cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A DNA Binding Mutation in Estrogen Receptor-α Leads to Suppression of Wnt Signaling Via β-Catenin Destabilization in Osteoblasts

Estrogen receptors (ERs) play vital roles in the function and remodeling of bone. Their cellular mechanisms can broadly be categorized into those involving direct DNA binding (classical) or indirect DNA binding (non-classical). The generation of non-classical ER knock-in (ERα(-/NERKI) ) mice provides a unique opportunity to define these pathways in bone. We previously demonstrated that ERα(-/NERKI) mice exhibit an osteoporotic phenotype; however, the mechanism(s) for this remain unresolved. Gene expression analyses of cortical bone from ERα(-/NERKI) mice revealed suppression of lymphoid enhancer factor-1 (Lef1), a classic Wnt-responsive transcription factor that associates with β-catenin. Since Wnt signaling is generally considered bone anabolic, this observation leads to the hypothesis that NERKI-induced suppression of Wnt signaling may contribute to the low bone mass phenotype. We generated ERα(-/NERKI) mice crossed with the Wnt-responsive TOPGAL transgenic mouse model and observed significantly less β-galactosidase activity in ERα(-/NERKI) mice, confirming suppression of Wnt activity in vivo. Adenoviral expression of the NERKI receptor using an in vitro cell system resulted in the induction of several secreted antagonists of Wnt signaling. Furthermore, expression of NERKI abrogated Wnt10b-dependent Wnt activation using a lentiviral-mediated reporter assay. Finally, expression of NERKI destabilized β-catenin cellular protein levels and disrupted ER/β-catenin interactions. Collectively, these data suggest the osteoporotic phenotype of ERα(-/NERKI) mice may involve the suppression of Lef1-mediated Wnt signaling through both the stimulation of secreted Wnt inhibitors and/or disruption of normal β-catenin function.
Dynamic simulation of a tethered satellite system using finite elements and fuzzy sets

Abstract Dynamic simulations are performed for the NASA planned propulsive small expendable deployer system (ProSEDS) space tether mission using two finite element analysis codes. The first is a specialized code for simulating tethered space systems. The second is an in-house flexible multibody dynamics code adapted herein for modeling tethered satellites. The simulation of the ProSEDS mission is divided into two operations: a tether deployment operation and an electrodynamic operation. The specialized code uses a fixed number of nodes and finite elements in simulating the deployment operation, while the in-house code uses a variable number of nodes and elements. The application of each approach is discussed. A fuzzy-set technique is used in conjunction with the two codes to assess the effect of parameter variations on the deployment and electrodynamic operation of the ProSEDS tether. Detailed numerical simulations reveal that the deployment operation is not sensitive to variations in material parameters, but is sensitive to variations in the initial tether ejection momentum and to controller parameters. The electrodynamic operation is found to be highly sensitive to variations in earth's magnetic field and, to a lesser extent, variations in material and plasma parameters.
Employee health and presenteeism: a systematic review.

Introduction Many employers focus on their large and easily measured cost of health care, yet until recently they have ignored the impact of health on productivity. Studies of some chronic conditions and some health risk factors suggest that costs of lost productivity exceed costs of medical care. This review will examine the literature to explore the link between employee health and on-the-job productivity, also known as presenteeism. Methods Searches of Medline, CINAHL and PubMed were conducted in October 2006, with no starting date limitation with “presenteeism” or “work limitations” as keywords. A total of 113 studies were found using this method. Each study was evaluated based on the strength of the study design, statistical analyses, outcome measurement, and controlling of confounding variables. Results Literature on presenteeism has investigated its link with a large number of health risks and health conditions ranging from exercise and weight to allergies and irritable bowel syndrome. As expected, the research on some topic areas is stronger than others. Conclusions Based on the research reviewed here, it can be said with confidence that health conditions such as allergies and arthritis are associated with presenteeism. Moreover, health risks traditionally measured by a health risk appraisal (HRA), especially physical activity and body weight, also show an association with presenteeism. The next step for researchers is to tease out the impact of individual health risks or combinations of risks and health conditions on this important outcome measure.
A Convolution Model Of Long-Exposure Image Blur Due To Atmospheric Turbulence

A model of long-exposure image blur due to atmospheric turbulence has been developed using a parallel processor to convolve the input image with the turbulence point spread function (PSF). The model uses two basic dimensionless parameters--the turbulence strength parameter and the sampling factor--to calculate the turbulence-degraded PSF. The turbulence strength parameter is the ratio of the optics diameter to the atmospheric coherence diameter, and the sampling factor is the product of the image pixel spacing (sampling interval) and the cutoff spatial frequency defined by the diffraction-limited incoherent optical transfer function (OTF). The turbulence OTF is computed using the turbulence strength parameter for a given optical system, slant path, and turbulence condition. Then, by taking advantage of the band-limited nature of the incoherent OTF, the turbulence PSF for the imaging system is expressed as a Hankel transform with finite limits and is evaluated numerically. The convolution requires one frame time (1/30 second) for each point in the PSF kernel, thus a 25-point convolution (5 x 5 kernel) of an entire image (512 x 512 pixels) is completed in less than one second.
Learning and prediction of slip from visual information

