cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Psychic Costs of Empathic Engagement: Personal and Demographic Predictors of Genetic Counselor Compassion Fatigue

Empathic connection with one’s patients is essential to genetic counselor clinical practice. However, repeatedly engaging with distressed patients may cause compassion fatigue, a phenomenon characterized as feeling overwhelmed by experiencing patients’ suffering. In order to extend findings of an initial qualitative study, we surveyed 222 genetic counselors about their compassion fatigue and factors that predict its occurrence. Multiple regression analysis identified seven significant predictors accounting for 53.7% of the variance in compassion fatigue. Respondents at higher risk of compassion fatigue were more likely to report being burned out, using self-criticism and giving up to manage stress, experiencing a greater variety of distressing clinical events, having larger patient caseloads, relying on religion as a coping strategy, having no children, and seeking support to manage stress. Respondents also provided critical incidents regarding their compassion fatigue and themes in these incidents are described. Practice and research recommendations are provided.
If it itches, scratch!

Many bodily sensations are connected quite closely with specific actions: itches with scratching, for example, and hunger with eating. Indeed, these connections have the feel of conceptual connections. With the exception of D. M. Armstrong, philosophers have largely neglected this aspect of bodily sensations. In this paper, I propose a theory of bodily sensations that explains these connections. The theory ascribes intentional content to bodily sensations but not, strictly speaking, representational content. Rather, the content of these sensations is an imperative: in the case of itches, ‘Scratch!’ The view avoids non-intentional qualia and hence accords with what could be called, generalizing Lycan slightly, the ‘hegemony of intentionality’.
Histogenesis of choroid plexus in man.

Four stages of development can be recognized in the histogenesis of the human telencephalic choroid plexus. Division into stages is based on alterations of outline of the plexus, characteristic appearance and biochemical content of the epithelial cells, and the components of the stroma. The stages are less distinctive in the myelencephalic and diencephalic plexus where differentiation is accomplished sooner than in the telencephalic plexus. Neuroepithelial-lined tubules are common in the choroid plexus, and are formed by folding of choroidal epithelium into the stroma. Some tubules are large enough to be designated as incipient neuroepithelial (colloid) cysts. Cysts having only connective tissue walls are also present. The choroidal epithelial cells proliferate focally, stratify and desquamate into intervillous clefts, or flow into the stroma by disruption of the epithelial basement membrane or tubular wall. These findings are confirmed by use of serial sections. The size of the developing telencephalic plexus relative to the ventricular system is small at first, then large, occupying almost the entire telencephalon, but gradually decreases during development. Glycogen is prominent in developing choroidal epithelial cells, but disappears in the mature plexus. Both epithelial and mesenchymal mucin and muco-polysaccharides are identified in the plexus. The paraphysis is re-emphasized as an extraventricular choroid plexus on the basis of a common neuroepithelial origin. It is rudimentary and inconstant in man.
Relation of physical activity time to incident disability in community dwelling adults with or at risk of knee arthritis: prospective cohort study

Objective To investigate whether objectively measured time spent in light intensity physical activity is related to incident disability and to disability progression. Design Prospective multisite cohort study from September 2008 to December 2012. Setting Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Participants Disability onset cohort of 1680 community dwelling adults aged 49 years or older with knee osteoarthritis or risk factors for knee osteoarthritis; the disability progression cohort included 1814 adults. Main outcome measures Physical activity was measured by accelerometer monitoring. Disability was ascertained from limitations in instrumental and basic activities of daily living at baseline and two years. The primary outcome was incident disability. The secondary outcome was progression of disability defined by a more severe level (no limitations, limitations to instrumental activities only, 1-2 basic activities, or ≥3 basic activities) at two years compared with baseline. Results Greater time spent in light intensity activities had a significant inverse association with incident disability. Less incident disability and less disability progression were each significantly related to increasing quartile categories of daily time spent in light intensity physical activities (hazard ratios for disability onset 1.00, 0.62, 0.47, and 0.58, P for trend=0.007; hazard ratios for progression 1.00, 0.59, 0.50, and 0.53, P for trend=0.003) with control for socioeconomic factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income) and health factors (comorbidities, depressive symptoms, obesity, smoking, lower extremity pain and function, and knee assessments: osteoarthritis severity, pain, symptoms, prior injury). This finding was independent of time spent in moderate-vigorous activities. Conclusion These prospective data showed an association between greater daily time spent in light intensity physical activities and reduced risk of onset and progression of disability in adults with osteoarthritis of the knee or risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. An increase in daily physical activity time may reduce the risk of disability, even if the intensity of that additional activity is not increased.
Causal inference for average treatment effects of multiple treatments with non-normally distributed outcome variables

In this paper, we conduct a simulation study to investigate the performance of three popular weighted estimators, namely the Imbens' weighted estimator, the propensity score weighted estimator, and the generalized doubly robust (GDR) estimator for estimating average treatment effects of multiple treatments when the outcome variable is generated from one of the seven commonly seen non-normal distributions: lognormal, student's t, exponential, uniform, gamma, beta, and Weibull. When outcome variables are non-normally distributed, simulation results show that the GDR estimator has a better performance compared to the other two estimators.
Photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase δ subunit (PDEδ) functions as a prenyl-binding protein

