cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental Regulation of Collagenase-3 mRNA in Normal, Differentiating Osteoblasts through the Activator Protein-1 and the runt Domain Binding Sites *

Collagenase-3 mRNA is initially detectable when osteoblasts cease proliferation, increasing during differentiation and mineralization. We showed that this developmental expression is due to an increase in collagenase-3 gene transcription. Mutation of either the activator protein-1 or the runt domain binding site decreased collagenase-3 promoter activity, demonstrating that these sites are responsible for collagenase-3 gene transcription. The activator protein-1 and runt domain binding sites bind members of the activator protein-1 and core-binding factor family of transcription factors, respectively. We identified core-binding factor a1 binding to the runt domain binding site and JunD in addition to a Fos-related antigen binding to the activator protein-1 site. Overexpression of both c-Fos and c-Jun in osteoblasts or core-binding factor a1 increased collagenase-3 promoter activity. Furthermore, overexpression of c-Fos, c-Jun, and core-binding factor a1 synergistically increased collagenase-3 promoter activity. Mutation of either the activator protein-1 or the runt domain binding site resulted in the inability of c-Fos and c-Jun or core-binding factor a1 to increase collagenase-3 promoter activity, suggesting that there is cooperative interaction between the sites and the proteins. Overexpression of Fra-2 and JunD repressed core-binding factor a1-induced collagenase-3 promoter activity. Our results suggest that members of the activator protein-1 and core-binding factor families, binding to the activator protein-1 and runt domain binding sites are responsible for the developmental regulation of collagenase-3 gene expression in osteoblasts.
The effect of cytochalasin B on chondrogenesis in chick limb-bud mesoderm cells grown in vitro

Cytochalasin B (CB) has been shown to have many biological effects on cultured cells. We report that an initial 48-hr treatment of freshly plated chick embryo limb mesoderm cells with CB irreversibly inhibits chondrogenesis. A slight inhibition in the amount of matrix is seen when limb cells are allowed to grow in culture for 24 hr prior to treatment for the second 24 hr of culture. If the cells are allowed to plate-out and grow for 48 hr or longer prior to being treated with CB for 24 hr, the amount of matrix produced is essentially the same as that seen in the controls. However, if the initial 48-hr culture period is followed by a 48- or 72-hr treatment, chondrogenesis is reduced, but not to the same extent as that seen in cultures treated for the first 48 or 72 hr. The irreversible inhibition of chrondrogenesis does not appear to be due to irreversible inhibition of protein synthesis or hexose uptake because, although these are reduced during treatment, they return to control levels within 48 hr following the removal of the drug. We cannot mimic the effect of CB treatment using glucose-deficient medium, thereby eliminating the possiblity that a critical glucose level is necessary to permit chondrogenesis. Multinucleation of limb cells treated with CB is reversed within 4 to 7 days following the removal of the drug. Therefore multinucleation alone is probably not responsible for the CB effect on chondrogenesis. However, other subtle permanent changes may occur during the period of multinucleation which result in the irreversible inhibition of chondrogenesis.
Brief Report: The Relationship between Discourse Deficits and Autism Symptomatology.

This study investigated the relationship between discourse deficits to a broader range of other symptoms in 57 children with autism. We hypothesized that autism symptomatology, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), would be related to the children's difficulty in maintaining an ongoing topic of discourse. Children provided a natural language sample while interacting with one parent. These language samples were coded for the child's use of off-topic or noncontingent utterances. Results showed significant relationships between overall diagnostic symptomatology, and more specifically, deficits in communication as measured by the ADOS-G, and noncontingent discourse. The findings provide diagnostic validity to the ADOS-G and highlight in greater detail the significant communication impairment in autism.
Torsional Vibration of an External Circular Crack in a Transversely Isotropic Composite

The forced torsional vibratory motion of an external circular crack in a transversely isotropic composite is investigated by using the method of Hankel transforms. A pair of vibratory torques of equal amplitude is applied at infinity. The infinite integral involved is evaluated through a contour integration to be discontinuous in nature. An exact expression for the dynamic stress intensity factor is obtained in terms of the frequency factor and the anisotropic material constants. The maximum value of the normalized dynamic stress-intensity factor is shown to occur at different frequency factors for the sample fiber-reinforced and metal matrix composites. The distortion of the dynamic crack surface displacement from the associated static displacement depends also on the forcing frequency and the material anisotropy.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Transforming neural computations and representing time

