cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Control of Laser Powder Deposition: Heat Transfer Considerations

Laser based solid free-form fabrication is an emerging metallurgical forming process aimed at rapid production of high quality, near net shape products directly from starting powders. Laser powder deposition shares, with other free-form technologies, the common characteristic that part fabrication occurs directly from a 3-D computer aided design (CAD) model. The microstructure evolution and resulting material properties of the component part (strength, ductility, etc.) fabricated using laser deposition are dependent upon process operating parameters such as melt pool size, laser power, head (manipulator) speed, and powder flow rate. Presently, set points for these parameters are often determined through manual manipulation of the system control and trial and error. This paper discusses the development of a path-planning, feed-forward, process-driven control system algorithm that generates a component part thermal history within given constraints, thereby assuring optimal part quality and minimizing final residual stresses. A thermal model of the deposition process drives the control algorithm. The development of the thermal model is the subject of this paper. The model accounts for temperature-dependent properties and phase change processes. Model validation studies are presented including comparisons with known analytic solutions as well as comparisons with data from experiments conducted in the laser laboratory at SDSM&T.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Language policies and TESOL: perspectives from practice

Language polices and TESOL: perspectives from practice, TESOL Quarterly, 41(3), Special Issue, edited by Vaidehi Ramanathan and Brian Morgan, Alexandria, VA, USA, TESOL Inc., 2007, pp. 440–654, US$...
Reproductive Morphology of Five Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars

(...) The objective of this field study was to determine if time of primordia initiation as an indicator of inflorescence development is consistent in selected Kentucky bluegrass cultivars in successive growing seasons. Initiation of inflorescence primordia was determined by randomly sampling and dissecting primary tillers of each cultivar during the late winter-early spring and observing under a dissecting microscope (...)
LINEX AND QUADRATIC APPROXIMATE BAYES ESTIMATORS APPLIED TO THE PARETO MODEL

This paper develops approximate Bayes estimators of the two parameters, reliability, and failure rate functions for the Pareto failure model by using the methods of Lindley based on complete and type-II censored samples. A new bivariate prior density for the parameters, quadratic loss and LINEX loss functions are used, a numerical example is presented. The statistical performances of the Bayes estimates relative to quadratic and LINEX loss functions are compared to those of the maximum likelihood ones through the (RMSE) based on simulation study.
Habituation and conditioning of the orienting reflex in intellectually gifted and average children

Habituation and conditioning of the OR were studied in two groups of children aged 7–12. One group of 45 children had individual IQs between 90 and 110 (average) and another group of 45 had IQs between 130 and 160 (gifted). All of the children received 18 series of habituation presentations of simple visual stimuli, each series being followed by a dishabituation trial in which either the color or the shape of the stimulus was changed. Half of the subjects in each IQ group received money reinforcement in conjunction with the dishabituation trial, while the other half did not. It was found that the gifted children’s initial SCRs were significantly larger than those of the average children and that these responses habituated significantly more slowly in the gifted children. The dishabituated ORs in the children receiving money reinforcement were significantly larger than those in the children who received no reinforcement, and this difference was present throughout the experiment in the gifted children but came into existence gradually in the average children. These results extend the earlier findings showing smaller ORs and more rapid habituation of the OR in intellectually retarded children as compared to average children. It was concluded that the OR is involved in cognitive-attentional performance and that measured IQ involves primitive neurophysiological processes.
Tracking of Atrial Flutter During DDD Pacing: Another Form of Pacemaker‐Mediated Tachycardia

Two patients who had DDD pacemakers inserted for symptomatic sick sinus syndrome developed sustained upper-rate limit pacing. It was demonstrated in these two patients that pacemaker-mediated tachycardia was due to tracking of atrial flutter. DDD pacemakers should be used with caution in patients with the sick sinus syndrome and associated atrial tachyarrhythmias. Medical treatment of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias may allow patients to remain in the DDD mode.
Temperature dependence of photochemical fluorescence fading in Skh-1 hairless mouse collagen.

Background Type I mammalian collagens have several photolabile fluorescent moieties that absorb UV rays capable of reaching the dermis. We studied the temperature dependence of fluorescence fading as a marker of photochemical damage. Methods Collagen solutions were exposed to radiation from 0 to 240 min from either a UVG-11 hand lamp, total dose=1.173 x 10(3) J/m(2); a UVL-21 hand lamp total dose=2.030 x 10(3) J/m(2); or the fluorometer, at 325+/-5 nm, total dose=0.156 x 10(3) J/m(2). We recorded intensities at excitation/emission wavelengths 270/300, 270/330, 270/360, 270/400, 325/400, and 370/450 nm at T=9.0-59.3 degrees C. Results Results indicated simultaneous forward and reverse reactions. However, the 270/360 nm fluorophore could be analyzed as a second-order reaction. The Arrhenius curve showed two straight lines intersecting near the denaturation temperature, with helix activation energy E(a) approximately 0 and coil E(a)=7.6+/-0.6 kcal/mol (31.7+/-2.5 kJ/mol). Discussion Collagen-bound fluorophores are not just passive markers of oxidative stress and age-related damage. Their photolability to wavelengths reaching the dermis may result in pathological conditions, particularly at elevated body temperatures.
Association of uranyl with the cell wall of Pseudomonas fluorescens inhibits metabolism.

