cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of natural killer cell regulatory microRNA by uveal melanoma cancer stem cells

Natural killer (NK) cells are implicated in the control of metastasis in uveal melanoma, a process that has been ascribed to its cancer stem cell subpopulation. NK cell activation is regulated by specific microRNA (miR). The NK cell sensitivity and regulatory miR production of uveal melanoma cancer stem cells was examined. Cancer stem cells enriched from aggressively metastatic MUM2B uveal melanoma cells by selecting CD271+ cells or propagating as non-adherent spheres in stem-cell supportive were more resistant to NK cell cytolysis than cancer stem cells enriched from less aggressively metastatic OCM1 uveal melanoma cells. Both MUM2B and OCM1 cells expressed and secreted NK cell regulatory miRs, including miR 146a, 181a, 20a, and 223. MUM2B cells expressed and secreted miR-155; OCM1 cells did not. Transfecting MUM2B cells with anti-miR-155 increased NK cell sensitivity. CD271+ cells were identified in the blood of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma and were characterized by low expression of melanocyte differentiation determinants and by the ability to form non-adherent spheres in stem-cell supportive media. These cells also expressed NK cell regulatory miRs, including miR-155. These results indicate that uveal melanoma cancer stem cells can vary in their sensitivity to NK cell lysis and their expression of NK cell regulatory miRs. Circulating CD271+ cells from patients with metastatic uveal melanoma manifest cancer stem cell features and express miRs associated with NK cell suppression, including miR-155, that may contribute to metastatic progression.
The “New” Technology Environment: The Role of Content and Context on Learning and Development from Mobile Media

The rise of mobile media over recent years has brought promise and potential for children’s learning and development. With new—and often highly interactive—ways for children to engage with digital media and technology, as well as the ability to engage anywhere at anytime, mobile media is providing new and different opportunities unavailable with prior technologies. At the same time, these novel opportunities have led to more questions regarding the developmental appropriateness of digital media and technology, as well as how to best leverage the novel features of mobile media (e.g., touchscreens, anywhere/anytime engagement) to support young children’s learning and development. What has not changed, however, is the foundational importance of understanding not just whether and how children engage with mobile media but the content and context of that engagement. Indeed, emerging technologies afford new types of content (e.g., interactive) and contexts (e.g., mobile media can be taken anywhere), and have shifted traditional notions of screens and screen time. This chapter explores how new content and contexts afforded by mobile media fit into the daily lives of children and their influence on children’s learning and development.
Every question is open: Looking for paths beyond the clearing:

However challenging scholars of religion find it to talk across their respective subfields, they are responsible for doing so in order to consider future trajectories for research in religious stud...
Field-based hypotheses on advancing standards for mathematical practice

Abstract The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics ( CCSSM, 2010 ) are organized around two types of standards: the standards for mathematical content and standards for mathematical practice. The central goal of this paper is to present cognitive and instructional analyses of standards for mathematical practice through a discussion of field-based activities with inservice secondary mathematics teachers and students. A potential value of the study is that it provides researchers with specific field-based hypotheses on advancing standards for mathematical practice.
Abstract MS2-2: MS2-2 The latest breakthroughs on the translational aspects of DNA repair pathways

Genomic instability exists in the majority of human cancer, and there is an underlying DNA repair defect driving the instability in most cases. There are seven defined DNA repair pathways that, when inactive, can produce genome wide patterns of mutations. Current cancer genomics can provide a significant insight into the underlying DNA repair defect. This information can be used to select targeted therapies or suggest a more likely response to immune checkpoint blockade. To use acquired homologous recombination (HR) deficiency as an example of this paradigm, we have found that large scale genomic rearrangements and segmental copy number changes are found in breast cancers without a known germline mutation and see a strong link to biallelic alterations in homologous recombination genes. We detected a genetic etiology of HR deficiency in 90% of studied HR-deficient cases, whereas HR-proficient tumors only showed biallelic HR gene mutations in Synthetic lethality in human cancer is a developing area of new therapeutic discovery. HR deficiency is thought to be rescued by at least 3 different DNA repair pathways: base-excision repair, translesion synthesis and alternative end joining – all of which are active in proliferating cancer cells. In addition, even the canonical end-joining mechanism of Ku heterodimer binding to any double-stranded end is another component of handling DNA lesion intermediates. The reason for this variety of synthetic lethality has to be different critical DNA lesion intermediates. Knowledge of the DNA damage processing and the proteins involved in the rescue of lesions that would be repaired by HR can provide the basis for the identification of novel targets. I will review our progress in making RAD52 a potential target along with other initiatives for new drug discovery. Citation Format: Powell SN. MS2-2 The latest breakthroughs on the translational aspects of DNA repair pathways [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr MS2-2.
Using an Interactive Online Quiz to Recalibrate College Students’ Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions About Phishing:

