cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acrosome reaction induced by immunoaggregation of a proteinase inhibitor bound to the murine sperm head

ZP3, a glycoprotein of the murine zona pellucida, functions both to bind acrosome intact sperm and to induce the acrosome reaction. Solubilized whole zonae as well as purified ZP3 are able to induce acrosome reactions in capacitated sperm. Pronase digests of whole zonae yield glycopeptides that bind to sperm but are unable to induce acrosome reactions. However, immunoaggregation of these glycopeptides results in the exocytosis of the acrosome in the majority of treated sperm. The data suggest that ZP3 triggers the acrosome reaction by the aggregation of ZP3 binding sites on the sperm head. If aggregation of ZP3 binding sites is important in the induction of the acrosome reaction, then it may be possible to induce the acrosome reaction in the absence of zona by immunoaggregation of the sites. This presentation deals with the immunoaggregation of a proteinase inhibitor of seminal vesicle origin (SVI) that binds to a site on the sperm head known to participate in zona binding. We show that capacitated murine sperm, pretreated with the SVI, will acrosome react, as determined by Coomassie brilliant blue staining, when incubated with rabbit antiinhibitor antiserum (anti-SVI). The percentage of SVI-treated sperm displaying an acrosome reaction is dependent on the concentration of the immune serum. Sperm stain positive for intact acrosomes when anti-SVI Fab fragments or normal rabbit serum is substituted for the immune serum. However, when capacitated sperm, treated with both SVI and anti-SVI Fab fragments, are incubated with goat antirabbit IgG, the majority of sperm acrosome react. The data suggest that the aggregation of SVI bound to the sperm surface, in the absence of zona glycoproteins, is sufficient to induce the acrosome reaction.
Nanotubes patterned thin films of barium-strontium titanate

A novel, low-temperature synthesis method for producing BaxSr(1−x)TiO3 (BST) thin films patterned in the form of nanotubes (“honeycomb”) on Ti substrates is reported. In this two-step method, the Ti substrate is first anodized to produce a surface layer (∼300 nm thickness) of amorphous titanium oxide nanotube (∼100 nm diameter) arrays. In the second step, the anodized substrate is subjected to hydrothermal treatment in aqueous Ba(OH)2 + Sr(OH)2 at 200 °C, where the nanotube arrays serve as templates for their topotactic (shape-preserving) hydrothermal conversion to polycrystalline BST nanotubes. A simple geometrical model is proposed to elucidate the mechanism of the hydrothermal growth of BST nanotubes. This opens the possibility of tailoring the titanium oxide nanotube arrays and of using various precursor solutions and their combinations in the hydrothermal bath to produce ordered, patterned thin-film structures of various Ti-containing ceramics. These could find use not only in a variety of electronic, optoelectronic, and sensor device applications but also in biomedical and catalysis applications, where patterned thin films are desirable.
Conserved properties between functionally distinct MutS homologs in yeast.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaethere are five nuclear MutS homologs that act in two distinct processes. MSH2, 3, and 6 function in mismatch repair in both vegetative and meiotic cells, whereasMSH4 and MSH5 act specifically to facilitate crossovers between homologs during meiosis. Coimmunoprecipitation as well as two-hybrid experiments indicate that the Msh4 and Msh5 proteins form a hetero-oligomeric structure similar to what is observed for the Msh proteins involved in mismatch repair. Mutation of conserved amino acids in the NTP binding and putative helix-turn-helix domains of Msh5p abolish function but are still capable of interaction with Msh4p, suggesting that NTP binding plays a role downstream of hetero-oligomer formation. No hetero-oligomers are observed between the mismatch repair MutS proteins (Msh2p and Msh6p) and either Msh4p or Msh5p. These results indicate that one level of functional specificity between the mismatch repair and meiotic crossover MutS homologs in yeast is provided by the ability to form distinct hetero-oligomers.
IRI Data Library: enhancing accessibility of climate knowledge

Climate variability affects a broad swath of socio-economic sectors, and if it increases or the sector becomes overly-tuned to past or present climate conditions, climate variability becomes of increasing concern to a wide range of non-climate specialists. The significant challenges to building the capacity of non-climate specialists to use climate information in research and decision-making include the difficulties in accessing relevant and timely quality-controlled data and information in formats that can be readily incorporated into specific analysis and reporting. The IRI Data Library is a facility designed to cope with these issues of information dissemination. Methods developed include Map Rooms which are designed for rapid access to needed information for particular user groups, analysis tools useful for a wide range of users (especially while training), and a metadata framework that uses semantic technologies to transform metadata from a variety of sources into a variety of standards. The results are tools to merge standard climate products with GIS information (e.g. averaging climate data over the political boundaries used to geolocate health and socio-economic data), as well as simplified access/transformation of large datasets only available as collections of many files or service points elsewhere. The IRI Data Library is thus a key platform that makes climate and other data products more widely accessible through tool development, data organization and transformation, and data/technology transfer.
Crystal Engineering in Kindergarten