This paper presents an approach for slip prediction from a distance for wheeled ground robots using visual information as input. Large amounts of slippage which can occur on certain surfaces, such as sandy slopes, will negatively affect rover mobility. Therefore, obtaining information about slip before entering such terrain can be very useful for better planning and avoiding these areas. To address this problem, terrain appearance and geometry information about map cells are correlated to the slip measured by the rover while traversing each cell. This relationship is learned from previous experience, so slip can be predicted remotely from visual information only. The proposed method consists of terrain type recognition and nonlinear regression modeling. The method has been implemented and tested offline on several off-road terrains including: soil, sand, gravel, and woodchips. The final slip prediction error is about 20%. The system is intended for improved navigation on steep slopes and rough terrain for Mars rovers. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Towards the next generation of artificial neural networks for civil engineering

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate interest within the civil engineering research community for developing the next generation of applied artificial neural networks. In particular, it identifies what the next generation of these devices needs to achieve, and provides direction in terms of how their development may proceed. An analysis of the current situation indicates that progress in the development of artificial neural network applications has largely stagnated. Suggestions are made for advancing the field to the next level of sophistication and application, using genetic algorithms and related techniques. It is shown that this approach will require the design of some very sophisticated genetic coding mechanisms in order to develop the required higher-order network structures, and will utilize development mechanisms observed in nature such as growth, self-organization, and multi-stage objective functions. The capabilities of such an approach and the way in which they can be achieved are explored with reference to the problems of: (a) determining truck attributes from the strain envelopes they induce in structural members when crossing a bridge, and; (b) developing a decision support system for dynamic control of industrialized manufacturing of houses.
Interpreting the p value.

1which include the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating interstitial pneumonia (IP) and emphasize the usefulness of specifi c autoantibodies, such as anticyclic citrul linated peptide (CCP), as part of the assessment for connec tive tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Teramoto and colleagues also briefly describe a patient without synovitis who presented with organizing pneumonia and anti-CCP antibody positivity, who later developed the articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In our and others’ experience, 2 this is not an uncommon scenario, and it supports the notion that lung disease may be the fi rst manifestation of a CTD and that surveillance for evolving extrathoracic features is needed when caring for patients with “idiopathic” IP. Interestingly, we have recently identifi ed a sizable cohort of patients with anti-CCP positivity and IP without prior history of CTD or the articular features of RA. 3 Although a few of these patients have developed the synovitis of RA within a short interval of follow-up, the vast majority have not. Because these patients with ILD have a highly specifi c autoantibody in the absence of defi ning extrathoracic CTD features, and because without infl ammatory arthritis they cannot be defi ned as having RA, we have proposed that it is important to distinguish them from the category of idiopathic IP and consider them to have lung-dominant CTD. 1 With prospective assessments of these types of more precisely characterized and classifi ed phenotypes, we hope that important questions regarding their pathobiology, natural history, and therapeutic responsiveness will be answerable. Finally, we emphasize that a classifi cation of lung-dominant CTD conveys that this entity is distinct from both idiopathic IP and from defi nite CTD-ILD and that these patients require surveillance for evolution to more defi ned forms of CTD.
Mast material test program (MAMATEP)

The Mast Material Test Program (MAMATEP) at NASA Lewis is discussed. Objectives include verifying the need for, and evaluating the performance of, various protection techniques for the Solar Array Assembly mast of the Space Station Photovoltaic Power Module. Mast material samples were evaluated in terms of mass and bending modulus, measured before and after environmental exposure. Test environments included atomic oxygen exposure (RF plasma asher), thermal cycling, and mechanical flexing. Protective coatings included CV-1144 silicon, a Ni/Au/InSn eutectic, and an open weave, Al braid. Results indicate that unprotected samples degrade in an atomic oxygen environment at a steady rate. Open weave, Al braid offers little protection for the fiberglass-epoxy sample in an asher environment. Ni/Au/InSn eutectic offers excellent protection in an asher environment prior to thermal cycling and mechanical flexing. Long duration asher results from unprotected samples indicate that, even though the fiberglass-epoxy degrades, a protection technique may not be necessary to ensure structural integrity. However, a protection technique may be desirable to limit or contain the amount of debris generated by the degradation of the fiberglass-epoxy.
The 3-channel Lissajous' trajectory of the auditory brain-stem response. VIII. Isolated frog sciatic nerve in a volume conductor

