cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resistance as a Lens for Understanding the International Preschool Movement

The essays in this special issue offer fascinating examples of many, often surprising interconnections within and between the international preschool movement and other education reforms. Just imagining Elizabeth Peabody in Florence and Rome puts her in a new light, and who knew that Julius Rosenwald contributed to a nursery training school in Britain along with his support for building schools for African-American children in the South?
Initial stages of Sb2 deposition on InAs(001)

Abstract We have used in situ scanning tunneling microscopy to study various preparation techniques for creating InSb bonds on InAs surfaces by molecular beam epitaxy. When an InAs(0 0 1)-(2×4) surface is exposed to an Sb2 flux, the surface changes to an InSb-(1×3)-like reconstruction, where one monolayer-deep vacancy islands emerge on the surface due to the change in the composition of the reconstruction. The vacancy islands cannot be annealed out using growth interrupts under Sb2. Extended annealing eventually leads to further surface roughening and a change into a reconstruction that may be even more Sb-rich. As the reconstruction changes from the original (2×4) to (1×3)-like, we do not observe any evidence that the vacancy islands form due to material detachment and mass transport from steps. Instead, we find that the vacancy islands develop uniformly across the surface as Sb becomes incorporated into the reconstruction.
Reconstitution of binding protein dependent ribose transport in spheroplasts derived from a binding protein negative Escherichia coli K12 mutant and from Salmonella typhimurium.

Highly purified ribose-binding protein from Escherichia coli has been used to reconstitute a binding-protein-dependent ribose transport in spheroplasts derived from a binding-protein-deficient mutant of E coli K 12, and in spheroplasts derived from Salmonella typhimurium. The cross-species reconstitution was nearly as efficient as the reconstitution of the E coli strain from which the binding protein was derived. Antibody raised against the ribose binding protein completely prevented reconstitution, whereas it had no effect on whole cells. The reconstitution procedure has been improved by generating spheroplasts from cells grown in a rich medium and by reducing the background uptake in spheroplasts through a special washing procedure. Rapid purification of ribose binding protein by high pressure liquid chromatography is also described.
The ( m , q )-Isometric Weighted Shifts on l p Spaces

In this paper we characterize weighted shifts (both unilateral and bilateral) on lp spaces that are (m, q)-isometries. We explicitly construct the weights of those operators. Properties of those operators, such as norm, similarity and a Berger–Shaw-type result, are also discussed.
A situation-aware mobile traffic information system

Mobile information services will play an important role in our future work and private life. Enabling mobility in urban and populous areas needs innovative tools and novel techniques for individual traffic planning. However, though there already are navigation systems featuring route planning, their usability is often difficult, because neither current information nor personal user preferences are incorporated. We present a prototype of a traffic information system offering advanced personalized route planning, including added services like traffic jam alerting by means of SMS. The fast changing nature of such data requires to gather it from on-line Internet sources. Given current bandwidth limitations an asynchronous update strategy of a central service database prepares the ground to meet real-time requirements though providing up-to-date information. The top results of a personalized route planning query can be efficiently computed by our SR-combine algorithm in less than 3 seconds as practical case studies show. XSLT technology automatically converts these results for the delivery to various mobile devices. In summary we give evidence that by intelligently joining latest technologies for preference modeling and preference query evaluation advanced personalized mobile traffic information systems are feasible today.
The Pros and Cons of Gender Quota Laws: What Happens When You Kick Men Out and Let Women In?

What country currently boasts the highest percentage of women in parliamentary office? If you ask most people, they will guess one of the Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, or Denmark. These guesses are close in one sense but very far off in another. The answer is Rwanda. As of this writing, women make up nearly half of the members of the Rwandan Chamber of Deputies—48.8% according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (2005b). Most people find this answer surprising. Sadly, we tend to associate Rwanda with the genocide of 1994 rather than with gender equality. What has put Rwanda in the number one spot on the list of women in elective office, an important indicator of women's equality?
CASE data interchange format (CDIF) standards: introduction and evaluation

Mechanisms for integrating CASE tools are reported, and players in CASE standards development are identified. The author provides a detailed review of the CASE data interchange format (CDIF), one of the most mature CASE standards, and compares it with other relevant CASE standards. Issues involved in adopting CDIF are presented. The current status and future development of CDIF are discussed. >
Measuring the beauty of forests

Aesthetic considerations are increasingly being taken into account when forest management decisions are made, but more quantitative studies testing assumptions are needed. This study tests the assumption that mature forests are perceived as being more beautiful than young forests; it also tests the philosophical concept of ‘serious beauty’, which hypothesises that the more knowledge one has about the ecological functioning of an environment, the more beautiful it will seem. All tests were done in situ. University students (N = 334) rated the mature forest as more beautiful than the young forest. The young forest was rated as less than neutral in appearance, and the mature forest was rated as more beautiful than neutral. Male students rated the forest as more beautiful than the females did. No significant difference was seen between the ratings from before or after an ecology presentation. Thus we did not confirm the serious beauty hypothesis in this instance.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Acid Adaptation-Mediated Vibrio cholerae Hyperinfectivity

