cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of anticipated reward upon cross-age tutoring.

The interpersonal interaction and task performance of children were assessed in a cross-age tutoring situation. In the reward condition, 12 sixth-grade girls were promised movie tickets for successfully teaching a sorting game to a first-grade girl. In the no-reward condition, children taught the game without promise of reward. Children were randomly assigned to pairs and conditions. The results indicated more criticism, more demands, and less efficacious use of time in the reward condition. The no-reward condition was marked by a more positive emotional tone, greater learning by the younger children, and fewer errors. The results are viewed as evidence that anticipation of reward generates an "instrumental orientation" that has deleterious social effects. How does the promise of reward for engaging in an activity affect the attitude and behavior of an individual? The general finding of four previous experiments (Deci, 1972; Kruglanski, Friedman, and Zeevi, 1971; Lepper, Greene, & Nisbett, 1973; Condry & Chambers, Note 1; Smith, Note 2) have suggested that the promise of a reward (prize) for engaging in an activity in which one has a relatively high level of initial intrinsic interest is associated with subsequent deterioration of interest and, in one study, competence in that activity. The previous research, however, has raised many questions, perhaps more than it has answered. It appeared that the most important area for further investigation lay in the mechanisms through which anticipated reward affected motivation and performance. It was assumed that the effects would be most significant in situations involving contingent reward. These previous studies have dealt with essentially nonsocial tasks. The focus has principally been on interest and cognitive performance in the task, with performance being assessed by tests of memory, creativity, and manipulative tasks. The present study investigated a different type of situation, one stressing social interaction. Whereas previous research has focused on cognitive characteristics of the relation between subject and task, the present
The Career of the Mentally Ill: An Integration of Psychiatric, Labeling/Social Construction, and Lay Perspectives*

This paper provides a new way of conceptualizing the career of the mentally ill. Most persons who experience an episode of a serious mental disturbance lead a normal life, while a few persons lead lifetimes that revolve around their mental disorders. The processes leading to either result can only be understood by integrating the traditional labeling and psychiatric perspectives with lay understandings of the concepts of "mental illness" and "nervous breakdowns." A selection of key concepts from these perspectives leads to a better understanding of the different paths persons take as they move through the pre-patient, inpatient, and post-patient phases of the "career of the mentally ill." This perspective makes understandable a number of counterintuitive relationships. For example, it explains why most hospitalized mental patients (1) have a negative stereotype of the "mentally ill," (2) do not perceive themselves as "mentally ill, yet (3) perceive themselves as benefiting from treatment, and (4) do not progress into a career of secondary deviance.
Polyproline II helix is a key structural motif of the elastic PEVK segment of titin.

Titin is a family of giant elastic proteins that constitute an elastic sarcomere matrix in striated muscle. In the I-band region of the sarcomere, where titin extends and develops passive force upon stretch, titin is composed of tandem repeats of ∼100 residue immunoglobin domains and ∼28-residue PEVK modules. We have performed 2D NMR and circular dichroism (CD) studies of the conformations of one representative 28-mer PEVK module from human fetal titin (PEPPKEVVPEKKAPVAPPKKPEVPPVKV). NMR data of synthetic peptides of this module as well as three constituent peptides of 9 to 12 residues in aqueous solutions reveal distinguishing features for left-handed three-residue per turn PPII helices: the lack of NOE NN(i, i+1), very large NOE αN(i, i+1)/NN(i, i+1), no medium range NOE αN(i, i+2), and dihedral angles φ and ψ values of −78 and 146, respectively. Structural determinations indicate the presence of three short stretches of PPII helices of 4, 5, and 6 residues that are interposed with an unordered, and pr...
Hayek's Early Cycle Theory Re-examined

This paper examines two aspects of Hayek’s cycle theory of the early 1930s, as expressed in the two complementary works Monetary Theory and the Trade Cycle(original German edition 1929, English translation 1933, reprinted 1966; henceforth referred to as MTTC) and Prices and Production(first edition 1931, revised edition 1935). The first aspect concerns Hayek’s methodological approach to the analysis of the trade cycle, his particular conception of the task of monetary theory, and the connection between equilibrium analysis and the cycle. In this context I consider two relationships: that between Hayek’s work and Keynes, and that between Hayek and New Classical analyses of the cycle. Both Keynes and Robert Lucas found something to commend in Hayek’s general methodological positions (although Keynes obviously flatly rejected the substantive conclusions of Hayek’s work, and it seems to me that Lucas would not be very comfortable with those conclusions either), and this potentially makes Hayek an interesting focal point. The second aspect concerns Hayek’s analysis of the role of changes in the ‘structure of production’ over the course of the cycle, and the connection between such changes and the credit system. This is the object of investigation in lectures 2 and 3 of Prices and Production; it is also the object of a searching critique in Sraffa’s Economic Journal review of 1932. I propose to set out an explicit formal example of the kind of transition between structures of production that Hayek discusses. With the help of this ‘transition table’ we can assess the merits of certain of Sraffa’s objections; I believe that this approach also sheds some light on the questions raised by Hicks in his Hayek Story (1967). 1
Lithium tert‐Butyl(diisobutyl)aluminum Hydride

