cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
23 Temporal Expression of TLR2 On Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Murine Fetal Liver.

Recently Toll like receptors (TLRs) have been shown to play an essential role in innate immunity, recognizing a specific component of foreign pathogens. TLR2 recognizes gram-positive bacterial cell wall molecules such as peptidoglycan (PG), whereas TLR4 recognizes gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide. TLRs are expressed on various immunological cells such as neutrophils, monocyte/macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells, however, their expression pattern during hematopoietic development/differentiation is not well known. We examined expression of TLR2 or 4 on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in fetal liver. Fetal liver cells at 12.5-16.5 days postcoitum (dpc) were collected and analyzed by flow cytometry. TLR2 and 4 were detected in the murine CD34+c-kit+Sca-1+lineage- (34KSL) population of the12.5 d.p.c fetal liver. 34KSL cells were separated into 3 fractions depending on the expression of TLR2 and 4; TLR2brightTLR4+ cells (7.3%), TLR2dimTLR4- cells (84.3%), and TLR2-TLR4- cells (3.5%). TLR2dimTLR4- and TLR2-TLR4- cells had high colony-forming ability but TLR2brightTLR4+ cells formed very few colonies. In 14.5dpc fetal liver, 90% of 34KSL cells were TLR2dim, however, in 16.5dpc fetal liver, most of the 34KSL cells were TLR2 negative. Interestingly, this TLR2 expression on fetal liver HSCs was synchronized with the expression level of Mac1. When TLR2 bright, TLR2 dim or TLR2- 34KSL cells of the 12.5 dpc fetal liver from Ly5.1 C57BL/6 mice were transplanted into lethally irradiated adult Ly5.2 C57BL/6 mice respectively, TLR2dim 34KSL cells were confirmed to reconstitute the recipient hematopoietic system. To examine the function of TLR2 on fetal liver HSCs, TLR2dim34KSL cells were cultured with/without PG in the presence of SCF and TPO. After 7 days of incubation, cells were collected and analyzed by colony assay and surface markers. Colony forming ability was maintained in both groups but cells differentiated into different lineages. We conclude that TLR2 is temporary expressed on fetal liver HSCs but the role of TLR2 in hematopoiesis is unclear.
Derivatization of Methylamine and Ethylamine Followed by LC and Fluorescence Detection for Measurement of Urinary Clearance

Monomethylamine (MMA) and ethylamine (EtA) accumulate in uremia. However, the urinary clearances of these compounds in normal humans and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not been studied. In this work, an LC based fluorescence assay for MMA and EtA was developed. In applying the method, we found that some previous assays of urinary levels of MMA and EtA lead to overestimations. Normal subjects with average creatinine clearance of 82 ± 21 mL min−1 demonstrate clearances for the two aliphatic amines less than the creatinine clearance, and in the range of urinary urea clearance. CKD subjects with an average creatinine clearance of 37 ± 12 mL min−1 had modestly but significantly elevated serum levels of MMA and EtA above normals. Their fractional clearances were increased markedly compared to normals, mitigating the rise in their plasma levels. These findings imply enhanced secretion and/or reduced reabsorption of the amines with CKD.
Personal HIV knowledge, appointment adherence and HIV outcomes.

HIV knowledge may impact patient access, understanding, and utilization of HIV medical information. This study explored the relationship between personal HIV knowledge, appointment adherence and treatment outcomes. HIV-infected individuals (n = 210) were assessed on factors related to HIV knowledge and appointment adherence. Adherence data and laboratory values were extracted from medical records. HIV knowledge was measured by participants’ knowledge of their CD4 count and viral load (VL) and adherence was defined as attendance at >75 % of appointments. Two-thirds of participants were adherent, but only one-third knew their CD4 count and VL. Controlling for time since last appointment, HIV knowledge more than doubled the odds of appointment adherence. In combination with relationship with provider, knowledge predicted increased CD4 count and increased odds of an undetectable VL by almost five times. Personal HIV knowledge may be a valuable indicator of engagement in care and may also facilitate improved treatment outcomes.
Fluctuation phenomena in tunnel junctions

Abstract A general theory of electrodynamic fluctuations in tunnel junctions is developed. Using standard many-body techniques we determine the quasiparticle, pair, and quasiparticle-pair current power spectra and show that these current fluctuations are simply related to the associated pieces of the junction I ( V ) characteristic. In addition a theory of the Josephson radiation linewidth is presented.
A Test of the Interactive Effects of Organizational Commitment and Job Involvement on Various Types of Absence.