Friederich Froebel, a nineteenth century educator trained as a crystallographer, invented kindergarten. Froebel's background in crystallography infused every aspect of his conception of kindergarten, especially the self- actuated learning devices or "gifts" that were the centerpiece of his curriculum. Froebel kindergartens spread rapidly throughout Europe, the United States, and Japan in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Crystal engineering was thus a primary occupation of millions of children in the first several kindergarten generations.
A regularized inverse approach to ultrasonic pulse-echo imaging

An inverse-theoretic approach to ultrasonic pulse-echo imaging based on nonquadratic regularization is presented, and its effectiveness is investigated computationally by: 1) evaluating the quality of the reconstruction of speckle-based images as a function of the transmit-receive bandwidth and focal number of the transducer; 2) comparing the reconstructed images with those obtained by using conventional B-mode imaging. The L-curve and the generalized cross-validation methods were evaluated as automatic regularization parameter selection techniques. The inversion using regularization produced better results than conventional B-mode imaging for high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). A lower bound of 30 dB for the SNR was found for this study, below which several of the image features were lost during the reconstruction process in order to control the distortion due to the noise
Knowledge-based system to assess air crew training requirements

A description is given of a prototype training assessment tool developed as part of a computer-based cockpit design and analysis workstation that estimates the training resources and time imposed by the anticipated mission and cockpit design. Embedding instructional system and training analysis domain knowledge in a production system environment, the tool allows crew station designers to readily determine the training ramifications of their choices for cockpit equipment, mission tasks, and operator qualifications. Initial results have been validated by comparison to an existing training program, demonstrating the tool's utility as a conceptual design aid and illuminating areas for future development. >
Morphology predicts suction feeding performance in centrarchid fishes.

Suction feeding fish differ in their capacity to generate subambient pressure while feeding, and these differences appear to relate to morphological variation. We developed a morphological model of force transmission in the fish head and parameterized it with measurements from individual fish. The model was applied to 45 individuals from five species of centrarchid fishes: Lepomis macrochirus, Lepomis punctatus, Lepomis microlophus, Micropterus salmoides and Pomoxis nigromaculatus. Measurements of epaxial cross-sectional area, epaxial moment arm, buccal area and buccal area moment arm were combined to estimate pressure generation capacity for individual fish. This estimation was correlated with pressure measured in fish feeding on elusive prey to test the model’s ability to predict pressure generation from morphology. The model explained differences in pressure generation found among individuals (P<0.001, r 2 =0.71) and produced a realistic estimate of normalized muscle stress during suction feeding (68.5±6.7·kPa). Fish with smaller mouths, larger epaxial cross-sectional area and longer epaxial moments, such as L. macrochirus (bluegill sunfish), generated lower pressures than fish with larger mouths, smaller cross-sectional area and shorter moments, such as M. salmoides (largemouth bass). These results reveal a direct trade-off between morphological requirements of feeding on larger prey (larger mouth size relative to body depth) and the ability to generate subambient pressure while suction feeding on elusive prey. Summary
Emergency department management of occupational exposures: cost analysis of rapid HIV test.

Objective To compare costs for evaluation and treatment of a healthcare worker (HCW) experiencing an occupational exposure, using a rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test versus a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) HIV test. Design Retrospective chart review of all HCWs presenting to the emergency department (ED) for care of an occupational exposure over a 13-month period. Setting A 404-bed university-based level 1 trauma center with an annual ED census of approximately 35,000. Participants All HCWs experiencing an occupational exposure treated in the ED using a rapid HIV protocol were included in the analysis. Methods A calculation of selected costs of the initial evaluation and treatment of patients whose evaluation included a rapid HIV test on the source patient were performed. A similar calculation was then made for these patients, had the standard ELISA test been used. Evaluated costs included laboratory tests, postexposure prophylactic medications, and estimated lost work time. Other costs were constant and were not included in the evaluation. Results Total evaluated cost using the rapid HIV test as part of the evaluation and treatment protocol was $465.80 for 17 patients. Had the ELISA test been used instead of the rapid test, the total evaluated cost for the 17 patients would have been $5,965.81. Conclusions When used as part of the evaluation and treatment of the HCW with an occupational exposure, the rapid HIV test results in substantial cost savings over the ELISA test .
Nation-building and the diaspora on Leonenet: a case of Sierra Leone in cyberspace:

