cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antitumor role of 2-methoxyestradiol in Barrett’s adenocarcinoma

5861 AIM: Recent pre-clinical studies have revealed 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME2), a natural metabolite of endogenous estrogen, to be a promising anticancer agent due to its anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic functions in other tumors. Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is an acquired preneoplastic condition and the primary risk factor for Barrett’s adenocarcinoma (BEAC). Due to a growing need for improved treatment options in BEAC, we evaluated the antitumor role of 2-ME2 in BEAC derived Bic-1 cell line. METHODS: Cellular proliferation as measured by [3H]-Thymidine incorporation was performed to elucidate the anti-proliferative effects of 2-ME2 on Bic-1 cells. Subsequently, total RNA was extracted from the 2-ME2 treated (5μM) or untreated Bic-1 cells. cDNA probes were generated and the determination of cell cycles genes modulated by 2-ME2 treatment was studied using GEArray Q Series human cell cycle gene array kit (SuperArray Bioscience Corporation; Frederick, MD). The gene expression signal intensities were normalized to internal controls (GADPH) and then relative differences were analyzed using the Kodak Image Station Analyzer and only those genes that were > or = 2 and
Designing a Hybrid Biopharmaceutical Laboratory Course to Enhance Content Flexibility and Access

Herein we report the design of an upper-level hybrid laboratory course in the area of applied biopharmaceuticals, which has high scheduling flexibility, and utilizes both virtual and in-person educational elements to enhance students’ learning experience. This newly developed course applies chemical engineering knowledge, practical and theoretical, in the bioprocess and pharmaceutical industry, including crystallization, chromatography, and mass transport. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we transferred this lab course to a completely virtual mode during midsemester of Spring 2020. Despite the lack of in-person experiments during the second half of the semester, we introduced various additional elements including modeling, simulation, literature review, and added lectures to the virtual version of the course to improve students’ learning experience. These additional elements introduced during the virtual period enriched the course content and exposed students to more advanced applications of the knowledge in this course, which can be implemented in future hybrid modes. Although the student performance on quizzes and lab reports remained consistent after the transition to online format, the instructors noticed students struggling with data mined from previous groups. The root cause of this was not being able to create and observe their own data in real time, which could be improved by developing better remote data collection methods. Another lesson we learned during this experience is the value of keeping an experimental video archive for all of our laboratory modules, regardless of plans for remote learning.
Systemic coccidioidomycosis in a llama cria native to Missouri.

A 3-mo-old male llama was examined because of a 4-wk history of lethargy and ill thrift. Clinical examination revealed subcutaneous masses in the left prescapular and right inguinal regions, mild a...
Forty-one years a slave: Agnosia and mobility in nineteenth-century Cuba

On the basis of a previously unstudied testimony, this study approaches the life of a slave from a methodological standpoint at the crossroads between Literary Studies and History. On 4 October 185...
Broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibody reactivity in HIV tests: implications for diagnostics.

Objective Passive immunization with broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is under evaluation for HIV prevention. BNAbs target gp120 or gp41, two HIV envelope antigens commonly present in diagnostic tests. Depending on bNAb type and dose administered to humans, serum levels can reach ∼1 mg/mL and wane over several weeks to months. We investigated the reactivity of bNAbs in HIV serological tests to inform diagnostic testing practices for persons treated with these products. Design methods The anti-gp120 bNAbs VRCO1, PGT121, PGT145, 3BNC117, 10-1074, and N6 and anti-gp41 bNAbs 10E8 and 10E8v4 were tested with the laboratory-based Bio-Rad Ag/Ab Combo assay, the point-of-care single-use Determine Combo, OraQuick, Reveal G4, SureCheck, Uni-Gold, INSTI and DPP HIV 1/2 assays, and the supplemental Geenius and HIV-1 Western blot assays. Results At 1 mg/mL, all bNAbs were nonreactive in four screening tests. OraQuick, SureCheck, Reveal G4, and INSTI detected at least two bNAbs each; SureCheck exhibited reactivity to six bNAbs. Geenius was HIV-1 indeterminate (gp160+) with all bNAbs except PGT121, which was HIV antibody-negative. HIV-1 Western blot was indeterminate (gp41+/gp160+) with 10E8 and 10E8v4 and negative with the remaining bNAbs. There was no correlation between the test antigen construct(s) and bNAb reactivity. Conclusion We identified a laboratory-based Ag/Ab EIA and three single-use rapid HIV tests that are nonreactive against a panel of bNAbs supporting some diagnostic tests can distinguish HIV-1 infection events among persons receiving bNAb immunoprophylaxis. Evaluation of HIV diagnostic tests prior to clinical use may identify suitable serologic assays for persons administered bNAbs.
Abstract TP120: A Novel Potential Therapy in Severe Stroke: Neuroprotective Chlorpromazine/Promethazine Combination in Transient and Permanent Ischemia

Background and Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated depressive or hibernation-like roles of phenothiazine neuroleptics [combined chlorpromazine and promethazine (C+P)] in brain activity. Thi...
Effects of Maryland's global budget revenue model on emergency department utilization and revisits.