Abstract Volume-conducted action potentials were recorded from a frog sciatic nerve in a 2 liter glass sphere. Three orthogonally placed electrode pairs were used to record the responses from straight and curved nerves (90 and 180 degrees of arc). Simultaneous analysis of the 3 channels produced a 3-dimensional voltage-space representation termed the 3-channel Lissajous' trajectory (3-CLT). The results demonstrated that reproducible planar 3-CLTs could be recorded from curved nerves while straight nerves produced highly variable, hairpin 3-CLTs. Changing the position of the curved nerves did not result in significant changes in the location of the 3-CLT, but it did change the shape of the response. Changing the nerve from straight to curved produced significant changes in the location and shape of the 3-CLT. Rotation of the curved nerves around their vertical axis resulted in significant changes in the location of the 3-CLT, which were of the same magnitude as the physical change in the nerve. These results demonstrate that axons in a volume conductor can produce 3-CLTs which are similar to the responses recorded in vivo from the cat and human.
Morphological changes in chick cerebellum induced by poly I-poly C.

A COMPLEX of polyinosinic acid and polycytidylic acid (poly I · poly C) induces resistance to viral infections in mice1 and is an effective inducer of interferon in rabbits1,2 and mice3. This antiviral drug has been used in the treatment of herpetic keratoconjunctivitis in rabbits4, against viral tumours in mice5,6, and in clinical trials in patients with certain types of cancer7. Recent studies have indicated a high degree of toxicity for this synthetic double stranded RNA-like polymer8–11.
Structural characterization of non-polar (1 1 2 0) and semi-polar (1 1 2 6) GaN films grown on r-plane sapphire

Abstract Thick GaN films, with (1 1 2 0) or (1 1 2 6) planes parallel to the r -plane of sapphire, were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using AlN or GaN buffer layers. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy revealed a high density of basal-plane stacking faults (BSFs) in the (1 1 2 0) non-polar GaN ( a -GaN) films. {1 1 2 0} and {1 0 1 0} prismatic-plane and {1 1 0 2} pyramidal-plane stacking faults (SFs) were observed to terminate some BSFs. The SFs on {1 0 1 0} and {1 1 0 2} planes generally formed closed domains. For (1 1 2 6) semi-polar GaN ( s -GaN) films, most threading dislocations were located at small-angle grain boundaries. Many BSFs were observed close to the AlN/GaN interface but, in comparison with a -GaN, the s -GaN films had much lower BSF density at the top surface. Inversion domain boundaries (IDBs) on {1 0 1 0} planes were observed to form closed domains. GaN/AlGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on s -GaN or a -GaN followed the morphology of the GaN surface. Some IDBs in the s -GaN propagated through the GaN/AlGaN MQWs to the top surface.
CO2 and O3 Effects on Paper Birch (Betulaceae: Betula papyrifera) Phytochemistry and Whitemarked Tussock Moth (Lymantriidae: Orgyia leucostigma) Performance

Elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and O3 are known to alter the chemical composition of foliage, which in turn may affect the performance of herbivorous insects. We investigated the independent and interactive effects of CO2 and O3 on foliar quality of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marshall) and the consequences of chemical changes for performance of the whitemarked tussock moth Orgyia leucostigma (J. E. Smith). The experimental design wa sa2b y 2 factorial, with ambient and elevated levels of CO2 and O3, respectively. Foliage was analyzed for concentrations of nitrogen, starch, and condensed tannins. CO2 and O3 independently and inter- actively affected nitrogen concentrations, with the elevated CO2 O3 treatment reducing nitrogen concentrations more than either treatment alone. Elevated CO2 and O3 had no signiÞcant effect on starch and tannin concentrations when administered alone but increased starch concentrations by 17% over ambient when administered together. Larvae were reared on experimental trees from egg hatch through pupation to determine treatment effects on development time and pupal mass. Larval performance measures were not statistically different among fumigation treatments, although fe- males tended to have reduced pupal mass under the elevated CO2 O3 treatment. These results demonstrate that chemical responses of some plant species to elevated levels of CO2 (560 lL 1 ) and O3 (1.5 ambient) may be of insufÞcient magnitude to signiÞcantly alter standard measures of individual insect performance.
Secondary Structure of Recombinant Human Cystathionine β-Synthase in Aqueous Solution: Effect of Ligand Binding and Proteolytic Truncation☆☆☆