Abstract This study examined the joint direct and interactive influences of organizational commitment and job involvement on employee absence rates. Absences were categorized into four types: (1) Illness; (2) Personal Reasons; (3) Family Obligations; and (4) Transportation Problems. We hypothesized a significant interaction between commitment and involvement in relation only to absences for personal reasons. Moderated multiple regression analyses of survey responses and 6-month absence rates from a sample of 192 midwestern bus drivers yielded support for the hypothesis that commitment and involvement interact as related to drivers' personal absences, although the form of the interaction was not as anticipated. Results were discussed in terms of methodological issues involved in the study of employees' attitudes and absence rates, the need for more complex theories of how different attitudes may combine to influence absenteeism, and targeted organizational interventions to influence different types of absence.
Use of the thin sheath approximation for obtaining ion temperatures from the ISEE 1 limited aperture RPA

A procedure for analyzing low-energy (less than approximately 100 eV) ion data from the plasma composition experiment on ISEE 1 is set forth. The method is based on a derived analytic expression for particle flux to a limited aperture retarding potential analyzer (RPA) in the thin sheath approximation, which makes allowance for some effects of a charged spacecraft on plasma particle trajectories. Calculations using simulated data are employed in testing the efficacy and accuracy of the technique. On the basis of an analysis of these calculation results and the mathematical model, the method is seen as being able to provide accurate ion temperatures from all good plasmaspheric RPA data. It is noted that corresponding densities and spacecraft potentials should be accurate when spacecraft potentials are negative but that they are subject to error for positive spacecraft potentials, particularly when ion Mach numbers are much less than 1. An analysis of data from a representative ISEE 1 pass produces a plasmasphere temperature profile that is consistent in overall structure with previous observations.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy lessens surgical morbidity in advanced ovarian cancer and leads to improved survival in stage IV disease.

Abstract Objectives To compare the survival and peri-operative morbidities of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC, stage IIIC and IV) who were treated with primary debulking surgery (PDS) followed by adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy, or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by cytoreductive surgery (NAC). Methods 172 patients with advanced EOC diagnosed at YNHH (1998–2005) were retrospectively reviewed. 109 patients were treated with PDS and 63 patients were treated with NAC [37 received carboplatin/paclitaxel (CP), 26 received carboplatin/cyclophosphamide (CC)]. Results NAC patients had significantly less intra-operative blood loss, operating time, units of transfusion, and shorter hospital stay ( p p p =0.008). Patients with extra-abdominal disease who received CP as NAC had improved progression-free survival (PFS) and OS when compared to the PDS group with stage IV disease (15 vs. 9 months, p =0.015; 31 vs. 20 months, p =0.032, respectively). Conclusion This study demonstrates that NAC is associated with less peri-operative morbidity, less need for further aggressive surgery, and similar survival. Additionally, in patients with extra-abdominal disease, NAC is associated with an improved PFS and OS. Therapy with platinum and taxane should be the treatment of choice in NAC.
Sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst venom: Mechanism of action on muscle

Abstract The cellular mechanism of toxicity of sea nettle nematocyst venom was studied in the isolated, perfused frog ventricle and the isolated frog sartorius muscle. The venom depolarized both cardiac muscle fibers and sartorius fibers and shortened the duration of the ventricular action potential. Sodium content was increased, potassium content was decreased and magnesium content was unaltered in both tissues upon exposure to venom. Calcium content increased in heart ventricle, twitch tension decreased and a contracture developed. The calcium content of venom-treated, quiescent sartorius muscles was not changed from control. In stimulated sartorius muscles, tetanus tension fell during venom treatment, the twitch response was variable and no contracture was seen. Venom-treated sartorius muscles incubated with 5 mM Rb+, Cs+ or Li+ took up twice the amount of each cation as did control muscles. Sea nettle venom decreased the resistance of black lipid membranes in discrete steps, each step corresponding to a transfer of about 2 × 107 ions/sec at a potential of 20 mV in Ringer's solution. It was concluded that a component of sea nettle venom forms a monovalent cation channel in cardiac skeletal muscle surface membranes that allows a rapid influx of sodium into the cell.
STUDIES IN THE MORPHOLOGY OF RICCARDIA PINGUIS

Riccardia pinguis (L.) S. F. Gray is found rather sparingly along the edge of the marsh next the wooded upland south of Lake Wingra (Madison, Wisconsin). The thalli grow on fallen willow canes, on the bases of standing willows, on the black mud, and occasionally on fallen leaves. In this locality they are well shaded during the summer when the willows and oaks are in full foliage, but are partly exposed during the fall and early spring. Plants of this species are somewhat more abundant on the railroad right-of-way through the swamp prairie bordering Lake Waubesa and extending westward for about a mile. At this station the thalli grow on the mud and cinders and more rarely on the roots and stubble of grasses. The grasses stand one half to one and one half meters high and form a fairly thick shade over the thalli during the summer months, but are burned off annually in the fall or spring. Numerous searches in the swamp on either side of the railroad have revealed no plants beyond the limits of the annual burning of the grass. In June, 192I, before the latter station had been discovered, the low prairie in the vicinity of Roby, Indiana, about twenty miles from Chicago, was visited in the hope of obtaining material for cytological study. Plants were found in this region growing chiefly on decaying leaves about the bases of very small willows scattered through the more swampy portions of the prairie. This material was not in thriving condition because of insufficient moisture, and only a small collection was made. At all these stations the plants are protected from the summer sun but are favored with nearly full sunlight during the fall and early spring-the seasons during which vegetative growth appears to be most rapid. It was further observed that plants exposed, by tramping of the grass, to the August sun quickly succumbed.
Finite groups of automorphisms of infinite groups II