Citric acid is found along with uranyl in the subsurface of former nuclear facilities because of its use as a decontamination agent in the nuclear industry. Citrate’s metal chelating properties affect the mobility of uranyl in the subsurface and consequently, citrate biodegradation may significantly impact uranyl fate and transport. Under the non-growth conditions considered, low (micromolar) uranyl concentrations inhibit the biodegradation of citrate by Pseudomonas fluorescens, a common subsurface denitrifying bacterium. Additionally, uranyl is found readily associated with the cell envelope of P. fluorescens. The observed inhibition appears to be linked to the binding of uranyl to the cell surface and is reversible by desorbing cell-bound uranyl. This study establishes a link between uranyl association with the cell surface and the observed inhibitory effect of uranyl on cell metabolism.
A Non‐Essentialist Version of Legal Pluralism

The concept of legal pluralism has been touted by many socio-legal scholars as a key concept in the analysis of law. Yet, after almost twenty years of such claims, there has been little progress in the development of the concept. This article will argue that the underlying cause of this lack progress lies in the fact that promoters of the concept have relied upon function-based, essentialist concepts of law. It will describe the problems generated by such concepts and, following this general analysis, will review the versions of legal pluralism articulated by Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Gunther Teubner. The critique of their versions of legal pluralism will lead into the posing of a non-essentialist alternative which avoids the conceptual problems of prevailing versions of legal pluralism, and provides a better tool for purposes of research and analysis of the relationship between law and society.
Cancer therapy — Computation and visualization of dose distribution in external beam therapy

Abstract The development of general field equations that calculate percentage depth doses resulting from external sources of ionizing radiation have made possible the computation of many points in the treatment volume and the visualization of the dose distribution through on-line printing or graphing devices. This, in turn, has led therapists to study the best conditions for treatment and seek improved methods by which the shape and pattern of the treated body volume may be manipulated. The results have been felt already in a decrease in undesirable treatment side-effects and there is presumptive proof that optimization of planning will result in increased survival.
The Phanerozoic Carbon Cycle

ROBERT A. BERNER. 2004. Oxford University Press, New York. 158 pp. $99.50. ISBN: 0-1951-7333-3. The global carbon cycle is a topic of great interest because it is a critical controller of earth's climate. Despite the great amount of research done on the global carbon cycle, many gaps remain in our
Patterns of retention in a preventive intervention with ethnic minority families.

This study examined socio-demographic, child, and family-level correlates of retention patterns among parent participants of Familias Unidas/SEPI (Coatsworth, Pantin, & Szapocznik, 2002), a randomized, controlled trial of a family-focused preventive intervention. The current study's aim was to identify variables that could be used to classify ethnic minority (African American and Hispanic) caregivers (N = 143) into their known patterns of retention across 30 sessions of the intervention. Person-centered analyses identified three broad attendance pattern groups: (a) non-attenders; (b) variable-attenders; (c) consistent-high-attenders. Subgroups of the variable-attender group included: (a) dropouts; (b) variable-low-attenders; (c) variable-high-attenders. Four socio-demographic indicators were significant discriminators of the broad retention patterns. Three family-level factors were significant discriminators of the variable-attender subgroups. Additional significant mean/rate differences among retention pattern groups on correlates are reported. Implications for how retention is examined in preventive interventions and for developing intervention strategies for improving retention rates are discussed. Editors Strategic Implications: The authors address factors related to clients’ engagement and retention from multiple ecological levels. Lessons from this low income, low education, minority sample may prove useful to program developers who want to build in supports and incentives prior to program implementation.
Membrane location of the Ti plasmid VirB proteins involved in the biosynthesis of a pilin-like conjugative structure on Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The virB operon of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid encodes 11 proteins. Specific antisera to VirB2, VirB3 and VirB9 were used to locate these virulence proteins in the A. tumefaciens cell. Immunoblot analysis located VirB2 protein to the inner and outer membranes; VirB3 and VirB9 were likewise associated with both membranes, but mainly in the outer membrane. VirB2 is processed from a 12.3-kDa protein into a 7.2-kDa polypeptide. Such sized protein results from cleavage at residue Ala47, upstream of which two additional alanine residues Ala45-Ala46 are contained and bearing resemblance to a signal peptide peptidase-I cleavage sequence. VirB2 and VirB3 sequences are strikingly similar to the pilin biosynthetic proteins TraA and TraL encoded by the tra operon of F and R1-19 plasmids. Since traA encodes a propilin that is cleaved into a 7.2-kDa conjugative pilin product and since this cleavage site is present in both TraA and VirB2, we propose that virB2 encodes a pilin-like protein which together with VirB3 and VirB9 as well as other VirB proteins may be used for interkingdom T-DNA transfer between bacteria and plants.
Harnessing nanotechnology to create new diagnostics and treatments for infectious disease