Background In 2014, Maryland (MD) implemented a "global budget revenue" (GBR) program that prospectively sets hospital budgets. This program introduced incentives for hospitals to tightly control volume and meet budget targets. We examine GBR's effects on emergency department (ED) visits, admissions, and returns. Methods We performed an interrupted time series analysis with difference-in-differences (DiD) comparisons using 2012 to 2015 Healthcare Cost Utilization and Project data from MD, New York (NY), and New Jersey (NJ). We examined GBR's effects on ED visits/1,000 population, admissions from the ED, and ED returns at 72-hours and 9-days. We also examined rates of admission, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and in-hospital mortality among returns. To evaluate racial/ethnic and payer outcome disparities among ED returns, we performed a triple differences analysis. Results ED visits decreased with GBR adoption in MD relative to NY and NJ, by 5 and 6 visits/1,000 population respectively. ED admissions declined relative to NY and NJ, by 0.6% and 1.8% respectively. There was also a post-GBR decline in ED returns by 0.7%. Admissions among returns declined by 2%, while ICU and in-hospital mortality among returns remained relatively stable. ED return outcomes varied by racial/ethnic and payer group. Non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks experienced a similar decline in returns, while returns remained unchanged among Hispanics/Latinos, widening the disparity gap. Payer group disparities between privately insured and Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured individuals improved, with the disparity reduction most pronounced among the uninsured. Conclusions GBR adoption was associated with lower ED utilization and admissions. ED returns and admissions among returns also decreased, while mortality and ICU stays among returns remained stable, suggesting that GBR has not led to adverse patient outcomes from fewer admissions. However, changes in ED return disparities varied by subgroup, indicating that improvements in care transitions may be uneven across patient populations.
Modulation of Catecholaminergic Receptors During Development and Aging

The density and nature of neural and hormonal receptors govern, to a large extent, the ability to which an organism can function in a changing environment. The observation that the very young and very old cannot respond as well to neural or hormonal stimuli as can those in the prime of life has been associated with changes in the density of receptors or in the coupling of these receptors to appropriate regulatory proteins and enzymes.
Attack on America: An Islamic Perspective

America and Allah are not at odds. Nor do they need to be. If the United States fails to alter the course of its foreign policy and if it continues to be perceived as anti-Islamic, Islamic terrorism may not go away with missiles and bombs.
Household vulnerability mapping in Africa's Rift Valley

Abstract This study develops an interdisciplinary framework to investigate the relationship between environmental processes and human wellbeing that can be adapted to any geographic location. Based on the use and availability of open-source data, the methodology advanced in this research has the capacity to examine household-level drivers of vulnerability that are rarely accounted for in regional and global indices. A household level vulnerability analysis is conducted for four countries – Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. This research seeks to develop a vulnerability model that can be both applied to vulnerable countries in the East African Rift and offer insight into internal dynamic processes and drivers of vulnerability. The enhanced methodology presented in this paper can assist stakeholders and policy-makers in determining what drives vulnerability at a household level, where vulnerable populations are, and suggest what type of aid to target specific locations to be of greatest benefit.
CT Scans vs. X-rays

Shadows of Reality . The Fourth Dimension in Relativity, Cubism, and Modern Thought. By Tony Robbin . Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 2006. 151 pp. $40, £30. ISBN 0-300-11039-1. Distinguishing between slicing and projection models of the fourth dimension, the author explores the histories, uses, and misuses of each in art, physics, and popular culture.
Homeless Female-Headed Families:

Homeless female-headed families are affected by national and local policies which impact adversely on the parent-child relationship. The first section of this article examines the ways in which national and state family welfare laws affect the parenting capacities of the single mother. Our legal systems response to do- mestic violence, the precipitating factor for roughly one-half of homeless women seeking shelter, is addressed in the second section. Once poverty and/or domestic violence catapult the single mother into homelessness, the children are often placed in foster care, especially if the mother has a substance abuse problem. The third section of this article focuses on the foster care systems response to family homelessness and maternal substance abuse, which is to place the children in foster care. Finally, implications for policy development, research and practice are discussed. Multidisciplinary family practitioners need to understand the macro-level policy issues which account for many of th...
Minimally invasive palliative tumor therapy guided by imaging techniques: the UCLA experience.

