cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual function in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat

The visual receptive fields of 293 single units in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat were studied. In addition to the wide variety of types described by others, a group of units responding differentially to color was identified that included units responding particularly to blue and others with opponent color properties. Some units with spontaneous firing and without definite visual receptive fields were inhibited by stimulation of the optic chiasm (OX). A study of latency of firing to OX stimulation suggested that these cells were driven by retinal ganglion cells of the W type. One-third of all units studied were binocularly driven.
Risk Management for Catholic Priests in the United States: A New Demand from the Code of Pastoral Conduct

Abstract Following the disclosure of decades of Episcopal cover-ups of child sexual abuse, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) promulgated the Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People(USCCB, 2002). This document requires that all U.S. dioceses and eparchies identify a code of conduct for clergy, employees, and volunteers. The Virtus Model Code of Pastoral Conduct (National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc., 2002) has been selected by many dioceses/eparchies. Other dioceses and eparchies have used similar variants. While codes of conduct for priests may seem reasonable, current codes do not distinguish between the functions of mental health providers and priests. As a result significant ministerial implications may effect pastoral service delivery. This paper focuses on risk management strategies, similar to those used by social workers and other mental health practitioners, that will become increasingly necessary for priests who provide pastoral counseling, spiritual di...
Stability in Metallic Elements

The metallic alloys that are widely used in structures, machines and vehicles are chosen because they are, under many loading conditions, not subject to brittle fracture, and can withstand localized overloading. Nominally ductile metals can, however, fracture in a brittle manner under certain conditions. Cyclic loading can result in fatigue cracks that can lead to brittle fracture. Two modes of ductile instability are discussed: time independent loading and time dependent loading, or creep.
Prevalence of Employer Self-Insured Health Benefits: National and State Variation

Many large employers prefer to self-insure health plans offered to employees rather than purchase them from insurance companies to save costs and to avoid the burden of complying with varying state mandates. This concerns state governments because they cannot directly regulate self-insured plans. This article describes the prevalence of employer self-insurance for the nation and by state in 1993 and examines what factors, especially state policies, contribute to the national and state variation in the prevalence of self-insurance. Data from the National Employer Health Insurance Survey on 34,604 private sector establishments are analyzed. Variation in the prevalence of self-insurance was largely explained by the firm size of the establishments. After all other factors were examined, very little was added to predict the rate of self-insurance for each state. While state premium taxation and benefits mandates were not associated with self-insurance, small-group reforms were significantly and positively associated with the probability of self-insurance.
Comparison of Carotid Endarterectomy Outcomes From Randomized Controlled Trials and Medicare Administrative Databases

Objective: To compare the characteristics and outcomes demonstrated for participants in randomized controlled trials of carotid endarterectomy with those of the Medicare patient population who received the procedure in 1989. Design: Historical cohort study using Medicare claims data. Setting: Medicare beneficiary population aged 65 years and older. Patients: Medicare patients 65 years and older who received carotid endarterectomy during 1989. Main Outcome Measures: Perioperative mortality rate and occurrence of transient ischemic attack, stroke, and death within 2 years of surgery. Results: The risk for death within 2 years of the procedure was substantially higher among Medicare patients who received surgery in hospitals with perioperative mortality rates greater than rates demonstrated in the trials (odds ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-1.44) and among those with comorbidity that exceeded trial participation criteria (odds ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.64-1.84). Conclusions: Although carotid endarterectomy trials demonstrate the efficacy of the procedure, this evidence only applies to patients and hospitals with characteristics comparable to those of the trial participants. The importance of this consideration is demonstrated by the substantially higher odds of death experienced among Medicare patients receiving the procedure who had a level of comorbidity that exceeded that of the trial participants or who received their surgery in a hospital with a perioperative mortality rate that exceeded the experience of the hospitals in the trials.
In vivo extraction of Arabidopsis cell turgor pressure using nanoindentation in conjunction with finite element modeling

SUMMARY Turgor pressure in plant cells is involved in many important processes. Stable and normal turgor pressure is required for healthy growth of a plant, and changes in turgor pressure are indicative of changes taking place within the plant tissue. The ability to quantify the turgor pressure of plant cells in vivo would provide opportunities to understand better the process of pressure regulation within plants, especially when plant stress is considered, and to understand the role of turgor pressure in cellular signaling. Current experimental methods do not separate the influence of the turgor pressure from the effects associated with deformation of the cell wall when estimates of turgor pressure are made. In this paper, nanoindentation measurements are combined with finite element simulations to determine the turgor pressure of cells in vivo while explicitly separating the cell-wall properties from the turgor pressure effects. Quasi-static cyclic tests with variable depth form the basis of the measurements, while relaxation tests at low depth are used to determine the viscoelastic material properties of the cell wall. Turgor pressure is quantified using measurements on Arabidopsis thaliana under three pressure states (control, turgid and plasmolyzed) and at various stages of plant development. These measurements are performed on cells in vivo without causing damage to the cells, such that pressure changes may be studied for a variety of conditions to provide new insights into the biological response to plant stress conditions.
Brief communication "Stratospheric winds, transport barriers and the 2011 Arctic ozone hole"

