cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dietary Lipids and the Cancer Cascade

Investigators have established a large database from epidemiologic studies and experiments in animal models which strongly implicate diet and nutrition in the development and progression of many human malignancies. Among the dietary components frequently associated with the cancers common to affluent nations are the concentration and source of dietary lipid. These data are of sufficient strength to have lead many expert committees and organizations to recommend modifications in dietary fat intake as part of population based cancer prevention programs. Whether a meaningful reduction in cancer incidence among Americans can be achieved through modification of dietary lipid is the subject of intense debate. The testing of dietary lipid and cancer hypotheses in human intervention studies, considered the definitive approach, has progressed slowly for many reasons. In particular, the expenses associated with large studies having sufficient power to detect an effect of diet on cancer incidence prohibit their implementation. In contrast to interventions with pharmaceutical or chemopreventive agents where intake of the drug is precisely controlled and compliance determined by an objective test (blood or urine drug concentration), assessment of adherence with nutritional interventions presents major obstacles. Instituting a change in dietary fat among individuals, objectively quantitating the change, controlling for changes in associated foods and nutrients over time are complex problems and the tools available to address these issues remain very imprecise. Many of the chapters in this volume focus upon laboratory efforts which will significantly impact upon our future ability to implement efficient and definitive clinical trials addressing the role of dietary lipids in cancer etiology and prevention. The elucidation of the molecular, biochemical, and cellular processes modulated by lipids will translate into novel assays to assess the intake of dietary fat concentration and fatty acid pattern. In parallel, these efforts will provide insight into mechanisms which link dietary lipids with the events associated with cancer initiation and progression. This chapter will briefly review the recent progress in understanding the cancer cascade and identify areas where dietary lipids may interact with these processes.
Optimizing the Geometry of Deep Brain Stimulating Electrodes

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for movement disorders, including essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, and dystonia, and is under investigation as a treatment for epilepsy and depression. Despite the rapid clinical growth of DBS, there has been little effort to optimize the geometry of the DBS electrode for either stimulation efficiency or selectivity. The objective of this study was to identify the electrode geometry that optimized stimulation efficiency. Due to the large number of possible electrode geometries, genetic algorithms (GA), a global heuristic search method, were used to find the optimal electrode geometry. The electrode contact was discretized into 15 equal-length segments, and the algorithm determined whether each segment was a conductor or insulator. The optimization algorithm was initially designed to minimize the stimulation voltage, and the cost function to be minimized was the sum of the voltage thresholds needed to activate 20%, 50%, and 80% of a randomly distributed population of model axons positioned around the electrode. The algorithm results demonstrated that despite the non-uniformity of the current density across the electrode, the most efficient geometry was a single segment that was 27 % shorter than the standard clinical electrode. Subsequently, the optimization was conducted to maximize the power efficiency of the electrode, and the cost function to be minimized was the sum of the power thresholds needed to activate 20%, 50%, and 80% of the randomly distributed axons. The results showed the optimal geometry was triple-band segmented electrode with insulating gaps in between. The results of this study reveal that optimal electrode geometry depends on the cost function to be optimized, and suggest that modifications, such as decreasing electrode width, may reduce power consumption and increase device longevity.
Sikh family patterns and ethnic adaptation in Vancouver.

(1980). Sikh Family Patterns and Ethnic Adaptation in Vancouver. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 31-50.
NIST interlaboratory studies involving DNA mixtures (MIX05 and MIX13): Variation observed and lessons learned

Interlaboratory studies are a type of collaborative exercise in which many laboratories are presented with the same set of data to interpret, and the results they produce are examined to get a "big picture" view of the effectiveness and accuracy of analytical protocols used across participating laboratories. In 2005 and again in 2013, the Applied Genetics Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted interlaboratory studies involving DNA mixture interpretation. In the 2005 NIST MIX05 study, 69 laboratories interpreted data in the form of electropherograms of two-person DNA mixtures representing four different mock sexual assault cases with different contributor ratios. In the 2013 NIST MIX13 study,108 laboratories interpreted electropherogram data for five different case scenarios involving two, three, or four contributors, with some of the contributors potentially related. This paper describes the design of these studies, the variations observed among laboratory results, and lessons learned.
SOFSAT: Towards a Setlike Operator based Framework for Semantic Analysis of Text