Acid adaptation has previously been shown to increase the infectivity of Vibrio cholerae in the infant mouse model. To better understand this phenomenon, we monitored the spatial distribution and temporal changes in the ratios of acid-adapted cells to unadapted V. cholerae cells in the small intestine, as well as the timing of virulence factor expression. We found that the competitive advantage afforded by acid adaptation does not become manifest until greater than 3 h postinfection; thus, acid adaptation does not increase V. cholerae passage through the gastric acid barrier. Additionally, acid-adapted and unadapted V. cholerae cells colonize the same sections of the small intestine and show similar kinetics of transcriptional induction of the virulence genes tcpA and ctxA. These studies suggest that the increased infectivity of acid-adapted V. cholerae is due to a more rapid onset of multiplication and/or to an increased multiplication rate within the infant mouse intestine.
Comparing a new model-based method to fixed-area sampling for estimating the abundance of standing dead trees

Standing dead trees (SDTs) are an important component of forest ecosystems, but reliable estimates of SDT population parameters may be costly, due to spatial and temporal variation in dead tree abundance, which often causes an excess number of zero observations (a.k.a. ‘zero inflation’) in survey data. The objective of this study was to compare a new estimation method, the Expected-Zero Hurdle (EZ-Hurdle) method, with a typical fixed-area sampling (FAS) method, as methods for estimating the abundance of SDTs under different forest conditions. This study demonstrated that the EZ-Hurdle method provided more precise estimates than FAS when data describing the distance from the plot centre to the nearest SDT were incorporated into a model-based estimator that reduced estimation error associated with zero-inflation in the data. However, the EZ-Hurdle method was determined to be a less cost-efficient sampling method than FAS with smaller (�7 m radius) plots, because the additional time required to find the nearest dead tree to each plot centre was large, relative to the improvement in precision. On the other hand, the EZ-Hurdle method was a more cost-efficient sampling method than using larger (�18 m radius) plots. The EZ-Hurdle method appears to be a useful method for improving the precision of estimates of SDT abundance whenever there is a restriction on changing the sampling design or adding more plots to a survey.
Interleukin-6 Prevents the Initiation but Enhances the Progression of Lung Cancer

Recent studies suggest that high expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is associated with poor survival of lung cancer patients. Accordingly, IL-6 has been a target of great interest for lung cancer therapy. However, the role of IL-6 in lung cancer has not been determined yet. Here, we demonstrate that IL-6 plays opposite roles in the initiation and growth of lung cancer in a mouse model of lung cancer induced by the K-Ras oncogene. We find that compared to wild type mice, IL-6 deficient mice developed much more lung tumors after an activating mutant of K-Ras was induced in the lungs. However, lung tumors developed in IL-6 deficient mice were significantly smaller. Notably, both the lung tumor-suppressing and -promoting functions of IL-6 involve its ability in activating the transcription factor STAT3. IL-6/STAT3 signaling suppressed lung cancer initiation through maintaining lung homeostasis, regulating lung macrophages and activating cytotoxic CD8 T cells under K-Ras oncogenic stress, whereas it promoted lung cancer cell growth through inducing the cell proliferation regulator Cyclin D1. These studies reveal a previously unexplored role of IL-6/STAT3 signaling in maintaining lung homeostasis and suppressing lung cancer induction. These studies also significantly improve our understanding of lung cancer and provide a molecular basis for designing IL-6/STAT3-targeted therapies for this deadliest human cancer.
Molecular sieving in a nanoporous b-oriented pure-silica-zeolite MFI monocrystal film.

The molecular sieving property of a continuous b-oriented pure-silica-zeolite (PSZ) MFI monocrystal film was demonstrated in a zeolite-modified electrode (ZME) configuration using redox molecules of different sizes. Ru(NH3)63+ (diameter ∼5.5 A) was able to traverse the film, while Co(phen)32+ (diameter ∼13.0 A) was completely excluded. This film has excellent adhesion to the electrode and is stable in strong acidic conditions.
Comment on "perioperative administration of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors for postoperative pain management in patients after total knee arthroplasty".

