscesses in 4 of 8 animals injected. We conclude that antigens derived from synthesized peptides and recombinant proteins representing selected regions of the PH-20 molecule can be used as vaccine components in combination with the adjuvant Montanide to elicit a significant sperm-directed antibody response in immunized macaques.
Display Holography's Digital Second Act

Holography, with its stunning 3-D realism and its expressive potential, in the 1970s and 1980s seemed poised to become the next step in the evolution of visual display. Yet apart from certain specialized niches, display holograms are perhaps more rarely encountered in everyday life than they were 20 or 30 years ago. But the recent resurgence of interest in 3-D video for entertainment applications has underlined the limitations of left/right stereoscopic imaging and created a desire for more natural 3-D imagery in which no glasses are required and all perceptual cues to depth are provided in a consistent fashion. Could holography-whose transition from darkroom to digital has taken some years longer than that of photography-capitalize on this opportunity? In this paper, I examine digital developments in holographic printing, holographic projection, and holographic television, and explore connections between holographic imaging and areas such as integral imaging and telepresence.
Mutational patterns in the breast cancer mitochondrial genome, with clinical correlates

The presence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in human cancer has long been recognized, but their functional significance has remained obscure. Debate persists as to whether the mutations help drive the tumor, or are bystander events. Here, we analyze next-generation mtDNA sequence data from 99 breast cancer patients. High depth coverage enables detection of even low-level heteroplasmic variants, and data from matched normal tissue allow us to distinguish between shifts in heteroplasmy and acquired mutations. Somatic mtDNA mutations are found in 73 (73.7%) of patient tumors, and dramatic shifts from the initial germline allele proportions are observed for many heteroplasmies. Clustering of somatic mutations in promoter and replication regions, and also in genes coding for electron transport chain complex I, suggest selection for mutations affecting critical mitochondrial processes. Furthermore, statistical tests for Darwinian selection reveal evidence for positive and relaxed negative selection for somatic missense mutations. We also observe a dramatic decrease in per-cell mtDNA content in tumor tissues, as well as a surprising positive correlation between somatic mtDNA mutational burden and patient survival. Taken together, our results support the view that somatic mtDNA mutations are not solely bystander events, but have significance in cancer from both biological and clinical perspectives. We also anticipate that the catalog of heteroplasmies and somatic mutations presented here will serve as a reference for future studies of cancer mitochondrial genomes.
Complex Formation between Menadione and Cetylethylmorpholinium Ethosulfate: Effect on UV Photodegradation of Menadione

The process of menadione photodegradation can be enhanced or diminished by other compounds. The presence of the quaternary ammonium compound cetylethylmorpholinium ethosulfate (I) in solutions of menadione was found to slow the rate of photodegradation by UV light (253.7 nm). The mechanism of this effect may be due to complex formation between menadione and I. Complex formation was demonstrated by a shift in the absorption peaks of menadione from 245 and 260 nm to 251.5 and 261.5 nm, respectively. The equilibrium constant of this complex was calculated to be 1.647 M.
Spike-timing control by dendritic plateau potentials in the presence of synaptic barrages

Apical and tuft dendrites of pyramidal neurons support regenerative electrical potentials, giving rise to long-lasting (~ hundreds of milliseconds) and strong (~50 mV from rest) depolarizations. Such plateau events rely on clustered glutamatergic input, can be mediated by calcium and NMDA currents, and often generate somatic depolarizations that last for the time course of the dendritic plateau event. We address the computational significance of such single-neuron processing via reduced but biophysically realistic modeling. We introduce a model based on two discrete integration zones, a somatic and a dendritic one, that communicate via a long plateau-conductance. We show principled differences in the way dendritic versus somatic inhibition controls spike timing, and demonstrate how this could implement a mechanism of spike time control in the face of barrages of synaptic inputs.
Methamphetamine-induced structural plasticity in the dorsal striatum.

