cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Registers in the Academic Writing of African American College Students

The study examines the development of the registers of academic writing by African American college-level students through style and grammar: indirection inherent in the oral culture of the African American community and the paratactic functions of because. Discourse analysis of 74 samples of academic writing by 20 African American undergraduate students and of 61 samples by a control group showed that first, only African American subjects used indirection; second, paratactic functions of because were significantly more prevalent among African American students than in the control group; and third, among African American students, those from low-income families showed statistically significant higher frequencies of the use of both indirection and paratactic because. A relationship of hierarchy in the uses of indirection and paratactic because was also evident in the data.
A Comparative Study of Teacher Preparation and Qualifications in Six Nations

Across the educational systems of the world, few issues have received more attention in recent years than the problem of ensuring that elementaryand secondary-school classrooms are all staffed with adequately qualified teachers (Mullis et al., 2000; OECD, 1994, 2005; Wang et al., 2003). Even in nations where students routinely score high on international exams, the issue of teacher quality is the subject of much concern. This is not surprising. Elementary and secondary schooling is mandatory in almost all nations and children are legally placed in the care of teachers for a significant portion of their lives. It is widely believed that the quality of teachers and teaching are among the most important factors shaping the learning and growth of students. Moreover, this impact goes beyond student academic achievement. Across the world, observers routinely tie the performance of teachers to numerous, larger societal goals and problems—economic competitiveness and productivity, juvenile delinquency, moral and civic culture, and so on. In addition, the largest single component of the cost of education in any country typically is teacher compensation. Along with a general consensus among many nations that the quality of teachers and teaching is a vital resource, there is accordingly much concern surrounding how equitably this resource is distributed within educational systems. Indeed, some nations suffer from an apparent paradox—that despite an overall overproduction and oversupply of new teachers, there nevertheless appear to be substantial numbers of students without access to qualified teachers. This brief sumA Comparative Study of Teacher Preparation and Qualifications in Six Nations
System Level Comparison of Relay and RF Repeater Based Technologies in WiMAX Systems

Relay and RF repeater technologies are considered as an effective means to improve the system throughput andcoverage performance of cellular OFDMA systems. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive system level comparison of relay and RF repeater based systems utilizing multiple antenna techniques. For relay-based systems we consider a novel relay mode selection procedure that allows intelligent interference avoidance within the same cell. The results show that for both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmission the relay-based system can offer both average throughput and coverage enhancements, while the repeater-based system is capable of coverage extension only. The geographical areas that are most suitable for relay or RF repeater modes are also calculated through system level analysis.
Monetary autonomy under different exchange rate regimes in the long-run: the case of seven new EU countries

This paper finds that except for Poland, the other six countries possess moderate or significant monetary autonomy in the long run as their interest rates make partial or small adjustments to a change in the Euro area interest rate. Except for the Czech Republic and Poland, the findings support the hypothesis that countries under more flexible exchange rate regimes possess more monetary autonomy than countries under less flexible exchange rate regimes because local interest rates under more flexible exchange rate regimes are less sensitive to a change in the euro area interest rate.
THE RELATIONAL FOUNDATION OF RESEARCH: AN UNDERAPPRECIATED DIMENSION OF INTERESTING RESEARCH

Some research projects draw you in. They touch you on multiple levels, expanding, stretching, and teaching you. Our research project on the Port Authority (PA) of New York and New Jersey and its struggle with the homelessness issue did all of that to us as researchers. In the resulting research paper (Dutton & Dukerich, 1991), we argued that the PA’s identity and image shaped how organizational members interpreted and subsequently responded to this emotionally charged issue. We are delighted the final published product has had sustained interest for others. Our purpose in this essay is to try to answer the question, How might researchers think more broadly about doing interesting research that expands, stretches, and teaches the researchers and those who are exposed to their output? Our answer, based on our experience with the Port Authority paper, relates to an aspect of research that all researchers know about, but often do not honor in how they construe or design research processes. Our answer looks to the relational foundation of a research project as key to understanding how interesting and significant the project can become. By relational foundation, we mean the set of interaction partners whom one encounters during the course of doing research. Interaction partners can include co-members of a research team, people whom one is studying, and individuals who are neither the researchers nor the participants, but who, through their direct or indirect contributions to the research, affect research quality. Our essay will suggest that the quality of the connections that researchers form with each other and with others who enable and contribute to the research (research participants, journal reviewers, etc.) is key to developing and sustaining interesting research. 1 We believe that fostering more interesting research means that researchers should pay more attention to, and spend more time learning about, effective relational practice. By relational practice, we mean the skilled ways of interrelating that create connections between people. Scholars of relational practice remind us that relational practice is skilled work, yet it is often invisible or devalued in organizational settings (Fletcher, 1999; Fletcher & Jacques, 2000). Similarly, we believe it is essential but often underappreciated work in the domain of research practice. We unpack and illustrate this claim in four steps. First, we provide three stories from our research project that illustrate different ways that our research was relational. Second, we use the stories to identify particular challenges that mark the relational domains of many research projects. Third, we draw on these relational challenges to unearth a set of relational practices that contribute to building and sustaining the quality of connections underlying interesting research. Fourth, we offer a theoretical perspective on high-quality connections that suggests why these relational practices are so helpful in fueling and sustaining the possibility of interesting research.
Implementing touch-screen technology to enhance recognition of distress.