Bovine PDEdelta was originally copurified with rod cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) and shown to interact with prenylated, carboxymethylated C-terminal Cys residues. Other studies showed that PDEdelta can interact with several small GTPases including Rab13, Ras, Rap, and Rho6, all of which are prenylated, as well as the N-terminal portion of retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator and Arl2/Arl3, which are not prenylated. We show by immunocytochemistry with a PDEdelta-specific antibody that PDEdelta is present in rods and cones. We find by yeast two-hybrid screening with a PDEdelta bait that it can interact with farnesylated rhodopsin kinase (GRK1) and that prenylation is essential for this interaction. In vitro binding assays indicate that both recombinant farnesylated GRK1 and geranylgeranylated GRK7 co-precipitate with a glutathione S-transferase-PDEdelta fusion protein. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer techniques exploiting the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of PDEdelta and dansylated prenyl cysteines as fluorescent ligands, we show that PDEdelta specifically binds geranylgeranyl and farnesyl moieties with a Kd of 19.06 and 0.70 microm, respectively. Our experiments establish that PDEdelta functions as a prenyl-binding protein interacting with multiple prenylated proteins.
The motion of a spinner rocket inside a smoothbore launcher

Abstract It is well known that one of the significant contributors to inaccuracy of spin-stabilized artillery rockets is the so-called mallaunch or initial cross-spin (φ o ) of the rocket. This refers to the time rate of change of the angle (φ) which measures the direction of the rocket axis relative to the boreline of the launcher, the initial value ( o ) being measured at the instant the rocket is disengaged from the launcher.
Enhanced plasmid maintenance in a CSTR upon square-wave oscillations in the dilution rate

The effects of forced square-wave perturbations in the dilution rate on plasmid maintenance and gene expression of a population ofEscherichia coli K12 strain carrying the vector plasmid pBR322 grown in a chemostat with a non-selective medium were studied. It was observed that in the control experiments, where the dilution rates were kept constant, the percentage of plasmid-containing cells decreased after a period of time. Eventually, the culture was displaced by the plasmid-free cells. However, when the cells were exposed to forced oscillations in the dilution rate, the reactor culture was able to maintain a mixed population of plasmid-free and plasmid-containing cells for a longer period of time. The above observation seems to be independent of the source of the host cells. That is, the same results were obtained when the plasmid-free cells were generated from the culture itself due to defective partitioning of the plasmids or introduced externally.
Enhancing television advertising: same-language subtitles can improve brand recall, verbal memory, and behavioral intent

This research explores how same-language subtitles—on-screen text that matches the spoken language—can enhance advertising effectiveness for television commercials on normal viewing audiences outside of foreign-language or deaf-viewer contexts. A preliminary eye-tracker study shows that same-language subtitles capture disproportionate visual attention, and a first study highlights that same-language commercial subtitles can increase brand recall and memory of other verbal ad information. Three further studies using 12 additional ads reinforce the positive effects of subtitles and show how same-language subtitle effectiveness varies with changes in visual and verbal ad complexity. In addition to showing how subtitles can increase behavioral intent, results also highlight how varying subtitle content affects memory gains and illustrate how subtitles can lead to negative effects in the uncommon situation that brand information is missing from the audio. As the efficacy of television advertising becomes increasingly debated, same-language subtitling is a simple way to boost advertising effectiveness.
Building a Better Haiti by Investing in Haitians

waves of the quake. The earth under my feet was gyrating like a drunken dancer, back and forth, back and forth. “We’re having an earthquake,” I typed. Not waiting for his reply, I calmly walked over to stand in the doorframe of the AIDG office, like they used to recommend when I grew up in Southern California. People are no longer told to do this, however; I should have gotten under a heavy desk, against an interior wall, or gone outside, away from falling debris. But I was lucky and the swaying soon stopped. I wasn’t at the epicenter, but in Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s second-largest city, 85 miles away as the crow flies from Portau-Prince. I was working with our team there on the launch of our second annual business plan competition, Konkou Biznis Ayiti (http://konkoubiznisayiti.com/). We were just four days from show time, and I was working with a volunteer translator and a web designer to put the finishing touches on our website. I had no idea what the extent of the damage from the quake had been when I walked back to the Skype session some 25 minutes later, after checking in with other staff. “Check the water line right now!” my husband Pete, the founder of Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG), had typed frantically.
Established populations of Paracerceis sculpta (Isopoda) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

