cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergency Department Visits Without Hospitalization Are Associated With Functional Decline in Older Persons

Study objective Among older persons, disability and functional decline are associated with increased mortality, institutionalization, and costs. The aim of the study was to determine whether illnesses and injuries leading to an emergency department (ED) visit but not hospitalization are associated with functional decline among community-living older persons. Methods From a cohort of 754 community-living older persons who have been followed with monthly interviews for up to 14 years, we matched 813 ED visits without hospitalization (ED only) to 813 observations without an ED visit or hospitalization (control). We compared the course of disability during the following 6 months between the 2 matched groups. To establish a frame of reference, we also compared the ED-only group with an unmatched group who were hospitalized after an ED visit (ED-hospitalized). Disability scores (range 0 [lowest] to 13 [highest]) were compared using generalized linear models adjusted for relevant covariates. Admission to a nursing home and mortality were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Results The ED-only and control groups were well matched. For both groups, the mean age was 84 years, and 69% were women. The baseline disability scores were 3.4 and 3.6 in the ED-only and control groups, respectively. During the 6-month follow-up period, the ED-only group had significantly higher disability scores than the control group, with an adjusted risk ratio of 1.14 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.19). Compared with participants in the ED-only group, those who were hospitalized after an ED visit had disability scores that were significantly higher (risk ratio 1.17; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.22). Both nursing home admissions (hazard ratio 3.11; 95% CI 2.05 to 4.72) and mortality (hazard ratio 1.93; 95% CI 1.07 to 3.49) were higher in the ED-only group versus control group during the 6-month follow-up period. Conclusion Although not as debilitating as an acute hospitalization, illnesses and injuries leading to an ED visit without hospitalization were associated with a clinically meaningful decline in functional status during the following 6 months, suggesting that the period after an ED visit represents a vulnerable time for community-living older persons.
Crisis of Identity? New Universities in Canada

This qualitative inquiry uses institutional theory to examine organizational change at three universities—formerly community colleges—in Canada. Through the analysis of interviews and provincial policy documents we explain tensions between the logic of the community college and the logic of the traditional university and suggest implications for institutional identity.
The political history of the Georgia HOPE scholarship program: a critical analysis

ABSTRACTSince its first announcement on 22 September 1992, the HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) scholarship program’s influence on state policy and American higher education has been remarkable. Nevertheless, the Georgia HOPE scholarship is also worthy of critical interrogation. This paper examines the conception and implementation of the HOPE scholarship program by demonstrating how political agents made numerous changes to the scholarship to gain votes from their middle- and upper-class constituencies. Drawing upon primary sources (including oral histories and newspaper articles), I argue that these changes have crippled the HOPE scholarship’s effectiveness, damaged its ability to serve equity goals, and potentially endangered its future. This historical analysis is conducted through three theoretical prisms. The first draws upon the work of List and Sturm, who argue that ‘secondary policy issues’ that affect a limited number of people (e.g. a scholarship program) are still subject to the...
Thermal Concepts in Solidification

Casting, welding, and crystal growth processes all depend sensitively on the rates of heat extraction used during solidification. There are several levels at which one may examine these processes, but starting with the simplest geometry and description of heat flows to and from the solid-melt interface from the solidification environment draws attention to basic relationships between those rates of heat transfer and corresponding process response.
Preventing Degenerative Hip Injuries from a Dance Technique Perspective

This chapter offers an insider’s point of view regarding how the interplay between young ballet students and those persons who oversee their daily training affects the students’ medical well-being, for better or worse. The focus is on two commonly acknowledged but by no means always well understood anatomical anomalies in dancers, snapping hip and microinstability of the hip. The intention is to encourage dance teachers and the dancers themselves through these examples to assume responsibility for distinguishing between practices that promote long and healthy careers and those that can cut them short.
Race and Behavior in the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game

2 groups of female Ss—20 white and 20 black—played 100 trials of the PDG. Within each group, half the Ss played in a dyad where the other was represented as being of their own race, and half played in a dyad where the other was represented as being of the other race. Thus 4 experimental groups were employed: WWS, where white Ss played a white other; BBS, where black Ss played a black other; WBS, where white Ss played a black other; and BWS, where black Ss played a white other. Significant differences in competitive behavior (at odds with earlier research findings) were found as follows: BWS > WWS, BWS > BBS, BWS > WBS, and BBS > WBS. The findings are interpreted as indicating a new willingness on the part of the black American to compete on an equal footing with his white counterpart.
Polyphenol Oxidase as a Component of the Inducible Defense Response in Tomato against Herbivores

