cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moesin, a new cytoskeletal protein and constituent of filopodia: Its role in cellular functions

Cell motility, cell attachment and cell-cell interaction are basic cellular processes that are of fundamental importance during early development, injury and repair responses or in the progression of tumors to metastatic disease. Cell movements often occur over large distances and the cells utilize tracks (substrates) that are frequently modified, such as addition of galactose to laminin by cell surface galactosyl transferase [1] or proteolysis [2]. The invasion of developing tissues by other cell types, for example, mesenchymal cells migrating into the ureteral bud [3], presumably involves an invasive phase that includes: cell-matrix and cell-cell recognition phenomena, cell locomotion, and tissue degradation; a positioning phase of the cell, in which stable interactions are formed that presumably have been intiated as a result of specific and appropriate cell-matrix and cell-cell contacts; and finally, a phase in which the cells grow, differentiate and become polarized. Short-term movements often occur in development during epithelial-mesenchymal transformations and cell rearrangements in the early embryo. These cells change their morphology from that of a quiescent epithelium (polarized, stable contacts at the basal side and between cells) to a motile cell that extricates itself from the epithelial cell layer [4]. These cells change shape, develop cell processes such as filopodia, microspikes, blebs, etc., and eventually begin to migrate [5]. It is tempting to speculate that the cellular protrusions in these situations serve to probe the environment and/or the extracellular matrix (ECM), for attachment sites and other ligands [6]. In support of this idea are a number of examples from different cell systems, in which receptors have been found to be concentrated in filopodia [7]. These complex developmentally regulated phenomena also seem to signal transitions of cells from one state to another and are transient in nature. Another way of looking at these phenomena is to establish cells in culture and to analyze their behavior in response to obviously different conditions, such as tissue culture plastic, growth media, and various stimuli:chemotactic factors, growth factors, biological or other substrates, cytokines, etc. A fairly large body of information has been compiled of these attempts to not only establish often highly differentiated cells in culture, but also to understand some of the principal mechanisms controlling cell behavior. Beginning with the description of various cellular elements involved in cell movement by Abercrombie et al [8, 9], to the analysis of specialized cell attachment sites with interference reflection microscopy [10], by immunoelectron and light microscopy, of cell shape by scanning electron microscopy [11, 12], it is clear that much has been learned, but these complex processes are still not understood.
NON-LOCAL EFFECTS IN THIN FILM GROWTH

We provide an overview of the background and recent developments in the study of the morphology evolution of thin film growth. In particular, complex non-local growth effects, including the shadowing effect and the re-emission effect, have been recently shown to significantly alter an evolving growth front. The physical principles behind these non-local effects are discussed, along with techniques used by researchers in the field to model such growth.
Insulin activates caspase-3 by a phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-dependent pathway.

Abstract Activation of the caspase proteases by c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) has been proposed as a mechanism of apoptotic cell death. Here we report that insulin activates caspase-3 by a pathway requiring phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3-kinase). JNK1 assays demonstrated that insulin treatment of myeloma cells induced 3-fold activation of JNK1. Inhibition of PI3-kinase with wortmannin and LY294002 blocked insulin-dependent activation of JNK1. Caspase assays demonstrated that insulin increased caspase-3 activity 3-fold and that inhibition of PI3-kinase blocked this effect. Cell death was doubled by insulin and was due to a 3-fold increase in apoptosis of cells in the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle. Inhibition of PI3-kinase completely blocked this effect. Finally, inhibition of caspase-3 with benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-2,6-dichlorobenzoyloxymethylketone blocked cell death due to insulin. Taken together, these findings indicate that insulin activates caspase-3 by a PI3-kinase-dependent pathway resulting in increased apoptosis and cell death.
Identification of a Transforming Growth Factor-β1/Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 (TGF-β1/BMP4) Response Element within the Mouse Tissue Transglutaminase Gene Promoter

Abstract Tissue transglutaminase is a calcium-dependent, protein cross-linking enzyme that is highly expressed in cells undergoing apoptosis. The expression of tissue transglutaminase is regulated by a variety of molecules including retinoids, interleukin-6, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Retinoid and interleukin-6 inductions of tissue transglutaminase expression are mediated by specificcis-regulatory elements located within the first 4.0 kilobase pairs of the promoter of the gene. The present studies were designed to identify the molecular mechanisms mediating the regulation of tissue transglutaminase gene expression by TGF-β family members. Transient transfection of Mv1Lu cells with transglutaminase promoter constructs demonstrated that 0.2 nm TGF-β1 maximally induced the activation of the promoter through a 10-base pair TGF-β1 response element (TRE; GAGTTGGTGC) located 868 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site. This same element mediated an inhibitory activity of TGF-β1 on the transglutaminase promoter in MC3T3 E1 cells. The TRE through which TGF-β1-regulated the activity of the transglutaminase promoter was necessary and sufficient for bone morphogenetic protein 2- (BMP) and BMP4-dependent inhibition of the tissue transglutaminase promoter. The TGF-β1, BMP2, and BMP4 regulation of the transglutaminase promoter activity was similar to the responses we observed for the endogenous transglutaminase activity of Mv1Lu and MC3T3 E1 cells. For BMP2 and BMP4, this regulation was paralleled by a decrease in tissue transglutaminase mRNA in MC3T3 E1 cells. The results of these experiments suggest that TGF-β1, BMP2, and BMP4 regulation of mouse tissue transglutaminase gene expression requires a composite TRE located in the 5′-flanking DNA.
An Objective Methodology for Task Analysis and Workload Assessment in Anesthesia Providers

