cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lymphopenia in Patients with Single‐ventricle Heart Disease after the Fontan Operation

Lymphopenia is common in patients with Fontan circulation and no history of protein-losing enteropathy, but this phenomenon has not been significantly described in the literature.We retrospectively identified patients with Fontan circulation who underwent catheterization between January 2003 and January 2013 at our center. Patients who had complete blood count with differential drawn within 12 months of the catheterization were included. Patients were excluded if complete blood count with differential was drawn in setting of possible infection or if there was history of protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). Possible associations between patient characteristics and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) were examined.Fifteen patients were included. The median age at catheterization was 10.2 years (3.8-26.9) and median time from Fontan operation was 6.5 years (0.7-22.1). Twelve (80%) patients had undergone extracardiac Fontan and 9 (60%) had fenestration placed. The median time between complete blood count with differential and catheterization was 2 days (0-346). The median inferior vena cava (IVC) pressure was 13 mm Hg (7-20). The median ALC was 1.5 × 10(3) /μL (0.8-4.5). Four patients (26.7%) met criteria for lymphopenia with ALC < lower limit of normal and 7 (46.7%) patients had an ALC ≤ lower limit of normal. ALC was not associated with any hemodynamic variables but was associated with platelet count (rho = 0.5, P = .04), total white blood cell count (rho = 0.8, P ≤ .001), and absolute monocyte count (0.7, P = .002).In a cohort of patients with Fontan circulation and no history of protein-losing enteropathy who underwent catheterization, lymphopenia was common and positively associated with low platelet count. Thrombocytopenia has been shown to correlate with the degree of hepatic fibrosis in those with Fontan and, thus, hepatic fibrosis may underlie lymphopenia in these patients.
Trastorno bipolar geriátrico

Resumen Dado que los ancianos es el segmento de la poblacion que crece mas rapidamente, el numero de ancianos con trastorno bipolar tambien va aumentando. El trastorno bipolar geriatrico es relativamente infrecuente, con una prevalencia-vida estimada de 0,5% a 1%, aunque aproximadamente del 4% al 17% de los pacientes ancianos en ambitos psiquiatricos clinicos padecen un trastorno bipolar. LOs pacientes bipolares ancianos padecen una carga de problemas medicos desproporcionada. Dadas la naturaleza compleja de este trastorno, la comorbilidad, y las alteraciones conductuales, diversas intervenciones pueden estar indicadas, entre las cuales se incluyen farmacoterapia, terapia electroconvulsiva, psicoterapias, y modelos de cuidados integrados. Es necesaria mayor investigacion para comprender mejor la epidemiologia, fenomenologia, y tratamiento del trastorno bipolar geriatrico.
Low power integrate and fire circuit for data conversion

We have developed an adaptively biased Integrate and Fire (I&F) circuit to reduce the power consumption of our ADC replacement approach. Unlike conventional circuits this I&F consumes no standby power. Power consumed is input signal dependent and increases exponentially as the input approaches the set threshold value. We describe the circuit model and present an intuitive as well as mathematical model for the power savings. Results from the chip fabricated in AMI 0.6 µm technology are also presented.
Update on differences between childhood-onset and adult-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease and occurs worldwide in both children and adults. The estimated annual incidence among children is 2.22/100,000 and among adults is 23.2/100,000 in the United States. There is increasing understanding about differences in disease manifestations, medication use, and disease severity between those with childhood-onset SLE as compared with adult-onset SLE. Children have a more fulminant disease onset and course than adults with SLE, resulting in two to three times higher mortality. In future years, we anticipate more insight into the genetics between childhood-onset SLE and adult-onset SLE to help delineate the best therapies for both subsets of patients.
Regular shock refraction at an oblique planar density interface in magnetohydrodynamics

We consider the problem of regular refraction (where regular implies all waves meet at a single point) of a shock at an oblique planar contact discontinuity separating conducting fluids of different densities in the presence of a magnetic field aligned with the incident shock velocity. Planar ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations indicate that the presence of a magnetic field inhibits the deposition of vorticity on the shocked contact. We show that the shock refraction process produces a system of five to seven plane waves that may include fast, intermediate, and slow MHD shocks, slow compound waves, 180◦ rotational discontinuities, and slow-mode expansion fans that intersect at a point. In all solutions, the shocked contact is vorticity free and hence stable. These solutions are not unique, but differ in the types of waves that participate. The set of equations governing the structure of these multiple-wave solutions is obtained in which fluid property variation is allowed only in the azimuthal direction about the wave-intersection point. Corresponding solutions are referred to as either quintuple-points, sextuple-points, or septuple-points, depending on the number of participating waves. A numerical method of solution is described and examples are compared to the results of numerical simulations for moderate magnetic field strengths. The limit of vanishing magnetic field at fixed permeability and pressure is studied for two solution types. The relevant solutions correspond to the hydrodynamic triple-point with the shocked contact replaced by a singular structure consisting of a wedge, whose angle scales with the applied field magnitude, bounded by either two slow compound waves or two 180◦ rotational discontinuities, each followed by a slow-mode expansion fan. These bracket the MHD contact which itself cannot support a tangential velocity jump in the presence of a non-parallel magnetic field. The magnetic field within the singular wedge is finite and the shock-induced change in tangential velocity across the wedge is supported by the expansion fans that form part of the compound waves or follow the rotational discontinuities. To verify these findings, an approximate leading-order asymptotic solution appropriate for both flow structures was computed. The full and asymptotic solutions are compared quantitatively.
Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment and Cancer Cell Differentiation