Objective: The University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center implemented a systematic approach for patients to communicate with their health-care team in real-time regarding psychosocial problem-related distress using touch-screen technology. The purpose of this report is to describe our experience in implementing touch-screen problem-related distress screening as the standard of care for all outpatients in a health-care setting. Although early identification of distress has recently gained wide attention, the practical issues of implementing psychosocial screening with and without the use of technology have not been fully addressed or investigated. Methods: ‘The How Can We Help You and Your Family?’ screening instrument was used to identify and address patient problem-related distress for clinical services, program development, research and education. Using a HIPPA-compliant approach, the touch-screen technology also helped to identify patients interested in clinical trials and additional support services. Results: We found that the biggest barrier to implementing this technology was the attitude of the front desk staff (i.e. schedulers, clerks, administrative staff) who felt that the touch-screen would be burdensome. Our experience suggested that it was essential to actively involve these personnel from the beginning of the planning process. As specifically acknowledged in the recent 2007 Institute of Medicine report (Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. The National Academies Press: Washington, DC, 2007), use of this computerized version of the screening instrument was able to bridge the gap between the detection of problem-related distress and referrals for assessment or treatment. Conclusion: We found that it is feasible to implement a computerized problem-related distress screening program in a comprehensive cancer center. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Autoimmune hepatitis: A noninfectious killer

Purpose This article reviews autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) to promote early recognition, diagnosis, and referral for nurse practitioners (NPs) encountering this rare condition. Data sources Selected research and clinical articles from Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL. Conclusions AIH is a rare condition of unknown etiology affecting women 3.6 times more than men and may result in liver failure, subsequent liver transplantation, and death. Untreated AH is associated with up to 80% mortality. Collaboration and referral to gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and other specialists are needed to improve outcomes for this potentially devastating disease. Implications for practice Corticosteroid treatment has long been the mainstay of treatment of AIH, although newer therapies are promising. NPs can dramatically improve outcomes by early recognition, diagnosis, referral, and monitoring for common side effects of treatment working collaboratively with specialists.
Maintaining the Integrity of Links Between Assets within a Clinical Knowledge Repository

This paper describes how Intermountain Healthcares Clinical Knowledge Repository (CKR) uses asset versioning, asset status, and asset linking to manage clinical assets. This allows authors to create, distribute, and maintain complex clinical assets while insuring patient safety. The CKR helps authors to link to existing assets safely and consistently.
Special Education Student-Teacher Ratios For Mildly Handicapped Children

A national survey of special education teachers was conducted to document current student-teacher ratios (STRs) and instructional arrangements used for students with mild handicaps. For this study, students with “mild handicaps” were those who received some instruction in the mainstream classroom. The 54.3% response rate included 141 elementary and 79 secondary teachers. The average STR was 4.7:1, with a range of 1:1 to 15:1. Minor differences were found as a function of the students' categorical designations and the elementary versus secondary distinction. Differences were found in the reported bases that teachers with higher (above 8:1) and lower (4:1 to 6:1) STRs used for selecting students for instructional groupings. The most frequently identified basis, regardless of category or grade level, was the student's level of academic performance. Survey results also indicated that teachers generally were unfamiliar with their local district guidelines for STRs and caseloads; 42% either stated that they did...
Selfhood and Bodily Transformation in Algernon Blackwood's THE WENDIGO

The first hint of bodily transformation in Algernon Blackwood's “The Wendigo” is remarkable for its subtlety, in contrast to the types of transformations, virtually always related to disease, death...
Role of MYCN on ERAP1 and ERAP2 expression in neuroblastoma

