cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A fourth human MEF2 transcription factor, hMEF2D, is an early marker of the myogenic lineage

The transition from multipotent mesodermal precursor to committed myoblast and its differentiation into a mature myocyte involve molecular events that enable the cell to activate muscle-specific genes. Among the participants in this process is the myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family of tissue-restricted transcription factors. These factors, which share a highly conserved DNA-binding domain including a MADS box, are essential for the expression of multiple muscle genes with cognate target MEF2 sites in cis. We report here a new human MEF2 factor, hMEF2D, which is unique among the members of this family in that it is present not only in myotubes but also in undifferentiated myoblasts, even before the appearance of myogenin. hMEF2D comprises several alternatively spliced products of a single gene, one of which is the human homolog of the Xenopus SRF-related factor SL-1. Like its relatives, cloned hMEF2D is capable of activating transcription via sequence-specific binding to the MEF2 site, recapitulating endogenous tissue-specific MEF2 activity. Indeed, while MEF2D mRNAs are ubiquitous, the protein is highly restricted to those cell types that contain this activity, implicating posttranscriptional mechanisms in the regulation of MEF2D expression. Alternative splicing may be important in this process: two alternative MEF2D domains, at least one of which is specifically included during myogenic differentiation, also correlate precisely with endogenous MEF2 activity. These findings provide compelling evidence that MEF2D is an integral link in the regulatory network for muscle gene expression. Its presence in undifferentiated myoblasts further suggests that it may be a mediator of commitment in the myogenic lineage.
Rapid Method To Characterize Lactococcal Bacteriophage Genomes

We present a rapid method to isolate and analyze bacteriophage DNA. Cells are infected and phage replication is allowed to proceed normally for 30 to 60 min. Prior to DNA packaging and cell bursts, the infected cells (1 ml) are harvested and lysed by using a combination of lysozyme and sodium dodecyl sulfate treatments. The total DNA recovered is enriched for phage genomes, and restriction fragments of the phage DNA can be readily visualized on agarose gels. This method was used to grossly compare the genomes of nine lactococcal phages isolated from different cheese plants at different times. The method was also used to visualize the inhibitory effects of pTR2030-induced abortive infection on the replication of phage nck202.31 in its homologous host, Lactococcus lactis NCK203.
Community currency in the United States: the social environments in which it emerges and survives ¿

Community currency originated as a means to empower the economically marginalized. This paper studies the US population of community currency systems using locally printed money. Eighty-two systems are identified that have been attempted in the United States since 1991. Internet searches and contact with system coordinators indicate that only 20.7% of all systems are active. Regions in which they occur are described; more than one quarter are in Pacific states. City-level Census 2000 data are employed in analyses of environmental conduciveness to determine in which types of social environments local currencies emerge and survive within. Social movement theory is engaged to identify general, population-based resources for local movements. Economic marginality and labor-market-independence hypotheses are also formulated and tested. The major findings indicate that cities with local currencies are characterized by populations with lower household incomes, higher poverty rates, higher unemployment rates, and ...
Resection of giant pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia: Expectant observation and avoidance of complex breast surgery.

Introduction Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign tumor of the breast that can achieve large, or even giant, dimensions. Resection of giant tumors can pose cosmetic challenges.
Racial and ethnic differences in epilepsy classification among probands in the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project (EPGP).

Summary Little is known about the ethnic and racial differences in the prevalence of generalized and focal epilepsy among patients with non-acquired epilepsies. In this study, we examined epilepsy classification and race/ethnicity in 813 probands from sibling or parent–child pairs with epilepsy enrolled in the Epilepsy Genome/Phenome Project (EPGP). Subjects were classified as generalized epilepsy (GE), non-acquired focal epilepsy (NAFE), mixed epilepsy syndrome (both generalized and focal), and unclassifiable, based on consensus review of semiology and available clinical, electrophysiology, and neuroimaging data. In this cohort, 628 (77.2%) subjects identified exclusively as Caucasian/white and 65 (8.0%) subjects reported African ancestry, including subjects of mixed-race. Of the Caucasian/white subjects, 357 (56.8%) had GE, 207 (33.0%) had NAFE, 32 (5.1%) had a mixed syndrome, and 32 (5.1%) were unclassifiable. Among subjects of African ancestry, 28 (43.1%) had GE, 27 (41.5%) had NAFE, 2 (3.1%) had a mixed syndrome, and 8 (12.3%) were unclassifiable. There was a higher proportion of subjects with GE compared to other syndromes among Caucasians/whites compared to subjects with African ancestry (OR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.04–2.92, two-tailed Fisher's exact test, p =0.036). There was no difference in the rate of GE among subjects reporting Hispanic ethnicity (7.6% of total) when adjusted for race (Caucasian/white vs non-Caucasian/white; OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.40–1.06, p >0.05). The proportion of participants with unclassifiable epilepsy was significantly greater in those of African-American descent. In a group of patients with epilepsy of unknown etiology and an affected first degree relative, GE is more common among Caucasian/white subjects than among those with African ancestry. These findings suggest there may be geographical differences in the distribution of epilepsy susceptibility genes and an effect of genetic background on epilepsy phenotype. However, the results should be interpreted with caution because of the low numbers of African-Americans in this cohort and more limited diagnostic data available for epilepsy classification in these subjects compared to Caucasians/whites.
Final-Offer Arbitration