The nation-state of Sierra Leone crumbled during the 1990s. A decade-long civil war destroyed the state and brutalized the national imaginings. Despite the lack of institutional structure, some members of its society chose to keep the nation alive through discourse on a listserv, an email forum called Leonenet. Using a multi-methodological approach that incorporated content analysis, interviews with cultural informants, ethnography and participant observation, the findings of the study reported in this article indicate that list members had created a virtual nation, defined as any community that communicates in cyberspace, whose collective discourse and/or actions are aimed towards the building, binding, maintenance, rebuilding or rebinding of a nation. Leonenet was a diasporic communicative space where Sierra Leone's state-related symbols were generated and then held in conceptual escrow, waiting for the institutional structure to return.
P84 – 2801: Two novel, disease-causing mutations in the ACSF3 gene in a patient with combined malonic and methylmalonic aciduria

Background Combined malonic and methylmalonic aciduria (CMAMMA) is a rare inborn error of metabolism with elevated excretion of malonic acid (MA) and methylmalonic acid (MMA) in urine commonly caused by mutations in the MLYCD gene leading to malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) deficiency. Clinical features are metabolic acidosis, seizures, axial hypotonia, developmental delay, failure to thrive, microcephaly, cardiomyopathy, elevated transaminases and gastrointestinal symptoms. Benign clinical courses and asymptomatic patients summarized as non-classical phenotype with mostly normal MCD activity are described. In these patients mutations in the ACSF3 gene encoding a methylmalonyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA synthetase are frequently detected. Case report We describe a 3-year-old boy diagnosed with CMAMMA at the age of 26 months. After an uneventful pregnancy a boy of unrelated Afghan parents was born at term with a birth weight of 2955 g. At three weeks he presented with two generalized seizures and metabolic acidosis. Plasma lactat level was normal. Initially moderately elevated levels of MMA were found in urine. Plasma amino acids, carnitine levels, acylcarnitine profile, homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, liver and renal function parameters were normal. Initial electroencephalogram (EEG) was pathologic and anticonvulsive therapy with phenobarbital was initiated. No further seizures occurred, EEG normalized at the age of three months and antiepileptic medication was stopped. Besides microcephaly the development is age-appropriate up to now. Asymptomatic cholelithiasis persisted despite therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid. Echocardiography was normal. Genetic analysis revealed two novel, disease-causing mutations in the ACSF3 gene and led to the diagnosis auf CMAMMA. Excretion of MMA in urine decreased spontaneously. A mild protein restricted diet was started. A younger sister also presented generalized seizure and elevated MMA in urine at the age of four weeks. Her genetic analysis is in progress. Conclusion We found two novel mutations in the ACSF3 gene which we assume to cause a non-classic CMAMMA phenotype.
The impact of alcohol consumption on ovarian reserve in reproductive-age African American women

THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON OVARIAN RESERVE IN REPRODUCTIVE-AGE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. L. Hawkins Bressler, L. A. Bernardi, P. D. De Chavez, D. Baird, M. Carnethon, E. E. Marsh. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC; Department of Epidemiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Feinberg SOM Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
Seed fate and decision‐making processes in scatter‐hoarding rodents

A mechanistic understanding of seed movement and survival is important both for the development of theoretical models of plant population dynamics, spatial spread, and community assembly, and for the conservation and management of plant communities under global change. While models of wind-borne seed dispersal have advanced rapidly over the past two decades, models for animal-mediated dispersal have failed to make similar progress due to their dependence on interspecific interactions and complex, context-dependent behaviours. In this review, we synthesize the literature on seed dispersal and consumption by scatter-hoarding, granivorous rodents and outline a strategy for development of a general mechanistic seed-fate model in these systems. Our review decomposes seed dispersal and survival into six distinct sub-processes (exposure, harvest, allocation, preparation, placement, and recovery), and identifies nine intermediate (latent) variables that link physical state variables (e.g. seed and animal traits, habitat structure) to decisions regarding seed allocation to hoarding or consumption, cache placement and management, and deployment of radicle-pruning or embryo excision behaviours. We also highlight specific areas where research on these intermediate relationships is needed to improve our mechanistic understanding of scatter-hoarder behaviour. Finally, we outline a strategy to combine detailed studies on individual functional relationships with seed-tracking experiments in an iterative, hierarchical Bayesian framework to construct, refine, and test mechanistic models for context-dependent, scatter-hoarder-mediated seed fate.
Decreased faux addenda following standardisation of pathologist practice