Hypoxia or oxygen deficiency is a salient feature of solid tumors. Hypoxic tumors are often resistant to conventional cancer therapies, and tumor hypoxia correlates with advanced stages of malignancy. Hypoxic tumors appear to be poorly differentiated. Increasing evidence suggests that hypoxia has the potential to inhibit tumor cell differentiation and thus plays a direct role in the maintenance of cancer stem cells. Studies have also shown that hypoxia blocks differentiation of mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, a potential source of tumor-associated stromal cells. It is therefore likely that hypoxia may have a profound impact on the evolution of the tumor stromal microenvironment. These observations have led to the emergence of a novel paradigm for a role of hypoxia in facilitating tumor progression. Hypoxia may help create a microenvironment enriched in poorly differentiated tumor cells and undifferentiated stromal cells. Such an undifferentiated hypoxic microenvironment may provide essential cellular interactions and environmental signals for the preferential maintenance of cancer stem cells. This hypothesis suggests that effectively targeting hypoxic cancer stem cells is a key to successful tumor control.
Size at Birth Predicts Age at Menarche

Objective. This study examines the relationship of intrauterine growth, measured by size and maturity at birth, to age at menarche, while also considering a wide range of other factors that may affect maturation. The research is motivated by the current debate about the importance of the prenatal environment as a determinant of later disease risk. Methods. Data were collected during the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. This community-based study has followed a cohort of several thousand Filipino infants since their birth in 1983 to 1984. Participants live in urban and rural communities of Metro Cebu, the second largest metropolitan area of the Philippines. The analysis sample includes 997 girls 14 to 15 years of age. The main outcome measure is age at menarche, determined from girls9 self-report of the month and year of first menses. Factors that influenced age at menarche were identified using Weibull parametric survival time models. The main exposure variables of interest included weight and length (measured by trained field staff) and gestational age (assessed from mother9s reported date of last menstrual period, augmented by clinical assessments at birth). The analysis also takes into account a wide range of other factors that are likely to affect age at menarche. These include the girls9 early postnatal growth rates, premenarcheal body composition (body mass index and skinfold thicknesses measured at 8 years), current diet (measured by two 24-hour dietary recalls), and socioeconomic conditions of the household in which they live. We also assessed the contribution of maternal characteristics, including age at menarche, height, and nutritional status while pregnant with the study child. Results. The median age at menarche calculated from the hazard model is 13.1 years, with 50% of girls attaining menarche between 12.4 and 13.9 years. Earlier menarche is characteristic of girls who live in urban, higher socioeconomic status households, as indicated by higher maternal education, better housing quality, and possession of assets, such as a TV or refrigerator. Age at menarche is significantly associated with birth characteristics. Although birth weight alone was not significantly related to age at menarche, girls who were relatively long and thin at birth (>49 cm, Conclusions. The study provides additional evidence of fetal programming of later health outcomes by showing that future growth and maturation trajectories are established in utero. Furthermore, rapid postnatal growth potentiates the effects of size at birth and is related independently to earlier pubertal maturation.
Cardiac catheterisation in infants weighing less than 2500 grams

Objectives: To investigate the indications for, and outcome of, cardiac catheterisation in infants weighing less than 2500 g at a single institution over an 8-year period. Patients and Methods: We assessed all infants who were less than 2500 g at the time of cardiac catheterisation at Texas Children's Hospital from January 1993 to January 2001. Comparisons of morbidity and mortality were drawn with an equivalent number of infants of similar age weighing greater than 2500 g seen over the same period of time. Results: We performed interventional procedures in 22, and diagnostic catheterisations in 12 infants weighing less than 2500 g. Interventions included pulmonary valvoplasty in six patients, balloon angioplasty of critical coarctation in one, aortic valvoplasty in two, septostomy in ten, and coil occlusion of an arteriovenous malformation, redirection of a subclavian venous line, and coil occlusion of a patent arterial duct in one patient each. The median age at catheterisation was 5 days for children less than 2500 g, and 10 days for those above 2500 g. The median weights were 2.3 kg and 3.3 kg, and the median gestational ages were 35 weeks and 38 weeks, for the two respective groups. Of those weighing less than 2500 g, two died (6%), with no deaths occurring in those weighing more than 2500 g. In 3 patients weighing less than 2500 g (9%), there was vascular compromise, one child with bilateral femoral venous obstruction requiring fasciotomy compared, to one in the group weighing greater than 2500 g (2%). Conclusion: There is a significantly increased risk of mortality and vascular compromise in infants weighing less than 2500 g. Interventional catheterisation in these infants may be lifesaving, but given the aforementioned risks, diagnostic catheterisation should be deferred if possible in favor of noninvasive modalities.
Critical Issues in Career Development and Employment Preparation for Adolescents with Disabilities.