BackgroundAdministering anesthesia is a complex task in which either human or equipment failure can have disastrous consequences. An improved understanding of the nature of the anesthesiologist's job could provide a more rational basis for improvements in provider training as well as the design of a
Integration of Large Deformation Finite Element and Multibody System Algorithms

This paper presents an overview of research and development efforts that are currently being devoted to integrate large deformation finite element formulations with flexible multibody system algorithms. The goal is to develop computer simulation capabilities for the analysis of physics and engineering models with significant details. The successful development of such new and integrated algorithms will also allow modeling and simulation of systems that cannot be solved using existing computer algorithms and codes. One of the main difficulties encountered in this integration process is attributed to the fact that the solution procedures used in finite element codes differ significantly from those used in general-purpose flexible multibody system codes. Finite element methods employ the corotational formulations that are often used with incremental solution procedures. Flexible multibody computer codes, on the other hand, do not, in general, use incremental solution procedures. Three approaches are currently being explored by academic institutions and the software industry. In the first approach, gluing algorithms that aim at performing successful simulations by establishing an interface between existing codes are used. Using different coordinates and synchronizing the time stepping are among several challenging problems that are encountered when gluing algorithms are used. In the second approach, multibody system capabilities are implemented in existing finite element algorithms that are based on large rotation vector formulations. For the most part, corotational formulations and incremental solution procedures are used in this case. In the third approach, a new large deformation finite element formulation that can be successfully implemented in flexible multibody system computer algorithms that employ nonincremental solution procedures is introduced. The approach that is now being developed in several institutions is based on the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation. Such a formulation can be systematically implemented in general-purpose flexible multibody system computer algorithms. Nonlinear constraint equations that describe mechanical joints between different bodies can be formulated in terms of the absolute coordinates in a straightforward manner. The coupling between the motion of rigid, flexible, and very flexible bodies can also be accurately described. The successful integration of large deformation finite element and multibody system algorithms will lead to a new generation of computer codes that can be systematical and efficiently used in the analysis of many engineering applications. DOI: 10.1115/1.2756075
Comparison of geodetic and glaciological mass-balance techniques, Gulkana Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A

The net mass balance on Gulkana Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A., has been measured since 1966 by the glaciological method, in which seasonal balances are measured at three index sites and extrapolated over large areas of the glacier. Systematic errors can accumulate linearly with time in this method. Therefore, the geodetic balance, in which errors are less time-dependent, was calculated for comparison with the glaciological method. Digital elevation models of the glacier in 1974, 1993 and 1999 were prepared using aerial photographs, and geodetic balances were computed, giving – 6.0 ± 0.7 m w.e. from 1974 to 1993 and -11.8 ± 0.7 m w.e. from 1974 to 1999. These balances are compared with the glaciological balances over the same intervals, which were – 5.8 ± 0.9 and -11.2 ± 1.0 m w.e. respectively; both balances show that the thinning rate tripled in the 1990s. These cumulative balances differ by <6%. For this close agreement, the glaciologically measured mass balance of Gulkana Glacier must be largely free of systematic errors and be based on a time-variable area-altitude distribution, and the photography used in the geodetic method must have enough contrast to enable accurate photogrammetry.
High-Energy Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction and Its Application to In Situ Structural Phase-Transition Studies in Complex Sample Environments

A solid may undergo a phase transition due to internal interaction competition or external stimuli. It is increasingly recognized that the lattice degrees of freedom often play a crucial role, especially in the vicinity of competing phases, where many intriguing properties exist. A crystal structure transition is usually accompanied by a drastic change in the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and other properties. In situ study of the microscopic structural information of materials during phase transformation is of ultimate importance not only in understanding fundamental mechanisms but also in developing and processing advanced materials for broad technological applications. The availability of synchrotron-generated high-flux and high-energy x-rays has significantly advanced the field of materials research because of the deep penetration and low absorption of high-energy x-rays. Synchrotron high-energy x-ray diffraction facilities provide great research opportunities, especially for probing structural phase transformations of bulk materials in real time and in realistic conditions. In this overview we present technical details and capabilities of a synchrotron high-energy x-ray facility and its applications to in situ structural investigations of phase transitions in advanced materials in research areas ranging from condensed-matter and materials science and engineering to energy science.
Diethylstilbestrol selectively modulates plasma coagulation protein synthesis by the perfused rat liver.