In final-offer arbitration the two parties to a dispute submit final offers to an arbitrator. The arbitrator then chooses as the binding solution that offer which is closest to his own view of the appropriate outcome. Because the disputants are imperfectly informed about the arbitrator's preferences, final-offer arbitration can be modeled as a game of imperfect information. Interesting questions arise concerning the nature of the optimal strategies and how they are affected by different characteristics of the arbitrator and the disputants. We provide conditions for an equilibrium to exist in a final-offer arbitration game when there are k issues, the probability function is not specified and the disputants are either risk averse or risk neutral. Furthermore, the players may have differing beliefs about the arbitrator's probability function. We demonstrate that increased risk aversion by one of the parties will result in both players choosing positions farther away from the more risk averse party. We also discover the affect of bias as well as the effect of increased sensitivity by the arbitrator on the positions taken by the players.
Integrative functional genomics

A report on the Keystone Symposium 'Biological Discovery Using Diverse High-Throughput Data', Steamboat Springs, USA, 30 March-4 April 2004.
The first structural characterization and determination of the isomerization activation parameters of a chiral phosphatitanocene.

The activation parameters (ΔG‡298 = 11.5 (±1.0) kcal mol−1, ΔH‡ = 16.3 (±3.0) kcal mol−1, ΔS‡ = 16 (±11) cal mol−1 K−1) have been determined for the rac to meso isomerization of a phosphametallocene, bis(3,4-dimethyl-2-phenylphospholyl)titanium dichloride, 2, which has been structurally characterized.
Neurofuzzy approaches to anticipation: a new paradigm for intelligent systems

Anticipatory systems are systems whose change of state is based on predictions about the future of the system and/or its environment. Planning and acting on the basis of anticipations of the future is an omnipresent feature of human control strategies, deeply permeating our daily experience; the human attribute of foresight may be considered as the hallmark of natural intelligence. Yet, as the eminent mathematical biologist Robert Rosen has pointed out, such control strategies are curiously absent from existing formal approaches to automatic control and decision-making processes. Recent developments in biology, ethology and cognitive sciences, however, as well as advancements in the technology of computer-based predictive models, compel us to reconsider the role of anticipation in intelligent systems and to the extent possible incorporate predictions about the future in our formal approaches to control. Significant improvements in neural predictive computing when combined with the flexibility of fuzzy systems, supports the development of neurofuzzy anticipatory control architectures that integrate planning and control sequencing functions with feedback control algorithms. In this paper the role of anticipation in intelligent systems is reviewed and a new approach is presented for anticipatory control algorithms which use the predictive capabilities of neural models in conjunction with the descriptive power of fuzzy if/then rules.
Analytical Target Cascading Framework using the Exponential Method of Multipliers

The exponential method of multipliers is used for solving multilevel optimization problems within the framework of analytical target cascading (ATC). The original constrained optimization problem is decomposed into a hierarchical system where the connecting elements are coupled via consistency constraints. In each element, the consistency constraints are combined with the objective function to formulate an augmented Lagrangian with an exponential penalty function (EPF). The EPF formulation is combined with single- and double-loop coordination strategies. The advantage of EPF over other approaches is in its efficiency and accuracy with less dependence on the choice of weight factors used for consistency constraints. The proposed approach is applied to three example problems with results compared with those found from four other ATC approaches reported in the literature. In terms of accuracy and computational efficiency, the EPF based solutions are found to have similar or superior performance.
Content Contribution under Revenue Sharing and Reputation Concern in Social Media: The Case of YouTube

A key feature of social media is that it allows individuals and businesses to contribute contents for public viewing. However, little is known about how content providers derive payoffs from such activities. In this study, we build a dynamic structural model to recover the utility function for content providers. Our model distinguishes short-term payoffs based on ad revenue sharing from long-term payoffs driven by content providers‟ reputation. The model was estimated using a panel data of 914 top 1000 providers and 381 randomly selected providers on YouTube from Jun 7th, 2010, to Aug 7th, 2011. The two different sets of providers allow us to explore the difference between top and ordinary providers. Our results demonstrate that both providers value incremental subscribers as much as incremental video views. We also find that top providers value accumulative subscribers more than accumulative video views, while ordinary providers value accumulative video views more.
Teaching/learning action research requires fundamental reforms in public higher education

Action researchers have rarely focused attention on reforming higher education and I argue that this is a mistake. The article reviews some of my failed attempts to make AR a sustainable teaching, research, and extension strategy in my own university. These experiences show that AR works well in the classroom and in small and marginal projects but this small scale and marginality and invisibility also makes such efforts fragile and short-lived. We action researchers have yet to use AR strategies successfully to guide necessary reforms in the relation between universities and the extra-university stakeholders and to deepen collaborative relationships within universities among students, staff, and administrators.
Response: Optical coherence tomography of the suprachoroid after CyPass Micro-Stent implantation for the treatment of open angle glaucoma.