Abstract. The Arctic stratosphere throughout the late winter and early spring of 2011 was characterized by an unusually severe ozone loss, resulting in what has been described as an ozone hole. The 2011 ozone loss was made possible by unusually cold temperatures throughout the Arctic stratosphere. Here we consider the issue of what constitutes suitable environmental conditions for the formation and maintenance of a polar ozone hole. Our discussion focuses on the importance of the stratospheric wind field and, in particular, the importance of a high latitude zonal jet, which serves as a meridional transport barrier both prior to ozone hole formation and during the ozone hole maintenance phase. It is argued that stratospheric conditions in the boreal winter/spring of 2011 were highly unusual inasmuch as in that year Antarctic-like Lagrangian dynamics led to the formation of a boreal ozone hole.
How multilevel structures affect environmental policy in industrialized countries

. Extensive decentralization and devolution efforts among industrialized nations throughout the 1980s and 1990s call for a closer look at the effect these trends have on public policy. This article investigates the impact of these trends on the environmental performance of industrialized countries. There are two competing hypotheses as to how federalism and other multilevel governance structures affect the environmental performance of countries. The first stresses that the resulting institutional fragmentation and regulatory unpredictability is detrimental to the protection of the environment. An alternative hypothesis emphasizes that multilevel systems fare better regarding environmental performance because they can effectively respond to local needs and encourage innovation at the sub-national level. Based on OECD air pollution data, the study finds that multilevel structures affect the way in which important determinants of environmental performance work. Thus, corporatist accommodation structures, which are known to enhance environmental policy, do so primarily in multi-tiered systems. A high level of economic development, on the other hand, which has also been shown to contribute to environmental performance, does so mainly in countries that are characterized by weak multilevel structures. The article discusses theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
The economic value of water in agriculture: concepts and policy applications $

The design of institutions that maximizes water's beneficial use in the face of growing demands for scarce and random supplies is the central policy issue in dry places. Information on water's economic value enables decision makers to make informed choices on water development, conservation, allocation, and use when growing demands for all uses are made in the face of increased scarcity. Conceptually correct and empirically accurate estimates of the economic value of water are essential for rational allocation of scarce water across locations, uses, users, and time periods. This review article raises several issues that must be considered in deriving accurate estimates of the economic value of water. These include establishing common denominators for water values in quantity, time, location and quality; identifying the point of view from which values are measured; distinguishing the period of adjustment over which values are estimated; and accounting for the difference between total, average, and incremental values of water. We illustrate values of water for agricultural use, based on a recent drought policy analysis of the Rio Grande Basin.
Does Geriatric Evaluation and Management Improve the Health Behavior of Older Veterans in Psychological Distress

A randomized, controlled trial compared prospective 16-month health service use among 160 frail, elderly veterans receiving outpatient geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) or usual primary care (UPC). In this secondary analysis, multivariable regression was used to determine if the psychosocial assessment and support provided by the GEM team moderated the use of medical services by patients in psychological distress. The results indicate that GEM reduced outpatient use among patients who scored higher on a measure of somatization (p< .05), but GEM increased outpatient use among patients with higher manifest anxiety (p≤ .05). Psychological distress was not a factor in the use of inpatient services. GEM had a modest beneficial effect on the health behavior of frail older persons manifesting some symptoms of psychological distress.
Diabetes Interferes with the Bone Formation by Affecting the Expression of Transcription Factors that Regulate Osteoblast Differentiation

Type 1 diabetes in humans has as one of its complications inadequate bone formation, resulting in osteopenia and delayed fracture healing. To investigate the mechanisms by which diabetes affects bone formation, experiments were performed in a marrow ablation model. Mice were made diabetic by multiple low-dose streptozotocin treatment, and controls were treated with vehicle alone. Killing occurred 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 16 d following marrow ablation. Histologic analysis demonstrated that the amount of immature mesenchymal tissue was equivalent in both the experimental and control groups on d 4. On d 6 a burst of bone formation occurred in the control group that was significantly reduced in the diabetic group. This deficit was evident at the molecular level as shown by diminished expression of osteocalcin, collagen types I. When transcription factors were examined, core-binding factor alpha1 (Cbfa1)/runt domain factor-2 (Runx-2) and human homolog of the drosophila distal-less gene (Dlx5) expression were substantially reduced in the diabetic, compared with control, groups on d 4 and 6. C-fos but not c-jun expression was also suppressed in the diabetic group but not closely linked to bone formation. Insulin treatment substantially reversed the effect of diabetes on the expression of bone matrix osteocalcin and collagen type I and transcription factors Cbfa1/Runx2 and Dlx5. These results indicate that diabetic animals produce sufficient amounts of immature mesenchymal tissue but fail to adequately express genes that regulate osteoblast differentiation, Cbfa1/Runx-2 and Dlx5, which in turn, leads to decreased bone formation.
Production and Role of Extracellular Guanosine Cyclic 3′, 5′ Monophosphate in Sodium Uptake in Human Proximal Tubule Cells

