cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disposition of folic acid and its metabolites: A comparison with leucovorin

A pharmacokinetic study of folic acid and its metabolites was conducted to provide a basis to consider folic acid as a therapeutic alternative to leucovorin. Leucovorin has been used in various folate antagonist rescue regimens and to modulate fluorouracil activity in the treatment of solid tumors. Although leucovorin is typically administered intravenously in fluorouracil modulation therapy, limited oral administration trials have yielded equivalent responses. Because metabolites rather than leucovorin are the predominant circulating species after oral administration, these clinical results indicate that metabolites themselves can be modulating agents. Folk acid could be an attractive alternative to leucovorin provided it effectively elevates the same plasma metabolites. Hence, folk acid at doses of 25 and 125 mg/m2 was administered orally and intravenously to normal volunteers. Plasma folk acid and its reduced folate metabolites were monitored over a 24-hour period by use of a previously developed radioenzymatic method. The metabolites that accumulated—5-methyltetrahydrofolate, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, tetrahydrofolate, and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate—were the same metabolites that were observed previously after leucovorin administration. Folk acid metabolites accumulated more slowly and persisted longer than leucovorin metabolites, which can be attributed to slower metabolism of the fully oxidized vitamin. Based on these results, it is concluded that folk acid could be an attractive therapeutic alternative to leucovorin for fluorouracil modulation. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1994) 55, 501–508; doi:10.1038/clpt.1994.63
Cellular pharmacology studies of shikonin derivatives.

The naphthoquinone pigment, shikonin, isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc.(Boraginaceae) and its derivatives are the active components isolated from the Chinese herbal therapeutic, Zicao. Historically, Zicao root extracts have been used to treat macular eruption, measles, sore-throat, carbuncles and burns. Multiple pharmacological actions have been attributed to shikonin, e.g. antiinflammatory, antigonadotropic and anti-HIV-1 activity. In this review, several therapeutic applications of shikonin will be summarized including its pleiotropic, antiinflammatory and antitumour effects. Widely diverse and sometimes conflicting activities have been attributed to shikonin, e.g. wound healing, enhanced granuloma formation, suppression of local acute inflammatory reactions, inhibition of angiogenesis, inhibition of select chemokine ligands, inhibition of DNA topoisomerase activity, inhibition of platelet activation and antimicrobial activity. Comparison of the various reported mechanisms of action for shikonin lead us to hypothesize that shikonin is an effective inhibitor of protein-protein interaction with multiple targets in both the intracellular and extracellular compartments. This general inhibitory effect can account for the broad spectrum of shikonin biological and pharmacological activities.
Improving maintenance of lost weight following a commercial liquid meal replacement program: A preliminary study

Clinic-based liquid meal replacement (800kcals/day) programs produce substantial weight loss. Nevertheless, long-term maintenance remains a challenge. A limitation of maintenance programs is that they continue to promote large behavior changes that are initially required to induce weight loss which may be unsustainable long-term. The study aims were to conduct a preliminary assessment of the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a small changes maintenance intervention (SCM) for 30 patients who completed liquid meal replacement program (LMR). The 20-session SCM delivered over 52 weeks offered no preset goals for maintenance behaviors and all changes in behavior were self-selected. Participants had a median BMI of 40.9 kg/m(2) and weight of 111 kg at the start of LMR. At LMR completion, they lost 18% (21 kg) of body weight. The SCM was completed by 22 patients (73%); 19 completers (86%) attended ≥ 17 of 20 sessions with a median satisfaction rating of 9 (on a scale of 1 to 9). Completers were asked to record self-selected maintenance behaviors daily (median 351 days recorded). The most commonly reported daily behaviors were self-weighing, use of meal replacements and step counting. Median percent regain at week 52 was 14% (2.8 kg) of lost weight (range, -42 to 74%), significantly less than a median of 56% (11 kg) percent regain of lost weight (range, -78 to 110%) in a demographically similar historical control group with no maintenance intervention after LMR completion (P<0.001). Thus, SCM holds promise for improving weight maintenance. Future research should compare SCM to standard maintenance programs that promote large program-directed changes.
A process of runs and its convergence to the brownian motion