A population of the isopod Paracerceis sculpta Holmes, 1904 was found in Port Aransas, Texas in Northern Gulf of Mexico in 2009, the first report of the species in the Gulf of Mexico. The last large isopod survey in the area was conducted in 1981 implying that P. sculpta invaded some time in the last 28 years. Here, we show size frequency distributions of 858 individuals, alpha males (mean length = 5.48 mm ± 0.09 SE), pre-alpha males (3.94 mm ± 0.15), females (2.76 mm ± 0.03) and juveniles (1.24 mm ± 0.02). Beta and gamma males are absent in Texas, a major contrasting difference between the invasive and native populations.
The Effect of Computational Delay on Performance of Adaptive Control Systems

In many adaptive control applications, especially where the recursive-least-squares (RLS) algorithms are used, the real-time implementation of high order adaptive filters for estimating the disturbance dynamics is computationally intensive. The delay associated with the computational burden is usually either underestimated as no delay or overestimated as one sample delay in the control system design and analysis. For a stochastic disturbance dynamics, the H2 optimal control performance for the case of one-step delay is worse than that of no delay due to the nonminimum phase plant zero introduced by the delay. The optimal performance for a fractional delay is bounded between these two extremes. The paper investigates the effect of the fractional computational delay on a variable order adaptive controller based on a recursive least-squares adaptive lattice filter. The trade-off between the adaptive filter order and the computational delay is analyzed and evaluated by an example.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Role of the low density lipoprotein-related protein receptor in mediation of factor VIII catabolism.

Abstract In the present study, we found that catabolism of coagulation factor VIII (fVIII) is mediated by the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LPR), a liver multiligand endocytic receptor. In a solid phase assay, fVIII was shown to bind to LRP (K d 116 nm). The specificity was confirmed by a complete inhibition of fVIII/LRP binding by 39-kDa receptor-associated protein (RAP), an antagonist of all LRP ligands. The region of fVIII involved in its binding to LRP was localized within the A2 domain residues 484–509, based on the ability of the isolated A2 domain and the synthetic A2 domain peptide 484–509 to prevent fVIII interaction with LRP. Since vWf did not inhibit fVIII binding to LRP, we proposed that LRP receptor may internalize fVIII from its complex with vWf. Consistent with this hypothesis, mouse embryonic fibroblasts that express LRP, but not fibroblasts genetically deficient in LRP, were able to catabolize 125I-fVIII complexed with vWf, which was not internalized by the cells. These processes could be inhibited by RAP and A2 subunit of fVIII, indicating that cellular internalization and degradation were mediated by interaction of the A2 domain of fVIII with LRP. In vivo studies of125I-fVIII·vWf complex clearance in mice demonstrated that RAP completely inhibited the fast phase of the biphasic125I-fVIII clearance that is responsible for removal of 60% of fVIII from circulation. Inhibition of the RAP-sensitive phase prolonged the half-life of 125I-fVIII in circulation by 3.3-fold, indicating that LRP receptor plays an important role in fVIII clearance.
Moral Holism, Moral Generalism, and Moral Dispositionalism

Moral principles play important roles in diverse areas of moral thought, practice, and theory. Many who think of themselves as 'moral generalists' believe that moral principles can play these roles-that they are capable of doing so. Moral generalism maintains that moral principles can and do play these roles because true moral principles are statements of general moral fact (i.e. statements of facts about the moral attributes of kinds of actions, kinds of states of affairs, etc.) and because general moral facts explain particular moral facts (i.e. facts about the moral attributes of particulars). Moral holism maintains that what is a moral reason to ) in one case may not be one in another, and may even be a moral reason not to ) given suitable circumstances. Some 'moral particularists' maintain that moral holism motivates scepticism about the existence of and need for moral principles, along with scepticism about the viability of principle-based approaches to ethics and moral theory. But I argue that moral holism is itself a form of moral generalism, one that takes facts about the rightand wrong-making powers of (generic) moral factors to explain certain particular moral facts-namely, the rightness and wrongness of particular actions. I also argue that a moral-theoretic version of dispositionalism-the view that dispositions, powers, or capacities are the fundamental units of explanation-explains both why moral holism is true and why moral generalism is true.
Electronic structure and optical properties of rhombohedral arsenic and their variations with the internal displacement parameter

The electronic band structure, density of states, and imaginary part of the dielectric function of rhombohedral As are calculated using the empirical pseudopotential method. The electronic density of states are calculated for five different values of the internal displacement parameter u, and the results are added, weighted by a Gaussian probability distribution in u. The resulting density of states is compared with that of rhombohedral and amorphous As. The imaginary part of the dielectric function of the distorted crystal is calculated using the above density of states along with the nondirect transition model and energy dependent matrix elements. A Kramers-Kronig transformation is performed to obtain the real part of the dielectric function. Finally, the absorption coefficient of the distorted crystal is calculated. The optical constants of the distorted crystal are compared with those of rhombohedral and amorphous As. Mit der empirischen Pseudopotentialmethode wird die elektronische Bandstruktur, die Zustandsdichte und der Imaginarteil der Dielektrizitatsfunktion von rhombischem As berechnet. Die elektronische Zustandsdichte wird fur funf verschiedene Werte des Parameters der inneren Verschiebung u berechnet, wobei die mit einer Gaus-Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilung in u gewichteten Ergebnisse addiert werden. Die resultierende Zustandsdichte wird mit der von rhombischem und amorphem As verglichen. Der Imaginarteil der Dielektrizitatsfunktion des gestorten Kristalls wird unter Benutzung der obigen Zustandsdichte zusammen mit dem indirekten Ubergangsmodell und energieabhangigen Matrixelementen berechnet. Eine Kramers-Kronig-Transformation wird durchgefuhrt, um den Realteil der Dielektrizitatsfunktion zu erhalten. Schlieslich wird der Absorptionskoeffizient des gestorten Kristalls berechnet. Die optischen Konstanten des gestorten Kristalls werden mit denen von rhombischem und amorphem As verglichen.
Convergence time for unbiased quantized consensus