Despite improved spam filtering technology, phishing continues to be a prevalent threat for college students. The current study found that approximately 4-in-10 of the students surveyed (N = 462) indicate they do not know what phishing is and the threat it poses. Students also report initially overestimating their confidence to successfully recognize phishing attempts, and underestimating their susceptibility to being the victim of an attack. By completing an interactive online phishing quiz, which explained what to look for in both counterfeit and legitimate email messages, students’ self-efficacy to identify phishing attempts increased, as did their perceived susceptibility to phishing attacks, their perceptions of the severity of phishing, their intentions to learn more about the topic, and their intentions to discuss phishing with others. These results indicate that a simple, interactive online phishing quiz could be used as an effective teaching tool to supplement existing educational attempts regard...
Marital distress (MD), quality of life, and psychological morbidity among advanced cancer patients (ACP) in phase I trials and their spousal caregivers (SC).

9578 Background: Prior research identifies marriage as a protective resource for couples during the cancer trajectory. However, the prevalence of potential MD and its effect on the quality of life (QOL) and psychological morbidity of ACP in Phase I trials has not been described. Methods: A prospective cohort of ACP enrolling in phase I trials was assessed at baseline (T1) and one month (T2) using the following measures: depression (CES-D), state-trait anxiety (STAI-S/T), quality of life/qol (FACIT-Pal), global health (SF-36), and marital satisfaction (DAS). Semi-structured interviews evaluated ACP-SC experiences re MD including: fulfillment, contentment, intimacy, conflict. Results: To date, a total of 54 married phase I ACP-SC couple dyads (n=108 subjects) were separately interviewed at T1 and T2. For the total population: median age 60y (28-78y); 50% male; 88% Ca; 68%> HS educ; 57% GI dx; 52% income <$65,000 yr. Couples were married on average for 37y (15-50y) and 18% ACPs reported this was a second mar...
Sustainability implications of connected and autonomous vehicles for the food supply chain

Abstract Connected and autonomous vehicles are anticipated to transform food distribution systems. The food distribution industry is a likely early-adopter of this technology, with resulting changes affecting the environmental and economic profiles of the food supply chain. Considerations for a truly sustainable adoption of this technology are discussed.
The Role of Peers in the Linkages Between Harsh Parenting and Mental Health Outcomes Among Adolescents from Families At-Risk

Harsh parenting is associated with adolescent mental health concerns. Peer relationships also importantly influence adolescent mental health outcomes. Although the direct associations between harsh...
Asking Queer(er) Questions: Epistemological and Methodological Implications for Qualitative Inquirers.

This collection of distinct scholarly essays deliberatively turns to queer experience and theorizing as a resource for constructing vibrant qualitative research designs. Queer theory offers a bread...
Using Molecular Models To Assess Agonists and Antagonists for Cell-Surface Receptors

A series of tabletop models was built to demonstrate the interactions between a fictional cell-surface receptor, the receptor’s natural ligand, and eight potential therapeutic agents. Students assessed the eight therapeutic agents as agonists, antagonists, or neither agonists nor antagonists, first as a pencil-and-paper exercise and then subsequently using the three-dimensional models. Students found the activity to be engaging and were more accurately able to identify the correct roles of the agents when using the models.
Introduction to Statistical Genetics and Background in Molecular Genetics

An understanding of the basic ideas of inheritance has been evident throughout the history of mankind, ever since the domestication of animals or the practice of farming began. The Babylonians and ancient Egyptians utilized cross pollination of crops and selection of domesticated animals for breeding, but did not develop a formal theory for the principles underlying the inheritance of traits. Later, ancient Greek philosophers developed elementary theories to explain how inheritance worked in humans, grappling unsuccessfully with the apparent paradox that inherited characteristics can sometimes differ between offspring and parents. Some diseases in humans, such as sickle cell anemia and hemophilia, have been recognized as inherited disorders for centuries and, as the science of medicine developed, so too did the recognition that many diseases are heritable.
Chapter 2 – Membrane Durability: Physical and Chemical Degradation

Publisher Summary Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are the most promising membranes for automotive applications because of their relatively high proton conductivity at low temperatures. This chapter addresses the three primary root causes of membrane failure in automotive fuel cell systems. PEM fuel cells for high power density operation utilize perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes. Ultimately, fuel cells fail because of pinholes that develop and propagate within the polymer membranes and can also fail if electronic current passes through the membranes causing the system to short. Both chemical and mechanical degradation of PFSA membranes are extensively studied and effective mitigation strategies are developed that can significantly extend PFSA-PEM lifetimes. The approaches described in this chapter can be applied to such alternative PEMs, but new fundamental models for both chemical and mechanical degradation are likely required. Even for the case of PFSA membranes, further work is required to develop the predictive models required to enable accurate estimation of membrane life in a real system. This chapter includes the first in-depth fundamental study of membrane shorting of PEMs in subsequent thermal decay of the PEM. Results and analysis suggest that the PEM type is not the limiting factor in preventing membrane shorting, and that mitigation is best achieved by a combination of design and operating strategies.
Blockchain-backed analytics. Adding blockchain-based quality gates to data science projects.