Infectious microorganisms represent the causes of many of the most common and dangerous diseases in our modern society. Two major problems exist when tackling the problem of infections: detection and treatment. Here we utilize two distinct nanotechnology platforms to combat these problems. First, we demonstrate a novel detection method for identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA using rolling circle amplification (RCA) of the pathogenic DNA. Second, we design a system for the development of antiviral drug combinations using feedback system control to rapidly determine effective antiviral drug combinations. Using Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) as a model we show the effectiveness of this approach. Taken together, we have begun to develop a platform for better handling of infectious disease in the future using novel nanotechnology and nanomedicine approaches.
The Genome Browser at UCSC for Locating Genes, and Much More!

For beginners in the field, this review highlights the key features of the genome browser at UCSC for data display, and provides nearly step-by-step procedures for creating publication quality maps. The browser offers an engine (Blat) for searching a known genomic DNA for correspondence with protein and DNA sequences specified by the user. The results provide links to graphical displays, known as maps. Users can create "designer maps" by adding Tracks to view various types of data and specific landmarks. The browser offers an extensive list of options. They include the position of annotated genes, the position of reference cDNA sequences (RefSeq from GenBank), the position of alternatively spliced mRNA species, and predictions derived from computational models to identify potential transcription start sites and potential protein binding elements in genomic DNA. Several tracks can be tailored for comparative genomics. The browser also offers tracks for displaying large-scale experimental data including gene expression profiles, exon chips, and single-nucleotide-polymorphisms.
Repurposing Reelin: The new role of radial glia, Reelin and Notch in motor neuron migration

The role of Reelin during cerebral cortical neuron migration has long been studied, but the Reelin signaling pathway and its possible interactions are just beginning to be unraveled. Reelin is not only important in cerebral cortical migration, but has recently been shown to interact with the Notch signaling pathway and to be critical for radial glial cell number and morphology. Lee and Song (2013) show a new Notch- and Reelin-dependent role for radial glia in the mouse spinal cord: to act as a fine filter that allows somatic motor neuron axons but not cell bodies to traverse out of the CNS. Here, the types of neuronal migration are discussed, focusing on motor neurons and cues for proper localization. The interaction of Reelin signaling with the Notch pathway is reviewed, which dictates the proper formation of radial glia in the spinal cord in order to prevent ectopic motor neuron migration (Lee and Song, 2013). Future studies may reveal novel interactions and further insights as to how Reelin functions throughout the developing nervous system.
MiR-23b is a safeguard against autoimmunity

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial mediators of human disease, but their roles in autoimmunity have only recently been appreciated. A new study using mouse and human tissues from various interleukin-17 (IL-17)-related autoimmune disorders now shows that miRNA-23b is a central regulator of inflammation in resident tissue cells during autoimmunity (pages 1077–1086).
Quorum sensing: dynamic response of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to external signals

A recent study suggests that the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can actively monitor the host immune system. The P. aeruginosa outer membrane protein OprF was found to bind specifically to the cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and this interaction upregulated production of virulence factors through a cell–cell communication system known as quorum sensing (QS). Taken together with previous findings that P. aeruginosa QS can alter the host immune response (e.g. by activation of IFN-γ), these data illustrate an exciting new element of bacteria–host interactions in which the P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing system both senses and modulates the host immune state.
BEAM MONITORING AND MODELING FOR THE K2K LONG–BASELINE NEUTRINO OSCILLATION EXPERIMENT

The K2K long–baseline neutrino oscillation experiment has begun to investigate the oscillation hypothesis suggested by atmospheric ν measurements. While a nearby set of detectors measures neutrino interactions at KEK, understanding of the beam properties, especially its stability, are crucial to prediction of the expected signal at the far detector. Here, the beam monte carlo modeling for the beam is summarized with reference to the use of monitor data. Emphasis is given to the understanding of systematic errors in the extrapolation of a nearby measurement to the prediction for the far site. An example of use of beam monitor data to study these errors is presented.
Characterization of Membrane-Associated Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin following Pronase Treatment