We readwith great interest the study titled, “Perioperative Administration of Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors for Postoperative Pain Management in Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty” by Lin et al [1], published in The Journal of Arthroplasty (2013, vol. 28, no. 2.) We commend the authors for presenting a statistically rigorous analysis of the best available evidence for a clinically relevant question. However, we made a concerning observation: two retracted studies [2,3] were cited in the manuscript without acknowledgment of their retractions, both of which were for fraudulent data [4,5], even though both of these retracted studies’ citations in the “References” section of themanuscript include a parenthetical notice of their retractions. Further, oneof these studies [2]was oneof the eight included in themeta-analysis, despite being retracted as part of a highly publicized fabrication of data by Dr. Scott S Reuben [4]. As the retraction of the aforementioned study was published in April 2009 [4], and Lin et al submitted their article in October 2011 [1], we believe that this retraction would likely have been in the literature at the time this meta-analysis was performed. Given the fraudulent nature of the data in the aforementioned study [2], we believe that the inclusion of a retracted article suggests that the meta-analysis should be re-performed excluding these data. Although it is uncertain if the ultimate conclusionswould change, we believe such a re-analysis is warranted, given that the total number of patients in the study in question by Reuben et al [2] is far greater than any of the other studies included in the meta-analysis. Moreover, Figures. 2, 4, and 5 reveal that the results from this study were weighted from 19.9% to 35%; in sum, anywhere from 1/5 to 1/3 of the data analyzed per variable may be fraudulent. For these reasons, we would like to request clarification from the authors on their decision to include these articles in theirmanuscript anddata. Sincerely,
Estrogen differentially alters NMDA- and kainate-induced seizures in prenatally morphine- and saline-exposed adult female rats

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to morphine on seizure susceptibility in adult female rats. Adult female rats, exposed to saline or morphine on prenatal days 11-18, were ovariectomized (OVX) and some were injected 48 h prior to seizure testing with estradiol benzoate (EB). To assess the latency to onset of stereotypy and seizures, females received systemic injections of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA; 150, 175, 200 mg/kg) or kainic acid (KA; 10 or 15 mg/kg). Prenatal morphine exposure increased the latency to onset of wet-dog-shakes (WDS) in both OVX and OVX, EB-injected females after the higher dose of KA. However, prenatal morphine exposure increased the latency to onset of stereotypy only in OVX, EB-injected females after the highest dose of NMDA. Prenatal morphine exposure also increased the latency to onset of seizures after the lower dose of KA, but did not change the latency to onset of NMDA-induced seizures. Additionally, an EB injection increased the latency to onset of seizures in both saline- and morphine-exposed females after the lowest dose of NMDA, but decreased the latency to onset of seizures after the lower dose of KA. Thus, the present study demonstrates that prenatal morphine exposure has different effects on the estrogen regulation of the onset of seizures and stereotypy induced by NMDA or KA in adult, OVX female rats.
The price is right? Guidelines for pricing to enhance profitability

Pricing is a key element of the marketing strategy. It does not require significant investments or resources, and is perhaps the most accessible lever to manage profitability. Even minor fluctuations in pricing can have a significant impact on both revenues and profitability. As such, lack of careful planning in pricing is a wasted opportunity. With this as a backdrop, we make a case for precision in pricing to enhance profitability. Since consumers vary in their preferences, motivations, and propensity to spend, they assign varying degrees of emphasis regarding price upon their purchase decisions. We argue that pricing is a creative exercise in math and behavioral economics, and companies should stay focused on profits. We also provide a series of guidelines for creating effective base prices, and then modifying them to enhance profitability. Finally, monitoring prices at the transaction level will reduce leakage in profits and further add to the bottom line.
Bayesian Estimation of Categorical Dynamic Factor Models

Dynamic factor models have been used to analyze continuous time series behavioral data. We extend 2 main dynamic factor model variations—the direct autoregressive factor score (DAFS) model and the white noise factor score (WNFS) model—to categorical DAFS and WNFS models in the framework of the underlying variable method and illustrate them with a categorical time series data set from an emotion study. To estimate the categorical dynamic factor models, a Bayesian method via Gibbs sampling is used. The results show that today's affect directly influences tomorrow's affect. The results are then validated by means of simulation studies. Differences between continuous and categorical dynamic factor models are examined.
Computing the discounted return in markov and semi‐markov chains

This paper addresses the problem of computing the expected discounted return in finite Markov and semi-Markov chains. The objective is to reveal insights into two questions. First, which iterative methods hold the most promise? Second, when are interative methods preferred to Gaussian elimination? A set of twenty-seven randomly generated problems is used to compare the performance of the methods considered. The observations that apply to the problems generated here are as follows: Gauss-Seidel is not preferred to Pre-Jacobi in general. However, if the matrix is reordered in a certain way and the author's row sum extrapolation is used, then Gauss-Seidel is preferred. Transforming a semi-Markov problem into a Markov one using a transformation that comes from Schweitzer does not yield improved performance. A method analogous to symmetric successive overrelaxation (SSOR) in numerical analysis yields improved performance, especially when the row-sum extrapolation is used only sparingly. This method is then compared to Gaussian elimination and is found to be superior for most of the problems generated.
FINDIET 2007 Survey: energy and nutrient intakes.