Motifs of neural circuitry seem surprisingly conserved over different areas of neocortex or of paleocortex, while performing quite different sensory processing tasks. This apparent paradox may be resolved by the fact that seemingly different problems in sensory information processing are related by transformations (changes of variables) that convert one problem into another. The same basic algorithm that is appropriate to the recognition of a known odor quality, independent of the strength of the odor, can be used to recognize a vocalization (e.g., a spoken syllable), independent of whether it is spoken quickly or slowly. To convert one problem into the other, a new representation of time sequences is needed. The time that has elapsed since a recent event must be represented in neural activity. The electrophysiological hallmarks of cells that are involved in generating such a representation of time are discussed. The anatomical relationships between olfactory and auditory pathways suggest relevant experiments. The neurophysiological mechanism for the psychophysical logarithmic encoding of time duration would be of direct use for interconverting olfactory and auditory processing problems. Such reuse of old algorithms in new settings and representations is related to the way that evolution develops new biochemistry.
On the theory and practice of finance

The purpose of this paper is to provide an explanation for the way the reality in the world of finance comes to be formed, among other things, by the theory of finance. It is based on the idea that financial behavior is not independent of the theory of finance. The paper, therefore, examines certain aspects of the academic field of finance. That is, it examines theories, PhD programs, journals, and conferences in academic finance. It notes that they adhere, almost exclusively, to a certain worldview, called the functionalist paradigm. Then, the paper discusses the role of finance graduates as employees of universities, corporations, and financial institutions in the practice of finance. In this way, the paper provides an explanation for the social construction of the world of finance.
Glucose- and fructose-conditioned flavor preferences in rats: Taste versus postingestive conditioning

Flavor preferences conditioned by glucose and fructose were compared using two training methods. With the simultaneous method preferences can be reinforced by the flavor and/or the postingestive consequences of nutrients, whereas with the delayed method preferences are reinforced only by postingestive nutritive effects. In Experiment 1, food-deprived rats displayed similar preferences for flavors (CS+) added to an 8% glucose or 8% fructose solution over flavors (CS-) added to a noncaloric saccharin solution (simultaneous conditioning). Other rats learned to prefer a CS+ flavor paired with the delayed (10 min) presentation of 8% glucose over a CS- flavor paired with delayed saccharin. Fructose failed to condition a flavor preference with the delayed paradigm. Taken together, these data suggest that the preference for a flavor mixed in a fructose solution is reinforced by the sweet taste, not the postingestive effects of the sugar. Experiment 2 tested this idea by devaluing the taste of the sugar solutions by quinine adulteration. Rats initially avoided both glucose-quinine and fructose-quinine solutions in favor of a saccharin solution. Following one-bottle training, they came to prefer the glucose-quinine but not the fructose-quinine solution over the saccharin solution. The glucose-trained rats also showed stronger preferences for sucrose-quinine solutions than did the fructose-trained rats. These findings, along with other recent data, indicate that fructose-conditioned preferences are based primarily on the sugar's palatable taste. Glucose, in contrast, can condition strong preferences based on its taste as well as its postingestive actions.
Peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and collection efficacy is not an independent prognostic factor for autologous stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The successful mobilization and collection of hematopoietic stem cells are dependent on a number of clinical factors such as previous chemotherapy and disease stage. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether the effectiveness of mobilization and collection is an independent prognostic factor for autologous stem cell transplantation outcome. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 358 patients who received transplants from January 2003 to December 2004 (201 male and 157 female patients, ages from 2.7 to 77.3 years with median of 53 years of age) underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell collection after mobilization with granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or G-CSF plus chemotherapy priming. This retrospective study included patients with diagnoses of acute myelogenous leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and solid tumors. All patients underwent stem cell collection until a target or a minimum CD34+ cell dose was reached. Correlations were performed between stem cell mobilization and/or collection efficacy and transplantation outcomes. RESULTS: In general, both larger reinfused CD34+ cell dose and shorter number of days for the stem cell count to reach the minimum of 2 × 106 per kg CD34+ cells do not foster quicker engraftment. Reinfused CD34+ cell dose of less than 12 × 106 and number of days stem cell collection to reach this minimum CD34+ cell dose did not independently affect the overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS). CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and collection as defined as number of days to reach a CD34+ cell dose of 2 × 106 per kg should not be used independently to forecast posttransplantation prognosis, engraftment, DFS, and OS.
p21 is a universal inhibitor of cyclin kinases

Deregulation of cell proliferation is a hallmark of neoplastic transformation. Alteration in growth control pathways must translate into changes in the cell-cycle regulatory machinery, but the mechanism by which this occurs is largely unknown. Compared with normal human fibroblasts, cells transformed with a variety of viral oncoproteins show striking changes in the subunit composition of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). In normal cells, CDKs exist predominantly in multiple quaternary complexes, each containing a CDK, cyclin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the p21 protein. However, in many transformed cells, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and p21 are lost from these multiprotein enzymes. Here we have investigated the significance of this phenomenon by molecular cloning of p21 and in vitro reconstitution of the quaternary cell-cycle kinase complexes. We find that p21 inhibits the activity of each member of the cyclin/CDK family. Furthermore, overexpression of p21 inhibits the proliferation of mammalian cells. Our results indicate that p21 may be a universal inhibitor of cyclin kinases.
The isolation and chemical composition of the zygospore cell wall of chlamydomonas reinhardii