[62779-60-6] C12H28AlLi (MW 206.28) InChI = 1S/3C4H9.Al.Li.H/c3*1-4(2)3;;;/h1-3H3;2*4H,1H2,2-3H3;;;/q;;;-1;+1; InChIKey = IRMKXCFUQHTGQP-UHFFFAOYSA-N (sterically hindered and mild reducing agent for aldehydes, ketones, α,β-unsaturated ketones, esters, and lactones1-5) Physical Data: see Diisobutylaluminum Hydride and tert-Butyllithium. Solubility: see Diisobutylaluminum Hydride and tert-Butyllithium; reactions using the title reagent sol THF, toluene, hexane. Preparative Method: prepared in situ by dropwise addition of equimolar amounts of t-butyllithium in hexane to a solution of diisobutylaluminum hydride in hexane at −78 °C followed by dilution with THF at 0 °C; a suspension is formed when toluene is used in place of THF.4 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: see Diisobutylaluminum Hydride and tert-Butyllithium.
Block linear coherent detection of optical continuous phase modulation

Continuous phase modulation (CPM) of optical links is advantageous for avoiding intensity dependent nonlinear phase noise. We present an architecture for all-digital coherent CPM reception covering M-ary full response formats, describing the functions of each module.
Primary biliary cirrhosis in patients with breast cancer: studying the link

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a liver disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic nonsuppurative destructive cholangitis (CNSDC) of intrahepatic septal and interlobular bile ducts. It is generally defined as an autoimmune disease. Characteristically, patients with PBC have a cholestatic serum hepatic profile and circulating antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA). PBC is progressive and ultimately leads to biliary cirrhosis and liver failure. It occurs at least three times more often in women than in men and it is the most common indication for liver transplantation in women around the world. There is no known cure for PBC. Despite the remarkable progress elucidating the genetics of breast cancer, and the effort placed on breast cancer education and screening methods, the mortality of breast cancer remains unacceptably high. In this essay, we describe the similarities between breast cancer and PBC and how their pathogenesis may be related. The hypothesis stated herein has evolved from reports from the early 1980s that linked an increased risk for breast cancer with PBC, and from the author's clinical experience with patients who suffer from both diseases. The association between these two diseases in the USA merits further investigation. If it is confirmed, risk factors involved in their pathogenesis will be identified.
Performance evaluation of a wavelet-based spectral method for steady-state simulation analysis

We summarize the results of an experimental performance evaluation of WASSP, an automated wavelet-based spectral method for constructing an approximate confidence interval on the steady-state mean of a simulation output process so that the delivered confidence interval satisfies user-specified requirements on absolute or relative precision as well as coverage probability. We applied WASSP to test problems designed specifically to explore its efficiency and robustness in comparison with ASAP3 and the Heidelberger-Welch algorithm, two sequential procedures based respectively on the methods of nonoverlapping batch means and spectral analysis. Concerning efficiency, WASSP compared favorably with its competitors, often requiring smaller sample sizes to deliver confidence intervals with the same nominal levels of precision and coverage probability. Concerning robustness against the statistical anomalies commonly encountered in simulation studies, WASSP outperformed its competitors, delivering confidence intervals whose actual half-lengths and coverage probabilities were frequently closer to the corresponding user-specified nominal levels.
Polymer-based carbon monoxide sensors

Polymer-based sensors have been used primarily to detect volatile organics and inorganics; they are not usually used for smaller, gas phase molecules. We report the development and use of two types of polymer-based sensors for the detection of carbon monoxide. Further understanding of the experimental results is also obtained by performing molecular modeling studies to investigate the polymer-carbon monoxide interactions. The first type is a carbon-black-polymer composite that is comprised of a non-conducting polymer base that has been impregnated with carbon black to make it conducting. These chemiresistor sensors show good response to carbon monoxide but do not have a long lifetime. The second type of sensor has a non-conducting polymer base but includes both a porphyrin-functionalized polypyrrole and carbon black. These sensors show good, repeatable and reversible response to carbon monoxide at room temperature.
School-Based Support Groups for Traumatized Students.