Aims We wanted to improve the quality of histopathology addenda and amendments by introducing standardised nomenclature and procedures. Methods We standardised amendment and addenda definitions, implemented a pathologist visual work tool, and evaluated and quantitated all amendments and addenda for 3 months prior to implementation and 17 months after. Results In the 3-month pre-intervention period, 32 of 979 addenda (3.3%) were misused and 18 of 98 amendments (18.4%) were incorrectly classified. In the 17-month post-intervention period, 57 of 5906 addenda (1.0%) were misused and 54 of 752 amendments (7.2%) were incorrectly classified. These differences were statistically significant (p Conclusions The introduction of standardised nomenclature and a visual work tool significantly improved the quality of histopathology addenda and amendments.
Shape Selective Oxidation as a Mechanistic Probe

The manganese and iron complexes of the bis-pocket porphyrin (5,10,15,20-tetrakis- (2′4′6′-triphenyl)phenylporphyrin, H2TTPPP) are shown to be shape selective catalysts for the hydroxylation of alkanes and the epoxidation of nonconjugated dienes with a wide variety of oxidants. The selectivities are independent of the choice of oxidant, demonstrating that the mechanism of epoxidation is very similar for all oxidant systems studied. The selectivities for terminal hydroxylation of n-alkanes are very similar to those for terminal epoxidation of 1,4-dienes and are dominated by the steric demands of the metalloporphyrin catalyst. There is, however, a dramatic diminution in selectivity for iron versus manganese. This means that both metals cannot be generating a common metalloxetane intermediate. The selectivities observed for MnTTPPP(OAc) for both 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene and limonene are very high and approach those of limonene-induced ctyochrome P450.
The implications of ageing and life expectancy in prostate cancer treatment

In patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, the selection of treatment, including the type of therapy and its aggressiveness, is often based on a patient's age and life expectancy. Life expectancy estimates are too often calculated solely on the patient's chronological age, overlooking comorbid conditions and their severity, which can greatly affect life expectancy. If, in addition to chronological age, comorbid conditions are used to assess a patient's life expectancy, the most appropriate treatment options are more likely to be selected. Older, healthy patients might be able to tolerate more aggressive treatment than would be administered on the basis of their age alone, and younger patients with numerous comorbid conditions could avoid harsh therapy that might not be appropriate given their current state of health. The key idea to consider in treatment selection is what a patient's quality of life would be like with or without a particular treatment option. In an era of precision medicine, decisions regarding the provision of health care should be made rationally and on the basis of objective estimates of the threat of disease and the benefits and costs of intervention and within the context of the patient's characteristics and desires.
International Grid of Capital Flows: Innovation, Crisis, and Off-shore Banking

Disequilibrium financial markets are now embedded in international financial networks, which direct the flow of capital around the world. These international cash flows are involved in the process of international banking; and the modern technologies of information and communications (IC) have increased the speed, volume, and complexity of international flows. But at the end of the twentieth century, the global world began to experience destabilizing international flows—particularly in the Asian financial crisis of 1997, Global financial crisis of 2007, and Euro crisis of 2010. In using the IC technologies, how has international banking increased the frequency and intensity of international financial crises?
Assessment of Diabetic Nephropathy in the Akita Mouse

Akita mice have type 1 diabetes mellitus caused by a spontaneous point mutation in the Ins2 gene which leads to misfolding of insulin, resulting in pancreatic β-cell failure. Akita mice develop pronounced and sustained hyperglycemia, high levels of albuminuria, and consistent histopathological changes, suggesting that these mice may be suitable as an experimental platform for modeling diabetic nephropathy. One key feature of diabetic kidney disease in Akita mice is that the severity of renal injury is significantly influenced by genetic background. In this chapter, we describe the Akita model and present some of the experimental studies utilizing Akita mice as a model of type 1 diabetes. For example, deficiency in bradykinin receptors, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, or angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 leads to development of functionally and structurally more advanced diabetic nephropathy in these mice, while ketogenic diet has been shown to reverse kidney injury associated with diabetes. This chapter also describes the application of 24-h urine collections from mice for careful measurement of urinary albumin excretion.
Pseudocyst of the auricle in patients with movement disorders: report of two patients with ataxia-associated auricular pseudocysts.

