cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpersonal versus social‐values conflict

Abstract This study empirically examines the theoretical distinction between interpersonal conflict and conflict in social values. Data for this investigation were obtained from surveys of visitors to Mt. Evans, Colorado. Interpersonal conflicts between hunters and nonhunters on Mt. Evans appear to have been minimized due to the mountain's natural visual barriers and the managing agency's regulations that prohibit hunting near the road where most nonhunters are found. To the extent that conflict exists with hunting associated events on Mt. Evans, much of the problem stems from differences in social values held by the hunting and nonhunting publics. Hunters and more frequent visitors experienced more interpersonal conflicts than nonhunters and less frequent visitors for nonhunting human‐wildlife interaction events. Analyses examining the interaction between type of visitor (hunters versus nonhunters) and number of prior visits (first visit, two to four visits, and five or more visits) suggested that confli...
SU‐F‐500‐10: Targeted Delivery of Microbeam Irradiation and Initial Mouse Brain Tumor Model Studies Using a Table Top MRT System

Purpose: Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is an experimental and preclinical radiotherapy method for cancer treatment that has been shown, in animal studies, to have the capability to selectively eradicate tumor without damaging normal tissue functions. The reliance of MRT on synchrotron radiation has prevented widespread research in this field and is a major roadblock for future clinical applications. Our goal is to develop a compact image‐guided MRT system based on high power distributed x‐ray source array and explore the radiobiology behind MRT using various mouse brain tumor models. Methods: We developed a novel protocol of combined MRI/x‐ray radiograph image‐guided MRT which enables irradiating two mice simultaneously. This protocol proceeds as follows: tumor localization with MRI, landmark identification with x‐ray projections, registration between the two images to determine the relative location of the tumor in the RT coordinate space, and treatment with the microbeam irradiator. We evaluated the targeting accuracy and tumor cell response of the protocol with U87 MG human glioma tumor bearing mice using γ‐H2AX staining. A survival study of U87 human glioma tumor bearing mice treated with three‐microbeam MRT (32Gy/beam) was carried out using this protocol. Results: The average targeting accuracy measured in the γ‐H2AX stained slices was about 280 μrn which is well below our beamwidth (350 μrn). In the survival study, U87 tumor mice treated using this MRT protocol showed an average survival time of 45 days, an extension of 6 days compared with 39 days in the control group. Conclusion: The initial tumor mice studies have demonstrated the feasibility of MRI/x‐ray radiograph guided MRT treatment in animal research. We believe this image‐guide MRT protocol could enable more efficient animal experiments with various brain tumor models to better understand MRT mechanisms.
The synthesis of mixed ligand complexes of platinum(II)

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of certain mixed ligand complexes of platinum(II) and of ligands and intermediates required therefore are described.
Extracellular Calcium Is a Potent Inducer of Cyclo-oxygenase-2 in Murine Osteoblasts Through an ERK Signaling Pathway†‡

[Ca2+]e may be important in bone turnover. We found [Ca2+]e induces COX-2 transcription and PGE2 production in primary calvarial osteoblasts through an ERK signaling pathway. Inhibition of PGE2 production inhibited the [Ca2+]e stimulation of osteoblastic differentiation but not the increase in cell number. Hence, some effects of [Ca2+]e on bone may be mediated by COX-2. Introduction: Local changes in extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]e) may play an important role in bone turnover. We examined the possibility that prostaglandins produced by cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) could mediate some of the effects of [Ca2+]e on osteoblasts. Methods: We examined the [Ca2+]e induction of COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in primary osteoblasts (POBs) obtained by sequential enzymatic digestion of mouse calvariae. We measured mRNA and protein levels by Northern and Western analyses and PGE2 production in culture medium by radioimmunoassay (RIA). COX-2 promoter activity was measured as luciferase activity in calvarial osteoblasts derived from mice transgenic for 371 bp of the COX-2 promoter fused to a luciferase reporter gene. Results and Conclusions: COX-2 mRNA and protein expression were induced by 3–40 mM of [Ca2+]e. [Ca2+]e (5 mM) induced COX-2 mRNA within 30 minutes; levels peaked at 6–9 h and remained elevated at 24 h. Cumulative medium PGE2 was increased at 3 h, with levels rising to 30 nM at 24 h. PGE2 production in POBs from mice with only COX-1 gene expression was 1/40th of that in POBs from mice with both COX-1 and COX-2 gene expression. [Ca2+]e increased alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin mRNA, and this increase was blocked by inhibiting PGE2 production. [Ca2+]e stimulation of COX-2 promoter activity correlated with the induction of COX-2 mRNA expression. [Ca2+]e induced rapid and transient phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in POBs, which peaked at 5–10 minutes. Inhibition of ERK phosphorylation with the specific inhibitors, PD-98059 and U-0126, decreased the [Ca2+]e induction of both COX-2 mRNA and luciferase activity by 70–80 %. Although less effective than [Ca2+]e, strontium [Sr2+]e also induced COX-2 mRNA and promoter activity in POBs through an ERK signaling pathway. We conclude that [Ca2+]e is a potent transcriptional inducer of COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in osteoblasts through an ERK signaling pathway.
FUTURE TRENDS IN NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF DETONATIONS