In the recently published article, Saheb et al 1 evaluated changes to the anatomy of the supraciliary space with anterior segment optical coherence tomography imaging after CyPass Micro-Stent implantation. …
Design of a Reconfigurable Robot Arm for Assembly Operations inside an Aircraft Wing-Box

We present a design concept and two initial prototypes of a robot arm for assembly operations inside an aircraft wing-box. The wing-box has a large span, but is only accessible through multiple small portholes along its length. The arm is compact enough to enter the wing-box through the small portholes and is capable of subsequent reconfiguration so as to access a number of assembly points inside the wing-box. Traditional electromechanical actuators are unsuitable for our purpose, because of limited space and large payload requirements. We use an actuator module comprising Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wires, which are known for their high stress to volume ratio. Our design also addresses the issue of limited strain of SMA wires through a displacement amplification mechanism. Our compact, high displacement actuator module can be readily integrated into the structure of the robot arm. We also discuss a deployment scheme for the robot arm, which eliminates gravity loading during the reconfiguration phase, and also helps to position the end effecter at the various assembly points inside the wing-box.
Intelligent Motion Video Guidance for Unmanned Air System Ground Target Surveillance

Unmanned air systems with video capturing systems for surveillance and visual tracking of ground targets have worked relatively well when employing gimbaled cameras controlled by two or more operators: one to fly the vehicle, and one to orient the camera and visually track ground targets. However, autonomous operation to reduce operator workload and crew levels is more challenging when the camera is strapdown, or fixed to the airframe without a pan-and-tilt capability, rather than gimbaled, so that the vehicle must be steered to orient the camera field of view. Visual tracking becomes even more difficult when the target follows an unpredictable path. This paper investigates a machine learning algorithm for visual tracking of stationary and moving ground targets by unmanned air systems with nongimbaling, fixed pan-and-tilt cameras. The algorithm is based on Q learning, and the learning agent initially determines an offline control policy for vehicle orientation and flight path such that a target can be tra...
Valgus Stress Test Study

To the Editor: We would like to address some inadequacies in “Intertester Reliability of Clinical Judgments of Medial Knee Ligament Integrity” (Phys Ther 69:268–275, 1989), by McClure et al, a study of the valgus stress test for medial knee ligament stability. The authors began by making what we feel are some erroneous assumptions and by extrapolating from accessory motion testing jargon to a common clinical test. The authors also inexplicably gave the test a new name, embracing the manual therapy jargon that two of the authors have repeatedly disdained. The most serious flaw in this study involved the inclusion of a three-category scale where three categories of response are not expected. The authors cited the most common, referenced method of interpreting the valgus stress test.1,2… [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/69/268?iss=4
Recognition, participation, and power in the global struggle for environmental justice: the emerging politics of environmental rights and opportunities

In April of 2014, Purdue University's “building sustainable communities” initiative hosted an international workshop on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Access to Resources. Commenced with a k...
RLT-Based Global Optimization Algorithms for Nonconvex Polynomial Programming Problems

Thus far, we have considered the generation of tight relaxations leading to the convex hull representation for linear and nonlinear (polynomial) discrete mixed-integer programming problems using the Reformulation-Linearization Technique (RLT). It turns out that because of its natural facility to enforce relationships between different polynomial terms, RLT can be gainfully employed to obtain global optimal solutions for continuous, nonconvex, polynomial programming problems as well. In this context, although a hierarchy of nested, tighter relaxations can be generated, except in special cases, convex hull representations are not necessarily produced at any particular level, or even in the limit as the number of applications tends to infinity. (See Chapter 8 for a discussion on a special case of bilinear programming problems for which RLT does produce convex hull or convex envelope representations.)
When do auctions ensure the welfare‐maximizing allocation of scarce inputs?

