cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Profiles of problematic behaviors across adolescence: Covariations with indicators of positive youth development

Previous analyses of data from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD) have examined concurrent trajectories of positive development and risk/problem behaviors among adolescents, finding complex and not necessarily inverse relationships among them. In this article, we expand on prior research by employing a person-centered approach to modeling risk behaviors, assessing development from approximately 6th grade through 12th grade among 4,391 adolescents (59.9 % female). Latent profiles involving the problematic behaviors of delinquency, depressive symptoms, substance use, sexual activity, disordered eating behaviors, and bullying were then assessed for concurrent relationships with the Five Cs of PYD: Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, and Connection. We found six latent profiles, based primarily on mental health, aggression, and alcohol use, with significant differences in Confidence levels among many of the profiles, as well as some differences in the four other Cs. We discuss directions for future research and implications for application to youth policies and programs.
Composition of tungsten oxide bronzes active for hydrodeoxygenation

Abstract We explore the composition of reduced tungsten oxide bronze materials as a new class of heterogeneous catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation of bio-fuels. We demonstrate a method using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mass spectrometry to determine both the oxygen substoichiometry and hydrogen content of the H y WO 3− z catalytic phase that is formed during hydrogen pretreatment at temperatures from 200 to 500 °C. Results for three WO 3 materials show that the composition depends on crystallinity and surface area, as well as pretreatment temperature and time. The optimal pretreatment conditions for hydrogenation of acrolein to allyl alcohol at 50 °C occur over a narrow temperature range around 350 °C. We report for the first time that at higher reaction temperatures the catalysts are active for hydrodeoxygenation of allyl alcohol to propene and 1,5-hexadiene. We have proposed a mechanism similar to the Mars–van Krevelen cycle in which an alcohol adsorbs on an oxygen vacancy, forming a tungsten–oxygen bond and breaking the carbon–oxygen bond. Our TGA and reaction kinetics data indicate that the composition of the active catalyst is between H 0.9 WO 2.9 and H 1.3 WO 2.7 and that the rate of hydrodeoxygenation is comparable to the oxygen vacancy creation rate.
Anionic Synthesis of Narrow Molecular Weight Distribution Water-Soluble Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) and Poly(N-acryloyl-N ‘-methylpiperazine)

Water-soluble poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) and poly(N-acryloyl-N ‘-methylpiperazine (PAMP) were prepared in tetrahydrofuran at −78 °C by anionic polymerization in the presence of monofunctional initiators such as (triphenylmethyl)lithium, or -cesium or the difunctional initiators (1,1,4,4-tetraphenylbutyl)lithium, -potassium, or -cesium or cesium naphthalenide. Polymerizations initiated especially in the presence of cesium as counterion proceeded in a homogeneous manner and gave polymers having controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions in quantitative yields. However, the polymerization results in polymers with a lower molecular weight and a broad molecular weight distribution at higher reaction temperatures. Size exclusion chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and intrinsic viscosity measurements support the clean anionic polymerization of DMA with few side reactions at −78 °C. Attempted anionic polymerizations of methacrylamide monomers such as N,N-dimethylmethacrylami...
Segmental Intestinal Ischemia: An Improved Method of Producing Small Bowel Injury

Previous animal models of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion have been successful in causing considerable mucosal damage, cellular destruction and sepsis. However, this often results in the death of the animal, making it impossible to examine the effects of modulators of the ischemic event. The sequence of morphologic and physiologic changes in the bowel from such injuries continues to be an area of intense examination. We have studied these changes by producing segmental intestinal ischemia in vivo in a rat model. By occluding a first-order branch of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and by selectively ligating terminal collateral branches, reproducible segmental intestinal ischemia was achieved. Bowel damage ranged from alterations in the villus structure to frank hemorrhagic necrosis of the intestinal wall. This model allows the study of hypoperfusion injury to the small intestine without total SMA occlusion, thus reducing the overall mortality.
A Multiple Filter Approach for Precise Kinematic DGPS Positioning and Carrier-Phase Ambiguity Resolution

: The most precise relative positioning obtained using differential GPS depends on an accurate determination of carrier-phase integer ambiguities. To achieve high precision, many current static and kinematic surveying algorithms use a floating-point solution until enough information becomes available to fix the carrier-phase ambiguities accurately. A new method for kinematic carrier-phase ambiguity resolution, based upon a multiple-model adaptive Kalman filter, is presented in this paper. This method starts with the floating-point results, yet attains the precision of the correct fixed-integer solution smoothly and rapidly, eliminating the need to decide when to switch from the floating to the fixed-integer solution. This method is based on a blending of solutions from multiple filters, each of which hypothesizes a different ambiguity set. The new method was evaluated during ground and flight tests. Initial results indicate that the method is capable of quickly resolving carrier-phase ambiguities and smoothly transitioning to a highly accurate (centimeter-level) navigation solution.
Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic: English banking concentration and efficiency, 1870-1914