This article examines critical issues facing educators who are concerned with preparing adolescents with disabilities to meet the challenges of successful career planning and employment. Two issues at the forefront of career development and employment preparation are discussed in light of the results from a qualitative research study that used interactive focus groups to examine the perspectives of students with disabilities about their experiences with career development and employment preparation. The data presented in this article focus specifically on students with disabilities and their perspectives regarding identification of careers and future employment and the role their families played in career development.
Regeneration in cervic cancer after 252Cf neutron brachytherapy

Abstract Regeneration of clonogens in human cervical cancer was assessed by the pathological evaluation of the hysterectomy specimen after intracavitary 252 Cf neutron brachytherapy implants separated by varying time intervals followed by extrafascial hysterectomy. In this study, patients with bulky/barrel shaped Stage IB cervical cancers received 252 Cf implants plus ∼-45 Gy of whole pelvis linear accelerator radiotherapy in ∼-25 fractions in 5 weeks followed by hysterectomy 4–6 weeks after radiotherapy. The specimens were studied grossly and microscopically for residual tumor. It was found that the fraction of positive specimens increased with elapsed time interval between implants. These findings support the hypothesis that there is repopulation of surviving clonogens with increased time interval between the implants. The observation also supports current concerns that rapid depopulation of tumor can lead to rapid repopulation, that is, rapid shrinkage of tumor can alter the physiological environment such that clonogens can rapidly regenerate.
The Effects of Social Class Identification on Participatory Orientations Towards Government

This article calls into question the common claim that class identity does not matter for American political behaviour. Using panel-study data spanning thirty-two years and two generations, we investigate the effects of social-class identity on five participatory orientations towards government. As expected, working-class identifiers in both generations consistently display lower levels of involvement in politics than do middle-class identifiers. Significantly, however, these differences typically persist when the analysis controls for objective indicators of class and are always enhanced among those who retain the same class identity over time. Rather than sustaining a conclusion that class identification has little relevance for Americans, the results suggest that class may be particularly important in the present political context.
Opportunistic transmission scheduling for multiuser MIMO systems

An opportunistic transmission scheduling scheme is proposed to make better use of the multiuser diversity gain in a MIMO system. The performance of a MIMO link is quantified by its information-theoretic capacity. Even though the base station has no knowledge of the transmission channel, the proposed algorithm generates a transmission randomizing matrix according to the distribution of the channel, so that it is likely that some user is near the "water-filling" configuration. The mobile users measure and feedback the channel quality. Based on this information, the base station schedules transmission to the user whose instantaneous channel capacity is the largest. Simulation results show that, over slow varying channels, or over Rician channels with a large K factor, opportunistic transmission scheduling can improve system performance in terms of channel capacity.
Computational exploration of the network of sequence flow between protein structures

We investigate small sequence adjustments (of one or a few amino acids) that induce large conformational transitions between distinct and stable folds of proteins. Such transitions are intriguing from evolutionary and protein-design perspectives. They make it possible to search for ancient protein structures or to design protein switches that flip between folds and functions. A network of sequence flow between protein folds is computed for representative structures of the Protein Data Bank. The computed network is dense, on the average each structure is connected to tens of other folds. Proteins with a higher-than-expected number of neighboring folds are more likely to be enzymes and alpha/beta fold. The large number of connections between folds may reflect the need of enzymes to adjust their structures for alternative substrates. The network of the Cro family is discussed and we speculate that capacity is an important factor (but not the only one) that determines protein evolution. The experimentally observed flip from all alpha to alpha+beta fold is examined by the network tools. A kinetic model for the transition of sequences between the folds (with only protein stability in mind) is proposed.
Inhalation Toxicity and Lung Toxicokinetics of C60 Fullerene Nanoparticles and Microparticles