The combined effects of orchiectomy and estrogen administration on synthesis of selected hepatic secretory proteins--antithrombin (AT) III, plasminogen, fibrinogen, factor II (prothrombin), factor VII, fibronectin, and albumin--were studied using the isolated rat liver perfused in vitro for ten hours. Male rat liver donors underwent orchiectomy under ether anesthesia and then received 5.0 mg of diethylstilbestrol (DES) by subcutaneous pellet implantation or a placebo pellet; 14 days later the livers were extracted and perfused in vitro for ten hours. In DES experiments, 1.0 mg of DES was also added directly to the liver perfusate at the outset. Pretreatment with DES resulted in significant increases in cumulative synthesis of factors II (65%) and VII (76%) and significant reduction in cumulative synthesis of both antithrombin III (20%; P = .03) and plasminogen (27%; P less than .01) compared to control perfusions, but synthesis of fibrinogen, fibronectin, and albumin was not significantly affected by addition of the hormone. Plasma samples collected from rat liver donors that had received DES showed similar effects on protein concentrations: significant decreases in concentration of plasminogen and antithrombin III were apparent with no significant changes in concentrations of fibrinogen, fibronectin, or albumin. In additional perfusions, “dose- response” experiments were conducted in which rat liver donors received a subcutaneous DES pellet of 0.5, 5.0, or 50 mg. Synthesis of plasminogen in this group of perfusions was progressively decreased as the concentration of DES administered to the rat liver donor increased. Synthesis of AT III was reduced to the same degree by 5.0 or 50 mg of DES, both being substantially lower than the 0.5-mg experiments. Concentrations of these two proteins in plasma samples from rat liver donors showed changes quite similar to those seen in perfusion experiments; however, plasma fibrinogen concentrations were not different among the three groups of rats.
Challenges and the elements of success in undergraduate research

Faculty are often hesitant to undertake undergraduate research projects since they often ask themselves whether undergraduates have sufficient training and knowledge to conduct research. Additionally faculty researchers may not have experience in project planning and management. This paper suggests effective strategies for success, based upon my experience directing a four-year research project.
CrossRoads: Seamless VM mobility across data centers through software defined networking

Most enterprises today run their applications on virtual machines (VMs). VM mobility - both live and offline, can provide enormous flexibility and also bring down OPEX (Operational Expenditure) costs. However, both live and offline migration of VMs is still limited to within a local network because of the complexities associated with cross subnet live and offline migration. These complexities mainly arise from the hierarchical addressing used by various layer 3 routing protocols. For cross data center VM mobility, virtualization vendors require that the network configuration of the new data center where a VM migrates must be similar to that of the old data center. This severely restricts wide spread use of VM migration across data center networks. For offline migration, the above limitations can be overcome by reconfiguring IP addresses for the migrated VMs. However, even this effort is non-trivial and time consuming as these IP addresses are embedded in various configuration files inside these VMs. As enterprises grow and new data centers emerge in different geographic locations, there is a need to interconnect these data centers in a way that allows seamless VM mobility. In this context, we present CrossRoads - a network fabric that provides layer agnostic and seamless live and offline VM mobility across multiple data centers. We leverage software defined networking and implement an OpenFlow based prototype of CrossRoads. CrossRoads extends the idea of location independence based on pseudo addresses proposed in recent research to work with a control plane overlay of OpenFlow network controllers in various data centers. We evaluate CrossRoads on an innovative testbed that leverages nested virtualization to emulate two data centers. Our results confirm that CrossRoads has negligible performance overhead as compared to a Default layer 2 network - its average performance was no worse than 2.3% as compared to Default fabric across all experiments. In some experiments, it even outperformed the Default by up to 30%.
Prior experience with conspecific signals enhances auditory midbrain responsiveness to conspecific vocalizations

There is a long history in neuroethology of investigating how communication signals influence the brain and behavior. It has become increasingly clear that brain areas associated with sensory processing are plastic in adults and that this plasticity is related to reproductive condition. However, the role of communication signal reception in adult auditory plasticity has received relatively little attention. Here, we investigated whether the reception of communication signals (a frog chorus) could enhance the responsiveness of the auditory system to future reception of communication signals (a single male call). We found that animals that had been exposed to 10 days of a male chorus had stronger auditory midbrain immediate early gene expression than animals that had been exposed to 10 days of random tones when tested with 30 min of male calls or 30 min of tones. Our results suggest that exposure to dynamic social stimuli, like frog choruses, may play an important role in shaping the neural and behavioral responses to communication signals.
Composite encapsulated papillary carcinoma and solid papillary carcinoma

Encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) and solid papillary carcinoma (SPC) are distinctive variants of intraductal papillary carcinomas, each accounting for <1% of breast carcinomas. Here we report a composite carcinoma consisting of EPC and SPC. A 73-year-old woman was found to have a high density mass in the left breast on mammogram. A biopsy showed intermediate to high grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Gross examination of the lumpectomy specimen revealed a solid, multinodular mass. Microscopic examination demonstrated two morphologically distinct intraductal carcinomas intermingled with each other. One had delicate papillae in multi-cystic spaces surrounded by thick fibrous capsule, consistent with EPC. The other had solid tumor nests with delicate fibrovascular cores. The cells were monotonous with round nuclei and salt and pepper-like chromatin, characteristic of SPC. The lack of myoepithelial cells within the papillae and at the periphery of the lesion was confirmed by immunostaining for p63 and CK5/6. Neuroendocrine differentiation of SPC was demonstrated by neuron specific enolase staining. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of composite EPC and SPC. It raises an interesting question as to a possible common pathway of carcinogenesis of these two rare variants.
Excitatory actions of norepinephrine on multiple classes of hippocampal CA1 interneurons

Norepinephrine (NE) causes an increase in the frequency of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in CA1 pyramidal neurons in vitro. The possibility that this increase in tonic inhibition is caused by an excitatory effect on inhibitory interneurons was investigated through whole-cell recordings from pyramidal cells and both whole-cell and cell-attached patch recordings from visualized interneurons in acute slices of rat hippocampus. Adrenergic agonists caused a large increase in the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous IPSCs recorded from pyramidal cells in the presence of ionotropic glutamate receptor blockers, but they had no effect on either the frequency or the amplitude of action potential-independent miniature IPSCs recorded in tetrodotoxin. This effect was mediated primarily by an alpha adrenoceptor, although a slight beta adrenoceptor-dependent increase in IPSCs was also observed. NE caused interneurons located in all strata to depolarize and begin firing action potentials. Many of these cells had axons that ramified throughout the stratum pyramidale, suggesting that they are responsible for the IPSCs observed in pyramidal neurons. This depolarization was also mediated by an alpha adrenoceptor and was blocked by a selective alpha 1- but not a selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist. However, a slight beta adrenoceptor-dependent depolarization was detected in those interneurons that displayed time-dependent inward rectification. In the presence of a beta antagonist, NE induced an inward current that reversed near the predicted K+ equilibrium potential and was not affected by changes in intracellular Cl- concentration. In the presence of an alpha 1 antagonist, NE induced an inwardly rectifying current at potentials negative to approximately -70 mV that did not reverse (between -130 and -60 mV), characteristics similar to the hyperpolarization-activated current (lh). However, the depolarizing action of NE is attributable primarily to the alpha 1 adrenoceptor-mediated decrease in K+ conductance and not the beta adrenoceptor-dependent increase in lh. These results provide evidence that NE increases action potential-dependent IPSCs in pyramidal neurons by depolarizing surrounding inhibitory interneurons. This potent excitatory action of NE on multiple classes of hippocampal interneurons may contribute to the NE-induced decrease in the spontaneous activity of pyramidal neurons and the antiepileptic effects of NE observed in vivo.
Structures of the Toxoplasma gliding motility adhesin

Micronemal protein 2 (MIC2) is the key adhesin that supports gliding motility and host cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii. With a von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domain and six thrombospondin repeat domains (TSR1–6) in its ectodomain, MIC2 connects to the parasite actomyosin system through its cytoplasmic tail. MIC2-associated protein (M2AP) binds noncovalently to the MIC2 ectodomain. MIC2 and M2AP are stored in micronemes as proforms. We find that the MIC2–M2AP ectodomain complex is a highly elongated 1:1 monomer with M2AP bound to the TSR6 domain. Crystal structures of N-terminal fragments containing the VWA and TSR1 domains for proMIC2 and MIC2 reveal a closed conformation of the VWA domain and how it associates with the TSR1 domain. A long, proline-rich, disulfide-bonded pigtail loop in TSR1 overlaps the VWA domain. Mannose α-C-linked to Trp-276 in TSR1 has an unusual 1C4 chair conformation. The MIC2 VWA domain includes a mobile α5-helix and a 22-residue disordered region containing two disulfide bonds in place of an α6-helix. A hydrophobic residue in the prodomain binds to a pocket adjacent to the α7-helix that pistons in opening of the VWA domain to a putative high-affinity state.
A volumetric MRI study of limbic, associative and sensorimotor striatal subregions in schizophrenia