Abstract The secondary structural composition and substrate-induced conformational changes of recombinant human cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) in aqueous solution have been investigated in its full-length form (tetramer of 63-kDa subunits) by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. In addition, structural comparison of a proteolytic truncated form (dimer of 45-kDa subunits) to that of the full-length enzyme has also been carried out. Second-derivative and Fourier self-deconvolutional enhanced infrared spectra revealed amide I band components ascribed to β-sheet (1689, 1638, and 1627 cm−1), α-helix (1658 cm−1), β-turn (1679 and 1668 cm−1), and unordered (1651 cm−1) structures in the spectra of the full-length enzyme. Quantitative analysis of FT-IR and CD spectra reveals that the full-length enzyme consists of about 48–53% β-sheet, 25–30% α-helix, 8–10% turn, and 10–19% unordered structures. Under constraint of the spectroscopic data, theoretical prediction of locations of these secondary structural elements using Garnier's method shows that human CBS may contain a β-sheet/α-helix/β-sheet core structure. Second-derivative spectrum of the truncated enzyme exhibited all the major spectral features that are present in the full-length enzyme, indicating a preservation of the core structure of the enzyme. Significant differences were observed between the infrared spectra of the enzymes with or without the substrate, serine, indicating a substrate-induced conformational change in the enzyme, which did not result in a change in overall composition of secondary structural content based on quantitative analysis of FT-IR and far-UV CD spectra.
Review: oral antifungal drugs promote cure of fungal infections of the foot.

; Bell-Syer SE, Hart R, Crawford F, et al. Oral treatments for fungal infections of the skin of the foot. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;(2):CD003584 (latest version 5 Dec 2001). . QUESTION: In patients with fungal infections of the skin of the foot (tinea pedis), does oral treatment eradicate the infection? Studies were identified by searching Medline (1966–2000), CINAHL (to 2000), SCI and SSCI (1969–2000), EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (1980–2000), the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, CAB-Health (1973–97), HealthSTAR (1975–97); handsearching podiatry journals; reviewing bibliographies of reviews; and by contacting pharmaceutical companies and podiatry schools. Studies were selected if they were randomised controlled trials evaluating oral treatment in patients with clinically diagnosed and microscopy and laboratory confirmed tinea pedis. 2 reviewers independently extracted data on study design, condition, intervention, patient characteristics, study quality, and outcomes. The main outcome measure was mycological cure (negative results on microscopy and no dermatophyte growth in culture). Secondary outcomes were such clinical signs as redness, scaling, pustules, itching, burning, soreness; recurrence of the condition after achieving …
A new learning algorithm for feedforward neural networks

We develop in the present paper a constructive learning algorithm for feedforward neural networks. We employ an incremental training procedure where training patterns are learned one by one. Our algorithm starts with a single training pattern and a single hidden layer neuron. During the course of neural network training, when the algorithm gets stuck in a local minimum, we will attempt to escape from the local minimum by using the weight scaling technique. It is only after several consecutive failed attempts in escaping from a local minimum, we will allow the network to grow by adding a hidden layer neuron. At this stage, we employ an optimization procedure based on quadratic/linear programming to select initial weights for the newly added neuron. Our optimization procedure tends to make the network reach the error tolerance with no or little training after adding a hidden layer neuron Our simulation results indicate that the present constructive algorithm can obtain neural networks very close to minimal structures and that convergence (to a solution) in neural network training can be guaranteed. We tested our algorithm extensively using the parity problem.
Emotional Reactions to Variations in Contract Language

AbstractThis paper introduces a theory of emotion-driven behavior in construction contracting and provides preliminary support for this theory by presenting the quantitative results of a study on the emotional reaction of individuals to the language in contract clauses. Four different versions of the standard delay clause found in most construction contracts were extracted from four different contracts and were presented to a group of 27 individuals. Participants rank ordered the four versions of the delay clause from 1 (most negative) to 4 (most positive). Overall, Clause Version 2 was ranked as having the most negative contract language, with nearly 75% of the participants ranking it as most negative. In contrast, Clause Version 4 was ranked as having the most positive contract language, with over 50% of the participants ranking it as most positive. Participants likewise selected negative emotion words to describe their reaction to Clause Version 2 and positive emotion words to describe their reaction t...
Interviewing the Interviewers: Journalistic Norms and Racial Diversity in the Newsroom

Many mainstream newspapers have diversified their organizations—at least to some extent—by hiring minority journalists. Some scholars argue that a diversified newsroom will improve media coverage of minority communities and issues; others think that the power of journalistic norms will constrain minority journalists so that they will be unable or unwilling to enhance the news coverage of minorities. In this article, the authors examine journalistic norms and racial diversity in mainstream newsrooms by conducting face-to-face interviews with African American and Latino journalists working at mainstream papers. They investigate journalists' perceptions of how norms influence their behavior and their attitudes about advocacy. They also examine their perceptions of audience characteristics and how they choose sources, and conclude that journalistic norms do shape the behavior of African American and Latino journalists; nevertheless, many of these journalists are still able to bring a unique perspective to the...
Fuzzy rules for automated sensor self-validation and confidence measure