164 In this study we have investigated the molecular mechanism involved in the expression of two major components of the antigen processing machinery by MYCN in the most aggressive forms of neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common neuroectodermal cancer of childhood. The most aggressive forms are immunologically characterized by a severe reduction in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules associated with amplification of the MYCN oncogene. The MHC class I presented on the cell surface plays an important role in the killer T lymphocyte-mediated immune response. We have recently shown that human cell lines from various tumours show de-regulated expression of two ER aminopeptidases, ERAP1 and ERAP2, that are closely involved in the generation of HLA class I binding peptides. HLA class I expression in such cell lines correlates significantly with ERAP1 expression. Here, in order to explore the possibility that the enhanced expression of MYCN oncogene may affect expression of ERAP1 and ERAP2, twelve NB cell lines were analysed for expression of MYCN, ERAP1, ERAP2 and HLA class I molecules. All NB cell lines expressing moderate to high levels of MYCN expression were low in HLA class I, ERAP1 and ERAP2 expression. Conversely, all NB cell lines low in MYCN expression were high in ERAP1 and/or HLA class I and ERAP2 expression. In the MYCN amplified NB cell lines, the expression of ERAP1, ERAP2 and HLA class I could be restored by IFN-γ, suggesting that these defects are non-structural in nature, but rather reflect abnormalities in regulatory mechanisms involved in the expression of these molecules. MYCN contributes to oncogenesis by activating and repressing a large repertoire of genes. Because the repressor function of N-Myc has been found critical for cell transformation, to verify whether MYCN affects the expression of ERAP1 and ERAP2, we studied a NB cell line transfected with a MYCN vector regulated by tetracycline. Our data indicate that MYCN regulates the expression of these molecules. MYCN performs its repressive function by interfering with positive transcription factors. To identify the transcription factor(s) involved in the ERAPs expression, several potential candidates were overexpressed in MYCN amplified (SH-EP21N) and not amplified (SH-EP) cell lines and ERAP1 and ERAP2 were analysed. Overexpression of two transcription factors enhanced expression of ERAP1 and ERAP2 in not amplified MYCN SH-EP cell line, but not in MYCN amplified SH-EP21N cell line. These data suggest that MYCN interaction with these transcription factors reduces their transcriptional activity. We show that NB is characterized by complicated mechanisms correlated to antigen processing components deficiency through MYCN overexpression. Such mechanisms play an important role in immune evasion of neuroblastoma tumor.
A Motion Interference-Insensitive Flexible Dry Electrode

Objective: A novel dry electrode is developed to improve the comfortability and the capability of alleviating motion interference by combining microneedles array (MNA) with flexible substrate. Methods: Silicon MNA with sharp tips and limited height is fabricated and transferred on a flexible Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate through bonding. Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) is coated on the surface of flexible MNA to form a conductive layer. Results: Flexible dry electrode with 1.2 cm diameter is successfully fabricated. The mean impedance magnitudes (measured on skin) at 10 Hz are $61.2 \pm 31.3$ kΩ·cm2 for flexible dry electrode, while the values are $114.9 \pm 36.1$ kΩ·cm2 for wet electrode and $335.7 \pm 110.5$ kΩ·cm2 for flexible planar dry electrode, respectively. In the process of biopotential recording, the flexible dry electrode has the similar performance as that of wet electrode. It exhibits more stable recording stability than rigid dry electrode in the movement state. Conclusion: By integrating flexible PDMS substrate, sharp and hard MNA structure, as well as PEDOT/PSS coated surface together, a novel dry electrode is developed to meet the comfortable and antimotion interference requirement of wearable equipment. Significance: The novel flexible dry electrode provides a simple and comfortable method to record biopotential signals in daily life.
Comparison of production methods of a spiral inertial microfluidic cell separation device

From the miniaturization of large sample processing machines to the creation of handheld point-of-care devices, microfluidics has the potential to be a powerful tool in the advancement of diagnostic technologies. Here, we compare different prototyping modalities towards the generation of an inertial microfluidic blood filter: i.e. a 'centrifuge-on-a-chip'. While photolithography is currently the method of choice for soft lithography mold fabrication, offering high design fidelity, we believe simpler methods, such as milling or 3D printing, will soon become equally viable options in the field of microfluidic device fabrication. Three modalities for optofluidic PDMS chip fabrication were compared: micromachining, 3D printing, and SU8 photolithography. The filtration efficiency of the chips were tested with whole blood and compared spectroscopically by monitoring the outlet absorbance at the 540 nm peak intrinsic to oxyhemoglobin at the outlet of each filter chip.
Paleointensity during periods of rapid reversal: A case study from the Middle Jurassic Shamrock batholith, western Nevada