While several recent reports have described the toxicity of water-soluble C60 fullerene nanoparticles, none have reported the toxicity resulting from the inhalation exposures to C60 fullerene nanoparticles or microparticles. To address this knowledge gap, we exposed male rats to C60 fullerene nanoparticles (2.22 mg/m3, 55 nm diameter) and microparticles (2.35 mg/m3, 0.93 microm diameter) for 3 h a day, for 10 consecutive days using a nose-only exposure system. Nanoparticles were created utilizing an aerosol vaporization and condensation process. Nanoparticles and microparticles were subjected to high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), XRD, and scanning laser Raman spectroscopy, which cumulatively indicated no chemical modification of the C60 fullerenes occurred during the aerosol generation. At necropsy, no gross or microscopic lesions were observed in either group of C60 fullerene exposures rats. Hematology and serum chemistry results found statistically significant differences, although small in magnitude, in both exposure groups. Comparisons of bronchoalveolar (BAL) lavage fluid parameters identified a significant increase in protein concentration in rats exposed to C60 fullerene nanoparticles. BAL fluid macrophages from both exposure groups contained brown pigments, consistent with C60 fullerenes. C60 lung particle burdens were greater in nanoparticle-exposed rats than in microparticle-exposed rats. The calculated lung deposition rate and deposition fraction were 41 and 50% greater, respectively, in C60 fullerene nanoparticle-exposed group than the C60 fullerene microparticle-exposed group. Lung half-lives for C60 fullerene nanoparticles and microparticles were 26 and 29 days, respectively. In summary, this first in vivo assessment of the toxicity resulting from inhalation exposures to C60 fullerene nanoparticles and microparticles found minimal changes in the toxicological endpoints examined. Additional toxicological assessments involving longer duration inhalation exposures are needed to develop a better and more conclusive understanding of the potential toxicity of inhaled C60 fullerenes whether in nanoparticle or microparticle form.
Strong Spherical Blast Waves in a Dust-Laden Gas

separation angle (af) could be determined from the disappearance of the pressure overshoot downstream of reattachment on the wedge. This criterion is less reliable for the axisymmetric case because the attached flow pressure distribution is already of this form with a locally two-dimensional pressure rise at the corner followed by a gradual decay to the cone value far downstream on the flare. Incipient separation was determined here by three methods which had given good agreement for the two-dimensional configuration.4'5 These were 1) looking for the onset of an increase in pressure and heat-transfer rate ahead of the flare; 2) looking for a change in the shape of the pressure and heattransfer distributions on the flare; and 3) by plotting the separation length (/) as measured from schlieren photographs, against flare angle and extrapolating to / = 0. The answers from these three methods agreed to within -|°. The results (Fig. 3) are compared with the wedge compression corner experiments of Elfstrom and Coleman.4'6 The results of Kuehn 2 for Mach numbers of 2 and 4 are also shown. All of the data exhibit the trend of decreasing a- with increasing Red where dL is the undisturbed boundary-layer thickness at the cylinder-flare junction. This is opposite to the trend noted by Rose, Page, and Childs in their nozzle wall experiments and may be the result of different upstream histories of the boundary layers in the two cases. Data are presented by Rose, Page, and Childs1 "which indicate that separation occurs in axially symmetric flows at much lower pressure rises than would be expected on the basis of previous data for planar two-dimensional flows." This conclusion is in direct contrast to the information given here and to that given by Kuehn, 2 both of which compare planar and axisymmetric external flows. Either there is a great difference between incipient separation on internal and external surfaces, or the determination of incipient separation is very sensitive to the detection method employed, as found for example by Spaid and Frishett.7 From a practical viewpoint, the designer needs to know when significant changes in pressure and heat-transfer rate distributions will occur as a result of separation so there is considerable merit in using such measurements to define incipient separation whenever possible. To summarize, our results have shown that for axisymmetric external flow the incipient separation angle is slightly higher than for the planar two-dimensional case. There is a close similarity between the surface pressure and heat transfer rate distributions for the two cases.
CLIMATOLOGY: COMPLEX, DYNAMIC, AND SYNOPTIC

Abstract : Origins, definitions, applications, and uses of three aspects of modern climatology (dynamic synoptic, and complex) are offered in this note. A survey of existing methods of climatic analysis was undertaken in an effort to sharpen the definitions in a Glossary of Meteorology being prepared by the American Meterological Society.
Prolonged Exposure to Insulin Suppresses Mitochondrial Production in Primary Hepatocytes

Insulin is the central regulator of metabolism and is necessary for storing energy as fat efficiently. Mitochondria are primary sites of energy consumption of most cells. Increased plasma insulin level and mitochondrial dysfunction are features of insulin resistance. The exact role of insulin in regulation of mitochondrial production and function remains unestablished. In this study, we observed that mitochondrial production in liver and skeletal muscle gastrocnemius was increased in mice with insulin deficiency (streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes). In contrast, prolonged exposure (24 h) of isolated hepatocytes to insulin decreased mitochondrial mass, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), intracellular ATP content, and cellular O2 consumption. Transcript levels of genes associated with mitochondrial production and β oxidation were decreased, whereas those of lipogenic genes were increased by the prolonged exposure to insulin. Insulin-induced changes in mtDNA, mitochondrial mass, intracellular ATP content, and transcripts of mitochondrion-associated genes were prevented by blockade of Akt activation with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. Conversely, levels of mtDNA, intracellular ATP content, and expression of mitochondrion-associated genes were decreased by overexpression of the constitutively active Akt. Finally, insulin suppression of mtDNA, ATP production, and expression of mitochondrion-related genes was largely prevented by inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase with isobutylmethylxanthine. Together, our results show prolonged exposure of isolated hepatocytes to insulin suppresses mitochondrial production and function through the classical Akt-dependent insulin signaling pathway.
Relationship between infectious cell-associated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 load, T lymphocyte subsets, and stage of infection in homosexual men