After students experience a traumatic event, group counseling is an effective tool to offset the effects of grief and distress. Following a school crisis, successful school-based intervention requires interdisciplinary coordination between school psychologists, counselors, school social workers, teachers, and administrative staff. Within a short time after a traumatic event, school personnel are encouraged to create student support groups, helping students cope with intense feelings and assuring them that they are not alone. Interventions are most effective when schools pre-determine an action plan, train staff to respond with correct intervention techniques, and seamlessly transition into crisis intervention and support mode. Quick professional response through organizing and offering children’s support groups will help increase school stability and alleviate the effects of traumatic events.
Airborne radar sounding evidence for deformable sediments and outcropping bedrock beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica

The geologic and morphologic records of prior ice sheet configurations show evidence of rapid, back-stepping, meltwater intensive retreats. However, the potential for such a retreat in a contemporary glacier depends on the lithology of the current ice sheet bed, which lies beneath kilometers of ice, making its physical properties difficult to constrain. We use radar sounding and marine bathymetry data to compare the bed configuration of Thwaites Glacier to the bed of paleo-Pine Island Glacier. Using observed and modeled radar scattering, we show that the tributaries and upper trunk of Thwaites Glacier are underlain by ice flow-aligned bedforms consistent with deformable sediment and that the lower trunk is grounded on a region of high bed roughness consistent with outcropping bedrock. This is the same configuration as paleo-Pine Island Glacier during its retreat across the inner continental shelf.
Usability Instruction in Technical Communication Programs New Directions in Curriculum Development

Although usability testing and research have become critical tasks for technical communicators in the workplace, little discussion in technical communication focuses on teaching usability in techni...
Interactions of the kallikrein-kinin and renin-angiotensin systems in experimental diabetes.

The kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) has been postulated to play a role in modulation of hemodynamic function in diabetes and to contribute to the hemodynamic effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (CEI). To further explore the KKS and its interactions with the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), studies were conducted in nondiabetic control rats and in moderately hyperglycemic diabetic rats. In protocol 1, control and diabetic rats were studied before and after administration of one of two dissimilar B2 kinin receptor antagonists (BK2As), or vehicle. At a low dose (0.5 microg x kg-1 x min-1), the first generation antagonist D-Arg,[Hyp3,Thi5,8,D-Phe7]-bradykinin significantly reduced the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow rate in diabetic rats, despite variable effectiveness in blocking the hypotensive response to injected bradykinin. However, a similar hemodynamic effect occurred in nondiabetic rats, suggesting that the observed effect was not specific to diabetes. Higher doses (20 microg bolus, then 1 microg x kg-1 x min-1 infusion) did not affect hemodynamics in either group, perhaps because of partial agonist effect. The second BK2A tested was the newer compound, icatibant (Hoe 140; D-Arg,[Hyp3,Thi5,D-Tic7,Oic8]-bradykinin). Hoe 140 consistently blocked the vasodepressor action of injected bradykinin, but had no effect on systemic or renal hemodynamics in either control or diabetic rats. In protocol 2, control and diabetic rats were pretreated with the CEI ramipril for 1-2 weeks, after which renal function was studied before and after Hoe 140 (0.1 mg s.c. and i.v.) or vehicle. CEI lowered blood pressure in both groups. Hoe 140 did not affect renal function in control rats, but in diabetic rats pretreated with ramipril, it induced a modest but significant decline in GFR. Ramipril induced the predicted changes in the systemic and intrarenal RAS, while acute BK2A had no consistent effect on RAS parameters. These studies suggest that the endogenous KKS has only a minor role in modulation of renal hemodynamics in the euvolemic diabetic rat, in the absence of KKS stimulation by CEI. However, angiotensin-converting enzyme is also kininase II, which serves to increase endogenous kinin activity. The increased kinin activity resulting from CEI treatment may participate, to a modest degree, in hemodynamic regulation of the diabetic kidney.
Women whose cervical intraepithelial neoplasia has been treated or resolved remain at continued high risk for cervical cancer

Commentary on: Rebolj M, Helmerhorst T, Habbema D, et al.Risk of cervical cancer after completed post-treatment follow-up of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: population based cohort study. BMJ 2012;345:e6855.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] There is growing evidence that women who develop clinically significant cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) have continued risk of cervical cancer after adequate treatment or after natural regression. Also, there is no harmonisation of management guidelines across different screening programmes for the post-treatment follow-up of CIN, despite similar risks in populations globally. This was a population-based cohort study based in the Netherlands. The data were prospectively collected in the Netherlands registry, with nearly 100% coverage of laboratory data and the ability to avoid duplication and false identity matches. Also, to provide further … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.e6855%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23117059%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=345/oct31_4/e6855&atom=%2Febmed%2F18%2F5%2F190.atom
Multiple ice-age refugia in Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus.