We determine when an unfettered auction will ensure the welfare-maximizing allocation of a scarce input that enhances product quality and may reduce production costs. A supplier values the input for this “use value” and for its “foreclosure value,” because once the input is acquired, it is unavailable to rivals. An unfettered auction often ensures the welfare-maximizing allocation of an input increment. However, it can fail to do so when the input would increase relatively rapidly the competitive position of a rival with a moderate competitive disadvantage. Bidder handicapping that ensures auctions generate welfare-maximizing input allocations differ from standard handicapping policies.
LECTOTYPIFICATION OF RIGODIUM KUNZE EX SCHWAEGR. (MUSCI)

1968. Unfortunately, it turned out to be impossible to determine the exact date at which it was issued at Ziirich, but there seems to be every reason to conclude that this issue was not published in 1967 but in the beginning of 1968. However, preprints of the individual papers appeared well in advance of the publication of that issue. The separatum of Horak's paper bears 3 August 1967 as its date of publication, and this date must be accepted as the date of valid publication of the name Verrucospora (Art. 30.2). We must therefore conclude that Verrucispora Shaw & Alcorn is an illegitimate homonym of Verrucospora Horak, and that Horakia Oberw. is a superfluous renaming of Verrucospora Horak. errucispora Shaw & Alcorn is in need of a new name, but I leave it to specialists of the Fungi Imperfecti to introduce a new name. For Verrucospora Horak the correct nomenclature is as follows:
Failure of Histaminase to Prevent Anaphylactic or Histamine Shock in Guinea Pigs

ConclusionNo evidence was obtained of in vivo activity of histaminase in preventing anaphylactic or histamine shock. There is still a possibility, however, that histaminase might act in vivo if the release of histamine into the body were slow and small in amount, thus allowing more time for the enzyme to act.
Thermal conductivity of diamond under extreme pressure: A first-principles study

Using a first-principles approach based on density functional perturbation theory and an exact numerical solution to the phonon Boltzmann equation, we show that application of high compressive hydrostatic pressure dramatically increases the thermal conductivity of diamond. We connect this enhancement to the overall increased frequency scale with pressure, which makes acoustic velocities higher and reduces phonon-phonon scattering rates. Of particular importance is the often-neglected fact that heat-carrying acoustic phonons are coupled through lattice anharmonicity to higher frequency optic modes. An increase in optic mode frequencies with pressure weakens this coupling and contributes to driving the diamond thermal conductivities to far larger values than in any material at ambient pressure and temperature.
A Follow-up on Efficacy of Immunization of Yeast-derived Recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccine after 11 Years

[Objective]To evaluate the immune efficacy after 11 years' Immunization of domestic yeast-derived recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in newborns. [Methods]A follow-up on children who were born in 1997 and vaccinated with domestic yeast-derived recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at their birth was implemented to test the HBsAg,anti-HBs and anti-HBc.The incidence of acute hepatitis B among subjects with hepatitis B vaccinated was monitored since 1998. [Results]The positive rate of HBsAg was 0.54%,compared with that before vaccination in the same area,the positive rate of HBsAg showed a substantially decrease,the vaccine protective efficacy was 88.05%(95% confidence intervals 85.17%~91.17%).Acute hepatitis B was not found in children immunized with yeast-derived recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. [Conclusion]The domestic yeast recombinant hepatitis B vaccine has a long-term protective effect,and a booster dose is not necessary currently.
The Effects of Multiple-Joint Isokinetic Resistance Training on Maximal Isokinetic and Dynamic Muscle Strength and Local Muscular Endurance

The transfer of training effects of multiple-joint isokinetic resistance training to dynamic exercise performance remain poorly understood. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the magnitude of isokinetic and dynamic one repetition-maximum (1RM) strength and local muscular endurance increases after 6 weeks of multiple-joint isokinetic resistance training. Seventeen women were randomly assigned to either an isokinetic resistance training group (IRT) or a non-exercising control group (CTL). The IRT group underwent 6 weeks of training (2 days per week) consisting of 5 sets of 6-10 repetitions at 75-85% of subjects' peak strength for the isokinetic chest press and seated row exercises at an average linear velocity of 0.15 m s(-1) [3-sec concentric (CON) and 3-sec eccentric (ECC) phases]. Peak CON and ECC force during the chest press and row, 1RM bench press and bent-over row, and maximum number of modified push-ups were assessed pre and post training. A 2 x 2 analysis of variance with repeated measures and Tukey's post hoc tests were used for data analysis. The results showed that 1RM bench press (from 38.6 ± 6.7 to 43.0 ± 5.9 kg), 1RM bent-over row (from 40.4 ± 7.7 to 45.5 ± 7.5 kg), and the maximal number of modified push-ups (from 39.5 ± 13.6 to 55.3 ± 13.1 repetitions) increased significantly only in the IRT group. Peak isokinetic CON and ECC force in the chest press and row significantly increased in the IRT group. No differences were shown in the CTL group for any measure. These data indicate 6 weeks of multiple-joint isokinetic resistance training increases dynamic muscle strength and local muscular endurance performance in addition to specific isokinetic strength gains in women. Key pointsMultiple-joint isokinetic resistance training increases dynamic maximal muscular strength, local muscular endurance, and maximal isokinetic strength in women.Multiple-joint isokinetic resistance training increased 1RM strength in the bench press (by 10.2%), bent-over barbell row (by 11.2%), and maximal modified push-up performance (by 28.6%) indicating a carryover of training effects to dynamic exercise performance.The carryover effects may be attractive to strength training and conditioning professionals seeking to include alternative modalities such as multiple-joint isokinetic dynamometers to resistance training programs.
Emotional Expressivity and Emotion Regulation: Relation to Academic Functioning Among Elementary School Children.