We discuss current and future developments i n sc i en t i f i c computation : the types of problems solved, the sophistication of algorithms, and the new types of computers tha t w i l l greatly enhance our a b i l i t y to simulate the behavior of detonations numerically. Three major types of advances are i n : Application of new computer architectures and associated hardware that emphasizes multiprocessing, parallelism, and interactive graphics, Use of more sophisticated numerical algorithms, including algorithms for adaptive gridding, finite-element monotone methods on unstructured grids, and Lagrangian fluid and particle
Dynamic price optimization for an M/M/k/N queue with several customer types

We consider an M/M/k/N queue with m customer types, where m ≥ 1. Customers of type j, j = 1, 2, . . . ,m, arrive at the system according to independent Poisson processes with rates λj , where 0 r1 > r2 > ... > rm > 0. Moreover, we assume that the system manager is aware of these rewards in the market and no customer in the market is willing to pay more than r1 for service. When there are n customers in the system, the system manager posts a price pn, 0 r1 and all arrivals are rejected. In addition, the system manager may reject all arrivals before the system is full by posting the price r0. The objective is to maximize the revenue of the system under average reward criterion. We call a policy that maximizes the revenue an optimal policy. In addition to op-
"When Elephants Are in Must": Peggy Shaw, Acts of Trans/fer, and the Present Future of Queer Desire

Performed three months after performance artist Peggy Shaw nearly died from a stroke, the 2011 production of Must in Amherst was infused with the exigencies of the present: Shaw “must” perform Must in order to pass her butch legacy onto the next generation of queer and trans folk in the audience.
Risks and benefits of gene therapy.

Updated information on this topic from the Food and Drug Administration is available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2003/ANS01190.html. Although most of today's gene-therapy trials are ta...
Adapting to the changing paradigm of management of colon injuries.

Abstract Background Based on the evolution that the management of colonic trauma has undergone since the early 1990s, we hypothesized that the use of diversion has decreased at our institution over the last decade. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients who presented to our trauma center with colon injuries between 1995 and 2006. Results A total of 81 patients were analyzed. Twenty-five patients (31%) were treated with diversion and 56 patients (69%) underwent primary repair or resection with anastomosis. The rate of diversion in the first half of the study period as well as the second half of the study period was 31%. There was no difference in the complication rates. Conclusions The usage of diversion remains higher than current literature would indicate. As a result, we are implementing a program that will actively encourage our trauma surgeons to improve the quality of patient care by incorporating evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.
Competitiveness and effectiveness of strains of Rhizobium phaseoli isolated from the sonoran desert

Abstract Four strains of Rhizobium phaseoli were examined for N 2 fixation effectiveness and for competitiveness for nodule occupancy by utilizing strain-specific fluorescent antibodies. Competition studies in Leonard jars held in a growth chamber showed strain KIM-5 (a cool season isolate from Kimberly, Idaho) consistently occupied the majority of nodules on bean plants ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Kentucky Wonder, when applied as a mixed inoculant with desert strains (K-1, 36 or 90). Competitiveness of KIM-5 was relatively independent of cell numbers as shown by the high recovery of KIM-5 from nodules, even when extensively outnumbered in the inoculant. KIM-5 out-competed the desert strains regardless of whether they were ineffective (strains 36 and 90) or highly effective (K-1). Although KIM-5 was more competitive than K-l, no difference in infectiveness (as shown by nodule mass) or effectiveness (as shown by % N, total plant N, C 2 H 2 reduction and total plant weight) was observed. In YEM broth, strain K-l showed increasing growth rates when the temperature was increased from 27° to 35°C, and was viable at 40°C. These data indicate K-1 to be an unusually heat-tolerant strain. Growth rates of KIM-5 were constant from 27° to 35°C and the organism was not viable at 40°C. Both strains produced acid in a defined broth medium. The effectiveness of KIM-5 and K-l was also evaluated under field conditions using single strain inoculants with two cultivars of pinto beans ( P. vulgaris L.) ev. Mexicali 80 and Delicias 71. Inoculation with K-1 resulted in yield increases with both cultivars over uninoculated plants, whereas there was little difference between KIM-5 inoculated and uninoculated plants.
Evidence for respiratory and nonrespiratory subtypes in panic disorder.