After binding, Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) initially localizes in a small (approximately 90-kDa) complex in plasma membranes. This event is followed by formation of a second membrane complex, referred to as large (160-kDa) complex. Contrary to a previous hypothesis proposing that CPE inserts into intestinal brush border membranes (BBMs) when this toxin is localized in the small complex, this study shows that BBMs do not offer CPE localized in the small complex protection from pronase. However, our experiments indicate that BBMs do substantially protect CPE from pronase when this toxin is localized in large complex. Since the onset of CPE-induced permeability alterations closely coincides with large-complex formation, these new results suggest that CPE-induced alterations in permeability may result from pore formation due to the partial membrane insertion of CPE when this toxin is present in large complex.
DNA Vaccination against Tuberculosis: Expression of a Ubiquitin-Conjugated Tuberculosis Protein Enhances Antimycobacterial Immunity

Tuberculosis (TB) still causes more deaths per year worldwide than any other bacterial pathogen (33). Our ability to control this devastating epidemic could be greatly enhanced by the development of a more effective anti-TB vaccine than the currently available bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Although BCG has been widely used in many Third World countries, its efficacy in a number of clinical trials has been highly variable, with an overall effectiveness of only about 50% (4). Among the novel TB vaccines being developed are DNA constructs which express putative protective anti-TB antigens (11, 27). These DNA vaccines induced protective immune responses in animal models of a number of parasitic, viral, and bacterial infections (7, 30). Besides their high degree of immunogenicity, these DNA vaccines offer several other potential advantages, including ease of preparation, stability, and relatively low cost. For these reasons, DNA anti-TB vaccines represent good candidates for use in developing countries, where most of the TB cases are known to occur (33). TB DNA vaccines may also offer a prophylactic alternative for immunocompromised patients, where safety issues prevent the use of live BCG. Another attractive feature of the DNA vaccine is its ability to enhance or modulate the host's immune response by the use of inducible promoters, immunoregulatory genes, or gene fusions (22, 32). We have recently shown that the immunogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens expressed from DNA vaccines as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) fusion proteins is substantially elevated compared to constructs expressing the corresponding native TB antigen (16). Recently, DNA constructs have been developed that express proteins conjugated to ubiquitin. Ubiquitin is a 76-amino-acid peptide involved in controlling the normal protein intracellular turnover in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. Proteins that are to be degraded are tagged with ubiquitin molecules and are targeted to the proteasome system (29). The ubiquitin conjugation enhances proteasome-dependent degradation of the endogenously synthesized antigens and results in an increase of the cell-mediated response induced in vivo against the conjugated antigen (23, 28, 34). In the present study, DNA vaccines expressing three different forms of ubiquitin fused to the mycobacterial antigen, MPT64, were cloned and evaluated for their immunological activity and ability to generate a protective immunity in vaccinated mice. We showed that a strong Th1-oriented immune response, in the absence of any detectable humoral response, was generated by DNA vaccine expressing a specific ubiquitin-conjugated protein, resulting in a protective immune response in this mouse model of pulmonary TB.
Cost-Savings from the Provision of Specific Contraceptive Methods in 2009

Background Previous studies have shown that contraceptive provision generates significant public sector cost-savings by preventing health care and social service expenditures on unintended pregnancies. Over the past decade, women's contraceptive options have expanded considerably, calling for the need to better understand the relative cost-benefit of new contraceptive methods. Methods We estimated the number of pregnancies averted by each specific contraceptive method by subtracting the total number of pregnancies expected under Family PACT from the total number of pregnancies that would be expected if the program were not available. The cost of providing each method was compared with the savings in reduced public expenditures from averted pregnancies. A resultant cost-benefit ratio was calculated for 11 specific contraceptive methods provided to women under Family PACT. Results Every contraceptive method studied saved more in public expenditures for unintended pregnancy than it costs to provide. Over half (51%) of the pregnancies averted in 2009 were attributable to the most commonly used method, oral contraceptives. Injectable methods accounted for 13% of averted pregnancies, followed by intrauterine contraceptives (12%), and barrier methods (9%). Intrauterine contraception and contraceptive implants had the highest cost-savings with approximately $5.00 of savings for every dollar spent for users of these methods. Conclusions Because no single method is recommended clinically for every woman, it is medically and fiscally advisable to offer women all contraceptive methods to enable them to choose methods that best meet their needs, increasing the likelihood of compliance with the method chosen and prevention of unintended pregnancies.
Changes in surgical management resulting from case review at a breast cancer multidisciplinary tumor board