Abstract After mating of competant haploid cells the diploid zygote formed could be matured into a zygospore. Isolation of the cell walls of the zygospore followed by chemical analysis indicated that the protein content was approx. 5%. Amino acid analysis showed the cell walls to contain hydroxyproline in substantial quantities (about 6 mol% of the total amino acids). The neutral sugars found were arabinose, mannose, galactose, glucose with trace amounts of rhamnose and xylose. The glucose accounted for approx. 50% of the total sugars. Twenty five percent (by weight) of the cell wall was unaccounted for, possibly remaining insoluble during the hydrolysing procedures. The results were compared with those obtained previously for the vegetative cell wall and are discussed with reference to the change from the haploid to the diploid state.
An interpolation lemma for the pure implicational calculus

Although a variety of proofs are available for the Craig-Lyndon Interpolation Lemma, they all seem to make essential use of negation, with the result that they are inapplicable to deductive theories in which negation cannot be expressed. It is here shown that this use of negation can be avoided by extending the Interpolation Lemma to the pure implicational calculus PC I . Determinate Parameter Lemma. For each formula A, ⊨P A ⊃ A for some sentence parameter P A occurring in A . Proof. By induction on the construction of A . Interpolation Lemma For PC I . Let Γ be the set of sentence parameters common to A and C.If ⊨A ⊃ and C is not valid, then there is a formula B containing no sentence parameter not in Y such that ⊨A ⊃ B and ⊨B ⊃ C . Proof. Since ⊨ P A ⊃ A by the Determinate Parameter Lemma and ⊨ A ⊃ C , ⊨ P A ⊃ C . But C is by hypothesis an invalid formula, so P A must occur in C as well as in A . Thus P A Є Γ.
Interaction Of Plasma And Optical Phonons In Semiconductors

We have previously reported on the dynamics of coherent longitudinal optical phonons in compound semiconductors and on their interaction with two-component electron-hole plasma. We now compare the results of these investigations with preliminary data on the interaction of the coherent optical phonons with a one-component plasma. We find marked differences in the overall interaction.
Female and male attitudes toward life: Implications for theories of mental health

In an attempt to better understand the ways in which females and males perceive their sociopsychological condition, the relationship of 12 independent variables to “satisfaction with life” is investigated using multivariate analysis. The analysis is premised on the assumption that a relationship may exist between differential feelings of life satisfaction of females and males and the known variations in mental health rates between the sexes. Data come from a national survey of 2,164 adults. The dependent variable is derived by factor analyzing semantic differential scales in which respondents select adjectives best describing their lives. Although a sharp difference by sex exists regarding satisfaction with life (36.1% of the males compared to only 13.5% females report high satisfaction), a high degree of congruence is found between the sexes in the variables contributing to life satisfaction: work satisfaction, personal competence, age, and marital adjustment index.
Abstract 5275: βII-spectrin(SPTBN1) suppresses tumor progression by inhibiting Wnt signaling via kallistatin in hepatocellular carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA βII-spectrin(SPTBN1, β2SP), the most common nonerythrocytic member of the β-spectrin gene family, functions as an adapter protein for Smad3/Smad4 complex formation during TGF-β signal transduction, and is required for EMT during embryonic liver development. Moreover, β2SP is emerging as a tumor suppressor. We have reported that Loss of β2SP enhances the stem-like traits and invasiveness of HCC cells. The canonical Wnt pathway, known to be a critical regulator of self-renewal in stem cell, is also constitutively activated and implicated in the induction of EMT in cancer. Kallistatin (a serine protease inhibitor, SERPINA4), which was identified as a unique inhibitor of the Wnt pathway, is expressed primly in the liver. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which β2SP influences stem cell traits and aggressive behavior of HCC cell lines. We found that cells with decreased β2SP have decreased β-catenin phosphorylation and increased β-catenin nuclear localization, indicative of activation of Wnt signaling. Furthermore, loss of β2SP results in the decease of Kallistatin expression, the Wnt inhibitor. Restore of kallistatin reversed the Wnt activation in HCC cells from decreased β2SP level. Our study provides evidence for the first time that loss of β2SP activates Wnt signal through suppressing kallistatin expression. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Xiuling Zhi, Ling Lin, Narayan Shivapurkar Shivapurkar, John L. Marshall, Lynt Johnson, Aiwu R. He. βII-spectrin(SPTBN1) suppresses tumor progression by inhibiting Wnt signaling via kallistatin in hepatocellular carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5275. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5275
Clinical outcomes after selective dorsal rhizotomy in an adult population.