ABSTRACT Imaging-guided palliative therapy of recurrent and/or inaccessible head and neck tumors may soon become clinically practical since sensitive and noninvasive monitoring techniques of energy...
Stochastic Ranking and the Volatility "Croissant": A Sensitivity Analysis of Economic Rankings

Rankings of countries are calculated using I indicator variables. Clearly, any ranking based on an index depends on the weights used, and therefore we conduct a sensitivity analysis on the weights of the index to obtain a measure for the volatility of the performance rankings. The weights are simulated from uniform and beta distributions on the simplex. As a result we observe a volatility “croissant”: Countries in the top and the bottom of the ranking are less volatile than in the middle of the ranking. The methodology is shown for the standardized performance ranking (SPR) and the rank performance ranking (RPR).
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia.

• Context.-Placental mesenchymal dysplasia is characterized by placentomegaly and may be mistaken for molar pregnancy both clinically and macroscopically because of the presence of "grapelike vesicles." It may be associated with a completely normal fetus, a fetus with growth restriction, or a fetus with features of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Objective.-To review the etiology, molecular pathology, gross and microscopic features, clinical presentation, complications, and differential diagnosis of placental mesenchymal dysplasia. Data Sources.-The PubMed and the Medline databases were systematically searched for articles between 1970 and 2006. The following keywords were used: placental mesenchymal dysplasia, mesenchymal hyperplasia, molar pregnancy, pseudomolar pregnancy, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and placentomegaly. Relevant references from review articles were also searched. Conclusions.-Placental mesenchymal dysplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the ultra-sonographic findings show a cystic placenta. Close attention should be paid to fetal morphology for early recognition of fetal complications and to prevent unnecessary termination of pregnancy in cases associated with a normal fetus.
New Developments in Precision Electroweak Physics

Our picture of the electroweak interactions continues to improve, with ever more precise constraints on the masses of the Higgs boson(s) and on non-standard physics. Some recent developments include: (a) a calculation of higher-order effects on the weak mixing angle which reduces scheme-dependence, (b) a long-awaited improvement in the experimental accuracy of measurement of parity violation in atomic cesium, and (c) improvements in top quark and $W$ mass measurements from Fermilab and $W$ mass measurements from LEP.
Structure of Zn 76 from Cu 76 decay and systematics of neutron-rich Zn nuclei

The first postulation of excited states in neutron-rich $^{76}\mathrm{Zn}$ is presented. We postulate the levels in $^{76}\mathrm{Zn}$ to be populated by high- and low-spin isomers of $^{76}\mathrm{Cu}$ with half-lives of 0.57 s and 1.27 s, respectively. Of 12 \ensuremath{\gamma} rays attributed to $^{76}\mathrm{Zn}$ decay, 11 are placed in a level scheme for $^{76}\mathrm{Zn}$ with eight excited states up to 3 MeV. A shell-model calculation has been carried out to reproduce the systematics of the neutron-rich Zn isotopes up to A=76. The model space involves active protons in orbitals between Z=28 and 50 and neutrons in orbitals filling the subshell between N=38 and 50.
Introduction to Modern Climate Change: Putting it together: A long-term policy to address climate change

We have now reached the final chapter on our trip through the problem of modern climate change. In the previous 13 chapters, we have explored the fundamental physics that leads us to confidently conclude that humans are now changing the climate, and that the continuing addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere will bring potentially significant changes to our climate over the next century and beyond. We are not certain how bad this climate change will be, but the upper end of the range (global and annual average warming of 5°C or more by the end of the century) includes warming large enough for the experts to consider its impacts to be catastrophic. Even the lower end of the range (∼2°C) will be challenging for the world's poor as well as our most vulnerable ecosystems. We have also explored a number of possible responses to this risk, including mitigation, adaptation, and geoengineering. The science of climate change plays an important role in helping refine decisions about what mix of these options we should pursue. However, science by itself does not determine policy. Policy decisions also involve value judgments concerning the relevant trade-offs among the options. Some of these trade-offs are economic and involve decisions about spending less money now or more money later, and some are moral, concerning the rights of future generations to inherit an unspoiled Earth versus the imperative to consume now in order to lift the poorest individuals out of poverty.
Individualizing Literacy Instruction for Young Children with Moderate to Severe Disabilities

This qualitative study analyzes the meaning of curricular individualization as it related to literacy instruction for young children labeled moderately to severely mentally disabled. Findings from extensive participant observation and interviews involving 14 teachers, their colleagues, and students suggest that individualizing practices may stem from two disparate sources of understanding: institutional or local. Instructional opportunities made available to children stemming from either source are described. Implications of a shift to local understanding are discussed.
Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Friction Stir Welded Titanium Alloys