Pleistocene ice-ages greatly influenced the historical abundances of Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus, in the North Pacific and its marginal seas. We surveyed genetic variation at 11 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial (mt) DNA in samples from twelve locations from the Sea of Japan to Washington State. Both microsatellite (mean H = 0.868) and mtDNA haplotype (mean h = 0.958) diversities were large and did not show any geographical trends. Genetic differentiation between samples was significantly correlated with geographical distance between samples for both microsatellites (FST = 0.028, r 2 = 0.33) and mtDNA (FST = 0.027, r 2 = 0.18). Both marker classes showed a strong genetic discontinuity between northwestern and northeastern Pacific populations that likely represents groups previously isolated during glaciations that are now in secondary contact. Significant differences appeared between samples from the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk Sea that may reflect ice-age isolations in the northwest Pacific. In the northeast Pacific, a microsatellite and mtDNA partition was detected between coastal and Georgia Basin populations. The presence of two major coastal mtDNA lineages on either side of the Pacific Ocean basin implies at least two ice-age refugia and separate postglacial population expansions facilitated by different glacial histories. Northward expansions into the Gulf of Alaska were possible 14‐15 kyr ago, but deglaciation and colonization of the Georgia Basin probably occurred somewhat later. Population expansions were evident in mtDNA mismatch distributions and in Bayesian skyline plots of the three major lineages, but the start of expansions appeared to pre-date the last glacial maximum.
NUMA-aware algorithms: the case of data shuffling.

In recent years, a new breed of non-uniform memory access (NUMA) systems has emerged: multi-socket servers of multicores. This paper makes the case that data management systems need to employ designs that take into consideration the characteristics of modern NUMA hardware. To prove our point, we focus on a primitive that is used as the building block of numerous data management operations: data shuffling. We perform a comparison of different data shuffling algorithms and show that a na¨ove data shuffling algorithm can be up to 3× slower than the highest performing, NUMAaware one. To achieve the highest performance, we employ a combination of thread binding, NUMA-aware thread allocation, and relaxed global coordination among threads. The importance of such NUMA-aware algorithm designs will only increase, as future server systems are expected to feature ever larger numbers of sockets and increasingly complicated memory subsystems.
Prototyping techniques for different problem contexts

Rapid prototyping and other experimental techniques are playing an increasingly important role in software development. Some common issues that concern their adoption are identifying the place in a system's life cycle where they may be appropriate, and selecting which tools to use. This paper presents a model of different problem types, suggesting that a fit must be found between the nature of the problem at hand and the features associated with available techniques. Emphasis is placed on the fact that most commercial tools are suitable for only certain problem types.Some areas of further development are highlighted and implications concerning human-computer interaction discussed.
NEAT: a framework for building fully automated NGS pipelines and analyses.

The analysis of next generation sequencing (NGS) has become a standard task for many laboratories in the life sciences. Though there exists several tools to support users in the manipulation of such datasets on various levels, few are built on the basis of vertical integration. Here, we present the NExt generation Analysis Toolbox (NEAT) that allows non-expert users including wet-lab scientists to comprehensively build, run and analyze NGS data through double-clickable executables without the need of any programming experience. In comparison to many publicly available tools including Galaxy, NEAT provides three main advantages: (1) Through the development of double-clickable executables, NEAT is efficient (completes within <24 hours), easy to implement and intuitive; (2) Storage space, maximum number of job submissions, wall time and cluster-specific parameters can be customized as NEAT is run on the institution’s cluster; (3) NEAT allows users to visualize and summarize NGS data rapidly and efficiently using various built-in exploratory data analysis tools including metagenomic and differentially expressed gene analysis. To simplify the control of the workflow, NEAT projects are built around a unique and centralized file containing sample names, replicates, conditions, antibodies, alignment-, filtering- and peak calling parameters as well as cluster-specific paths and settings. Moreover, the small-sized files produced by NEAT allow users to easily manipulate, consolidate and share datasets from different users and institutions. NEAT provides biologists and bioinformaticians with a robust, efficient and comprehensive tool for the analysis of massive NGS datasets. Frameworks such as NEAT not only allow novice users to overcome the increasing number of technical hurdles due to the complexity of manipulating large datasets, but provide more advance users with tools that ensure high reproducibility standards in the NGS era. NEAT is publically available at https://github.com/pschorderet/NEAT .
Heat Transfer in Dragonflies: ‘Fliers’ and ‘Perchers’

1.Both ‘perchers’ ( Libellula saturata ) and ‘fliers’ ( Anax junius and Aeshna multicolor ) remained active in the field in sunshine at air temperatures from at least 24 °C to 36 °C. 2.The percher basked at low air temperatures and regulated exogenous heat input by postural adjustments. It markedly reduced flight activity at high air temperatures but flew nearly continuously at intermediate temperatures. 3.In direct sunlight, the abdomen of L. saturata heated faster than the thorax, but this percher exhibited little or no capacity to transfer heat between abdomen and thorax. 4.In contrast, the fliers gave no evidence of behavioural thermoregulation, but both showed impressive capacities for heat transfer from thorax to abdomen. 5.When heated exogenously on the thorax the temperature of the entire abdomen of both fliers increased uniformly, but with endogenous heat production during pre-flight warm-up there was only a slight temperature increase near the anterior portion of the abdomen. 6.Removal of abdominal air sacs or immobilizing the abdomen with wax to prevent all abdominal pumping did not significantly alter the capacity to transfer heat from thorax to abdomen. 7.Ligation of the heart anywhere along the length of the abdomen abolished heat transfer. Given sufficient exogenous heat input, fliers that can regulate their thoracic temperature by transferring the excess heat to the abdomen died in about 2 min due to overheating when the heart was occluded. Under our experimental conditions the fliers appeared to thermoregulate exclusively via a control of blood circulation.
Communication and identity management in a globally-connected classroom: : An online international and intercultural learning experience