As data reported by humans about our world, text data play a very important role in all data mining applications, yet how to develop a general text analysis system to sup- port all text mining applications is a difficult challenge. In this position paper, we introduce SOFSAT, a new frame- work that can support set-like operators for semantic analy- sis of natural text data with variable text representations. It includes three basic set-like operators|TextIntersect, Tex- tUnion, and TextDi erence|that are analogous to the cor- responding set operators intersection, union, and di erence, respectively, which can be applied to any representation of text data, and di erent representations can be combined via transformation functions that map text to and from any rep- resentation. Just as the set operators can be exibly com- bined iteratively to construct arbitrary subsets or supersets based on some given sets, we show that the correspond- ing text analysis operators can also be combined exibly to support a wide range of analysis tasks that may require di erent work ows, thus enabling an application developer to \program" a text mining application by using SOFSAT as an application programming language for text analysis. We discuss instantiations and implementation strategies of the framework with some speci c examples, present ideas about how the framework can be implemented by exploit- ing/extending existing techniques, and provide a roadmap for future research in this new direction.
Grading Teachers: Race and Gender Differences in Low Evaluation Ratings and Teacher Employment Outcomes:

In July 2011, the State of Michigan adopted a broad set of teacher labor market reforms, including a high-stakes evaluation system designed in part to remove low-performing teachers. We examine the...
Design of a 3-Arm Randomized Trial for Posthysterectomy Vault Prolapse Involving Sacral Colpopexy, Transvaginal Mesh, and Native Tissue Apical Repair: The Apical Suspension Repair for Vault Prolapse in a Three-Arm Randomized Trial

Objective The objective of this study was to present the design of the Apical Suspension Repair for Vault Prolapse in a Three-Arm Randomized Trial (ASPIRe), which compares the efficacy and safety of 3 apical repairs: native tissue (NT) transvaginal repair, transvaginal mesh, and sacral colpopexy. Methods Patient selection criteria, primary and secondary outcome measures including patient-reported outcome questionnaires, masking, surgeon certification, procedure standardization, adverse events collection and adjudication, and cost analysis will be described for this multi-centered randomized trial. Given the unique risks/benefits of each technique, a noninferiority design will be used to compare apical transvaginal mesh to mesh sacral colpopexy. A superiority design will be used to compare the 2 mesh repairs to NT transvaginal apical repair. Survival analysis will be used to assess a composite primary outcome for success composed of a subjective measure (no prolapse symptoms), objective measure (no prolapse beyond the hymen), and no prolapse retreatment, with a minimum follow-up of 36 months. Secondary outcome measures collected every 6 months include assessment of validated general and condition-specific quality of life measures, global impression of improvement, satisfaction and regret, body image, and sexual function. Results Randomization and surgical treatment of 360 participants are complete, and the study is in the follow-up phase. Conclusions This report will provide valuable insight on the design of a novel 3-arm surgical trial using mesh versus NT to repair vaginal vault prolapse. This trial will provide level 1 evidence on the risks and benefits of mesh augmented versus NT apical repairs.
Rapid exchange of synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDA receptors in hippocampal CA1 neurons.

N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) have always been considered stable components of synapses. We show that in rat hippocampal slices synaptic NMDARs are in constant exchange wit...
Autotaxin inhibition attenuates endothelial permeability after ischemia-reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND Autotaxin (ATX-secretory lysophospholipase D) is the primary lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) producing enzyme. LPA promotes endothelial hyper-permeability and microvascular dysfunction following cellular stress. OBJECTIVE We sought to assess whether ATX inhibition would attenuate endothelial monolayer permeability after anoxia-reoxygenation (A-R) in vitro and attenuate the increase in hydraulic permeability observed after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in vivo. METHODS A permeability assay assessed bovine endothelial monolayer permeability during anoxia-reoxygenation with/without administration of pipedimic acid, a specific inhibitor of ATX, administered either pre-anoxia or post-anoxia. Hydraulic permeability (Lp) of rat mesenteric post-capillary venules was evaluated after IRI, with and without ATX inhibition. Lastly, Lp was evaluated after the administration of ATX alone. RESULTS Anoxia-reoxygenation increased monolayer permeability 4-fold (p < 0.01). Monolayer permeability was reduced to baseline similarly in both the pre-anoxia and post-anoxia ATX inhibition groups (each p < 0.01, respectively). Lp was attenuated by 24% with ATX inhibition (p < 0.01). ATX increased Lp from baseline in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Autotaxin inhibition attenuated increases in endothelial monolayer permeability during A-R in vitro and hydraulic permeability during IRI in vivo. Targeting ATX may be especially beneficial by limiting its downstream mediators that contribute to mechanisms associated with endothelial permeability. ATX inhibitors may therefore have potential for pharmacotherapy during IRI.
Theoretical constraints on the isotope effect for diffusion in minerals