Objective The National FINDIET surveys are carried out every 5 years to monitor dietary habits and nutrient intake of the adult Finnish population. The latest survey was carried out in 2007. Design Cross-sectional population-based study. Dietary assessment was carried out using 48 h recall interviews. A picture book of food portions was used to estimate portion sizes and the national Food Composition Database Fineli(R) to calculate nutrient intakes. Setting A representative sample taken in five regions in Finland. Subjects A total of 730 men and 846 women aged 24-64 years. Results The percentage contribution of fat to the total energy intake was 33 % in men and 31 % in women. The respective percentages for SFA in men and women were 13 % and 12 %, respectively, and 0.4 % for trans fatty acids in both genders. The average intakes of folate, vitamin D and fibre fell below the recommended levels, whereas the average salt intake was somewhat higher than the recommendations. Women's diet was higher in protein, dietary fibre and sucrose compared to that of men. Conclusions According to the FINDIET 2007 Survey, the dietary habits of the adult Finnish population have headed in a positive direction overall. However, although the quality of the fats consumed has continued to improve, and the intake of salt has decreased, they still do not meet the recommended levels of intake. Similarly, the average intakes of folate and vitamin D continue to fall below the recommendations. There is also a need to increase fibre intake and to cut down the intake of sucrose.
Discrete Hamilton-Jacobi theory and discrete optimal control

We develop a discrete analogue of Hamilton-Jacobi theory in the framework of discrete Hamiltonian mechanics. The resulting discrete Hamilton-Jacobi equation is discrete only in time. The correspondence between discrete and continuous Hamiltonian mechanics naturally gives rise to a discrete analogue of Jacobi's solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We prove discrete analogues of Jacobi's solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation and of the geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theorem. These results are readily applied to the discrete optimal control setting, and some well-known results in discrete optimal control theory, such as the Bellman equation, follow immediately. We also apply the theory to discrete linear Hamiltonian systems, and show that the discrete Riccati equation follows as a special case.
Prognostic significance of Ki‐67 (MIB‐1) proliferation index in childhood primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the central nervous system

Background. Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) of the central nervous system, including medulloblastomas, are the most common malignant brain tumors of childhood. Whereas some patients experience prolonged disease control after surgery and adjuvant therapy, others with tumors that appear comparable will relapse and eventually die from progressive disease. Procedure. Because proliferative activity may provide a potential correlate of biologic aggressiveness, PNETs of 78 well-characterized patients were evaluated by Ki-67 (MIB-1) immunohistochemistry. Proliferation indices (PI) were determined by counting Ki-67 (MIB-1) positive tumor cells either in the highest staining region (hot spot PI), or in at least 15 randomly chosen fields (random PI). Results. Twenty-five of 78 PNETs showed amore than twofold higher value of hot spot PI (median 9.3%; range 0.6-56%), compared to random PI (median 5.6%; range 0.2-41.3%). Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that PNETs with a high hot spot PI had a significantly greater risk of progression and death than PNETs with a low hot spot PI (hazard ratio 1.58, P 0.04). The hazard ratio remained significant after adjusting for M-stage in multivariate analysis. In contrast to hot spot PI, random PI proved not to be a significant prognostic predictor. Conclusions. Hot spot PI is a significant and independent prognostic factor in PNETs. Its assessment is uncomplicated, reliable, and may supplement routine histologic examination as a means for improving the accuracy of predicting the biologic behavior of childhood PNETs.
Poly(A)-Specific Ribonuclease (PARN-1) Function in Stage-Specific mRNA Turnover in Trypanosoma brucei†

Deadenylation is often the rate-limiting event in regulating the turnover of cellular mRNAs in eukaryotes. Removal of the poly(A) tail initiates mRNA degradation by one of several decay pathways, including deadenylation-dependent decapping, followed by 5 to 3 exonuclease decay or 3 to 5 exosome-mediated decay. In trypanosomatids, mRNA degradation is important in controlling the expression of differentially expressed genes. Genomic annotation studies have revealed several potential deadenylases. Poly(A)-specific RNase (PARN) is a key deadenylase involved in regulating gene expression in mammals, Xenopus oocytes, and higher plants. Trypanosomatids possess three different PARN genes, PARN-1 ,- 2, and -3, each of which is expressed at the mRNA level in two life-cycle stages of the human parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Here we show that T. brucei PARN-1 is an active deadenylase. To determine the role of PARN-1 on mRNA stability in vivo ,w e overexpressed this protein and analyzed perturbations in mRNA steady-state levels as well as mRNA half-life. Interestingly, a subset of mRNAs was affected, including a family of mRNAs that encode stage-specific coat proteins. These data suggest that PARN-1 functions in stage-specific protein production. Regulation of gene expression in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei allows the organism to adapt and survive during its life cycle in two very different environments, the mammalian bloodstream and the tsetse fly. Expression of numerous protein-coding genes is regulated posttranscriptionally,
GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistor structures with homogeneous lattice-matched InAlN barriers grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Metal-polar In0.17Al0.83N barriers, lattice-matched to GaN, were grown under N-rich conditions by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The compositional homogeneity of these barriers was confirmed by plan-view high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. Metal-polar In0.17Al0.83N/(GaN)/(AlN)/GaN structures were grown with a range of AlN and GaN interlayer (IL) thicknesses to determine the optimal structure for achieving a low two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) sheet resistance. It was determined that the presence of a GaN IL was necessary to yield a 2DEG sheet density above 2 × 10 13 cm −2 . By including AlN and GaN ILs with thicknesses of 3 nm and 2 nm, respectively, a metal-polar In0.17Al0.83N/GaN/AlN/GaN structure regrown on a GaN-on-sapphire template yielded a room temperature (RT) 2DEG sheet resistance of 163 � /. This structure had a threading dislocation density (TDD) of ∼5 × 10 8 cm −2 . Through regrowth on a free-standing GaN template with low TDD (∼5 × 10 7 cm −2 ), an optimized metal-polar In0.17Al0.83N/GaN/AlN/GaN structure achieved a RT 2DEG sheet resistance of 145 � / and mobility of 1822 cm 2 V −1 s −1 . High-electron-mobility transistors with output current densities above 1 A mm −1 were also demonstrated on the low-TDD
Formation and kinetics study of cuprous oxide nanodots on LaAlO 3 (0 0 1)