Abstract Introduction Cognitive and emotional functioning is mediated by frontal–subcortical feedback loops. The striatum, a component of this circuitry, thus is a possible neural substrate of schizophrenia. Striatum volume, however, is believed to be differentially influenced by neuroleptic treatment due to an anterior–posterior D2 receptor density gradient. We thus rigorously parcellated it into subregions in order to assess whether neuroleptic effect on group differences is regionally specific. Methods 29 chronic, male, schizophrenia patients and 28 male, normal controls (NCs), group-matched for handedness, age, and parental SES, underwent structural brain imaging on a 1.5 Tesla GE system. We manually measured the volume, normalized for intracranial contents, of the striatum parcellated into anatomic subregions and their corresponding limbic, associative and sensorimotor functional subregions and performed clinical correlations. Results First, we found a localized bilateral enlargement of the posterior putamen in medicated chronic schizophrenia. Second, we showed associative striatal subregion volumes correlated with executive function in schizophrenia subjects and, to a lesser extent, in NCs. Third, we showed associative striatal subregions inversely correlated with negative symptoms but conversely, the ventral/limbic striatum did not correlate with positive or negative clinical symptoms. Discussion Our novel parcellation strategy, based on rigorous delineation of the ventral striatum, allowed for the demonstration of localized volumetric differences between schizophrenia and NCs. Furthermore, by parcellating the striatum into functional subregions we demonstrated significant positive correlations between the volume of the associative striatum and executive functioning in schizophrenia, adding further support to the importance of its role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Examination of the stress distribution in the tip of a pencil

The stresses within the tip of a pencil are examined theoretically, numerically, and experimentally to determine the position and orientation of the fracture surface. The von Mises stress is used to evaluate the impact of the normal and shear stresses due to compression, bending, torsion, and shear. The worst-case stress is shown to occur along the top edge of the inclined pencil point, where the normal stress is compressive. The resulting crack propagates diagonally downwards and towards the tip from this initial position, and is frequently observed to contain a cusp.
Nonenzymatic glycosylation of human hemoglobin at multiple sites

The most abundant minor hemoglobin component of human hemolysate is Hb A1c, which has glucose bound to the N-terminus of the beta chain by a ketoamine linkage. Hb A1c is formed slowly and continuously throughout the 120 day lifespan of the red cell. It can be synthesized in vitro by incubating purified hemoglobin with 14C-glucose. Other minor components, Hb A1a1 and Hb A1a2 are adducts of sugar phosphates at the N-terminus of the beta chain. Hb A1b contains an unidentified nonphosphorylated sugar at the beta N-terminus. In addition, a significant portion of the major hemoglobin component (Hb Ao) is also glycosylated by a glucose ketoamine linkage at other sites on the molecule, including the N-terminus of the alpha chain and the epsilon-amino group of several lysine residues on both the alpha and the beta chains. The results indicate that the interaction of glucose and hemoglobin is rather nonspecific and suggests that other proteins are modified in a similar fashion.
Relationships between body size and abundance in ecology.

Body size is perhaps the most fundamental property of an organism and is related to many biological traits, including abundance. The relationship between abundance and body size has been extensively studied in an attempt to quantify the form of the relationship and to understand the processes that generate it. However, progress has been impeded by the underappreciated fact that there are four distinct, but interrelated, relationships between size and abundance that are often confused in the literature. Here, we review and distinguish between these four patterns, and discuss the linkages between them. We argue that a synthetic understanding of size–abundance relationships will result from more detailed analyses of individual patterns and from careful consideration of how and why the patterns are related.
The regulation of primate immunodeficiency virus infectivity by Vif is cell species restricted: a role for Vif in determining virus host range and cross‐species transmission

The primate immunodeficiency virus Vif proteins are essential for replication in appropriate cultured cell systems and, presumably, for the establishment of productive infections in vivo. We describe experiments that define patterns of complementation between human and simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV and SIV) Vif proteins and address the determinants that underlie functional specificity. Using human cells as virus producers, it was found that the HIV-1 Vif protein could modulate the infectivity of HIV-1 itself, HIV-2 and SIV isolated from African green monkeys (SIVAGM). In contrast, the Vif proteins of SIVAGM and SIV isolated from Sykes' monkeys (SIVSYK) were inactive for all HIV and SIV substrates in human cells even though, at least for the SIVAGM protein, robust activity could be demonstrated in cognate African green monkey cells. These observations suggest that species-specific interactions between Vif and virus-producing cells, as opposed to between Vif and virus components, may govern the functional consequences of Vif expression in terms of inducing virion infectivity. The finding that the replication of murine leukemia virus could also be stimulated by HIV-1 Vif expression in human cells further supported this notion. We speculate that species restrictions to Vif function may have contributed to primate immunodeficiency virus zoonosis.
Nonlinear analyses of laterally loaded piles – A semi-analytical approach