Abstract Let X 1 , X 2 ,… be i.i.d. random variables with a continuous distribution function. Let R 0 =0, R k = min { j > R k −1 , such that X j > X j +1 }, k ⩾1. We prove that all finite-dimensional distributions of a process W (n) (t)= (R [nt] −2[nt]) 2 3 n , t ϵ [0,1] , converge to those of the standard Brownian motion.
Paracrine Regulation of FSH by Follistatin in Folliculostellate Cell-Enriched Primate Pituitary Cell Cultures

Primary pituitary cell cultures are an important tool for understanding pituitary hormone gene expression. In the course of study of pituitary cell cultures from nonhuman adult male primates, pituitary secretory cells were noted to be rapidly overgrown by epithelioid cells with the morphological, immunocytochemical, and proliferative characteristics of folliculostellate cells. Using competitive RT-PCR assays, follistatin mRNA levels were found to increase 4-fold as folliculostellate cells proliferated with time in culture, whereas FSH-β mRNA and FSH secretion were suppressed. Follistatin gene expression was stimulated by activin-A and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide but not by [d-Trp6]-GnRH ethylamide. Testosterone (T) also increased follistatin mRNA levels and follistatin protein secretion. FSH-β mRNA was stimulated by [d-Trp6]-GnRH ethylamide and activin but was suppressed by T. The reciprocal relationship between follistatin and FSH-β mRNA levels as folliculostellate cells proliferat...
Optimized shielded-gate trench MOSFET technology for high-frequency,high-efficiency power supplies

Shielded-gate trench-MOSFETs yield superior performance compared to conventional gate trench devices by allowing higher doping density in the drift region and providing a ‘shielding effect’ for the gate by placing an intermediate electrode between gate and drain. However, further design optimizations can be done for a shieldedgate trench-MOSFET to improve performance parameters particularly suited for next-generation high-frequency computing power supply applications and they have been outlined in this article. Channel optimization, substrate thinning and intrinsic gate resistance reduction (by layout enhancements) have been discussed along with their impact on cost-performance benefit on the device. Further, effects of these design optimizations on the power loss and efficiency of a high-frequency switching converter have been demonstrated by mixed device–circuit simulations.
The development of expertise in geography : A cognitive developmental approach to geographic education

Abstract It is generally recognized that geographic education and cognitive development are intertwined at the precollege level. Here we argue that college-level instruction likewise depends upon appreciating the cognitive-developmental level of students as well as their level of geographic expertise. In particular, we set geographic instruction within a Piagetian approach to cognitive development and illustrate this approach by reference to two fundamental topics covered in cartographic instruction: map projections and coordinate systems. We present data demonstrating that not all college students readily have available the cognitive and spatial skills needed to understand fundamentals of map projections and coordinate systems. Instruction on map projections typically relies on reference to shadow projections, and yet significant numbers of college students fail to understand even the simplest cases of shadow projections. Instruction on coordinate systems assumes a Euclidean understanding of spatial rela...
The Value and Use of Interpretation in Play Therapy