We examined emotional expressivity (i.e., happiness, sadness, and anger) and emotion regulation (regulation of exuberance, sadness, and anger) as they relate to academic functioning (motivation, engagement, and achievement). Also, we tested the premise that emotional expressivity and emotion regulation are indirectly associated with achievement through academic motivation and engagement. Participants included 417 elementary school students (Mage = 10 years; 52% female; 60% Black) and their teachers from a Midwestern metropolitan area. We used child and teacher questionnaires, and data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Regarding emotionality, happiness was positively associated with multiple aspects of academic functioning whereas an inverse association was found for anger; sadness was not associated with academic functioning. Also, happiness and anger were indirectly related to achievement through academic engagement. Emotion regulation was positively associated with multiple aspects of academic functioning; it was also indirectly associated with achievement through engagement. Implications are discussed regarding how social and emotional learning programs in schools can further benefit from research on children's emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record
Organizing coercion in the Philippines

A Spanish colony since the mid-1500s, the Philippine Islands became an American colony after a period of warfare at the turn of the twentieth century, and achieved Commonwealth status and limited domestic autonomy in 1935. The archipelago saw brutal fighting after its occupation by Japan in 1941; granted independence in 1946, it was then governed by a series of democratically elected presidents. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s, the government sought to suppress a rebellion by the Communist Hukbalahap insurgency. The sixth president, Ferdinand Marcos, was elected in 1965 and re-elected in 1969. Unable to run for a third term, Marcos declared martial law in September 1972, and remained in office until deposed by a combination of military coup-defection and mass uprising – the so-called People's Power revolution – in 1986. This chapter examines the origins of Marcos’ internal security apparatus, particularly the coercive institutions that operated from the declaration of martial law in September 1972 to his fall from power in 1986. Like Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, Marcos had the opportunity to reorganize the Philippines’ coercive apparatus and did so. However, Marcos chose the opposite kind of coercive institutional design to that of Chiang: one that was fragmented and socially exclusive. This chapter examines why. It shows that fragmentation and exclusivity were not dictated either by external American influence or by the social factors and institutions that Marcos inherited. If either American assistance or preferences were decisive, the Philippines should have emphasized unitary internal security forces, especially police, to handle the popular threat of communist subversion. If institutional inheritance were determinative, then the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should have remained socially inclusive, and Marcos would not have been able to pursue unitary internal security institutions as a democratically elected leader but then create fragmented ones as he moved toward dictatorial rule. For a complete explanation of why Marcos chose to pursue fragmentation and exclusivity in the coercive apparatus after 1972, then, we must look to his own perceptions of threat. This chapter shows that Marcos created this apparatus primarily to deal with the threat of a coup by the military and security forces, which he feared would pave the way for one of the other elite families in the Philippines to replace him as President.
Personal reflections on 50 years of radical media

I began to use – I detest ‘consume’ – small-scale media 50 years back, living in the rather Disunited Kingdom. [...]
Cross-national patterns of participation in adult education and policy trends in Korea, Norway, and Vietnam

Using comparative data, this article examines the level and distribution of participation in adult education (AE) opportunities among countries that participated in PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies). It considers observed cross-country patterns in relation to some mechanisms that drive unequal chances to participate and to some policy issues that surround the provision, governance, and financing of different types of adult learning. It also explores recent policy developments relevant to AE in three selected countries (Korea, Norway, and Vietnam).
Wagering Against Divine Hiddenness

J.L. Schellenberg argues that divine hiddenness provides an argument for the conclusion that God does not exist, for if God existed he would not allow non-resistant non-belief to occur, but non-resistant non-belief does occur, so God does not exist. In this paper, I argue that the stakes involved in theistic considerations put pressure on Schellenberg’s premise that non-resistant non- belief occurs. First, I specify conditions for someone’s being a non-resistant non-believer. Then, I argue that many people fulfil these conditions because, given some plausible assumptions, there is a very good pragmatic reason to be a theist rather than an atheist. I assume it is more likely that theists go to heaven than atheists, and I argue there is a non-zero probability that one can receive infinite utility and a method of comparing outcomes with infinite utilities in which the probability of each outcome affects the final expected values. Then, I show how this argument entails there is no good reason to think that there are very many non-resistant non-believers.
Delayed Progression of Lung Metastases Following Delivery of a Prodrug-activating Enzyme.