Repeated exposure to psychostimulant drugs produces long-lasting changes in dendritic structure, presumably reflecting a reorganization in patterns of synaptic connectivity, in brain regions that mediate the psychomotor activating and incentive motivational effects of these drugs, including the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. However, repeated exposure to psychostimulant drugs also facilitates a transition in the control of some behaviors from action–outcome associations to behavior controlled by stimulus–response (S–R) habits. This latter effect is thought to be due to increasing engagement and control over behavior by the dorsolateral (but not dorsomedial) striatum. We hypothesized therefore that repeated exposure to methamphetamine would differentially alter the density of dendritic spines on medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the dorsolateral vs. dorsomedial striatum. Rats were treated with repeated injections of methamphetamine, and 3 months later dendrites were visualized using Sindbis virusmediated green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in vivo. We report that prior exposure to methamphetamine produced a significant increase in mushroom and thin spines on MSNs in the dorsolateral striatum, but a significant decrease in mushroom spines in the dorsomedial striatum. This may be due to changes in the glutamatergic innervation of these two subregions of the dorsal striatum. Thus, we speculate that exposure to psychostimulant drugs may facilitate the development of S–R habits because this reorganizes patterns of synaptic connectivity in the dorsal striatum in a way that increases control over behavior by the dorsolateral striatum.
Modeling decadal timescale interactions between surface water and ground water in the central Everglades, Florida, USA

Surface-water and ground-waterflow are coupled inthe centralEverglades, although the remotenessof thissystemhashindered many previous attempts to quantify interactions between surface water and ground water. We modeled flow through a 43,000 ha basininthecentralEvergladescalledWaterConservationArea2A.Thepurposeofthemodelwastoquantifyrechargeanddischarge in the basin’s vast interior areas. The presence and distribution of tritium in ground water was the principal constraint on the modeling, based on measurements in 25 research wells ranging in depth from 2 to 37 m. In addition to average characteristics of surface-water flow, the model parameters included depth of the layer of ‘interactive’ ground water that is actively exchanged with surface water, average residence time of interactive ground water, and the associated recharge and discharge fluxes across the wetlandgroundsurface.Resultsindicatedthatonlyarelativelythin(8 m)layerofthe60 mdeepsurficalaquiferactivelyexchanges surface water and ground water on a decadal timescale. The calculated storage depth of interactive ground water was 3.1 m after adjustmentfortheporosityofpeatandsandylimestone.Modelingofthetritiumdatayieldedanaverageresidencetimeof90yearsin interactive ground water, with associated recharge and discharge fluxes equal to 0.01 cm d K1 . 3 H/ 3 He isotopic ratio measurements (which correct for effects of vertical mixing in the aquifer with deeper, tritium-dead water) were available from several wells, and theseindicatedanaverageresidencetimeof25years,suggestingthatresidencetimewasoverestimatedusingtritiummeasurements
Central administration of angiotensin IV rapidly enhances novel object recognition among mice.

Abstract Angiotensin IV (Val 1 -Tyr 2 -Ile 3 -His 4 -Pro 5 -Phe 6 ) has demonstrated potential cognitive-enhancing effects. The present investigation assessed and characterized: (1) dose-dependency of angiotensin IV's cognitive enhancement in a C57BL/6J mouse model of novel object recognition, (2) the time-course for these effects, (3) the identity of residues in the hexapeptide important to these effects and (4) the necessity of actions at angiotensin IV receptors for procognitive activity. Assessment of C57BL/6J mice in a novel object recognition task demonstrated that prior administration of angiotensin IV (0.1, 1.0, or 10.0, but not 0.01 nmol, i.c.v.) significantly enhanced novel object recognition in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were time dependent, with improved novel object recognition observed when angiotensin IV (0.1 nmol, i.c.v.) was administered 10 or 20, but not 30 min prior to the onset of the novel object recognition testing. An alanine scan of the angiotensin IV peptide revealed that replacement of the Val 1 , Ile 3 , His 4 , or Phe 6 residues with Ala attenuated peptide-induced improvements in novel object recognition, whereas Tyr 2 or Pro 5 replacement did not significantly affect performance. Administration of the angiotensin IV receptor antagonist, divalinal-Ang IV (20 nmol, i.c.v.), reduced (but did not abolish) novel object recognition; however, this antagonist completely blocked the procognitive effects of angiotensin IV (0.1 nmol, i.c.v.) in this task. Rotorod testing demonstrated no locomotor effects with any angiotensin IV or divalinal-Ang IV dose tested. These data demonstrate that angiotensin IV produces a rapid enhancement of associative learning and memory performance in a mouse model that was dependent on the angiotensin IV receptor.
A virtual-reality-based telerehabilitation system with force feedback