Recently researchers have posited a “respiratory” subtype of panic disorder (PD), which differs from “nonrespiratory” subtypes in phenomenology and perhaps treatment response. This study was designed to further examine evidence for the existence of a respiratory subtype in PD. Individuals with PD with prominent respiratory symptoms (PD-R; n=10) and without prominent respiratory symptoms (PD-NR; n=23), as well as healthy controls (n=27), underwent a standardized 5% CO2 rebreathing challenge. Ventilatory response and subjective sensation of suffocation were continuously recorded. The PD-R group exhibited greater subjective suffocation levels, rates of respiration, and propensity to terminate the procedure voluntarily than did the other two groups, which in turn did not differ on these measures. Findings are consistent with the existence of a respiratory subtype of PD, which differs from nonrespiratory subtypes in CO2 sensitivity. Depression and Anxiety 23:474–481, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nitrate Inhibition of Legume Nodule Growth and Activity: I. Long Term Studies with a Continuous Supply of Nitrate

The synthesis and accumulation of nitrite has been suggested as a causative factor in the inhibition of legume nodules supplied with nitrate. Plants were grown in sand culture with a moderate level of nitrate (2.1 to 6.4 millimolar) supplied continuously from seed germination to 30 to 50 days after planting. In a comparison of nitrate treatments, a highly significant negative correlation between nitrite concentration in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) nodules and nodule fresh weight per shoot dry weight was found even when bacteroids lacked nitrate reductase (NR). However, in a comparison of two Rhizobium japonicum strains, there was only 12% as much nitrite in nodules formed by NR−R. japonicum as in nodules formed by NR+R. japonicum, and growth and acetylene reduction activity of both types of nodules was about equally inhibited. In a comparison of eight other NR+ and NR−R. japonicum strains, and a comparison of G. max, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Pisum sativum, the concentration of nitrite in nodules was unrelated to nodule weight per plant or to specific acetylene reduction activity. The very small concentration of nitrite found in P. vulgaris nodules (0.05 micrograms NO2−-N per gram fresh weight) was probably below that required for the inhibition of nitrogenase based on published in vitro experiments, and yet the specific acetylene reduction activity was inhibited 83% by nitrate. The overall results do not support the idea that nitrite plays a role in the inhibition of nodule growth and nitrogenase activity by nitrate.
Planning and Implementing Shared Teaching: An MBA Team-Teaching Case Study.

Team teaching is a popular trend in business education. In an attempt to integrate seemingly disparate functional disciplines, a number of business programs have combined courses. Regardless of the...
Heterohexamer of 56- and 63-kDa Gene 4 Helicase-Primase of Bacteriophage T7 in DNA Replication

Bacteriophage T7 expresses two forms of gene 4 protein (gp4). The 63-kDa full-length gp4 contains both the helicase and primase domains. T7 phage also express a 56-kDa truncated gp4 lacking the zinc binding domain of the primase; the protein has helicase activity but no DNA-dependent primase activity. Although T7 phage grow better when both forms are present, the role of the 56-kDa gp4 is unknown. The two molecular weight forms oligomerize by virtue of the helicase domain to form heterohexamers. The 56-kDa gp4 and any mixture of 56- and 63-kDa gp4 show higher helicase activity in DNA unwinding and strand-displacement DNA synthesis than that observed for the 63-kDa gp4. However, single-molecule measurements show that heterohexamers have helicase activity similar to the 63-kDa gp4 hexamers. In oligomerization assays the 56-kDa gp4 and any mixture of the 56- and 63-kDa gp4 oligomerize to form more hexamers than does the 63-kDa gp4. The zinc binding domain of the 63-kDa gp4 interferes with hexamer formation, an inhibition that is relieved by the insertion of the 56-kDa species. Compared with the 63-kDa gp4, heterohexamers synthesize a reduced amount of oligoribonucleotides, mediated predominately by the 63-kDa subunits via a cis mode. During coordinated DNA synthesis 7% of the tetraribonucleotides synthesized are used as primers by both heterohexamers and hexamers of the 63-kDa gp4. Overall, an equimolar mixture of the two forms of gp4 shows the highest rate of DNA synthesis during coordinated DNA synthesis.
Local cell orientation method

On montre qu'on peut ameliorer la precision de la modelisation numerique a volume fini par une orientation convenable des cellules. Application au schema de Godunov pour la resolution des equations d'Euler
The packing of pairs by quadruples

Abstract Let X be a finite set of size ν, further let λ be a positive integer and let σ (4,λν) denote the maximum number of quadruples such that each pair of elements of X is contained in at most λ of them. The value of σ (4, 1;ν) has been determined by Brouwer (1979) for all v ⩾4. The value of σ(4,λν) has been determined by Billington, Stanton and Stinson (1984) for all ν≡0 (mod 3) and λ>1. In this paper we complete the determination of σ(4,λν) for all ν⩾4 and λ>1.
Adaptive optimal design of active thermoelectric windows using surrogate modeling