Pseudocyst of the auricle is a benign condition of the ear characterized by an asymptomatic, noninflammatory swelling on the lateral or anterior surface of the auricle. It typically presents as a 1 to 5 centimeter cystic lesion located within the scaphoid or triangular fossa. In most patients, the lesion develops spontaneously. However, pseudocyst of the auricle has also been associated with trauma to the ear.We describe the clinical findings of two men who developed pseudocyst of the auricle associated with ataxia-induced trauma to their ear. We also summarize the differential diagnosis, the postulated pathogenesis, and the treatment options for this condition.The features of two men with pseudocyst of the auricle are presented. Using PubMed, the following terms were searched and relevant citations assessed: ataxia, auricle, dyskinesia, ear, Friedreich's, neurological, pinna, pseudocyst, spasticity, spinocerebellar, and trauma. In addition, the literature on pseudocyst of the auricle is reviewed.Pseudocyst of the auricle was observed in two men with neurological disorders: a 33-year-old Asian man with spinocerebellar ataxia and a 47-year-old Caucasian man with Friedreich's ataxia. Each patient had a history of ataxia-induced head and ear trauma. The clinical features of the lesions were sufficient to establish a diagnosis of pseudocyst of the auricle. Neither patient desired treatment.Pseudocyst of the auricle is a benign cystic lesion that is occasionally precipitated by trauma to the affected ear. Patients with neurological disorders, particularly those associated with ataxia and/or dyskinesias, may have an increased risk of developing the traumatic variant of the condition. Diagnosis can usually be established by clinical presentation. However, in some patients, a tissue specimen may be secured for microscopic evaluation to exclude infection or during surgical repair. Various treatment options exist for pseudocyst of the auricle, including: (1) needle aspiration-with or without subsequent injection of an irritant substance-followed by a pressure dressing and (2) surgical deroofing. Alternatively, reassurance of the benign nature of the condition and observation is a reasonable management alternative.
Craniofacial Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Abstract Cartilage tissue engineering has the opportunity to profoundly impact clinical health care solutions for craniofacial reconstruction. Current reconstructive options are limited by inadequate autologous tissue availability, donor site morbidity, the potential for immune rejection, and even extrusion of allogenic or alloplastic grafts. Tissue-engineered cartilage would provide surgeons with an invaluable alternative tissue source. Current tissue engineering strategies begin with harvesting a small biopsy specimen from a patient. The chondrocytes are then isolated, expanded in monolayer culture, transferred to three-dimensional culture, and then matured in a dynamic culture apparatus called a bioreactor. Ultimately, the ideal tissue-engineered cartilage would be generated in shapes and sizes suited for craniofacial reconstruction, and would resemble native tissue in terms of its biochemical and structural properties. In this chapter, the process and state of the art of cartilage tissue engineering are described, as are the future challenges and opportunities within the field.
Northern Diplomacy: ROK Strategies in Trade

People will be trying to explain South Korea’s motives for drawing nearer to the socialist camp for years to come. The economic incentives are clear enough. However, there are numerous dimensions to the Republic of Korea’s political goals. Dealing with its enemy in North Korea is certainly not the least of these goals. For this reason South Korean politicians and journalists have appropriately cast the policy of socialist country trade and new diplomacy by South Korea toward North Korea into the same categorical basket. They have termed these related efforts “Northern Policy.” The real reasons for this Northern Policy and the chances for its success are subjects of considerable controversy.
The Relationship between Subjective and Objective Usability Metrics for Home Healthcare Devices

Home healthcare devices have gained attention recently as more and more care is being delivered in the patients’ home rather than in a hospital setting. This trend is accelerating as healthcare sys...
Development of a persistent superconducting joint between Bi-2212/Ag-alloy multifilamentary round wires

Superconducting joints are one of the key components needed to make Ag-alloy clad Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212) superconducting round wire (RW) successful for high-field, high-homogeneity magnet applications, especially for nuclear magnetic resonance magnets in which persistent current mode operation is highly desired. In this study, a procedure for fabricating superconducting joints between Bi-2212 RWs during coil reaction was developed. Melting temperatures of Bi-2212 powder with different amounts of Ag addition were investigated by differential thermal analysis so as to provide information for selecting the proper joint matrix. Test joints of 1.3 mm dia. wires heat treated in 1 bar flowing oxygen using the typical partial melt Bi-2212 heat treatment (HT) had transport critical currents I c of ~900 A at 4.2 K and self-field, decreasing to ~480 A at 14 T evaluated at 0.1 μV cm−1 at 4.2 K. Compared to the I c of the open-ended short conductor samples with identical 1 bar HT, the I c values of the superconducting joint are ~20% smaller than that of conductor samples measured in parallel field but ~20% larger than conductor samples measured in perpendicular field. Microstructures examined by scanning electron microscopy clearly showed the formation of a superconducting Bi-2212 interface between the two Bi-2212 RWs. Furthermore, a Bi-2212 RW closed-loop solenoid with a superconducting joint heat treated in 1 bar flowing oxygen showed an estimated joint resistance below 5 × 10−12 Ω based on its field decay rate. This value is sufficiently low to demonstrate the potential for persistent operation of large inductance Bi-2212 coils.
Proteomic Profiling of Serial Prediagnostic Serum Samples for Early Detection of Colon Cancer in the U.S. Military.