This article examines the bank amalgamation movement in England between 1870 and 1914. I assemble data on all publicly traded English bank equities and use a simple finance model to estimate the effects of concentration. Holding returns on English bank stocks declined steadily over the period, which I attribute to a negative demand shock resulting from banks' declining importance relative to other financial intermediaries. Once this decline is accounted for, increased concentration appears to have bolstered bank returns. This suggests that increased concentration may have rendered English banks less efficient as allocators of capital and may have contributed to Britain's industrial decline. [The amalgamation] movement appears to have by no means reached its limits, and it is neither safe nor easy to predict with any confidence the eventual outcome of a movement of which the development is incomplete. Whether or not ... in the course of a few more years all banking business in this country will be monopolised by some half dozen powerful institutions, there seems little reason to doubt that many of the old inducements to amalgamation still operate, and that the closing years
Positron emission tomography imaging of dopamine D2 receptors using a highly selective radiolabeled D2 receptor partial agonist

Abstract A series of microPET imaging studies were conducted in anesthetized rhesus monkeys using the dopamine D 2 -selective partial agonist, [ 11 C] SV-III-130 . There was a high uptake in regions of brain known to express a high density of D 2 receptors under baseline conditions. Rapid displacement in the caudate and putamen, but not in the cerebellum, was observed after injection of the dopamine D 2/3 receptor nonselective ligand S (−)-eticlopride at a low dosage (0.025 mg/kg/i.v.); no obvious displacement in the caudate, putamen and cerebellum was observed after the treatment with a dopamine D 3 receptor selective ligand WC-34 (0.1 mg/kg/i.v.). Pretreatment with lorazepam (1 mg/kg, i.v. 30 min) to reduce endogenous dopamine prior to tracer injection resulted in unchanged binding potential (BP) values, a measure of D 2 receptor binding in vivo, in the caudate and putamen. d -Amphetamine challenge studies indicate that there is a significant displacement of [ 11 C] SV-III-130 by d -Amphetamine-induced increases in synaptic dopamine levels.
Microfabricated multiple field of view imaging flow cytometry

The combination of microscopy and flow cytometry enables image based screening of large collections of cells. Despite the proposition more than thirty years ago, adding high resolution wide-field imaging to flow cytometers remains challenging. The velocity of cells in flow cytometry can surpass a meter per second, requiring either sub-microsecond exposure times or other sophisticated photodetection techniques. Instead of faster detectors and brighter sources, we demonstrate that by imaging multiple channels simultaneously, a high throughput can be maintained with a flow velocity reduced in proportion to the degree of parallelization. The multi-field of view imaging flow cytometer (MIFC) is implemented with parallel arrays of microfluidic channels and diffractive lenses that produce sixteen wide field images with a magnification of 45 and submicron resolution. Using this device, we have imaged latex beads, red blood cells, and acute myeloid leukemia cells at rates of 2,000–20,000 per second.
Substrate Surface Treatments and “Controlled Contamination” in GaN / Sapphire MOCVD

We have used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the effect of common substrate surface treatments for the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of GaN on sapphire. It appears that contaminants play a major role in the surface chemistry and strongly influence the morphology of the treated surfaces. In order to investigate the role of these contaminants, we have introduced the concept of “controlled contamination” (CC), namely, exposure of the sapphire surfaces to controlled amounts of potential contaminants in-situ and investigation of the resulting sapphire morphology. The results showed that sapphire, considered to be a very stable oxide surface, is clearly reactive in the GaN MOCVD chemical environment at the high temperatures (HT) employed, allowing us to use CC for obtaining sapphire substrates with controlled roughness. Nevertheless, epitaxial growth using the two-step GaN MOCVD process appears to be very robust and practically insensitive to the (submicron-scale) substrate morphology.
Clonal Selection versus Genetic Instability as the Driving Force in Neoplastic Transformation

Recent clonal studies of spontaneous neoplastic transformation in cell culture indicate that it develops at confluence in a small minority of individual clonal populations before it does in the uncloned parental culture. Either preferential selection of spontaneous variants or genetic destabilization in clones can be inferred to explain the result. In the present experiments, using a subline of NIH 3T3 cells that is relatively refractory to transformation, we demonstrate unequivocally that transformed foci appear under selective conditions in some clones long before there is any sign of neoplastic change in the polyclonal culture from which they were derived. Because the transformed cells that appear in the susceptible clones are not inhibited in the size or number of foci formed on a confluent background of the uncloned parental population, the genetic events underlying transformation must occur much less frequently in the latter. This disparity can be accounted for by the much larger number of selectable cells in the susceptible clones at confluence than in the parental culture, where such cells are a minority. The preferential transformation exhibited by experimental isolation and expansion of susceptible clones accords with evidence from various sources that neoplastic transformation in culture is a multistep process dependent primarily on selection of spontaneously occurring genetic variants. There is no necessity to posit a significant role for genetic destabilization in neoplastic transformation. These considerations bolster computer models of human cancer that implicate selective expansion of rogue clones rather than genetic instability as the driving force in the origin of most tumors. Both the genetics of the selected clone and the epigenetics of the selective environment would then contribute to tumor development.
Possible degradative process of cholecystokinin analogs in rabbit jejunum brush-border membrane vesicles.