Polyphenol Oxidases (PPOs) are copper-containing enzymes that use molecular oxygen to catalyze the oxidation of monophenolic and ortho-diphenolic compounds (Fig. 1). Both PPOs and their phenolic substrates are widespread among higher plants and fungi. The PPO-generated oxidation products, o-qui-nones, spontaneously undergo further reactions to form compounds responsible for the commonly observed browning of injured or diseased plant tissues.1 The physiological significance of PPO and these browning processes in plants has remained enigmatic despite intense research efforts, summarized in numerous reviews.2–7 Although a wealth of studies has attempted to elucidate the role of PPO in pathogen defense,2,8–10 to date the most convincing case has been made for a function of PPO in defense against insects.7,11–14 Interestingly, PPO is important for both insect entrapment and antinutritive defensive mechanisms, suggesting that PPO is a versatile enzyme which may have other, yet to be discovered functions.
Relative Risks of Changes in Seizure Frequency with Hormonal Versus Non-Hormonal Contraception (S08.005)

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether hormonal contraception (HC) differs from non-hormonal contraception in its effects on seizure frequency in women with epilepsy (WWE) in the community. BACKGROUND: Some reproductive steroids have neuroactive properties that affect neuronal excitability and seizure thresholds but little is known about the consequences of HC on seizures in WWE in the community. DESIGN/METHODS: The Epilepsy Birth Control Registry is a web-based survey that gathers demographic, epilepsy, AED, contraceptive and reproductive data from WWE in the community. These retrospective data come from 1057 contraceptive experiences reported by the first 500 WWE, ages 18-47 years, who completed the survey. We determined relative risks (RRs) of reported increase and decrease in seizure frequency on HC (combined or progestin pills, depomedroxyprogesterone, hormonal patch, implanted hormones, vaginal ring) versus non-HC (withdrawal, male and female condom, copper and progestin IUD, tubal ligation), including analysis by categories (withdrawal, barrier, hormonal [oral, non-oral, combined, progestin-only], IUD and tubal ligation). RESULTS: RR for increased seizures on HC (20.9%) versus non-HC (2.6%) was 8.0 [95% CI = 4.7-13.6], p CONCLUSIONS: Retrospective survey findings suggest that RR for seizure increase is greater with HC than non-HC. RR is greater with non-oral than oral combined HC. RR for seizure decrease is greater with depomedroxyprogesterone than with combined HC. Supported by: Epilepsy Foundation. Disclosure: Dr. Mandle has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cahill has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fowler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Davis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hauser has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer Inc, Ovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Valeant Pharmaceuticals as consultant. Dr. Herzog has received research support from the National Institutes of Health.
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF EMBRYONIC FUSION PROCESSES

Publisher Summary Organogenesis involves a synchronized series of morphological and biochemical alterations and transformations to convert an organ anlage into its adult form. A partial list of these changes includes cell migration, proliferation, differentiation and death, extracellular matrix modifications, and epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. Fusion of epithelium-covered surfaces in organogenesis to create tubes, chambers, septa, partitions, and processes demonstrates many of the changes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provides a method for examination of morphological alterations that occur before and during fusion of epithelia. Classification of the types of epithelial fusion is accomplished by referring to the embryonic germ layers of origin for the epithelia involved. Fusion of epithelia derived from ectoderm can be subdivided into two categories; that from surface ectoderm and that from neuroectoderm. Surface ectodermal fusion is represented in developing mammalian face and palate. Neural tube formation and optic fissure closure are in the neuroectoderm category.
External validation and extension of the NAPLS-2 and SIPS-RC personalized risk calculators in an independent clinical high-risk sample.

Abstract Early identification of individuals likely to develop psychosis is a priority for the field, resulting in the development of risk calculators that provide personalized estimates that an individual at clinical high-risk (CHR) will develop psychosis. The North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) consortium and Shanghai At-Risk for Psychosis program have recently developed such calculators (NAPLS-2/SIPS-RC, respectively), but their discrimination performance has never been examined within the same sample. Moreover, validation studies of NAPLS-2 are limited in number and the SIPS-RC has not been cross-validated in a North American sample. The present research (N = 68) used the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to examine the accuracy of the NAPLS-2 and SIPS-RC calculators for discriminating CHR converters and non-converters, as well as extend their use by examining their ability to predict illness progression over a two-year period. For conversion, the NAPLS-2 and SIPS-RC risk calculators demonstrated moderate (AUC = 0.71) and fair (AUC = 0.65) discrimination performance, respectively. Both calculators provided moderate accuracy for discriminating illness progression over two-years (NAPLS-2 AUC = 0.71/ SIPS-RC AUC = 0.76). We discuss implications for researchers and practitioners interested in using the NAPLS-2 and/or SIPS-RC and identify important steps for future research.
In situ analysis of mucus residing bacterial community reveals an ecological niche key for gut microbiome stability