ABSTRACTThough global classrooms are designed to expose students to varied cultural knowledges and experiences, how students consider and display their own identities in cross-cultural exchange has yet to be fully interrogated. This study focuses on U.S. college students who participated in a series of online conversations with learners in Singapore. Grounded in Goffman's sociological work and based on Hecht's communication theory of identity, this article focuses on students’ conceptions of themselves relative to others, and perceptions of identity work in cross-cultural conversations. Limitations tied to this project and avenues for future research on intercultural communication classroom practice are considered.
Nonlinear Pricing Kernels, Kurtosis Preference, and the Cross-Section of Equity Returns

This paper investigates nonlinear pricing kernels in which the risk factor is endogenously determined and preferences restrict the definition of the pricing kernel. These kernels potentially generate the empirical performance of nonlinear and multi-factor models, while maintaining empirical power and avoiding ad hoc specifications of factors or functional form. Our test results indicate that preference-restricted nonlinear pricing kernels are both admissible for the cross-section of returns and are able to significantly improve upon linear single- and multi-factor kernels. Further, the nonlinearities in the pricing kernel drive out the importance of the factors in the linear multi-factor model.
Survey on Norovirus contamination in commercial oysters in Guangdong province from 2011 to 2012

Objective To investigate the presence and contamination levels of Norovirus(NoV) in commercial oysters in Guangdong Province from 2011 to 2012,provide suggestions on reducing NoV contamination in oysters,and to prevent and control gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by NoV.Methods Between March 2011 and October 2012,oyster samples collected from several coastal cities in Guangdong Province were examined for NoV by real-time RT-PCR.The contamination levels and genotype of different cities,seasons and sampling sites were compared.Results The overall detection rate of NoV was 14.9%(41/275).In addition,the detection rate was 4.4%,15.7%,18.2% and 36.7% in spring,summer,autumn,and winter,respectively.Among 275 samples,4.0% belonged to GI,6.2% GII,and 4.7% both GI and GII.Conclusion No significant differences were found in NoV contamination levels and genotye among markets,restaurants,and various cities from 2011 to 2012.However,there were obvious differences in different seasons,especially in winter whick had the highest NoV contamination level in oyster.
Investigating the Structure of Ce 1− x La x CoIn 5 Using NQR

We report NQR data on the heavy-fermion compound Ce x La1−x CoIn5. The NQR spectrum of the In(1) site is composed of five different peaks, which are described by a binomial distribution of the nearest-neighbor La atoms. Our results suggest that an analysis of the NQR spectra yields a more accurate doping level than energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results.
Work Manager

A real-time control system has been developed and deployed nationally to support BT‘s work management programme. This paper traces the history, system architecture, development, deployment and service aspects of this very large programme. Many issues covering technical, procedural and operational aspects had to be tackled and overcome
Liver cancer: Effect of HCV clearance with direct-acting antiviral agents on HCC.

Unexpected data from new studies show that direct-acting antiviral agents might promote tumour occurrence in patients with cirrhosis, or recurrence in patients with presumed cure of hepatocellular carcinoma. In view of the potential clinical implications, this controversy calls for a thorough and expeditious consideration of the hypothetical oncogenic activity of novel HCV drugs.
TAP block, needle through introducer approach

Abstract Since introduction of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block to pediatric practice, ultrasonography is considered the standard of care to perform such block in pediatric age group. In spite of the rarity of reported complication of the block in literatures, many practitioners still avoid performing such block in pediatric age group giving the shallow depth of plane and probability of intra-abdominal organs trauma. I am explaining a new approach entailed using Ultrasound (US) guided spinal needle through introducer in 3 years old child. This technique has a potential to make the block more approachable as it decreases the probability of intra-abdominal organs trauma.
The National Infrastructure Reserve Bank

This article examines the implementation of a novel national infrastructure bank (NIB) which coins or “makes” U.S. currency to provide capital for infrastructure loans. This approach eliminates bon...
Doped to the bills – dopamine helps birds sing in tune