A typical analytical lifecycle in data science projects starts with the process of data generation and collection, continues with data preparation and preprocessing and heads towards project specific analytics, visualizations and presentations. In order to ensure high quality trusted analytics, every relevant step of the data-model-result linkage needs to meet certain quality standards that furthermore should be certified by trusted quality gate mechanisms. We propose “blockchain-backed analytics”, a scalable and easy-to-use generic approach to introduce quality gates to data science projects, backed by the immutable records of a blockchain. For that reason, data, models and results are stored as cryptographically hashed fingerprints with mutually linked transactions in a public blockchain database. This approach enables stakeholders of data science projects to track and trace the linkage of data, applied models and modeling results without the need of trust validation of escrow systems or any other third party.
Phagocytes from Mice Lacking the Sts Phosphatases Have an Enhanced Antifungal Response to Candida albicans.

ABSTRACT Mice lacking expression of the homologous phosphatases Sts-1 and Sts-2 (Sts−/− mice) are resistant to disseminated candidiasis caused by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. To better understand the immunological mechanisms underlying the enhanced resistance of Sts−/− mice, we examined the kinetics of fungal clearance at early time points. In contrast to the rapid C. albicans growth seen in normal kidneys during the first 24 h postinfection, we observed a reduction in kidney fungal CFU within Sts−/− mice beginning at 12 to 18 h postinfection. This corresponds to the time period when large numbers of innate leukocytes enter the renal environment to counter the infection. Because phagocytes of the innate immune system are important for host protection against pathogenic fungi, we evaluated responses of bone marrow leukocytes. Relative to wild-type cells, Sts−/− marrow monocytes and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) displayed a heightened ability to inhibit C. albicans growth ex vivo. This correlated with significantly enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by Sts−/− BMDCs downstream of Dectin-1, a C-type lectin receptor that plays a critical role in stimulating host responses to fungi. We observed no visible differences in the responses of other antifungal effector pathways, including cytokine production and inflammasome activation, despite enhanced activation of the Syk tyrosine kinase downstream of Dectin-1 in Sts−/− cells. Our results highlight a novel mechanism regulating the immune response to fungal infections. Further understanding of this regulatory pathway could aid the development of therapeutic approaches to enhance protection against invasive candidiasis. IMPORTANCE Systemic candidiasis caused by fungal Candida species is becoming an increasingly serious medical problem for which current treatment is inadequate. Recently, the Sts phosphatases were established as key regulators of the host antifungal immune response. In particular, genetic inactivation of Sts significantly enhanced survival of mice infected intravenously with Candida albicans. The Sts−/−in vivo resistance phenotype is associated with reduced fungal burden and an absence of inflammatory lesions. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we studied phagocyte responses. Here, we demonstrate that Sts−/− phagocytes have heightened responsiveness to C. albicans challenge relative to wild-type cells. Our data indicate the Sts proteins negatively regulate phagocyte activation via regulating selective elements of the Dectin-1–Syk tyrosine kinase signaling axis. These results suggest that phagocytes lacking Sts respond to fungal challenge more effectively and that this enhanced responsiveness partially underlies the profound resistance of Sts−/− mice to systemic fungal challenge.
Particulate organohalogens in edible brown seaweeds

Abstract Brown algae, rich in antioxidants and other bioactive compounds, are important dietary seaweeds in many cultures. Like other marine macroalgae, brown seaweeds are known to accumulate the halogens iodine and bromine. Comparatively little is known about the chemistry of chlorine in seaweeds. We used synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy to measure total non-volatile organochlorine and -bromine in five edible brown seaweeds: Laminaria digitata, Fucus vesiculosus, Pelvetia canaliculata, Saccharina latissima, and Undaria pinnatifida. Organochlorine concentrations range from 120 to 630 mg·kg−1 dry weight and organobromine from 150 to 360 mg·kg−1, comprising mainly aromatic organohalogens in both cases. Aliphatic organochlorine exceeds aliphatic organobromine but is positively correlated with it among the seaweeds. Higher organochlorine levels appear in samples with more lipid moieties, suggesting lipid chlorination as a possible formation pathway. Particulate organohalogens are not correlated with antioxidant activity or polyphenolic content in seaweed extracts. Such compounds likely contribute to organohalogen body burden in humans and other organisms.
A Description of a Health System's Emergency Department Patients Who Were Part of a Large Hepatitis A Outbreak.