Friction stir welding (FSW) has evolved extremely rapidly into a viable and affordable technology to join metallic alloys to manufacture structures for use in transportation systems. Automotive, aircraft, space and ship building industries have been actively pursuing this technology for the last eight to ten years to join aluminum alloys, steels and recently titanium alloys. Research work is progressing at a vigorous pace on all fronts, including novel tool design, optimization of process parameters to produce mechanical properties equal to or better than fastened structures, and process models to understand and guide the FSW process Friction stir welding of aluminum alloys is nearing maturation and a number of applications have been identified for complex aerospace components in defense and commercial industry. However, a number of issues still remain to be investigated to provide a confident solution for long term usage of friction stir welded aluminum structures. This paper primarily presents a general overview of the friction stir welding of Ti alloys.
Random Walk Simulation of Chemical Reactions Represented by Nonlinear Reaction‐Diffusion Equations

Dieser Artikel besteht aus zwei Teilen, einer davon uber stochastische Simulation von Losungen nichtlinearer partieller Differentialgleichungen, wie sie bei chemischen Reaktionen auftreten, der andere uber Prozesse, wie es zum Beispiel okologische Phanomena sind, die mit Hilfe quasilinearer Lotka-Volterra-Systeme modelliert werden konnen. This is an article in two parts on stochastic simulation of solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations that occur in chemical reactions and in other processes such as ecological phenomena that are modelled by quasi-linear Lotka-Volterra systems.
Suppression of food intake is linked to enteric inflammation in nematode-infected rats

Our aim was to investigate the cause-effect relationship between intestinal inflammation induced by infection with enteric stages ofTrichinella spiralis and decreased host food intake. A suppressio...
Knockdown of Steroid Receptors in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala Induces Heightened Pain Behaviors in the Rat

Previously we demonstrated that exposure of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) to elevated corticosterone (CORT) induces nociceptive behaviors that are reversed by glucocorticoid and/or mineralocorticoid (GR/MR) receptor antagonism. Here we test the hypothesis that in a cholesterol (CHOL)-implanted control rat, selective knockdown of GR/MR in the CeA would, via a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-mediated mechanism, replicate the nociceptive behaviors produced by elevated amygdala CORT. Micropellets of CHOL or CORT were stereotaxically placed on the dorsal margin of the CeA. Cannulae were implanted into the CeA for the delivery of vehicle or oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) of either antisense (ASO) or random sequences (RSO) targeting GR or MR. Visceromotor behavioral response quantified visceral sensitivity in response to colonic distension, while von Frey filaments assessed somatic sensitivity. Receptor expression was determined with qRT-PCR. In CHOL implanted controls, knockdown of GR in the CeA increased both colonic and somatic sensitivity, whereas selective knockdown of MR in the CeA induced colonic hypersensitivity without affecting somatic sensitivity. CRF expression in the CeA was increased in CHOL-implanted rats treated with GR or MR ASO and resembled the augmented CRF expression seen in the CORT-implanted rats. This is the first study to demonstrate that decreasing either GR or MR within the CeA is sufficient to induce visceral hypersensitivity whereas somatic hypersensitivity developed after only GR knockdown. The loss of either GR or MR was associated with an increased CRF expression, and may represent a common mechanism for the development of CeA-mediated nociceptive behaviors.
Optimal Conditioning in the Convex Class of Rank Two Updates

Davidon's new quasi-Newton optimization algorithm selects the new inverse Hessian approximation\(\bar H\) at each step to be the “optimally conditioned” member of a certain one-parameter class of rank two updates to the last inverse Hessian approximationH. In this paper we show that virtually the same goals of conditioning can be achieved while restricting\(\bar H\) to the convex class of updates, which are bounded by the popular DFP and BFGS updates. This suggests the computational testing of alternatives to the “optimal conditioning” strategy.
Observing Phthalate Leaching from Plasticized Polymer Films at the Molecular Level

Phthalates, the most widely used plasticizers in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), have been extensively studied. In this paper, a highly sensitive, easy, and effective method was developed to examine short-term phthalate leaching from PVC/phthalate films at the molecular level using sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG). Combining SFG and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), surface and bulk molecular structures of PVC/phthalate films were also comprehensively evaluated during the phthalate leaching process under various environments. The leaching processes of two phthalates, diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), from the PVC/phthalate films with various weight ratios were studied. Oxygen plasma was applied to treat the PVC/phthalate film surfaces to verify its efficacy on preventing/reducing phthalate leaching from PVC. Our results show that DBP is more stable than DEP in PVC/phthalate films. Even so, DBP molecules were still found to very slowly leach to the enviro...
Dipyridamole radionuclide ventriculography: A test with high specificity for severe coronary artery disease