Abstract Our recent work on the intestinal metabolism and absorption of cholecystokinin analogs, sulfated C-terminal octapeptide (CCK8; Asp-Tyr(SO3H)-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe(NH2) = DYSO3HMGWMDFNH2) and tetrapeptide (CCK4; Trp-Met-Asp-Phe(NH2) = WMDFNH2), was extended to investigate the degradative process of these analogs using rabbit jejunum brush-border membrane vesicles and to find a better enzyme-inhibitor system for intestinal absorption of peptide drugs. Various enzyme inhibitors and a lower pH buffer were applied to discover the major enzyme(s) involved in each process. Metabolic pathways showing degradative processes were proposed for both analogs. The major cleavage site occurs at the W1-M2 for CCK4. At least three metabolic pathways occur independently for CCK8 and appear at peptides bonds between G4-W5, M6-D7, and D7-FNH28. Many different enzymes of aminopeptidase, endopeptidase, angiotensin-converting enzyme, metalloenzyme, and others were involved in each process. Identification of more specific yet safe enzyme inhibitors and co-administration of various these inhibitors may lead to further enhancement in intestinal peptide absorption when administered orally.
Selective head cooling for the treatment of neurologic complications of acute liver failure in a newborn with disseminated herpes infection

Background Neurologic complications of pediatric acute liver failure (ALF) are a major determinant of outcome. Management of these complications, including increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is largely supportive. Although hypothermia is an effective treatment for perinatal asphyxia and is used to reduce ICP following traumatic brain injury, it has not been evaluated for neurologic complications of ALF in the newborn.
A toxonomy of multi-sensor fusion

Abstract This paper develops a taxonomy for multi-sensor fusion and creates a general formulation to describe the process. Using this formulation as a guide, we identify and discuss the following classes of data for sensor fusion: uniquely determined, over determined, under determined, and sequential data. We establish a reformulation of the sensor fusion process to better describe the sequential data fusion process. This paper also explores examples and methods for fusing data from each of the classes.
Evolutionary Origins of Sex Differences in Jealousy? Questioning the “Fitness” of the Model:

Evolutionary psychology has become a popular framework for studying jealousy Much of this popularity can be attributed to work by Buss and his colleagues showing an apparent relation between an individual's sex and jealousy for certain types of infidelity (i e, sexual vs emotional) that is consistent with evolutionary theory (Buss, Larsen, Westen, & Semmelroth, 1992) In two studies, we take issue with these findings and argue that the relation between sex and jealousy reported by Buss and his colleagues is more properly explained by considering individuals' beliefs concerning the covariation between sexual and emotional infidelity
Physical Modeling of Sheet Flow on Rough Impervious Surfaces

This paper presents results from an extensive experimental study of sheet flow on rough impervious surfaces that are used to represent highway pavement. Experiments were performed on three surfaces under no-rainfall and simulated rainfall conditions, and with slopes of 1, 2, and 3%. Measurements include flow depth and unit discharge. Turbulent boundary layer theory for a rough surface is used to describe the depth-discharge relationship, resulting in a model with a single parameter directly related to the surface roughness. Comparisons are made with Manning’s equation, and the variability of the Manning coefficient is assessed. Hydraulic effects of rainfall are generally found to be small compared to other factors.
Changing Behavior and Making it Stick The Conceptualization and Management of Conservation Behavior

A sustainable planet is not possible without patterns of conserving behavior. The resource-costly life-styles that are characteristic of the current scene present a historic challenge. Never before have so many behaviors needed to change in so short a time. More challenging is that they must stay changed. For many reasons the techniques commonly used to promote conservation behavior are more reliable at modulating short-term behavior than at achieving durable change. The perceived urgency of environmental problems tends to make immediate behavior change the major focus. But of equal importance is the stability of behavior once changed. Thus one goal of conservation behavior research is to discover techniques that change individual behavior while minimizing or eliminating the need for repeated intervention. This article categerorizes behavior change techniques first by their informational or motivational nature and second by the source of the change: derived from others or gained by direct personal involve...
Superparamagnetic Transition in Diluted Exchange Coupled Bilayers