The present study was designed to determine the capability of human renal proximal tubule (RPT) to generate and export guanosine cyclic 3′, 5′ monophosphate (cGMP) in response to direct stimulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase by nitric oxide (NO) donors. In addition, we investigated whether cGMP extrusion from human RPT cells is required for inhibition of cellular sodium uptake. RPT cells were cultured from fresh human kidneys (normotensive subjects, n=4, mean age 65±4.7 years, 3 men, 1 woman; hypertensive patients, n=6, mean age 64±6.1 years, 4 men, 2 women) after unilateral nephrectomy. The fluorescence dye Sodium Green was employed to determine cytoplasmic Na + concentration. In the presence of the Na + /K + ATPase inhibitor ouabain, fluorescence was monitored at the appropriate wavelength (excitation 485 nm, emission 535 nm). Nitric oxide donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP, 10 −4 M), increased both intracellular and extracellular cGMP (from 1.26±0.21 to 88.7±12.6 pmol/mg protein and from 0.58±0.10 to 9.24±1.9 pmol/mL, respectively, P + uptake by 37.4±6.8% ( P −6 M)-induced increase in intracellular cGMP accumulation (from 4.9±0.9 to 9.8±1.5 pmol/mg protein, P P + uptake. Neither intracellular nor extracellular cGMP were influenced by l-arginine, the metabolic precursor of NO, or N G -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of NO synthase. After exogenous administration of cGMP (10 −5 M) or its membrane-permeable analogue 8-Br-cGMP (10 −5 M), only 8-Br-cGMP crossed the cell membrane to increase intracellular cGMP (from 1.36±0.19 to 289.7±29.4 pmol/mg protein, P + uptake. In conclusion, human RPT cells contain soluble guanylyl cyclase and are able to generate and export cGMP in response to NO. Because human RPT cells do not themselves contain constitutive NO synthase, the NO-generating cGMP must be derived from sources outside the human RPT. The cGMP cellular export system is critical in the regulation of RPT cellular Na + absorption in humans.
Adequacy of finite difference schemes for convection‐diffusion equations

Finite difference schemes for the numerical solution of singularly perturbed convection problems on uniform grids are studied in the limit case where the viscosity and the meshsize approach zero at the same time. The present error estimates are given in terms of order of magnitude in the above limit process and are useful in a priori choosing adequate schemes and meshsizes for boundary-layer problems and problems with closed characteristics. Published 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 18: 280–295, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/num.10007
Musical Communities: Rethinking the Collective in Music

Abstract This essay discusses the study of musical communities, taking as its point of departure the growing avoidance of the term “community” within much of recent musical scholarship. After exploring factors that have been responsible for the move away from community studies, the paper details both the creation of new nomenclature and the discourse surrounding the introduction of these new terms. Based on insights drawn from musical ethnography with recent African immigrants to the United States, the paper goes on to propose a revised framework for approaching “community.” It suggests that attention to processes of descent, dissent, and affinity both elucidates music9s generative role in shaping new collectivities and unsettles the notion of music as a static sonic marker of social groupings. The conclusion touches briefly on new research from the sciences that is beginning to shed new light on music9s role in generating social outcomes and the potential it holds for future collaboration with music scholars across disciplinary boundaries.
The Castracani Family of Thirteenth-Century Lucca

THE partnership controlled by the Castracani family ranked among the foremost international banking organizations of late thirteenth-century Lucca.' Members of the Castracani family first appear in the Lucchese notarial documents of about 1250 as money-changers, campsores. In succeeding generations they became increasingly identified with large-scale, international banking and finance. Thus, apart from the interest attaching to the family that produced Castruccio Castracani, lord of Lucca and would-be master of Tuscany, the history of the Castracani family's enterprises serves to illucidate the conduct, methods and organizations of early banking in Lucca, one of the major industrial and commercial centers of mediaeval Europe. Among the mass of notarial documents housed in the Archivio di Stato and the Archivio capitolare of Lucca, there are numerous contracts relating to the activities of the members of the Castracani family through four generations spanning the last fifty years of the thirteenth century.2 To be sure, the surviving notarial materials represent only a fraction of the original total, and with respect to the Castracani contain a regrettable lacuna for the decade 1274-1284, yet they are sufficient to permit a reconstruction of the main outlines of the family history from about 1250 until the family's expulsion from Lucca in January 1300. The first of the Castracani family about whom we have direct evidence is one Castracane Rugerii whose name first appears in the sources in a document dated 1202.3 On two other occasions, in 1218 and 1221, he again figures in the documents.4 In July 1218 we find him handing over to Giovanni domino et magistri templorum Rome et Tuscie et Sardinie and domino Stefano, rector of the Church of St. Peter de mansionis de Luca, a piece of land with a house in Lucca valued at
RETPN: reverse engineering methodology based on timed Petri nets. A software reliability approach