![Graphic][1] Singing karaoke makes most of us quickly realize how poorly we can carry a tune. Typically, when we're confident enough to sing on stage, we're deaf to the negative feedback. Recently, however, neuroscientist Jesse Goldberg at Cornell University, USA, discovered a brain region
312 Ezh2 modulates the dna methylome and controls lymphocyte adhesion through junctional adhesion molecule-a: implication of its pathogenic role in sle

Background and aims EZH2 is an epigenetic regulator that trimethylates lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3). We have previously suggested that increased EZH2 might be mediating a pro-inflammatory epigenetic reprograming of naive CD4+ T cells as an early event in lupus flares. Here we examined how overexpression of EZH2 affects the DNA methylome and function in CD4+ T cells. Methods Naive CD4+ T cells were isolated from lupus patients and healthy controls. EZH2 was overexpressed, and genome-wide DNA methylation changes were evaluated. Gene expression and miRNAs were assessed by qPCR while protein expression was examined by Western blotting. A cell adhesion assay was used to assess adhesion of T cells to human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC). Results EZH2 expression and H3k27me3 were increased in naive CD4+ T cells in lupus compared to healthy controls. Both miR-26a and miR-101, which regulate EZH2, were decreased. DNA methylation analysis identified 156 hypomethylated and 168 hypermethylated CpG sites in naive CD4+ T cells transfected with EZH2. Genes involved in leukocyte adhesion and migration, such as F11R encoding JAM-A (junctional adhesion molecule A), and SELPLG encoding PSGL-1 (P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1), were hypomethylated. Overexpression of EZH2 resulted in ˜2-fold increased adhesion of CD4+ T cells to endothelial cells. Pre-incubation of EZH2-transfected CD4+ T cells with neutralising antibodies against JAM-A significantly blunted cell adhesion. Conclusions We uncovered an important role for EZH2 in T cell adhesion. EZH2 overexpression results in hypomethylation of JAM-A, which might increase the migratory ability of T cells and contribute to aggressive T cell extravasation in lupus.
Pannexin 1 Modulates Axonal Growth in Mouse Peripheral Nerves

The pannexin family of channels consists of three members-pannexin-1 (Panx1), pannexin-2 (Panx2), and pannexin-3 (Panx3) that enable the exchange of metabolites and signaling molecules between intracellular and extracellular compartments. Pannexin-mediated release of intracellular ATP into the extracellular space has been tied to a number of cellular activities, primarily through the activity of type P2 purinergic receptors. Previous work indicates that the opening of Panx1 channels and activation of purinergic receptors by extracellular ATP may cause inflammation and apoptosis. In the CNS (central nervous system) and PNS (peripheral nervous system), coupled pannexin, and P2 functions have been linked to peripheral sensitization (pain) pathways. Purinergic pathways are also essential for other critical processes in the PNS, including myelination and neurite outgrowth. However, whether such pathways are pannexin-dependent remains to be determined. In this study, we use a Panx1 knockout mouse model and pharmacological inhibitors of the Panx1 and the ATP-mediated signaling pathway to fill gaps in our understanding of Panx1 localization in peripheral nerves, roles for Panx1 in axonal outgrowth and myelination, and neurite extension. Our data show that Panx1 is localized to axonal, myelin, and vascular compartments of the peripheral nerves. Knockout of Panx1 gene significantly increased axonal caliber in vivo and axonal growth rate in cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Furthermore, genetic knockout of Panx1 or inhibition of components of purinergic signaling, by treatment with probenecid and apyrase, resulted in denser axonal outgrowth from cultured DRG explants compared to untreated wild-types. Our findings suggest that Panx1 regulates axonal growth in the peripheral nervous system.
Adjuvant radiation therapy improves patient survival in early-stage merkel cell carcinoma: A 15-year single-institution study.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine neoplasm of the skin. Growing evidence supports the benefit of postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for locoregional control, but whether it improves overall survival (OS) has been debated. Our objective was to compare the OS of MCC patients who received postoperative RT with those who received surgery alone. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series. METHODS Cases of MCC between 2001 and 2016 at the University of California, Los Angeles Health System were reviewed. We identified 87 unique cases of MCC. Among the patients, 74% were identified as male and 26% as female. The average age at diagnosis was 71.2 years. The median survival was 48.0 months. The OS of all the patients at 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years was 54%, 46%, and 26%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that stage, T stage, N stage, and M stage were significant determinants of OS. The inclusion of RT was not found to be a determinant; however, when restricting the analysis to early-stage MCC (stages I and II), postoperative adjuvant RT was associated with significantly improved OS. A Cox regression model confirmed that inclusion of RT was an independent prognosticator of OS even when controlled for overall stage and negative margin status. The small sample size and retrospective nature of this study limit its statistical power. CONCLUSIONS MCC is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis for survival especially in elderly patients. In this study, we found that RT during early-stage MCC improves OS. Prospective randomized control trials are necessary to validate the observed benefit for MCC patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 1862-1866, 2018.
Histories of class and the carceral state: a response to Paul Durrenberger and Dimitra Doukas