“My client has been coming to therapy for weeks and has yet to engage in any play even vaguely related to the presenting problem. Whenever I try to bring up anything even minimally related to the trauma, the child either freezes or gets angry. Managed care may only give me a few more sessions. The parent is worried that therapy isn’t progressing and, frankly, so am I. What now?” Does this sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. Many child therapists find it very difficult to keep sessions problem-focused without feeling that they are either violating fundamental tenets of their theoretical orientation or risking overwhelming the child. In addition, even when progress is being made in session, many children seem to have a great deal of difficulty generalizing those changes to their lives outside of the therapy. The systematic use of language in general and interpretation in particular is one way to make a significant dent in both of these problems. Although this article focuses on the use of interpretation within play therapy sessions, it is important to note that interpretation is only one part of the overall treatment process. Maximum treatment effectiveness depends on a multi- or ecosystemic approach. Within such an approach, the therapist works with the child, the family, and other systems impinging on the child’s development and well-being. These other systems might include the peer social system; the school, medical, legal, social service, community, and cultural systems; as well as any other system in which the child is embedded. Usually therapists approach assisting child clients from two directions. One is to help the child learn to function well within these various systems as they currently exist. The other is to change the systems so that it is easier for the child to function well. The knowledge gained by the child and therapist through the interpretive process usually impacts both, as better understanding helps children make necessary changes and may be used by the therapist to guide systemic changes. Whether the emphasis of the play therapy is on changing the child or the systems in which he or she operates depends on the age of the child and the capacity of all those involved to make meaningful changes. In any case, the use of language in play therapy is likely to facilitate the change process. The remainder of this article is divided into three sections. The first describes the importance of language in children’s mental health and presents a systematic strategy for formulating and delivering interpretations that brings language to the fore in play therapy sessions. The second part briefly reviews the therapeutic processes identified by Shirk and Russell (1996). The third and last section reframes much of the play therapy process under the general rubric of “problem solving” while describing how systematic interpretation and the use of various therapeutic processes can be used to support such problem solving.
anthropologist—the myth teller1

The meaning of the anthropological movement comes from the sense of mission created out of the ethnographer's encounter with his alter, the informant. The traditional pattern of ethnographer-informant relations, in which the informant was the man of wisdom and the ethnographer his most briliant student, was permeated with a sense of rightness expressed in the morality of cultural relativism. Changes in the personnel who become the ethnographer and the informant and changes in their home societies have created a new reality against which the traditional pattern has collapsed. Out of the collapse arises the reaffirmation of the anthropologist as teller of the human myth.
CYP2A6 Longitudinal Effects in Young Smokers.

Introduction: The present study sought to identify time-dependent within-participant effects of CYP2A6 genotypes on smoking frequency and nicotine dependence in young smokers. Methods: Predicted nicotine metabolic rate based on CYP2A6 diplotypes (CYP2A6 diplotype predicted rate [CDPR]) was partitioned into Normal, Intermediate, and Slow categories using a metabolism metric. Growth-curve models characterized baseline and longitudinal CDPR effects with data from eight longitudinal assessments during a 6-year period (from approximately age 16–22) in young smokers of European descent (N = 296, 57% female) who had smoked less than 100 cigarettes lifetime at baseline and more than that amount by Year 6. Phenotypes were number of days smoked during the previous 30 days and a youth version of the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS). A zero-inflated Poisson growth-curve model was used to account for the preponderance of zero days smoked. Results: At baseline, Intermediate CDPR was a risk factor relative to both Normal and Slow CDPR for smoking frequency and the NDSS. Slow CDPR was associated with the highest probability of smoking discontinuation at baseline. However, due to CDPR time trend differences, by young adulthood these baseline effects had been reordered such that the greatest risks for smoking frequency and the NDSS were associated with Normal CDPR. Conclusions: Reduced metabolism CYP2A6 genotypes are associated with both risk and protective effects in novice smokers. However, differences in the time-by-CDPR effects result in a reordering of genotype effects such that normal metabolism becomes the risk variant by young adulthood, as has been reliably reported in older smokers.
Recovering inhomogeneities in a waveguide using eigensystem decomposition

We present an eigensystem decomposition method to recover weak inhomogeneities in a waveguide from knowledge of the far-field scattered acoustic fields. Due to the particular geometry of the waveguide, which supports only a finite number of propagating modes, the problem of recovering inhomogeneities in a waveguide has a different set of challenges than the corresponding problem in free space. Our method takes advantage of the spectral properties of the far-field matrix, and by using its eigenvalues and its eigenvectors we obtain a representation of the linearized solution to the inverse problem in terms of products of fields which are linear combinations of the propagating modes of the waveguide with weights given by the eigenvectors of the far-field matrix. The problem of finding the unknown inhomogeneity reduces to a problem of determining some coefficients in a finite system of linear equations, whose coefficients depend on the background medium and the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of the far-field matrix. By numerically implementing our inverse algorithm we reconstructed the inhomogeneities present in the waveguide. We show that (1) even with as few as seven propagating modes we obtain a good recovery of the size and shape of the inhomogeneity; (2) multiple inhomogeneities can be well recovered and, as expected, (3) the recovery improves when the number of propagating modes increases.
Child friendly cities: good governance in the best interests of the child