A PC-based orthopedic rehabilitation system was developed for use at home, while allowing remote monitoring from the clinic. The home rehabilitation station has a Pentium II PC with a graphics accelerator, a Polhemus tracker and a multi-purpose haptic control interface. This novel interface is used to sample a patient's hand positions and to provide resistive forces using the Rutgers Master II (RMII) glove. A library of virtual rehabilitation routines was developed using WorldToolKit software. At the present time, it consists of three physical therapy exercises (DigiKey, ball and Power Putty) and two functional rehabilitation exercises (peg board and ball game). These virtual reality exercises allow automatic and transparent patient data collection into an Oracle database. A remote Pentium II PC is connected with the home-based PC over the Internet and an additional video conferencing connection. The remote computer runs an Oracle server to maintain the patient database, monitor progress and change the exercise level of difficulty. This allows for patient progress monitoring and repeat evaluations over time. The telerehabilitation system is undergoing clinical trials at Stanford Medical School, with progress being monitored from Rutgers University. Other haptic interfaces currently under development include devices for elbow and knee rehabilitation connected to the same system.
Mitochondrial‐targeted peptide rapidly improves mitochondrial energetics and skeletal muscle performance in aged mice

Summary Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key pathogenic role in aging skeletal muscle resulting in significant healthcare costs in the developed world. However, there is no pharmacologic treatment to rapidly reverse mitochondrial deficits in the elderly. Here, we demonstrate that a single treatment with the mitochondrial-targeted peptide SS-31 restores in vivo mitochondrial energetics to young levels in aged mice after only one hour. Young (5 month old) and old (27 month old) mice were injected intraperitoneally with either saline or 3 mg kg−1 of SS-31. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial energetics were measured in vivo one hour after injection using a unique combination of optical and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Age-related declines in resting and maximal mitochondrial ATP production, coupling of oxidative phosphorylation (P/O), and cell energy state (PCr/ATP) were rapidly reversed after SS-31 treatment, while SS-31 had no observable effect on young muscle. These effects of SS-31 on mitochondrial energetics in aged muscle were also associated with a more reduced glutathione redox status and lower mitochondrial H2O2 emission. Skeletal muscle of aged mice was more fatigue resistant in situ one hour after SS-31 treatment, and eight days of SS-31 treatment led to increased whole-animal endurance capacity. These data demonstrate that SS-31 represents a new strategy for reversing age-related deficits in skeletal muscle with potential for translation into human use.
A tree-structured piecewise linear adaptive filter

The idea of a tree-structured piecewise linear adaptive filter is proposed. The tree-structured filter is constructed as follows. Each node in a binary tree is associated with a linear filter restricted to a polygonal domain, and this is done in such a way that each subtree is associated with a piecewise linear filter. A training sequence is used to adaptively update the filter coefficients and domains at each node, and to select the best subtree and the corresponding piecewise linear filter. The authors summarize the derivation and analysis of the tree-structured piecewise linear adaptive filter. They then investigate the performance of the tree-structured filter as an adaptive echo canceler and compare it with that of linear and truncated Volterra series adaptive echo cancelers through computer simulations. >
Cross-reactivity between HLA-A2-restricted FLU-M1:58-66 and HIV p17 GAG:77-85 epitopes in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals.

Background: The matrix protein of the influenza A virus and the matrix and capsid proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) share striking structural similarities which may have evolutionary and biological significance. These similarities led us to hypothesize the existence of cross-reactivity between HLA-A2-restricted FLU-M1:58–66 and HIV-1 p17 GAG:77–85 epitopes. Methods: The hypothesis that these two epitopes are cross-reactive was tested by determining the presence and extent of FLU/GAG immune cross-reactivity in lymphocytes from HIVseropositive and seronegative HLA-A2+ donors by cytotoxicity assays and tetramer analyses. Moreover, the molecular basis for FLU/GAG cross-reactivity in HIV-seropositive and seronegative donors was studied by comparing lymphocyte-derived cDNA sequences corresponding to the TCR-β variable regions, in order to determine whether stimulation of lymphocytes with either peptide results in the expansion of identical T-cell clonotypes. Results: Here, we report evidence of cross-reactivity between FLU-M1:58–66 and HIV-1 p17 GAG:77–85 epitopes following in vitro stimulation of PBMC derived from either HIV-seropositive or seronegative HLA-A2 + donors as determined by cytotoxicity assays, tetramer analyses, and molecular clonotyping. Conclusion: These results suggest that immunity to the matrix protein of the influenza virus may drive a specific immune response to an HLA-A2-restricted HIV gag epitope in HIV-infected and uninfected donors vaccinated against influenza.
Balancing Kinetic and Thermodynamic Control: The Mechanism of Carbocation Cyclization by Squalene Cyclase