In their forum statement, on class in the USA, Paul Durrenberger and Dimitra Doukas downplay the role of race in the history of class formation in the USA. I propose one way of centering race in working class history, through an examination of recent histories of the carceral state. Given its disproportionate impact on the poor and people of color, virtually all studies of the carceral state see the intersections of race and class as central to its nature. A promising literature probes race, labor, and class in relation to the structural economic transformations that accompanied the rise of the carceral state in the late twentieth century. Several works also address or center immigrant detention and deportation, and insert the debate into working class history. In the literature on the carceral state, class—and the working class specifically—is invoked in several different ways. In some cases, the literature addresses class directly; in others, it suggests questions that scholars of labor and class could pursue further. Workers and the labor movement played an important role in the creation of the mid-century social welfare state that both reproduced and challenged settler colonial racial ideologies and structures. A concerted attack on the labor movement accompanied the mass incarceration of the late century, including the criminalization of immigrants. Reading carceral studies from the perspective of labor, and labor histories from the perspective of carceral studies, suggests a more complex narrative than that offered by Durrenberger and Doukas on the late twentieth century travails of the labor movement;, the varied responses to deteriorating conditions of labor by workers inside and outside the labor movement, and ways in which a racialized and settler colonial past continue to haunt the neoliberal present.
An Integrated, Multipart Experiment: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of CdS and CdSe Quantum Dots as Sensitizers in Solar Cells

Quantum dots (QDs) are useful for demonstrating the particle-in-a-box (PIB) model utilized in quantum chemistry, and can readily be applied to a discussion of both thermodynamics and kinetics in an undergraduate laboratory setting. Modifications of existing synthetic procedures were used to create QDs of different sizes and compositions (CdS passivated with polymer, and CdSe passivated with oleic acid/trioctylphosphine). These were investigated by spectroscopy, to which standard 3D PIB mathematical models were applied to determine their effective size. The data were compared to those from other methods for students to see the validity of the PIB model. For CdSe QDs, an empirical formula was applied to the spectroscopic data. In the case of CdS, the synthesized QDs were studied with X-ray diffraction, from which one can also estimate the size of the QDs. Finally, the QDs were utilized as the light-harvesting layer in photovoltaic cells by attachment to a layer of surface-modified titania (TiO2) nanoparticl...
Women on Corporate Boards of Directors and their Influence on Corporate Philanthropy

This study examined the relationship between the proportion of women serving on firms' boards of directors and the extent to which these same firms engaged in charitable giving activities. Using a sample of 185 Fortune500 firms for the 1991–1994 time period, the results provide strong support for the notion that firms having a higher proportion of women serving on their boards do engage in charitable giving to a greater extent than firms having a lower proportion of women serving on their boards. Further, the results suggest a link between the percentage of women on boards and firm philanthropy in the areas of community service and the arts, but found no link between women boardmembers and firm giving to support education or public policy issues. The implications of the findings and some areas for future research are discussed.
Dust to dust

The article discusses bodily decomposition after death, its pace and completeness, and chemical and environmental factors involved in the process. Variations in the time required to reach the skeleton stage of decay are noted. Also noted are the organic and inorganic chemicals generated by a decaying dead body and their use in forensic science. Four stages of bodily decomposition are noted and discussed including the 6-day fresh stage, the bloat stages from days 7 to 23, the active decay stage that proceeds to day 50, and the dry stage that proceeds to day 64. INSET: TIME OF DEATH?.
Some Pharmacologic Effects of Yohimbine on Human and Rabbit Penis

AbstractThe pharmacologic effects of yohimbine on human and rabbit penile tissue were studied in 2 experimental systems. Yohimbine (10-7 to 10-4 M), in a dose-related manner, partially antagonized norepinephrine-induced contraction of human corpus cavernosum in an in vitro muscle bath. Yohimbine alone, however, did not alter the baseline tension of strips of human corpus cavernosum. The catecholamine content of the corpus cavernosum and corpus cavernosum urethrae of saline (control) and yohimbine-treated rabbits was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography. There was no statistically significant difference in mean norepinephrine content between control (0.38 ± 0.29 μg. per gm. wet wt.) and yohimbine-treated (0.25 ± 0.21 μg. per gm. wet wt. at 1mg. per kg. body wt.; 0.50 ± 0.10 μg. per gm. wet wt. at 2mg. per kg. body wt.) rabbit corporus cavernosum and control (0.53 ± 0.34 μg. per gm. wet wt.) and yohimbine-treated (0.86 ± 32 μg. per gm. wet wt. at 1mg. per kg. body wt.; 0.53 μg. per gm. wet wt. ...
Key-Based Coordination Strategies: Scalability Issues