Summary Colonic mucus bacterial communities are critical for determining disease pathology and promoting colonization resistance. Yet the key ecological properties of mucus resident communities that make them crucial for maintaining homeostatic microbiome function remain poorly defined. Using an approach that combines in situ hybridization, laser microdissection and 16s rRNA sequencing of spatially distinct regions of the mouse gut lumen, we discovered that the microbial community embedded in the mucus layer is structurally and compositionally distinct and drives stability of the gut microbiome. Structurally, the mucus residing microbial community had a higher density of bacteria than in the lumen and formed a biofilm-like structure whose integrity was dependent on Gram-positive commensals. Compositionally the dense mucus community excluded bacteria belonging to phylum Proteobacteria. Additionally, the dense bacterial community in the mucus was significantly more diverse and consisted of bacterial species that were unique to it. Upon antibiotic treatment, the species-rich and dense bacterial community in the mucus lost fewer Firmicutes and showed smaller bloom of Proteobacteria compared to the lumen. Taken together our work discloses a crucial role for the mucus layer in promoting stability of the gut microbiome in the perfused intestinal ecosystem by spatially entrenching unique and diverse bacterial species.
The Impact of Malnutrition on Hospitalized Children With Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) and other medical complexity comprise an outsized proportion of health care use. In this review, we describe the current science of assessment of nutritional status for children with CP, outline a systematic approach to assessing their nutritional status, delineate ramifications of malnutrition on hospitalization-associated outcomes, and identify knowledge gaps and means of addressing those gaps using quality improvement and clinical research tools. Methods to accurately assess body composition and adiposity in this population by using skinfolds, age, sex, and activity level are available but are not widely used. There are limitations in our current method of estimating energy needs in children with CP, who are at higher risk of both obesity and micronutrient deficiencies. There is some evidence of an association between malnutrition, defined as either underweight or obesity, and hospitalization-associated outcomes in children generally, although we lack specific data for CP. The gaps in our current understanding of optimal nutritional status and between current science and practice need to be addressed to improve health outcomes for this vulnerable patient population.
Collision-induced dissociation of [UO2(NO3)(O2)]− and reactions of product ions with H2O and O2

We recently reported a detailed investigation of the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [UO2 (NO3 )3 ]- and [UO2 (NO3 )2 (O2 )]- in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (J. Mass Spectrom. DOI:10.1002/jms.4705). Here, we describe the CID of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- which is created directly by ESI, or indirectly by simple elimination of O2 from [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )2 ]- . CID of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- creates product ions as at m/z 332 and m/z 318. The former may be formed directly by elimination of O2 , while the latter required decomposition of a nitrate ligand and elimination of NO2 . DFT calculations identify a pathway by which both product ions can be generated, which involves initial isomerization of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- to create [UO2 (O)(NO2 )(O2 )]- , from which elimination of NO2 or O2 will leave [UO2 (O)(O2 )]- or [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- , respectively. For the latter product ion, the composition assignment of [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- rather than [UO2 (NO3 )]- is supported by ion-molecule reaction behavior, and in particular, the fact that spontaneous addition of O2 , which is predicted to be the dominant reaction pathway for [UO2 (NO3 )]- is not observed. Instead, the species reacts with H2 O, which is predicted to be the favored pathway for [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- . This result in particular demonstrates the utility of ion-molecule reactions to assist the determination of ion composition. As in our earlier study, we find that ions such as [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- and [UO2 (O)(O2 )]- form H2 O adducts, and calculations suggest these species spontaneously rearrange to create dihydroxides.
Corporate Financial Transparency, Labor Productivity, and Real Wages

Corporate financial transparency can affect labor markets directly by mitigating information asymmetries and optimizing the matching of heterogeneous firms and employees (matching efficiency channel) and indirectly through the effect of transparency on firms' capital inputs (capital utilization channel). Exploiting the increase in corporate financial transparency following the mandatory IFRS adoption by European Union countries, we document subsequent increases in labor productivity and wages for manufacturing industries in member countries. Collectively, our results underscore that the benefits of a cross-country increase in transparency go beyond the effects on capital markets and corporate investments, with implications for labor markets equilibria.
Media coverage of a pandemic's impacts on farmers and implications for agricultural resilience and adaptation

The COVID-19 crisis has revealed weaknesses and placed great stress on the agri-food system in the U.S. Many believe that it could be a catalyst event that leads to structural changes to improve the food system’s resilience. We use a sample of 220 articles published in prominent national newspapers and agricultural trade journals from March to May 2020 to explore the extent to which farmer responses to COVID-19 covered in the media represent examples of resistant, adaptive, or transformative strategies. The pandemic disrupted the U.S. food system and impacted farmers by reducing access to markets, lowering commodity prices, restricting access to farmworker labor, and shifting consumer demand. Media coverage of farmer responses to these stressors were coded into three alternative pathways: (i) reactive or buffering responses, (ii) adaptive responses; and (iii) transformative responses. Most news media coverage focused on the pandemic’s disruptive impacts on the U.S. food system, related negative impacts on farmers, and short-term responses by institutional actors, including policy-makers and food supply chain industry actors. Farmer responses to pandemic stressors were mentioned less frequently than farmer impacts and responses by institutional actors. The most common examples of farmer responses highlighted in the media reflected farmer reactive and buffering behaviors, which were mentioned significantly more frequently than adaptive or transformative responses. National newspapers were more likely to cover farmer responses and present examples of adaptive and transformative strategies compared to agricultural trade journals. Our findings suggest that news media coverage in the early months of the pandemic largely characterized the event as a rapid onset ‘natural’ disaster that created severe negative impacts. Media devoted more attention to short-term policy responses designed to mitigate these impacts than to farmer responses (in general) or to discussion of the deeper structural causes of and potential solutions to the vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic. In this way, both national newspaper and agricultural trade journal coverage seems to promote frames that reduce the likelihood of the pandemic becoming the seed of a more resilient system.
NPI-0052:Development of a novel orally available proteasome inhibitor