Object Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a highly effective and well-established surgical tool for correction of lower-extremity spasticity in children with spastic diplegia caused by cerebral palsy (CP). Although the literature demonstrates considerable immediate and long-term functional benefits in children treated with SDR, the effects of SDR on adults with spastic diplegia have not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the objective and subjective clinical outcomes of SDR on an adult population. Methods We reviewed the charts of 21 consecutive adult patients who underwent SDR for treatment of CP-related spastic diplegia between the years of 1989 and 2007. All patients were treated by a single surgeon (T.S.P.) and underwent formal pre- and postoperative physical therapy assessments to examine joint range of motion (ROM), gross motor function measure (GMFM), and muscle tone. The majority of patients (15/21) exhibited preoperative ambulatory independence without an assistive device. Postoperative assessments were performed at 4 months, but most patients (11/21) had longer follow-up periods (mean, 17.6 ± 30.2 months). All patients were assessed with a telephone survey to estimate pre- and postoperative function with the Katz and Lawton Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Scale. Results After SDR surgery, patients experienced significant improvements in lower-extremity passive joint ROM (namely, decreases in hamstring and gastrocnemius tightness) as well as in GMFM crawling and kneeling scores. In addition, spasticity in all measured lower-extremity muscle groups was decreased as compared with preoperative levels. On the basis of our patient self-assessments conducted via telephone, each patient demonstrated subjective improvements in ambulatory ability, spasticity, coordination, joint ROM, pain, overall quality of life, and independence. Also, the Lawton total instrumental ADL scale scores were subjectively improved from preoperative levels. We documented no complications, including postoperative sensory deficits, in any of our patients. Conclusions Our experience suggests that SDR can be an effective treatment for CP-related spastic diplegia in ambulatory adults who are unresponsive to medical therapy and should be considered as a therapeutic option in carefully selected patients. Although our study represents the largest series of adult patients with spastic diplegia to date treated with SDR, the data collected will need to be validated in a larger, prospective clinical trial.
Ethical Considerations about Spirituality in Social Work: Insights from a National Qualitative Survey:

A mixed methods national survey of 2,069 National Association of Social Workers members examined ethical concerns regarding religious and nonreligious spiritual issues in clinical practice settings. This qualitative study focuses on responses to open-ended survey questions and relates them to quantitative findings. Practitioners' insights provide a basis to extend ethical guidelines in practice and education. The findings indicate that most respondents deal with spirituality in practice, and many use general ethical principles and situational considerations. However, they likely lack guidelines for systematic ethical decision making about the use of spiritually oriented activities in practice. The authors suggest ways that social work educators and supervisors should provide ethical guidelines and case examples for spiritually oriented activities in both educational and direct practice contexts.
Application of unsteady airfoil theory to rotary wings

A clarification is presented on recent work concerning the application of unsteady airfoil theory to rotary wings. The application of this theory may be seen as consisting of four steps: (1) the selection of an appropriate unsteady airfoil theory; (2) the resolution of that velocity which is the resultant of aerodynamic and dynamic velocities at a point on the elastic axis into radial, tangential and perpendicular components, and the angular velocity of a blade section about the deformed axis; (3) the expression of lift and pitching moments in terms of the three components; and (4) the derivation of explicit expressions for the components in terms of flight velocity, induced flow, rotor rotational speed, blade motion variables, etc.
Glucose sensitive membranes for controlled delivery of insulin: Insulin transport studies

Abstract Glucose sensitive membranes which increase their permeability in the presence of glucose have been developed. The potential of these membranes to deliver insulin at rates controlled by the external glucose concentration is assessed in this study. In order to perform meaningful membrane transport measurements of 125 I-labelled insulin, it has been found necessary to thoroughly remove unbound 125 I. Substantial errors in the apparent permeation rate will be obtained if this unbound material is not completely removed. Membranes that have insulin permeation rates that are great enough to achieve estimated physiologic insulin requirements must have a macroporous as opposed to homogenous structure. Macroporous membranes containing amine groups and entrapped glucose oxidase have been found to alter insulin permeability in response to external glucose concentration.
On paradigm uniformity and contrast in Russian vowel reduction