Molecular dynamics simulations with a combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) potential have been carried out to investigate the squalene-to-hopene carbocation cyclization mechanism in squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC). The present study is based on free energy simulations by constructing the free energy surface for the cyclization steps along the reaction pathway. The picture that emerges for the carbocation cyclization cascade is a delicate balance of thermodynamic and kinetic control that ultimately favors the formation of the final hopanoids carbon skeleton. A key finding is that the five- to six-membered ring expansion process is not a viable reaction pathway for either C- or D-ring formation in the cyclization reaction. The only significant intermediate is the A/B-bicyclic cyclohexyl cation (III), from which two asynchronous concerted reaction pathways lead to, respectively, the 6,6,6,5-tetracyclic carbon skeleton and the 6,6,6,6,5-pentacyclic hopanoids. Experimentally, these two products are observed to have 1% and 99% yields, respectively, in the wild-type enzyme. We conclude that the product distribution in the wild-type enzyme is dictated by kinetic control of these two reaction pathways.
Pump–probe mode-mismatched thermal-lens Z scan

We report on a pump–probe mode-mismatched thermal-lens Z-scan method for the measurement of small absorption coefficients. In this method the pump light beam is focused into the sample to induce a thermal lens, which is tested by a collimated probe-light beam. Comparison between mode-matched and mode-mismatched Z-scan schemes is performed by use of a Fresnel-diffraction approximation model. This method is used to measure the absorption of distilled water and optical glass in the near-infrared and visible regions of the spectrum.
Cheaters Are Looked at Longer and Remembered Better than Cooperators in Social Exchange Situations

What information is most salient during social exchange? Our studies assess the relative importance of cheaters and cooperators and whether their importance is affected by amount of resources involved in the exchange. In Experiment 1, participants categorized individuals as cheaters, cooperators, or neither, and rated how important they are to remember using a 7-point scale. In Experiment 2, participants categorized individuals, and then looked at their photos. This was followed by tests of face recognition, and memory for social contract status. Experiment 1 found cheaters were rated more important to remember than cooperators and more so when a greater amount of resources was involved. Experiment 2 found cheaters were looked at longer and people had better memory for their faces and were more likely to remember their social contract status. This suggests the mind evolved to remember information most pertinent in social contract situations.
Issues Faced by Women With Hirsutism: State of the Science

It has been well established in the literature that the presence of hirsutism not only diminishes quality of life for women but also has a psychological impact. This review will present quantitative findings, including the measurements used in various studies, as well as qualitative research pertaining to the issues faced by women with hirsutism and offer recommendations for further research and implications for practice. Research is sparse in the realm of studying women who have hirsute appearances but do not suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome. Future quality of life research does not need to necessarily exclude women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, but it does need to include women who suffer from idiopathic hirsutism. Further qualitative inquiry is also warranted.
Discharge Planning: Professional Perspectives versus Organizational Effects

The rise in legitimacy and visibility of hospital discharge planning has been accompanied by competition between social work and nursing over control of this function. The author used a survey of 229 California hospitals to test the hypothesis that the discharge planning process is the same regardless of the discipline or department in which it is located. The only significant difference among the social work, nursing, and administrative departments was in the type of staff used. Social work departments were more likely to have both a social worker and a nurse on the discharge planning staff and on the discharge planning team. The needs of the organization, rather than professional perspectives, drove discharge planning. More collaborative bonds between social work and nursing could propel system innovation and change.
Much ado about opting in and out.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend genital human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations for young girls to assist in reducing or preventing the disease in the more than 10 000 women in the United States who become infected with HPV each year. 1 HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) and causes almost all cervical and some other types of cancer. 1 HPV-caused cancer is preventable, and, by definition, those cancers caused by the strains that are blocked by the vaccination are completely avoidable.
Is Subchondral Acetabular Edema or Cystic Change on MRI a Contraindication for Hip Arthroscopy in Patients With Femoroacetabular Impingement

Background:The outcome for arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) can worsen with increasing arthritis. However, there remains a subset of hips with relatively maintained joint space but with acetabular subchondral edema and cystic change with unknown outcome on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Purpose:(1) To correlate MRI findings of subchondral acetabular edema/cystic change with arthroscopy grading of articular cartilage and (2) to determine whether postoperative outcome was worse for patients with subchondral edema/cystic change compared with a matched control group.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:The records of all patients who underwent arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI at a single institution between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed for subchondral edema/cyst on preoperative MRI. Lesions were characterized by grade using an established classification system and were correlated with arthroscopic articular cartilage changes. A matched cohort of patients without...
Studies on the application of salts of complex cations to the microscopic detection of anions. I. Hexamminocobaltic chloride (luteo cobaltammine chloride)