Abstract This paper describes a semi-analytical, continuum mechanics-based method of calculating the non-linear response of pile foundations subjected to lateral loads. The displacement field in the soil is obtained as the product of a pile deflection function and displacement decay functions. Based on the incremental form of the virtual work, a system of coupled differential equations for the pile deflection and decay functions is derived and then solved by using the finite difference method, producing pile deflections, shear forces and bending moments, as well as displacements within the soil domain. The soil is modeled as an elasto-plastic material. The analysis is computationally efficient and produces results that are in good agreement with those from 3D finite element modeling with the same constitutive model for the soil. The method models laterally loaded pile response more realistically than the traditional p – y method at a comparable computational cost. The method is substantially more efficient than 3D finite element simulations. The proposed method offers a good alternative to the p – y method in contexts in which fast calculation of lateral pile response is required, such as in the design of piles for offshore wind farms.
A Mostly Purposivist Century: Theories of Constitutional Interpretation in the 1800s

Resounding in the debate between textualists and purposivists, is a pervasive, if subtle, historical narrative that figures purposivism as a twentieth-century phenomenon and textualism as a new-and-improved version of the text-focused, plain-meaning interpretation that predominated in the nineteenth century. This account gives textualists the historical high ground - the safe, traditional, and conservative choice - and puts purposivists in the position of having to defend a relatively recent and comparatively radical position. This accuracy of this account is belied, however, by nineteenth-century judges’ methods of constitutional interpretation, as expounded by treatise writers of the era. Their theories can be categorized in three groups, none of which is more than superficially textualist. First was an approach popularized by Joseph Story in mid-century that I call plain meaning purposivism. These thinkers embraced a strong plain meaning rule and a text-focused interpretive framework, but they founded their approach on a set of strongly intentionalist and purposivist notions of the overall meaning of the Constitution. This school was followed after the Civil War by a more direct form of purposivism that I refer to simply as conventional purposivism. These purposivists softened the plain-meaning purposivists’ meaning rule and counseled interpreters to more freely use extratextual indicia of constitutional and legislative intent. By the 1880s, a third and non-purposivist group had evolved: evolutionary constitutionalists. In their view, the Constitution should be interpreted not with regard to original intention but with a Burkean, Spencerian understanding of the nation’s evolving cultural, social, and economic character. The nineteenth century, then, was a mostly purposivist age. It was an era in which purposivism, in contrast to evolutionary constitutionalism, was the textually conservative choice, and in which textualism, which is founded on the fundamental rejection of intentionalism, did not exist. An understanding of this history is particularly pertinent today, as our interpretive discourse stands poised to discard purposivism and enter an age of textualist consensus.
Female patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve even before initiation of chemotherapy when compared with healthy controls and patients with other malignancies.

The purpose of this study is to investigate if female patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve prior to initiation of the lymphoma treatment. Sixty-four patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for fertility preservation were compared with 365 healthy controls undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation (controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH)) and 128 patients with other types of malignancy prompting fertility preservation. The data of all lymphoma patients, all elective, and all the patients with other types of malignancy who met the inclusion criteria and underwent COH for fertility preservation during the study period were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcomes included serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels (ng/mL) and antral follicle count (AFC). Patients in the lymphoma group demonstrated significantly lower AMH levels and AFC and had less oocytes harvested and cryopreserved when compared to healthy controls as well as patients with other malignancies. Patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve when compared with healthy controls and patients with other malignancies. This should be taken into consideration when deciding on the dose for COH.
Does National Context Matter in Ethical Decision Making? An Empirical Test of Integrative Social Contracts Theory

We tested the empirical validity of integrative social contracts theory by comparing the responses on an ethics survey of Americans working in Russia and in the United States. “Hypernorms” and “loc...
Abstract B49: Giant cancer stem cells of high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma .

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) have been observed by pathologists for over a century. PGCCs or nuclear atypia are an important diagnosis feature for high grade serous carcinoma and frequently present in post-chemotherapy patients and contribute to tumor heterogeneity, but their functions are largely undefined. Little attention has been given to these cells, largely because PGCCs have been generally thought to originate from repeated mitosis/cytokinesis failure and have no capacity for long-term survival and cell proliferation. Here we report that we successfully purified and cultured PGCCs from human ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian cancer. These cells are highly resistant to oxygen deprivation and could form through endoreduplication or cell fusion, generating regular-sized cancer cells through budding or burst. They are positive for normal and cancer stem cell markers, divided asymmetrically and cycled slowly. They can differentiate into adipose, cartilage, bone, and erythroid cells. A single PGCC formed cancer spheroids in vitro and generated tumors in immunodeficient mice. PGCC-derived tumor gained a mesenchymal phenotype with increased expression of cancer stem cell markers CD44 and CD133 and become more resistant to the treatment of cisplatin. Together, our results reveal that the PGCCs present a resistant form of human cancer cells like mother cancer stem cells that can contribute to generation of daughter cancer stem-like cells. The PGCCs may play a fundamental role in regulating tumor heterogeneity, stemness, and chemoresistance in human cancer. In contrast to the phenotype unstable cancer stem cells selected by cell surface markers, PGCCs can be stably passaged and maintained, thus these cells provide reproducible experimental system to study mechanisms involved in generation of ovarian cancer stem cells. Citation Format: Jinsong Liu. Giant cancer stem cells of high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: Exploiting Vulnerabilities; Oct 17-20, 2015; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B49.
A Systematic Review of Tools Used to Assess Team Leadership in Health Care Action Teams

PurposeTo summarize the characteristics of tools used to assess leadership in health care action (HCA) teams. HCA teams are interdisciplinary teams performing complex, critical tasks under high-pressure conditions.MethodThe authors conducted a systematic review of the PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, E
Treatment of Low Energy Lisfranc Joint Injuries in a Young Athletic Population Primary Arthrodesis Compared with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

Objectives:Acute Lisfranc joint injuries have historically been associated with high-energy trauma, and high quality data exists describing injury patterns and recommended treatment protocols. Ther...
Ecthyma gangrenosum secondary to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) is a well-described skin manifestation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia in immunocompromised patients. However, it can be seen in association with other bacteria, viruses, and fungi. We report a case of a 54-year-old African American female with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and recent chemotherapy and neutropenia who developed EG-like lesions due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. We also review the literature to evaluate all reported cases of S aureus-associated EG and their clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.
Conductivity of Block Copolymer Electrolytes Containing Lithium Polysulfides

Lithium–sulfur batteries are attractive due to their high theoretical specific energy, but the dissolution of lithium polysulfide intermediate species formed during discharge results in capacity fade and limited cycle life. In this study we present the first measurements of ionic conductivity of the polysulfides in a nanostructured block copolymer. The morphology, thermal properties, and the conductivities of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (SEO) containing lithium polysulfides, Li2Sx (x = 4, 8), were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and ac impedance spectroscopy. We also measured conductivities of mixtures of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and Li2Sx. X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to confirm the nature of dissolved polysulfides. SAXS measurements on SEO/Li2Sx mixtures indicated that all samples had a lamellar morphology. DSC measurements indicated that SEO/Li2S8 interactions were more favorable than SEO/Li2S4 interactions. The effect of na...
Cigarette smoking and the association with serous ovarian cancer in African American women: African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES)

Smoking is a risk factor for mucinous ovarian cancer (OvCa) in Caucasians. Whether a similar association exists in African Americans (AA) is unknown. We conducted a population-based case–control study of incident OvCa in AA women across 11 geographic locations in the US. A structured telephone interview asked about smoking, demographic, health, and lifestyle factors. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95% CI) were estimated from 613 cases and 752 controls using unconditional logistic regression in multivariable adjusted models. Associations were greater in magnitude for serous OvCa than for all OvCa combined. Compared to never smokers, increased risk for serous OvCa was observed for lifetime ever smokers (1.46, 1.11–1.92), former smokers who quit within 0–2 years of diagnosis (5.48, 3.04–9.86), and for total pack-years smoked among lifetime ever smokers (0–5 pack-years: 1.79, 1.23–2.59; >5–20 pack-years: 1.52, 1.05–2.18; >20 pack-years: 0.98, 0.61–1.56); however, we observed no dose–response relationship with increasing duration or consumption and no significant associations among current smokers. Smoking was not significantly associated with mucinous OvCa. Associations for all OvCa combined were consistently elevated among former smokers. The proportion of ever smokers who quit within 0–2 years was greater among cases (23%) than controls (7%). Cigarette smoking may be associated with serous OvCa among AA, which differs from associations reported among Caucasians. Exposure misclassification or reverse causality may partially explain the absence of increased risk among current smokers and lack of dose–response associations. Better characterization of smoking patterns is needed in this understudied population.
Optical characterization of polar HfO2 nanoparticles in the mid- and far-infrared

Monoclinic HfO2 nanoparticles with nominal diameters of 9, 30, and 45 nm are characterized using transmission and reflection spectroscopy from the mid- to far-infrared. Phonon modes are identified in the measured spectra and agree with previously reported values in HfO2 thin films and density functional perturbation theory calculations. An anomaly in both reflection and transmission is observed at 556 cm−1 that is not attributed to the optical phonon modes. Numerical models predict a localized surface phonon polariton mode near this frequency, and we attribute the anomaly to coupling to this surface mode. The results of this work suggest that HfO2 nanoparticles could enable engineered optical properties in new mid- and far-infrared materials and devices.
Consumer health information seeking in social media: a literature review.