Reduction of unstressed /o/ and /a/ to [ɐ] or [ə] after non-palatalized consonants and to [ɪ] after palatalized ones in Contemporary Standard Russian (CSR) is systematic. But in certain inflectional suffixes [ə] occurs instead of the expected [ɪ] after palatalized consonants. In order to explain these apparent exceptions, I argue that vowel reduction after palatalized consonants is constrained by the morphology and that reduction to [ɪ] is blocked in certain cases of the paradigm by the interaction of Relativized Paradigm Uniformity (PU) and Paradigm Contrast (PCON) constraints (Rebrus and Torkenczy 2005; Steriade 2000). The main finding is that there is a critical contrast between the singular and plural within a given case, Number × Case, and [ɪ] is blocked when it would result in homophony with an /i/ [ɪ] suffix in the relevant situation. When the morphological contrast is implemented by some other means, then regular vowel reduction to [ɪ] takes place. The gen sg /-a/ suffix has special status due to type and token frequency of the [ə] variant. An analysis in terms of paradigm uniformity and contrast provides a more coherent account of the direction of language change in CSR vowel reduction than do appeals to stressed vowel faithfulness, spelling pronunciation, grammatical analogy or paradigm uniformity alone.
Psychological considerations in the attainment of esophageal speech

In view of the increasing incidence and decreasing mortality due to larynx cancer, the constant 2:1 ratio of esophageal speakers to nonspeakers among laryngectomees, and the widespread argeement that psychological factors are prime considerations in esophageal speech attainment, the investigation was designed to delineate certain psychological, physical, and sociological variables which might relate to attainment of alaryngeal speech. Ninety-four male laryngectomees responded to the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, the IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, and a standardized personal interview including a voice recording. Five variables (self-concept, body-concept, anxiety level, age at surgery, and defensive distortion of self-concept responses) were found to be significant in differentiating groups of nonesophageal, below-average, average, and above-average esophageal speakers. A significant difference in self-concept and body-concept appeared between the two high and the two low speaker groups. The below-average speakers were more anxious than were the average speakers or the above-average speakers. The above-average speakers were younger in age at surgery than were the subjects in the other three groups. The higher self-concept and body-concept scores of the better speakers may have been a function of a defense mechanism, as indicated by their defensive distortion scores which were higher than those of the below-average group. It was found that the variables of self-concept, body-concept, and anxiety were about three times more influential than those of age at surgery and defensive distortion in identifying groups of speakers. The conclusions warranted were that necessary psychological counseling and immediate postoperative use of an artificial larynx before the institution of esophageal speech therapy would help raise the ratio of esophageal to nonesophageal speakers.
A Case Study of the Nocturnal Boundary Layer Evolution on a Slope at the Foot of a Desert Mountain

AbstractObservations were taken on an east-facing sidewall at the foot of a desert mountain that borders a large valley, as part of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) field program at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. A case study of nocturnal boundary layer development is presented for a night in mid-May when tethered-balloon measurements were taken to supplement other MATERHORN field measurements. The boundary layer development over the slope could be divided into three distinct phases during this night: 1) The evening transition from daytime upslope/up-valley winds to nighttime downslope winds was governed by the propagation of the shadow front. Because of the combination of complex topography at the site and the solar angle at this time of year, the shadow moved down the sidewall from approximately northwest to southeast, with the flow transition closely following the shadow front. 2) The flow transition was followed by a 3–4-h period of almost steady-state boundary la...
Improved automatic testcase synthesis for performance model validation

Performance simulation tools must be validated during the design process as functional models and early hardware are developed, so that designers can be sure of the performance of their designs as they implement changes. The current state-of-the-art is to use simple hand-coded bandwidth and latency testcases to assess early performance and to calibrate performance models. Applications and benchmark suites such as SPEC CPU are difficult to set up or take too long to execute on functional models. Short trace snippets from applications can be executed on performance and functional simulators, but not without difficulty on hardware, and there is no guarantee that hand-coded tests and short snippets cover the performance of the original applications.We present a new automatic testcase synthesis methodology to address these concerns. By basing testcase synthesis on the workload characteristics of an application, we create source code that largely represents the performance of the application, but which executes in a fraction of the runtime. We synthesize representative versions of the SPEC2000 benchmarks, compile and execute them, and obtain an average IPC within 2.4% of the average IPC of the original benchmarks with similar average workload characteristics. In addition, the changes in IPC due to design changes are found to be proportional to the changes in IPC for the original applications. The synthetic testcases execute more than three orders of magnitude faster than the original applications, typically in less than 300K instructions, making performance model validation feasible.
Radiation Therapy: Accepted and Controversial Roles