Abstract Ventricular dysfunction induced by dipyridamole would be evidence of myocardial ischemia in patients with limited ability to undergo standard exercise testing. Radionuclide ventriculography before and after intravenous dipyridamole infusion was compared with the results of exercise radionuclide ventriculography in a prospective study of 31 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Among these patients, 21 (68%) had significant coronary artery disease (⩾50% stenosis), 19 (61%) had severe coronary disease (⩾70% stenosis) and 10 (32%) were “normal” ( In the normal patients, the ejection fraction (± SEM) increased 5.6 ± 2% (units) during exercise and 7.9 ± 1 units after dipyridamole (both p Thus, it is concluded that dipyridamole radionuclide ventriculography is moderately sensitive and highly specific for detecting severe coronary atherosclerosis. This technique provides a widely applicable, useful alternative to exercise ventriculography in the diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis in patients who have limited exercise tolerance.
Family Medicine: A Specialty for All Ages

After a diminishing of its ranks following the post-World War II explosion of growth in medical discoveries, advanced medical technology, and the concomitant specialization of the physician workforce, family medicine is re-establishing itself as a leading medical specialty that has garnered growing interest among recent medical-school graduates. Family physicians provide care for patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. In addition to its wide scope of practice, family medicine is characterized by its emphasis on understanding of the whole person, its partnership approach with patients over many years, and its command of medical complexity. Family physicians are trained both to use community resources to assist individual patients in meeting medical or social needs and to identify and address community-wide needs. The specialty of family medicine is uniquely positioned to provide a leadership role in health-reform efforts that are accelerating across the country. Health care models that are gaining traction, such as the patient-centered medical home model, health homes, and accountable care organizations, share the characteristics of providing comprehensive, coordinated patient care with an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion. This model of care, provided in the context of family and community, has been the hallmark of family medicine since its creation as a distinct medical specialty more than 40 years ago. In addition, family physicians' ability to care for patients of all ages make them particularly cost-effective as the new models of care move to improve access to care through expanded hours and locations.
Theoretical analysis of amino acid-producing Escherichia coli using a stoichiometric model and multivariate linear regression

This work demonstrates a novel computational approach combining flux balance modeling with statistical methods to identify correlations among fluxes in a metabolic network, providing insight as to how the fluxes should be redirected to achieve maximum product yield. The procedure is demonstrated using the example of amino acid production from an industrial Escherichia coli production strain and a hypothetical engineered strain overexpressing two heterologous genes. Regression analysis based on a random sampling of 5000 points within the feasible solution space of the E. coli stoichiometric network suggested that increased activity of the glyoxylate cycle or PEP carboxylase and elimination of malic enzyme will improve lysine and arginine synthesis.
The stability of illite/smectite during diagenesis: An experimental study

Illites from Goose Lake (Illinois) and Beavers Bend (Oklahoma) were equilibrated in 0.2 M and 2.0 M KCl solutions with excess kaolinite and either gibbsite, boehmite, quartz, or amorphous silica. Teflon-lined reaction vessels were used to heat the charges from 25/sup 0/ to 250/sup 0/C at the vapor pressures of solution. Partial reversibility was demonstrated by approaching equilibria from both high and low K/sup +/H/sup +/ activity ratios. The experimental data were used to construct isothermal, isobaric activity diagrams (log (a/sub K/sup +//a/sub H/sup +//) vs. log a/sub SiO/sub 2//) for the system K/sub 2/O-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-SiO/sub 2/-H/sub 2/O. Stability regions have been defined for kaolinite, boehmite, and three other phases that are believed to be components of both illites. At low temperatures (<90/sup 0/C) illite-smectite equilibrium is metastable with respect to calculated kaolinite-microcline equilibrium. Between 90/sup 0/C and 110/sup 0/C a phase transition involving illite and smectite occurs which stabilizes the assemblages illite-smectite-kaolinite and illite-smectite-microcline. This transition occurs at the same temperature as the ordering transition in natural IS. Above 110/sup 0/C the assemblage illite-smectite is again metastable with respect to kaolinite-microcline, but at 200/sup 0/C and above illite and smectite may coexist stably with either kaolinite or microcline.more » However, smectite decomposes where a/sub SiO/sub 2//sup 0// is controlled to quartz solubility yielding the stable assemblage illite-kaolinite-quartz and illite-mica-quartz.« less
Uteroplacental insufficiency decreases small intestine growth and alters apoptotic homeostasis in term intrauterine growth retarded rats

Human and animal studies demonstrate that uteroplacental insufficiency and subsequent intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) decrease intestinal growth and lead to both an increased incidence of feeding intolerance and necrotizing enterocolitis. Our objective was to determine the effects of uteroplacental insufficiency upon small intestine growth, histology, gene expression of the apoptosis related proteins Bcl-2, Bax and p53, and caspase-3 activity. For this purpose, we induced uteroplacental insufficiency through bilateral uterine artery ligation on day 19 of gestation in fully anesthetized pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and harvested pups at term 2 days latter. Pups from sham surgeries served as controls. Uteroplacental insufficiency reduced cell count per crypt and decreased small intestinal weight. In association with these changes, IUGR intestinal Bcl-2 mRNA levels were decreased significantly, and Bax and p53 mRNA were significantly increased in distal ileum. Immunohistochemistry for Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 revealed similar findings. In association with the decreased Bcl-2 and the increased Bax gene expression, increased caspase-3 activity characterized the IUGR distal ileum. We conclude that uteroplacental insufficiency affects intestinal growth and morphology in association with altered gene expression of apoptosis related proteins. We speculate that the morphological change and associated altered apoptotic homeostasis contribute to the increased morbidity of infants affected by uteroplacental insufficiency.
Multicultural East Asia: An Introduction