Cu2O nanodots have been grown on LaAlO3 (0 0 1) substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. X-ray diffraction reveals that the nanodots grow epitaxially on the substrate. The dots are hut-shaped islands with {1 1 1} side facets. Evolution of the nanodot shape, density, and size during growth has been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It is shown that Ostwald ripening plays an important role in nanodot growth. � 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Battling cancer: the latest on microwave hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is a procedure for treating cancer in which the tissue temperatures in the tumor are raised to the range of 42-45 /spl deg/C (Lin, 2004). Microwave hyperthermia was introduced several decades ago (see, for example, Paglione's U.S. patent (1980) and the references cited therein). It has been used generally in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy because hyperthermia enhances the tumor's response to radio/chemotherapy. A recent example of experimental research on microwave hyperthermia is the work by Maccarini et al., presented in the technical session "Biological Effects and Medical Applications" at IMS 2005.
Formation of Organized Structures Through Variation in Molecular Architecture and Chemical Composition

Abstract Amphiphilic molecules were synthesized in order to force nematic liquid crystals to order into smectic mesophases, and to direct poly(ethylene oxide) to thread macrocrown ethers. The first concept is fairly well developed, with both hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon/oligo(dimethylsiloane) analogs of 2,5-bis[(4′-n-alkoxybenzoyl)oxy]toluenes forming only smectic mesophases. In addition to the low molar mass model compounds, the corresponding side-chain liquid crystalline polynorbornenes with hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon substituents organize into smectic layers. Preliminary HPLC results also indicate that the second concept is viable; that poly(ethylene oxide) threads amphiphilic macrocrown ethers that are organized into lyotropic phases in solutions of toluene/H2O or benzene/H2O.
Noninvasive measurement of phosphocreatine recovery kinetics in single human muscles

The rate at which phosphocreatine (PCr) is resynthesized after exercise is related to muscle oxidative capacity (Vmax). With the use of a one-dimensional image-guided, localized nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy technique, PCr kinetics were monitored in the medial gastrocnemius of eight healthy subjects after voluntary, short duration, maximal rate exercise. Localized spectra were obtained every 6 s with <5% contamination from nonselected regions. Maximal rate exercise elicited near-maximal to maximal muscle activation, as indicated by the high-PCr hydrolysis rate (2.26 +/- 0.07 mM/s) and extensive PCr depletion. At the end of 9 s of maximal rate exercise, PCr was depleted by 61.4 +/- 2.4% and intracellular pH was 7.04 +/- 0.03. After 9 s of maximal rate exercise, PCr recovered with a rate constant (kPCr) of 1.87 +/- 0.15 min(-1) and a Vmax of 67.2 +/- 6.0 mM/min. Independent of prior activity, aerobic ATP synthesis rates reached 48.6 +/- 4.9 mM/min within 9 s. Extending maximal rate exercise to 30 s resulted in 92.0 +/- 1.2% PCr depletion and an intracellular pH of 6.45 +/- 0.07. The intracellular acidosis separated the direct relationship between kPCr and muscle Vmax but did not affect the initial PCr resynthesis rate.
Transcriptomic differences between euryhaline and stenohaline malaria vector sibling species in response to salinity stress

Evolution of osmoregulatory systems is a key factor in the transition of species between fresh- and saltwater habitats. Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles merus are stenohaline and euryhaline malaria vector mosquitoes belonging to a larger group of sibling species, the Anopheles gambiae complex, which radiated in Africa within the last 2 million years. Comparative ecological genomics of these vector species can provide insight into the mechanisms that permitted the rapid radiation of this species complex into habitats of contrasting salinity. Here, we use RNA-Seq to investigate gene expression differences between An. coluzzii and An. merus after briefly exposing both young and old larval instars of each species to either saltwater (SW) or freshwater (FW). Our study aims to identify candidate genes and pathways responsible for the greater SW tolerance of An. merus. Our results are congruent with the ability of gene induction to mediate salinity tolerance, with both species showing increasing amounts of differential gene expression between SW and FW as salt concentrations increase. Besides ion transporters such as AgAE2 that may serve as effectors for osmoregulation, we also find mitogen-activated protein kinases that may serve in a phosphorylation signalling pathway responding to salinity, and report potential cross-talk between the mosquito immune response and osmoregulation. This study provides a key step towards applying the growing molecular knowledge of these malaria vectors to improve understanding of their ecological tolerances and habitat occupancy.
Reduction in Cell Viability and in Homeobox Protein Levels Following in Vitro Exposure to δ-tocopherol in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