: Radiation therapy is clearly established as a modality that can lower the risk of local recurrence following breast-conserving surgery for early stage invasive breast cancer. Numerous prognostic factors are known to influence the risk of local recurrence, including the size and histology of the primary tumor. An extensive intraductal component can also increase risk, although this seems to be the case only with close or focally involved surgical margins. Whether or not there is any subset of patients for whom radiation can be omitted has been studied through retrospective analyses of randomized trials and even through a prospective trial. No clear subset of patients has emerged, although in older patients receiving tamoxifen, very low recurrence rates have been observed with and without radiation in recently reported studies with relatively short follow-up. For recurrence following excision of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), all subsets also seem to benefit from radiation, based on data from randomized trials, and there are currently prospective trials assessing the strategy of omitting radiation therapy for lower-risk lesions. Since tamoxifen can also reduce the risk of local recurrence, this treatment has been included in the radiation-sparing trials. The use of postmastectomy radiation has been shown to lower distant recurrence and mortality risk in Danish and Canadian studies involving node-positive cases. Given the very high local recurrence rates seen in the control arm, a large randomized trial in the United States is assessing the role of postmastectomy radiation for one to three involved nodes.
Interferon-γ-induced Regulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ and STATs in Adipocytes

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is known primarily for its roles in immunological responses but also has been shown to affect fat metabolism and adipocyte gene expression. To further investigate the effects of IFN-gamma on fat cells, we examined the effects of this cytokine on the expression of adipocyte transcription factors in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Although IFN-gamma regulated the expression of several adipocyte transcription factors, IFN-gamma treatment resulted in a rapid reduction of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) protein and mRNA. A 48-h exposure to IFN-gamma also resulted in a decrease of both CCAAT/enhancer-binding alpha and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP-1) expression. The short half-life of both the PPARgamma mRNA and protein likely contributed to the rapid decline of both cytosolic and nuclear PPARgamma in the presence of IFN-gamma. Our studies clearly demonstrated that the IFN-gamma-induced loss of PPARgamma protein is partially inhibited in the presence of two distinct proteasome inhibitors. Moreover, IFN-gamma also inhibited the transcription of PPARgamma, which was accompanied by a decrease in PPARgamma mRNA accumulation. In addition, exposure to IFN-gamma resulted in a substantial increase in STAT 1 expression and a small increase in STAT 3 expression. IFN-gamma treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes (48-96 h) resulted in a substantial inhibition of insulin-sensitive glucose uptake. These data clearly demonstrate that IFN-gamma treatment results in the development of insulin resistance, which is accompanied by the regulation of various adipocyte transcription factors, in particular the synthesis and degradation of PPARgamma.
Parents or Predators: Examining Intraseasonal Variation in Nest Survival for a Migratory Passerine

Abstract. For birds, risk of nest predation can vary within a breeding season, but few data exist that explain why such variation occurs. We investigated intraseasonal variation of nest survival of the Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) in Midwestern forests and tested whether four of the adults' reproductive strategies (clutch size, nest concealment, nest visitation rates, nest height) explained trends in survival across the breeding season. We also used video cameras to identify predators at 40 nests, which allowed us to determine whether variation in predation rates by category of predator (e.g., birds, mammals, snakes) explained overall seasonal variation in predation rates. The flycatchers' nest survival had a quadratic relationship with Julian date but generally increased through the breeding season. Nest height increased as the breeding season progressed but did not explain any variation in nest survival. No other reproductive trait exhibited significant intraseasonal variation. Overall, pred...
Utilizing the Theoretical Framework of Collective Identity to Understand Processes in Youth Programs

This article explores collective identity as a useful theoretical framework for understanding social and developmental processes that occur in youth programs. Through narrative analysis of past participant interviews (n = 21) from an after-school theater program, known as The SOURCE, it was found that participants very clearly describe a collective “member” identity. Aspects of the collective identity become psychological assets that participants are able to recall at later points in their lives—in their future roles as college roommates, parents, teachers, nurses, and so on. Findings suggest that collaboratively and purposefully crafting a collective identity provides youth programs with a useful way to cultivate meaningful results of participation for current members as well as provide an underlying identity framework that past participants can build on in new social arenas as emerging adults.
Mixed-Stock Analysis of Lake Sturgeon in the Menominee River Sport Harvest and Adjoining Waters of Lake Michigan

Lack of information about the rates and sources of population-specific mortality and habitat use during nonspawning periods has impeded the restoration of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Using eight microsatellite loci and mixed-stock analyses, we estimated the proportional contributions of spawning populations from throughout the Lake Michigan basin (n ¼ 5) to the fall sport fishery in the lower Menominee River, Wisconsin. We compared estimates of harvest composition with estimates from collections made in adjacent open-water habitats in Green Bay. The analyses revealed that 81% (90% confidence interval (CI) ¼ 72.9- 89.3%; N ¼ 104) of harvested individuals originated from the Menominee River; all of the bycaught fish originated in adjacent streams. The harvest composition estimates differed significantly from those of open waters immediately offshore (26.7% Menominee River; 90% CI ¼9.7-44.8%; N ¼36) and across Green Bay (27% Menominee River; 90% CI ¼ 19.5- 34.7%; N ¼214), indicating that the harvest was not a random sample from across the basin. The harvest composition estimates were not consistent with the estimates of individuals in prespawning condition (females ¼ 50%; males ¼ 83%), suggesting that not all of the harvested fish were staging for spring spawning. The contributions of nontargeted and numerically depressed populations to the fishery are of management concern given efforts to rehabilitate populations. Spatially restricted harvests during nonbreeding periods may not protect numerically depressed populations originating in nearby streams.
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded RNA: Automated In-Situ Hybridization (ISH) Compared with Manual ISH and Immunohistochemistry for Detection of EBV in Pediatric Lymphoproliferative Disorders:

Detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be achieved by various methods, including EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) in-situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for latent membrane protein (LMP-1). We compared novel automated ISH and IHC techniques in pediatric lymphoproliferative disorders with results obtained by manual ISH. Thirty-seven pediatric cases previously studied by manual EBER ISH (including 18 EBER-positive, 15 EBER-negative, and 4 EBER-equivocal cases) were used for the study. Automated EBER ISH and automated LMP-1 IHC were performed using the BondMax autostainer and prediluted EBER probe and EBV cell surface 1 to 4 at 1:50 dilution, respectively. Results of each of the automated techniques for EBV detection were compared with results by manual EBER ISH. Compared with manual EBER ISH as the gold standard, automated ISH had a sensitivity and specificity of 94% and 69%, respectively, accuracy of 83%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 79%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 90%. Automated IHC had a sensitivity of 44%, specificity of 93%, accuracy of 67%, PPV of 88%, and NPV of 59%. Automated ISH and IHC correlated significantly (P < 0.045). Automated ISH is useful for diagnosis of EBV-related pediatric neoplasms, being easy to perform and interpret and requiring only the technologist's time to set up and having a high sensitivity and NPV The automated IHC protocol is of too low sensitivity for routine use, although results show high specificity and PPV.
A non-local modification of a lattice Boltzmann model

We discuss a non-local modification of the lattice Boltzmann BGK model. The modification involves the mixing of particle configurations over a range of distances. We show that at large distances and large times the modified BGK model entails the presence of an effective viscosity, and is thus similar to the usual closure approximation to the Navier-Stokes equation. We discuss the case of turbulent channel flow.
Impaired eIF2B activity in ligodendrocytes contributes to VWMD pathogenesis

Vanishing white matter disease (VWMD, MIM #603896), also known as childhood ataxia with central nervous system (CNS) hypomyelination (CACH), is an inherited autosomal-recessive leukodystrophy (van der Knaap et al., 2006). The neurological signs of VWMD, such as cerebellar ataxia and spasticity, usually begin in late infancy or early childhood. VWMD is chronic and progressive, with additional episodes of rapid deterioration after febrile infection or minor head trauma. Most patients die within a few years of disease onset. VWMD patients display cystic cavitations of the white matter in the CNS. In contrast, the CNS gray matter and the other organs are generally spared. The grossly affected white matter shows profound myelin loss. Oligodendrocytes are predominantly affected in VWMD, which exhibit characteristic foamy morphology. Although oligodendrocyte numbers are decreased in the severely affected white matter, the numbers are increased in the less affected areas. Moreover, apoptotic oligodendrocytes are observed in the white matter of VWMD patients. Additionally, a recent study suggests that the myelinating function of oligodendrocytes is suppressed in VWMD patients (Bugiani et al., 2013).
The Melnikov Technique and Arnold Diffusion for a Class of Perturbed Dissipative Systems

This work presents a slight extension to the vector Melnikov function that measures the presence of Arnold diffusion in perturbed near-integrable Hamiltonian systems. It adopts a differential equations viewpoint and allows one subsystem, the one possessing the homoclinic orbit, to be dissipative. Adding damping to the other subsystems appears very difficult because of the Hamiltonian nature of KAM theory. This extension is made with a view to application.
The Promise of Technology for College Instruction: From Drill and Practice to Avatars

Technology and its uses have undergone significant change in the past several decades. Technology has many benefits and it has impacted many of the ways that teaching and learning occur. However, the role of thoughtful consideration, selection, implementation, and assessment of the technology remains the ultimate responsibility of the teacher.
Comparison Methods for Impulsely Perturbed Delay-Differential Control Systems

In this paper we investigate stability properties in solutions of impulsively perturbed systems with respect to the delay differential equations. Many physical systems such as biological neural nets and pulse frequency modulated systems exhibit such impulsive behaviour.
Reconsidering Community-Based Health Promotion: Promise, Performance, and Potential