Abstract This paper studies Aut A in the case in which A is an infinite abelian group and Aut A is finite. Information is obtained about the structure of Aut A including the description of a large normal subgroup. Aut A is completely characterized when it is abelian. Its order is determined when it is dihedral or generalized quaternion.
Binary decision analysis: An empirical approach to predicting and understanding organizational decisions

Binary decision analysis is an alternative approach to the analysis of organizational decisions that lends itself well to mathematic analysis. The purpose of this paper is to present and test the application of the binary approach to decision analysis and its subsequent mathematical testing using logit regression. Binary decision analysis focuses on each decision as a single choice between two distinct alternatives or a step in a sequence of such binary choices in more complex organizational decisions. Logit regression is a type of regression especially developed to deal with binary dependent variables in the context of inferential statistical testing. By successfully combining these two approaches, and adhering to the theoretical and statistical assumptions upon which they are based, a potentially useful tool of organizational decision analysis results. An applied example of this approach tests its utility. Appropriate conclusions about the method are made based on that test.
Intraportal hyperinsulinemia decreases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in the dog.

Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are commonly seen in obese and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitis (NIDDM) patients. While it is known that chronic exposure to severe hyperinsulinemia can lead to an insulin-resistant state and mild hyperinsulinemia for rather short durations (20 to 40 hours) and can also lead to insulin resistance, it is less clear whether mild hyperinsulinemia for a more prolonged duration can lead to insulin resistance. In the present study we determined the effects of chronic (28 days) exposure to mild hyperinsulinemia on insulin-stimulated glucose use. Chronic hyperinsulinemia was produced by an intraportal infusion of porcine insulin (425 μU/kg/min), which raised the basal peripheral insulin levels by approximately 50%. Insulin responsiveness was assessed using the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (2 mU/kg/min) in dogs before the induction of chronic hyperinsulinemia (day 0), after 28 days of hyperinsulinemia (day 28), and 28 days after discontinuation of the chronic insulin infusion (day 56). The amount of glucose (M) required to maintain euglycemia during the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp was decreased (relative to day 0) 39% ± 3% on day 28 and 18% ± 3% on day 56 (P < .05). In control animals that received a chronic infusion of saline for the 28-day period the glucose infusion rate (M) was not changed significantly (decreasing 2% ± 5% and 5% ± 10% on days 28 and 56, respectively). In conclusion insulin resistance can be produced by a mild hypersecretion of insulin and discontinuation of the chronic insulin infusion tends to reverse the resistance.
Triggered slip on the Calaveras Fault during the magnitude 7.1 Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake

After the magnitude (M) 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake on the San Andreas fault the authors inspected selected sites along the Calaveras fault for evidence of recent surface displacement. In two areas along the Calaveras fault they documented recent right-lateral offsets of cultural features by at least 5 mm within zones of recognized historical creep. The areas are in the city of Hollister and at Highway 152 near San Felipe Lake, located approximately 25 km southeast and 18 km northeast, respectively, of the nearest part of the San Andreas rupture zone. On the basis of geologic evidence the times of the displacement events are constrained to within days or hours of the Loma Prieta mainshock. They conclude that this earthquake on the San Andreas fault triggered surface rupture along at least a 17-km-long segment of the Calaveras fault. These geologic observations extend evidence of triggered slip from instrument stations within this zone of Calaveras fault rupture.
Double-quantum vibrational energy transfer in the O3-CO and O3-OCS systems

Rapid rates for vibrational energy transfer at room temperature have been observed for energy transfer from the CO(v=1) to the coupled O3(200), O3(101), and O3(002) levels. Very rapid transfer also occurs from the coupled O3(001) and O3(100) levels to the OCS(020) level. The measured rates are compared with results calculated with the first order perturbation theory of dipole transition–moment interactions. A measurement of the V→T deactivation of the bending mode of OCS gives a rate constant of (3.4±0.4) ×103 sec−1 Torr−1 at 298 °K. Values are also given for the deactivation of OCS(001) by N2 and for the V→T deactivation of OCS by Ar.
Ion flux coupled to the mitochondrial oxidation of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine☆

Abstract The respiratory chain inhibitor, antimycin, stimulates ion transport in rat liver mitochondria when energy is provided by the oxidation of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine.
A diffuse, invaginating cone bipolar cell in primate retina