The relationship between cell-associated infectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) load (infectious units/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells [IUPM]) and phenotypes of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes was studied. IUPM were measured in 242 HIV-infected homosexual men by quantitative microculture and T cell subsets by two-color flow cytometry. In multivariate analysis, IUPM correlated negatively with CD4+ lymphocyte level and with a diagnosis of AIDS and positively with the proportion of CD8+ lymphocytes expressing the activation marker CD38. After adjusting for level of CD4+ lymphocytes, men with AIDS had significantly lower IUPM than those without AIDS. The correlation between IUPM and CD4+ lymphocyte level was largely explained by correlation with level of CD4+ lymphocytes with resting phenotypes (HLA-DR-, CD38-) rather than with those expressing HLA-DR and CD38. Thus, subsets of CD4+ lymphocytes may vary in cell-associated infectious HIV content at different stages of HIV infection.
Host–Parasitoid Interactions in a Transgenic Landscape: Spatial Proximity Effects of Host Density

Widespread management practices such as transgenic insecticidal crops influence the distribution and density of targeted pest species across the agricultural landscape. Natural enemies must cope with this altered distribution, and their response potentially influences the rate of resistance evolution in the pest. The purpose of this study was to examine spatial patterns of parasitism by the specialist parasitoid Macrocentrus grandii Goidanich (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in response to the density of its host, the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner [Lepidoptera: Crambidae]). When we manipulated host distribution and observed resulting patterns of wasp density and parasitism, we found that the smallest host aggregations had the lowest parasitism, but only when not associated with larger host aggregations. A subsequent field experiment confirmed that proximity to large host aggregations increased parasitism in small host aggregations. Theory indicates that such positive density-dependent parasitism should accelerate the evolution of toxin resistance in pest species, but our study suggests that close spatial proximity between insecticidal crops and refuges may help equalize M. grandii parasitism and that simple management techniques such as in-field refuges could potentially increase the complementarity of transgenic and biological control of European corn borer in this system. Further research is needed, however, before extrapolating the results of our small-scale study to field-level patterns and concluding that M. grandii will necessarily hasten resistance evolution in the European corn borer.
Collateral Ligament Reconstruction of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint

Proximal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament injuries are common; however, chronic instability of this joint is rare. In such cases, however, there is no consensus on optimal management. Various repairs and reconstructions have been devised, although the literature on outcomes remains scant. We present a method of reconstruction of the proximal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament using a distally based slip of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon.
Exploring implicit hierarchical structures for recommender systems

Items in real-world recommender systems exhibit certain hierarchical structures. Similarly, user preferences also present hierarchical structures. Recent studies show that incorporating the explicit hierarchical structures of items or user preferences can improve the performance of recommender systems. However, explicit hierarchical structures are usually unavailable, especially those of user preferences. Thus, there's a gap between the importance of hierarchical structures and their availability. In this paper, we investigate the problem of exploring the implicit hierarchical structures for recommender systems when they are not explicitly available. We propose a novel recommendation framework HSR to bridge the gap, which enables us to capture the implicit hierarchical structures of users and items simultaneously. Experimental results on two real world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
On the North West 10(12): postcoloniality, the British racial state and the war on terror

In April 2009, 12 men were arrested by the North-West Counter-Terrorism Unit on suspicion of participating in terrorism-related offences and plotting a major attack in North West England. Within 13 days of their arrest after no evidence was found against them, the charges were dropped, but 10 of them, all Pakistani nationals, remained in detention charged with violating their immigration status, and one of the students, Abid Naseer, has been called for extradition to the United States. This article presents the case of the North West Ten as an exemplar of the War on Terror on Britain's shores, exploring the territorial inscriptions of colonising power as they play out in the metropole. It highlights the importance of rooting analyses concerning the treatment of Muslim subjects in the War on Terror within (post)colonial and imperial racial governmentalities.
Mechanics of damage, healing, damageability, and integrity of materials: A conceptual framework

In this work several new and fundamental concepts are proposed within the framework of continuum damage mechanics. These concepts deal primarily with the nature of the two processes of damage and h...
Two Post-Nipissing Sites near Killarney, Ontario