δ-Tocopherol (δ-T), the least prevalent tocopherol in our diet, was described to have a more potent anticancer activity in solid tumors compared to the other tocopherols. δ-T induces tumor cell death through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) induction, cyclin-D1 inhibition, and modulation of redox balance. Nevertheless, the role of δ-T in preventing or treating hematologic malignancies has not been studied. In this study, we screened the efficacy of δ-T against six cell lines representing a wide spectrum of hematologic malignancies: Jurkat (acute T-cell leukemia), K-562 (chronic myeloid leukemia), KG-1 [acute myeloid leukemia (AML)], THP-1 (acute monocytic leukemia), TOM-1 (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and UMCL01-101 (AIDS-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma). Interestingly, the AML cell line KG-1 was the only one to be significantly affected at concentrations of δ-T as low as 20 µM. The antileukemic activity of δ-T in AML was verified in a set of primary cells collected from patients newly diagnosed with AML. Apoptotic induction and cell cycle arrest explained the efficacy of δ-T against KG-1 cells. The mechanism of cell growth inhibition of δ-T was through downregulation of cyclin-D1 and a set of homeobox proteins (HOXA9, PBX1, and Cdx2) that have a well-documented role in the pathobiology of AML.
B cells are dispensable for neonatal transplant tolerance induction

Background. Prior studies have demonstrated that neonatal B cells possess unique immunoregulatory properties. Specifically, neonatal B-1 cells produce interleukin (IL)-10 in response to toll-like receptor stimulation; this modulates innate and adaptive alloimmune responses. Here, we examine whether this process plays a critical role in neonatal transplant tolerance induction. Methods. We used a murine model of neonatal transplant tolerance induction, whereby female C57BL/6 mice injected with male spleen cells 3 days after birth acquire the ability to accept a male skin transplant in adulthood. Results. We investigated the role of B cells in this model by using mice with targeted genetic B-cell deficiencies (including muMT, JH−/−, and XID mice). In addition, we examined the role of IL-10 in this model using IL-10−/− mice. Transplant tolerance induction was neither dependent on B cells nor on IL-10. Conclusions. Despite the role of neonatal B cells in suppressing innate and adaptive alloimmune responses, B cells are dispensable for neonatal transplant tolerance induction in this experimental model.
Amina, Dreaming Beyond the Walls

Amina is a female Moroccan prison inmate who has participated in Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLGs) in a prison in Catalonia for 2 years. As a woman and without basic studies, she encountered many obstacles that led her into social exclusion, drug addiction, and involvement in the activities that in turn led to her incarceration. Sharing ideas with her fellow inmates about the works of Kafka and Brecht has had a significant impact on her own thoughts, allowing her to reconstruct her past and anticipate a new, hopeful future. This biography describes the transformative elements that empowered Amina to recreate her history through the literary interpretations she shared in DLG. The biography also highlights Amina’s new challenges and dreams, such as pursuing secondary education during her incarceration and going to college once she leaves prison.
On-line Monitoring System for Thermal Economical Performance of Power Plant

An on-line monitoring system for heat economy of fossil-fuel generation sets is developed so as to give references to operators to improve the economy operation level of units. The whole configuration of system and the methods of picking up and processing original parameters are discussed and the functions of system are also introduced. The economical performance of a 220MW unit operating on 138MW has been provided and the reasons of higher coal consumption rate have been studied.
Genetic basis for rapidly evolved tolerance in the wild: adaptation to toxic pollutants by an estuarine fish species

Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) residing in some urban and industrialized estuaries of the US eastern seaboard demonstrate recently evolved and extreme tolerance to toxic aryl hydrocarbon pollutants, characterized as dioxin-like compounds (DLCs). Here, we provide an unusually comprehensive accounting (69%) through quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of the genetic basis for DLC tolerance in killifish inhabiting an urban estuary contaminated with PCB congeners, the most toxic of which are DLCs. Consistent with mechanistic knowledge of DLC toxicity in fish and other vertebrates, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (ahr2) region accounts for 17% of trait variation; however, QTL on independent linkage groups and their interactions have even greater explanatory power (44%). QTL interpreted within the context of recently available Fundulus genomic resources and shared synteny among fish species suggest adaptation via interacting components of a complex stress response network. Some QTL were also enriched in other killifish populations characterized as DLC-tolerant and residing in distant urban estuaries contaminated with unique mixtures of pollutants. Together, our results suggest that DLC tolerance in killifish represents an emerging example of parallel contemporary evolution that has been driven by intense human-mediated selection on natural populations.
Endothelial hyperpermeability in severe pulmonary arterial hypertension: role of store-operated calcium entry