This paper describes the features that make a city “child friendly”, and the legal, institutional, budgetary and planning measures needed to underpin them. It explains how the concept of child frie...
NMR confirmation of strained “defects” in amorphous silica

Abstract Solid state 29 Si magic angle sample spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the local silicon environment and siloxane ring vibrations in amorphous silica gels. Our results unambiguously relate the 608 cm −1 Raman “defect” in a-SiO 2 with reduced SiOSi bond angles indicative of strained 3-membered rings of silicate tetrahedra.
Parenting Style as a Predictor of Adolescent Weight and Weight-Related Behaviors

Abstract Purpose Current research indicates that specific parenting styles are associated with adolescent overweight, dietary intake, and physical activity; but most of the research has been cross-sectional, making it difficult to determine the temporal order of these associations. The current study adds to the previous research by examining 5-year longitudinal associations between parenting style and adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors. Methods Data from Project EAT, a population-based study with adolescents from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, were used. Adolescents (N = 2,516) from 31 Minnesota schools completed in-class assessments in 1999 (Time 1) and mailed surveys in 2004 (Time 2). Multiple linear regression models were used to predict mean levels of adolescent outcomes at Time 2 from parenting style at Time 1. Results Time 1 maternal authoritative parenting style predicted lower body mass index in adolescent sons and daughters at Time 2. Time 1 paternal permissive parenting style predicted more fruits and vegetables intake in daughters at Time 2. Significant associations were not found between parenting style and adolescent physical activity. Conclusions Findings suggest that authoritative parenting style may play a protective role related to adolescent overweight and that the dimension of warmth and/or caring in the parent–adolescent relationship may be important in relation to female adolescent healthy dietary intake. Further exploration of opposite sex parent–adolescent dyad patterns related to parenting style and adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors is warranted.
THE EXTINGUISHMENT OF CONVERTIBLE BONDS: A THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS*

s of Doctoral Dissertations 187 time of the change. There is minimal anticipation effect, however, and there does not appear to be any permanent increase in the cumulative amount converted over time. 4. Volatility of stock prices, a measure of risk, is shown not to be important. The analysis of calls to force conversion shows that there should be some external justification for a call, such as the need for additional equity to adjust the debt/equity ratio or to facilitate the financing of new assets. A high frequency of rapid calls was observed for issues which had a low conversion price relative to the market price of the stock at the time of issuance. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.104 on Sun, 19 Jun 2016 05:50:24 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Fair value accounting’s role in the recent financial crisis

As the US and global economies begin to recover from one of the worst financial crises in history, the opportunity to analyse the causes of the most recent crisis have emerged. One argument has brought an accounting standard into the spotlight. The accounting standard that was being blamed for fuelling the financial crisis was the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, fair value measurements, which was implemented after November 15th, 2007. The recent financial crisis has sparked a major debate about the reliability and transparency of fair value accounting in times of market turmoil. This paper intends to analyse and review a number of different scholarly works pertaining to SFAS 157’s role in the most recent financial crisis.
Role of hydrogen peroxide and different classes of antioxidants in the regulation of catalase and glutathione S-transferase gene expression in maize (Zea mays L.)