In ferromagnet (FM)/antiferromagnet (AF) bilayer systems, it was recently found that the exchange bias vs. FM thickness curve shows a critical thickness below which the exchange bias vanishes, and confirmed by analytic calculation using a simplified model that it can be ascribed to the superparamagnetism (SPM) promoted through the exchange coupling with the AF layer. This paper studies the effect by means of Monte Carlo simulations and tries to obtain more insight into the phenomenon. The AF layer is randomly diluted up to 0.3 at.% to account for the presence of defects contributing to the exchange bias effect. The influence of the FM dilution on the onset of SPM is investigated.
Exploring Elite Female Athletes’ Interpretations of Sport Media Images: A Window Into the Construction of Social Identity and “Selling Sex” in Women’s Sports

Scholars have produced a body of evidence demonstrating media portrayals of sportswomen emphasize femininity/heterosexuality versus athletic competence and argue that such coverage trivializes women’s sports. Little research attention has been given to how these portrayals are interpreted by various audiences, including female athletes. This study explores how elite female athletes respond to the ways they are represented within sport media. We employed reception research where viewers deconstruct the meaning of texts and how that meaning impacts their feelings toward a subject. We examined the subject of sportswomen’s dual identities to determine how they wished to be portrayed. Thirty-six team and individual sport athletes were shown images ranging from on-court competence to off-court soft pornography and asked to choose which image best represented themselves and their sport, as well as increased interest/respect for their sport. Results indicated that competence was the overwhelming choice for best “...
Angiomotin functions in HIV-1 assembly and budding

Many retroviral Gag proteins contain PPXY late assembly domain motifs that recruit proteins of the NEDD4 E3 ubiquitin ligase family to facilitate virus release. Overexpression of NEDD4L can also stimulate HIV-1 release but in this case the Gag protein lacks a PPXY motif, suggesting that NEDD4L may function through an adaptor protein. Here, we demonstrate that the cellular protein Angiomotin (AMOT) can bind both NEDD4L and HIV-1 Gag. HIV-1 release and infectivity are stimulated by AMOT overexpression and inhibited by AMOT depletion, whereas AMOT mutants that cannot bind NEDD4L cannot function in virus release. Electron microscopic analyses revealed that in the absence of AMOT assembling Gag molecules fail to form a fully spherical enveloped particle. Our experiments indicate that AMOT and other motin family members function together with NEDD4L to help complete immature virion assembly prior to ESCRT-mediated virus budding.
Maximizing Future Potential in Physics and STEM: Evaluating a Summer Program through a Partnership between Science Outreach and Education Research.

Global competitiveness of the United States is often suggested as a key outcome of developing a capable science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, a goal supported by many local, state, and national programs. Examining the effectiveness of such programs, however, may require assessment techniques that are outside their organizers’ expertise. The physicists conducting the physics outreach program in the current study partnered with education researchers at the same university to achieve a more thorough measure of program effectiveness while also demonstrating how such partnerships represent an opportunity to add rigor to current evaluation. The resulting analyses demonstrated that participants in the outreach program (a) were more likely than nonparticipants to pursue an education and career in STEM, (b) were able to define and execute plans to solidify a strong foundation for pursuing a career in STEM, and (c) persisted in pursuing education in STEM after high school graduation.
Conceptual Design of a Commercial Tokamak Reactor Using Resistive Magnets

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1986.
Isothermal titration calorimetry of protein-protein interactions.

Abstract The interaction of biologicalmacromolecules, whether protein–DNA, antibody–antigen, hormone–receptor, etc., illustrates the complexity and diversity of molecular recognition. The importance of such interactions in the immune response, signal transduction cascades, and gene expression cannot be overstated. It is of great interest to determine the nature of the forces that stabilize the interaction. The thermodynamics of association are characterized by the stoichiometry of the interaction ( n ), the association constant ( K a ), the free energy (Δ G b ), enthalpy (Δ H b ), entropy (Δ S b ), and heat capacity of binding (Δ C p ). In combination with structural information, the energetics of binding can provide a complete dissection of the interaction and aid in identifying the most important regions of the interface and the energetic contributions. Various indirect methods (ELISA, RIA, surface plasmon resonance, etc.) are routinely used to characterize biologically important interactions. Here we describe the use of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in the study of protein–protein interactions. ITC is the most quantitative means available for measuring the thermodynamic properties of a protein–protein interaction. ITC measures the binding equilibrium directly by determining the heat evolved on association of a ligand with its binding partner. In a single experiment, the values of the binding constant ( K a ), the stoichiometry ( n ), and the enthalpy of binding (Δ H b ) are determined. The free energy and entropy of binding are determined from the association constant. The temperature dependence of the Δ H b parameter, measured by performing the titration at varying temperatures, describes the Δ C p term. As a practical application of the method, we describe the use of ITC to study the interaction between cytochrome c and two monoclonal antibodies.
Plasma-edge diagnostics based on Pd-MOS diodes