Abstract Isotopes of the same element generally diffuse at slightly different rates within a mineral, due to the difference in their masses. The magnitude of the mass dependence of the diffusion coefficient depends on the product of the correlation coefficient f (representing the degree to which the diffusion process deviates from a random walk) and the coupling coefficient K (representing the degree to which the motion of an atom during a single jump is coupled to that of other nearby atoms). Whereas K has been found to vary over a relatively narrow range, f can vary over a wide range from ∼0 to 1. Diffusive isotope effects are expected to be large for trace and minor cations that diffuse slowly relative to the major cations that occupy the same sites and diffuse by the same mechanism. Diffusive isotope effects are also expected to be large for elements that diffuse rapidly by a simple interstitial mechanism. In both of these cases, the correlation coefficient is similar to or equal to unity. Diffusive isotope effects are reduced when the diffusion process is correlated, as for (1) rapid diffusion of trace and minor cations by a vacancy mechanism, with a low migration barrier for the jump to a vacancy; (2) diffusion by an interstitialcy process, or a process involving interstitial–vacancy pairs; (3) diffusion in grain boundaries and dislocations, where both dimensional restrictions and non-uniformity of the structure enhance correlation. The correlation coefficient can be determined from independent experimental data on the jump frequencies involved in the diffusion process, and/or from theoretical calculations of the jump energies. Quantitative estimates of the isotope effect are made for several cations in periclase, olivine, magnetite and rutile.
A practical guide for prescribing birth control pills.

More than 50 million US women have used oral contraceptives (OCs) in the past 25 years and the consensus is that the benefits and advantages of OC use outweigh most of the disadvantages. Side effects have been reduced or eliminated by reduced dosage preparations and effectiveness has been virtually 100%. Despite this widespread use most US women are misinformed about OCs perhaps because pediatricians family physicians and nurse-practitioners are insufficiently informed. The economic power of the drug manufacturers has been brought to bear on the medical profession to prescribe OCs for virtually every woman of child-bearing age. The drug industry which has been touting the safety of OCs has recently introduced new progestins which are supposed to be "lipid-neutral" and have fewer androgenic effects. Therefore the potentially harmful effects of the old progestins were deemphasized deliberately. A cautious but advisable approach for physicians to follow in prescribing OCs has 8 points. 1) All sexually active females should be advised that barrier contraception is the best protection (except abstinence) from sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS. 2) OCs with more than 35 mcg estrogen should be withdrawn from the market. 3) All patients should be encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle. 4) Barrier methods should be encouraged for patients with such medical conditions as migraine headaches prominent varicose veins diabetes increasing weight gain hypertension thyroid dysfunction and mitral valve prolapse. 5) Switching to a preparation with the new progestins should be considered for some patients who are smokers or have abnormal lipid profiles. 6) It might be advantageous under certain circumstances for a patient to discontinue OC use for a period of time. 7) Women who no longer desire a pregnancy should be encouraged to consider surgical sterilization. 8) Nulliparous women over 30 years old should discontinue OC use to diminish their risk of breast cancer. This last point is controversial and the editors of this publication invite the readers comments.
More Just Futures are Possible: Connecting Post Qualitative Inquiry and Social Movement Organizing:

In this article, I explore how post qualitative inquiry can connect with social movement organizing in the United States to expand the scope of what’s possible for thought, action, and justice. I b...
Synthesis of libraries and multi-site mutagenesis using a PCR-derived, dU-containing template

Directed DNA libraries are useful because they focus genetic diversity in the most important regions within a sequence. Ideally, all sequences in such libraries should appear with the same frequency and there should be no significant background from the starting sequence. These properties maximize the number of different sequences that can be screened. Described herein is a method termed SLUPT (Synthesis of Libraries via a dU-containing PCR-derived Template) for generating highly targeted DNA libraries and/or multi-site mutations wherein the altered bases may be widely distributed within a target sequence. This method is highly efficient and modular. Moreover, multiple distinct sites, each with one or more base changes, can be altered in a single reaction. There is very low background from the starting sequence, and SLUPT libraries have similar representation of each base at the positions selected for variation. The SLUPT method utilizes a single-stranded dU-containing DNA template that is made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Synthesis of the template in this way is significantly easier than has been described earlier. A series of oligonucleotide primers that are homologous to the template and encode the desired genetic diversity are extended and ligated in a single reaction to form the mutated product sequence or library. After selective inactivation of the template, only the product library is amplified. There are no restrictions on the spacing of the mutagenic primers except that they cannot overlap.
Targeted pharmacotherapy of irritable bowel syndrome.

Purpose of review Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder with negative impact on quality of life and it represents a substantial economic burden on healthcare cost. The medical management of IBS is symptom directed. This review provides an update related to clinical trial data for novel treatment modalities in IBS targeting the gut epithelium secretagogue receptors and channels. Recent findings The new Rome IV criteria define functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) as disorders of the gut-brain interaction. Pharmacological treatment modalities for IBS target gastrointestinal receptors and ion channels, peripheral opioid receptor, gut serotonin receptors, and the gut microbiome. New targeted pharmacotherapies have shown efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with IBS. Summary Diagnostic criteria for FGID, including IBS, have been revised in Rome IV and are defined as gut-brain disorders. Newly approved pharmacotherapy options with proven efficacy and acceptable side-effect profiles are available for the symptom-based management of IBS.
Aspect as an indicator of a clausal size in Involuntary State Constructions in BCS