The role of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and various antioxidants in the regulation of expression of the three Cat and Gst1 genes of maize (Zea mays L.) has been investigated. Low concentrations of H 2 O 2 appeared to inhibit Cat1, Cat3, and Gstl gene expression, while higher doses strongly induced these genes. Time course experiments indicated that high concentrations of H 2 O 2 induced Cat1, Cat2, and Gstl gene expression to higher levels, and in less time, than lower H 2 O 2 concentrations. Induction of Cat3 was superimposed on the circadian regulation of the gene. These results demonstrate a direct signaling action of H 2 O 2 in the regulation of antioxidant gene responses in maize. The effects of the antioxidant compounds N-acetylcysteine, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, hydroquinone, and the electrophile antioxidant responsive element (ARE)-inducer β -naphthoflavone were quite different and specific for each gene/compound/concentration combination examined. The response of each gene to each antioxidant compound tested was unique, suggesting that the ability of these compounds to affect expression of the maize Cat and Gstl genes may not be the result of a common (antioxidant) mode of action. A putative regulatory ARE motif involved in the regulation of antioxidant and oxidative stress gene responses in mammalian systems is present in the promoter of all three maize catalase genes and we tested its ability to interact with nuclear extracts prepared from 10 days post-imbibition senescing scutella. Protein-DNA interactions in the ARE motif and the U2 snRNA homologous regions of the Catl promoter were observed, suggesting that ARE may play a role in the high induction of Cat1 in a tissue which, due to senescence, is under oxidative stress.
ALTERED RESPONSE TO GRAVITY Is a Peripheral Membrane Protein That Modulates Gravity-Induced Cytoplasmic Alkalinization and Lateral Auxin Transport in Plant Statocytes

ARG1 (ALTERED RESPONSE TO GRAVITY) is required for normal root and hypocotyl gravitropism. Here, we show that targeting ARG1 to the gravity-perceiving cells of roots or hypocotyls is sufficient to rescue the gravitropic defects in the corresponding organs of arg1-2 null mutants. The cytosolic alkalinization of root cap columella cells that normally occurs very rapidly upon gravistimulation is lacking in arg1-2 mutants. Additionally, vertically grown arg1-2 roots appear to accumulate a greater amount of auxin in an expanded domain of the root cap compared with the wild type, and no detectable lateral auxin gradient develops across mutant root caps in response to gravistimulation. We also demonstrate that ARG1 is a peripheral membrane protein that may share some subcellular compartments in the vesicular trafficking pathway with PIN auxin efflux carriers. These data support our hypothesis that ARG1 is involved early in gravitropic signal transduction within the gravity-perceiving cells, where it influences pH changes and auxin distribution. We propose that ARG1 affects the localization and/or activity of PIN or other proteins involved in lateral auxin transport.
Feasibility and Initial Efficacy Testing of an HIV Prevention Intervention for Black Adolescent Girls

HIV is disproportionately prevalent among Blacks. Black women most often contract HIV from having risky sex, and adolescence is a time when risky sex behaviors peak. This study tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of an intervention designed to help Black adolescent girls avoid risky sex behaviors. The intervention included group education for girls followed by a service learning opportunity in which the girls practiced the assertiveness and communication skills they had learned in the education sessions, and individual education for the girls’ mothers. The intervention was guided by a risk and protective factors framework and by the goal of promoting racial/ethnic pride in the girls. We determined that the intervention was feasible. Schools allowed recruitment of potential participants and the use of their facilities for meeting with the girls. We encountered little participant dropout from the study, and the intervention was highly regarded by the girls who participated and their mothers. We found improvements in aspects of the girls’ relationships with their mothers, their sexual assertiveness, and their self-efficacy to use condoms.
Resin-bonded fixed partial dentures. I. Proposed standardized criteria for evaluation☆

Since etched cast resin-bonded prostheses were introduced in 1980, many articles have been written about them. Most state that the reported clinical success of these bonded restorations has been based primarily on the longevity of the bonding. For a comprehensive evaluation, however, it is important not only to examine the bonding but also to evaluate the periodontal response. The proposed standard method provides a consistent and comprehensive evaluation of resin-bonded prostheses that is applicable for researchers and clinicians alike.
Essential fatty acid content and the phosphorus to carbon ratio in cultured algae as indicators of food quality for Daphnia