BACKGROUND. The treatment of breast cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, and patients are often referred to a multidisciplinary cancer clinic. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of this approach on the surgical management of breast cancer. METHODS. The medical records of 149 consecutive patients referred to a multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic over a 1-year period with a diagnosis of breast cancer were reviewed retrospectively for alterations in radiologic, pathologic, surgical, and medical interpretations and the effect that these alterations had on recommendations for surgical management. RESULTS. A review of the imaging studies resulted in changes in interpretations in 67 of the 149 patients studied (45%). This resulted in a change in surgical management in 11% of patients. Review of the pathology resulted in changes in the interpretation for 43 of the 149 patients (29%). Thirteen patients (9%) had surgical management changes made solely as a result of pathologic reinterpretation. In 51 patients (34%), a change in surgical management was recommended after discussion with the surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists that was not based on reinterpretation of the radiologic or pathologic findings. Overall, a second evaluation of patients referred to a multidisciplinary tumor board led to changes in the recommendations for surgical management in 77 of 149 of those patients studied (52%). CONCLUSIONS. The changes in management stemmed from differences in mammographic interpretation, pathologic interpretation, and evaluation by medical and radiation oncologists and surgical breast specialists. Multidisciplinary review can provide patients with useful additional information when making difficult treatment decisions. Cancer 2006;107:2346–51. � 2006 American Cancer Society.
Stimulation of Epithelial Membrane Antigen Expression by Transforming Growth Factor-β in Normal and Oncogene-transformed Human Mammary Epithelial Cells

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) appears to play a role in regulating the expression of tissue-specific proteins in human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC), regardless of the state of malignant transformation. We demonstrated this by utilizing a series of normal, immortalized, and oncogene-transformed (SV40 T and v-Ha-ras) HMEC derived from one individual, and assaying for expression of a milk fat globule/epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) reactive with E29/EP1 monoclonal antibody. EMA was increased by TGF beta in all HMEC examined. This effect appeared to be dose-dependent between 5 and 15 ng/ml in the normal, immortalized, and v-Ha-ras-transformed cells but saturated at 5 ng/ml in the SV40 T-transformed cells. The SV40 T-transformed cells showed both enhanced basal expression of EMA and increased sensitivity to TGF beta stimulation of EMA expression. The degree of increase in EMA induced by TGF beta was proportional to the level of basal expression in each cell type and appeared to be unrelated to either the number of high affinity TGF beta receptors, or the relative sensitivity to growth inhibition by TGF beta. Therefore, the TGF beta effect on EMA appears to be modulated at a level beyond receptors in these cells. EMA expression was also stimulated by sodium butyrate and dexamethasone (both differentiating agents) in some of the HMEC. The effect of butyrate on EMA expression is consistent with previous findings in which butyrate selectively enhanced production of milk fat globule antigens in the breast tumor cell line MCF-7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-134, and MDA-MB-468 cells. The coupled effects of TGF beta and SV40 T-transformation in enhancing the expression of EMA, and the possible effect of SV40 T increasing the responsiveness to TGF beta, may provide a new model for the study of the effect of growth factors in regulating specific gene expression in human breast epithelial cells.
Semantic grasping: planning task-specific stable robotic grasps

We present an example-based planning framework to generate semantic grasps, stable grasps that are functionally suitable for specific object manipulation tasks. We propose to use partial object geometry, tactile contacts, and hand kinematic data as proxies to encode task-related constraints, which we call semantic constraints. We introduce a semantic affordance map, which relates local geometry to a set of predefined semantic grasps that are appropriate to different tasks. Using this map, the pose of a robot hand with respect to the object can be estimated so that the hand is adjusted to achieve the ideal approach direction required by a particular task. A grasp planner is then used to search along this approach direction and generate a set of final grasps which have appropriate stability, tactile contacts, and hand kinematics. We show experiments planning semantic grasps on everyday objects and applying these grasps with a physical robot.
Perniosis (chilblains) masquerading as CA-MRSA: a case report

Perniosis (chilblains) is a vasospastic, inflammatory disease that occurs when the skin is subjected to cold above the freezing point, under damp conditions. Erythematous (violaceous) blisters, ulcerations or pustules that sit on an edematous base, accompanied by pain, burning or itching, are usually evident. To the inexperienced clinician it may resemble community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and could lead to inappropriate treatment. Here we report such a case.
The Development of a Model for Delivery of Religio-Specific Nursing Care

Religiousness has been described as a component of culture. It provides the patient with a way to cope with disease and illness. Consideration of religiousness allows the nurse a way to fine-tune a holistic, patient-centered approach to nursing care. In response to the mandate issued by the National League for Nursing to include multicultural content in nursing education, the concept of culture can be dissected and analyzed for components that have a positive influence on the patient's health. As a component of culture, religiousness has been extracted for the purpose of developing a conceptual model of religio-specific nursing. This model, based on Rooda's Conceptual Model of Multicultural Nursing, provides direction for research and practice. Regardless of cultural or ethnic background, religio-specific nursing offers a way for nurses to interpret their patients' religiousness in a way that is deliberate and systematic.
Contraction of neuronal branching volume: an anatomic correlate of Pavlovian conditioning.