We revisit the quantized consensus problem on undirected connected graphs, and obtain some strong results on expected time to convergence. This is unbiased consensus, because the edges emanating from a node have equal probability of being selected. The paper first develops an approach that bounds the expected convergence time of the underlying discrete-time dynamics. The bounds are tight for some simple networks when there exists some symmetry in the network. Following this, the paper provides a tight expression for the expected convergence time of unbiased quantized consensus over general networks. Finally, the paper shows that the expected convergence time can be expressed in terms of the effective resistances of the associated Cartesian product graph. The approach adopted in the paper uses the theory of harmonic functions for reversible Markov chains.
Characterization of Sectored-Electrode IPMC-Based Propulsors for Underwater Locomotion

Ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators with sectored (patterned) electrodes have been fabricated for realizing bending and twisting motion. Such IPMCs can be used to create next-generation artificial fish-like propulsors that can mimic the undulatory, flapping, and complex motions of real fish fins. Herein, a thorough experimental study is performed on sectored IPMCs to characterize their performance. Specifically, results are presented to show (1) the achievable twisting response; (2) blocking force and torque; (3) power consumption and effectiveness; and (4) propulsion characteristics. The results can be utilized to guide the design of practical marine systems driven by IPMC propulsors. The design of an example underwater robotic system is also described which employs the IPMC actuators, and the performance of the robotic system is reported.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Antigen processing: HLA-DO – a hitchhiking inhibitor of HLA-DM

Recent studies have revealed that the conserved major histocompatibility complex class II molecule, HLA-DO, inhibits the class II antigen-processing pathway. HLA-DO, expressed in only a subset of antigen-presenting cells, binds HLA-DM and blocks HLA-DM-catalyzed peptide loading of class II molecules.
Distinct regulatory mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional activation by SAGA and TFIID.

A growing number of human diseases are linked to abnormal gene expression which is largely controlled at the level of transcriptional initiation. The gene-specific activator promotes the initiation of transcription through its interaction with one or more components of the transcriptional initiation machinery, hence leading to stimulated transcriptional initiation or activation. However, all activator proteins do not target the same component(s) of the transcriptional initiation machinery. Rather, they can have different target specificities, and thus, can lead to distinct mechanisms of transcriptional activation. Two such distinct mechanisms of transcriptional activation in yeast are mediated by the SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5-Acetyltransferase) and TFIID (Transcription factor IID) complexes, and are termed as “SAGA-dependent” and “TFIID-dependent” transcriptional activation, respectively. SAGA is the target of the activator in case of SAGA-dependent transcriptional activation, while the targeting of TFIID by the activator leads to TFIID-dependent transcriptional activation. Both the SAGA and TFIID complexes are highly conserved from yeast to human, and play crucial roles in gene activation among eukaryotes. The regulatory mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional activation by SAGA and TFIID are discussed here.
Anthropology of women: The natural history stage

Carolyn J. Matthiasson, ed. Many Sisters: Women in Cross‐Cultural Perspective. New York: The Free Press, 1974. xxi + 433 pp. Illustrations, maps, figures, bibliography, and index. $15.00 Yolanda Murphy and Robert F. Murphy. Women of the Forest. New York: Columbia University Press, 1974. xii + 236 pp. Maps, bibliography, and index. $10.00 (cloth); $3.45 (paper).
In-Service students and MPA education: notes toward an alternative paradigm

Research in the fields of adult developmental psychology, adult education, and cognitive theory indicates that public administrationists should expect that in-service MPA students will differ decidedly from younger pre-service students in terms of the learning, attitudinal, and experiential traits they bring to the classroom. This essay reviews the literature in these fields, critically assesses the often disparate nature of the evidence and prescriptions proffered, and develops an integrative framework and research agenda for addressing the topic in future studies.
Multiple beam laser cell micropatterning system