This introduction to the special issue of JEMS on multicultural East Asia underscores the nexus between national identity and multiculturalism in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Demographic and structural changes are assumed to serve as levers of change toward multiculturalism. However, the articles in this issue demonstrate the cultural and social challenges engendered by multiculturalism, and the salience of race, gender, ethnicity and class in the structuring of immigration policies and the social integration of international migrants.
A Secreted Protein Promotes Cleavage Furrow Maturation during Cytokinesis

Summary Developmental modifications in cell shape depend on dynamic interactions between the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton. In contrast, existing models of cytokinesis describe substantial cell surface remodeling that involves many intracellular regulatory and structural proteins but includes no contribution from the extracellular matrix [1–3]. Here, we show that extracellular hemicentins assemble at the cleavage furrow of dividing cells in the C. elegans germline and in preimplantation mouse embryos. In the absence of hemicentin, cleavage furrows form but retract prior to completion, resulting in multinucleate cells. In addition to their role in tissue organization, the data indicate that hemicentins are the first secreted proteins required during mammalian development and the only known secreted proteins required for cytokinesis, with an evolutionarily conserved role in stabilizing and preventing retraction of nascent cleavage furrows. Together with studies showing that extracellular polysaccharides are required for cytokinesis in diverse species [4–9], our data suggest that assembly of a cell type-specific extracellular matrix may be a general requirement for cleavage furrow maturation and contractile ring function during cytokinesis.
Meiotic Pairing as a Polo Match

In C. elegans, meiotic chromosome pairing is initiated by association of chromosomal sites known as pairing centers (PCs) with the nuclear periphery. The Dernburg and Zetka laboratories have shown that recruitment of Polo kinases to PCs at the nuclear envelope is essential to promote PC complex aggregation, pairing, and synapsis.
Interactions of Escherichia coli primary replicative helicase DnaB protein with nucleotide cofactors

Interactions between the Escherichia coli primary replicative helicase DnaB protein and nucleotide cofactors have been studied using several fluorescent nucleotide analogs and unmodified nucleotides. The thermodynamically rigorous fluorescent titration technique has been used to obtain true binding isotherms, independently of the assumptions of any relationships between the observed quenching of protein fluorescence and the degree of nucleotide binding. Fluorescence titrations using several MANT derivatives of nucleoside diphosphates (MANT-ADP, 3',2'-O-(N-methylantraniloyl)adenosine-5'-diphosphate; MANT-GDP, 3',2'-O(N-methylantraniloyl)guanosine-5'-diphosphate; MANT-CDP, 3',2'-O-(N-methylantraniloyl)cytidine-5'-diphosphate; MANT-UDP, 3',2'-O-(N-methylantraniloyl)uridine-5'-diphosphate) have shown that the DnaB helicase has a preference for purine nucleotides. Binding of all modified nucleotides is characterized by similar negative cooperativity, indicating that negative cooperative interactions are base-independent. Thermodynamic parameters for the interactions of the unmodified nucleotides (ADP, GDP, CDP, and UDP) and inorganic phosphate (P(i)) have been obtained by using the competition titration approach. To analyze multiple ligand binding to a finite circular lattice, for a general case in which each lattice binding site can exist in different multiple states, we developed a matrix method approach to derive analytical expressions for the partition function and the average degree of binding for such cases. Application of the theory to competition titrations has allowed us to extract the intrinsic binding constants and cooperativity parameters for all unmodified ligands. This is the first quantitative estimate of affinities and the mechanisms of binding of different unmodified nucleotides and inorganic phosphate for a hexameric helicase. The intrinsic affinities of all of the studied ATP analogs are lower than the intrinsic affinities of the corresponding ADP analogs. The implications of these results for the mechanism of helicase action are discussed.
Integrated change and configuration management

This paper provides a summary of the best-practice change-management and configuration-management processes that express a core which conforms to ITIL® and discusses how they are extended for the service provider domain. These customizable processes, coupled with an execution platform and a configuration-management database, form the essence of the IBM Tivoli® Change and Configuration Management Database (CCMDB)-the heart of the IBM strategy for information technology service management (ITSM). We provide an overview of ITSM best practices and present details of the best-practice processes developed by IBM for the CCMDB product. We also describe a number of insights gained from implementing these processes and discuss issues that are key to implementing them in a service provider environment.
Visualizing Everyday Racism Critical Race Theory, Visual Microaggressions, and the Historical Image of Mexican Banditry