Abstract Background A recent hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak in San Diego, California represents one of the largest HAV outbreaks in the United States. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency identified homelessness and illicit or injection drug use as risk factors for contracting HAV during this outbreak. Objective We describe those patients who presented to our Emergency Department (ED) and were identified as HAV positive. Methods This was a retrospective descriptive study conducted at a tertiary care university health system's EDs from November 2016 to February 2018. Included were those of all ages who tested positive for HAV immunoglobulin M antibody. Outcome measures included: 1) demographic data; 2) number of patients testing positive for HAV by week and month of the outbreak; 3) homeless status, illicit and injection drug use, and alcohol use; 4) ED chief complaint; 5) initial liver function and coagulopathy test results, hepatitis B and C test results, and initial vital signs; 6) admission status; 7) death; and 8) the 7-day ED revisit rate for nonadmitted patients and the 30-day all-cause readmission rate for admitted patients. Results We identified 57,721 patients with at least one ED visit, and 1,453 of these were tested for HAV; 133 patients (9.2%) tested positive. Average age was 45.1 years, and 91 (68.4%) were male. Eighty-six patients (64.7%) were homeless and 53 patients (39.8%) reported illicit or injection drug use; 64 patients (48.1%) had chief complaints consistent with typical HAV symptoms. Most patients (112 or 84.2%) were admitted. Nine patients (6.8%) were admitted to a critical care setting; 8 patients (6%) died. Conclusions During this large HAV outbreak, 9% of those screened for HAV tested positive. The majority were homeless, and 40% reported illicit or injection drug use. Most required hospitalization, and 6% of patients died.
Semisynthetic supra plasma expanders: a new class of therapeutics to improve microcircualtion in sickle cell anaemia

AbstractCompromised microcirculation and endothelial dysfunction are hallmarks of sickle cell disease (SCD). EAF PEG Haemoglobin (Hb) and EAF PEG Albumin (Alb) represent a novel class of semisynthe...
135 OUTCOMES OF CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN REQUIRING CONTINUOUS RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS.

Acute renal failure (ARF) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is associated with significant morbidity, with mortality greater than 50%, despite advances in dialytic therapies. While use of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has become widespread in the pediatric population, there are few published data regarding outcomes for these critically ill children. The purpose of this study was to describe our experience with CRRT over the past 5 years in the PICU. We looked at the association of several factors with survival in a retrospective analysis of 76 children with ARF admitted to our institution between 1/2000 and 9/2005. The primary outcome was survival to discharge; secondary outcomes were duration of mechanical ventilation, PICU stay, hospitalization, and time to renal recovery. The median age of the patients was 69 months (range 0.10 to 227), median PRISM II score was 14 (range 0 to 39), median BUN at CRRT initiation was 51.5 mg/dL (range 2 to 220), median creatinine at CRRT initiation was 2.4 mg/dL (range 0.2 to 7.8). Of the 76 patients, 63.2% had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS, defined as $ 3 organs) as the primary cause of renal failure, 22.4% were oncology patients, and 15.8% were bone marrow transplant patients. Overall PICU survival was 55.3%, similar to that previously described. Several factors were significantly different between those who survived to PICU discharge and those who died. Presence of fluid overload was the stated reason for CRRT initiation 62% of the time in survivors versus 91% of time in non-survivors (p
Outcomes of Emergency Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Objective. To identify outcomes of patients undergoing emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and determine predictors of in-hospital mortality. Background. Emergency TAVR has emerged as a viable treatment strategy for patients with decompensated severe aortic stenosis and/or regurgitation; however, data on patients undergoing emergency TAVR are limited. Methods. All emergency TAVR procedures were identified from a single tertiary academic center between January 2015 and August 2018. Results. 31 patients underwent emergency TAVR due to cardiogenic shock (26 patients), electrical instability with incessant ventricular tachycardia (2 patients), severe refractory angina (2 patients), and decompensated heart failure with hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (1 patient). Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) was used in 16 (51.6%). MCS initiation occurred immediately prior to TAVR in 10 patients and placed post-TAVR in 6 patients. 6 patients died before hospital discharge (in-hospital mortality 19.4%). 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 61.0% and 55.9%, respectively. Univariate predictors of in-hospital mortality were preprocedural pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) ≤1.8 (66.7% vs. 20.0%, ), intraprocedural cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (83.3% vs 4.0%, ), acute kidney injury post-TAVR (80.0% vs. 4.2%, ), initiation of dialysis post-TAVR (60.0% vs. 4.2%, ), and MCS initiation post-TAVR (50.0% vs. 12.0%, ). MCS initiation before TAVR was associated with improved survival compared with post-TAVR initiation. Conclusion. Emergency TAVR in extreme risk patients with acute decompensated heart failure or cardiogenic shock secondary to severe aortic valve disease is associated with high in-hospital mortality rates. Careful patient selection taking into account right heart function, assessed by PAPi, and early utilization of MCS may improve survival following emergency TAVR.
Temporal Trends in the Incidence of Anogenital Warts: Impact of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination.