ABSTRACT The various cell mechanisms, including cell-cell interactions, in native tissue could be better understood by engineering a cell coculture with a micro environment that closely mimics the natural cell arrangement. To this end, we developed a cell micropatterning system that uses a weakly focused laser beam to trap individual cells at the center of the beam and propel them forward onto an appropriate substrate. The optimal methods of introducing different cell types to be patterned into the patterning system and preventing cells from randomly falling onto the pattern were issues to be addressed with this system. Here, we report the development of a multi-chamber, multi-beam laser cell micropatterning system, in which the delivery of specific cells into the beam can be controlled using secondary laser beams. This permits consecutive creation of a pattern involving multiple cell types at specific relative positions. As examples, various patterns of fibroblasts have been created on collagen coated coverslips. In addition, two asynchronously beating clusters of cardiomyocytes were connected with fibroblasts of cardiac origin, yielding a deeper insight into the electrophysiological role of fibroblasts in conduction of the action potentials among cardiomyocytes. Keywords: Laser Cell Micropatterning, Optical Micromanipulation, Laser-Guided Direct Writing, Soft Lithography
Abnormal rhythms associated with persistent left superior vena cava.

Extract: The electrocardiograms of 26 patients with persistent left superior vena cava (SVC) draining into the coronary sinus were reviewed. Left axis of P waves between +15 and −29 degrees was observed in nine cases, including two of three cases of persistent left SVG with absent right SVC. Isorhythmic A-V dissociation with interference was observed in one subject. The study of the P wave in five groups of patients with presumably normal caval drainage revealed that frontal P wave axis fell usually between +20 and +70 degrees. Speculation: Left axis of the P waves, if present in patients with congenital heart defects, may suggest persistent left superior vena cava draining to the coronary sinus. Further pathologic and histologic study is needed to clarify the pathogenesis of these abnormal cardiac rhythms and the possible embryologic relation between persistent left superior vena cava and an ectopic pacemaker.
Use of tobacco products among rural older adults: prevalence of ever use and cumulative lifetime use.

Tobacco use is a well-documented contributor to morbidity and mortality in the US and worldwide. Information on the comprehensive use of tobacco products is lacking, particularly smokeless tobacco in its various forms. Data from 635 older (≥60 years) African American, American Indian and White adults in rural North Carolina were analyzed to assess current and lifetime use of cigarettes, cigars, pipe, snuff and chewing tobacco. Participants were classified as being current, former or never users of each product. Lifetime use of each product was determined by asking about typical intensity of use per day and length of time the product has been used. About 70% of participants were current or former users of any tobacco product, and about one-third of participants currently used at least one product. Variations in use were observed by ethnicity and sex, particularly for cigarettes, snuff and chewing tobacco. Variations were also seen according to other demographic and health characteristics. These data add to a limited body of literature on lifetime use of smoked and smokeless tobacco products, and are useful in identifying the impact of these products on morbidity and mortality, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Entrapment against radiators--an underestimated burn hazard to the elderly

Five cases of burns caused by residents of nursing homes falling out of bed and becoming trapped against radiators or hot pipes are reported. The current guidelines for nursing homes in relation to heating surfaces are reviewed and recommendations are made on how this hazard can be avoided.
Veterans Administration Cooperative Studies Project No. 147. Part VIII: Plaque accumulation on metal ceramic restorations cast from noble and nickel-based alloys. A five-year report.

In 1980, the Veterans Administration Cooperative Studies Program No. 147 initiated a multicentered, multidisciplinary clinical study to evaluate the use of alternative alloys for porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations. This segment of the study compares the accumulation of dental plaque, over time, on restorations made from either Olympia or one of several alternative alloys, including W-1, Ceramalloy II, Micro-Bond N/P2, or Ticon in comparison to: (1) an unrestored tooth, which served as the periodontal control, (2) Olympia, the alloy control, and (3) among the alternative alloys. The restoration of approximately 800 teeth with fixed partial dentures/crowns was not found to contribute to plaque accumulation when measured by using the Loe and Silness plaque index. Statistically, more plaque was exhibited by the unrestored periodontal control tooth than by any of the restored teeth. No differences in plaque accumulation were observed between Olympia and the alternative alloys or among the alternative alloys themselves after 36 months of clinical use.
Chronic inorganic arsenic exposure in vitro induces a cancer cell phenotype in human peripheral lung epithelial cells

Inorganic arsenic is a human lung carcinogen. We studied the ability of chronic inorganic arsenic (2 μM; as sodium arsenite) exposure to induce a cancer phenotype in the immortalized, non-tumorigenic human lung peripheral epithelial cell line, HPL-1D. After 38 weeks of continuous arsenic exposure, secreted matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) activity increased to over 200% of control, levels linked to arsenic-induced cancer phenotypes in other cell lines. The invasive capacity of these chronic arsenic-treated lung epithelial (CATLE) cells increased to 320% of control and colony formation increased to 280% of control. CATLE cells showed enhanced proliferation in serum-free media indicative of autonomous growth. Compared to control cells, CATLE cells showed reduced protein expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (decreased to 26% of control) and the putative tumor suppressor gene SLC38A3 (14% of control). Morphological evidence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurred in CATLE cells together with appropriate changes in expression of the EMT markers vimentin (VIM; increased to 300% of control) and e-cadherin (CDH1; decreased to 16% of control). EMT is common in carcinogenic transformation of epithelial cells. CATLE cells showed increased KRAS (291%), ERK1/2 (274%), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK; 152%), and phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1; 170%) protein expression. Increased transcript expression of metallothioneins, MT1A and MT2A and the stress response genes HMOX1 (690%) and HIF1A (247%) occurred in CATLE cells possibly in adaptation to chronic arsenic exposure. Thus, arsenic induced multiple cancer cell characteristics in human peripheral lung epithelial cells. This model may be useful to assess mechanisms of arsenic-induced lung cancer.
Structure of a peptide antifreeze and mechanism of adsorption to ice