6152 NPI-0052 is a potent, structurally novel, small molecule proteasome inhibitor isolated from the fermentation broth of a Salinosporasp. NPI-0052 shares a common bicyclic γ-lactam-β-lactone ring structure with Omuralide and PS-519, two known 20S proteasome inhibitors. NPI-0052 specifically inhibits all three major proteolytic activities of purified human 20S proteasome with EC50 values ranging from 3 nM to 400 nM. Furthermore, NPI-0052 demonstrates potent anti-tumor activity against a panel of human tumor cell lines. Among the tested cell lines, NPI-0052 is the most active against the multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines. The effects of NPI-0052 were also investigated on MM cells freshly isolated from patients relapsing after multiple prior therapies including Dexamethasone, Velcade® (Bortezomib) and Thalidomide. Results from DNA fragmentation assays demonstrated that NPI-0052 induces apoptosis in patient MM cells refractory to conventional and Bortezomib therapies. In contrast, NPI-0052 did not affect the viability of normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. When analyzed in vivo, NPI-0052 inhibits the chymotrypsin-like activity of murine whole blood 20S proteasomes in a dose-dependent manner after oral or i.v. administration. The effect of NPI-0052 on the 20S proteasome activity in whole blood cells was also evaluated after repeated oral dosing. The weights of the mice were monitored to access tolerability of the dosing schedules. These studies showed that twice weekly oral dosing of NPI-0052 at 0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg for up to seven consecutive treatment resulted in minimal body weight loss, while a sustained inhibition of the 20S proteasome was established. Treatment of MM tumor bearing mice with NPI-0052 at 0.25 mg/kg or 0.5mg/kg was very well tolerated and resulted in significant inhibition of MM tumor growth, prolonged survival and a high percentage of tumor cures in these mice. In summary, NPI-0052 inhibits all three major protease-like activities of the 20S proteasome and induces apoptosis of patient MM cells resistant to conventional and Bortezomib therapies in vitro. NPI-0052 is orally active, inhibits MM tumor growth, prolongs survival and resulted in tumor cured in vivo.
Engagement during a Mixed In-Person and Remotely Delivered Psychological Intervention for Youth with Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders and Anxiety

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are common disabling pain conditions frequently associated with co-occurring mental health problems such as anxiety. Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been shown to be effective. Therefore, it is important to understand participant engagement (i.e., use of intervention tools) to such approaches, and if engagement impacts treatment response. The Aim to Decrease Anxiety and Pain Treatment (ADAPT) is an effective psychological treatment approach using a blend of in-person sessions and interventionist phone support with self-paced web modules to manage pain and anxiety. The current study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate micro-level and macro-level participant engagement during the ADAPT program. In-person/phone session attendance was high (>95%) although scheduling adjustments were common (25.5%). Varied levels of engagement with web tools were observed. Thematic analysis also revealed variability in patterns of use. Additionally, while participants indicated they generally understood how to use certain skills (e.g., problem solving, detective thinking), and these skills were effective in managing symptoms during treatment, these activities were generally underutilized. Further, participant engagement did not predict response to the ADAPT intervention. These findings are important as the demand for accessible psychotherapeutic tools to manage pain and anxiety is likely to remain high.
Surface Cancellation in Wideband Ground Penetrating Radar Employing Genetic Algorithm AI for Waveform Synthesis

This paper presents a wideband 600–1200 MHz ground penetrating radar (GPR) system for sub-surface exploration of the moon and other planetary bodies. The presented radar system uses an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) to directly produce the frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) chirp waveform. To address the key challenges of Tx-to-Rx leakage and surface reflections, the system uses a second AWG channel coupled directly to the receiver that provides a cancellation waveform to mitigate the unwanted signals. The system also uses a genetic algorithm AI engine which assesses the radar IF and iteratively improves the parameters of the cancellation waveform injected at the receiver.
Alpha-frequency rhythms desynchronize over long cortical distances: a modeling study.