Abstract Pd metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices can be used to detect energetic hydrogen atoms. H isotopes implanted into a Pd-MOS diode quickly diffuse through the Pd layer and are accommodated at available Pd-SiO 2 interface sites, causing an increase in the leakage current through the device. We find that a diode's response to energetic hydrogen is rapid, sensitive, dosimetric, and reproducible. Pd-MOS diodes can be regenerated when saturated with hydrogen by heating to 100–200°C for a few minutes. These properties make Pd-MOS diodes useful for plasma-edge diagnosis of hydrogen particle fluence when the energy distribution of the incident hydrogen is known. Pd-MOS diode sensors have been used in the laboratory and in the ZT-40M reversed-field pinch to measure energetic hydrogen fluxes. Their small size allows placement in locations inaccessible to conventional diagnostics and should provide a means for remote monitoring of hydrogen fluxes to plasma-facing surfaces.
Competitive Sport, Evaluation Systems, and Just Results: The Case of Rugby Union's Bonus-Point System

(2005). Competitive Sport, Evaluation Systems, and Just Results: The Case of Rugby Union’s Bonus-Point System. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 208-222.
The effect of aging on conductive heat exchangein the skin at two environmental temperatures

Background Ageing diminishes the blood flow (BF) response of the skin to autonomic stressors. While the diminished response of skin BF to global heating has been well documented, the effect of this reduction in skin BF on the ability of the skin to dissipate heat has not. When heat is added to the skin by the application of hot packs, if heat is not adequately removed, the skin can become dangerously hot and become damaged. The present investigation examined the heat dissipating properties of the skin in older individuals. This study has importance for the therapeutic application of hot packs which might cause burns easier in older people. Material/methods In the present investigation, 10 younger and 10 older subjects were examined. The average age of the younger group was 25.9+/-3.4 years and the older group was 60 +/- 5.8 years. Heat was applied through a 49 gram brass probe that was heated to 41 degrees C and by a Peltier junction in a cool and warm environment. Results Skin required about 20 calories of heat to raise skin temperature 1 degrees C the cool room and double this Figure in the warm room. Ageing reduced the caloric requirement to increase skin temperature under both conditions (p Conclusions The results of the experiments showed that older individuals had impaired ability of the skin to dissipate heat in both environments. Special precautions should be taken in physical therapy when applying hot packs in older populations.
Publishing in the Perspectives section of HRDI

My editorial work for HRDI began in January 2009, when I became Associate Editor for the Perspectives and Reviews section. Since then I have had a chance to review an amazing variety of high qualit...
Are Young Smokers More Responsive to Cigarette Advertising and Price

This paper provides the first empirical study of cigarette demand using detailed individual level data that includes consumers' cigarette brand choice. By estimating and comparing the effects of advertising and price on cigarette demand for different age groups, I find that young adults are less responsive to cigarette advertising but more sensitive to price than older adults. In addition, cigarette advertising is more effective at reducing the existing smokers' incentive to quit and inducing former users to resume use than attracting young people to smoke and encouraging brand switching among current users. A counterfactual experiment of a complete advertising ban predicts a 2% reduction in smoking rate.
Quantifying edges as gradients at multiple scales improves habitat selection models for northern spotted owl

Testing the influence of edges on animal distributions depends on our capacity to quantify ‘edge’, particularly in heterogeneous landscapes. Habitat quality is likely to differ in instances where edges are abrupt and anthropogenic in origin, versus diffuse, disturbance-created edges. We tested whether or not structurally distinct edge types influence northern spotted owl habitat selection and whether the relationship between edge type and use varied across spatial scales relevant to owl foraging (<3 ha) and home range selection (50–800 ha). We used remotely sensed disturbance severity data to define two distinct edge types, ‘hard’ and ‘diffuse’, following a 11,000 ha fire and subsequent salvage logging in southern Oregon. The approach quantifies the steepness of gradients directly by measuring the ‘slope’ of change in disturbance severity. We tested the degree to which 23 radio-collared spotted owls responded to edge characteristics caused by fire and logging. Spotted owls showed a strong negative association with hard edge, even after accounting for habitat suitability and other confounding variables. However, this negative relationship was highly scale-dependent; spotted owls were resilient to hard edges at broad scales, but avoided the same feature at fine scales. On the other hand, spotted owls showed a positive association with diffuse edge, especially at broader scales. Differential use of edge types indicates that owls favor disturbances that create diffuse edge habitat (e.g. low and mixed-severity fire) and rather than abrupt boundaries created by high severity disturbance.
Training Needs for General Dentistry Residents to Place and Restore Two-Implant-Retained Mandibular Overdentures