Abstract Sequence studies of an α-helical peptide antifreeze isolated from winter flounder have revealed the presence of clusters of polar amino acids separated by long sequences of alanine. Most of the polar residues are threonine and aspartate and are separated by 4.5 A, a repeat distance that also separates the oxygens in the ice lattice along the a -axis of an ice crystal. Such a lattice match suggests that the peptide binds to ice by means of hydrogen binding.
Pollen germination is impeded by tap water

Pollen germination in vitro is totally inhibited in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and other species if tap water is used to prepare the germination medium. This effect is already fully present if tap water accounts for only 25% of the medium. Furthermore, the pollen grains deteriorate rapidly and the culture medium turns yellowish-brown. The water toxicity is not caused by one or several compounds regularly monitored by the water authorities but can be removed by ion exchange purification. Although the factor(s) responsible for the inhibition were not identified, the study clearly shows the presence of such a contaminant in three different Orange County (Southern California) water wells. The fact that a fundamental botanical process like pollen germination is inhibited by a factor in drinking water not included in water quality control causes some general health concern. In addition, crop yield might be largely reduced if overhead spray irrigation with this water is utilized. The experiments also suggest that pollen germination in vitro could serve as a sensitive and simple bioassay for water quality.
Does Common Origin of the Carotid Arteries Affect Neurologic Outcome After Neonatal ECMO? † 1240

Common origin of the carotid arteries (COCA) is a normal anatomic variant reported to occur in approximately 10 percent of the general population. To determine whether this variant places venoarterial ECMO patients at a higher risk for adverse neurologic sequela due to potential occlusion of both carotid arteries by the arterial cannula, we retrospectively examined the clinical records and echocardiograms of our initial 100 ECMO patients. All echocardiograms were reviewed for aortic arch morphology by a pediatric cardiologist, blinded to all other data. We excluded patients on ECMO beyond 30 days of age (n=2), infants with congenital heart disease (n=6), and infants for whom the echocardiogram was not available at our institution or the arch vessels were not adequately visualized (n=24). The remaining 68 patients were separated into 2 groups based on the aortic arch branching pattern; those with separate origin of the carotids (n=59) and those with COCA (n=9). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of birth weight, estimated gestational age, age at onset of ECMO and length of ECMO support. The neurologic outcome variables studied included the results of MRI, CT, EEG, BAER, head ultrasound and Bayley Scales of Infant Development, reported as Physical Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI). Multiple regression analysis indicated no predictive value of COCA in determining PDI and MDI outcomes (mean age 24 months, range 6-30 months, n=39 normal arch, n=9 COCA). A logistical regression analysis revealed that COCA showed no significance in predicting adverse neurologic sequela based on MRI, CT, EEG, BAER or head ultrasound. In conclusion, our study confirms that COCA is a common aortic arch variant (13%) and that this variant does not increase the risk of neurologic injury in patients undergoing venoarterial ECMO.
High performance computations using dynamical nucleation theory

Chemists continue to explore the use of very large computations to perform simulations that describe the molecular level physics of critical challenges in science. In this paper, we describe the Dynamical Nucleation Theory Monte Carlo (DNTMC) model - a model for determining molecular scale nucleation rate constants - and its parallel capabilities. The potential for bottlenecks and the challenges to running on future petascale or larger resources are delineated. A "master-slave" solution is proposed to scale to the petascale and will be developed in the NWChem software. In addition, mathematical and data analysis challenges are described.
Phase 1 study of sorafenib in combination with bortezomib in patients with advanced malignancies

Background. Sorafenib (a VEGFR and multi-targeted kinase inhibitor) and Bortezomib (a proteasome inhibitor) have clinical antineoplastic activities as single agents, and combine synergistically in preclinical models. Methods. This Phase I study was undertaken to define the toxicity and the maximum tolerated doses (MTD) of the combination in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients with cytologic or histologic proof of unresectable solid tumors were treated with escalating doses of sorafenib (twice daily) and bortezomib (days 1, 4, 8 and 11 intravenously) with 21-day cycles. Results. Fourteen patients (7 males, median age 65, range 24–74), with renal (3), lung (3), pancreas (2), and breast, adrenal gland, melanoma, spindle cell tumor, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma (1 each) were enrolled. All patients are off treatment, 10 due to disease progression. DLT was seen in two patients (one grade 3 abdominal pain and grade 4 lipase elevation; one with grade 3 vomiting) at sorafenib 200 mg twice daily and bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2, establishing the MTD. No grade 4 hematologic or grade 5 toxicities were seen. One patient with renal cell cancer had a partial response and 5 patients attained stable disease. Conclusions. The combination of sorafenib and bortezomib was tolerated well. The recommended phase 2 doses are sorafenib 200 mg twice daily continuously with bortezomib 1 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8, 11 (21 day cycles). The combination shows preliminary signs of efficacy, supporting phase 2 studies.
Overexpression of an Arabidopsis thaliana ABC transporter confers kanamycin resistance to transgenic plants