Concerns the design and implementation of methodologies applicable to reverse engineering in the software process. In particular, forward engineering is normally in dark and cannot enlighten the advancement of the new process needs. At present, there exists no software engineering methodology capable of guaranteeing major achievements in reverse engineering once a software project has been started and it is to be upgraded in one particular manner. Techniques such as SADT, HIPO, the spiral methodologies, and the very waterfall model do not provide optimal results in reverse engineering because they are based on a systematic, quasi sequential approach to satisfy each specific step in a particular model. However, Petri nets offer the possibility of optimizing reverse software engineering at any stage of the software process and provide a flexible mechanism to ensure quality and guarantee continuity, and consistency in reverse engineering models. In particular, timed Petri nets (TPNs) offer a unique capability to control and optimize the time and cost involved in each individual task or milestone and similarly offer a powerful approach to interact different tasks associated with a specific place in a more flexible and effective manner.
VISUAL ATTENTION: Control, Representation, and Time Course

Three central problems in the recent literature on visual attention are reviewed. The first concerns the control of attention by top-down (or goal-directed) and bottom-up (or stimulus-driven) processes. The second concerns the representational basis for visual selection, including how much attention can be said to be location- or object-based. Finally, we consider the time course of attention as it is directed to one stimulus after another.
Thin foil transformation into liquid droplets due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in NDCX-1 experiments

Abstract It is proposed that a likely scenario for droplet formation in the NDCX-I experiments is a result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for targets with a thickness larger than the range of ions in the film (∼100 nm for NDCX-I parameters).
Chronic hyperphenylalaninemia produces cerebral hyperglycinemia in immature rats.

: The amino acid content of three tissues was measured in 10-day-old rats made hyperphenylalaninemic from age 3 to 10 days by daily injections of phenylalanine plus α-methylphenylalanine to inhibit phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). At 12 h after the last injection, the concentrations of alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, and leucine in the cerebral hemispheres were depressed by 25–50%, whereas that of glycine was elevated 2.3-fold. In the spinal cord, the levels of phosphoserine, methionine, and leucine were decreased by 40–50%, and those of serine and threonine increased by 50%. Tyrosine and phenylalanine concentrations were high in all tissues, 2–3 and 15–30 times normal, respectively; of the amino acids investigated, they were the only ones changed in the liver. Cerebral hyperglycinemia was also produced by chronic treatment with phenylalanine plus p-chlorophenylalanine to inhibit PAH, but not by acute (12 h) hyperphenylalaninemia. An increase in cerebral phosphoserine phosphatase activity was greater in rats treated with phenylalanine plus PAH inhibitor than with inhibitor alone. The content of brain glycine normally declines with age from birth to 15 days; this decrease was prevented by chronic hyperphenylalaninemia. Attempts to reduce the cerebral glycine content of the hyperphenylalaninemic rats were unsuccessful. However, one of the therapeutic protocols, methionine loading, may be useful because it increased the methionine and decreased the phenylalanine contents in the brain.
SHP-1 phosphatase C-terminus interacts with novel substrates p32/p30 during erythropoietin and interleukin-3 mitogenic responses

SHP-1 protein tyrosine phosphatase is a critical negative regulator of mitogenic signaling, as demonstrated by the heightened growth responses to hematopoietic growth factors in hematopoietic cells of motheaten mice, which lack functional SHP-1 expression due to mutations in the SHP-1 gene. The mitogenic signaling molecules dephosphorylated by SHP-1 have not been fully identified. We detected two proteins (p32/p30) that are hyperphosphorylated in a DA3/erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) cell line that expresses a mutant containing the SHP-1 C-terminus that suppresses the function of the endogenous phosphatase and induces hyperproliferative responses to interleukin-3 (IL-3) and Epo. Hyperphosphorylated p32/p30 are also detected in motheaten hematopoietic cells, demonstrating an association of p32/p30 hyperphosphorylation with SHP-1-deficiency and growth factor-hyperresponsiveness. The hyperphosphorylated p32/30 associate with SHP-1 via its C-terminus, because they coimmunoprecipitate with the phosphatase and the C-terminal mutant and they bind in vitro to a synthetic peptide of the mutant but not the GST fusion proteins of SHP-1 SH2 domains. Induction of p32/p30 phosphorylation by IL-3 or Epo occurs mainly at 2 to 18 hours poststimulation in the DA3/EpoR cell line, indicating p32/p30 as novel signaling molecules during cell cycle progression. These data demonstrate a function for the SHP-1 C-terminus in recruiting potential substrates p32/p30 and suggest that SHP-1 may regulates mitogenic signaling by dephosphorylating p32/p30.
EFFECTS OF SCHEDULING TEST ADMINISTRATION ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