Implant therapy is rapidly becoming a standard of care for replacing missing dentition. Predoctoral dental curricula include some training in the implant restorative phase but offer limited exposure to the surgical phase, so it is important for postdoctoral general dentistry residency programs to provide competency training in all phases of implant therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the training needed for general dentistry residents to achieve competence in this area, specifically by defining the number of clinical experiences necessary in both the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant-retained mandibular overdenture construction (IRMOD). Fifteen Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents at one academic dental institution placed two implants in a total of 50 patients with edentulous mandibles and subsequently restored them with IRMOD. The supervising faculty member and the residents evaluated the competency level on a five-point scale after each implant placement and prosthetic case completion. According to the faculty evaluations, the residents achieved surgical competence after placing two implants in four to six cases and prosthetic management competence after restoring two to four cases of IRMOD. All 50 patients were satisfied with the treatment outcomes of IRMOD. This study concluded that general dentistry residents could potentially achieve competence in both the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant therapy while enrolled in an AEGD program.
Abstract A25: Evaluating a role for Rac1-PAK1 signaling in promoting the growth of KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely lethal cancer characterized by a high frequency of activating mutations in the KRAS oncogene (95%), which is a well-validated driver of PDAC growth. With limited treatment options for this disease, there is an urgent need to better understand the aberrant signaling that occurs in order to better design therapeutic strategies. However, to date, no successful anti-K-Ras therapies have been developed. Current efforts have focused on inhibition of effectors of K-Ras signaling, in particular the Raf and PI3K effector signaling pathways. However, inhibitors targeting components of these pathways, when used as monotherapy or in combination, have been ineffectual for long-term treatment of KRAS mutant cancers. The lack of success of these inhibitors is due, in part, to the importance of other effectors in K-Ras-dependent cancer growth and the upregulation of compensatory signaling programs that overcome inhibitor activity. Consequently, in order to design effective combinatorial-targeted therapies, there is a pressing need to better understand the role of other effector signaling events that support mutant K-Ras-driven PDAC growth. The small GTPase Rac1 has a known role in driving K-Ras mutant cancers, but the specific effectors through which Rac1 promotes tumor growth have not been defined. We hypothesize that the PAK1 serine/threonine kinase, and related isoforms, PAK2 and PAK3, are key components downstream of Rac1 in mutant K-Ras PDAC. In support of this, we found that PAK1 RNA and protein levels are overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cell lines and in patient tumor samples when compared to normal tissues. Additionally we determined that stable shRNA-mediated suppression of PAK1 protein expression inhibited PDAC anchorage-independent and –dependent growth and Matrigel invasion in vitro. Further, knockdown of K-Ras in PDAC cell lines resulted in reduced phospho-PAK1 (T423) levels, indicating a decrease in PAK1 activity. We also found that a pharmacologic inhibitor of PAK1 and other Group I PAK isoforms (PAK2 and PAK3) inhibited PDAC growth. Additionally, in an RNAi kinome library screen, we identified PAK3 as a driver of resistance to pharmacologic inhibition of ERK. These observations then prompted our studies to evaluate a possible role for PAK2 and PAK3 in PDAC. Finally, our ongoing studies are evaluating the ability of Group I PAK inhibitors in combination with inhibitors of PI3K, mTORC1/2, and MEK1/2 to effectively block KRAS effector signaling and PDAC growth. Citation Format: Nicole M. Baker, Janine LoBello, Haiyong Han, Holly Yin, Jen Jen Yeh, Channing J. Der. Evaluating a role for Rac1-PAK1 signaling in promoting the growth of KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on RAS Oncogenes: From Biology to Therapy; Feb 24-27, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A25. doi: 10.1158/1557-3125.RASONC14-A25
Topical Review: Pediatric Food Allergies Among Diverse Children

OBJECTIVE To present a brief review of the literature regarding potential racial/ethnic disparities in pediatric food allergy (FA). METHODS Topical review considering data regarding FA prevalence, asthma comorbidity, epinephrine access/use, and psychosocial impact (e.g., burden, quality of life). RESULTS Methodological variation precludes firm conclusions regarding disparities in prevalence; however, some data suggest Black children may be at particular risk. The comorbidity of FA and asthma among urban populations may increase risk of negative outcomes. There are clear racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in epinephrine access and use. Psychosocial measures are frequently validated on samples that are not racially or ethnically diverse. Studies investigating FA's psychosocial impact are often composed of mostly White, non-Hispanic participants (>85% of study sample). CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed to clarify prevalence patterns by race/ethnicity, to investigate the sources of disparity in epinephrine use, and to evaluate the differential impact of FA on diverse children.
Early Screening for Gestational Diabetes Leads to Success

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication that occurs during pregnancy, and the rate of diagnosis in the United States is on the rise. Early screening and treatment of GDM has the potential to make a positive difference for mothers and their infants. Multiple approaches for the screening of GDM have been recommended, including a two-step approach and a one-step approach. Since GDM may lead to an increased risk of birth defects, or may result in the development of type 2 diabetes for the mother after delivery, early treatment of GDM through diet, exercise, and possibly the administration of insulin and other medication can increase the chances of positive results.
Otoplasty--why and when.