Selectable markers of bacterial origin such as the neomycin phosphotransferase type II gene, which can confer kanamycin resistance to transgenic plants, represent an invaluable tool for plant engineering. However, since all currently used antibiotic-resistance genes are of bacterial origin, there have been concerns about horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plants back to bacteria, which may result in antibiotic resistance. Here we characterize a plant gene, Atwbc19, the gene that encodes an Arabidopsis thaliana ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter and confers antibiotic resistance to transgenic plants. The mechanism of resistance is novel, and the levels of resistance achieved are comparable to those attained through expression of bacterial antibiotic-resistance genes in transgenic tobacco using the CaMV 35S promoter. Because ABC transporters are endogenous to plants, the use of Atwbc19 as a selectable marker in transgenic plants may provide a practical alternative to current bacterial marker genes in terms of the risk for horizontal transfer of resistance genes.
Acute Exercise Increases Triglyceride Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle and Prevents Fatty Acid-Induced Insulin Resistance

Fatty acid oversupply is a key mediator of skeletal muscle insulin resistance in obesity, primarily via accumulation of fatty acid metabolites and activation of proinflammatory pathways. Herein, we demonstrate that fatty acid-induced insulin resistance in humans is completely prevented the day after 1 session of endurance exercise. Because skeletal muscle is the primary site for systemic glucose disposal and is highly susceptible to impaired insulin action by elevated fatty acid availability, we obtained skeletal muscle samples to investigate possible mechanisms mediating this protective effect of exercise. Prevention of fatty acid-induced insulin resistance after exercise accompanied enhanced skeletal muscle protein expression of key lipogenic enzymes and an increase in muscle triglyceride synthesis. Partitioning more fatty acids toward triglyceride synthesis within muscle reduced the accumulation of fatty acid metabolites and suppressed the proinflammatory response in skeletal muscle, as evidenced by decreased phosphorylation and activation of JNK and increased abundance of inhibitor of NF-kappaB alpha (I kappa B-alpha) and I kappa B-beta. We believe this is the first study to demonstrate that 1 session of exercise completely reverses fatty acid-induced insulin resistance in humans. Reversal of insulin resistance accompanied enhanced lipogenic capacity within skeletal muscle, reduced accumulation of highly bioactive fatty acid metabolites, and suppressed activation of proinflammatory pathways known to impair insulin action.
β2 adrenergic receptor polymorphisms and nocturnal blood pressure dipping status in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study

Abstract Nondipping nocturnal blood pressure (BP) is associated with target organ damage and cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that β1- and β2-AR-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) would associate with nondipping BP patterns. Participants (n = 497, age range 30–74 years, 40% female) of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study with at least one ambulatory BP monitoring test were included. Nondipping was defined as less than a 10% dip in sleep BP compared with wake BP. Dipping ratios were calculated as sleep/wake BP. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the β1-AR (rs7076938, tagging for Gly389Arg) and β2-AR (rs17778257 and rs2400707, tagging for Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu) were selected. β2-AR SNP rs2400707 A-positive subjects (tagging for Glu27) had higher systolic and diastolic dipping ratios in a dose-response fashion. Systolic dipping ratios were: GG=0.846; AG=0.854; AA=0.861 ( P = .015). Diastolic dip ratios were: GG=0.807; AG = 0.815; AA=0.824 ( P = .026). The β2-AR rs17778257/rs2400707 A/A haplotype was associated with dipping ratios and systolic nondipping status (nondipping odds radio 2.0 [1.0–3.8] for A/A versus A/G). Results were similar when models included participants on antihypertensive medications. Higher dipping ratios indicating a lack of nocturnal BP dipping are associated with β2-AR polymorphisms. Nocturnal dipping patterns may be modulated by β2-AR polymorphisms.
BENEFITS OF REMOVAL OF NATIVE KIDNEYS IN HYPERTENSION AFTER RENAL TRANSPLANTATION