Background Chemotherapy is an effective option to treat recurrent or metastatic cancer but its debilitating side-effects limit the dose and time of exposure. Prodrugs that can be activated locally by an activating enzyme can minimize collateral damage from chemotherapy. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of a poly-L-lysine-based theranostic nanoplex containing bacterial cytosine deaminase (bCD) that locally converted 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil in MDA-MB-231 primary tumor xenografts. Materials and methods Here we used a more effective variant of bCD to target metastatic red fluorescence protein expressing MDA-MB-435 cells in the lungs. We used an intravenous injection of tumor cells and monitored tumor growth in the lungs for 5 weeks by which time metastatic nodules were detected with optical imaging. The animals were then treated with the bCD-nanoplex and 5-FC. Results We observed a significant decrease in metastatic burden with a single dose of the enzyme-nanoplex and two consecutive prodrug injections. Conclusion These results are a first step towards the longitudinal evaluation of such a strategy with multiple doses. Additionally, the enzyme can be directly coupled to imaging reporters to time prodrug administration for the detection and treatment of aggressive metastatic cancer.
The epistemic logic of asylum screening: (dis)embodiment and the production of asylum knowledge in Brazil

The current era demands our thoughtful attention to how states process asylum seeker claims for safe haven, yet we know little about the practices through which asylum officials carry out that work...
Remote sensing spectroscopy to discriminate plant functional types and physiological function

Terrestrial ecosystems influence the Earth's climate by regulating exchanges of matter and energy between the land and atmosphere [1]. On an annual basis, photosynthesis and respiration absorb and release approximately 20% of the total atmospheric carbon (C) pool [2]. In recent decades, a net imbalance between these processes, linked to strong C sinks in soils and living vegetation, has offset a substantial fraction of human CO 2 emissions [3]. The ability of ecosystems to continue sequestering C at such high rates is unclear [4, 5]. Addressing this topic is critical to future climate forecasting and will require new tools for characterizing ecosystems and improving models that simulate their response to change. A key challenge that limits our ability to monitor and model global terrestrial ecosystem functioning, defined as the chemical, biological and physical processes occurring within an ecosystem, is the lack of comprehensive information on the spatial and temporal variability of the critical traits as well as environmental parameters that drive physiological processes in terrestrial vegetation [6].
Who Fights, Who Flees? An Integration of the LC4MP and Psychological Reactance Theory

ABSTRACTThis study tests the hypothesis that defensive message processing, like defensive behaviors in the real world, has two directions, fight-and-flight. The Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing (LC4MP) characterizes defensive message processing by increases in unpleasantness and arousal reports, and accelerated heart rate indicating either a focus on internal processing (internal thoughts) or the active withdrawal of cognitive resources from processing highly arousing and unpleasant media messages. However, the LC4MP has not included direct measures that allow discrimination between fight-and-flight responses. Psychological reactance theory (PRT) predicts defensive responses including anger and counterarguments (reactance) when media messages threaten viewers’ freedom and autonomy. We hypothesized that PRT provides the LC4MP with the appropriate measures (anger and counterarguments) needed to discriminate fight-or-flight responses. Results supported this prediction. Particip...
The Complement Cascade in Acute Brain Injury

The prominent role of inflammatory pathways in acute brain injury has become increasingly clear in recent literature. The complement system represents a heterogeneous group of inflammatory molecules capable of being activated by numerous stimuli to a large number of ends. In this chapter, we review the mechanisms of the complement system, with emphasis on C5 and C3. We then present the leading theories of the conflicting role of the complement system in central nervous system disease and the current state of investigations attempting to modify injury through modulation of the complement system.
James's “Transfigured Nature”: Where Art and Religion Converge

This essay explores ways in which William James's appreciation for art finds expression in his psychology of religion. Portraiture art reveals his perception of his distance from his religious subjects, whereas landscape art reveals his personal appropriation of religion and self-identification with the religiously-minded. Furthermore, landscape art draws attention to the feminine, even maternal aspect of religion, the aspect to which James was especially receptive.
The impact of triangular inequality violations on medoid-based clustering

We evaluate the extent to which a dissimilarity space differs from a metric space by introducing the notion of metric point and metricity in a dissimilarity space. The effect of triangular inequality violations on medoid-based clustering of objects in a dissimilarity space is examined and the notion of rectifier is introduced to transform a dissimilarity space into a metric space.
Professional Preparation of Allied Health Practitioners and Special Educators Using a Collaborative Transdisciplinary Approach

AbstractThis article presents a curriculum model that emphasizes the development of transdisciplinary teaming skills for therapeutic recreation students and students from other related services pro...
An Improved Tool for Mapping the Membrane-Associated Protein Interactome.