BACKGROUND Studies in countries with high human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage have demonstrated marked reductions in anogenital wart (AGW) incidence. Our goal was to assess the impact of HPV vaccination in a population with suboptimal coverage by comparing AGW incidence trends in the years before and after vaccine introduction. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of AGW incidence trends using an ecologic study design among 11- through 39-year-olds enrolled at Kaiser Permanente Northwest. We defined incidence as the proportion of persons who had a new AGW diagnosis for each calendar year in the prevaccine periods (2000 through 2006 for female individuals, 2000 through 2010 for male individuals) and the postvaccine periods (2007 through 2016 for female individuals, 2011 through 2016 for male individuals). We also described cumulative HPV vaccination coverage. RESULTS The average annual AGW incidence rates in the prevaccine periods were 27.8 per 10,000 in female individuals and 26.9 per 10,000 in male individuals. In the postvaccine periods, AGW incidence rates decreased by 31% (P < 0.001) in female individuals and 10% (P = 0.006) in male individuals; the largest reductions were observed in 15- to 19-year-old female individuals (67%, P < 0.001) and male individuals (45%, P < 0.001). Three dose HPV coverage rates were less than 50% in all age groups and both sexes. CONCLUSIONS In a population of young adults with moderate HPV vaccination coverage, we observed declines in AGW incidence among both female and male year after the introduction of HPV vaccination. The largest incidence reductions were observed in 15- to 19-year-olds who were most likely to have been vaccinated.
Efficacy of CT guided radioactive 125I seed implantation in the treatment of lung cancer

Objective To investigate the feasibility,efficacy and complications of CT guided radioactive 125I seed implantation in the treatment of lung cancer.Methods According to the different treatment methods,65 patients with lung cancer were divided into two groups,37 cases in the implantation alone group received CT guided 125I seeds interstitial implantation,the other 28 cases in the combination treatment group received interstitial 125I seeds implantation combined with chemotherapy.All the patients were examined by posologic validation,and were followed up termly.Results The total effictive rate of 65 patients was 80.0％,1-year survival rate was 90.8％.The effictive rates of implantation alone group and combination treatment group were 67.6％ and 96.4％ respectively.There was a significant difference between the two groups (x2=8.298,P＜0.01).Before treatment,all the patients' mean diameter of the tumor was 5.48 cm; while it was 3.77 cm after treatment (t=7.764,P＜0.01).Complications included pneumothorax (36 cases),bloody sputum (7 cases),fever (4 cases) which improved after treatment in 65 patients,but without radiation pneumonia.Conclusion 125I seed implantation is a highly effective treatment without severe complications in the treatment of lung cancer. Key words: Lung neoplasms; Iodine radioisotopes; Brachytherapy; Tomography, X-ray computed
Impact of Comorbidities and Outcomes In Patient with Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy with and Without Chronic Liver Disease

Background Alcohol consumption can lead to alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) as well as chronic liver disease (CLD). Studies suggested an association between ACM and CLD, however, there is paucity of data on how CLD influences in-hospital outcomes in subjects with ACM. Methods This retrospective cohort study based on the Nationwide Inpatient Sample included all patients above 18 years who have ACM with or without CLD from 2011 to 2017. Statistical analyses were done comparing ACM with and without CLD. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the impact of CLD on in-hospital outcomes. Results A total of 128,081 individuals had a diagnosis of ACM, with 15% with CLD. ACM without CLD were older (median 57 vs. 55 years), with a higher number of males (87% vs. 84.5% p Conclusion Although we found individuals with ACM without CLD have higher burden comorbidities and in-hospital cardiovascular complications, patients with ACM and CLD have higher in-hospital all-cause mortality.
Does Resizing the Gastric Pouch Aid in Weight Loss

Despite the rise in popularity of restrictive bariatric surgical procedures such as the sleeve gastrectomy in the US [1] the Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) still maintains a more sustainable long-term weight loss outcome and larger reduction in co-morbid metabolic conditions [2]. After undergoing a RYGB, patients can expect initial weight-loss followed by a minor amount of weight regain after reaching their weight nadir. Up to a quarter of patients have been reported to regain even further weight often accompanied by return of metabolic co-morbidities [3]. This is thought to be attributed to a complex inter-play of various social, psychological, physiological, and anatomical factors [3, 4]. In this chapter we will explore if a specific anatomical factor, namely pouch size, has any effect on the weight loss awarded the RYGB or the weight regain plaguing up to a quarter of patients in the published literature.
The Gender Effects of Audit Partners on Audit Outcomes: Evidence of Rule 3211 Adoption

This paper investigates whether the impact of PCAOB Rule 3211 on the quality and cost of audit services differs between female and male audit partners. We find that the improvement of audit quality is more pronounced for female audit partners than male partners after Rule 3211 adoption. Female audit partners are also associated with higher increases in fees and report lags than male counterparts after the adoption of Rule 3211. Further, we find that the presence of female CFOs (or female audit committee members) attenuate the audit fees and report lag increases in the post-adoption periods. Overall, our findings confirm the importance of the gender effect on audit outcomes, which needs further consideration by standard setters. Our study also provides empirical evidence of the benefits of gender equality in the workplace.
The Life Cycle of an E-Reserve Service