For a project-specific test of 100 general knowledge questions presented within a multiple-choice format, each correct response was assigned a point value of 1. The examination was administered to both groups on a Saturday with extra credit being given as an incentive for participation. Group A took the test at 7:30 a.m. and Group B took it at 4:00 p.m. All subjects were told that this was a new form of intelligence test and that advance preparation would not be beneficial. They were also informed that two versions of the test would be used to guard against collaboration. At the study's conclusion the purpose was described.
The Effects of Achievement Motivation and Ability Upon Discovery Learning and Accompanying Incidental Learning Under Two Conditions of Incentive-Set

AbstractThis study examined the influence of achievement motivation and mental ability upon complex discovery learning and incidental learning under two different incentive conditions: an achievement incentive, where the explicit incentive was the successful accomplishment of the learning task and involved only knowledge of results; and an extrinsic-incentive represented by a monetary reward for good performance. One hundred ninety-five subjects were classified as either high or low (median split) on the basis of their scores on each of two measures, one for intelligence and one for achievement motivation. Subsequently, subjects were assigned at random to one of two incentive groups and the learning task administered. Data provided by the learning measures, and time scores, as determined by the amount of time the subjects expended on the task, were analyzed by means of a three factorial analysis of variance. The results both support and contradict past research evidence.
Role of Al 2 O 3 particulate reinforcements on precipitation in 2014 Al-matrix composites

Precipitation in commercial aluminum alloy 2014, without and with alumina particulate reinforcements, was studied using microhardness, electrical resistivity, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy. The precipitation sequence in 2014 Al was confirmed to be αss→α + GPZ →α + λ’→a + λ’ + gH→α + λ (AlCuMgSi) + θ (CuAl2). Reinforcement addition decreased the time to peak hardness, but also reduced the peak matrix microhardness. This was traced to a decrease in the amount of λ’ formed in the composites. Further, it was observed that while Guinier-Preston (GP) zone and θ’ formations are accelerated in the composites, λ’ precipitation is decelerated. The acceleration is attributable primarily to enhanced nucleation resulting from an increase in the matrix dislocation density due to coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the matrix and the reinforcements, whereas the deceleration is associated with a decrease of low-temperature solute diffusivity due to absorption of vacancies at dislocations and interfaces. It was also observed that the degree of overall acceleration in hardening and the reduction in peak matrix microhardness with reinforcement addition decreased with decreasing aging temperatures. The causal relationships of these observations with the associated mechanisms are discussed.
DSF Guided Refolding As A Novel Method Of Protein Production

The Anfinsen hypothesis, the demonstration of which led to the Nobel prize in Chemistry, posits that all information required to determine a proteins’ three dimensional structure is contained within its amino acid sequence. This suggests that it should be possible, in theory, to fold any protein in vitro. In practice, however, protein production by refolding is challenging because suitable refolding conditions must be empirically determined for each protein and can be painstaking. Here we demonstrate, using a variety of proteins, that differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) can be used to determine and optimize conditions that favor proper protein folding in a rapid and high-throughput fashion. The resulting method, which we deem DSF guided refolding (DGR), thus enables the production of aggregation-prone and disulfide-containing proteins by refolding from E. coli inclusion bodies, which would not normally be amenable to production in bacteria.
Pressure-flow behavior of a bronchopleural fistula during mechanical ventilation with positive pressure.

We examined the mechanical behavior of a bronchopleural fistula created by sectioning a small subpleural bronchus in seven anesthetized lambs. The pressure across the fistula was measured as the di...
"Voicing" in English: a catalogue of acoustic features signaling /b/ versus /p/ in trochees.