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) has a productive ‘involuntary state construction (ISC) with a modal interpretation. There is an ongoing debate concerning the syntactic complexity of this construction. According to one account – the “mono-clausal analysis”, ISCs have only one (overt) lexical verb, and the modal interpretation stems from the imperfective operator (Rivero and Milojevic-Sheppard 2003,Rivero 2009, Tsedryk 2016). There is also a “bi-clausal account” which argues in favor of a covert matrix verb of involuntary disposition feel-like, which takes a clausal ModP complement, giving the modal interpretation (Marusic & Žaucer 2005 [henceforth M&Ž]). In this paper, I provide additional evidence in favor of the bi-clausal approach and in so doing, account for a previously unresolved aspectual restriction on the construction, namely that it is ungrammatical with a perfective lexical verb. The main claim is that the unavailability of perfective in the ISC is due to selectional properties of covert feel-like, which results in the violation of requirements on perfective.
Mindfulness and More: Toward a Science of Human Flourishing.

ABSTRACT This commentary for this Special Issue on mindfulness highlights the progress and maturity of this growing field of scientific investigation and points the way toward important questions that require further study. Important methodological and implementation issues including the nature of proper comparison groups, the extension of mindfulness-based interventions to underserved populations, the assessment of baseline characteristics that predict beneficial outcomes, and how mindfulness might be combined with other health-promoting activities such as physical exercise are considered. New questions for future research were also showcased, including best practices for mobile interventions, the development and assessment of microinterventions, and the need for a more expansive framework to cultivate human flourishing. The learning of well-being is conceptualized as an urgent public health need that will require new approaches for global scaling.
Nonmonotonic logic of pure necessitation and autoepistemic logics

In this chapter we study several important nonmonotonic modal logics from the family of logics introduced by McDermott and Doyle, and discussed in Chapter 9.
More Rings of Quotients

While the classical right ring of quotients Q cl r (R) exists (if and) only if R is a right Ore ring, a maximal right ring of quotients Qmaxr(R) exists for any ring R. To define Q max r (R), one must first understand the structure of the endomorphism ring of a QI (quasi-injective) module.
Who Are the Anatolian Turks

Due to its long-term geographic position as gateway between Europe and Asia, the genetic constitution of Anatolia is highly complex. In spite of its overwhelming diversity, most citizens of the Republic of Turkey are firstlanguage Turkish-speakers and consider themselves ethnic Turks. This was not the case during the early Middle Ages and the time of the Byzantine Empire. Although we are able to identify four successive Turkic empires, Islamicization, and post-World War I nationalization as the essential steps toward ethnic homogenization, from historical texts alone we cannot determine to what extent mass migration from Central Asia and Siberia is responsible for Turkish dominance in Anatolia today. To assess the extent of gene flow from lands east of the Caspian, we examined the patterns of genetic variation in Turkic-speaking populations from Anatolia to Siberia. This analysis allows us to build the case for incommensurable, long-term, and continuing genetic signatures in both Anatolia and Siberia, and...
Of Worms and Women: Sarcopenia and its Role in Disability and Mortality

The loss of muscle mass during aging has been termed sarcopenia. Sarcopenia results in a decrease in physical strength during aging that results in important consequences for more severely affected individuals in terms of function and as a marker for disability and increased mortality. Despite the clinical importance of this condition, the pathophysiology leading to the development of sarcopenia is not well understood, and few treatments exist to prevent or reverse the condition. Recently, sarcopenia has been found to occur during aging in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which is an organism increasingly used to study genetic and biochemical events involved in aging. Like in humans, sarcopenia in C. elegans leads to declines in mobility and serves as a marker for increased mortality. Interestingly, mutations affecting the age-1 gene, which slows aging of the animal, result in significant delays in the development of sarcopenia, suggesting a direct causal relationship between organismal aging and sarcopenia. These findings suggest that, in humans and worms, sarcopenia may represent a biomarker for the biological age, as opposed to chronological age, of the individual. These findings also suggest that C. elegans will develop into an important model system in which to study the biochemical and genetics events responsible for sarcopenia and to test therapeutics designed to prevent or reverse sarcopenia.
Modeling prostate epithelial cancer cells in three-dimensional cultures in Matrigel.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5151 Growth of prostate epithelial cells in three-dimensional (3D) culture allows cells to form structures that more closely resemble their in vivo architecture. This permits further investigation into signaling pathways that control tumorigenesis in a biologically relevant context. In this study our objective was to assess whether the 3D assay (Petersen et al.1992) recapitulates the growth characteristics of human prostate epithelial cell lines in vivo . We used three human prostate epithelial cell lines, all derived from the same lineage: P69, an SV40 large T antigen immortalized human nonmalignant epithelial cell line that is non-tumorigenic; M12, a highly tumorigenic and metastatic subline derived from the P69 line, which displays a novel 16;19 chromosomal translocation resulting in the deletion of one copy of 19p-q13.1; and M12(F6), a slow growing, poorly tumorigenic subline created from M12 by the stable re-introduction of an intact human chromosome 19. The non-tumorigenic P69 line, when grown in Matrigel, organized into spheroids, commonly called acini, with a clearly defined lumen. Moreover, immunostaining with antibodies to α6- and β1-integrins showed polarization typical of glandular epithelium. The tumorigenic and metastatic M12 subline developed into highly disorganized clusters of cells exhibiting no polarization. The M12(F6) subline, which was converted to a slow growing and poorly tumorigenic line by the re-introduction of chromosome 19, reverted to forming acini-like structures with limited polarity. In the presence of the β1-integrin inhibitory antibody, AIIB2, M12 cells also reverted to forming acini. These findings indicate that growth in 3D culture closely parallels the phenotype of these prostate cells as observed in vivo in athymic nude mice, i.e., the inability to form organized acini with polarized epithelial structure in 3D parallels tumorigenicity. Moreover, β1-integrin must play a key role in acini formation as has been shown previously for the breast cells in 3D cultures (Weaver et al.1977).. These results suggest a highly relevant model system for further investigation of cancer genes and signaling pathways important to tumorigenesis and/or metastasis. This work was supported in part by DOD grant PC040763 to ZEZ and by funding from the DOE, NIH and DOD to MJB.
Performance of a noncoherent RAKE receiver and convolutional coding with Ricean fading and pulse-noise jamming