A bipolar cell type forming invaginating contacts with many cones was found by light and electron microscopy of Golgi preparations of the rhesus monkey retina. This diffuse, invaginating cone bipolar cell resembles, superficially, rod ("mop") bipolars, and so may correspond to Polyak's "brush" bipolar. However, it differs from rod bipolars in that its dendrites are finer and they end in a single stratum containing cone pedicles in the outer plexiform layer (OPL). In the inner plexiform layer (IPL) its axon terminal is located sclerad (S4) to those of rod bipolars (S5), is thinner, and also more branched, and wider in span than rod bipolars axon terminals. Resectioning of Golgi-impregnated diffuse, invaginating cone bipolars to study their connections in the OPL shows that their dendrites invaginate as many as seven cone pedicles, and terminate as central elements at the ribbon synaptic complex. Thus, the primate retina has multiple (diffuse) and single (midget) cone-contacting bipolar cell pathways in both invaginating as well as flat varieties.
Developmental states associated with the floral transition

Floral initiation can be analyzed from a developmental perspective by focusing upon how developmental fates are imprinted, remembered, and expressed. This is not an altogether new perspective, since people studying flowering have been concerned for a long time with the commitment of meristems to form flowers and the morphological, cellular, and molecular changes associated with this commitment. What is novel is the emphasis on developmental states as opposed to physiological processes. This developmental focus indicates that there appear to be at least three major developmental states that are acquired and expressed in the process of a meristem initiating floral morphogenesis. The meristem cells must first become competent to respond to a developmental signal that evokes them into a florally determined state. The leaves are the usual source of this signal and a specific leaf may or may not have the capacity to be inductively active. When a leaf does develop the capacity for inductive activity, this capacity is usually correlated with the ontogeny of the leaf. Inductive activity, however, may be continually expressed as in some day-neutral plants or may be latent as in plants where the photoperiod is the external cue for activity. Competent shoot apical meristems respond to inductive leaf signal by being evoked into a florally determined state. Under permissive conditions this florally determined state is expressed as the initiation of floral morphogenesis. Many mechanisms have evolved to regulate entry into and expression of these developmental states. As we learn more about the developmental states associated with flowering and how they are acquired and expressed, we will understand better how the various patterns of flowering are related to one another as well as which developmental processes are common to all angiosperms.
Aspartate aminotransferase and glutaminase activities in rat olfactory bulb and cochlear nucleus; Comparisons with retina and with concentrations of substrate and product amino acids

The quantitative distributions of aspartate aminotransferase and glutaminase were mapped in subregions of olfactory bulb and cochlear nucleus of rat, and were compared with similar data for retina and with the distributions of their substrate and product amino acids aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine. The distributions of both enzymes paralleled that of aspartate in the olfactory bulb and that of glutamate in the cochlear nucleus. In retina (excluding inner segments), there were similarities between aspartate aminotransferase and both glutamate and aspartate distributions. The distribution of gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) was similar to those of both enzymes in olfactory bulb, to aspartate aminotransferase in cochlear nucleus, and to glutaminase in retina (excluding inner segments). The results are consistent with significant involvement of aspartate aminotransferase, especially the cytosolic isoenzyme, and glutaminase in accumulation of the neurotransmitter amino acids glutamate, aspartate, and GABA, although with preferential accumulation of different amino acids in different brain regions.
STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF THE PRIMARY TISSUES OF THE CUCURBITA PEPO L. ROOT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE PHLOEM.

Summary The primary phloem and associated tissues in the root of Cucurbita pepo L. were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy to provide information on the feasibility of symplastic transport from the sieve-tube members to the cortex in this organ. The structure, distribution and frequency of cytoplasmic connections between the various cell types of the root are reported as well as the cytological characteristics of the various cells. The protoplasts of contiguous cells of the root are joined by various numbers of cytoplasmic connections: plasmodesmata (simple and branched) between parenchymatous elements; pore-plasmodesmata between sieve-tube members and parenchymatous elements (companion, phloem parenchyma or pericycle cells in the Cucurbita root); and sieve-area pores between contiguous sieve elements. The plasmodesmata associated with secondary- and tertiary-state endodermal cells are not constricted by the suberin lamellae. Differences in the frequency of cytoplasmic connections between the various cell types of the primary phloem, pericycle and ground tissue do occur with the highest frequency between sieve-tube members and companion cells. The results indicate that the structure of the C. pepo root may be compatible with a symplastic pathway of phloem unloading and transport to the cells of the ground tissue.
Targeting Histone Demethylases in Cancer Therapy

A novel oligoamine analog inhibitor of histone demethylases blocks colon tumor cell growth in association with histone methylation and gene re-expression. It also markedly potentiates the activity of hypomethylating agents in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that histone demethylase inhibitors may represent a valuable addition to the armamentarium of epigenetic agents.
Disorders of Speech Intelligibility