The English category sets /b, d, g/ and /p, t, k/ are now usually referred to as voiced and voiceless stops respectively, although it is recognized that membership in these sets is not entirely det...
Exploring impulse purchasing of wine in the online environment

Wine sales continue to climb in both offline and online settings in the U.S. market. With online sales having a great impact on offline sales, it is important to look at all sales modes in understanding how to better market to consumers across spectrums. What this study aims to do is to utilize a stimulus–organism–response model to better understand wine sales, when it comes to online impulse buying. This study is anticipated to add knowledge to the understanding of impulse buying of wine and is a first step at gaining a better understanding of impulse buying of wine in online settings.
Epigenetic inactivation of EGFR by aberrant promoter methylation: implications for combining hypomethylating drugs and EGFR inhibitors

2711 Introduction: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the HER/ERB-B family of transmembrane receptor kinases. Overexpression of EGFR confers advantages in cell proliferation, survival, and migration. In primary tumors, EGFR over-expression has been reported to correlate with decreased survival in multiple cancers (e.g., head and neck, breast, ovarian, and esophageal cancers). However, in a fraction of these solid tumors little or no expression of EGFR is observed. Aberrant CpG island methylation and associated transcriptional silencing are common in solid tumors. Since EGFR has a large CpG island that extends into exon-1, we hypothesized that methylation of EGFR was an important mechanism in transcriptional silencing. Materials and methods: Methylation analysis of EGFR CpG island in exon 1 was ascertained by COBRA, pyrosequencing, and bisulfite sequencing. Breast cancer cell lines CAMA-1 and MB-453 were treated with decitabine and re-expression of EGFR was determined by RT-PCR. Induction of apoptosis after treatment with gefitinib and decitabine alone or in combination was assayed by annexin V/PI staining followed by flow cytometry analyses. Results: The methylation status of EGFR was examined in a series of solid tumor cell lines and normal tissues. Among the cell lines examined, dense methylation (90%) was found in the breast cancer cell line CAMA-1, and a moderate degree of methylation (30-50%) was observed in the breast cancer cell lines MD-435 and MD-453. Transcriptional silencing of EGFR in these cell lines closely correlated with methylation. By contrast, no methylation of the HER-2/neu CpG island, was detected in these breast cancer cell lines. Aberrant methylation of EGFR (>10%) was also found in a subset of unselected primary breast tumors (3/14), as well as in head and neck (6/17) and lung (6/54) tumors. However, no methylation of EGFR was observed in any of the assayed normal tissues. Treatment with decitabine resulted in the re-expression of EGFR in both CAMA-1 and MD-453. Both cell lines are relatively resistant to killing by the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib. However, after treatment with a combination of decitabine and gefitinib, a synergistic effect on the induction of apoptosis was observed. Conclusions: EGFR is methylated in some cancers, which correlates with transcriptional silencing. Co-treatment of EGFR negative breast carcinoma cell lines with gefitinib and the hypomethylating agent decitabine is synergistic in the induction of apoptosis.
Violence against Women, Movements against

Historically, violence against women has been an accepted practice across the globe. Violence against women activism emerged as part of women's rights, women's liberation, and womanist movements of the second half of the twentieth century. Collective actions to end violence against women vary in emphasis of accountability, victim support, and empowerment and in levels of advocacy, including individual, relationship, community, societal, and global. Activism against violence against women has influenced international and national governments and civil organizations to frame violence against women as a social issue and establish extensive services for women and girls who have experienced violence. Anti-violence movements have also expanded women's legal protections, educational and economic development, and political participation and decision-making. Feminist activism continues to challenge entrenched values and practices that condone violence against women and continues to deepen understanding of connections among different types of violence against women, state violence, and global inequalities. Critical analysis of intersections of gender and other forms of oppression and creating cultural values and practices supporting communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution without violence remain central to social movements against violence against women. Keywords: violence against women; activism; social movements
A uniform diffraction tomographic algorithm for real-time portable microwave imaging

To realize image generation in real time with a portable radar system, a uniform diffraction tomographic (UDT) imaging algorithm is proposed to investigate objects buried in planar stratified media. Unlike conventional diffraction tomography (DT), UDT provides smoothly continuous images through layered structures, and like DT, the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is applied to generate images in real time. 2D imaging results with a high dielectric contrast in adjacent layers are presented to demonstrate the advantage of UDT over DT. Monostatic near-field experimental data is applied to show the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Marmota marmota (Alpine marmot)

These karyotypes are gifts of Dr. M. Fraccaro, Pavia, Italy. The specimens were collected in the Italian Alps. Bone marrow of the male and kidney cultures of the female were used for cytological preparations. Detailed karyological accounts of this species and its relations to other marmots are presented in the paper of Fernandez-Donoso et al.
Comb-based programmable RF photonic filter with an InP arrayed waveguide grating pulse shaper

We demonstrate a comb-based programmable radio-frequency photonic filter which uses an InP arrayed waveguide grating pulse shaper for comb apodization. RF photonic filtering with high stopband attenuation of >36.4 dB is achieved with Gaussian apodization.
How I Met the Master