The effect of pulse-noise jamming noncoherent RAKE receiver with convolutional coding in the presence of Ricean fading is analyzed. The effect of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) is also included in the analysis. The maximum-likelihood RAKE receiver for the combination of pulse noise and AWGN is derived. Pulse jamming usually has a significant effect when soft decision decoding is used, however, we show that the maximum-likelihood RAKE receiver effectively mitigates pulse noise jamming. Hard decision decoding reduces the effect of pulse noise jamming, however, the maximum-likelihood RAKE with soft decision decoding performs better than hard decision decoding in the presence of pulse-noise jamming.
A near optimal algorithm for image compression using Gabor expansion

The Gabor expansion is studied for the purpose of image compression. The mathematical conditions required to obtain complete sets of Gabor functions in L/sub 2/(R) are presented. The concept of Gabor expansion is further interpreted in terms of the compression of real digital images. The problems of both complete and partial Gabor expansions of images are stated, and an optimization algorithm which provides the iterative algorithm, based on the conjugate gradient algorithm, converges in a finite number of iterations and it is not computationally too costly (O(n/sup 2/) calculations per iteration). For complete expansions, a new and tight bound on the number of iterations required to achieve exact reconstructions is given. For partial expansions, it is shown that very good reconstructed images can be obtained with bit rates as low as 0.6 bit per pixel. >
The administration of oxygen to infants and small children; an evaluation of methods.

Oxygen therapy techniques have been discussed and data have been presented which support the contention that most commerically available equipment does not fulfill the prerequisites for adequate oxygen therapy, especially when such devices are to be used for the treatment of infants and small children. The open-top oxygen box method for oxygen therapy is superior in every respect including efficiency, economy, and practicality. Observations supporting this have been reported. The open-top oxygen box constructed with transparent material and equipped with humidification apparatus and cooling chamber, has the following advantages: The speed (10 minutes) with which one can obtain therapeutic concentrations of oxygen with satisfactory humidity and temperature; the maintenance of therapeutic concentrations of oxygen during patient care procedures; easy observation of patient through transparent plastic walls; claustrophobia is not experienced by patient; adequate wash out of carbon dioxide with no necessity for soda-lime tube; easy accessibility to patient for care, observation and conversation; ideal suitability for high humidity or "mist" treatment of tracheobronchitis and other upper respiratory infections; portability (total weight 19 kg); economy (incurs less than half the expense of oxygen tents during operation and the initial cost of equipment is far less). There are precautions that should be taken in employing open-top oxygen box therapy: due to air currents the device should not be placed in direct drafts or in the vicinity of electric fans. Because of the small size of the box in its present form it is impractical for use in children over the age of 8 years. Medical personnel should be constantly alert to the possibility of apertures that can develop because of improper application or rents in the sleeve.
Robust Sparse Hashing

We study Nearest Neighbors (NN) retrieval by introducing a new approach: Robust Sparse Hashing (RSH). Our approach is inspired by the success of dictionary learning for sparse coding; the key innovation is to use learned sparse codes as hashcodes for speeding up NN. But sparse coding suffers from a major drawback: when data are noisy or uncertain, for a query point, an exact match of the hashcode seldom happens, breaking the NN retrieval. We tackle this difficulty via our novel dictionary learning and sparse coding framework called RSH by learning dictionaries on the robustified counterparts of uncertain data points. The algorithm is applied to NN retrieval for Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) descriptors. The results demonstrate that RSH is noise tolerant, and at the same time shows promising NN performance over the state-of-the-art.
Matrix metalloproteinase expression in keratocystic odontogenic tumors and primary cells.

AbstractKeratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOTs) are locally invasive, rapidly proliferating cystic lesions of the jaw. The bone-invasive nature of these tumors has been previously associated with the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which degrade the extracellular matrix. The purpose of this study was to assess the expression and activity of MMPs in primary KCOT cells and tumor tissue. Methods: Four independently established KCOT primary cell populations were grown in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% FBS and antibiotics. Primary cells were analyzed by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC), and for secretion of active MMPs. Primary tumor sections were analyzed by IHC. Results: Of the 18 human MMPs examined, 9 were consistently expressed in primary KCOT cells. MMP-2 and MMP-14 were highly expressed in all KCOT populations, while MMP-1, 3, 11, 12, 16, 17, and 19 were moderately expressed. MMP-3, 11, 12, 16, 17 and 19 were shown to be expressed in KCOTs for the first time...
What Is the Role of Astrocyte Calcium in Neurophysiology

Astrocytes comprise approximately half of the volume of the adult mammalian brain and are the primary neuronal structural and trophic supportive elements. Astrocytes are organized into distinct nonoverlapping domains and extend elaborate and dense fine processes that interact intimately with synapses and cerebrovasculature. The recognition in the mid 1990s that astrocytes undergo elevations in intracellular calcium concentration following activation of G protein-coupled receptors by synaptically released neurotransmitters demonstrated not only that astrocytes display a form of excitability but also that astrocytes may be active participants in brain information processing. The roles that astrocytic calcium elevations play in neurophysiology and especially in modulation of neuronal activity have been intensely researched in recent years. This review will summarize the current understanding of the function of astrocytic calcium signaling in neurophysiological processes and discuss areas where the role of astrocytes remains controversial and will therefore benefit from further study.
Vocational training in the use of new technologies for people with disabilities

Abstract Following a brief review of the literature, details are given of an in-depth evaluation of a computer training centre called Microjob. This facility set out to integrate computer training, vocational guidance, functional assessment, placement in employment and post-placement support into a single service delivery package. In this paper the facility's outcome record is examined in relation to targets set for it, consideration is given to the special needs of home-based trainees, and specific difficulties faced by the project (including an inefficient management structure, inadequate staff training and a poor level of awareness of clients' special needs) are discussed.
Right ventricular beneficial effects of beta adrenergic receptor kinase inhibitor (βARKct) gene transfer in a rat model of severe pressure overload

Heart failure is associated with abnormalities in betaAR cascade regulation, calcium cycling, expression of inflammatory mediators and apoptosis. Adenoviral mediated gene transfer of betaARKct has beneficial indirect effects on these pathologic processes upon the left ventricular myocardium. The concomitant biochemical changes that occur in the right ventricle have not been well characterized. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent aortic banding and were followed by echocardiography. After a decrease in fractional shortening of 25% from baseline, intracoronary injection of adenoviral-betaARKct (n=14) or adenoviral-beta-galactosidase (control, n=13) was performed. Rats were randomly euthanized on post-operative day 7, 14 or 21. Protein analysis including RV myocardial levels of betaARKct, betaARK1, SERCA(2a), inflammatory tissue mediators (IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha), apoptotic markers (bax and bak), and MAP kinases (jnk, p38 and erk) was performed. ANOVA was employed for group comparison. Adenoviral-betaARKct treated animals showed increased expression of betaARKct and decreased levels of betaARK1 compared with controls. This treatment group also demonstrated normalization of SERCA(2a) expression and decreased levels of the inflammatory markers IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. The pro-apoptotic markers bax and bak were similarly improved. Ventricular levels of the MAP kinase jnk were increased. Differences were most significant 7 days after gene transfer, but the majority of these changes persisted at 21 days. These results suggest that attenuation of the pathologic mechanisms of beta adrenergic receptor desensitization, SERCA(2a) expression, inflammation and apoptosis, not only occur in the left ventricle but also in the right ventricular myocardium after intracoronary gene transfer of betaARKct during heart failure.
Rtt109 acetylates histone H3 lysine 56 and functions in DNA replication

Acetylation of histone H3 lysine 56 (H3-K56) occurs in S phase, and cells lacking H3-K56 acetylation are sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. However, the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that catalyzes global H3-K56 acetylation has not been found. Here we show that regulation of Ty1 transposition gene product 109 (Rtt109) is an H3-K56 HAT. Cells lacking Rtt109 or expressing rtt109 mutants with alterations at a conserved aspartate residue lose H3-K56 acetylation and exhibit increased sensitivity toward genotoxic agents, as well as elevated levels of spontaneous chromosome breaks. Thus, Rtt109, which shares no sequence homology with any other known HATs, is a unique HAT that acetylates H3-K56.
Syndactylism with Deformity of the Pectoralis Muscle- Poland's Syndrome