This article presents findings from a survey regarding use of an e-reserve service, and how those findings contributed to a decision to discontinue an e-reserve service at a large, academic researc...
Realizing Freedom as Non-domination: Political Obligation in Kant’s Doctrine of Right

Prominent Kantian scholars, such as Korsgaard and Waldron, claim that the very existence of juridical-political institutions is sufficient to render laws authoritative. Critics argue that this view is unpersuasive as it requires subjects to obey grossly unjust laws. Here, I identify two problems facing scholars who reject the absolutist view of political authority proffered by Korsgaard and Waldron. First, when there is reasonable disagreement regarding a law’s legitimacy the Principle of Right generates contradictory obligations as it commands both disobedience and compliance. In clarifying this problem, I argue that individuals must disobey illegitimate laws where this requirement is co-extensive with the duty to leave the state of nature. However, disobedience amounts to domination when individuals are subjected to private judgments regarding the conditions of freedom. The Principle of Right cannot overcome this impasse as it does not offer reasons in favor of compliance that are distinct from those reasons legitimating the law. To address this issue, I supplement Kant’s account with Joseph Raz’s ‘service conception’ of authority to show that compliance can be rendered compatible with the Principle of Right. A second problem emerges when laws are blatantly illegitimate such that obedience cannot be justified. In these cases, the Principle of Right cannot guide legislative reform in an intuitively appealing way as it fails to address considerations of proportionality. Though this latter problem is not resolved here, identifying it helps to further clarify the relationship between Kant’s moral and political principles.
Tolerability of axitinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

e16536Background: Axitinib has been used extensively as a single agent or in combination with immunotherapy in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. It can be often discontinued due to ad...
Butyrate and the Intestinal Epithelium: Modulation of Proliferation and Inflammation in Homeostasis and Disease.

The microbial metabolite butyrate serves as a link between the intestinal microbiome and epithelium. The monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and SMCT1 are the predominant means of butyrate transport from the intestinal lumen to epithelial cytoplasm, where the molecule undergoes rapid β-oxidation to generate cellular fuel. However, not all epithelial cells metabolize butyrate equally. Undifferentiated colonocytes, including neoplastic cells and intestinal stem cells at the epithelial crypt base preferentially utilize glucose over butyrate for cellular fuel. This divergent metabolic conditioning is central to the phenomenon known as “butyrate paradox”, in which butyrate induces contradictory effects on epithelial proliferation in undifferentiated and differentiated colonocytes. There is evidence that accumulation of butyrate in epithelial cells results in histone modification and altered transcriptional activation that halts cell cycle progression. This manifests in the apparent protective effect of butyrate against colonic neoplasia. A corollary to this process is butyrate-induced inhibition of intestinal stem cells. Yet, emerging research has illustrated that the evolution of the crypt, along with butyrate-producing bacteria in the intestine, serve to protect crypt base stem cells from butyrate’s anti-proliferative effects. Butyrate also regulates epithelial inflammation and tolerance to antigens, through production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells. The role of butyrate in the pathogenesis and treatment of intestinal neoplasia, inflammatory bowel disease and malabsorptive states is evolving, and holds promise for the potential translation of butyrate’s cellular function into clinical therapies.
Beyond Recognition: Visual Contributions to Verbal Working Memory.

Purpose: It is well recognized that adding the visual to the acoustic speech signal improves recognition when the acoustic signal is degraded, but how that visual signal affects postrecognition pro...
Bioisolation on the Space Station

Animal research on the Space Station presents the need for bioisolation, which is here defined as instrumental and operational provisions, which will prevent the exchange of particles greater than 0.3-micron size and microorganisms between crew and animals. Current design principles for the Biological Research Project thus call for: (1) use of specific pathogen-free animals; (2) keeping animals at all times in enclosed habitats, provided with microbial filters and a waste collection system; (3) placing habitats in a holding rack, centrifuge, and workbench, all equipped with particulate and odor filters, (4) washing dirty cage units in an equipment cleaner, with treatment and recycling of the water; (5) designing components and facilities so as to ensure maximal accessibility for cleaning; and (6) defining suitable operational procedures. Limited ground tests of prototype components indicate that proper bioisolation can thus be achieved.
A Dynamic Model of NATO Behavior and its Empirical Testing

Since the seminal work of Olson and Zeckhauser (1966), the military alliance literature has centered on testing the hypothesis that small alliance members will free ride on the protection of large alliance members. This has been tested using cross-section time-series models and static simultaneous equation models. In contrast, we use vector autoregression (VAR) to test this hypothesis. We show that the VAR model not only captures the dynamic feature of alliance behavior but also has theoretical micro-foundations. In the VAR model that includes external threat, our findings strongly supports cooperative behavior among the five largest NATO members concerning their level of defense spending. JEL Codes: C70, H41, H56
Chapter 19 Using GIS to display complex soil salinity patterns in an inland salt marsh