In this research we present a methodology for the development of a generic, automated self-validation technique that can be used to improve the operation of a controller based system. The reliability of a controller-based system depends on the validity of the data provided for the development and operation of the controller. The self-validation algorithm described in this paper is based on fuzzy logic rules described by membership functions. The membership functions are created from data set parameters (e.g., the standard deviation and the range of the data set). Raw data is median filtered and then passed through these membership functions to obtain a measure of confidence. The methodology is illustrated using temperature data from an iron-melting cupola furnace. The confidence measured is used in two subsequent companion papers to (1) replace low-confidence data and (2) fuse similar sensor data.
Maternal Correlates of Adolescent Sexual and Contraceptive Behavior

well as from more recent empirical endeavors, that familial variables can be useful predictors of adolescent sexual behavior in a number of contexts. In this article, we focus on adolescents and their mothers and three familial variables likely to influence adolescent sexual behavior: maternal disapproval of premarital sex; maternal discussions of birth control; and the quality of the parent-child relationship. Parental Variables Attitudes Towards Premarital Sex
Revocation techniques for Java concurrency

This paper proposes two approaches to managing concurrency in Java using a guarded region abstraction. Both approaches use revocation of such regions—the ability to undo their effects automatically and transparently. These new techniques alleviate many of the constraints that inhibit construction of transparently scalable and robust concurrent applications. The first solution, revocable monitors, augments existing mutual exclusion monitors with the ability to dynamically resolve priority inversion and deadlock, by reverting program execution to a consistent state when such situations are detected, while preserving Java semantics. The second technique, transactional monitors, extends the functionality of revocable monitors by implementing guarded regions as lightweight transactions that can be executed concurrently (or in parallel on multiprocessor platforms). The presentation includes discussion of design and implementation issues for both schemes, as well as a detailed performance study to compare their behavior with the traditional, state-of-the-art implementation of Java monitors based on mutual exclusion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of a novel phase separation technique for the encapsulation of water-soluble drugs in biodegradable polymer.

AbstractBiodegradable microcapsules of four water-soluble drugs (pentamidine, captopril, diltiazem, and metoprolol) were prepared using a novel phase separation technique. The microcapsules prepared by this method were irregular in shape. Particle size of the microcapsules was between 60 and 500 pm. The efficiency of encapsulation for all four drugs was more than 40% at 20% drug loading. The encapsulation increased up to 75% or higher when the drug loading was reduced to 5%. The in vitro dissolution was drug dependent. The microcapsules prepared with 5% drug loading showed the minimum dissolution at the end of 24 hr. The initial drug release increased significantly when the drug loading was increased up to 20%. Although the formulations containing 5% drug maintained a sustained-release profile up to 45 days, the formulations containing 10 and 20% drug released more than 50% drug within the first 2 days.
Parametric continuity in dynamic programming problems

Abstract We examine conditions under which the solutions to parametric families of dynamic programming problems are continuous in the parameters. Our main results are that parametric continuity obtains whenever either (a) the family of dynamic programming problems satisfies strong (joint-) continuity properties in the parameter and state or (b) if it satisfies weaker (separate-) continuity requirements, provided these are supplemented by either stronger assumptions on the transition probabilities or by monotonicity restrictions such as are common in economic modelling. The usefulness of our results is illustrated by applying them to some commonly used dynamic economic models.
A feedback mechanism for network scheduling in LambdaGrids

Next-generation e-Science applications will require the ability to transfer information at high data rates between distributed computing centers and data repositories. A Lambda-Grid offers dedicated, optical, circuit-switched, point-to-point connections, which may be reserved exclusively for an application. Though such dedicated high-speed connections eliminate congestion in the network, they effectively push the network congestion out to the end systems, as processing speeds have not kept up with networking speeds. Therefore, developing an efficient transport protocol over such highspeed dedicated circuits is of critical importance. In this work, we propose the idea of a lightweight end-system protocol, based on performance monitoring, to significantly improve the performance of data transport over a LambdaGrid. In particular, we focus on dynamically monitoring the OS task scheduling at the receiving end-system so that potential end-system congestion may be detected early and appropriate feedback can be transmitted back to the sending end-system to avoid packet losses. One example of such an evasive action is to suspend transmission for certain duration of time during which the OS on the receiving end-system must handle other computational processes. With this in mind, we propose to extend the Reliable-Blast UDP (RBUDP) protocol to take such evasive action by using a simple feedback mechanism that is activated via performance monitoring. The new protocol, named RBUDP dramatically improves the performance of data transfer over LambdaGrids. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed protocol and illustrate the performance gains achieved via network emulation.
Oral changes in experimental lathyrism (odoratism)