Neocortical networks of excitatory and inhibitory neurons can display alpha(α)-frequency rhythms when an animal is in a resting or unfocused state. Unlike some γ- and β-frequency rhythms, experimental observations in cats have shown that these α-frequency rhythms need not synchronize over long cortical distances. Here, we develop a network model of synaptically coupled excitatory and inhibitory cells to study this asynchrony. The cells of the local circuit are modeled on the neurons found in layer V of the neocortex where α-frequency rhythms are thought to originate. Cortical distance is represented by a pair of local circuits coupled with a delay in synaptic propagation. Mathematical analysis of this model reveals that the h and T currents present in layer V pyramidal (excitatory) cells not only produce and regulate the α-frequency rhythm but also lead to the occurrence of spatial asynchrony. In particular, these inward currents cause excitation and inhibition to have nonintuitive effects in the network, with excitation delaying and inhibition advancing the firing time of cells; these reversed effects create the asynchrony. Moreover, increased excitatory to excitatory connections can lead to further desynchronization. However, the local rhythms have the property that, in the absence of excitatory to excitatory connections, if the participating cells are brought close to synchrony (for example, by common input), they will remain close to synchrony for a substantial time.
Effects of a randomized maintenance intervention on adiposity and metabolic risk factors in overweight minority adolescents.

Objective To assess the effects of a maintenance program (monthly newsletters versus monthly group classes and telephone behavioral sessions) on obesity and metabolic disease risk at one year in overweight minority adolescents.
Thinking Outside the (Tax) Treaty

While the legal literature contains numerous discussions on how to increase cooperation and resolve disputes in trade, investment, environment, intellectual property, and other areas, there has been remarkably little written on how to utilize these mechanisms to increase multinational cooperation for tax purposes. Rather, the debate has tended to devolve into two competing and irreconcilable camps: those supporting worldwide harmonization based on the network of bilateral tax treaties and those invoking the right to tax sovereignty to oppose any efforts at harmonization or cooperation. The primary thesis of this Article is that the fundamental problem with cooperation in the modern international tax regime is that it builds on the tax treaty model, thus effectively excluding countries which have not entered into tax treaties — mostly small, poorer countries. Reconsidering international tax in this light leads to a potentially surprising conclusion: that the move towards institutionalizing the web of bilateral tax treaties — which has dominated the modern international tax debate — may actually be counter to its stated goal of encouraging broader worldwide tax cooperation across all nations of the world. Instead, this Article proposes the creation of a tax cooperation mechanism specifically geared towards non-treaty member countries, conceding certain disputes in exchange for increased cooperation more generally. Such an approach could effectively replicate some of the benefits of a tax treaty, but with non-treaty member countries, without needing to overcome the obstacles which have prevented full treaties from being entered among such countries to date. Building a tax cooperation mechanism specifically around the premise of incentivizing cooperation of the least cooperative states in this manner could harness the same forces that led to the emergence of the modern international tax regime in the early twentieth century to address the fiscal crisis facing the early twenty-first century.
Prevalence of Hydronephrosis in Women With Advanced Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Objective To describe the prevalence of hydronephrosis in advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and to describe clinical and urodynamic parameters associated with hydronephrosis. Materials and Methods Prospective, observational cohort study examining the prevalence of hydronephrosis in advanced POP. Women with a POP-Q examination of at least +1 for points C, Aa, or Ba were enrolled and screened for hydronephrosis. Basic demographics, clinical, and urodynamic findings among women with and without hydronephrosis were compared. The University of Southern California IRB approved this protocol. Results A total of 180 participants were enrolled. Fifty-five women had some hydronephrosis, for a prevalence of 30.6% (24.3%-37.6%). Mean age was 57.9 (±9.0) years and mean body mass index was 29.2 kg/m2 (± 4.6). Of the participants, 80.6% were postmenopausal. The presence of diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with hydronephrosis (8% without vs 21.8% with, P = .009), as was the degree of anterior and apical (median Aa, Ba, C, and D higher with hydronephrosis than without, P <.01) but not posterior POP (median Ap and Bp, P = .13, and .2, respectively). On multichannel urodynamics, participants with hydronephrosis had higher mean post void residuals (64.8 vs 38.5 mL, P = .007), lower mean first leak (199.6 vs 280.8 mL, P = .006), and higher mean maximum cystometric capacity (525.2 vs 476.7 mL, P = .02) compared with participants without hydronephrosis. Conclusion The prevalence of hydronephrosis in women with advanced POP is 30.6%. Clinical factors associated with hydronephrosis include degree of anterior or apical POP and diabetes mellitus. Urodynamic factors associated with hydronephrosis include elevated postvoid residuals, larger cystometric capacity, and lower volume at first leak.
Che‐ating death: CHE1/AATF protects from p53‐mediated apoptosis