Abstract Associative memory of the mollusc Hermissenda crassicornis, previously correlated with changes of specific K+ currents, protein phosphorylation, and increased synthesis of mRNA and specific proteins, is here shown to be accompanied by macroscopic alteration in the structure of a single identified neuron, the medial type B photoreceptor cell. Four to five days after training, terminal arborizations of B cells iontophoretically injected with Ni2+ ions and then treated with rubeanic acid were measured with charge-coupled device (CCD)-digitized pseudocolor images of optical sections under "blind" conditions. Boundary volumes enclosing medial-type B-cell arborizations from classically conditioned animals were unequivocally reduced compared with volumes for naive animals or those trained with unpaired stimuli. Branch volume magnitude was correlated with input resistance of the medial type B-cell soma. Such associative learning-induced structural changes may share function with "synapse elimination" described in developmental contexts.
Anti-IgE therapy: clinical utility beyond asthma.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the monoclonal anti-IgE antibody omalizumab in treating patients with perennial allergic asthma. The use of omalizumab for other allergic diseases has not undergone the same level of scrutiny as for allergic asthma, but its effectiveness in the treatment of other atopic diseases has been demonstrated by a number of small studies and case reports (Table I and see also the Reference section in this article’s Online Repository at www.jacionline.org). Allergic rhinitis is an obvious target for anti-IgE therapy. The effect of omalizumab was initially evaluated in patients with ragweed-sensitive allergic rhinitis. Patients were randomized to receive one of 3 doses of omalizumab or placebo just before the onset of the ragweed season and every 3 to 4 weeks throughout the pollen season. Subjects treated with 300 mg of omalizumab demonstrated significantly lower nasal symptoms scores, rhinitis quality-of-life scores, and days missed from work or school when compared with those receiving placebo. This study was among the first to demonstrate a significant correlation between the dose of omalizumab, reductions in serum IgE levels, and improvements in clinical parameters. Omalizumab has been safely readministered to patients with ragweed-induced allergic rhinitis a year after discontinuation, indicating a possible role for preseasonal and coseasonal administration. Similar efficacy in rhinitis symptom improvement has been demonstrated for other pollens, including birch and Japanese cedar. Omalizumab was also shown to be effective in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis when patients with moderate-to-severe disease were evaluated. However, the magnitude of the effect was small. When patients with both allergic rhinitis and asthma were treated with omalizumab or placebo, more patients in the omalizumab group demonstrated a clinically significant improvement in both asthma and rhinitis quality-of-life indices (57.7% vs 40.6%). This suggests omalizumab is effective in the treatment of upper and lower airway symptoms in the same patients.
Mechanisms of Inhibition of Nuclear Hormone Receptor-Dependent Hepatitis B Virus Replication by Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3β

The nuclear hormone receptors hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4) and the retinoid X alpha (RXRalpha) plus the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) heterodimer support hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in nonhepatoma cells. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 (HNF3) inhibits nuclear hormone receptor-mediated viral replication. Inhibition of HBV replication by HNF3beta is associated with the preferential reduction in the level of the pregenomic RNA compared with that of precore RNA. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), encoded by the precore RNA, mediates part of the inhibition of viral replication by HNF3beta. The amino-terminal transcriptional activation domain of HNF3beta is essential for the inhibition of HBV replication. The activation of transcription by HNF3 from HBV promoters downstream from the nucleocapsid promoter appears to contribute indirectly to the reduction in the steady-state level of 3.5-kb HBV RNA, possibly by interfering with the elongation rate of these transcripts. Therefore, transcriptional interference mediated by HNF3 may also regulate HBV RNA synthesis and viral replication.
UNDERSTANDING WORD RESPONSES IN COMPETITIVE DYNAMICS

We explore the role of word responses in the competitive engagements of rival firms. Different from action responses, word responses are language issued by a firm in public forums and in response to a rival’s attack. We challenge an implicit assumption in extant competitive dynamics research that firms do nothing if they do not respond to attacks with actions. Drawing from the three drivers of competitive response (awareness, motivation, and capability), we build a framework to theorize why firms sometimes use actions, sometimes use words, and sometimes use both in response to a rival’s attack. By placing two frequently studied characteristics of attacks (attack magnitude and attack complexity) in a 2 × 2 matrix, we predict that word responses are more likely when attacks are not of low magnitude and low complexity. By integrating word responses into the traditional action-response perspective, we hope to develop a more complete understanding of competitive engagement among rival firms.
Consumer Credit Regulation and International Financial Markets: Lessons from the Mortgage Meltdown

The repercussions of the collapse of the subprime mortgage meltdown in the United States are well known. Countless “toxic” mortgages found their way into securities derivatives and, when homeowners began defaulting at greater rates than predicted, the value of those securities fell precipitously, and the investment banks holding them sought government assistance in an effort to survive. The Great Recession followed. What is less well known is how the weakening of consumer protection laws in the United States allowed all of this to occur. This chapter explores that phenomenon and maintains that effective consumer protection laws are essential to a properly functioning economy. When they are corrupted, markets function poorly and financial disaster can result.
Towards a unified customer experience in online shopping environments