Fortunately, the most common malformation of the ear is the protruding ear. Surgical correction is easy and should be done after age five and before peer ridicule takes its toll.Prosthetic replacement should be considered in more cases of major ear defects, because even the best surgical reconstruction is not inconspicuous.
SYNTHESIS OF DIMETHYL FUMARATE BY 1-METHYL-3-ALKYLIMDAZOLIUM/AlCl_3CATALYST

In this paper, dimethyl fumarate was synthesized by isomerization and esterificatoin of maleic anhydride and methanol under 1 methyl 3 alkyl imdazolium/AlCl 3 catalysts. The process of one step method was developed and optimized. The reaction temperature, amount of the catalyst, reaction time, material molar ratio and reaction time were optimized by the method of sequential discriminate procedure for design of experiments. Experimental results have indicated that 1 methyl 3 alkyl imdazolium/AlCl 3 can catalyze the isomerization of maleic anhydride and esterification of fumaric acid, and the optimum conditions are: the molar ratio of catalyst to maleic anhydride is 0.17, that of methanol to maleic anhydride 4.01, the reaction temperature 93.0℃,the reaction time 5.0 hours, and the yield of dimethyl fumarate can reach 90%.
Third Ventricle Enlargement in Neonates with Trisomy 21

Measurements of routine head sonographic scans of 57 term infants with trisomy 21 born between 2000 and 2005 were performed within 7 days after birth and were compared with scans of 21 randomly selected, healthy, term infants without trisomy 21 at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem; Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva; and Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Menopause and Perimenopause

In just a decade, the field of menopause has seemingly traversed a millennial journey! A number of longitudinal studies have helped define the natural history of the menopausal transition, and racial and ethnic nuances in the spectrum and the severity of symptomatology are now recognized. Through a series of well-conducted clinical trials, the ambiguities of decades past regarding the promise and the place of hormone therapy in menopause management are all but expunged, and the risks and the benefits of various hormonal and nonhormonal therapies to treat the symptoms and attendant health problems of menopausal and postmenopausal women are better understood than ever before. In this issue of Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, we have attempted to merge the natural history data that describe this normal life passage (the transition into menopause) with clinical trial data that inform treatment of largely finite, yet bothersome symptoms, and finally, to provide the clinician with information to help partner with patients in optimizing their quality of life and overall health, as menopause intersects with and influences a variety of diseases of aging. We have marshaled experts in their fields to bring the most up-to-date findings to bear on this fascinating field of endocrinology, and we are profoundly thankful for their contributions, as we are sure you will agree.
Abstract 140: Deficiency of Serum Glucocorticoid Kinase 1 (SGK1) in T Lymphocytes Blunts Hypertension and Abrogates Renal/Vascular Inflammation

We have previously shown that the T cell-derived pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 17A (IL17A), is upregulated by and promotes angiotensin II-induced hypertension and contributes to renal and vascular dysfunction. It was recently demonstrated that an excess of 40 mM of sodium chloride enhances IL17A production from CD4+ T cells in an SGK1 dependent manner. We confirmed the effect of salt on CD4+ T cell differentiation and extended this finding to CD8+ T cells in which 40mM of excess salt increased the expression of IL17A (4.7 fold, p=0.0003), TonEBP (2.3 fold, p=0.002), and the salt-sensing kinase SGK1 (2.2 fold, p=0.001) in naive CD8+ cells cultured under Th17 polarizing conditions. As dietary salt intake is linked to hypertension, we hypothesized that T cell SGK1 is essential to the ability of T cells to mediate hypertension. To test this hypothesis, we crossed SGK1fl/fl mice with CD4cre mice to delete SGK1 in T lymphocytes. Interestingly, loss of T cell SGK1 resulted in a blunted blood pressure response to angiotensin II infusion (by 31.25 mmHg, p=0.01). Moreover, angiotensin II-induced renal and vascular inflammation was abolished in these mice compared to SGK1fl/fl control mice. Angiotensin II infusion increased total (CD45+) leukocytes in the kidney from 55.4 to 120.4x103 (p<0.01) in SGK1fl/fl mice while there was no increase in mice with T cell deletion of SGK1 (48.1 to 47.5x103, p=ns). Similarly, angiotensin II increased total (CD45+) leukocytes in the aorta from 5.7 to 52.4x103 (p<0.01) in SGK1fl/fl mice compared to no increase in mice with T cell deletion of SGK1 (16.1 to 10.1x103, p=ns). Further characterization of these mice will lead to a more thorough understanding of how T cells sense salt and promote hypertension. These studies demonstrate that T cell SGK1 may be a novel therapeutic target for hypertension and the associated end-organ inflammation.
Collaborative scripting for the Web