In 1939, the Museum of Anthropology of the University of Michigan continued the survey of the Manitoulin District of Ontario, begun in 1938. Two sites were found on abandoned beaches of Lake Huron, both bearing cultural material in such positions as to enable dating of the material. The first site to be found (KB1) is two miles east of Killarney, on the mainland to the northeast of Manitoulin Island; the second site (CHI) is six miles east of Killarney. The present paper is a preliminary statement of the points of chief interest concerning these two sites. Site KB1 is at about the same level as another, on Great Cloche Island twenty-four miles west, which was excavated in 1938.
Function of peritoneal mesothelial cells on the microenvironment by administration of endometrial cells

AIM:To determine the function of peritoneal mesothelial cells on the inflammatory microenvironment by administration of endometrial cells,and further define the pathogenesis of endometriosis.METHODS:Homogenous mouse endometrial epithelial and stromal cells were injected into the peritoneal cavities of Swiss Webster mice.After 4,24,and 72 h,a number of endpoints evaluated:protein concentrations of cytokine MCP-1,IL-1 α,IL-6 in peritoneal lavage and gene expressions of MCP-1,IL-1 α,IL-6 in peritoneal mesothelial cells and macrophages.RESULTS:The intraperitoneal administration of endometrial cells increased the protein expressions of cytokines in the peritoneal lavage of the recipient mice,which increased at 4-hour points and subsequently decreased with time.Gene expressions of cytokines in peritoneal mesothelial cells paralleled with the protein quantities in peritoneal lavage.The peak time of gene expression of cytokines in peritoneal macrophages was at the 24-hour point.The endometrial epithelial cells stimulated stronger inflammatory responses in the peritoneal cavity than the endometrial stromal cells.CONCLUSION:The recipient mice have a non-specific inflammatory response to the presence of endometrial cells in the peritoneal cavity.Mesothelial cells may be the targets of early inflammatory stress initiated in the presence of endometrial cells.
Activation of Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in Lung Injury Rat Induced by Hyperoxia in Early Stage

Objective To explore the extent of lung injury induced by hyperoxia,and the activity of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway(UPP) in pathophysiological progress of lung tissue in early stages.Methods Adopted completely random design,20 SD rats were divided into hyperoxia group and air control group.For the air control group,the oxygen concentration exiting the cages was analyzed with oxygen monitor and oxygen concentration remained at 210 mL/L for 72 hours;while in the hyperoxia group,the condition changed into high-density oxygen(950 mL/L) for 72 hours to estimate the hyperoxia lung injury in rats model.The contents linked morphology as pathological classification in gross finding,pathological score of lung injury and the index of pneumonedema-the ratio of moist to dry weight of lungs were mea-sured.The expressions of ubiquitin protein and the activity of proteasome 20 S and the active statement of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods.Results 1.The hyperoxia lung injury rat model was successfully duplicated.2.In hyperoxia group,pulmonary edema with increased ratio of moist to dry weight of lungs could be found(P=0).3.Macroscopic observation: bright red and full-stacked lung tissue,foliated or local hemorrhage on the surface,but little pleural effusion was observed in hyperoxia group.There was statistical significance of pathological classification in gross finding between hyperoxia group and air control group(P=0.005).Light microscope observation:swelled alveolar epithelium,widened alveoli wall,capillary engorgement and telangiectasis,obvious edema in interstitial tissue of pulmonary aveolus and alveolar space,increased inflammatory cells were observed in hyperoxia group.The findings of pathological score of lung injury indicated more serious injure than control group(P=0).4.The increased expression of ubiquitin protein in lung tissue was discoved by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot findings after hyperoxia exposure 72 hours.(P=0).5.The acti-vity of proteasomes 20 S in hyperoxia group was higher than that in control group(P=0).Conclusions The mainly pathological changes of lung are generated through hyperoxic exposure for 72 hours,including alveolar epithelial cell and vascular endothelial cell injury diffusely,inflammatory cell infiltration and pulmonary edema.Active the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is connected with the pathophysiological process of lung injury in the initial stages of hyperoxia-exposure.
259 NOVEL SCINTIGRAPHIC PARAMETERS TO ASSESS LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSSYNCHRONY IN PATIENTS REQUIRING CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY.