This paper develops an optimal design and an optimal operating strategy for Active Thermoelectric (ATE) windows. The proposed ATE window design uses thermostats to actively control thermoelectric (TE) units and fans to regulate the heat transfer through the windows. To achieve high energy efficiency, optimization of the ATE window design seeks to simultaneously minimize the heat transferred through the window and the net power consumption. The ATE windows should adapt to varying climatic conditions. The heat transfer and the power supplies are optimized under a prescribed set of climatic conditions. Based on the optimal results obtained for these conditions, surrogate models are developed to represent the optimal modes of operation as functions of the climatic conditions, namely (i) ambient temperature, (ii) wind speed, and (iii) solar radiation. To this end, Radial Basis Functions (RBF) are used. The results show that the ATE windows provide significantly improved insulation compared to traditional windows under varying climatic conditions. Moreover, it was found that the ATE window operates at a superior efficiency than a standard HVAC system, particularly in colder climates.
Cell population in spleens during antibody-mediated rejection: pathologic and clinical findings.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of refractory antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), splenectomy has been associated with surprisingly rapid recovery of renal function. The mechanism is still unclear. METHODS: We review 11 recipients, who underwent rescue splenectomy (RS) as a treatment of AMR within 3 months after kidney transplantation. At transplantation, all patients had undergone desensitization for initially positive crossmatch to their prospective donors. The cellular populations of the spleen were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. For comparison, we obtained spleen specimens from eight controls who were non-transplantation patients. RESULTS: Rejection occurred in all the patients early after transplantation (mean [SD], 7.1 [5.7] days). One graft was lost 4 weeks after kidney transplantation. A significantly higher number of plasma cells (PCs) (P=0.049) and lower number of T and B lymphocytes (P=0.02 and P=0.005, respectively) were detected in the RS group compared with the control group. By analyzing the PC variations in the RS group, significantly lower numbers of PCs were detected in the spleens of patients who received rituximab before splenectomy (P=0.0004). In contrast, a higher number of PCs were found in patients (n=3) who did not respond to splenectomy and subsequently underwent bortezomib treatment and recovered their renal function (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Splenectomy may reverse AMR by debulking PCs. Our analysis suggests that patients with a very high load of PCs may not be rescued by splenectomy alone and may need additional treatments.
Glycolipid modulation of membrane adhesion

A novel test of carbohydrate-mediated adhesion has been developed. At the tips of two syringes, large spherical model membranes have been made from phosphatidylcholine and varying amounts of mixed brain gangliosides dissolved inn-decane. The apposition of two such membranes resulted in adhesion, not fusion, as judged by the absence of fluorescence mixing in the junction with NBD-phosphatidylethanolamine in one membrane and perylene in the other. Adhesion was observed without gangliosides. The rate of formation of the adhesion area (“rate” of adhesion) was unchanged from 0 to 0.8 mol% gangliosides. A slightly lower but constant rate was observed within the physiological range from 2 to 10 mol%. Adhesion was frequently blocked at 11 to 15 mol% gangliosides. The rate of adhesion with pure gangliosides increased with the number of sialic acid residues: GT1>GD1a>GM1. These results are interpreted in terms of a sialic acid-dependent segregation of gangliosides into the adhesion zone.
Isotopic evidence from authigenic carbonates for rapid upward fluid flow in accretionary wedges

A comparison of pore fluids and authigenic carbonates sampled by the Ocean Drilling Program from the Nankai, Peru, Barbados, and Cascadia accretionary wedges illustrates significant disequilibria in oxygen isotopes, which in some cases may be related to rapid incursions of fluids along fault conduits in the past. The Peru, Barbados, and Cascadia carbonates have lower than expected δ 18 O PDB (Peedee belemnite) values for the measured downhole temperatures and isotope compositions of the pore fluids. In the Peru wedge the lower values may have resulted from past incursion of meteoric water, but in the Barbados and Cascadia wedges, the low δ 18 O PDB values were caused in part by past incursion of fluids with higher temperatures, probably along fault conduits. The temperature of fluids in the Cascadia wedge may have exceeded 100 °C, which is 90 °C higher than measured current downhole temperatures. The required high fluid-flow rates suggest a mechanism of seismically induced fluid migration to bring fluids rapidly from depths of greater than 2 km to the surface.
Digitalis Mechanisms: Effects on Sodium Flux

Measurements were made of human erythrocyte ghost Na flux, Na+K dependent ATPase activity, and intracellular water and electrolyte concentrations in patients receiving cardiac glycosides and in normal subjects to investigate mechanisms of action of cardiac glycosides. The effects of in vitro exposure of normal cells to cardiac glycosides were also studied. The mean erythrocyte ghost Na efflux rate constant in adequately digitalized patients was elevated to 1.19±0.027(SEM). Normal mean efflux rate was 0.62±0.017 and the difference was significat, p<0.01. The increased efflux was due to increased active transport since the passive outward leak of Na was unaffected. Since erythrocyte intracellualar Na concentration was normal in these patients the passive influx rate of Na was also increased. The in vitro exposure of normal ghosts to ouabain 10−9 to 10−10 M. produced similar increases in Na flux. Erythrocyte water and Na+K dependent ATPase activity were both increased in digitalized patients. Patients with digitals toxicity had reduced active transport of Na, reduced Na+K dependent ATPase activity, and increased intracellular Na concentration. Similar changes in flux and ATPase were produced in vitro by ouabain 10−4 to 10−7 M. It is believed that these findings support KLAUS' suggestion that therapeutic doses of cardiac glycosides are associated with increased active transport of Na, decreased intracellular Na concentration and suggest increased cell water. Toxic effects of cardiac glycosides are associated with decreased active Na transport, decreased Na+K dependent ATPase and increased intracellular Na.
Verteporfin photodynamic therapy and anti-angiogenic drugs: potential for combination therapy in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