Abstract 1. 1. The oral tissues of weanling male and female rats fed a diet containing 0.2 per cent beta-aminopropionitrile exhibited gross and microscopic changes. In the regions of tendinous attachments the mandible developed exostoses characterized by thick, highly cellular periosteum covering bone composed of thin trabeculae and broad marrow spaces. The mobility of the teeth was increased. The fibroblasts of the periodontal membrane exhibited increased cytoplasmic basophilia and palisading. The collagen fibers were fine, disoriented, and embedded in an increased amount of an amorphous eosinophilic material. The condylar cartilage was enlarged. The matrix presented foci having an irregular outline and containing granular material. The cartilage cells were arranged in isogenous groups and failed to undergo enlargement and vacuolization. 2. 2. Beta-aminopropionitrile appears to have a specific effect upon the connective tissues of the rat. Cartilage, bone, and fibrous connective tissue are affected. The changes involve both the cells and the intercellular substance. 3. 3. The observations on the periodontal membrane suggest that mechanical stress may be important in the development of the morphologic changes characteristic of lathyrism. 4. 4. Beta-aminopropionitrile appears to be a useful tool for the study of the metabolism of connective tissues.
The Drosophila ash1 gene product, which is localized at specific sites on polytene chromosomes, contains a SET domain and a PHD finger.

The determined state of Drosophila imaginal discs depends on stable patterns of homeotic gene expression. The stability of these patterns requires the function of the ash1 gene, a member of the trithorax group. The primary translation product of the 7.5-kb ash1 transcript is predicted to be a basic protein of 2144 amino acids. The ASH1 protein contains a SET domain and a PHD finger. Both of these motifs are found in the products of some trithorax group and Polycomb group genes. We have determined the nucleotide sequence alterations in 10 ash1 mutant alleles and have examined their mutant phenotype. The best candidate for a null allele is ash1(22). The truncated protein product of this mutant allele is predicted to contain only 47 amino acids. The ASH1 protein is localized on polytene chromosomes of larval salivary glands at >100 sites. The chromosomal localization of ASH1 implies that it functions at the transcriptional level to maintain the expression pattern of homeotic selector genes.
Market Anomalies Revisited

The existence of market return anomalies have long been recognized in the finance literature. Several studies have documented the effects of size, dividend yields, E/P ratios, book-to-market value ratios, weekend, and turn of the year (January effect) on market returns. Still, much controversy surrounds the existence of, and explanations for the observed market anomalies. This study uses 1987-92 returns data to help provide more current evidence concerning market anomalies. A multivariate regression model (MVRM) is used to test for the presence of size effect, weekend effect, and January effect in this period. Evidence indicates the existence of a January effect for small firms, but other effects are not detected an any significant levels.
Factors Related to Physical Therapy Students' Decisions to Work with Elderly Patients

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors related to physical therapy students' decisions to work with elderly patients subsequent to graduation. Questionnaires, distributed to students in graduating classes of seven entry-level master's degree programs and seven baccalaureate degree programs, were returned by 326 participants. The questionnaires included 20 questions within four categories—biographical (3), experiential (7), perceived socioeconomic (3), and attitudinal (7) factors—plus 1 question to determine whether students intended to work with elderly patients. Chi-square tests ( p < .05) determined significant relationships between the participants' intentions to work with elderly people and their answers to 10 of the questions (1 biographical, 3 experiential, and 6 attitudinal). The answers to 1 of these experiential questions and 4 of these attitudinal questions were significant at the .001 level. No perceived socioeconomic questions were significant. Our results may help in planning strategies to encourage physical therapy students to work with elderly people.
Rampant Parasexuality Evolves in a Hospital Pathogen during Antibiotic Selection

Horizontal gene transfer threatens the therapeutic success of antibiotics by facilitating the rapid dissemination of resistance alleles among bacterial species. The conjugative mobile element Tn916 provides an excellent context for examining the role of adaptive parasexuality as it carries the tetracycline-resistance allele tetM and has been identified in a wide range of pathogens. We have used a combination of experimental evolution and allelic frequency measurements to gain insights into the adaptive trajectories leading to tigecycline resistance in a hospital strain of Enterococcus faecalis and predict what mechanisms of resistance are most likely to appear in the clinical setting. Here, we show that antibiotic selection led to the near fixation of adaptive alleles that simultaneously altered TetM expression and produced remarkably increased levels of Tn916 horizontal gene transfer. In the absence of drug, approximately 1 in 120,000 of the nonadapted E. faecalis S613 cells had an excised copy of Tn916, whereas nearly 1 in 50 cells had an excised copy of Tn916 upon selection for resistance resulting in a more than 1,000-fold increase in conjugation rates. We also show that tigecycline, a translation inhibitor, selected for a mutation in the ribosomal S10 protein. Our results show the first example of mutations that concurrently confer resistance to an antibiotic and lead to constitutive conjugal-transfer of the resistance allele. Selection created a highly parasexual phenotype and high frequency of Tn916 jumping demonstrating how the use of antibiotics can lead directly to the proliferation of resistance in, and potentially among, pathogens.
Carbon Black-Rubber Interactions and Bound Rubber