Variables affecting intelligibility include intensity, frequency, vocal quality rate, articulation, language, prosody, and foreign accent. Unintelligible speakers, both children and adults, may exh...
Cryogenic mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Li-Zr alloy 2090

The mechanical properties of aluminum-lithium alloy 2090-T8E41 were evaluated at 298 K, 77 K, and 4 K. Previously reported tensile and fracture toughness properties at room temperature were confirmed. This alloy exhibits substantially improved properties at cryogenic temperatures; the strength, elongation, fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth resistance all improve simultaneously as the testing temperature decreases. This alloy has cryogenic properties superior to those of aluminum alloys currently used for cryogenic applications.
Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of Gastric Varices

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this review is to describe the clinical factors related to balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, including the preparation needed, the technique and challenges, and the outcomes. CONCLUSION. Although the procedure can be performed when transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is contraindicated or when endoscopic management fails, balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration is successful as a first-line or second-line therapy. Gastric variceal rebleeding rates are low and serious complications are rare. Randomized controlled trials are required to evaluate the superiority of this procedure over other methods of treating gastric varices and to determine which sclerosant should be used. In the near future, this procedure may play a larger role in emergency care and in the management of nongastric varices.
Deletional Bias across the Three Domains of Life

Elevated levels of genetic drift are hypothesized to be a dominant factor that influences genome size evolution across all life-forms. However, increased levels of drift appear to be correlated with genome expansion in eukaryotes but with genome contraction in bacteria, suggesting that these two groups of organisms experience vastly different mutational inputs and selective constraints. To determine the contribution of small insertion and deletion events to the differences in genome organization between eukaryotes and prokaryotes, we systematically surveyed 17 taxonomic groups across the three domains of life. Based on over 5,000 indel events in noncoding regions, we found that deletional events outnumbered insertions in all groups examined. The extent of deletional bias, when measured by the total length of insertions to deletions, revealed a marked disparity between eukaryotes and prokaryotes, whereas the ratio was close to one in the three eukaryotic groups examined, deletions outweighed insertions by at least a factor of 10 in most prokaryotes. Moreover, the strength of deletional bias is associated with the proportion of coding regions in prokaryotic genomes. Considering that genetic drift is a stochastic process and does not discriminate the exact nature of mutations, the degree of bias toward deletions provides an explanation to the differential responses of eukaryotes and prokaryotes to elevated levels of drift. Furthermore, deletional bias, rather than natural selection, is the primary mechanism by which the compact gene packing within most prokaryotic genomes is maintained.
Stationary travelling cross-flow mode interactions on a rotating disk

This work involves the study of the development of Type 1 stationary and travelling cross-flow modes in the three-dimensional boundary layer over a rotating disk. In order to control the characteristics of the stationary modes, we utilized organized patterns of roughness which were applied to the disk surface. These consisted of ink dots which were equally spaced in the azimuthal direction at a fixed radius in order to enhance particular azimuthal wavenumbers. Logarithmic spiral patterns of dots were also used to enhance azimuthal wave angles. Velocity fluctuation time series were decomposed into the components corresponding to the stationary and travelling modes using the instantaneous disk position as a reference. Their development was documented through the linear and nonlinear stages leading to turbulence. The linear stage agreed well with linear stability predictions for both modes. In the nonlinear stage we documented a triad coupling between pairs of travelling modes and a stationary mode. The strongest of these was a difference interaction which led to the growth of a low-azimuthal-number, stationary mode. This mode had the largest amplitude and appeared to dominate transition. In retrospect, we can observe the signs of this mechanism in past flow visualization (Kobayashi, Kohama & Takamadate 1980), and it can account for the ‘jagged’ front normally associated with cross-flow-dominated transition on swept wings.
Contemporary management of congenital malformations of the heart in infants with Ellis - van Creveld syndrome: a report of nine cases.

Introduction Ellis - van Creveld syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder manifest by short-limb dwarfism, thoracic dystrophy, postaxial polydactyly, dysplastic nails and teeth, and an approximately 60% incidence of congenital malformations of the heart. Despite patients with Ellis - van Creveld syndrome being regarded as having a high surgical risk, few data are available regarding their outcomes following surgery for congenital malformations of the heart in the current era. Materials and methods In this retrospective report, we summarise the clinical observations and outcomes of nine infants with Ellis - van Creveld syndrome who underwent surgery for congenital malformations of the heart between 2004 and 2009. Results We identified 15 patients with Ellis - van Creveld syndrome during the study period; 11 (73%) had haemodynamically significant congenital malformations of the heart warranting surgery. In two of these patients, surgery was not performed. Of the nine patients who underwent surgery, all of whom were infants, eight (89%) had various forms of an atrioventricular septal defect and one patient (11%) had hypoplastic left heart syndrome (mitral and aortic atresia). Among the nine patients who underwent surgery, four (44%) died at a median of 102 days with a range of 25-149 days post-operatively, mostly from respiratory failure. Respiratory morbidity was seen in all surviving patients, of whom three underwent tracheostomy. Conclusions Surgery for congenital malformations of the heart can be successful in infants with Ellis - van Creveld syndrome, but mortality is high and post-operative respiratory morbidity should be expected.
PS1 Interacts With and Facilitates β-Catenin Turnover