Paleointensity is one of the least deter­ mined parameters in geomagnetism, yet this information has the potential to address many fundamental geophysical problems that bear on the evolution of the Earth’s core and lower mantle. We test two important hy­ potheses that affect our understanding of how paleointensity has changed in Earth’s past: (1) the Mesozoic Dipole Low (MDL) hypoth­ esis and (2) the inverse relationship between geomagnetic polarity reversal rate and paleo­ intensity. We report paleointensity results determined using both the Coe modified Thellier method and the IZZI protocol on the medium­grained hornblende­biotite granite of the Middle Jurassic Shamrock batholith in the southern Singatse Range, western Nevada (USA). Previous zircon U­Pb dating gives an age of batholith emplacement at ca. 165.8 ± 0.4 Ma. This age estimate is coincident with a period of unusually high reversal frequency (~10 reversals/Ma) in the Middle Jurassic. Remanence in the Shamrock batholith is held primarily by exsolved submicron magnetite inclusions in plagioclase. The labora tory un­ blocking temperature range for the well­de­ fined thermal remanent magnetization is nar ­ row, between ~540 and 575 °C, and median destructive fields are between 40 and 50 mT, thus we infer that the age of rema nence ac­ quisition is approximated by the U­Pb age estimate for pluton emplacement. Two sets of quality criteria were used to assess the paleo­ intensity results. The first set yielded an 87% success rate while the second set using more stringent criteria resulted in only a 20% suc­ cess rate. Mean paleointensity values for the Shamrock batholith using the “loose” and “strict” quality criteria are 34.0 ± 6.4 µT (N = 13) and 33.6 ± 9.6 µT (N = 3) respectively, with errors reported at one standard deviation. After correction for both remanence anisot­ ropy and cooling rate, the mean values that pass “loose” and “strict” criteria are respec­ tively 17.9 ± 2.7 µT and 17.5 ± 2.6 µT. The uncorrected and corrected paleointensity values for the “strict” estimates yield respec­ tive mean virtual dipole moments (VDMs) of 62.7 ± 18 ZAm 2 (Z = 10 21 ) and 32.7 ± 4.9 ZAm 2 . The uncorrected value is within error of the VDMs reported for plagioclase grains isolated from ca. 160 Ma basalts from Ocean Drilling Program Site 801, however these values have an absolute difference ranging from ~6 to 20 ZAm 2 , while the corrected VDM value is more consistent with the esti­ mated average Jurassic field strength of ~29 ZAm 2 . Using a recent estimate for the long­ term stable field strength of ~42 ZAm 2 , our corrected values add further credence to both the MDL and the inverse relationship between geomagnetic polarity reversal rate and dipole moment hypotheses.
Abstract 2770: Anti-leukemic response of a NSAID, tolfenamic acid.

Tolfenamic acid (TA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is known to inhibit human cancer cells and mouse tumor growth in some cancer models; however its anti-leukemic response is not yet evaluated. Research from our laboratory and others showed that TA targets specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors which mediate the expression of several genes associated with cancer. We also showed that TA inhibits the expression of survivin, a key member of inhibitor of apoptosis family in several human cancer cells. Recent work from several laboratories revealed a strong association of survivin in leukemia. We hypothesize by targeting Sp proteins and survivin, TA can act as an anti-leukemic agent. The anti-proliferative response of TA was determined using four human leukemia cell lines, Jurkat (acute T-cell leukemia), Nalm-6 (pre-B cell leukemia), Molt-4 (acute lymphoblastic leukemia; T lymphoblast), and Reh (acute lymphoblastic leukemia, non-T; non-B) Cells were treated with increasing (25/50/75/100 μM) concentrations of TA and the cell viability was measured at 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment using CellTiter-Glo kit. Results show a consistent decrease in cell viability in a dose and time-dependent manner. Confirmatory studies to elucidate the mechanism of action were conducted using selected cell lines, Jurkat and Nalm-6. Apoptosis and cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry. The expression of c-PARP, Sp1, survivin, CDC2, CDC4, Cyclin D3 and pRb was determined by Western blot analysis and the caspases were measured by using Caspse-Glo kit(s). Results showed a significant increase in the apoptotic (annexin V positive) cell population following TA treatment, while cell cycle phase distribution analysis showed G 0 /G 1 arrest. TA-induced cell apoptosis is supported by robust activation of caspases (3/7, 8 and 9), and the expression of c-PARP. TA down-regulated the expression of CDC2, CDC4, Cyclin D3 and pRb that mediate the early phases of cell cycle. In summary, TA modulated the expression of critical candidate genes associated with the early phases of cell cycle with validated efficacy in causing G 0 /G 1 arrest. Western blot results reveal that TA significantly decreases Sp1 and survivin expression. Further work is needed to clarify the role of TA as a novel therapeutic agent for leukemia. Citation Format: Robert M. Sutphin, Sarah F. Connelly, Chris M. Lee, Umesh T. Sankpal, Don Eslin, Riyaz Basha. Anti-leukemic response of a NSAID, tolfenamic acid. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2770. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2770
EXPLANATORY STYLES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN A CHRISTIAN AND A STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. PART 2: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