Protein-protein interactions mediate fundamental biological processes. Yeast two-hybrid assays can be used to detect protein-protein interactions in a fast and large-scale manner. However, in traditional yeast-two hybrid assays, the prey and bait proteins must be located in the nucleus to activate
Risky Election, Vulnerable Technology: Localizing Biometric Use in Elections for the Sake of Justice

This article examines the fingerprint biometric technology adopted by Ghana to enhance its electoral integrity and argues that although this technology is touted to be value-neutral, objective, and...
Strong band gap reduction in highly mismatched alloy InAlBiAs grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We studied InAlBiAs thin films of less than 300 nm on the InP substrate with Bi composition up to 3.2%. The samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low growth temperature and were shown to be fully strained to the substrate and have smooth interfaces. A bandgap reduction around 47 meV/%Bi was observed via spectroscopic ellipsometry. The valence band anticrossing model was used to fit the experimental data. The bandgaps of InAlBiAs with more than 3% Bi are much lower than the expected values from the model, which could be the result of alloy disorders.We studied InAlBiAs thin films of less than 300 nm on the InP substrate with Bi composition up to 3.2%. The samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low growth temperature and were shown to be fully strained to the substrate and have smooth interfaces. A bandgap reduction around 47 meV/%Bi was observed via spectroscopic ellipsometry. The valence band anticrossing model was used to fit the experimental data. The bandgaps of InAlBiAs with more than 3% Bi are much lower than the expected values from the model, which could be the result of alloy disorders.
Virus Impact on Lipids and Membranes

Viruses manipulate cellular lipids and membranes at each stage of their life cycle. This includes lipid-receptor interactions, the fusion of viral envelopes with cellular membranes during endocytosis, the reorganization of cellular membranes to form replication compartments, and the envelopment and egress of virions. In addition to the physical interactions with cellular membranes, viruses have evolved to manipulate lipid signaling and metabolism to benefit their replication. This review summarizes the strategies that viruses use to manipulate lipids and membranes at each stage in the viral life cycle.
Contraceptive Decision Making Among Latina Immigrants: Developing Theory-Based Survey Items.

Background:Contraception is important for reproductive autonomy, yet many Latinas do not use contraception consistently despite research reporting a desire to do so. Factors varying in priority and...
Mixed Reality Anatomy Using Microsoft HoloLens and Cadaveric Dissection: A Comparative Effectiveness Study.

As the amount of curricular material required of medical students increases, less time is available for anatomy; thus, methods to teach anatomy more efficiently and effectively are necessary. In this randomized controlled trial, we looked at the effectiveness of a mixed reality (MR) device to teach musculoskeletal anatomy to medical students compared with traditional cadaveric dissection. Participating students were divided into three cohorts. Cohort 1 first studied upper limb anatomy in MR followed by lower limb anatomy through cadaveric dissection. Cohort 2 studied upper limb anatomy with cadaveric dissection followed by lower limb anatomy in MR. After the six sessions, a third cohort of 33 students who never received any teaching in MR was recruited to participate in the final practical exams as a control group. All 64 students completed two practical exams with equivalent content, one in the cadaver lab and one using MR. The average scores were 73.8% + 12.3 on the cadaver exam and 74.2% + 13.0 in MR. There is no statistical difference between these scores (p > 0.05). A correlation was found between the MR practical exam and cadaver practical exam scores (r = 0.74, p < 0.01) across all students. To our knowledge, this study marks the first time that MR was compared with traditional anatomy learning modalities in a multi-session, group course. Our results clearly indicate that medical students, regardless of the study modality, performed similarly on the MR and the cadaver practical exams.
Lifting Agent Granuloma.

Objectives Histologic findings after endoscopic resection using submucosal lifting agents Eleview and ORISE gel are described. Methods Four cases were identified based on the histologic presence of ORISE gel. Cases were selected to illustrate the histologic appearance of the lifting agent immediately after injection (day 0) and after an interval of approximately 2 months. Results Immediately after injection, the gel had an appearance similar to acellular mucin on HE we have proposed the name lifting agent granuloma for this histologic appearance. The aged material may be mistaken for amyloid or a pulse (legume) granuloma; however, the material was negative on Congo red stain and had a different clinical history and distribution in the tissue from those of a pulse granuloma. Conclusions It is important to take note of the histologic appearance of these new submucosal lifting agents over a varying time interval, as outlined here, so that they are readily recognized and not mistaken for other entities.
Joint mean–covariance estimation via the horseshoe