1. The following anions gave characteristic crystalline reaction products when treated with hexamminocobaltic chloride: bifluoride, bisulfate, bisulfite, chromate, cobaltinitrite, dichromate, dithionate, ferricyanide, ferrocyanide, fluosilicate, iodate, iodide, metavanadate, nitroprusside, orthovanadate, permanganate, persulfate, phosphomolybdate, phosphotungstate, pyrophosphate, sulfate, sulfosalicylate, tartrate, tellurite and thiosulfate.
Analysze medical device packaging materials through FTIR and DSC

In this paper,the properties of medical apparatus packaging materials have been introduced. FTIR and DSC have been applied to analyze the composition and polymerization of packaging materials PE and PP,providing a reference for the analysis on residual monomers and additives and other harmful substances of the related medical apparatus packaging materials.
Descents of λ -unimodal cycles in a character formula

We prove an identity conjectured by Adin and Roichman involving the descent set of λ -unimodal cyclic permutations. These permutations appear in formulas for characters of certain representations of the symmetric group. Such formulas have previously been proven algebraically. In this paper, we present a combinatorial proof for one such formula and discuss the consequences for the distribution of the descent set on cyclic permutations.
P-005 natural history of vertebrobasilar fusiform and dolichoectatic aneurysms receiving serial imaging

Background and purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform and dolichoectatic aneurysms (VFDAs) are characterized by arterial dilatation, elongation and/or tortuosity. These lesions are houghave a poor natural history with high rates of growth, rupture, compressive symptoms and associated ischemia. We sought to characterize the natural history of VFDAs receiving serial imaging. Methods Patients with vertebrobasilar fusiform or dolichoectatic aneurysms demonstrated on CT/CTA, MRI/MRA and DSA studies between 2001–2014 were identified. Only patients who had serial imaging were included in this study. VFDAs were categorized into three morphological categories: 1) Fusiform aneurysm-dilatation of only a portion of an arterial segment, 2) Dolichoectatic aneurysm-uniform dilatation of the entire artery segment and 3) Transitional aneurysm-uniform aneurysmal dilatation of an entire arterial segment with superimposed dilatation of a portion of the involved arterial segment. Initial and serial imaging studies were reviewed by an interventional neuroradiologist, neurologist and diagnostic radiologist. We defined VFDA enlargement as an increase of ≥2 mm. Additional outcomes included imaging evidence of posterior circulation infarction, VFDA rupture and mass effect. We performed a subgroup analysis of growth and rupture rates of VFDAs ≥10 mm in maximum diameter. Continuous variables were compared with Student’s T-tests and categorical variables were compared using chi-squared tests. Results A total of 139 VFDA patients were included in this study (38 fusiform, 74 dolichoectatic and 27 transitional). Mean patient age was 59 ± 13 years. 104 patients (74.8%) were male. Mean follow-up was 42 months. Mean VFDA baseline diameter was 8.6 ± 4.7 mm. 29 VFDAs grew (20.8%) ≥2 mm for an annual growth rate of 5.9% per year. Five VFDAs ruptured (3.6%) for an annual rupture rate of 1.0% per year. Eighteen patients (12.9%) had increased radiological mass effect on follow-up. 19 patients (13.7%) had a new posterior circulation infarct on follow-up. In our subgroup analysis of aneurysms with baseline diameter≥10 mm, 16 of 26 aneurysms grew during the follow-up period (61.5%) for a growth rate of 30.8% per year. 2 aneurysms ruptured (7.7%, 2/26) for a rupture rate of 3.8% per year. Baseline variables associated with growth and/or rupture included presence of mass effect (P = 0.02), high T1 signal in the aneurysm rim (P = 0.006), presence of a daughter sac (P = 0.003), thrombus formation (P = 0.0001) and increasing diameter. Conclusions Vertebrobasilar fusiform and dolichoectatic aneurysms, especially those 10 mm or larger, are associated with a poor natural history with high growth and rupture rates. Further research is needed to determine the best treatments for this disease in high risk patients. Disclosures D. Nasr: None. A. Rouchaud: None. W. Brinjikji: None. D. Kallmes: None. K. Flemming: None.
Increased incidence of bacteremia in Haitian children with sickle cell anemia.