Abstract The interaction of elastomers with fine particles has been a subject of great interest and much controversy for many years. This is easy to understand when it is remembered that reinforcement is one of the three great developments that underlie the extensive use of elastomers in our modern world. The other two are, of course the discovery of the principle of vulcanization, and the development of synthetic elastomers, including many having special properties superior to those of natural rubber. A large part of the controversy currently includes specifically the question of the special position—or lack of it—of carbon black as a particulate filler for elastomers. The resolution of this question is beyond the scope of our present knowledge, although strong opinions are held on both sides of the question. However, for two reasons, the present review will be restricted almost entirely to a consideration of the nature of the interaction of carbon black with hydrocarbon elastomers. The first reason for ...
Electrochemical Manufacturing in the Chemical Industry

There are over 100,000 chemicals in the marketplace, manufactured by various technological means. Despite this large number of chemicals available in the market, electrochemical synthesis of chemicals has been limited to a narrow spectrum. The reasons for this have been previously attributed to a lag in the education of chemists and engineers in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering, a lack of suitable resources for cell construction, and most importantly the prohibitive costs involved (in many cases) in electrochemical synthesis. However, over the past 40 years, there have been significant developments in electrochemical synthesis and methods due to the advances in materials science and nanotechnology, and progress in multi-scale modeling. The mainstays of electrochemical manufacturing (chlor-alkali industry, aluminum, organic synthesis) as well as new vistas of manufacturing are explored.
Axon Conduction and Survival in CNS White Matter During Energy Deprivation: A Developmental Study

Fern, Robert, Peter Davis, Stephen G. Waxman, and Bruce R. Ransom. Axon conduction and survival in CNS white matter during energy deprivation: a developmental study. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 95–105, 19...
Turkey microsatellite loci from an embryonic cDNA library

Expressed sequence tags (EST) containing microsatellites have been used in the development of both genetic linkage maps and syntenic maps for various species and, thus, offer the advantage of being a convenient tool in comparative mapping studies. A turkey embryonic cDNA library was constructed and screened with (CA/TG)15, (GA/CT)15, (AGG)10, and (AAAC)7 probes for the development of polymorphic microsatellite markers. Sequences of 128 cDNA revealed 42 new loci containing microsatellites. BLAST nucleotide analysis demonstrated significant homology to known mammalian or avian coding regions for 15 of the turkey EST, five of which matched chicken transcripts. The remaining 27 EST represented novel sequences. Of the 42 new loci, 31 were polymorphic when tested on commercial turkey lines, including the founding individuals of a new resource population developed for genetic linkage mapping. Comparative mapping of these markers will provide new information toward the evolutionary divergence of turkey and chicken as well as other species.
Temperature-Dependent Density of Setae in the Spermathecal Gland of Plodia interpunctella

The distribution and type of sensillum-like setae in spermathecal glands of adult female Indian meal moths, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), was investigated in insects exposed to several constant temperatures. Number of spermathecal glands with setae and number of setae per gland increased with rising temperature when prepupae were exposed to temperatures ranging from 24°–36°C. Also, when larvae were reared to prepupal stage at 24° or 30°C and then exposed to 33° or 36°C, setal count increased. Number of setae was largest when the temperature differential was greatest. Exposure to 33° and 36°C changed the shape of the spermathecal gland and there were more bent setae, perhaps because of the angle at which the setae projected across the lumen and the faster rate of growth due to increased temperature.
Can the FCC Save American Politics after Citizens United

The Roberts Court has struck down campaign finance laws in four significant cases, culminating in last Term’s much-discussed Citizens United v. FEC. This paper makes three arguments for bringing communications law to bear on the issue of electoral advertising by independent advocacy groups. First, the paper asserts that FCC regulation is a useful new avenue in responding to the Citizens United effect. Specifically, it proposes that: 1) the FCC has the statutory authority to require third-party purchasers of airtime for political and advocacy advertising to disclose their major funding sources; and 2) an existing FCC doctrine – colloquially known as the “quasi-public opportunities rule” – can profitably be revived and applied to constrain broadcaster partisanship in the sale of airtime to third-party advocacy groups. Second, the paper argues that broadcasters must be reminded that although they are immune from suit for defamatory content in candidate advertisements, those protections do not apply to third-party advocacy ads. The threat of possible litigation may well lead licensees to make voluntary decisions to reject, or negotiate for the revision of, any ads whose content could plausibly be deemed to invite legal action against the station. Thus, the paper contends that good risk-management practices may voluntarily temper the most troublesome consequences of the Citizens United line of cases. Finally, the paper asks whether a rich array of political programming choices on television might serve as an antidote to the ill effects of advocacy advertising. If so, in light of the FCC’s liberal interpretations of its political advertising rules and the apparent decline in political programming on broadcast television, would it be both legally permissible and wise as a policy matter for the Commission to consider intervening to induce enhanced broadcaster commitments to political programming?
Problems Facing Undergraduate Students At Al Ghad International College For Health Sciences: Basis To Improve Academic Performance