The tumour suppressor p53 directs cells towards different fates depending on the cell type and the stimulus. The decision to direct a cell towards apoptosis rather than cell‐cycle arrest or senescence has important implications for tumour suppression in normal cells and drug response in tumour cells. Cells that undergo senescence and growth arrest can persist and contribute to organismal ageing (Campisi, 2005), or they can contribute to tumour relapse (Jackson et al , 2012). In this issue of The EMBO Journal , Hopker et al (2012) show in a comprehensive study that the RNA PolII binding protein CHE1/AATF is a factor that determines the fate of cells that have activated the p53 pathway.
Capture of NiII, CuI and ZnII by thiolate sulfurs of an N2S2Ni complex: A role for a metallothiolate ligand in the acetyl-coenzyme A synthase active site

The metal binding affinity of an (N2S2)Ni bridging metallothiolate ligand (Zn2+ < Ni2+ < Cu+) gives precedent for the observed heterogeneity in ACS/CODH.
Gain scheduled sensorless control of a synchronous reluctance motor

Presented in this paper is an extension to previous work on observer-based sensorless control of synchronous reluctance motors. The extensions include a systematic observer gain calculation that facilitates the use of gain scheduling to improve the transient response of the observer over a wide speed range and improve the low speed performance of the closed-loop sensorless controller. Laboratory experiments are used to demonstrate these improvements.
The use of breast stimulation to ripen the cervix in term pregnancies.

Abstract Induction of labor is frequently a matter of medical or obstetric necessity. Patients with worsening matemal or fetal problems often have an unfavorable cervix which may preclude successful induction of labor. In a blind, randomized, controlled trial of breast stimulation to ripen the cervix at term, it was found that breast stimulation was associated with a 45% incidence of spontaneous labor. When the patient did not go into labor, there was a mean change of 2.4 points in the Bishop score. Both findings are highly significant when compared with the control group.
Sensitivity of NK1.1-negative NKT cells to transgenic BATF defines a role for activator protein-1 in the expansion and maturation of immature NKT cells in the thymus

NKT cells are glycolipid-reactive lymphocytes that express markers and perform functions common to both T lymphocytes and NK cells. Although the genetic events controlling conventional T cell development are well defined, the transcription factors and genetic programs regulating NKT cell development are only beginning to be elucidated. Previously, we described the NKT cell-deficient phenotype of transgenic (Tg) mice constitutively expressing B cell-activating transcription factor (BATF), a basic leucine zipper protein and inhibitor of AP-1. In this study, we show that Tg BATF targets the majority of Valpha14Jalpha281 (Valpha14i(7)) NKT cells, regardless of CD4 expression and Vbeta gene usage. The residual NKT cells in the thymus of BATF-Tg mice are CD44(+), yet are slow to display the NK1.1 marker characteristic of mature cells. As a population, BATF-expressing NKT cells are TCRbeta/CD3epsilon(low), but express normal levels of CD69, suggesting a failure to expand appropriately following selection. Consistent with the sensitivity of NKT cells to BATF-induced changes in AP-1 activity, we detect a full complement of AP-1 basic leucine zipper proteins in wild-type NKT cells isolated from the thymus, spleen, and liver, and show that AP-1 DNA-binding activity and cytokine gene transcription are induced in NKT cells within a few hours of glycolipid Ag exposure. This study is the first to characterize AP-1 activity in NKT cells and implicates the integrity of this transcription factor complex in developmental events essential to the establishment of this unique T cell subset in the thymus.
ALIDA-II: An Improved Disclosure Scale.

Disclosure, or degree of “outness” has been recognized as an important measurement in lesbian and gay populations to provide better understanding of various health issues associated with disclosure. In 2008, A Lesbian Identity Disclosure Assessment (ALIDA) was created to quantify the daily degree of disclosure. Reliability for the instrument was adequate for both lesbians with and without children. It was recognized, through statistical analysis, that the instrument may be lacking an important concept that, when included, may raise the instrument’s reliability. Hence, the concept of “general public” disclosure was added to ALIDA-II, and the instrument was tested in a new study. Reliability for lesbians with and without children increased to ideal levels with consistent factor analyses and predictive variables on regression models. This instrument should be used widely, and although the instrument has been used in lesbians only, the use in gay men is now being tested.
Hypothalamic lesions induce obesity and sex-dependent glomerular damage and increases in blood pressure in rats

Abstract Placement of two symmetrical lesions in the ventromedial hypothalamus of the rat causes massive overeating and obesity. We have studied male (n=8) and female (n=5) Munich-Wistar rats 7 months after induction of obesity and compared them with age-matched controls. Body weight and kidney weight were greater in control males versus females (396±7 and 1.5±0.1 g versus 229±4 and 1.0±0.1 g, respectively; both P P
The role of benzotriazole in corrosion inhibition: formation of an oriented monolayer on Cu2O