Drawing from critical race and sociolinguistic discourse analysis, this article further develops the conceptual tool of racial microaggressions—the systemic, cumulative, everyday forms of racism experienced by People of Color—to articulate a type of racial microaggression, we call visual microaggressions. Visual microaggressions are systemic, everyday visual assaults based on race, gender, class, sexuality, language, immigration status, phenotype, accent, or surname that emerge in various mediums such as textbooks, children’s books, advertisements, film and television, dance and theater performance, and public signage and statuary. These microaggressions reinforce institutional racism and perpetuate ideologies of white supremacy. In this article, we use a racial microaggressions analytical framework to examine how the “Mexican bandit” visual microaggression has been utilized as a multimodal text that (re)produces racist discourses that in turn reinforce dominant power structures. These discourses have all...
Inhibition of Specific Binding of Antibody to the Rh0(D) Factor of Red Cells in Antibody Excess

The uptake by red cells of I131-labeled nonagglutinating antibody to the Rh0(D) factor was dependent on the proportion of cells to antibody during sensitization. Inhibition of antibody binding by r...
Expression profiling and proteomic analysis of isolated photosynthetic cells of the non-Kranz C4 species Bienertia sinuspersici

Bienertia sinuspersici Akhani represents one form of C4 photosynthesis that occurs without Kranz anatomy in family Chenopodiaceae. Analysis of transcript profiles and proteomics were made to gain information on this single-cell C4 photosynthetic mechanism. Chlorenchyma cells were isolated and purified from mature leaves. From these cells, a cDNA library was made from which sequences were obtained on 2385 clones using conventional methods. To obtain a protein profile, the multi dimensional protein identification technique was used, resulting in identification of 322 unique proteins in chlorenchyma cells. After analysing datasets from the EST library and proteomics, genes and proteins were classified into 23 and 17 categories according to types of biological processes, respectively. These include photosynthesis and photorespiration, other biosynthetic and metabolic processes, cell wall modification, defence response, DNA repair, electron transport, other cellular and developmental processes, protein folding, protein targeting, protein modification, proteolysis, redox and ion homeostasis, response to biotic and abiotic stresses, RNA modification, transcription, translation, transport and unknowns. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses were made of C4 cycle enzymes to characterise the relationship between homologues found in Bienertia with public gene sequences from other chenopods and representative C3 and C4 species from other families. Identified photosynthetic genes and proteins are discussed with respect to the proposed function of an NAD-ME type C4 cycle in this single-cell C4 system.
BioMEMS and Lab-on-a-Chip Course Education at West Virginia University

With the rapid growth of Biological/Biomedical MicroElectroMechanical Systems (BioMEMS) and microfluidic-based lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology to biological and biomedical research and applications, demands for educated and trained researchers and technicians in these fields are rapidly expanding. Universities are expected to develop educational plans to address these specialized needs in BioMEMS, microfluidic and LOC science and technology. A course entitled BioMEMS and Lab-on-a-Chip was taught recently at the senior undergraduate and graduate levels in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at West Virginia University (WVU). The course focused on the basic principles and applications of BioMEMS and LOC technology to the areas of biomedicine, biology, and biotechnology. The course was well received and the enrolled students had diverse backgrounds in electrical engineering, material science, biology, mechanical engineering, and chemistry. Student feedback and a review of the course evaluations indicated that the course was effective in achieving its objectives. Student presentations at the end of the course were a highlight and a valuable experience for all involved. The course proved successful and will continue to be offered regularly. This paper provides an overview of the course as well as some development and future improvements.
Cotton Wax and Its Relationship with Fiber and Yarn Properties: Part I: Wax Content and Fiber Properties

Skeins of yams spun from a wide range of cottons are dewaxed by Soxhlet extraction with ethanol. After drying, their mechanical properties are determined by single yarn tensile tests. Dewaxing produces a significant increase in yarn tenacity and a slight decrease in elongation at break. Yarn tensile properties are regressed on data sets of fiber properties that include wax content. Yarn strength is explained primarily by fiber strength and fiber fineness, although fiber strength and Micronaire value provided a reasonably good estimate. Wax content, which appears to be closely related to the specific surface area of the fiber, and hence Micronaire value, fails to qualify for entry into regression equations for yarn strength.
General kinetic model for protein-mediated phospholipid transfer between membranes