In an earlier study of Bible college students, no significant correlation was found between explanatory styles and academic achievement. Because optimistic selftalk has been shown to be associated with numerous vital aspects of life (e.g., motivation, problem-solving skills, emotional well-being, and physical health), follow-up research was conducted to ascertain if optimistic attributions are more frequently associated with students in programs of Christian education than with students in a public, state-supported university environment. The research was conducted with students at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. One hundred subjects completed the Academic Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Coping with Academic Failures Questionnaire that were developed by Peterson and Barrett (1987). The findings were compared with the data previously compiled on the students in the Christian course of studies at The Criswell College and Graduate School of the Bible in Dallas, Texas. A significant,...
A Novel Approach to Analyze Existing Bridges Efficiently

Analyses of existing bridges are conducted for different reasons such as load rating and retrofit simulations. It is desirable to have full 3D finite element models for analysis purposes; however, development of such models may not be feasible since these 3D models require considerable time, effort and expertise. As a result, AASHTO provides practical methods for the analysis of the bridges. The basic approach which is commonly used by design offices, DOT engineers and other practitioners is the beam line analysis using distribution factors. The recent AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications provides formulations where span length, beam spacing, beam stiffness and slab thickness are used to obtain girder moment and shear distribution factors. Apart from field tests to determine the load distribution, there has been several other studies that led to the distribution factor equations given in The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) bridge design specifications for many years. The first studies were conducted by Westergaard (1930) and Newmark (1948). After these studies, the main philosophy is to understand the bridge response such as shear and moment values with a relatively simple formulation. This distribution factor formulation started with a simple ratio of girder spacing (ft) over a constant which depends on bridge type. These basic ratio formulas were easy to use but could be very conservative in some cases. Zokaie et al. (1991a) showed that this ratio does not estimate shear and moment values properly because they were inappropriate for skewed bridges Therefore, a new research was carried out under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project (Zokaie et al., 1991b) that provides more accurate (but also a little bit more complex) formulations, which include girder spacing, girder stiffness, span length, slab thickness and skew angle. In addition, Barr et al. (2001) and Catbas et al. (2003) emphasized that one of the significant parameter for a bridge is skew angle. Moreover, new distribution factors for reinforced concrete (RC) T-beam bridges were discussed and offered by Catbas et al. (2005). With these studies, it is seen that the distribution factors are commonly used for bridge analysis and simple yet more reliable formulations for distribution factors have been under investigation. Based on their previous work, the writers explore the use of simply measurable quantities to obtain distribution factors more reliably, thus obtain better models that describe the actual condition of bridges. In this paper, the writers present their study to investigate moment and shear distribution factors of simple span T-beam bridges by using frequency ” i ω ”, flexibility
Production and Characterization of ZrC-UC Inert Matrix Composite Fuel for Gas Fast Reactors

Dispersed fuel composites consisting of uranium carbide particles (microspheres) in a zirconium carbide (inert) matrix were fabricated and characterized. Advanced fuels including refractory inert m...
The Anti-nation: Otherness and Ideological Radicalisation

Scholars and policy makers alike are becoming more aware of the role the link between nation and other plays in shaping national identity, particularly when governmental policies institutionalise practises of othering where ‘the other’ is considered as being outside of, different than, external to or less than ‘the nation’. Nowhere is this practise more extreme than in cases of genocide. This being the case, it is surprising that the role of othering in nationalist ideology radicalising towards genocide has received little attention within nationalist and genocidal theory dialogue, something this chapter seeks to rectify. In doing so, I hope to provide a more comprehensive foundation and vocabulary for discussing elements of otherness throughout the radicalisation process.
Economic structural change as an option for mitigating the impacts of climate change

Improving the resilience of the economy in the face of uncertain climate change damages involves irreversible investments to scale up new technologies that are less vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The benefit of having such options includes the avoided welfare cost of diverting consumption to scaling up the new technology after production possibilities have been diminished by climate change impacts. This needs to be balanced against the upfront cost of scaling up a technology that is potentially less productive than incumbent technologies. The paper uses a real options approach to investigate this trade-off, based on numerical simulation of a multi-period model of economic growth and climate change impacts that includes a one-time cost associated with scaling up the alternative technology. The value of the option provided by investment in the more resilient technology depends on the ex-ante volatility of climate change damages, as well as how rapidly climate change degrades the productivity of the economy's established technology. In addition, the size of scale-up cost that leaves the economy indifferent between investing and not investing in the new technology can be used to define the value of early investment in the less climate change–vulnerable technology as a sort of call option.
Modeling and analysis of automotive systems: Current approaches and future trends