ABSTRACTObjective: To discuss the rationale for combining anti-angiogenic treatment with verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy in the management of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and evaluate available evidence for the therapeutic benefits of such approaches.Scope: The Medline and EMBASE databases were searched in October 2006 to retrieve relevant articles. Additional articles were obtained from the reference lists of retrieved articles, as well as from recent scientific meetings and company websites.Findings: Treatments for CNV due to AMD can be directed at either the vascular component of CNV (the new vessels that proliferate and leak blood and fluid) or the angiogenic component that leads to the development of the condition. Verteporfin targets the vascular component, whereas anti-angiogenic agents (such as pegaptanib and ranibizumab) target key mediators of the angiogenic cascade. The different mechanisms of action of these approaches offer the p...
Pazopanib Combined With Radiation: An In Vivo Model

Purpose/Objective(s): To examine the interaction of pazopanib with radiation in an in vivo model. Materials/Methods: The non-small cell lung cancer cell line, A549, and the head and neck cancer cell line , UMSCC-6 were used to establish xenografts in female athymic nude mice. Separately for each cell line, 2 x 10 6 cells mixed with Matrigel were injected subcutaneously into the right flank and tumors allowed to grow to ~ 25mm 3 . Groups of mice were then treated with pazopanib and/or escalating doses of radiation, and tumor measurements over time compared to untreated tumor-bearing controls. Pazopanib was given at 100mg/kg, beginning 7 days before radiation and continuing for a total of 28 days. Daily radiation was 1Gy, 2Gy, or 3Gy x 5 days. Results: In the A549 control group tumors reached 5x the original volume by day 50 and some animals were sacrificed due to large tumor burden. All treated groups had less robust tumor growth and the group receiving pazopanib + 3Gy radiation/day had tumor regression to less than baseline by day 35. In the UM-SCC-6-tumorbearing animals, tumors in all groups continued to grow during initial therapy, then declined by day 25. Those treated with pazopanib alone had a growth and regression pattern similar to that of the untreated controls whereas those receiving the combination of pazopanib and radiation had tumor regression below baseline. The 3Gy/day group had the most vigorous regression pattern. Conclusions: The combination of pazopanib and radiation resulted in superior tumor regression compared to either agent alone. All treated groups had impaired tumor progression compared to untreated controls.
Drain Extended NMOS High Current Behavior and ESD Protection Strategy for HV Applications in Sub-100nm CMOS Technologies

In this work the high current behavior of drain-extended nMOS transistors (DEnMOS) built in a state-of-the-art 65nm CMOS technology were investigated. It shown that a sufficient level of ESD robustness (I T2~2mA/mum) can be achieved through substrate biasing. The concept will be exploited to build robust ESD protections
Generalized loop-unrolling: a method for program speedup

It is well known that to optimize a program for speedup efforts should be focused on the regions where the payoff will be greatest. Loop constructs in a program represent such regions. In the literature, it has been shown that a certain degree of speedup can be achieved by loop unrolling. The technique published so far, however, appears to be applicable to FOR-loops only. This paper presents a generalized loop-unrolling method that can be applied to any type of loop construct. Possible complications in its applications, together with some experimental results, are discussed in detail.
Epigenetic histone modifications and master regulators as determinants of context dependent nuclear receptor activity in bone cells

Genomic annotation of unique and combinatorial epigenetic modifications along with transcription factor occupancy is having a profound impact on our understanding of the genome. These studies have led to a better appreciation of the dynamic nature of the epigenetic and transcription factor binding components that reveal overarching principles of the genome as well as tissue specificity. In this minireview, we discuss the presence and potential functions of several of these features across the genome in osteoblast lineage cells. We examine how these features are modulated during cellular maturation, affect transcriptional output and phenotype, and how they alter the ability of cells to respond to systemic signals directed by calcemic hormones such as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and PTH. In particular, we describe recent experiments which indicate that progressive stages of bone cell differentiation affect RUNX2 binding to the genome, modify and restrict patterns of gene expression, and dramatically alter cellular response to the vitamin D hormone. These studies expand our understanding of mechanisms that govern steroid hormone regulation of gene expression, while highlighting the increasing complexity that is evident relative to these basic cellular processes. The results also have profound implications with respect to the impact of skeletal diseases on transcriptional outcomes as well. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Epigenetics and Bone.
Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 p12I Enhances Interleukin-2 Production during T-Cell Activation