Abstract Studies of the adsorption of benzotriazole (BTAH) on Cu 2 O surfaces have been carried out up to saturation coverage using both experimental (transmission UV and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES)) and computational approaches. Correlation of the UV integrated band intensity for the adsorbed BTA − species with quantitative measurements of N/Cu ratios from AES shows the saturation coverage of chemisorbed BTA − to be Γ ML ≈ 6.3 × 10 14 cm −2 . Calculations based on a molecular mechanics (MM2) minimization of the BTA − structure show a maximum surface density of 8.3 × 10 14 and 2.4 × 10 14 cm −2 for orientations in which the BTA − plane is perpendicular and parallel to the surface, respectively, thereby indicating that BTA − cannot be bound with the ring plane parallel to the surface under these conditions. Furthermore, the orientation is invariant with surface density, as demonstrated by coverage-dependent dichroic ratio measurements. Semi-empirical calculations of free BTA − and transmission linear dichroism measurements suggest that an orientation in which the ring plane is perpendicular to the surface with the C 2 axis canted away from the surface normal is the most reasonable proposal for the structure of the adsorbed layer.
Optimization Of Target Detection With Analog Focal Plane Filters

AbstractA mathematical model for the two -pole and four -pole analog focal plane filters is formu-lated which gives the filter pole locations in terms of the circuit parameters. The fre=cuency response and impulse response of the filters are computed, and the impulse responseis used to calculate the filter output for targets of various dwell times, assuming aGaussian model for the optical point spread function. The effects of varying the individualcomponent values in the four -pole filter upon pole locations are also considered.IntroductionThe analog focal -plane processor provides background suppression through temporal filter-ing without the need for digital data storage. This approach utilizes a passive RC filterconnected to each detector in the focal plane array. One hardware implementation of thisapproach uses what is known as "z- technology ". In order to evaluate the potential of thisapproach and to model its performance, a detailed analysis of typical RC filter designs isrequired. Such an analysis should address the following issues:Response to various targets,Response to noise,Clutter leakage, andEffects imposed by the circuit upon signal processing.This paper describes the target response analysis for two filter designs. The first ofthese is a two -pole configuration while the second filter has four poles.Analysis of each filter design begins with a derivation of the transfer function in termsof the R and C values. This transfer function is used to locate the filter poles, and thislatter information can be used to determine the filter frequency response and impulse re-
Contextualizing IRE in an eighth-grade quiz review*

This study examines ways in which a single classroom speech event, the quiz review,affects and contextualizes the initiate-reply-evaluate (IRE) sequence. The analysis specifies the kinds of conversational acts surrounding the IRE sequence and further analyzes how the components of IRE interact with the quiz review context. The IRE sequence, as well as the framing structures which embed it, are shown to be intergrally tied to the writtentext (a previously graded quiz) in ways suggesting that public display of student test performance is routinely accomplished through the interactional sequences of review activities. The sequential organization of talk also displays an extensive framework of teacher utterances within which a student is sanctioned to speak and suggests the constraining nature of much IRE-based interaction.
Scatter factor is a glycoprotein but glycosylation is not required for its activity.

Scatter factor (SF) is a protein produced by fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and human placenta which scatter cohesive epithelial cell colonies and increases cellular motility. SF bound to concanavalin A and other lectins with high affinity. SF could also be stained with a glycoprotein specific stain. Incubation of producer cells ( N -ras-transformed 3T3), with tunicamycin homolog A 1 did not have any significant effect on the secretory activity of SF. The treatment of SF with N -and O -glycanases as well as endoglycosidase H had no effect on its activity. However, treatment of target (Madin Darby canine kidney) cells with tunicamycin A 1 , abolished the scattering response. These studies suggest that scatter factor is a glycoprotein, but glycosylation is not required for its secretion or activity by the producer cells; however, glycosylation of proteins in the target cells is required for SF action.
Oriented lead titanate film growth at lower temperatures by the sol-gel method on particle-seeded substrates

An approach to fabricate lead titanate (PbTiO3) films with preferred orientation on arbitrary substrates by a sol-gel method was developed. To ensure a preferred crystallographic orientation on the substrates with different crystal structure, well-defined platelet PbTiO3 particles were used as seeds. Because the basal plane of the platelet-shaped particles was the (001) plane, the particles aligned with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrates. During crystallization of the sol-gel PbTiO3 films on the particle-seeded substrate, preferential nucleation occurred on seeded particles with the same crystallographic orientation as the particles at a much lower temperature. In the current study, (100) and (001) textured PbTiO3 films have been produced on various substrate materials such as silicon, silicate glass, indium tin oxide (ITO) glass, and titanium metal at temperatures as low as 275°C. The microstructure of the films was examined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Limited ferroelectric properties also were determined, to underscore the preferred orientation that was produced in these materials.
Young children's spontaneous use of spatial frames of reference in a learning task