This action research has sought answers to the following research questions: What are the problems encountered by the low performing students of different departments in terms of psychosocial, psychological and educational? What are the proposed specific measures geared towards the enhancement of learners’ academic performance? Researchers have utilized a mixed method research design, both quantitative and qualitative methods which gave them greater confidence in establishing conclusion of the study. They have figured out specific measures to address problems in terms of psychosocial, psychological and education domains confronting the subjects of the study. These proposed measures are adaptation of academic performance flow chart and the revised attendance grading scheme. The authors also suggest the preparatory department to create an English proficiency committee which will design English proficiency programs for this low performing group zeroing in listening, reading, writing and speaking proficiencies. They also propose for the College to use better software management system and to conduct an annual departmental curriculum review and enhancement. They have included all of the students with GPA 2.75 and less from different departments of Al-Ghad International College Dammam Male Campus, a large and young private academic institution which offers various health care programs as participants of the study. A self-made questionnaire has been constructed and has become the main tool to gather the necessary data and interview has done to dissect the variables under scrutiny. Researchers have also used a standardized test (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) which determined the psychological distress status of the subject learners. The gathered numeric data have been tabulated, evaluated, analyzed and interpreted using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 22.
An Introduction to Evil

The purpose of the introductory chapter is to make as clear as possible what will (and, just as importantly, what will not) be the focus of the book. The central question of the book is this: what makes someone an evil person? A secondary question is this: what makes an action evil? In order to make decent sense of these questions, though, I have to contrast my own use of the term “evil” with a few other common ways in which the term is used. I also clarify the notion of an evil person by contrasting it with the notion of an evildoer. The end of the chapter is an outline of the rest of the book. Part I (Chaps. 2– 4) will focus on the psychology of evil, and Part II (Chaps. 5– 7) will focus on the philosophy of evil.
Choroido-Cerebral Calcification with Retardation

A family of three children with mental retardation, calcification of the choroid plexus, and increased CSF protein is reported from the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, and Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Wilm's Tumor 1 Protein Confers TRAIL Resistance in Myeloid Leukemia Cells Through Bcl-Xl

Abstract Abstract 2557 INTRODUCTION: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an attractive therapeutic agent because of its selective potential to induce apoptosis in variety of tumors but not in normal cells. However, many cancers including myeloid leukemias exhibit resistance to TRAIL and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) protein is an aberrantly overexpressed protein that is associated with leukemia blast survival, chemoresistance and shortened disease-free survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we report a previously unknown protective role of WT1 against TRAIL-induced apoptosis in leukemia cells. METHODS: Various myeloid leukemia cell lines with variable WT1 expression levels were tested for TRAIL sensitivity. The effect of pharmacological or short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated inhibition of WT1 on TRAIL-induced apoptosis was evaluated by AnnexinV/PI staining method. The mRNA levels of WT1 and Bcl-xL were measured by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and the expression of apoptosis regulators were analyzed by western blotting. RESULTS: We observed a strong correlation between higher levels of WT1 and increased TRAIL resistance in myeloid leukemia cell lines. WT1 downregulation by shRNA significantly sensitized leukemia cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and importantly, ectopic expression of shRNA resistant WT1 (WT1SR) in WT1-knockdown cells restored the TRAIL resistance. WT1 influences apoptosis through transcriptional regulation of Bcl-2 family members such as Bcl-2 and Bak. We found for the first time, a positive correlation between WT1 and Bcl-xL expression in leukemia cell lines and primary AML samples. Furthermore, using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, we show that Bcl-xL is a bonafide WT1-target gene as WT1 transctivates Bcl-xL by binding to its promoter. We have (Bansal et al., Blood 2010) recently shown that the expression and oncogenic functions of WT1 could be abrogated by heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitors in myeloid leukemia cells. In order to establish whether Hsp90- mediated regulation of WT1 has any functional significance in TRAIL-resistance we treated leukemia cell with the Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG). The results confirm that Hsp90 inhibition was able to overcome TRAIL resistance, by reducing levels of WT1 and Bcl-xL and by increasing the levels of the proapoptotic protein Bak. Taken together, our results reveal that increased expression of Bcl-xL, along with low Bak, confer WT1-mediated TRAIL resistance. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that TRAIL resistance in myeloid leukemia cells is mediated by overexpression of the panleukemic marker WT1 and this can be overcome by either silencing WT1 or by pharmacologic inhibitors such as 17-AAG. of Hsp90. Our study highlights the potential therapeutic benefit of the combining TRAIL and Hsp90 inhibitors for the treatment of myeloid leukemias. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.