Background The equilibrium radionuclide angiogram (ERNA) is an imaging method that can be used to assess left ventricular (LV) function and synchrony. Each pixel of an ERNA is defined by its phase (o) and amplitude (Amp), which together define its vector; the Amp gives the vector9s length. The vector sum of all Amps, based on the angular distribution of o, divided by the scalar sum of the length of all the vectors defines a new parameter, synchrony (S). The degree of randomness or disorder in the LV based on the Shannon information measure normalized for the number of o in the LV region defines another new parameter, entropy (E). With complete synchrony, S = 1 and E = 0; with complete dyssynchrony, S = 0 and E = 1. We evaluated S and E in patients requiring cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to determine if these measures can be correlated with a clinical benefit from CRT. Methods We studied 14 patients (9 males, mean age 66 ± 15 years) with advanced congestive heart failure, LV ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 35% and QRS ≥ 120 ms. ERNA was performed before and within 10 weeks after CRT. Assessment of clinical status was made based on NYHA classification assessed before and within 10 weeks of CRT. Patients were graded 2 (n = 5), 1 (n = 5) or 0 (n = 4) if they improved 2, 1, or 0 NYHA classes, respectively. This was then correlated to changes in LVEF, SD o, S, and E after CRT using a Pearson correlation. Results The patients classified 2 showed large improvements in S and E, less in SD of o, and least in LVEF. S and E were best correlated with outcome and were strongest when combined (multiple R = .87). One patient classified 2 had improved S and E but not LVEF or SD o. Most patients without clinical improvement, nonetheless, had an improved LVEF. Changes in LVEF or SD of o could not differentiate among clinical groups. Conclusions S and E seem to measure different functional characteristics than LVEF. They show promise to be the best and most reproducibly correlated with functional status after CRT.
Three-dimensional bioprinting using self-Assembling scalable scaffold-free "tissue strands" as a new bioink

Recent advances in bioprinting have granted tissue engineers the ability to assemble biomaterials, cells, and signaling molecules into anatomically relevant functional tissues or organ parts. Scaffold-free fabrication has recently attracted a great deal of interest due to the ability to recapitulate tissue biology by using self-assembly, which mimics the embryonic development process. Despite several attempts, bioprinting of scale-up tissues at clinically-relevant dimensions with closely recapitulated tissue biology and functionality is still a major roadblock. Here, we fabricate and engineer scaffold-free scalable tissue strands as a novel bioink material for robotic-assisted bioprinting technologies. Compare to 400 μm-thick tissue spheroids bioprinted in a liquid delivery medium into confining molds, near 8 cm-long tissue strands with rapid fusion and self-assemble capabilities are bioprinted in solid form for the first time without any need for a scaffold or a mold support or a liquid delivery medium, and facilitated native-like scale-up tissues. The prominent approach has been verified using cartilage strands as building units to bioprint articular cartilage tissue.
Role of microRNAs in regulation of the TNF/TNFR gene superfamily in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract Background Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world. The biology of this disease remains elusive. In the present times, targeted molecular therapy defines the treatment. This has made understanding the elusive biology and molecular mechanisms of the disease more relevant. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-encoding RNAs that play important gene-regulatory roles in neoplastic processes. As in silico studies list nearly hundreds and more target genes for each miRNA, it is of interest to see if there are genes that have already been implicated in this disease. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify genes regulated by miRNAs that are independently implicated in the pathogenesis of CLL in previously published literature. Material and methods Eight miRNAs were selected. Genes implicated in the biology of CLL in association studies and massively parallel sequence studies were selected. TargetScanHuman 6.2, a computational program that predicts target genes of miRNAs on the basis of sequence analysis, was used to link the miRNAs to genes of interest. Results The genes targeted by miR-15a, miR-223, miR-29a, and miR181a included IL10RA, BCL2, BCL6, DDX3X, and FBXW7. The most significant link observed was that several gene members of the TNF/TNFR superfamily were targets of miR-15a, miR-29a, and miR-181a. Conclusion MiRNAs implicated in the pathogenesis of CLL regulate genes that have independently been shown to play a role in CLL. The link between miRNAs and the TNF/TNFR superfamily is especially exciting. Understanding the molecular basis of these links in future studies may pave the way for using these miRNAs as therapeutic targets in CLL.
Stimulant Induced Trichotillomania in ADHD

The onset or exacerbation of trichotillomania (TT) within 6 months of starting treatment with methylphenidate (dose unreported) for ADHD is reported in 3 boys, aged 7 to 12 years, followed at the Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT.
Disruption of constitutively active Stat3 signaling and myc-mediated glycolysis with the polyphenolic compound resveratrol inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in activated B-cell (ABC)-type lymphoma.