Mutations in the two related genes, presenilin 1 (PS 1) and presenilin 2 (PS2), account for the majority of the cases of familial early onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The mechanisms by which the mutations cause early onset AD are unknown. The prevailing hypothesis centers on altered γ-secretase activity that generates the C-termini of amyloid protein (Aβ) by selectively increasing the amyloidogenic Aβ42 isoform and resulting in accelerated Aβ deposition in brain. Work from a number of laboratories have conclusively demonstrated that presenilins are required for the transmembrane cleavage of both the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch to generate Aβ and the signaling Notch intracellular domain polypeptide, respectively (Annaert and De Strooper 1999). Without doubt, this “regulated intramembrane proteolysis” takes a central role in both AD pathogenesis and development through regulating γ-secretase activity in APP cleavage and Notch signal transduction, respectively (Brown et al., 2000; Capell et al., 2000).
Prospective assessment of treatment use by patients with personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the utilization of mental health treatments over a three-year period among patients with schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive personality disorders compared with patients with major depressive disorder and no personality disorder. METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study design was used to measure treatment use for 633 individuals aged 18 to 45 years during a three-year period. RESULTS: Patients with borderline personality disorder were significantly more likely than those with major depressive disorder to use most types of treatment. Furthermore, all patients continued using high-intensity, low-duration treatments throughout the study period, whereas individual psychotherapy attendance declined significantly after one year. CONCLUSIONS: Although our data showed that patients with borderline personality disorder used more mental health services than those with major depressive disorder, many questions remain about the adequacy of the treatment receive...
Factors Influencing Cancer Risk Perception in High Risk Populations: A Systematic Review

Patients at higher than average risk of heritable cancer may process risk information differently than the general population. However, little is known about clinical, demographic, or psychosocial predictors that may impact risk perception in these groups. The objective of this study was to characterize factors associated with perceived risk of developing cancer in groups at high risk for cancer based on genetics or family history. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid PsycInfo, and Scopus from inception through April 2009 for English-language, original investigations in humans using core concepts of "risk" and "cancer." We abstracted key information and then further restricted articles dealing with perceived risk of developing cancer due to inherited risk. Of 1028 titles identified, 53 articles met our criteria. Most (92%) used an observational design and focused on women (70%) with a family history of or contemplating genetic testing for breast cancer. Of the 53 studies, 36 focused on patients who had not had genetic testing for cancer risk, 17 included studies of patients who had undergone genetic testing for cancer risk. Family history of cancer, previous prophylactic tests and treatments, and younger age were associated with cancer risk perception. In addition, beliefs about the preventability and severity of cancer, personality factors such as "monitoring" personality, the ability to process numerical information, as well as distress/worry also were associated with cancer risk perception. Few studies addressed non-breast cancer or risk perception in specific demographic groups (e.g. elderly or minority groups) and few employed theory-driven analytic strategies to decipher interrelationships of factors. Several factors influence cancer risk perception in patients at elevated risk for cancer. The science of characterizing and improving risk perception in cancer for high risk groups, although evolving, is still relatively undeveloped in several key topic areas including cancers other than breast and in specific populations. Future rigorous risk perception research using experimental designs and focused on cancers other than breast would advance the field.
Ontologies of Cellular Networks

As part of a series of workshops on different aspects of biomedical ontology sponsored by the National Center for Biomedical Ontology (NCBO), a workshop titled “Ontologies of Cellular Networks” took place in Newark, New Jersey, on 27 to 28 March 2008. This workshop included more than 30 participants from various backgrounds in biomedicine and bioinformatics. The goal of the workshop was to provide an introduction to the basic tools and methods of ontology, as well as to enhance coordination between groups already working on ontologies of cellular networks. The meeting focused on three questions: What is an ontology? What is a pathway? What is a cellular network?
Minimax nonredundant channel coding

The distortion of a message due to channel noise can be alleviated significantly without redundant error control bits by judicious assignment of binary indices to message symbols. The nonredundant coding gain relies only on a notion of distance between symbols. In this paper, we consider the index assignment problem and adopt a minimax design criterion instead of the usual mean squared error (MSE) measure. The problem is found to be NP-hard, and an effective, heuristic, polynomial-time algorithm is presented for computing approximate solutions. The minimax criterion yields greatly improved worst case performance while maintaining good average performance. In addition, the familiar MSE criterion is shown likewise to yield an NP-hard index assignment task. The MSE problem is a special case of the classical quadratic assignment problem, for which computationally and theoretically useful results are available from the discrete mathematics literature. >
Crystallization of Iron Oxides on Calcite Surfaces in Static Systems