Young children (3 to 6 years old) participated in two experiments on their spontaneous use of action-oriented, and place-oriented frames of reference in learning to find a hidden object. Under an exhaustive search procedure, the task was difficult in all frame of reference conditions for all but the oldest age group. When a limited search procedure was used, differences among frame of reference conditions were observed. Learning to respond on the basis of an action-oriented frame of reference was very difficult for 3- and 4-year-olds in this task setting.
Paced Latissimus Dorsi Used for Dynamic Cardiomyoplasty of Left Ventricular Aneurysms

Two patients are described, each with a large left ventricular aneurysm and severe coronary artery disease, and each with an ejection fraction lower than 30% and in congestive heart failure. In both, the left latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was used in the repair of the ventricular aneurysm because preoperative studies demonstrated that there was concomitant coronary artery disease, and there was a strong suggestion that resection of the entire aneurysm would seriously compromise the residual ventricular capacity. One patient had an 18-year history of coronary occlusion with two infarctions. A large, calcified ventricular aneurysm developed, and despite vigorous medical treatment, intractable congestive heart failure and angina persisted. The diffuse coronary artery disease made this patient a poor candidate for bypass grafting. The other patient sustained an acute myocardial infarction 5 months prior to operation. The left anterior descending coronary artery was totally occluded, and a large apical aneurysm developed along with an akinetic anterior wall and septum. After his heart attack, the patient had progressive dyspnea on exertion. Following operation in both patients, the transpositioned LD, then a component in the repair of the left ventricular wall, was electrically trained to synchronously contract with each systole, driven by a standard dual-chamber cardiac pacemaker. Steady improvement and a return to normal activities were observed in both patients. There was an indication of improved ejection fraction with synchronous contraction of the skeletal muscle.
A likelihood ratio test for the nonparametric Behrens-Fisher problem

The nonparametric Behrens-Fisher hypothesis is the most appropriate null hypothesis for the two-sample comparison when one does not wish to make restrictive assumptions about possible distributions. In this paper, a numerical approach is described by which the likelihood ratio test can be calculated for the nonparametric Behrens-Fisher problem. The approach taken here effectively reduces the number of parameters in the score equations to one by using a recursive formula for the remaining parameters. The resulting single dimensional problem can be solved numerically. The power of the likelihood ratio test is compared by simulation to that of a generalized Wilcoxon test of Brunner and Munzel. The tests have similar power for all alternatives considered when a simulated null distribution is used to generate cutoff values for the tests. The methods are illustrated on data on shoulder pain from a clinical trial.
A comparison of treatments of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue: surgical resection combined with external radiation therapy, external radiation therapy alone, and external radiation therapy combined with interstitial radiation.

Abstract Purpose The outcomes of patients treated at a single institution over a specific time frame using three different therapeutic approaches for cancer of the base of tongue were reviewed. Methods and materials Between 1992 and 1998, 53 patients were treated with curative intent for base of tongue cancer. Seventeen patients underwent surgical resection with postoperative radiation therapy, 16 patients received definitive external radiation therapy only, and 20 patients were treated with external and interstitial radiation, with neck dissection in 16 of those patients. Local control, survival, and functional status were assessed with each approach. Results The 5-year actuarial local control and survival for the surgically treated patients were 74% and 44%, respectively. The patients treated with external radiation therapy alone had local control of 28% and 5-year survival of 24%. The patients treated with external and interstitial radiation with neck dissection as indicated had 5-year actuarial local control of 87% and survival of 33%. Survival was not statistically different between the three treatment approaches (p = 0.0995) but local control was worse in the definitive external radiation group (p Conclusion In this retrospective analysis, survival and local control was lowest in the patients treated with external radiation alone, however, patient selection likely played an important role. Local control was far better with surgical treatment and with external combined with interstitial radiation but survival remains less than 50% with each approach. Surgical treatment was superior for patients with T4 disease. Functional status was higher in the long-term survivors treated nonsurgically.
Use of the momentum representation in the local DWA description of inelastic scattering

Abstract Applications of a discrete momentum representation in the microscopic description of inelastic scattering are described. Specifically, a method for computing folded form factors is given. This method should be particularly useful in obtaining the double folded form factors required in the microscopic treatment of heavy-ion inelastic scattering. The problem of evaluating the local DWA transition amplitude in momentum space is also examined. It is argued that for many applications this is a useful alternative to the standard coordinate space method.
Particle filter tracking for long range radars

In this paper we present an approach for tracking in long range radar scenarios. We show that in these scenarios the extended Kalman filter is not desirable as it suffers from major consistency problems, and that particle filters may suffer from a loss of diversity among particles after resampling. This leads to sample impoverishment and the divergence of the filter. In the scenarios studied, this loss of diversity can be attributed to the very low process noise. However, a regularized particle filter and the Gaussian Mixture Sigma-Point Particle Filter are shown to avoid this diversity problem while producing consistent results.