We describe a key-based approach to multi-agent coordination, where certain coordination decisions are done only when the agent holds a coordination key. This approach is primarily decentralized, but has some centralized aspects, including synchronization of coordination decisions and schedule information sharing. The approach is described within the context of the application requirements that motivated its development. Finally, its scalability properties are discussed.
Molecular basis of signaling specificity between GIRK channels and GPCRs

Stimulated muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M2Rs) release Gβγ subunits, which slow heart rate by activating a G protein-gated K+ channel (GIRK). Stimulated β2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) also release Gβγ subunits, but GIRK is not activated. This study addresses the mechanism underlying this specificity of GIRK activation by M2Rs. K+ currents and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer between labelled G proteins and GIRK show that M2Rs catalyze Gβγ subunit release at higher rates than β2ARs, generating higher Gβγ concentrations that activate GIRK and regulate other targets of Gβγ. The higher rate of Gβγ release is attributable to a faster G protein coupled receptor - G protein trimer association rate in M2R compared to β2AR. Thus, a rate difference in a single kinetic step accounts for specificity.
Discovering Urban Travel Demands Through Dynamic Zone Correlation in Location-Based Social Networks

Location-Based Social Networks (LBSN), which enable mobile users to announce their locations by checking-in to Points-of-Interests (POI), has accumulated a huge amount of user-POI interaction data. Compared to traditional sensor data, check-in data provides the much-needed information about trip purpose, which is critical to motivate human mobility but was not available for travel demand studies. In this paper, we aim to exploit the rich check-in data to model dynamic travel demands in urban areas, which can support a wide variety of mobile business solutions. Specifically, we first profile the functionality of city zones using the categorical density of POIs. Second, we use a Hawkes Process-based State-Space formulation to model the dynamic trip arrival patterns based on check-in arrival patterns. Third, we developed a joint model that integrates Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis into zone gravity modeling to perform dynamic Origin-Destination (OD) prediction. Last, we validated our methods using real-world LBSN and transportation data of New York City. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for modeling dynamic urban travel demands. Our method achieves a significant improvement on OD prediction compared to baselines. Code related to this paper is available at: https://github.com/nicholasadam/PKDD2018-dynamic-zone-correlation.
Heritages in Conflict: Interpreting Controversial History with Stakeholder Engagement

In the public interpretation of historic sites, authenticity and community involvement are interconnected, allowing for tourism communities to be engaged in a particular place or history, often outside of one’s own personal experiences. While the public views history as objective, the designed presentation of heritage artifacts demonstrates that history is largely subjective, as facts can be compiled and presented to create disparate “histories,” aligned with heritages.
Logic, Machine Learning, and Security

Logic stands at the very heart of computer science. In this talk, I will argue that logic is also an essential part of machine learning and that it has a fundamental role to play in both international security and counter-terrorism. I will first briefly describe the use of logic for high-level reasoning in counter-terrorism applications and then describe the BEEF system to explain the forecasts generated by virtually any machine learning classifier. Finally, I will describe one use of logic in deceiving cyber-adversaries who may have successfully compromised an enterprise network.
Non-enzymatic Activity of the α-Tubulin Acetyltransferase αTAT Limits Synaptic Bouton Growth in Neurons.

Summary Neuronal axons terminate as synaptic boutons that form stable yet plastic connections with their targets. Synaptic bouton development relies on an underlying network of both long-lived and dynamic microtubules that provide structural stability for the boutons while also allowing for their growth and remodeling. However, a molecular-scale mechanism that explains how neurons appropriately balance these two microtubule populations remains a mystery. We hypothesized that α-tubulin acetyltransferase (αTAT), which both stabilizes long-lived microtubules against mechanical stress via acetylation and has been implicated in promoting microtubule dynamics, could play a role in this process. Using the Drosophila neuromuscular junction as a model, we found that non-enzymatic dαTAT activity limits the growth of synaptic boutons by affecting dynamic, but not stable, microtubules. Loss of dαTAT results in the formation of ectopic boutons. These ectopic boutons can be similarly suppressed by resupplying enzyme-inactive dαTAT or by treatment with a low concentration of the microtubule-targeting agent vinblastine, which acts to suppress microtubule dynamics. Biophysical reconstitution experiments revealed that non-enzymatic αTAT1 activity destabilizes dynamic microtubules but does not substantially impact the stability of long-lived microtubules. Further, during microtubule growth, non-enzymatic αTAT1 activity results in increasingly extended tip structures, consistent with an increased rate of acceleration of catastrophe frequency with microtubule age, perhaps via tip structure remodeling. Through these mechanisms, αTAT enriches for stable microtubules at the expense of dynamic ones. We propose that the specific suppression of dynamic microtubules by non-enzymatic αTAT activity regulates the remodeling of microtubule networks during synaptic bouton development.