Purpose – New developments in e-commerce and m-commerce technologies along with the wide adoption of mobile devices and social media have enabled companies to enhance customers’ shopping experiences and their interaction with brands anytime, anywhere. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model for a unified online customer experience by drawing from related literature on consumer behavior in the online contexts. Design/methodology/approach – By synthesizing extant consumer behavior and e-commerce literature, this paper seeks further understanding of online customer experience and offers strategies for e-commerce marketers and Web site designers. Findings – The findings of this paper indicate that easiness to locate the Web site/app, ease of use, perceived usefulness, hedonic and utilitarian features, perceived enjoyment, personalization, social interactions and multi-device compatibility are the antecedents of the unified online customer experience. Brand engagement, positive word of mout...
Action of Lysates of Leukocytic Granules on Staphylococcal Cell Walls

Staphylococcus aureus occupies an exceedingly interesting position in the roster of bacterial pathogens. It elaborates a whole series of potent extracellular products capable of diverse pathological effects (Elek, 1959; Gladstone, 1966; Woodin, 1966; Gladstone and Yoshida, 1967). The slow and incomplete intracellular killing of S. aureus differentiates it from its pyogenic counterparts, the pneumococci and streptococci, and endows it with a capacity for insidious and persisting invasiveness and chronicity of infection. S. aureus infection also elicits delayed hypersensitivity whose role in the pathogenesis and management of staphylococcal infection has yet to be elucidated. Is defense against S. aureus primarily a matter of clearing the blood stream and body fluids of exotoxins and bacterial cells, as in the case of pneumococcal and streptococcal infection? Or is a more essential factor in defense the establishment of an effective cellular immunity, as in the case of the facultative intra-
The Politics of Contracting Out in School Districts: The Case of Washington State

Government officials view con? tracting out of services as a de? sirable means of managing and modernizing the public sector. A number of studies have investigated the benefits of con? tracting out and the challenges it brings for service delivery (Hodge 2000; DeHoog and Salamon 2002). Other studies have addressed the circumstances under which government officials seek to set up contractual relation? ships. Various factors such as the local market structure for services and the size of the local?
Vulnerable spots localization methods for software vulnerability analysis

Aiming at the difficulty in analysis of binary program vulnerabilities,an approach for software vulnerable spots localization based on taint analysis was proposed,and a corresponding tool named Sword Checker was implemented. This method is based on dynamic taint tracing.Software vulnerable spots were localized by character matching according to vulnerability patterns,and sensitive bytes which affected the vulnerable spots were localized by binary-search. Experiment results show that Sword Checker can accurately identify and localize three types of software vulnerable spots fast, has successfully analyzed the causes of multiple open vulnerabilities, and has assisted mining several undisclosed vulnerabilities.
Accessory proteins that control the assembly of MHC molecules with peptides.

The stable assembly of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules with peptides is controlled by a number of cofactors, including proteins with general housekeeping functions and proteins with dedicated functions in MHC assembly. Recent work in my laboratory has focused on two chaperones, tapasin (tpn) and DM, that play critical roles in the loading of peptides onto MHC class I and MHC class II molecules, respectively. Tapasin is a transmembrane protein that tethers empty class I molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum to the transporter associated with antigen processing. DM is a peptide exchange factor that binds with empty and peptide-loaded class II molecules in endosomal and lysosomal compartments. Although a number of different functions for tapasin and DM have been proposed, emerging evidence suggests that both of these chaperones retain unstable MHC molecules in peptideloading compartments until they bind with high-affinity peptides. These cofactors therefore promote the surface expression of long-lived MHC-peptide complexes.
Efficacy of statins in preventing progression of aortic stenosis.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular defect in the United States,[1][1] affecting nearly 2% of the population.[1,][1][2][2] It is most often associated with increased age and is usually diagnosed in the sixth decade of life.[2,][2][3][3] Other risk factors for AS include male sex,
Potentially Toxic Effects of Drug and Toxins in Human Breast Milk

The lactating human breast is an ORPHAN ORGAN. Too little is known about mechanisms for the transfer of xenobiotics into milk. This review highlights a lack of data on drugs and chemical toxins in milk and proposes a remedial approach.
Transaction costs in the evolution of transnational polycentric governance