Here, we tested the hypothesis that animals with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) display increased sensitivity to vascular permeability induced by activation of store-operated calcium ...
Recognition, speciation, and conservation: recent progress in brood parasitism research among social insects

Obligate brood parasitism is costly to hosts because they are manipulated to parentally invest in unrelated offspring. In insects, this has culminated in an evolutionary arms race of adaptations and counter adaptations between hosts and parasites, providing a unique mosaic of specialization and speciation to investigate arms races in the context of ecological dynamics. Recent progress has employed new techniques to challenge well-established notions such as nestmate recognition mechanisms in host species and revealing never before documented specialized adaptations of both parasites and their hosts. Newly constructed molecular phylogenies have allowed the opportunity to examine the relatedness of host–parasite species-pairs with unprecedented clarity, lending to discussions of social parasitism as a model of speciation in sympatry. Finally, the recent and destructive spread of a lethally brood parasitic subspecies of honeybee in South Africa is discussed.
Conservação por decreto: florestas mexicanas e a política de proibição ao corte, 1926-1979

A classe politica do Mexico central tem tentado regularizar o uso de florestas ao menos desde o seculo XV. Muito antes dos primeiros europeus pisarem no Novo Mundo, os povos indigenas ja cortavam florestas com grande intensidade para criar novos campos e procurar materiais para construcao e alimentacao. Uma vez que a maioria da populacao mexicana se encontra nas terras altas do semi-arido central, a destruicao de florestas provocou erosao e mudanca climatica, mesmo na epoca pre-hispanica.2 Um numero de diferentes lideres indigenas tentou reduzir o corte de arvores no vale do Mexico. Nezahualcoyotl, o governante de Texcoco de 1418 a 1472, ordenou a primeira proibicao conhecida contra o corte excessivo de florestas na area em torno da cidade do Mexico dos nossos dias.3 A estrategia desses governantes de checar a super exploracao das florestas, declarando proibicoes ao corte em areas especificas foi adotada por seus sucessores no poder – o estado colonial espanhol e os governos nacionais do Mexico independente.4 A politica de proibicao
Direct Optical Observation of Stimulated Emission from Hot Charge Transfer Excitons in Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

Charge transfer excitons (CTEs) play an important role in semiconducting polymer-based optoelectronic applications. In organic photovoltaics, they are an intermediate step between tightly bound excitons and free charges. Although CT state energies at the interface of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells have been reported using quantum chemical calculations and by sensitive external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements, direct optical observation of CT states was limited to relaxed, low energy, CT levels. Here we used polarization anisotropy transient absorption experiments to measure emission from high-energy CT levels. These experimental methods provide means to study high energy CT state dynamics in BHJs with controlled molecular orientations and complement theoretical calculations of interfacial CT state energies.
Anything Worth Doing Is Not Necessarily Worth Doing Well

In the first chapter, we stressed the role cost plays in guiding human behavior. In this chapter, we offer specific examples of the influence of cost. We seek to show you how economic analysis can help us develop surprising conclusions about the way people behave.
Sociometric Methods for Relevancy Analysis of Long Tail Science Data

As the push towards electronic storage, publication, curation, and discoverability of research data collected in multiple research domains has grown, so too have the massive numbers of small to medium datasets that are highly distributed and not easily discoverable - a region of data that is sometimes referred to as the long tail of science. The rapidly increasing, sheer volume of these long tail data present one aspect of the Big Data problem: how does one more easily access, discover, use, and reuse long tail data to lead to new multidisciplinary collaborative research and scientific advancement? In this paper, we describe Data Bridge, a new e-science collaboration environment that will realize the potential of long tail data by implementing algorithms and tools to more easily enable data discoverability and reuse. Data Bridge will define different types of semantic bridges that link diverse datasets by applying a set of sociometric network analysis (SNA) and relevance algorithms. We will measure relevancy by examining different ways datasets can be related to each other: data to data, user to data, and method to data connections. Through analysis of metadata and ontology, by pattern analysis and feature extraction, through usage tools and models, and via human connections, Data Bridge will create an environment for long tail data that is greater than the sum of its parts. In the project's initial phase, we will test and validate the new tools with real-world data contained in the Data verse Network, the largest social science data repository. In this short paper, we discuss the background and vision for the Data Bridge project, and present an introduction to the proposed SNA algorithms and analytical tools that are relevant for discoverability of long tail science data.
Online Appendix: Not for Publication

This file contains the Appendices C, D and E of "A Structural Model of Dense Network Formation".Original paper can be found at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2897563.
Continuing a Culture of Evidence: Student-Level Assessment