Abstract The combined anomaly of webbed fingers and partial or total absence pectoralis muscle known as Poland's syndrome is presented. Surgical treatment should emphasize the reconstruction of a functional hand. Cosmetic reconstruction of thoracic deformities may be necessary at times.
Chemisorption of H, Cl, Na, O, and S atoms on Ni(100) surfaces: A theoretical study using Ni20clusters

Abstract In the last few years considerable advances have been made in the characterization of adsorbed species, largely as a result of dramatic improvements in experimental probes (for example HRELS,1 XPS,2 UPS,3 LEED,4 and TPDS5). While this has increased our knowledge of specific systems, it has not as yet led to the formation of a conceptual basis which might be used to make semiquantitative predictions about the properties of new systems. Predictions of this type are critical in assessing the relative importance of postulated reactive intermediates, species too short–lived for observation by conventional experimental methods. Without such data it will be difficult to draw unambiguous conclusions about mechanisms in heterogeneous catalysis.
Some basic psychophysics of calcium salt solutions.

Detection thresholds and the taste qualities of suprathreshold concentrations of calcium salt solutions were assessed. Average taste detection thresholds for calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ), lactate (CaLa), hydroxide, phosphate and gluconate ranged between 8 and 50 mM, with no reliable differences among the various salts. Between-subject variability ranged over four orders of magnitude and reliability coefficients for repeated detection threshold tests of CaCl 2 averaged r = 0.52. In an odor detection test, subjects could reliably discriminate 100 but not 1 mM CaCl 2 and CaLa from water. The taste of suprathreshold concentrations (1-100 mM) of CaCl 2 and CaLa was considered unpleasant. At 1 mM, CaCl 2 solution was rated as 35% bitter, 32% sour, 29% sweet and 4% salty. At higher concentrations the sweet component diminished and the salty component increased, so that 100 mM CaCl 2 was rated as 44% bitter, 20% sour, 1% sweet and 35% salty. CaLa solutions were considered to be significantly less bitter and marginally more sour than equimolar CaCl 2 solutions. Thus, the taste of calcium varied with both the form and concentration of salt tested, but included both sour and bitter components. Saltiness was identified only in high (≥32 mM) concentrations of CaCl 2 , and thus was not necessarily a component of calcium taste.
The T Cell Leukemia Oncoprotein SCL/tal-1 Is Essential for Development of All Hematopoietic Lineages

The T cell leukemia oncoprotein SCL/tal-1, a basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factor, is required for production of embryonic red blood cells in the mouse yolk sac. To define roles in other lineages, we studied the hematopoietic potential of homozygous mutant SCL/tal-1 -/- embryonic stem cells upon in vitro differentiation and in vivo in chimeric mice. Here we show that in the absence of SCL/tal-1, hematopoiesis, Including the generation of red cells, myeloid cells, megakaryocytes, mast cells, and both T and B lymphoid cells, is undetectable. These findings suggest that SCL/tal-1 functions very early in hematopoietic development, either in specification of ventral mesoderm to a blood cell fate, or in formation or maintenance of immature progenitors.
Hematologic manifestations associated with deletions of the long arm of chromosome 20

Abstract We investigated 20 patients with hematologic disorders who had a clone of cells with a deletion of most of a chromosome #20 long arm (20q−) in the bone marrow. Three patients had polycythemia vera (PV), 6 had acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), 8 had preleukemia (PL), and 3 had other myeloproliferative disorders. In our laboratory, a 20q− chromosome is found in 6% of patients with PV, 3% of patients with ANLL, and 1% of patients with PL. Among the 6 patients with ANLL and a 20q− abnormality, 3 had erythroleukemia. There were no apparent clinical differences among our patients with 20q− chromosomes compared with other patients with similar disorders who did not have a 20q− chromosome. The breakpoint of the 20q− anomaly, in each instance, was in band 20q11, but it occurred near the centromere at 20q1101 in 16 patients and at the distal part of this band at 20q1109 in 4 patients. Three of the 4 patients with a breakpoint at 20q1109 had PL.
A radioactive label for the erythrocyte membrane.