The fierce competition among automotive manufacturers in introducing Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) and autonomous features has led to the explosive growth of the Electrical/Electronics (E/E) assets, including Software, in today's and future vehicles. The resource demand and quality requirements of these assets has increased consequently. Rigorous methodologies and tools are required for developing the E/E assets to meet the quality demands of these assets. This paper summarizes the current practices used in the industry for managing the development of these assets and discusses the future trends. The summary includes the description of three development strategies that are becoming important and critical, which are Model-driven Feature Development, Product Line Approach and Virtual Development and Integration of E/E architectures.
P2: SNP ANALYSIS IN BRCA POSITIVE AND BRCA NEGATIVE SUBJECTS WITH AND WITHOUT BREAST CANCER (BRCA) REVEAL CENTRAL ROLE OF ALK SNPS AND TGFBETA SUPERFAMILY IN MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION

Purpose of Study Over 240,000 individuals are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the USA. Outcomes depend on DNA deregulations in tumors. Carriers of deleterious BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are predisposed to 30 fold higher lifetime risks of breast and ovarian cancer. Aims: 1. To check for differences in SNPs of genomic DNA obtained in BRCA+/− with and without BrCa. 2. Analyze correlates of molecular mechanisms occurring in BRCA mutant patients. Methods Used We analyzed 94 subjects (41 BRCA positive) with or without BrCa to detect SNPs whose expression is significantly differentially expressed between breast cancer and controls. DNA samples were extracted from PBMCs. Samples were measured for DNA concentration using an Invitrogen QuBit Fluorometer, and diluted to 50 ng/µL. All samples were collected between 2010 and 2014 and survival data was known in all cancer patients. Processed samples were sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq Sequencer with a 300 cycle kit to detect SNPs. Variant Call Files were analyzed in Microsoft Excel using Fisher9s Exact Test. Summary of Results ALK SNPs were commonly found in cancer relative to control. Significant associations of ALK SNPs were seen in BRCA mutation subjects. ALK protein was overexpressed in 47% of BRCA mutations cases, which was significantly higher than in non-BRCA cases. Our results show that the ALK signaling pathway possibly is more common in early onset of breast cancer as seen with BRCA mutations. Coremine analysis showed SNPs identified in cancer were most commonly associated with deregulation of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Superfamily protein synthesis and binding function. Conclusions Differences in the associations of the modifying polymorphisms with BrCarisk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers are likely to reflect differences in the biology of tumor development in these two groups of women at high risk of breast cancer. The identification of modifying polymorphisms could therefore lead to a better understanding of the etiology of tumors in mutation carriers and also to the development of effective and more specific therapies for BrCa in mutation carriers.
Explosive Limits In Air

Publisher Summary This chapter presents results for lower and upper explosive limits in air for major organic chemical compounds. The results are displayed in an easy-to-use table which is especially applicable for rapid engineering usage. The organic chemicals encompass hydrocarbon, oxygen, nitrogen, halogen, silicon, sulfur and other chemical type compounds. The tabulation also provides the freezing and boiling point temperatures, which are helpful in determining whether the substance is a gas, liquid, or solid at ambient conditions. It is based on both experimental data and estimated values. A comparison of estimates and data is shown for normal alkanes. The graph discloses favorable agreement. In the data collection, a literature search was conducted to identify data source publications. The publications were screened, and copies of appropriate data were made. These data were then keyed into the computer to provide a data base for which experimental data are available. The data base also serves as a basis to check the accuracy of the estimation methods.
Somatic Cells in Milk-Physiological Aspects and Relationship to Amount and Composition of Milk.

Somatic cells in milk include epithelial cells from the gland and leukocytes from the blood. Epithelial cells are elevated in very early and late lactation. Leukocytes increase during mastitis infection or injury. They have phagocytic properties and combat invading organisms. Mean somatic cell counts of each milking over a 1-month period for cows with no udder infection, non-pathogens, or pathogens, were 169,500, 225,800, and 997,800 cells per ml, with coeffecients of variation of 94, 66, and 82%. Advanced age, late lactation, and a previous history of mastitis are related to elevated cells. Milk loss in subclinical mastitis is related to somatic cell counts. On a quarter basis, loss started at 500,000 cells per ml, progressed to 7.5% at 1 million, and 30% at 5 million. In cell counting programs associated with monthly testing of individual cows, those cows with two cell counts over 1 million cells per ml produced over 1,000 pounds of milk per lactation less than other cows in the same lactation whose cel...
Careers of the Creatives: Creating and Managing the Canvas

Publisher Summary As organizations struggle with designing human resource systems to best attract, retain, and motivate employees, career management plays a critical role for human resource professionals. Career management of an increasingly critical group of employees, creative individuals, is a relatively understudied area of knowledge and practice. Research in the areas of individual career anchors and organizational career ladders is noticeably lacking a focus on creative workers. Yet, as creative workers continue to become more valuable to all organizations, human resource systems will need to adopt career-related interventions unique to this employee population. In order to ensure these employees are maximally effective and creative at work, HR professionals will need to consider career-related variables and the way which careers are defined, designed, and managed for these high-demand employees. At any point in time, a creative individual will hold a job that makes up part of their career, and that individual may find a tension between the demands of that job and his or her own career goals. Human resource interventions designed to specifically manage this tension will help creative individuals be more effective in those jobs.
Reply to Oaklander