Children with sickle cell anemia who were less than 5 years old were observed over a three-year period. Those born to recent Haitian immigrants accounted for 108.4 patient-years. They had seven episodes of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia and five due to Haemophilus influenzae for rates of 6.5 and 4.6 episodes per 100 patient-years, respectively. Children born to American parents were observed for 131.3 patient-years and had three episodes and one episode, respectively, for rates of 2.3 and 0.76 episodes per 100 patient-years. The differences in the overall rate of bacteremia were significant (P less than .015). Leukocyte counts and percentage of erythrocytes with pits, indicating decreased splenic function, were similar for the two groups. The Haitian families had lower annual incomes, but values for both groups were so low that their difference is unlikely to be related to the increased infection rate. Although no cause for the higher rate of bacteremia could be found, the approach to febrile illness in Haitian children with sickle cell anemia should be even more aggressive than usual. In addition to Haemophilus influenzae immunization, antibiotics effective against penicillin-resistant species should be used in the initial antibiotic coverage of their febrile illnesses.
Nutrition activation and dietary intake disparities among US adults.

Objective To introduce the concept 'nutrition activation' (the use of health and nutrition information when making food and diet decisions) and to assess the extent to which nutrition activation varies across racial/ethnic groups and explains dietary disparities. Design Cross-sectional sample representative of adults in the USA. Primary outcome measures include daily energy intake and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), fast foods and sit-down restaurant foods as determined by two 24 h dietary recalls. We use bivariate statistics and multiple logistic and linear regression analyses to assess racial/ethnic disparities in nutrition activation and food behaviour outcomes. Setting USA. Subjects Adult participants (n 7825) in the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results Nutrition activation varies across racial/ethnic groups and is a statistically significant predictor of SSB, fast-food and restaurant-food consumption and daily energy intake. Based on the sample distribution, an increase from the 25th to 75th percentile in nutrition activation is associated with a decline of about 377 kJ (90 kcal)/d. Increased nutrition activation is associated with a larger decline in SSB consumption among whites than among blacks and foreign-born Latinos. Fast-food consumption is associated with a larger 'spike' in daily energy intake among blacks (+1582 kJ (+378 kcal)/d) than among whites (+678 kJ (+162 kcal)/d). Conclusions Nutrition activation is an important but understudied determinant of energy intake and should be explicitly incorporated into obesity prevention interventions, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities.
Reconstructing the end of the Appalachian orogeny

In contrast to crustal deformation observed in the actively forming Himalayas, where shallowly dipping crustal detachments extend over hundreds of kilometers, prior work on the Paleozoic southern Appalachian orogeny inferred that the final continental collision occurred on a steeply dipping crustal suture, permitting collision models that are dominated by strike-slip motion. Here, we use scattered seismic phases to instead reveal the Appalachian (Alleghanian) crustal suture as a low-angle (<∼15°) southward-dipping interface that soles into a flat-lying mid-crustal detachment. The observed suture geometry implies more than 300 km of head-on shortening across a plate boundary structure similar to the Himalayan mid-crustal detachment, indicating that this mode of deformation has been fundamental in continental collisions over hundreds of millions of years.
Autofluorescent nanoparticles for the detection of malaria-infection indicator

Malaria plagues seriously in some tropical areas of the world, partly due to the lack of low-cost, sensitive diagnostic tools accessible. A simple way for fast monitoring malaria infection is to detect the elevated level of heme in the blood serum. Albumins are widely used in bioengineering due to their low-cost, good biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Herein we report that glutaraldehyde cross-linked bovine serum albumin (BSA) forms a suspension of novel fluorescent nanoparticles with an average size of ∼40 nm, exhibiting strong green autofluorescence. Autofluorescent nanoparticles were then developed as a novel optical probe for heme detection. Its application for ultrasensitive heme/hemin detection was demonstrated as the fluorescence intensity of the protein nanoparticles were quenched significantly upon the titration of hemin. The ultrasensitive sensing performance is ascribed to Photo-induced Electron Transfer (PET) as well as specific interaction between hemin and the fluorescent protein nanoparticles. The present study provides insights into the design of a cheap, simple and highly sensitive heme/hemin fluorescence biosensor which holds great potential for rapid and sensitive malaria diagnosis.
Information, Life and Brains

As we look around us we realize that much of the human environment appears to be made up of discrete clumps of matter, objects with clearly defined, sharp boundaries. It is our experience from daily life (and from precise observations in the laboratory) that the presence of one object may alter the state of other objects in some well-defined ways. We call this process an “interaction”, and consider it one of the fundamental, primary concepts, like space, time and measurement, with which science, and physics in particular, works.
Arrhythmias in Congenital Heart Disease

Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) must contend with a high arrhythmia burden. In some instances these disorders are intrinsic to the structural malformation itself and begin to cause difficulties early in life, as in the case of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in patients with Ebstein’s anomaly, or atrioventricular block in patients with “congenitally corrected” transposition of the great arteries. For most other patients with CHD, arrhythmias represent an acquired condition related to the fibrotic and hypertrophied myocardial substrate created by surgical scarring in conjunction with abnormal pressure/volume loads of long duration, which may not surface until a decade or two after repair. The abnormal anatomy encountered in CHD has a major impact on treatment, especially the technical aspects of interventions such as catheter ablation and placement of pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators. This chapter will attempt to review the major rhythm difficulties encountered in the CHD population, concentrating on those electrophysiologic features that distinguish this unique group from patients with more conventional forms of heart disease.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Compared to Unilateral Mastectomy with Routine Surveillance for Unilateral, Sporadic Breast Cancer

Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) rates in younger women with unilateral breast cancer have more than doubled. Studies of cost and quality of life of the procedure remain inconclusive. A cost-effectiveness analysis using a decision-tree model in TreeAge Pro 2015 was used to compare long-term costs and quality of life following unilateral mastectomy (UM) with routine surveillance versus CPM for sporadic breast cancer in women aged 45 years. A 10-year risk period for contralateral breast cancer (CBC), reconstruction, wound complications, cost of routine surveillance, and treatment for CBC were used to estimate accrued costs. In addition, a societal perspective was used to estimate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) following either treatment for a period of 30 years. Medical costs were obtained from the 2014 Medicare physician fee schedule and event probabilities were taken from recent literature. The mean cost of UM with surveillance was $14,141 and CPM was $20,319. Treatment with CPM resulted in $6178 more in costs but equivalent QALYs (17.93) compared with UM over 30 years of follow-up. Even with worst-case scenario and varying assumptions, CPM is dominated by UM in terms of cost and quality. From this refined model, UM with routine surveillance costs less and provides an equivalent quality of life. Patients undergoing CPM may eliminate the anxiety of routine surveillance, but they face the burden of higher lifetime medical costs.
Current Issues in Physical Abuse

Dr. Palusci begins with a review of the definitions and history of what we now call physical abuse, highlighting the patterns of injuries and epidemiologic risk factors which have shaped our understanding and approach current practices in identification, evaluation, treatment and services. Looking at key medical issues in diagnosis, he discusses skin lesions, fractures, head trauma and other injuries and their public health harms, costs, the impact of cultural practices, and aspects of our societal responses to physical abuse. He then reviews our current understanding of physical abuse prevention and what is needed in future policy and research to address this devastating form of child maltreatment.
Technology and the Assault on Truth

My research since 2000 has focused on Internet’s impact on ethics and journalism standards. Over the years, some leading voices in industry and education have been at odds with disclosures because ...
Motile Dendritic Cells Sense and Respond to Substrate Geometry

Dendritic cell (DC) migration is required for efficient presentation of antigen to T cells and the initiation of an adaptive immune response. In spite of its importance, many aspects of DC migration have not been characterized. DCs encounter a variety of environments with different stiffness and geometry, but the effect of these parameters on DC migration has not yet been determined. We addressed this question by comparing DC motility on standard migration surfaces (polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated coverslips) and micropost array detectors (mPADs). These two surfaces differ in both stiffness and geometry. We found that DC migration was affected by substrate type, with significant increases in speed and significant decreases in persistence time on mPADs made of PDMS as compared to spin-coated PDMS coverslips. To determine whether the geometry or compliance of the post arrays was responsible for these changes in DC migration, we quantified DC motility on mPADs of identical geometry but different stiffness. Migration was indistinguishable on these mPADs, suggesting that DCs are responsive to geometry of ligand presentation and not stiffness. Further, by micropatterning ligands on flat PDMS surfaces in similar geometries to the mPAD arrays, we determined that DCs respond to the geometry of printed ligand. Finally, we used a variety of small molecule inhibitors to identify pathways involved in geometry sensing. We saw a significant role for myosin contractility and α5β1 integrin engagement. We also noted significant reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton into dynamic actin rings when DCs were motile on posts. From these experiments, we conclude that DCs are insensitive to substrate compliance in the range tested but respond to changes in geometry via a mechanism that involves integrin function, myosin contractility, and remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. As a possible explanation, we postulate a consistent role for filopodial extension and contraction as the driver of DC motility.
Arsenic-induced apoptosis in the p53-proficient and p53-deficient cells through differential modulation of NFkB pathway