Polycentric systems of governance may help address two key challenges in the transnational governance of socioecological systems, the problems of fragmentation and fit, but there is limited understanding of the processes through which polycentric governance systems emerge. This paper draws on institutional economics and accounts of international regime formation to develop an ideal-type model of the evolution of transnational polycentric governance. In particular, the model highlights systematically different transaction costs across different phases of polycentric governance evolution. These costs result in important trade-offs between building a broad coalition during agenda setting and addressing complexity in implementation. The plausibility of the model is probed using the case of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), drawing on global-level data on REDD+ collaboration, as well as fieldwork in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This case suggests that low transaction costs in the agenda-setting phase led to a confused vision for what REDD+ should be, ultimately hampering implementation.
Potential for superionic conductors in thermoelectric applications

Superionic conductors (SICs) have played a fascinating role in the development of thermoelectric (TE) materials, as exemplified by Cu2Se and Cu2S. Recently, materials engineering of Cu2Se and Cu2S has led to exceptional values of the thermoelectric figure of merit zT > 2, nearly double the efficiencies of traditional TE materials. However, the fluid-like motion of the ions in the SIC crystal structures results in strong electromigration and consequent material degradation when the compounds are placed in TE power generation conditions. To make superionic conductors viable as TE materials, efforts to stabilize the ionic motion while maintaining excellent TE properties are essential. In this review, we discuss the potential for SICs in TE applications, and we specifically highlight two materials – Cu1.8Na0.01S and (AgCrSe2)0.5(CuCrSe2)0.5 – where stability and high TE performance may have been achieved.
Treatment Pathway of Bone Sarcoma in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

When pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients present with a bone sarcoma, treatment decisions, especially after relapse, are complex and require a multidisciplinary approach. This review presents scenarios commonly encountered in the therapy of bone sarcomas with the goal of objectively presenting a consensus, multidisciplinary management approach. Little variation was found in the authors' group with respect to local control or systemic therapy. Clinical trials were universally prioritized in all settings. Decisions regarding relapse therapies in the absence of a clinical trial had very minor variations initially, but a consensus was reached after a literature review and discussion. This review presents a concise document and figures as a starting point for evidence-based care for patients with these rare diseases. This framework allows prospective decision making and prioritization of clinical trials. It is hoped that this framework will inspire and focus future clinical research and thus lead to new trials to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity. Cancer 2017;123:2206-2218. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Neurogenesis and specification of neuronal identity.

Neural development unfolds with remarkable speed in zebrafish embryos where early neurons extend axons in a cell-specific pattern by the first day of development and a functional, though still growing, nervous system permits free-living larvae to hatch from their chorion shells by the second day of development. The relative simplicity of the early nervous system in zebrafish make it attractive to explore mechanisms that determine how specific types of neurons and glia are made in the correct number and location. In this chapter, we will first briefly describe the organization of different cell types in the early zebrafist nervous system and then discuss mechanisms responsible for establishing their organization. Since an exhaustive description of the anatomy and neurogenesis in the entire neural tube would be beyond the scope of this book, we will emphasize studies related to the development of the spinal cors.
Which patients with localized prostate cancer account for the greatest proportion of prostate cancer deaths

130Background: We sought to determine which groups of patients, stratified by risk group and age, account for the greatest absolute number of deaths due to prostate cancer. Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we identified 437,150 men diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2004 to 2014. Men were excluded if they had N1 or M1 disease, risk group could not be determined, or if prostate cancer was not their first malignancy. Men were categorized as having low (Gleason ≤6, prostate-specific antigen [PSA] 20 ng/mL, or cT3-T4). We calculated the cumulative incidence of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). Results: Median follow-up was 4.8 years. The overall incidences of diagnosis of low, intermediate, and high risk disease were 29.7% (n = 129,925), 48.0% (n = 209,643), and 22.3% (n = 97,582), respectively. 5-year PCSM for men with low, interm...
Modulation of Edema by Dizocilpine, Kynurenate, and NBQX in Respiring Brain Slices After Exposure to Glutamate

Brain edema caused by glutamate excitotoxicity was studied in well oxygenated neonatal cerebrocortical brain slices (350 μthick). Slices exposed to 60 minutes of 2 mM glutamate, with or without glutamate antagonists (dizocilpine, kynurenate, or NBQX), were allowed to recover for 60 minutes. The protocol was identical to that in noninvasive multinuclear NMR spectroscopy studies (31P/1H/19F) of live slices. Percent water and swelling were determined invasively in isolated slices by wet and dry weight measurements before and after glutamate exposure. Edema was detectable within minutes in all experiments with glutamate exposures, but not in untreated control slices. Dizocilpine, kynurenate, and NBQX differently aftected swelling, which correlated with PCr and ATP loss in separate NMR studies. Synaptic glutamate receptor activation appears to initiate events causing both edema and energy failure. Multiple glutamate receptor types seem to be involved. No glutamate antagonist provided greater protection against both edema and energy loss than dizocilpine. Dizocilpine might also block voltage-dependent Na+ channels, and provide protection via mechanisms other than NMDA-receptor dependent channel antagonism.