Phospholipid transfer protein catalyzes the transfer of phospholipids between bilayer membranes. A general model is developed for describing the kinetics of this process. While previous models derive detailed expressions only for the initial rate of transfer from donor to acceptor membranes, this model takes into account donor-to-donor, acceptor-to-acceptor, and acceptor-to-donor transfers, in addition to the usual donor-to-acceptor transfer. The apparent rate of transfer along any of these specific routes is given as the product of the total rate of transfer (the sum of the rates of transfer along all four routes) and a probability function uniquely defined for each route. The model explains adequately the effects of membrane concentration on phospholipid transfer activity as well as the consequences of varying membrane surface charge and size. Using bovine liver phosphatidylcholine transfer protein, the model is applied to the kinetic analysis of phosphatidylcholine transfer between two populations of small unilamellar vesicles. Rates of protein-catalyzed phosphatidylcholine transfer between vesicles with identical phosphatidic acid content (2 or 6 mol%) are determined experimentally as a function of total vesicle concentration to calculate apparent dissociation constants and maximum rates of transfer; apparent rates of transfer between various combinations of vesicles containing 2 or 6 mol% phosphatidic acid are then deduced from the derived velocity expression. Reasonably good agreement is seen between theoretical apparent rate-vesicle concentration relationships and those measured experimentally. The results support the general treatment of the kinetics of protein-mediated phospholipid transfer and permit an estimation of useful kinetic parameters.
Coping with violence: a comprehensive framework and implications for understanding resilience.

Interpersonal violence is present at all levels of influence in the social ecology and can have comprehensive and devastating effects on child and adolescent development through multiple simultaneous channels of exposure. Children’s experiences with violence have been linked with a range of behavioral and mental health difficulties including posttraumatic stress disorder and aggressive behavior. In this article, we offer a conceptual framework delineating the ways in which children and adolescents might encounter violence, and a theoretical integration describing how violence might impact mental and behavioral health outcomes through short- and long-term processes. We propose that coping reactions are fundamental to the enduring effects of violence exposure on their psychosocial development and functioning. Finally, we discuss the manner in which coping efforts can support resilience among children exposed to violence and suggest new directions for research and preventive intervention aimed at optimizing ...
The value of left heart catheterization in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease.

Diagnostic and therapeutic problems commonly arise in patients with rheumatic heart disease despite the use of all available clinical data, including electrocardiographic and roentgenographic studies. The deficiencies of the conventional aids have become more apparent with attempts to define the physiological significance of mitral valve lesions. Since its introduction by Cournand and associate’ in 1941, right heart catheterization has been employed with singular success. Its primary contribution has been in the patient with congenital heart disease, although it has served to clarify much of the altered physiology in patients with rheumatic mitral and tricuspid stenosis. In aortic stenosis and mitral and tricuspid insufficiency, the procedure has been of little value. In contrast, left heart catheterization enables pressure measurements to be recorded across the aortic valve during systolic ejection and across the mitral valve during ventricular filling.2 3 The present report illustrates the importance of left heart catheterization in the study of patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. The material is presented in the form of the five most common problems encountered. In each instance, the diagnostic and therapeutic enigma was resolved by left heart catheterization. All patients were studied by the Fisher4 modification of the BjSrk3 technique. Problem 1. Objective evidence of mitral stenosis combined with equivocal symptoms and a normal roentgenogram and electrocardiogram.
The yeast two-hybrid assay: still finding connections after 25 years

The idea of using hybrid proteins containing transcription factor domains to analyze protein-protein interactions was described in 1989. Over the past 25 years, this method has begun to reveal the complex protein networks that underlie cellular behavior.
Does investor recognition matter for asset pricing

Abstract In a world of market imperfections, what matters for asset prices differs from theory predictions based on perfect markets and information. In this paper, using a market setting where information costs are more pronounced, I show that the level of investor recognition/awareness matters for asset prices as predicted by Merton (1987). Using a novel dataset, I study the price effects of inclusions to and exclusions from a benchmark equity index in the context of emerging market assets. While testing for a number of existing hypotheses, I am able to document evidence for the ‘investor recognition’ hypothesis, using event study methodology. Furthermore, by making use of analysts' recommendations data, I show that there is a significant increase in coverage for the included stocks. This is also significantly related to the observed price change.
Desire for Smart Growth: A Survey of Residential Preferences in the Salt Lake Region of Utah

As an alternative to sprawling development, smart growth combines proximity to work, proximity to shopping and other destinations, neighborhood housing mix, shared and paid parking, complete street designs, and proximity to public transit. This article uses a stated-choice experiment to determine residents' attitudes toward these various aspects of smart growth in the Salt Lake region of Utah. Utah is a conservative state, where attitudes toward auto-oriented suburbia may be more positive than in other parts of the United States. So, one might wonder whether changing national attitudes toward smart growth, documented in several surveys, apply to residents of the Salt Lake region. In this stated-choice experiment, respondents were asked to choose between pairs of housing scenarios with different attributes and different prices. Mixed logit (random parameters logit) was used to relate individuals' choices to attributes, prices, and sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. The results show that, gene...