Recreating a Japanese atmosphere, between the chaotic urban world and the lyricism of Eastern philosophy, Robert Siegel narrates a existentialist search for lightness: “the lightness that Basho compared to looking through a shallow river to the sandy bottom underneath, as if the perfect haiku were translucent and empty, a ray of light in a glass bowl”. Therefore, this text tells the experience of Kimura Akiko – a young woman going from Japan’s countryside to Tokyo – in search of the Master and his haiku school, symbolizing the writer’s education and the confrontation of her own fears and traumas from the past, and the outcome is an almost daydream experience in which words must be perfumed by themselves and poetic images, emerging one after another, created by a sensibility beyond common sense and everyday look, must flow into a natural compass, as if some king of breath. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ Como eu encontrei o Mestre Recriando uma atmosfera japonesa, entre o mundo urbano caotico e o lirismo da filosofia oriental, Robert Siegel narra uma busca existencial pela leveza, leveza que Basho comparou com o olhar para o leito arenoso atraves das aguas de um rio raso, como se o haiku perfeito fosse translucido e vazio, um raio de luz em uma tigela de vidro. Neste sentido, o texto conta a experiencia de Kimura Akiko – jovem indo do interior do Japao para a capital Toquio – a procura do Mestre e sua escola de haiku, simbolizando a formacao do escritor e o confronto com seus proprios medos e traumas do passado, e o resultado e uma experiencia quase onirica na qual as palavras devem ser perfumadas por si mesmas e as imagens poeticas, surgindo uma apos a outra, criadas por uma sensibilidade que ultrapassa o senso comum e o olhar cotidiano, devem fluir em um compasso natural, como uma especie de respiracao. Palavras-chave: Haiku, Japao, Poesia.
A Tuning Algorithm for a Multivariable Controller

Abstract This paper presents the results of a preliminary study to develop a tuning procedure for a candidate multivariable control system which was developed for load following and frequency regulation on an Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR). The candidate multivariable controller is for normal ABWR maneuvering in the electric utility system while maintaining adequate scram margins; reactor safety is not involved. Using the tuning procedure in this paper, twelve controller parameters were simultaneously adjusted such that the nonlinear ABWR Model achieved the desired response to a command input.
Retained executive abilities in mild cognitive impairment are associated with increased white matter network connectivity

To describe structural network differences in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with high versus low executive abilities, as reflected by measures of white matter connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Of the 128 participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database who had both a DTI scan as well as a diagnosis of MCI, we used an executive function score to classify the top 15 scoring patients as high executive ability, and the bottom-scoring 16 patients as low executive ability. Using a regions-of-interest-based analysis, we constructed networks and calculated graph theory measures on the constructed networks. We used automated tractography in order to compare differences in major white matter tracts. The high executive ability group yielded greater network size, density and clustering coefficient. The high executive ability group reflected greater fractional anisotropy bilaterally in the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. The network measures of the high executive ability group demonstrated greater white matter integrity. This suggests that white matter reserve may confer greater protection of executive abilities. Loss of this reserve may lead to greater impairment in the progression to Alzheimer’s disease dementia. • The MCI high executive ability group yielded a larger network. • The MCI high executive ability group had greater FA in numerous tracts. • White matter reserve may confer greater protection of executive abilities. • Loss of executive reserve may lead to greater impairment in AD dementia.
Kirwan Volcanics, Queen Maud Land

Western Queen (Dronning) Maud Land in Fig. 14.1 is not considered to be part of the Transantarctic Mountains because the basement rocks were not deformed and regionally metamorphosed by the Ross Orogeny. Nevertheless, some of the nunataks that project through the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in the area outlined in Fig. 14.1 and enlarged in Fig. 14.2 consist of Jurassic tholeiite basalt of the Kirwan Volcanics that superficially resemble the Kirkpatrick Basalt in the Transantarctic Mountains. In addition, flat-lying sedimentary rocks of the Permian Amelang Formation resemble the sandstones and shales of the Beacon Supergroup. The groups of nunataks in Fig. 14.2 where the Kirwan Volcanics are exposed include Vestfjella (including Plogen and Basen), Fossilryggen, Mannefallknausane, Heimefrontfjella, Bjőrnnutane, Sembberget, and the Kirwan Escarpment. The first information about the geology of the Kirwan Volcanics was published by Brunn (1964) and Blundell (1964). The latter collected oriented samples of dolerite in the southern part of Vestfjella for a study of paleomagnetism (see also Lovlie 1979, 1988). These samples were later described by Brown (1967) and dated by Rex (1967).
Bringing Inquiry to the First Two Years of College Mathematics