Abstract Inland salt marshes are found near salt lakes and desert springs in areas of high evaporation and low precipitation. Spatial and seasonal fluctuations of the soil salinity levels are assumed to be associated with local climate. However, topography complicates the general soil salinity patterns attributed to climate. To better demonstrate and display these spatial and temporal relationships, soil salinity data were gathered over a ten-month period and then examined with a geographic information system software package. A variety of surface contour plots can be generated depending on the software used, the interpolation method, and the input variables chosen. To demonstrate some of this variation, surface plots were interpolated using the inverse distance weighted method in ArcView 3.3 and the ordinary kriging method in ArcGIS 8. Various methods and settings should be examined to create the clearest interpolated surface to present the collected data. Using the same data, ordinary kriging generated a gradual, smooth surface while the overall quality of the inverse distance weighted surface was irregular. The ordinary kriging method produced mean error and root-mean-square error statistics closer to zero indicating it would generally yield a better estimation of the soil salinity. The surfaces generated showed some seasonal fluctuation in soil salinity but spatial changes were more distinct. The low-elevation areas in the center of the salt marsh had low levels of soil salinity while the marsh edges at slightly higher elevations had increased levels of soil salinity. The spatial patterns of soil salinity appear to depend on seasonality, specifically rainfall and plant activity and the amount of water present in the salt marsh. However, local surface anomalies can mask these patterns. Through the use of global information systems (GIS) and interpolation some of the masking effects can be reduced revealing the underlying patterns.
Multiple neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease) with concurrent micrognathia: Review of the literature and report of a case

Abstract Multiple neurofibromatosis appears in many forms and is usually transmitted as an autosomal dominant factor. Surgery may prove beneficial, but complications may ensue. A case is presented in which the functional and esthetic benefits were of significant personal value to the patient.
Link-Time Improvement of Scheme Programs

Optimizing compilers typically limit the scope of their analyses and optimizations to individual modules. This has two drawbacks: first, library code cannot be optimized together with their callers, which implies that reusing code through libraries incurs a penalty; and second, the results of analysis and optimization cannot be propagated from an application module written in one language to a module written in another. A possible solution is to carry out (additional) program optimization at link time. This paper describes our experiences with such optimization using two different optimizing Scheme compilers, and several benchmark programs, via alto, a link-time optimizer we have developed for the DEC Alpha architecture. Experiments indicate that significant performance improvements are possible via link-time optimization even when the input programs have already been subjected to high levels of compile-time optimization.
Adapting Text instead of the Model: An Open Domain Approach

Natural language systems trained on labeled data from one domain do not perform well on other domains. Most adaptation algorithms proposed in the literature train a new model for the new domain using unlabeled data. However, it is time consuming to retrain big models or pipeline systems. Moreover, the domain of a new target sentence may not be known, and one may not have significant amount of unlabeled data for every new domain. To pursue the goal of an Open Domain NLP (train once, test anywhere), we propose ADUT (ADaptation Using label-preserving Transformation), an approach that avoids the need for retraining and does not require knowledge of the new domain, or any data from it. Our approach applies simple label-preserving transformations to the target text so that the transformed text is more similar to the training domain; it then applies the existing model on the transformed sentences and combines the predictions to produce the desired prediction on the target text. We instantiate ADUT for the case of Semantic Role Labeling (SRL) and show that it compares favorably with approaches that retrain their model on the target domain. Specifically, this "on the fly" adaptation approach yields 13% error reduction for a single parse system when adapting from the news wire text to fiction.
Vivos voco: Herzen's Past, Present and Future

A close reading of the journalism, correspondence, and memoirs of Alexander Herzen (1812–1870) yields a finely tuned relationship to past, present, and future, but not a complete philosophy of history. Herzen described no system, but repeated key metaphors (e.g., the libretto) and concepts (e.g. contingency) that reflected his understanding of the historical process. For Herzen, history became interesting when it was relieved of predetermined plots and algebraic formulas. However much he studied Russia’s past and planned its future, his preference was for the present, where freedom is most fully experienced in debate and in the need to choose a path forward. He understood the instrumentality of history in how the lives of ordinary people were affected, which remained his measure of progress. Herzen was a “historian of the present,” and his insights are remarkably applicable to twenty-first-century Russia.
Effect of nonlinearity in the CMFB circuit that uses the differential-difference amplifier

This paper considers one type of common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuit that uses two differential pairs to sense the common-mode output voltage (V/sub oc/) of a fully differential op amp. Analysis of the circuit and simulation show that even powers of the differential-mode output voltage (V/sub oc/) affect the common-mode control signal generated by the CMFB circuit. As a result, undesired tones appear in V/sub oc/ and V/sub oc/ due to transistor nonlinearity in the CMFB circuit. SPICE simulation results show that adding degeneration resistors to the differential pairs reduces the undesirable tones significantly.
Cathepsins as effector proteases in hepatocyte apoptosis.