Background: Serum proteomic biomarkers offer a promising approach for early detection of cancer. In this study, we aimed to identify proteomic profiles that could distinguish colon cancer cases from controls using serial prediagnostic serum samples. Methods: This was a nested case–control study of active duty military members. Cases consisted of 264 patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 2001 and 2009. Controls were matched to cases on age, gender, race, serum sample count, and collection date. We identified peaks that discriminated cases from controls using random forest data analysis with a 2/3 training and 1/3 validation dataset. We then included epidemiologic data to see whether further improvement of model performance was obtainable. Proteins that corresponded to discriminatory peaks were identified. Results: Peaks with m/z values of 3,119.32, 2,886.67, 2,939.23, and 5,078.81 were found to discriminate cases from controls with a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 67% in the year before diagnosis. When smoking status was included, sensitivity increased to 76% while histories of other cancer and tonsillectomy raised specificity to 76%. Peaks at 2,886.67 and 3,119.32 m/z were identified as histone acetyltransferases while 2,939.24 m/z was a transporting ATPase subunit. Conclusions: Proteomic profiles in the year before cancer diagnosis have the potential to discriminate colon cancer patients from controls, and the addition of epidemiologic information may increase the sensitivity and specificity of discrimination. Impact: Our findings indicate the potential value of using serum prediagnostic proteomic biomarkers in combination with epidemiologic data for early detection of colon cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(5); 711–8. ©2016 AACR .
Seeing Potential: The Effects of Student–Teacher Demographic Congruence on Teacher Expectations and Recommendations

I present new evidence on the effects of having a same-sex or same-race teacher on two salient outcomes: teacher expectations for postsecondary attainment and teacher recommendations for advanced c...
PIP5Kγ-Null Mutation Induces Cytoskeletal Changes within Megakaryocytes.

All eukaryotic cells contain the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate (PIP2) that serves multiple roles in signaling cascades critical for actin dynamics. Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5 kinase (PIP5K) catalyzes the synthesis of PIP2 by phosphorylating PI4P. Although the classical PIP5K isoforms (α, β, and γ) generate the same phospholipid product, the isoforms have different primary structures, are expressed at different levels in various tissues, and localize in different intracellular compartments. Therefore, it is likely that the functions of these isoforms are different as well. PIP5Kγ is unique because it associates directly with talin and consequently localizes in focal adhesion. Given the role of PIP2 in actin dynamics, we generated a murine line containing a null mutation in the PIP5Kγ gene. We found that the targeted disruption of PIP5Kγ results in early prenatal mortality that is associated with pleotropic effects involving the cardiovascular, neurologic, and hematopoietic systems. This early lethality prevented studies of hematopoietic cells derived from the bone marrow or the liver. However, we were able to analyze yolk sac progenitor cells that were treated with thrombopoietin ex vivo, differentiating them into megakaryocytes. After 5 days in culture, many of the non-adherent yolk sac progenitor cells were multinucleated, and approximately 70% expressed CD41 (αIIb), a marker of the megakaryocyte lineage. We then examined their cytoskeletal content and dynamics. Absence of PIP5Kγ had no effect on the quantity of F-actin in unstimulated or thrombin-stimulated cells that were adherent to fibrinogen or were maintained in suspension in the absence of stimulation. Next, we examined membrane dynamics during cell adhesion in real time using spinning disk video confocal microscopy. Wild type megakaryocytes actively formed and contracted lamellipodia and rapidly spread upon the fibrinogen matrix. In contrast, PIP5Kγ-null megakaryocytes continuously extended and retracted membrane blebs, rather than lamellipodia, but eventually spread as much as wild type cells. This observation is consistent with the previous suggestion that PIP2 contributes to the stable association of the membrane with the cytoskeleton. It is also noteworthy that a similar phenotype has been described in cells with defective anchoring of the membrane to the cytoskeleton because of a lack of filamin. Accordingly, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that PIP5Kγ generates compartmentalized pools of PIP2 that contribute to the association of the membrane with the cytoskeleton.
Simulation analysis of a collision-tolerant micro-airship fleet:

This paper analyzes the performance of a micro-airship fleet (0.5 m diameter) to navigate indoors with waypoint control while tolerating collision between airships and the environment. Very little focus has been placed on studying airships in groups or how well they can rebound back into formation after a collision. With a micro-airship fleet, it is possible to remove the major problem of collision avoidance in multi-unmanned aerial vehicle missions, which can result in damage or even mission failure when other types of aircraft are used. These vehicles could be a viable option for missions where speed and precise control are not an important design constraint, such as indoor reconnaissance or long-term surveillance. A three degree of freedom simulation is created in which five airships are commanded to waypoints throughout a hall way. The control logic used involves independent proportional–derivative control without any communication between airships. Collisions occur during missions; thus, a contact mo...
Marine Plankton Communities