AbstractIn this editorial, we provide an introduction to the special issue on Inquiry-Based Learning in First and Second Year Courses. We also discuss the essential features of inquiry-based learni...
Genetic Markers Predict Primary Nonresponse and Durable Response to Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background Despite a high nonresponse rate, predictors of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC) remain limited. We aim to determine clinical and genetic predictors of primary nonresponse (PNR) and durable response (DR) to anti-TNF therapy in a large prospective UC cohort. Methods Using the Illumina Immunochip, candidate polymorphisms associated with clinical outcomes of PNR and DR were separately evaluated and combined into weighted genetic risk scores. Combined genetic and clinical multivariable models for PNR and DR were compared with clinical predictive models using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves. Models were internally (DR) or externally (PNR) validated. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to assess the association of genetic risk scores with infliximab levels and antibodies. Results Of 231 patients, 28 (12%) experienced PNR and 120 (52%) experienced DR. There was no significant difference in clinical features between primary nonresponders and responders. Eight alleles were associated with PNR. A combined clinical-genetic model (AUROC, 0.87) more accurately predicted PNR compared with a clinical-only model (AUROC, 0.57; P < 0.0001). In an external cohort of 131 patients, increasing tertiles of PNR genetic risk score correlated with increased risk of PNR (P = 0.052). Twelve candidate loci were associated with DR. Genetic risk score quartiles for DR demonstrated a strong dose-response relationship in predicting treatment duration. Genetic risk scores for PNR and DR were not associated with infliximab levels or antibody formation. Conclusion Genetic polymorphisms enhance prediction of PNR and DR to anti-TNF therapy in patients with UC.
Alcohol Metabolism during Development

Ethanol has been used recently in obstetrics and in neonatal pediatrics for three principal therapeutic reasons: prevention of premature labor, reduction of anticipated neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and parenteral nutrition. The use of ethanol in the prevention of premature labor is based on its inhibitory effect on uterine activity in early labor; it presumably acts by inhibiting the release of oxytocin from the neurohypophysis (Fuchs et al., 1967). Ethanol when administered to near-term or term pregnant patients has been shown to reduce hyperbilirubinemia in the neonates (Waltman et al., 1969). Its use has been suggested, therefore, to reduce anticipated hyperbilirubinemia in those neonates in which high serum bilirubin may be expected, such as premature infants. The reduction of bilirubin after ethanol administration is probably due to increased glucuronidation of bilirubin since ethanol has been demonstrated to stimulate a variety of microsomal enzymes in both animals and man (Rubin et al., 1968) . Finally, ethanol has been used extensively for parenteral nutrition in premature neonates (Babson, 1971), as well as in adult surgical patients (Karp et al., 1951). Ethanol when oxidized provides seven calories per gram.
Role, goal, and activity: a framework for characterizing participation and engagement in project-based learning environments

In this paper, we present a theoretical framework for examining the ways in which classroom context, in conjunction with individual student knowledge and beliefs, influences participation and engagement in project-based learning environments. An underlying design assumption of project-based curricula is that the goal and role motivate the learning of content, and that learning the content in pursuit of the goal leads to better content understanding. However, research to-date has not explored the extent to which the goal and role actually motivate student participation in practice. The framework we have developed is specifically designed for the analysis of project-based learning environments in that it explicitly considers the influence of student role- and goal-adoption on participation and engagement in project-based activities over time. We believe that this framework, as we continue to refine it, will prove useful for research on participation and engagement in project-based curricula. Specifically, such a framework will help with the identification and design of future lines of research, will facilitate comparison across diverse settings, and will provide a starting point for the integration of the results.
Engineered Biosensors from Dimeric Ligand-Binding Domains.

Biosensors are important components of many synthetic biology and metabolic engineering applications. Here, we report a second generation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae digoxigenin and progesterone biosensors based on destabilized dimeric ligand-binding domains that undergo ligand-induced stabilization. The biosensors, comprising one ligand-binding domain monomer fused to a DNA-binding domain and another fused to a transcriptional activation domain, activate reporter gene expression in response to steroid binding and receptor dimerization. The introduction of a destabilizing mutation to the dimer interface increased biosensor dynamic range by an order of magnitude. Computational redesign of the dimer interface and functional selections were used to create heterodimeric pairs with further improved dynamic range. A heterodimeric biosensor built from the digoxigenin and progesterone ligand-binding domains functioned as a synthetic “AND”-gate, with 20-fold stronger response to the two ligands in combination than...
Application Principle of Neutral Grounding Method for 66kV System

In order to optimize the distribution system, selecting the proper neutral point grounding method is one of the most important methods to improve the reliability and economical efficiency of the distribution network. Therefore, the selection and application of the neutral point grounding method is to improve the operation level of the distribution system. The key factor. This paper analyzes and establishes a simulation calculation model to study the single-phase earth fault current and over-voltage characteristics in the arc suppression coil grounding, low-resistance grounding, arc suppression coil, and low-resistance grounding methods of the distribution network neutral point 66kV system. The application principle of neutral point grounding method for 66kV system and the effectiveness and applicability of different capacitive current testing methods are proposed to improve the safety of the urban 66kV system power grid.