Cathepsins B and D appear to act as part of the effector protease cascade in hepatocyte apoptosis, both in bile salt-induced apoptosis and CPT-induced apoptosis of hepatocellular cancer cell lines. It is important to note that these proteases do not appear to participate in many models of apoptosis studied to date; in fact, cathepsin inhibitors have been used as negative controls to show that enzymes other than caspases are not involved in apoptosis. In particular, it has been shown that cathepsin B inhibitors do not prevent many models of apoptosis in lymphocytes (43). Further, our experiments have shown that not all models of hepatocyte apoptosis are mediated by cathepsins. For example, staurosporine-induced apoptosis is not inhibited by cathepsin B inhibitors in primary hepatocytes or in cell lines stably transfected with the cathepsin B antisense construct. Although the signaling pathways leading to activation of cathepsins B and D in hepatocyte apoptosis are not completely understood, we hypothesize that a caspase 8-like protein may be involved proximal to cathepsins D and B (Fig. 6). The precise mechanism by which cathepsin B is translocated from lysosomes to “apoptotic targets” is currently under investigation in our laboratory. Because of the relative promiscuity of cathepsin B as protease, it is likely that it is involved in nonspecific protein degradation in apoptotic bodies; however, cathepsin B has also been shown to degrade certain specific proteins, such as histones, which may be directly relevant to the apoptotic process. Further evaluation of the role of cathepsins B and D in apoptosis should include the determination of specific proteolytic targets that result in the biochemical and morphologic manifestations of apoptosis.
ELASTIC SCATTERING AND POLARIZATION OF PROTONS BY HELIUM AT 147 AND 66 MEV

Measurements have been made of the polarization and differential cross section in elastic $p\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ scattering at 147 and 66 Mev, in the laboratory angular ranges of 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}-165\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}-45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, respectively. These have been compared with recent calculations which relate the scattering amplitudes to nucleon-nucleon results. Because these calculations take into account the angular variation of the nucleon-nucleon amplitudes, better agreement is obtained than heretofore. A comparison of the polarization with that observed in inelastic scattering from several levels of a variety of spin-zero nuclei indicates a strong similarity between the elastic and inelastic data, which can be explained theoretically.
Privacy preserving regression modelling via distributed computation

Reluctance of data owners to share their possibly confidential or proprietary data with others who own related databases is a serious impediment to conducting a mutually beneficial data mining analysis. We address the case of vertically partitioned data -- multiple data owners/agencies each possess a few attributes of every data record. We focus on the case of the agencies wanting to conduct a linear regression analysis with complete records without disclosing values of their own attributes. This paper describes an algorithm that enables such agencies to compute the exact regression coefficients of the global regression equation and also perform some basic goodness-of-fit diagnostics while protecting the confidentiality of their data. In more general settings beyond the privacy scenario, this algorithm can also be viewed as method for the distributed computation for regression analyses.
Diffraction properties of vector synthetic volume index gratings

We investigate the diffraction properties of vector synthetic gratings, which consist of two volume index gratings with different grating wave vectors, using coupled-wave analysis. These index gratings can be obtained in photorefractive materials or in Bragg cells with two driving acoustic waves. We consider the case of pseudo phase matching in which a Bragg mismatch exists in the scattering from the individual index gratings while a Bragg condition is satisfied for the scattering from the vector sum of the two index gratings. Analytic expressions for the diffraction efficiency as well as the amplitude of the three waves involved are obtained. The results are presented and discussed.
Sequential identification of apoptotic and necrotic cells on individual cytospin preparations

Here, we describe a simple methodology which allows the consecutive differentiation of apoptotic and necrotic cells on the same cytospin preparation of fresh and cultured cells. In this methodology, necrotic cells are initially identified on the cytospin preparations using trypan blue followed by the identification of in situ DNA fragmentation using the TUNEL assay. Identification of trypan blue and TUNEL positive cells in the same section permits the simultaneous assessment of necrotic and apoptotic cells.
A cell-free polyvalent Shigella vaccine.

genic materials obtained were extremely toxic. Tully and Tamura (1954) prepared saline extracts of acetone-dried cells of Shigella types by less drastic procedures. The extracts were highly antigenic, but they also exhibited considerable toxicity when tested in mice and humans. Attempts to detoxify the extracts chemically without destroying antigenicity were unsuccessful. This paper describes the preparation of a comparatively nontoxic, highly antigenic, cell-free saline extract from 4 Shigella types which are commonly recovered from cases of bacillary dysentery. In addition, it provides evidence that both monovalent and polyvalent extracts engender protective antibodies in mice and in humans.