A marine plankton community represents an ecological entity. Its uni- and multicellular components interact with each other by numerous direct and indirect processes. Plankton communities are a complex ecological organization as they represent the production of organic matter, its consumption, turnover, and eventual decay. Such communities are to a large extent the result of physical/atmospheric effects which for some communities have led to annual cycles of abundant metazooplankton species such as large copepods. In all planktonic communities, the processes of the microbial loop (ML) dominate the energy turnover. The ML represents a self-sufficient community within plankton communities of the upper 150 m. It provides, besides primary productivity, the main source of energy for metazooplankton taxa, most of which are omnivorous. The vast majority of metazooplankton of almost each community in the epipelagial are juvenile planktonic copepods which are the main energy source for the juveniles of numerous commercial fish, and also for numerous invertebrate carnivores such as coelenterates and chaetognaths. The wide range of interactions and interdependence within a plankton community is demonstrated by the degradation of most copepod fecal pellets within the epipelagial by components of the ML (mostly bacteria). The latter example reveals the uniqueness of a plankton community as an ecological entity, as organisms serving at its basis (bacteria) profit from end products of the community, that is, they are closing a wide-ranging cycle.
The Body Is Purple: A Visceral Cartography of Activist Labors

This poem draws from my research and work experiences on a campus where I advise, support, and advocate on behalf of those who are from historically marginalized communities. It voices a collective and embodied cartography of spiritual and creative resistance against continuous modes of dehumanization, and it illuminates this through specific motifs. I share this as a response to current activist efforts.
Frontal Plane Knee Mechanics and Early Cartilage Degeneration in People With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Longitudinal Study.

Background:Abnormal frontal plane gait mechanics are known risk factors for knee osteoarthritis, but their role in early cartilage degeneration after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is not well understood.Hypothesis/Purpose:The objective was to evaluate the association of frontal plane gait mechanics with medial knee cartilage magnetic resonance (MR) relaxation times over 1 year in patients with ACLR and controls. It was hypothesized that (1) there will be an increase in frontal plane medial knee loading and medial knee MR relaxation times over time in the patients with ACLR, and (2) increases in frontal plane medial knee loading will be associated with an increase in medial knee MR relaxation times.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Patients with ACLR (n = 37) underwent walking gait analyses and bilateral quantitative MR imaging (MRI) before surgery and at 6 and 12 months after ACLR. Healthy control participants (n = 13) were evaluated at baseline and 12 months...
School-administered weekly iron supplementation--effect on the growth and hemoglobin status of non-anemic Bolivian school-age children. A randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background Recent data suggest that daily iron supplementation of iron-replete children could impair their growth. If verified for weekly iron supplementation these results would markedly complicate targeting and implementing school-based weekly iron supplementation programs. Aim of the study To ascertain the effect of weekly iron supplementation on the growth and hemoglobin status of non-anemic school-age children. Subjects and methods 73 Bolivian non-anemic school-age children randomly assigned to the treatment group (n=37; receiving supplements containing FeSO4 during 18 weeks) or the control group (n=36; receiving a placebo during the same period). Hemoglobin concentration and anthropometric measures were determined for each child at the beginning (T0) and the end (T18) of the study. Results The treatment group did not show any significant variation in hemoglobin concentration between T0 and T18 (−1.6±10.4 g/L; P=0.40) whereas the control group showed a significant decrease in hemoglobin concentration (−4.6±10.9 g/L; P=0.03). Anthropometric changes were not significantly different between the treatment and the control groups for weight, (1.63±1,11 kg vs 1.88±0.79 kg; P=0.30), height (2.35±0.94 cm vs 2.11±1.03 cm; P=0.34) or mid-upper arm circumference (0.29±0.57 cm vs 0.22±0.54 cm; P=0.64). Conclusion In our study, weekly iron supplementation of non-anemic school-age children had no negative effect on their growth while having a positive effect in preventing significant decreases in hemoglobin concentration. These results suggest that in regions where iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is prevalent, a simple and cost-effective way to control IDA in school-age children is to give weekly iron supplements to all children at school.
You again: how is its ambiguity derived?

It is well-known that an English sentence with a complex predicate modified by again displays a repetitive vs. restitutive ambiguity. Like English again, Chinese you ‘again' modifying a resultative verb compound also exhibits a repetitive vs. restitutive ambiguity. However, Chinese differs from English in that the position of you ‘again' is relatively fixed: it can only occur preverbally but not postverbally. This study examines how the ambiguity of Chinese you is derived. Investigating the scope interaction between you ‘again' and an indefinite object, I argue that the ambiguity of you ‘again' is structural but not lexical. I further propose that you ‘again' moves overtly as a last resort to satisfy a PF requirement specific to Chinese.
Corporal and capital punishment of juveniles.