ABSTRACT In September, 2016, I replied to an earlier draft of Oaklander’s Critique of my view of time for Manuscrito. Now he has published an extremely complex 50-page expanded version. There is no way that a reply in a journal could cover all the topics Oaklander discusses. So, I will stick mainly to my own view to which Oaklander was responding. My reply is in two parts. In the first, directed at Oaklander’s earlier draft, I say what I want to do in philosophy in general, and in the philosophy of time in particular. In the second part, I mention some places where he (apparently) misunderstands my view.
A classroom demonstration of “extra sensory perception”

A classroom demonstration of what appears to be extra sensory perception achieved through inapparent, plain “sensory perception” is described.
The “Rough Stones” of Aegina: Pindar, Pausanias, and the Topography of Aeginetan Justice

This paper considers Pindar9s diverse appropriations of elements of the sacred topography of Aegina for different purposes in epinikia composed for Aeginetan victors. It focuses on poems likely performed in the vicinity of the Aiakeion for their different mobilizations of a monument that we know from Pausanias stood beside the Aiakeion—the tomb of Phokos, an earth mound topped with the “rough stone” that killed him (N.5, N.8, O.8). The more speculative final part of the paper suggests that it may also be possible to track a coherent ideology attached to the island9s sacred topography across several Aeginetan odes, thereby detecting a broader structural unity that accompanies and frames the different individual appropriations of different poems. This part starts from Pausanias’ mythic narrative of the exemplary justice of Aiakos banishing his own son Telamon as the aetiology for a distinctive Aeginetan justice system inscribed in a whole set of man-made monuments that ring the island with concentric circles of rough stones.
Reading Jane Austen

Whether you're new to Austen's work or know it backwards and forwards already, this book provides a clear, full and highly engaging account of how Austen's fiction works and why it matters. Exploring new pathways into the study of Jane Austen's writing, novelist and academic Jenny Davidson looks at Austen's work through a writer's lens, addressing formal questions about narration, novel writing, and fictional composition as well as themes including social and women's history, morals and manners. Introducing new readers to the breadth and depth of Jane Austen's writing, and offering new insights to those more familiar with Austen's work, Jenny Davidson celebrates the art and skill of one of the most popular and influential writers in the history of English literature.
Fermentative production of butyric acid from paper mill sludge hydrolysates using Clostridium tyrobutyricum NRRL B-67062/RPT 4213

Abstract The pulp and paper industry produces about 300–350 million tons of paper mill sludge (PMS) annually and majority is disposed of by landfill. PMS contains up to 75% carbohydrates. In this study, PMS was treated by de-ashing, fiber regeneration and enzymatic hydrolysis. The PMS hydrolysate was used for butyric acid production by Clostridium tyrobutyricum B-67062/RPT 4213. We reported that 8.52 and 8.35 gL−1 butyric acid was produced from 4 L batch fermentation in MRS and RCM4 medium respectively. Moreover, nearly 7 gL−1 butyric acid was produced by using PMS hydrolysates from two different mills when combined with a fraction of MRS, and over 6 gL−1 butyric acid was produced from hydrolysate combined with a fraction of RCM4 medium. This study suggested that beside agricultural lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks, low valued waste materials from the pulp and paper industries could also be used for the sustainable production of butyric acid.
Intraoperative Ultrasound Assessment of Carotid Endarterectomy and Stent-Angioplasty

Clinical outcomes after carotid intervention depend in large part on the technical exactness of the procedure. Ultrasonography provides an excellent instrument for quality control following carotid surgical or endovascular intervention. Duplex ultrasound provides both anatomic (real-time B-mode imaging) and hemodynamic (pulsed Doppler spectral analysis) assessment of the repair allowing detection of residual stenosis, lumen debris, plaque dissection, and verification of normal low resistance flow in the distal internal carotid artery after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Similarly, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is ideally suited for monitoring carotid artery stenting (CAS) as this rapid exchange catheter provides high-resolution real-time imaging of the extracranial carotid arteries allowing for calculation of vessel diameter selection of stent landing zones and monitoring the accuracy of stent deployment. Intra-procedural ultrasound imaging will identify abnormalities that should be corrected in approximately 5–10% of cases. Detection and immediate repair of detected abnormalities are associated with improved clinical outcomes similar to reconstructions judged “normal” on initial ultrasound assessment, thereby offering value for these interventions even in high-risk surgical candidates.
Direct measurement of energy loss due to aging effects in the condensed phase explosive PBX 9404