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders. The early virus-cell interactions that determine a productive infection remain unclear. However, it is well recognized that T-cell activation is required for effective retroviral integration into the host cell genome and subsequent viral replication. The HTLV-1 pX open reading frame I encoding protein, p12 I , is critical for the virus to establish persistent infection in vivo and for infection in quiescent primary lymphocytes in vitro. p12 I localizes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and cis-Golgi apparatus, increases intracellular calcium and activates nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-mediated transcription. To clarify the function of p12 I , we tested the production of IL-2 from Jurkat T cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) expressing p12 I . Lentiviral vector expressed p12 I in Jurkat T cells enhanced interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in a calcium pathway-dependent manner during T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. Expression of p12 I also induced higher NFAT-mediated reporter gene activities during TCR stimulation in Jurkat T cells. In contrast, p12 expression in PBMC elicited increased IL-2 production in the presence of phorbal ester stimulation, but not during TCR stimulation. Finally, the requirement of ER localization for p12 I -mediated NFAT activation was demonstrated and two positive regions and two negative regions in p12 I were identified for the activation of this transcription factor by using p12 I truncation mutants. These results are the first to indicate that HTLV-1, an etiologic agent associated with lymphoproliferative diseases, uses a conserved accessory protein to induce T-cell activation, an antecedent to efficient viral infection.
The NMDA receptor complex as a therapeutic target in epilepsy: a review

A substantial amount of research has shown that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) may play a key role in the pathophysiology of several neurological diseases, including epilepsy. Animal models of epilepsy and clinical studies demonstrate that NMDAR activity and expression can be altered in association with epilepsy and particularly in some specific seizure types. NMDAR antagonists have been shown to have antiepileptic effects in both clinical and preclinical studies. There is some evidence that conventional antiepileptic drugs may also affect NMDAR function. In this review, we describe the evidence for the involvement of NMDARs in the pathophysiology of epilepsy and provide an overview of NMDAR antagonists that have been investigated in clinical trials and animal models of epilepsy.
Relevance and Rigor: Executive Education as a Lever in Shaping Practice and Research

As professional schools, business schools aspire to couple research rigor with managerial relevance. There has been, however, a concern that business schools are increasingly uncoupled from practic...
An implicit finite-difference operator for the Helmholtz equation

ABSTRACTWe have developed an implicit finite-difference operator for the Laplacian and applied it to solving the Helmholtz equation for computing the seismic responses in the frequency domain. This implicit operator can greatly improve the accuracy of the simulation results without adding significant extra computational cost, compared with the corresponding conventional explicit finite-difference scheme. We achieved this by taking advantage of the inherently implicit nature of the Helmholtz equation and merging together the two linear systems: one from the implicit finite-difference discretization of the Laplacian and the other from the discretization of the Helmholtz equation itself. The end result of this simple yet important merging manipulation is a single linear system, similar to the one resulting from the conventional explicit finite-difference discretizations, without involving any differentiation matrix inversions. We analyzed grid dispersions of the discrete Helmholtz equation to show the accura...
Flavitrack analysis of the structure and function of West Nile non-structural proteins

The Flavitrack database groups Flaviviruses (FV), evolutionarily related organisms with high subtype variability, according to their phenotypes. Here, PCPMer tools were used to calculate consensus sequences based on conservation of Physicochemical Properties (PCP) for 919 sequences of NS2a, a non-structural protein involved in preventing host interferon response to infection. Conserved PCP-motifs were detected, primarily in the N-terminal half of NS2a. One model structure, based on a nuclear receptor, groups residues essential for West Nile (WN) infectivity (I59, V61, and M103) in a pocket on the protein surface. These methods will aid in the design of vaccines and specific therapies against FV.
Fad or Here to Stay: Predicting Product Market Adoption and Longevity Using Large Scale, Social Media Data

The authors of this work propose a Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) model for predicting product market adoption and longevity using large scale, social media data. Social media data, available through sites such as Twitter R
Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation to Inform Clinical Trial Design

tonavir alone for patients whose HIV RNA levels are currently suppressed during an initial antiretroviral regimen, which would consist of 2 nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors and a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor. Attention has recently focused on using a single ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor as maintenance therapy for patients who have successfully responded to their initial antiretroviral regimen [2-4]. The rationale given for such treatment strategies is the potential for a decrease in-and even a reversal of-toxicities associated with use
Activation of a 1.1 Petawatt hybrid, OPCPA-Nd:glass laser

We report on the activation of the 1.1 Petawatt Laser (190 J, 170 fs) based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) and mixed Nd:glass amplification.
The structure of the Bartlett Trough

The Bartlett Trough is one of the major structural and physiographic features of the Caribbean region. It extends in a flat arc, convex toward the north,from the Gulf of Honduras eastward as far as Gonaive Gulf between the two western peninsulas of Haiti, a distance of over 1,000 miles. The width, between Cuba and Jamaica, is nearly 100 miles, and the deepest sounding, according to recent reports, is about 4,000 fathoms, or 31,000 feet below the higher peaks of the Sierra Maestra in Cuba and the Blue Mountains in Jamaica.
Developmentally regulated gene expression of thrombomodulin in postimplantation mouse embryos