Iron salts react readily with calcite in oxidizing calcareous environments to produce solid phase Fe-oxides. These reactions represent important processes in aqueous, geologic, and pedogenic environments. In the present investigation, Fe-oxides were precipitated from Fe(ClO4)2 solutions on undisturbed calcite grains in aqueous suspension. In this way it was possible to investigate the sequence of events in the crystallization process. Following an initial precipitation on the calcite grains, a period of slow growth of lepidocrocite was noted wherein 4-µm euhedral platelets formed with uniform orientation perpendicular to the calcite surface. The slow growth and highly crystalline nature of the Fe-oxide product may be partially due to the diffusion barrier formed by the growing oxide crystal mass which influenced rate of movement of HCO3− to the dissolved Fe phase and Fe ions and H+ towards the calcite surface. Upon continued aging, the supernate became noticeably opaque. As the suspended nuclei settled, new surfaces for crystal growth were provided which resulted in somewhat less crystalline lepidocrocite and goethite.
Ground‐Water Remediation Using “Smart Pump and Treat”

Established pump-and-treat ground-water remediation is criticized for being too expensive and time-consuming, especially when cleanup standards are set at very low levels, e.g., 50 ft below ground surface) widespread ground-water contamination. The perceived shortcomings of pump and treat result from (1) the tendency of most contaminants to sorb to formation materials, thus retarding contaminant removal; (2) geologic complexity, which requires detailed characterization for the design of optimal extraction systems within available resources; and (3) the failure to apply dynamic well field management techniques. The alternative, “smart pump and treat” consists of (1) detailed characterization of the geology, hydrology, and chemistry; (2) use of computer-aided data interpretation, data display, and decision support systems; (3) removal of source terms, if possible; (4) initial design for plume containment and source remediation; (5) phased installation of the well field; (6) detailed monitoring of the remediation; (7) active ongoing reevaluation of the operating well field, including redesign as appropriate (dynamic management); (8) reinjection of treated ground water to speed the flushing of contaminants; and (9) setting of appropriate cleanup levels. Use of some or all of these techniques can dramatically reduce the time required to achieve cleanup goals and thus the cost of ground-water remediation.
Utility of TTF-1 and Napsin-A in the work-up of malignant effusions

Background Similar to TTF-1, Napsin-A is recently used increasingly to differentiate between pulmonary adenocarcinoma (P-ADC) and extra-pulmonary adenocarcinoma (EP-ADC). The aim of this study was to compare the performance of TTF-1 and Napsin-A in determining the primary origin of adenocarcinoma in malignant serous effusion. Methods Following IRB approval, cellblocks from 139 cases of malignant serous effusions of histologically or clinically determined origin including: 26 P-ADC, 108 EP-ADC, 2 pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (P-SQC), and 3 pulmonary small cell carcinoma (P-SCC) were retrieved. Each case was stained with Napsin-A and TTF-1 and evaluated for positivity and intensity of staining. Results Napsin-A and TTF-1 stained positive in 17/26 (65%) and 14/26 (54%) of P-ADC and in 2/108 (1.8%) and 0/108 (0%) of EP-ADC with a PPV of 89 and 100%, respectively. In combination, they positively stained 18/26 (70%) of P-ADC with a PPV of 90%. Out of 9 poorly differentiated P-ADC, 7 (78%) stained positive for Napsin-A, while 4 (45%) were reactive for TTF-1. Both Napsin-A and TTF-1 were negative in P-SQC, while P-SCC reacted positively for TTF-1 in 2/3 (66%) of cases and none for Napsin-A. Conclusion Napsin-A and TTF-1 are both useful markers in distinguishing P-ADC from EP-ADC. However, Napsin-A performed better in poorly differentiated P-ADC and its mimickers. The nuclear staining of TTF-1 is crispier and much easier to interpret than Napsin-A cytoplasmic stain. An antibody panel including TTF-1 and Napsin-A or a dual stain will be very helpful in determining the origin of metastatic adenocarcinoma in serous effusion. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Practical Advances in Stool Screening for Colorectal Cancer

The rationale for screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) is well established, and several tests are currently recommended. Colonoscopy has become a popular modality in most of the United States and other countries. Despite colonoscopy being highly accurate and therapeutic, many patients prefer a noninvasive screening test. Testing stool for occult blood by the chemical guaiac reagent (gFOBT) has been available for decades and is effective at reducing mortality from CRC. However, because of limitations in sensitivity and specificity, newer fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) were developed that detect occult blood using enzyme immunoassays. Because of their improved sensitivity and specificity, FITs have replaced gFOBT for screening in many settings. Detecting neoplasia-associated genetic changes in stool has also become feasible ; first-generation stool DNA tests showed greater sensitivity for CRC, with similar specificity to gFOBT. Improvements to stool DNA tests have made them more sensitive and less complex. As the performance characteristics for FIT and stool DNA tests continue to evolve, stool-based testing for CRC is expected to become a more reliable component in the armamentarium for CRC screening.
Research on Small-signal Stability of VSC-HVDC and Control System Parameter Design

The small signal model of VSC-HVDC was built based on the state space equations to analyze the stability problem. The model included converter,AC system,control system( inner / outer loop,PLL) and DC transmission line,and the equations of each part were fully deduced. The model built in this paper was verified by comparing with EMTP model in time domain which is built in PSCAD / EMTDC. Finally,the stability of VSC-HVDC was analyzed with root locus,and the effect of parameters of control system to the whole system was investigated in detail.
Population wide attitude diffusion in community structured graphs.