Abstract A new radioactive reagent, diazotized [ 131 I] diiodosulfanilic acid, which binds specifically to protein groups of the erythrocyte membrane, is described. The labeling reaction and some of the effects of varying amounts of the bound isotope on red cell structure and function have been described. Among the advantages of this membrane label over others available are the following:(1) The diazonium salt of the diiodocompound is less soluble than that of sulfanilic acid and can therefore be precipitated from the diazotization mixture, washed, and rendered free of reactants and impurities. (2) Effective membrane labeling can be achieved with relatively little damage to the cell. (3) It can be prepared by a γ-emitting radioisotope at very high specific activity. (4) Preliminary data suggest that it may be utilized to study the fate of the red cell membrane in vivo .
THE EFFECTS OF IMPROVING SEWAGE SLUDGE DIGESTION

A model was developed and tested to investigate the effects of various parameters on the processing costs of anaerobic digestion. The model was based on empirical data collected from full-scale plants which varied in size from 35,000 to 900,000 population equivalents. (Equivalent to loading rates of 0.5 to 2.7 kg VS/m 3 /d.) In spite of different operating regimes and conditions of the plants analysed, various relationships were discovered between: sludge quality and volatile solids destruction; sludge quality and blogas yield: and, effluent volatile solids and dewatering. Where correlations existed, these were used to make predictions on operating costs of the digestion and dewatering plant based on sensitivity analysis. The results of the model were used to make recommendations on how to optimise the operation of an anaerobic digestion plant.
Assessment of hemodynamic function with pulsed doppler ultrasound

Recent refinements in pulsed Doppler technology have made possible the noninvasive assessment of hemodynamic function. The application of the Doppler frequency shift principle to study discrete velocity events at a measured distance from the transducer is discussed. The accuracy and limitations of Doppler techniques in determining ascending aortic and peripheral blood flow velocities in infants with various cardiac lesions are examined. Noninvasive assessment of myocardial contractility is also described. Most studies performed to date suggest that pulsed Doppler techniques provide a sensitive approach to the measurement of flow velocity and acceleration in appropriate selected circumstances. However, distinctions between volume flow and flow velocity must be considered in the interpretation of data.
Spin alignment and resonance behavior in the 24Mg+24Mg system.

We have performed detailed particle-{gamma} and particle-{gamma}-{gamma} angular correlation measurements for two strong resonances observed in the elastic and inelastic scattering of {sup 24}Mg+{sup 24}Mg. These data provide us with spectroscopic information relatively uncontaminated by nonresonant amplitudes, and allow spin assignments of {ital J}{sup {pi}}=36{sup +} for two resonances at {ital E}{sub c.m.}=45.70 and 46.65 MeV. The angular correlation data for the mutual 2{sup +} inelastic scattering channel suggest a dominant decay {ital l} value of {ital l}=34 for both resonances. Correlated spin alignment data for this channel confirm our expectations for the relationship between angular momentum coupling and spin alignment for these resonances. The relatively high spin values suggest a resonance configuration in which the two {sup 24}Mg nuclei interact pole-to-pole, allowing the system to sustain a large amount of angular momentum. The pole-to-pole grazing picture is supported by the results of model calculations of the {sup 24}Mg+{sup 24}Mg{r arrow}{sup 48}Cr system.
Modeling undesirable factors in efficiency evaluation

Abstract Data envelopment analysis (DEA) measures the relative efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) with multiple performance factors which are grouped into outputs and inputs. Once the efficient frontier is determined, inefficient DMUs can improve their performance to reach the efficient frontier by either increasing their current output levels or decreasing their current input levels. However, both desirable (good) and undesirable (bad) factors may be present. For example, if inefficiency exists in production processes where final products are manufactured with a production of wastes and pollutants, the outputs of wastes and pollutants are undesirable and should be reduced to improve the performance. Using the classification invariance property, we show that the standard DEA model can be used to improve the performance via increasing the desirable outputs and decreasing the undesirable outputs. The method can also be applied to situations when some inputs need to be increased to improve the performance. The linearity and convexity of DEA are preserved through our proposal.
Erratum: Electron-paramagnetic-resonance study of transition-metal-doped BaTiO3: Effect of material processing on Fermi-level position

We have studied the electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) powder spectra of transition-metal-doped ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ processed under oxidizing and reducing conditions. From the EPR data a relative ionization-energy-level scale for the dopant species in ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ was established. These results along with a thermodynamic analysis that models the effects of temperature and oxygen partial pressure on the average charge states of dopants was used to provide a framework for understanding the role of material processing on the Fermi-level position.
Deciding to Dissolve: Individual- and Relationship-Level Predictors of Roommate Breakup

The desire to change roommates served as a model of nonromantic relationship dissolution within 115 college roommate dyads. We measured personality, mental health, social/communication patterns, and academic achievement attitudes over the course of a semester, and we used multilevel modeling to estimate individual-level and relationship-level predictors of dissolution. Self-characteristics (e.g., one's own depression), roommate characteristics (e.g., roommate's poor communication), and relationship characteristics (e.g., similarity in attitudes toward competition) each increased desire to end the roommate relationship. In these data, unique contributions from one's own psychological health, one's own and one's roommate's social/communication style, and roommates' attitude similarity predicted relationship dissolution.