Abstract Seemingly unrelated regression is a natural framework for regressing multiple correlated responses on multiple predictors. The model is very flexible, with multiple linear regression and covariance selection models being special cases. However, its practical deployment in genomic data analysis under a Bayesian framework is limited due to both statistical and computational challenges. The statistical challenge is that one needs to infer both the mean vector and the inverse covariance matrix, a problem inherently more complex than separately estimating each. The computational challenge is due to the dimensionality of the parameter space that routinely exceeds the sample size. We propose the use of horseshoe priors on both the mean vector and the inverse covariance matrix. This prior has demonstrated excellent performance when estimating a mean vector or inverse covariance matrix separately. The current work shows these advantages are also present when addressing both simultaneously. A full Bayesian treatment is proposed, with a sampling algorithm that is linear in the number of predictors. MATLAB code implementing the algorithm is freely available from github at https://github.com/liyf1988/HS_GHS . Extensive performance comparisons are provided with both frequentist and Bayesian alternatives, and both estimation and prediction performances are verified on a genomic data set.
Genetic deletion of Polo-like kinase 2 reduces alpha-synuclein serine-129 phosphorylation in presynaptic terminals but not Lewy bodies.

Phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein at serine-129 is an important marker of pathologically relevant, aggregated forms of the protein in several important human diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and Multiple system atrophy. Although several kinases have been shown to be capable of phosphorylating alpha-synuclein in various model systems, the identity of the kinase that phosphorylates alpha-synuclein in the Lewy body remains unknown. One member of the Polo-like kinase family, PLK2, is a strong candidate for being the Lewy body kinase. To examine this possibility, we have used a combination of approaches, including biochemical, immunohistochemical, and in vivo multiphoton imaging techniques to study the consequences of PLK2 genetic deletion on alpha-synuclein phosphorylation in both the presynaptic terminal and preformed fibril-induced Lewy body pathology in mouse cortex. We find that PLK2 deletion reduces presynaptic terminal alpha-synuclein serine-129 phosphorylation, but has no effect on Lewy body phosphorylation levels. Serine-129 mutation to the phosphomimetic alanine or the unphosphorylatable analog aspartate does not change the rate of cell death of Lewy inclusion-bearing neurons in our in vivo multiphoton imaging paradigm, but PLK2 deletion does slow the rate of neuronal death. Our data indicate that inhibition of PLK2 represents a promising avenue for developing new therapeutics, but that the mechanism of neuroprotection by PLK2 inhibition is not likely due to reducing alpha-synuclein serine-129 phosphorylation and that the true Lewy body kinase still awaits discovery.
Relationships among perceived stress, emotional eating, and dietary intake in college students: Eating self-regulation as a mediator

Abstract This study aimed to examine the relationships among perceived stress, eating self-regulation, emotional eating, and dietary intake among undergraduate college students. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 523 students recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. All participants completed an online survey that assessed perceived stress, eating self-regulation, emotional eating, dietary intake, and demographics. The study sample was 47% female, 30% Hispanic, 8% Black, and 33% Asian. The overweight and obesity rate was 33%. Nearly 83% reported having moderate to high levels of stress, and over 80% had low to medium levels of eating self-regulation skills. On average, students consumed fruits and vegetables 2.42 times per day and sweets and soft drinks about once every other day. Perceived stress was positively correlated with emotional eating (β = 0.12, p = .005), and negatively correlated with eating self-regulation (β = −0.40, p
Remodeling of the Posterior Cerebral Artery P1-Segment after Pipeline Flow Diverter Treatment of Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms.

Introduction: Flow diverters such as the pipeline embolization device (PED) cause hemodynamic changes of the treated vessel segment. In posterior communicating artery (PcomA), aneurysms’ unique anatomic consideration have to be taken in account due to the connection between the anterior and posterior circulation. We hypothesize that in conjunction with PcomA remodeling, there will also be remodeling of the ipsilateral P1 segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) after PED treatment for PcomA aneurysms. Methods: We retrospectively collected radiological as well as clinical data of PcomA aneurysm patients treated with PED including PcomA and P1 vessel diameters before and after treatment as well as patient and aneurysm characteristics. Results: Overall, 14 PcomA aneurysm patients were included for analysis and PED treatment was performed without complications in all patients. In 10 out of 14 patients (71%), a decrease in PcomA diameter was observed and there was a significant mean decrease of 0.78 mm in PcomA diameter on angiographic last follow-up (LFU) (p = 0.003). In the same patient population (10 out of 14 patients), there was meanwhile a significant mean increase of 0.43 mm in the ipsilateral P1 segment diameter observed (p = 0.015). These vessel remodeling effects were in direct correlation with aneurysm occlusion since all of these patients showed aneurysm occlusion at LFU while 29% showed only partial occlusion without vessel remodeling effects. A decrease in PcomA diameter was directly associated with aneurysm occlusion (p = 0.042). There were no neurologic complications on LFU. Conclusion: In the treatment of PcomA aneurysms with PED, the P1 segment of the PCA increases in diameter while the PcomA diameter decreases. Our results suggest that this remodeling effect is associated with aneurysm occlusion and decrease of PcomA is hemodynamically compensated for by an increase in the ipsilateral P1 diameter.