A101 ABC-type lymphoma is associated with a 35% five-year survival rate. Although the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway has been identified as an essential survival signal in ABC-type lymphoma, little is known about signaling mechanisms, which confer oncogenic advantage outside of this pathway. Our interest herein is in elucidating the signal transduction pathway(s) controlling glycolysis, as tumor cells require high rates of glycolytic flux to meet their bioenergetic demands. We found the polyphenolic compound resveratrol inhibits constitutively active Stat3 signaling in the ABC-type lymphoma OCI-LY3. Inhibition of this pathway with the Jak2 inhibitor tyrphostin AG490, resulted in a block in cellular proliferation and subsequent apoptosis. We also found that resveratrol blocked expression of Pim-1 kinase, Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL and c-Myc. Similar results were obtained with tryphostin AG490. Interestingly, resveratrol did not inhibit NF-κB activity as measured by nuclear extract binding to the κB site in the bcl-xL gene promoter. Further, we found inhibition of the Stat3 pathway with either resveratrol or tryphostin AG490 reduced mRNAs encoding several rate-limiting glycolytic enzymes, including phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1). Consistent with this finding, resveratrol or tryphostin AG490 reduced glycolytic flux. Taken together, these results suggest the existence of a signaling pathway linking Stat3/Myc to glycolytic metabolism. Moreover, the anti-proliferative action of resveratrol in ABC-type DLBCLs may result from impaired Stat3/Myc signaling to glycolysis. Disruption of this pathway with resveratrol in the poorly responsive ABC-type DLBCL may constitute a novel therapeutic strategy to treat ABC-type DLBCL.
The structure and dynamics of population migration among economic areas in the United States from 1990 to 2011

This study constructs the population migration networks among economic areas in the United States for every consecutive year from 1990 to 2011, and examines their structural properties and population migration dynamics. Various aspects of the structural properties of the networks are explored, including the connectivity, clustering, assortativity and centrality. It was found that these structural properties are mediated by migration dynamics and inter-area distance, and the patterns of varying structural properties across areas of different connectivity reveal the hub-and-spoke structure of the networks. It is evident that there exists tremendous complexity in migration connectivity and dynamics in the US internal migration system.
Multiplex quantitative assays indicate a need for reevaluating reported small-molecule TrkB agonists

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), have emerged as key regulators of brain plasticity and represent disease-modifying targets for several brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and major depressive disorder. Because of poor pharmacokinetic properties of BDNF, the interest in small-molecule TrkB agonists and modulators is high. Several compounds have been reported to act as TrkB agonists, and their increasing use in various nervous system disorder models creates the perception that these are reliable probes. To examine key pharmacological parameters of these compounds in detail, we have developed and optimized a series of complementary quantitative assays that measure TrkB receptor activation, TrkB-dependent downstream signaling, and gene expression in different cellular contexts. Although BDNF and other neurotrophic factors elicited robust and dose-dependent receptor activation and downstream signaling, we were unable to reproduce these activities using the reported small-molecule TrkB agonists. Our findings indicate that experimental results obtained with these compounds must be carefully interpreted and highlight the challenge of developing reliable pharmacological activators of this key molecular target.
Degradable Thermosets Derived from an Isosorbide/Succinic Anhydride Monomer and Glycerol

Isosorbide is a renewable chemical of considerable interest as a monomer and monomer precursor due to its potential use in replacements for fossil-fuel derived polymers. In the present study, a facile microwave-assisted condensation of isosorbide with succinic anhydride was developed that dramatically reduced the reaction time. The resulting isosorbide disuccinic acid derivative (I-S-2) was polymerized under solvent-free conditions with glycerol to produce a renewable, cross-linked polyester with high modulus and appreciable thermal stability. Inclusion of 13 wt % or more of low molar mass hydroxy-telechelic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) (Mn = 300 g/mol) produced materials with a notable decrease in modulus and glass transition temperature. Degradation studies at 50 °C in acidic and basic solutions demonstrated the ability of the I-S-2 thermosets to be readily hydrolyzable. Furthermore, the resulting aqueous degradation solutions can be concentrated and reheated to produce new materials, albeit with a reduct...
David Oliver: Admission should allow for patient aids

I’ve never believed that all hospital admissions are undesirable or avoidable. Sometimes admission is the best, only, or safest option. But it shouldn’t avoidably make patients worse for reasons unconnected to the illness causing admission. It’s a bewildering enough start, to be whisked out of your home at short notice into an ambulance, through a busy emergency floor and into the alien environment of a hospital ward. So why compound it? Patients often have walking aids and familiar chairs, as well as moving and handling devices they are practised with. Granted, some are unsafe. But …
Central Bank Actions and Words: The Intraday Effects of FOMC Policy Communications on Individual Equity Volatility and Returns

We compare intraday impacts of the release of Federal Reserve decision announcements and of Federal Open Market Committee minutes between 2004 and 2015 on 1,997 equity return and volatility series. We find that returns are unresponsive to either news release, but conditional volatility increases for both, manifesting immediately after each information release, and persisting for 30 minutes post‐announcement. These effects are larger for decisions than for minutes. On stratifying firms by trading intensity, we find most “high trading intensity” firms respond to these announcements, while “low trading intensity” firms are less affected. Our results show that traders respond, albeit differently, to both sets of information releases.
ICTD 2016| From the Guest Editor —Selected Papers from ICTD2016

This Special Section of Information Technologies & International Development ( ITID ) presents selected papers from the International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD2016) held in Ann Arbor, Michigan June 3–5, 2017. This was the eighth iteration of the conference and marks the conference shift from an 18-month to an annual cycle.