There is a previously unobserved connection between corporal punishment of public school children and capital punishment of juveniles. Both are barometers of acceptable levels of violent punishment and their elimination is a hallmark of a maturing and decent society. Within a majority of the eighteen states where school authorities most frequently strike children are housed 25 of the nation's 28 juvenile death row inmates. On average, the homicide rates of these jurisdictions are two and a half times greater than those that have abolished both state-sanctioned corporal and capital punishment or limit death sentences to those age eighteen and older at the time of their crime(s). Most of the eighteen state abolitions of corporal punishment occurred in the 1980's. The US Supreme Court has ruled both corporal and capital punishment of juveniles constitutional. Additional state legislative abolition of both is anticipated in the 1990s. Language: en
DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY OF PHENOLIC RESINS

Resole phenolic resins were polymerized and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. Glass spheres, 40 microns in diameter, and white pine wood fines were used as filler materials. The calorimetric studies were performed from -140°C to 350°C. Characteristic low temperature DSC shifts were observed from -50°C to -110°C for all the resins studied. The shifts decreased in magnitude but remained even in highly cured specimens. The DSC shifts were associated with dynamic mechanical peaks observed by torsion braid experiments. Absorption of water had slight effect on these low temperature DSC shifts. Increased filler concentrations appeared to diminish the shifts by lowering the mass fraction of the resin in the composite but did not greatly change the temperature of the observed shift from the resin. Effects of NaOH and Ca(OH) 2 catalyst concentrations were studied as well as the effects of initial water content. Results agree with previous authors with regard to approximate location of endo and exotherm peaks.
Neurology of Sports and Exercise

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses physical activity and nervous system aging, temperature regulation, and the effect of prolonged exertion on the peripheral nervous system. All measurable functions of the nervous system deteriorate with age. Investigations of endurance-trained elderly individuals show shortened visual evoked response times and faster peripheral nerve conduction velocities. These are related to the increased body temperatures of the subjects at the time of the tests. Evidence indicates that thermosensitive neurons in the anterior and preoptic hypothalamus respond to blood temperature changes. These same neurons are also activated by impulses from the periphery and cervical spinal cord. Almost all peripheral nerve injuries result from compression or direct trauma and are usually traceable to excessive, unaccustomed activity either in organized sports or recreational pursuits.
Metal binding and conformational studies of the calcium binding domain of NADPH oxidase 5 reveal its similarity and difference to calmodulin.

The superoxide-generating activity of Nox5 is regulated by Ca2+ flux, primarily through its self-contained calcium binding domain (EFD). Upon Ca2+ binding, Nox5’s EFD undergoes a conformational cha...
Brain Reward Function after Chronic and Binge Methamphetamine Regimens in Mice Expressing the HIV-1 TAT Protein.

Background: Methamphetamine abuse and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are common comorbidities. HIV-associated proteins, such as the regulatory protein TAT, may contribute to brain reward dysfunction, inducing an altered sensitivity to methamphetamine reward and/or withdrawal in this population.Objective: These studies examined the combined effects of TAT protein expression and, chronic and binge methamphetamine regimens on brain reward function.Methods: Transgenic mice with inducible brain expression of the TAT protein were exposed to either saline, a chronic, or a binge methamphetamine regimen. TAT expression was induced via doxycycline treatment during the last week of methamphetamine exposure. Brain reward function was assessed daily throughout the regimens, using the intracranial self-stimulation procedure, and after a subsequent acute methamphetamine challenge.Results: Both methamphetamine regimens induced withdrawal-related decreases in reward function. TAT expression substantially, but not significantly increased the withdrawal associated with exposure to the binge regimen compared to the chronic regimen, but did not alter the response to acute methamphetamine challenge. TAT expression also led to persistent changes in adenosine 2B receptor expression in the caudate putamen, regardless of methamphetamine exposure. These results suggest that TAT expression may differentially affect brain reward function, dependent on the pattern of methamphetamine exposure.Conclusion: The subtle effects observed in these studies highlight that longer-term TAT expression, or its induction at earlier stages of methamphetamine exposure, may be more consequential at inducing behavioral and neurochemical effects.
Patient and Provider Comfort and Concerns in Mobile Health Application Use in Healthcare

Early implementation of telehealth and mHealth technologies have illustrated the positive potential impact these technologies can have on the healthcare domain. Leveraging mobile device capabilitie...