From 2006 to 2008, Educational Testing Service (ETS) produced a series of reports titled A Culture of Evidence, designed to capture a changing climate in higher education assessment. A decade later, colleges and universities already face a new set of challenges resulting from societal, technological, and various other influences. ETS is now initiating a new series of reports that describe current issues and trends in assessment and how they relate to the needs of higher education institutions. In this report, I discuss an increasing need to understand individual students rather than whole institutions. Previous models of assessment, which focused on comparability and accountability, made inferences at the group level, often comparing one institution to a group of similar institutions. However, emerging trends in the ways students learn, the sources of the learning, and the use of assessment results have made aggregate data alone insufficient. Greater consideration of student-level data could help to foster emerging educational trends as well as guide learning in existing colleges and universities.
Heterotrophic Extracellular Enzymatic Activities in the Atlantic Ocean Follow Patterns Across Spatial and Depth Regimes

Heterotrophic microbial communities use extracellular enzymes to initialize degradation of high molecular weight organic matter in the ocean. The potential of microbial communities to access organic matter, and the resultant rates of hydrolysis, affect the efficiency of the biological pump as well as the rate and location of organic carbon cycling in surface and deep waters. In order to investigate spatial- and depth-related patterns in microbial enzymatic capacities in the ocean, we measured hydrolysis rates of six high-molecular-weight polysaccharides and two low-molecular-weight substrate proxies at sites spanning 38°S to 10°N in the Atlantic Ocean, and at six depths ranging from surface to bottom water. In surface to upper mesopelagic waters, the spectrum of substrates hydrolyzed followed distinct patterns, with hydrolytic assemblages more similar vertically within a single station than at similar depths across multiple stations. Additionally, the proportion of total hydrolysis occurring above the pycnocline, and the spectrum of substrates hydrolyzed in mesopelagic and deep waters, was positively related to the strength of stratification at a site, while other physichochemical parameters were generally poor predictors of the measured hydrolysis rates. Spatial as well as depth-driven constraints on heterotrophic hydrolytic capacities result in broad variations in potential carbon-degrading activity in the ocean. The spectrum of enzymatic capabilities and rates of hydrolysis in the ocean, and the proportion of organic carbon hydrolyzed above the permanent thermocline, may influence the efficiency of the biological pump and net carbon export across distinct latitudinal and depth regions.
Ideal therapy for secondary mitral regurgitation: should we look under the annulus?

Secondary (aka ischaemic or Carpentier surgical classification Type IIIb) mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common complication of coronary artery disease and is associated with adverse prognosis.1 The fundamental mechanism of ischaemic MR relates to remodelling and distortion of the ischaemic left ventricle (LV). As viable myocardial cells are lost following infarction, the wall becomes thinner and bulges outward, a process that begins almost immediately and then progresses over weeks to months. As a result of ischaemic LV distortion and dilation, the mitral leaflets become tethered towards the apex, restricting leaflet closure.2 Standard mitral valve repair for ischaemic MR at the time of revascularisation involves placing an undersized rigid mitral valve (MV) annuloplasty ring (restrictive mitral annuloplasty, RMA) to restore coaptation by correcting posterior annular dilatation. However, RMA does not eliminate the mechanistic problem in ischaemic MR, which is a subvalvular problem with altered geometry of the chordal apparatus due to ventricular dilation from coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy. In their paper in Heart , Harmel and colleagues3 performed a meta-analysis of 1 prospective and 11 retrospective trials examining outcomes of the addition of one of several subannular procedures in addition to RMA for ischaemic MR and conclude that the addition of such procedure(s) is associated with a substantially lower rate of recurrent MR. Harmel and colleagues3 highlight an important unmet need in MV therapy, which is a need for a …
Experimental tests of the tolerated theft and risk-reduction theories of resource exchange.

Here we report the results of an experiment that tests the reciprocal risk reduction 1 and ‘tolerated theft’ or taking hypotheses 2 for why the human species is unique in having extensive exchange of resources among non-kin. We designed an experiment to determine whether, in response to variance of resource acquisition, people exchange food resources via taking or, alternatively, form reciprocal relationships based on giving. In the experiment, subjects forage individually, experience variation in resource acquisition, and then consume either by actions in which resources are taken from, or moved to, others in a group environment. The key feature of the experimental design is that individuals can transfer resources to others, attempt to take resources from others and defend against take-away attempts. Many subjects begin by attempting to take resources from others, who can resist those attempts at a cost to each. Over time, subjects shift to a cooperative strategy of voluntary reciprocal giving, a response not suggested by the instructions. These results provide evidence that people are independently able to overcome initial use of taking strategies, evaluate gains from exchange, and create endogenous reciprocal trading relationships as a response to unsynchronized variance in resource availability. Kaplan and colleagues find that, in virtual foraging environments in which resource availability is variable, over time, tolerated theft of the resources of others declines, as participants endogenously develop reciprocal exchange relationships to buffer risk.
Letters in the attic : Private reflections of women, wives, and mothers

This article reports on an hermeneutic interpretive study of letters 18 women wrote to each other annually for 25 years, from 1968 to 1993. Six themes related to personal success and achieve- ment ...