Contemporary public health emphasizes a community-based approach to health promotion and disease prevention. The evidence from the past 20 years indicates, however, that many community-based programs have had only modest impact, with the notable exception of a number of HIV prevention programs. To better understand the reasons for these outcomes, we conducted a systematic literature review of 32 community-based prevention programs. Reasons for poor performance include methodological challenges to study design and evaluation, concurrent secular trends, smaller-than-expected effect sizes, limitations of the interventions, and limitations of theories used. The effectiveness of HIV programs appears to be related in part to extensive formative research and an emphasis on changing social norms.
Mutagenesis of Conserved Amino Acids of Helicobacter pylori Fur Reveals Residues Important for Function

The ferric uptake regulator (Fur) of the medically important pathogen Helicobacter pylori is unique in that it has been shown to function as a repressor both in the presence of an Fe2+ cofactor and in its apo (non-Fe2+-bound) form. However, virtually nothing is known concerning the amino acid residues that are important for Fur functioning. Therefore, mutations in six conserved amino acid residues of H. pylori Fur were constructed and analyzed for their impact on both iron-bound and apo repression. In addition, accumulation of the mutant proteins, protein secondary structure, DNA binding ability, iron binding capacity, and the ability to form higher-order structures were also examined for each mutant protein. While none of the mutated residues completely abrogated the function of Fur, we were able to identify residues that were critical for both iron-bound and apo-Fur repression. One mutation, V64A, did not alter regulation of any target genes. However, each of the five remaining mutations showed an effect on either iron-bound or apo regulation. Of these, H96A, E110A, and E117A mutations altered iron-bound Fur regulation and were all shown to influence iron binding to different extents. Additionally, the H96A mutation was shown to alter Fur oligomerization, and the E110A mutation was shown to impact oligomerization and DNA binding. Conversely, the H134A mutant exhibited changes in apo-Fur regulation that were the result of alterations in DNA binding. Although the E90A mutant exhibited alterations in apo-Fur regulation, this mutation did not affect any of the assessed protein functions. This study is the first for H. pylori to analyze the roles of specific amino acid residues of Fur in function and continues to highlight the complexity of Fur regulation in this organism.
Interconnected Large-Scale Systems for Three Fundamental Cognitive Tasks Revealed by Functional MRI

The specific brain areas required to execute each of three fundamental cognitive tasks - object naming, same-different discrimination, and integer computation - are determined by whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a novel technique optimized for the isolation of neurocognitive systems. This technique (1) conjoins the activity associated with identical or nearly identical tasks performed in multiple sensory modalities (conjunction) and (2) isolates the activity conserved across multiple subjects (conservation). Cortical regions isolated by this technique are, thus, presumed associated with cognitive functions that are both distinguished from primary sensory processes and from individual differences. The object-naming system consisted of four brain areas: left inferior frontal gyrus, Brodmann's areas (BAs) 45 and 44; left superior temporal gyrus, BA 22; and left medial frontal gyrus, BA 6. The same-different discrimination system consisted of three brain areas: right inferior parietal lobule, BA 40; right precentral gyrus, BA 6; and left medial frontal gyrus, BA 6. The integer computation system consisted of five brain areas: right middle frontal gyrus, BA 6; right precentral gyrus, BA 6; left inferior parietal lobule, BA 40; left inferior frontal gyrus, BA 44; and left medial frontal gyrus, BA 6. All three neurocognitive systems shared one common cortical region, the left medial frontal gyrus, the object-naming and integer computation systems shared the left inferior frontal gyrus, and the integer computation and same-different discrimination systems shared the right precentral gyrus. These results are consistent with connectionist models of cognitive processes where specific sets of remote brain areas are assumed to be transiently bound together as functional units to enable these functions, and further suggest a superorganization of neurocognitive systems where single brain areas serve as elements of multiple functional systems.
Divided or Convergent Loyalties? The Political Incorporation Process of Latin American Immigrants in the United States

This article describes findings from three successive empirical studies that examine the determinants of participation in transnational organizations by Latin immigrants in the United States, the character of the membership and activities of these organizations, and their bearing on the political incorporation of their respective communities. Results from these studies reveal that older, better-educated, and higher-status migrants are most likely to participate in transnational organizations linking them to their home countries. So are those with longer periods of US residence. Since migrants with these characteristics are precisely those with greater chances for US citizenship acquisition and participation in American politics, findings suggest that transnational activism and immigrant political integration are not at odds. Quantitative analyses of the determinants of political contact and political activism of immigrant organizations in the US indicate, unsurprisingly, that wealthier groups and those wi...
Oligodendrocyte Development and Myelin Biogenesis: Parsing Out the Roles of Glycosphingolipids

The myelin sheath is an extension of the oligoddendrocyte (OL) plasma membrane enriched in lipids that ensheaths the axons of the central and peripheral nervous system. Here, we review the involvement of glycosphingolipids in myelin/OL functions, including the regulation of OL differentiation, lipid raft-mediated trafficking and signaling, and neuron-glia interactions.