Abstract Arsenic is a well-known environmental carcinogen and an effective chemotherapeutic agent. The underlying mechanism of this dual-effect, however, is not fully understood. In this study, we applied mouse p53+/+ and p53−/− cells to examine the NFκB pathway and proinflammatory cytokines after arsenic treatment. Arsenic reduced cell viability and increased more apoptosis in the p53−/− cells as compared to p53+/+ cells, which was correlated with activation of SAPK/JNK, p38 MAPK, and AKT pathways. A transcriptional regulatory network analysis revealed that arsenic activated transcription regulatory elements E2F, Egr1, Trp53, Stat6, Bcl6, Creb2 and ATF4 in the p53+/+ cells, while in the p53−/− cells, arsenic treatment altered transcription factors NFκB, Pparg, Creb2, ATF4, and Egr1. We observed dynamic changes in phosphorylated NFκB p65 (p-NFκB p65) and phosphorylated IKKαβ (p-IKKαβ) in both genotypes from 4 h to 24 h after treatment, significant decreases of p-NFκB p65 and p-IKKαβ in the p53−/− cells, whereas increases of p-NFκB p65 and p-IKKαβ were observed in the p53+/+ cells. Our study confirmed the differential modulation of NFκB pathway by arsenic in the p53+/+ or p53−/− cells and this observation of the differential mechanism of cell death between the p53+/+ and p53−/− cells might be linked to the unique ability of arsenic to act as both a carcinogen and a chemotherapeutic agent.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: important diagnosis or dietary fad?

The popularity and increased availability of gluten-free foods allow patients with celiac disease to lead a more normal lifestyle. It is important to understand that in the absence of gluten-related symptoms, a gluten-free diet is not synonymous with healthy and may only add increased cost with no benefit.
High glucose downregulates glucose transport activity in retinal capillary pericytes but not endothelial cells

PURPOSE To characterize the properties of the glucose transporters of bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells and pericytes and to determine the effects of increased glucose concentrations on glucose transport activity. METHODS Primary cultures of bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells and pericytes were exposed to low and high glucose concentrations, and immunoblot analysis, 14C-3-O-methylglucose transport activity, and cytochalasin B binding assays were used to characterize the glucose transporters. RESULTS GLUT1, but not GLUT3 or GLUT4 transporter isoforms, was present in plasma membranes isolated from each cell type. The EC50 for glucose transport was similar in endothelial cells and pericytes (3.94 to 0.48 mM versus 2.24 to 0.69 mM) and was consistent with the EC50 previously reported for GLUT1 transporters on other cells, as was the observation that insulin did not acutely stimulate glucose transport in either cell type. The Vmax for glucose transport was greater in pericytes than endothelial cells (71 to 25 versus 14.5 to 0.8 pmol/10 s/g DNA). Exposure of pericytes to 20 mM glucose for 8 days decreased the initial maximal rate of glucose transport by 30%, compared to pericytes cultured in 5 mM glucose (187 to 7 versus 133 to 9 fmol/20 s/g DNA, P < 0.01), but had no effect on glucose transport activity in endothelial cells. Culture in high glucose decreased the apparent amount of immunoreactive pericyte plasma membrane GLUT1 in immunoblots (0.611 to 0.055 versus 1.0 relative density units), decreased the binding of 3H-cytochalasin B to pericyte plasma membranes, and decreased the mRNA level for GLUT1 in pericytes by 25%. CONCLUSIONS High-glucose concentrations downregulate glucose transport activity and GLUT 1 content in retinal capillary pericytes but not in endothelial cells. This effect occurred at a pretranslational level. The selective effects of high-glucose concentrations on retinal capillary pericytes in culture might be related to the selective effects of hyperglycemia on these cells in vivo.
Privacy and Trust: What Money Can’t Buy. Die strategische Bedeutung persönlicher Information

Schlagworte wie „Personalisierung“, „One-to-One Marketing“ und „Permission Marketing“ kundigen seit einigen Jahren den „heiligen Gral“ der elektronischen Kundenbeziehung an: Die perfekte, automatische Ansprache und Bedienung von Kunden auf Basis genauer Informationen uber deren Bedurfnisse. Ergebnisse sollen eine erhohte Kundenzufriedenheit, besseres Cross- und Up-Selling, reduzierte Streuverluste und eine optimale Kundenbindung sein. Voraussetzung fur all diese Ziele ist jedoch die Erstellung detaillierter Kundenprofile, wodurch das Thema „Privacy“ im E-Business-Kontext eine ganz neue Brisanz erhalt.