Publisher Summary This chapter presents CoScripter, a system that enables users to capture, share, and automate tasks on the Web. Initial studies in this field had shown that there is a need for tools that support the automation and sharing of how-to knowledge in the enterprise. It has been observed in a core set of processes used by many participants as well as by less-common processes. Processes that participants used frequently were considered routine and tedious, whereas others were considered hard to remember. Automating these findings show that, while not perfect, CoScripter is beginning to overcome some of the barriers to sharing procedural knowledge. First, CoScripter provides a single public repository of procedural knowledge that interviewees used, e.g., several participants used scripts created by other people. Second, CoScripter eliminates the tedious task of writing instructions, e.g., DG1 used it to create textual instructions for non-CoScripter users. Third, CoScripter provides mechanisms to generalize instructions to a broad audience so that experts can record their knowledge once for use by many learners, e.g., MW1 generalized his scripts to work for 7000 employees.
Oral Biofluid Biomarker Research: Current Status and Emerging Frontiers

Salivary diagnostics is a rapidly advancing field that offers clinicians and patients the potential of rapid, noninvasive diagnostics with excellent accuracy. In order for the complete realization of the potential of saliva, however, extensive profiling of constituents must be conducted and diagnostic biomarkers must be thoroughly validated. This article briefly overviews the process of conducting a study of salivary biomarkers in a patient cohort and highlights the studies that have been conducted on different classes of molecules in the saliva. Emerging frontiers in salivary diagnostics research that may significantly advance the field will also be highlighted.
Metformin Improves Ileal Epithelial Barrier Function in Interleukin-10 Deficient Mice

Background and aims The impairment of intestinal epithelial barrier is the main etiologic factor of inflammatory bowel disease. The proper intestinal epithelial proliferation and differentiation is crucial for maintaining intestinal integrity. Metformin is a common anti-diabetic drug. The objective is to evaluate the protective effects of metformin on ileal epithelial barrier integrity using interleukin-10 deficient (IL10KO) mice. Methods Wild-type and IL10KO mice were fed with/without metformin for 6 weeks and then ileum was collected for analyses. The mediatory role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was further examined by gain and loss of function study in vitro. Results Compared to wild-type mice, IL10KO mice had increased proliferation, reduced goblet cell and Paneth cell lineage differentiation in the ileum tissue, which was accompanied with increased crypt expansion. Metformin supplementation mitigated intestinal cell proliferation, restored villus/crypt ratio, increased goblet cell and Paneth cell differentiation and improved barrier function. In addition, metformin supplementation in IL10KO mice suppressed macrophage pro-inflammatory activity as indicated by reduced M1 macrophage abundance and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, TNF-α and IFN-γ expressions. As a target of metformin, AMPK phosphorylation was enhanced in mice treated with metformin, regardless of mouse genotypes. In correlation, the mRNA level of differentiation regulator including bmp4, bmpr2 and math1 were also increased in IL10KO mice supplemented with metformin, which likely explains the enhanced epithelial differentiation in IL10KO mice with metformin. Consistently, in Caco-2 cells, metformin promoted claudin-3 and E-cadherin assembly and mitigated TNF-α-induced fragmentation of tight junction proteins. Gain and loss of function assay also demonstrated AMPK was correlated with epithelial differentiation and proliferation. Conclusions Metformin supplementation promotes secretory cell lineage differentiation, suppresses inflammation and improves epithelial barrier function in IL10KO mice likely through activation of AMPK, showing its beneficial effects on gut epithelial.
Reinventing the Wheel vs. Grinding the Same Old Axe: An Ethnographic View of the Students and Community Members at a Massachusetts College Radio Station

Using the notion of an ‘ideal public sphere’, this article explains and analyzes the democratizing impulses and the clash in intentions as students and local community members negotiate for access to the airwaves at WMUA, a unique hybrid college radio station in Western Massachusetts. Undergraduate students technically control the station, but many of its actual practices fit a Community Radio model that disproportionately favours community members. Students use their WMUA for their own entertainment or see it as a place to gain on-air experience and build resumes. Community members, however, use their WMUA to produce empowering content for audiences beyond the University. With institutional memory and cultural capital, they largely control WMUA’s structure. With data from long-term ethnographic research, this article critiques the normative Habermasian public sphere by showing how regulatory practices limit individualistic, developmental goals of the students, even as these practices facilitate the outside community’s progressive agenda.
Including exclusion: the enduring problematic gap between the race and ethnicity paradigms

In the article, “U.S. Racial and Ethnic Relations in the Twenty-first Century”, Zulema Valdez and Tanya Golash-Boza present a compelling argument, suggesting the existence of a gap in race theoreti...