Attitudes are “general and relatively enduring evaluative responses to objects” where objects can be “a person, a group, an issue or a concept” (Visser and Clark 2003, Page 1). Attitudes are shown to have an impact on, and can sometimes predict, the behaviors of individuals (e.g., voting behavior (Krosnick 1988), and consumer purchases (Jones and Fazio 2008; Fazio and Olson 2003)). In addition, attitudes can change based on the influence of others (Visser and Clark 2003). Understanding population wide attitude change is an important step to understanding the behavior of societies. For instance, consider the change in attitudes towards global warming and the environment that has resulted in a significant change in public policy and national priorities (Change 2009). We are interested in understanding the following four aspects of population wide attitude change: • Attitude strength is continuous – individuals can vary from strongly negative, to strongly positive attitudes. • Attitudes are non-progressive – individuals can have a positive attitude, then a negative attitude, then a positive attitude again. • Attitudes are linked – different attitudes influence each other – i.e, if you believe in environmentalism it is also likely you believe in recycling. • Individuals have a level of cognitive effort – there is some level of effort that individuals will exert in changing their attitudes. • Community structured social networks – oftentimes social networks contain communities; strongly connected subgraphs that are only weakly connected to the rest of the graph.
Deamidation of Human γS-Crystallin Increases Attractive Protein Interactions: Implications for Cataract

Deamidation of proteins is one of the most prevalent post-translational modifications found upon aging, and in age-onset diseases. Specific asparagine and glutamine residues are often selectively deamidated during this process. In the human lens, deamidation has been shown to occur in many crystallins, but it is not clear how these deamidated proteins lead to lens opacity or cataract. Here we have modeled in vitro the effect of deamidation of specific asparagine and glutamine residues in human recombinant γS-crystallin (HGS) on the solution properties of the protein. The residues selected for deamidation in vitro are those that are found to be deamidated in aged and cataractous lenses in vivo. Two derivatives were prepared, one with Asn76 and Asn143 deamidated (2N-HGS) and the other with two additional Gln residues (92 and 120) deamidated (2N2Q-HGS). Isoelectric focusing measurements showed the expected lowering of the pI from 6.9 in HGS to ∼6.5 in 2N-HGS and to ∼6.1 in 2N2Q-HGS. However, spectroscopic st...
A technique for partial mastectomy.

Much confusion exists concerning the proper technique of partial mastectomy and its application. The author discusses the selection of patients for partial mastectomy and reviews the fundamental techniques of the procedure.
Reversible Medium-Dependent Solid–Solid Phase Transformations in Two-Dimensional Hybrid Perovskites

The thermodynamically favored phases in a family of two-dimensional (2D) hybrid perovskites, (C6H13NH3)2MCl4 (M = Cu2+, Mn2+, Cd2+), can be reversibly switched by changing the medium in which particles are immersed. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction show that the temperature of a known solid–solid phase transition in the series of layered perovskites shifts to lower temperature when exposing the particles to organic solvents. For the Cu2+ and Cd2+ members of the series, the shift in transition temperature changes the thermodynamically favored phase at room temperature. Interactions between the solvent and the particle surface alter the surface stress, thereby reducing the effective pressure, leading to a change in transition temperature. The mechanism likely explains some anomalous behavior in related 2D perovskites and could factor into potential applications of hybrid perovskite-based materials.
Insomnia Severity, Subjective Sleep Quality, and Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Veterans With Gulf War Illness.

ABSTRACTDespite the fact that sleep disturbances are common in veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI), there has been a paucity of published sleep studies in this veteran population to date. Therefore, the present study examined subjective sleep quality (assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), insomnia severity (assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index), and risk for obstructive sleep apnea (assessed with the STOP questionnaire) in 98 Gulf War veterans. Veterans with GWI, defined either by the Kansas or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, had greater risk for obstructive sleep apnea (i.e., higher STOP scores) than veterans without GWI. This difference persisted even after accounting for potentially confounding demographic (e.g., age, gender) and clinical variables. Veterans with GWI, defined by either the Kansas or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, also had significantly greater insomnia severity and poorer sleep quality than veterans without GWI (p < 0.05), e...