Objective The objective of this literature review was to summarise current research regarding how consumers seek health-related information from social media. Primarily, we hope to reveal characteristics of existing studies investigating the health topics that consumers have discussed in social media, ascertaining the roles social media have played in consumers’ information-seeking processes and discussing the potential benefits and concerns of accessing consumer health information in social media. Methods The Web of Science Core Collection database was searched for existing literature on consumer health information seeking in social media. The search returned 214 articles, of which 21 met the eligibility criteria following review of full-text documents. Conclusion Between 2011 and 2016, twenty-one studies published explored various topics related to consumer information seeking in social media. These ranged from online discussions on specific diseases (e.g. diabetes) to public health concerns (e.g. pesticide residues). Consumers’ information needs vary depending on the health issues of interest. Benefits of health seeking on social media, in addition to filling a need for health information, include the social and emotional support health consumers gain from peer-to-peer interactions. These benefits, however, are tempered by concerns of information quality and authority and lead to decreased consumer engagement.
Creating a Structured Adverse Outcome Pathway Knowledgebase via Ontology-Based Annotations

Abstract The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is increasingly used to integrate data based on traditional and emerging toxicity testing paradigms. As the number of AOP descriptions has increased, so has the need to define the AOP in computable terms. Herein, we present a comprehensive annotation of 172 AOPs housed in the AOP-Wiki as of December 4, 2016, using terms from existing biological ontologies. AOP Key Events (KEs) were assigned ontology terms using a concept called the Event Component, which consists of a Process, an Object, and an Action term, with each term originating from ontologies and other controlled vocabularies. Annotation of KEs with ontology classes from 14 ontologies and controlled vocabularies resulted in a total of 685 KEs being annotated with a total of 809 Event Components. A set of seven conventions resulted, defining the annotation of KEs via Event Components. This expanded annotation of AOPs allows computational reasoners to aid in both AOP development and applications. I...
Hypopharyngeal evaluation in obstructive sleep apnea with awake flexible laryngoscopy: Validation and updates to Cormack-Lehane and Modified Cormack-Lehane scoring systems.

Objective To validate the use of Cormack-Lehane and Modified Cormack-Lehane scoring systems to classify patterns of hypopharyngeal airway visualization seen during awake flexible laryngoscopy among patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Study design Validation study using samples collected from a prospective database. Setting University Medical Center. Participants Data were obtained from a retrospective review of a prospective database of flexible fiberoptic examination recordings in 274 consecutive OSA subjects (Stanford Sleep Medicine/Surgery Clinic). Main outcome measures Single still images from awake fiberoptic laryngoscopy examinations of the vocal cords from 90 different patients were presented to 2 experts and 4 novice raters. Raters used two grading systems (Cormack-Lehane scale and Modified Cormack-Lehane) to rate vocal cord visualization. Percent agreement and Cohen's kappa statistical analysis were used to evaluate inter-rater reliability and intrarater reliability for each grading system. Feedback from the participants was then used to propose updates to further improve upon the existing grading scales for their applicability to awake flexible endoscopy. Results The Cormack-Lehane and Modified Cormack-Lehane scale both communicate unobstructed and restricted views of the vocal cords reliably. Compared to the 4-grade scale, however, a modified 5-grade Vocal Cord Grading System allows for better objective communication of common variations in hypopharyngeal airway visualization. Conclusion We propose a 5-Grade Vocal Cord Grading System that builds upon existing grading systems to allow for efficient and reliable communication of hypopharyngeal airway examination during awake fiberoptic laryngoscopy.
Magnetic Activity and the Solar-Stellar Connection

It has long been challenging to reconcile the incredibly detailed (spatially and in wavelength coverage) data available from solar observations with the less detailed observations of stellar activity. Nevertheless, the Sun is a relatively inactive star and stellar data is necessary to explore phenomena spanning the full range of activity. Most of our current understanding and the recent advances in this field have been made with telescopes smaller than 4-m in aperture. This is also likely to be the case for the near future of this field. In this contribution, some of the recent advances in active star research will be reviewed and directions for future work will be described. Much of the focus will be on longterm monitoring programs and high-resolution spectroscopy, particularly in the infrared portion of the spectrum, a capability that is often omitted from large telescope projects.