Abstract The explosive performance of PBX 9404, a condensed phase explosive with HMX and nitrocellulose reactive ingredients, was evaluated using the detonation cylinder expansion test after it had been naturally aged for over 46 years. Nitrocellulose is known to chemically degrade with age, but the corresponding effect on explosive performance is currently unknown. Two new cylinder tests were fielded with the oldest known PBX 9404 explosive (>46 years) and the data was compared with prior PBX 9404 cylinder test data. A method for comparing wall motion data collected by streak camera and laser interferometry diagnostics was also introduced. Analysis of the cylinder motion indicated that the aged explosive exhibits decreased performance, which varied with cylinder expansion radius and product specific volume. This energy decrement was found to be 0.8% of the total initial explosive energy per decade of age at a product volume of 7.0 cc/g. The measured energy decrement in explosives older than 37 years exceeds the chemical energy content of nitrocellulose, indicating that nitrocellulose decomposition radicals are likely degrading the normally stable HMX molecules during the aging process.
Entanglement spectra of stabilizer codes: A window into gapped quantum phases of matter

The entanglement spectrum (ES) provides a barometer of quantum entanglement and encodes physical information beyond that contained in the entanglement entropy. In this paper, we explore the ES of stabilizer codes, which furnish exactly solvable models for a plethora of gapped quantum phases of matter. Studying the ES for stabilizer Hamiltonians in the presence of arbitrary weak local perturbations thus allows us to develop a general framework within which the entanglement features of gapped topological phases can be computed and contrasted. In particular, we study models harboring fracton order, both type-I and type-II, and compare the resulting ES with that of both conventional topological order and of (strong) subsystem symmetry protected topological (SSPT) states. We find that non-local surface stabilizers (NLSS), a set of symmetries of the Hamiltonian which form on the boundary of the entanglement cut, act as purveyors of universal non-local features appearing in the entanglement spectrum. While in conventional topological orders and fracton orders, the NLSS retain a form of topological invariance with respect to the entanglement cut, subsystem symmetric systems---fracton and SSPT phases---additionally show a non-trivial geometric dependence on the entanglement cut, corresponding to the subsystem symmetry. This sheds further light on the interplay between geometric and topological effects in fracton phases of matter and demonstrates that strong SSPT phases harbour a measure of quasi-local entanglement beyond that encountered in conventional SPT phases. We further show that a version of the edge-entanglement correspondence, established earlier for gapped two-dimensional topological phases, also holds for gapped three-dimensional fracton models.
Instructional Improvement and Teachers’ Collaborative Conversations: The Role of Focus and Facilitation

Background/ContextSchool districts are increasingly expected to support students in meeting ambitious mathematical learning goals. Many schools and districts are investing significant resources in ...
Elucidating Molecular Design Principles for Charge-Alternating Peptides.

The therapeutic potential of protein drugs has been hindered by difficulties with long-term stability and rapid clearance from the body. Recombinant fusion proteins provide a scalable platform for ...
Interprofessional education and practice guide: Developing interprofessional community-based clinical experiences

AbstractSubstantial interprofessional learning opportunities engaging with complex patients must be available to health professional students to prepare them with the necessary knowledge and experi...
A Ten-Year Review of Audiological Performance in Children with Inner Ear Abnormalities after Cochlear Implantation in Singapore.

Objectives. To evaluate children with inner ear malformations following cochlear implantation (CI) in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Singapore to identify factors influencing outcomes after CI. Methods. This is a retrospective cohort study of children aged 0 to 18 years, who had CI between 2000 and 2013. Demographic information, data on risk factors, type of inner ear malformation (IEM), age at implantation, speech pre- and postimplantation, and duration of follow-up were collected from clinical records. Operative details and audiological outcomes were also analyzed. Results. A total of 70 children underwent 83 CI surgeries. The mean age of the patients was 4.05 ± 3.17 years (range 1–18 years). Twenty patients (28.57%) had abnormal CT scan findings. CSF gusher occurred in 15 out of 26 CI (57.69%) in the group with IEM. Nine out of twenty patients (45.00%) had poor IT-MAIS scores prior to implantation. The average preoperative IT-MAIS score for children with anomalous inner ear anatomy was 14.1. The older CI patients, 3/20 (15.00%), mean age 8.33 years (range 7–10 years), were mostly referred for persistently unclear speech following hearing aids. Eleven patients (55.00%) had good speech and aided hearing threshold within speech limits after CI and were eligible for reintegration into mainstream schools. Five patients (25.00%) had improvement in speech but continued to receive education in special schools. Four patients (20.00%) had poor progress after surgery. Conclusion. The presence of absent cochlear nerve, electrode folding, and underlying neurological disorders seemed to be associated with poorer outcomes.