Embryonic lethality of thrombomodulin-deficient mice has indicated an essential role for this regulator of blood coagulation in murine development. Here, the embryonic expression pattern of thrombomodulin was defined by surveying beta-galactosidase activity in a mouse strain in which the reporter gene was placed under the regulatory control of the endogenous thrombomodulin promoter via homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. The murine trophoblast was identified as a previously unrecognized anatomical site where TM expression is conserved between humans and mice and may exert a critical function during postimplantation development. Targeted reporter gene expression in mesodermal precursors of the endothelial cell lineage defined thrombomodulin as an early marker of vascular differentiation. Analysis of the thrombomodulin promoter in differentiating ES cells and in transgenic mice provided evidence for a disparate and cell type-specific gene regulatory control mechanism in the parietal yolk sac. The thrombomodulin promoter as defined in this study will allow the targeting of gene expression to the parietal yolk sac of transgenic mice and the initiation of investigations into the role of parietal endoderm in placental function.
The Dilemma of Social Justice

What is social justice? What does citizenship have to do with social justice? These questions are at the forefront of this chapter. Can Fraser’s model of social justice assist educators to help promote equality? Three continuums of this model are explained, so teachers at every level can deeply ponder where they should navigate regarding each continuum of Fraser’s model. Can we promote equality by focusing on “sameness” or “difference” in the classroom? Which is more important? Do we show how we are all alike? Do we emphasize how we are different? Where is the middle ground? A second continuum to consider is that of recognition versus redistribution? Should we recognize that there are inequities as part of reality or should we work with students to redistribute the capital that is available? Finally, should we emphasize interaction on the microlevel or on the macrolevel? In other words, do we make a difference in the world more effectively through action by one on one or small groups? Or, is action more effective by working within a larger context at the macrolevel?
Statutes Requiring 'Plain Meaning' Interpretation

Plain meaning is a concept originally developed by the courts as one statutory interpretation approach. An earlier installment of this column looked at that approach generally. This current installment takes up a more specific aspect. According to a recent article by a state appellate judge, nine states now have statutes directing their courts to apply statutes pursuant to the “plain meaning” of their text, if the text is unambiguous. This installment assesses the significance of such statutes for state and local tax controversies.
Anions in electrothermal supercharging of proteins with electrospray ionization follow a reverse Hofmeister series.

The effects of different anions on the extent of electrothermal supercharging of proteins from aqueous ammonium and sodium salt solutions were investigated. Sulfate and hydrogen phosphate are the most effective anions at producing high charge state protein ions from buffered aqueous solution, whereas iodide and perchlorate are ineffective with electrothermal supercharging. The propensity for these anions to produce high charge state protein ions follows the following trend: sulfate > hydrogen phosphate > thiocyanate > bicarbonate > chloride > formate ≈ bromide > acetate > iodide > perchlorate. This trend correlates with the reverse Hofmeister series over a wide range of salt concentrations (1 mM to 2 M) and with several physical properties, including solvent surface tension, anion viscosity B-coefficient, and anion surface/bulk partitioning coefficient, all of which are related to the Hofmeister series. The effectiveness of electrothermal supercharging does not depend on bubble formation, either from ther...
Incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

The incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) was studied. Antiphospholipid antibodies were measured in the sera of 93 patients (49 women, 44 men; mean age 70 [+/- 21] years) with MGUS by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The phospholipids tested were cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Positive results were defined as a value higher than the number of multiples of the mean per phospholipid, which included 76 of 80 (95%; 20 age-matched) control individuals. The immunoglobulin-G (IgG) or IgM antiphospholipid antibodies isotype varied among the patients, as did the phospholipid specificity. For IgG, PI was found elevated in 32% of the MGUS samples, whereas the other phospholipid antigens ranged from 9% to 15%. The percentage of patients with IgM antiphospholipid antibodies was higher. The authors observed PS, PI, PA, and PC as positive in 45%, 35%, 25%, and 25% of patients, respectively. Of the 12 sera studied for IgA isotype, three (25%) were positive for PS, six (50%) for CL, and none for PE. Patients with MGUS manifested a significantly higher (P < .01) incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies in their blood than did the control persons. No difference in the incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies was seen between younger and older (age-matched) control patients. No correlation was found between serum levels of immunoglobulins and optical density reading of the blank plates used as ELISA controls.
Abnormalities in the long arm of chromosome 11 (11q) in patients with de novo and secondary acute myelogenous leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes

Leukemias with abnormalities in chromosome 11q23 occur frequently after exposure to topoisomerase II-reactive drugs. We investigated the characteristics and outcome of patients with de novo or secondary acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with abnormalities in chromosome 11q. Sixty-one patients had 11q abnormalities. Alterations involved 11q23 in 38 patients and other 11q abnormalities in 23. Sixteen patients had secondary disease, 12 involving 11q23, and four with other 11q abnormalities; 26 patients with de novo disease had 11q23 abnormalities and 19 other 11q abnormalities. The most common 11q23 abnormality was t(9;11), significantly more common in secondary (9/12) than in de novo (6/26) leukemias (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between de novo and secondary groups involving 11q23. Five of 12 patients (42%) with secondary and 20/26 (77%) with de novo disease achieved complete remission (p = 0.05). Median survival was 6 weeks in the secondary group and 71 weeks in the de novo group (p = 0.001). There were no long-term survivors in either group. Results are similar when other 11q abnormalities are included. Adults with AML or MDS with 11q abnormalities secondary to prior chemotherapy have a worse prognosis than patients presenting de novo. However, 11q abnormalities define a population with a poor prognosis even when presenting de novo.
Burden of preoperative cardiovascular disease risk factors on breast cancer surgery outcomes

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular comorbidities have been studied sporadically in breast cancer surgery. No study has provided a comprehensive assessment of the severity and relative influence of preoperative cardiac risk factors on surgical outcomes. METHODS 78,338 breast cancer surgery patients were identified from the 2006 to 2012 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. We estimated the impact of chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking), acute cardiac events (myocardial infarction, congestive heart disease, angina), and past cardiac procedures (cardiac surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention) on 30-day postoperative complications, reoperation, and readmission. RESULTS Nearly 65% of patients had chronic conditions, <1% had acute events, and 3% had past procedures. The prevalence of outcomes was low: 5% had complications, 4% underwent reoperation, and 4% were readmitted. Over 65% of complications were wound-related. All risk factor categories were associated with complications (ORs from 1.26 to 4.18). Acute events had the strongest effect on overall (OR 3.54, CI 2.55-4.91) and medical (OR 4.18, CI 2.73-6.41) complications. Chronic conditions and past procedures also predicted reoperation and readmission (ORs from 1.57 to 2.68). The odds of all outcomes increased with the number of chronic conditions (ptrend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Cardiovascular disease has a significant impact on outcomes even in minimal-risk breast cancer surgery. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:144-149. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Validation of architectural targets in business components identification

Component identification is one decisive task in designing software architectures for large component-based information systems, and especially the quality of business components identification plays an important role in concurrent enterprising. Methods that have been developed for this task yield component architectures that conform to these methods' target functions. This paper validates the soundness of architectures resulting from systematic component identification with the BCI (business components identification) method. We could derive our results from a real-life industry project where we show that architecture qualities required by stakeholders are directly covered from a target architecture generated through BCI application.
Lope de Vega, El príncipe despeñado. A critical and annotated edition of the autograph manuscript by Henry W. Hogue. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, 1955; 188 pp.

Se reseno el libro: El principe despenado. A critical and annotated edition of the autograph manuscript by Henry W. Hogue.
Lessons Learned From the VCU School of Medicine Latino Medical Student Association: A Roadmap for Increasing Diversity in Medical School:

The emphasis on increasing diversity within medical schools is not a new trend. At Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, we made a concerted effort to increase the percentage of Hisp...
Trocar site hernia development in patients undergoing robotically assisted or standard laparoscopic staging surgery for endometrial cancer

Abstract Objectives To compare the incidence and potential risk factors of trocar site hernia formation in women undergoing robotically assisted versus standard laparoscopic staging (RBT vs. LSC, respectively) for endometrial cancer. Methods We retrospectively identified all patients who underwent MIS staging for endometrial cancer at our institution from 01/09–12/12. Data collection involved the review of all operative notes, postoperative follow-up visit notes, and postoperative imaging reports. Appropriate statistical tests were used. Results We identified 760 eligible patients (LSC, 193; RBT, 567). The overall median age was 61years (range, 33–90). The median BMI was 28.5kg/m 2 for LSC (range, 16.6–67.6) and 29.5kg/m 2 for RBT (range, 17.9–66) patients (p=0.8). A trocar site hernia developed in 16 patients (2.1%)—5 (2.6%) of 193 LSC and 11 (1.9%) of 567 RBT patients (p=0.6). Median time to hernia diagnosis was 13months (range, 5–20.5) and 18months (range, 3–49), respectively (p=0.5). All hernias in the LSC cohort developed at the camera trocar site. In the RBT cohort, 10 developed at the camera trocar site and 1 at a lateral trocar site. Only BMI was associated with the development of hernias. A hernia was diagnosed in 7 (6.9%) of 101 patients with a BMI ≥40kg/m 2 compared with 9 (1.4%) of 659 with a BMI 2 (p=0.001). Conclusion MIS for endometrial cancer is associated with a low rate of trocar site hernia formation, with similar rates associated with RBT and standard LSC. Higher BMI is associated with the development of postoperative trocar site hernias.