To find out whether diseased native kidneys can be the cause of hypertension in patients whose allograft otherwise seems to function well, six such hypertensive renal transplant patients were investigated before and 4.5 +/- 1.5 (+/- SD) months after removal of their native kidneys. After nephrectomy mean arterial pressure fell considerably yet renal (allograft) plasma flow increased by 77% and vascular resistance of the allograft fell by 55%. Mean transverse cardiac diameter and electrocardiogram voltage measurements of left ventricular hypertrophy both improved significantly. Since the rise in renal plasma flow could be induced by giving captopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin II formation, to patients who had not had their native kidneys removed, the native kidneys seem to exert their effect on the allograft via the renin-angiotensin system. The improvement in allograft plasma flow after nephrectomy was maintained for more than 1 1/2 years. Administration of captopril after native nephrectomy did not further change allograft plasma flow. The findings suggest that in many carefully selected patients with post-transplantation hypertension native kidney nephrectomy offers tangible benefits.
The Disastrous First Fund-Raising Campaign in Legal Education: The Harvard Law School Centennial, 1914–1920

Between 1915 and 1925, Harvard University conducted the first national public fund-raising campaign in higher education in the United States. At the same time, Harvard Law School attempted the first such effort in legal education. The law school organized its effort independently, in conjunction with its centennial in 1917. The university campaign succeeded magnificently by all accounts; the law school failed miserably. Though perfectly positioned for this new venture, Harvard Law School raised scarcely a quarter of its goal from merely 2 percent of its alumni. This essay presents the first account of this campaign and argues that its failure was rooted in longstanding cultural and professional objections that many of the school's alumni shared: law students and law schools neither need nor deserve benefactions, and such gifts worsen the overcrowding of the bar. Due to these objections, lethargy, apathy, and pessimism suffused the campaign. These factors weakened the leadership of the alumni association, the dean, and the president, leading to inept management, wasted time, and an unlikely strategy that was pursued ineffectively. All this doomed the campaign, particularly given the tragic interruptions of the dean's suicide and World War I, along with competition from the well-run campaigns for the University and for disaster relief due to the war.
The cantigas de amor of King Dinis: em maneira de proençal?

Most readers find the cantigas de amor much less attractive than the cantigas de amigo. Their assessment often assumes that originality, sincerity, and national distinctiveness are the primary determinants of aesthetic value: the Portuguese poems are reproached with following their supposed Provencal models too closely. I shall try to show that on the contrary, they do not follow them closely enough.
Conditional GEE for recurrent event gap times

This paper deals with the analysis of recurrent event data subject to censored observation. Using a suitable adaptation of generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data, we propose a straightforward methodology for estimating the parameters indexing the conditional means and variances of the process interevent (i.e. gap) times. The proposed methodology permits the use of both time-fixed and time-varying covariates, as well as transformations of the gap times, creating a flexible and useful class of methods for analyzing gap-time data. Censoring is dealt with by imposing a parametric assumption on the censored gap times, and extensive simulation results demonstrate the relative robustness of parameter estimates even when this parametric assumption is incorrect. A suitable large-sample theory is developed. Finally, we use our methods to analyze data from a randomized trial of asthma prevention in young children.
IDENTIFYING FOREST REFERENCE CONDITIONS ON EARLY CUT‐OVER LANDS, LAKE TAHOE BASIN, USA

Pre-Euro-American settlement forest structure and fire regimes for Jeffrey pine-white fir, red fir-western white pine, and lodgepole pine forests in the Lake Tahoe Basin (California and Nevada, USA) were identified using stand structural analysis and fire scars based on measurements of stumps of trees that were cut in the 19th century. Com- parisons of the presettlement reference with contemporary conditions were then used to determine how and why contemporary conditions deviate from presettlement conditions and to guide ecological restoration. Contemporary forests varied in different ways compared to the presettlement reference. Contemporary Jeffrey pine-white fir forests have more and smaller trees, more basal area, less structural variability, and trees with a more clumped spatial distribution than preset- tlement forests. The mean presettlement fire-return interval for Jeffrey pine-white fir forests was 11.4 yr, and most ( .90%) fires burned in the dormant season; no fire was recorded in the study area after 1871. Similar differences were identified in the structural characteristics of contemporary and presettlement red fir-western white pine and lodgepole pine forests. However, 19th-century logging changed the composition of red fir-western white pine forests, and these forests now have more lodgepole pine than red fir or western white pine. Comparison of contemporary forests with the presettlement reference suggests that resto- ration treatments in Jeffrey pine-white fir forests should include: (1) density and basal- area reduction, primarily of smaller diameter trees; (2) reintroduction of frequent fire as a key regulating disturbance process; and (3) increasing structural heterogeneity by shifting clumped tree distributions to a more random pattern. Restoration treatments in red fir- western white pine forests should include: (1) a shift in species composition by a density and basal-area reduction of lodgepole pine; and (2) increasing structural heterogeneity by shifting tree distributions to a more random pattern. In lodgepole pine forests the restoration emphasis should be: (1) a density and basal-area reduction of small-diameter trees; and (2) an increase in structural heterogeneity that shifts tree spatial patterns from clumped to a more random distribution. Reintroduction of fire as a regulating process into high-elevation red fir-western white pine and lodgepole pine forests can be viewed as a longer-term restoration goal. The method for quantifying presettlement reference conditions from stumps complements, or is an alternative to, methods based on dendroecology or repeat photog-