SUMMARY 1. A series of experiments examined growth of Daphnia magna on three algal diets (Rhodomonas minuta, Scenedesmus acutus and Synechococcus sp.) at varying physiological states [nitrogen and phosphorus (P) limitations] to test whether variation in algal fatty acid and/or elemental composition can predict Daphnia growth. 2. These algae differed widely in their essential fatty acid (EFA) composition while phosphorus (P) or nitrogen limitation had only a small influence on their x3-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content. 3. Individually, algal x3-PUFA content explained 69% of the variation in the normalised growth of D. magna, while algal phosphorus content explained 11% of the variation. Quantitative models for D. magna growth used both algal x3-PUFA content and algal C : P ratio as food quality indices. Together, algal x3-PUFA content and C : P ratio explained 70% of the variation in the normalised growth rate of D. magna. 4. Our results indicate that EFA influenced algal food quality much more strongly than P. The EFA and mineral P impacts appear to be independent.
Entrepreneurship and strategic thinking in business ecosystems

Success in business ecosystems that include well-established companies and new ventures requires collaboration and competition, a task that demands strategic thinking to leverage a firm's resources and capabilities. Strategic thinking and the entrepreneurial activities in an ecosystem influence one another in a cycle that perpetuates and even sparks innovation. These interactions vary significantly across four types of business ecosystems—Orchestra, Creative Bazaar, Jam Central, and MOD Station—and determine the success and failures of new ventures and established companies. The nature and effect of the dynamic interactions in a business ecosystem can have profound implications for organizational success
Inversion algorithm for estimating radio frequency interference characteristics based on kurtosis measurements

An inversion algorithm is developed to recover power and duty-cycle of incoming Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) signals from kurtosis. The algorithm applies simulated annealing on multiple kurtosis values obtained from different radiometer integration periods. The paper evaluates the performance of the inversion algorithm by performing Monte-Carlo simulations to obtain error statistics. The inversion capability of the algorithm and its robustness against the 50% duty-cycle blind-spot (generally present for the kurtosis detection algorithm) is demonstrated using experimental data.
A new hominid parietal from Bodo, middle Awash Valley, Ethiopia

A piece of left parietal of a Middle Pleistocene hominid, recovered from the Upper Bodo Sand Unit, in the Middle Awash, Ethiopia, is described anatomically and compared to Middle Pleistocene hominids and modern Homo sapiens. It bears several primitive features and has important implications for the original Bodo skull, found at the same stratigraphic level in the same area. The new fossil skull represents a different individual from the original Bodo skull.
A 128-Pixel Digitally-Programmable Microfluidic Platform for Non-Contact Droplet Actuation using Marangoni Flows

A contactless programmable fluidic processor utilizing Marangoni flows is presented. Two dimensional control of microdroplets suspended in oil is achieved using a 128-pixel heater array suspended 100-500 mum above the oil layer. The heaters create surface temperature perturbations (<7degC simulated), resulting in local recirculating Marangoni flows which can move droplets in either a push or pull mode. Programmed movement is achieved by the sequential activation of the heaters. Addressible control of each heater is provided by digital circuitry and a graphical interface. Droplets with diameters 300-1000 mum can be manipulated and merged at speeds up to 140 mum/s. This system provides a platform for high-throughput droplet-based assays where the reagents do not contact any solid surface.
Molecular and Serological Characteristics of Hepatitis E Virus

The molecular and serological features of hepatitis E virus (HEV) are briefly described. The organization of the genome is discussed and compared to those of other closely and distantly related viruses that contain single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genomes. Based on physiochemical properties, HEV has been loosely associated with caliciviruses and tentatively assigned to the family Caliciviridae, although it possesses unique genetic features not found in any other calicivirus.
Parents' depressive symptoms and gun, fire, and motor vehicle safety practices

Objective This study examined associations between mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms and their parenting practices relating to gun, fire, and motor vehicle safety. Methods Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a nationally representative sample of children birth to age five, linear probability models were used to examine associations between measures of parents’ depressive symptoms and their use of firearms, smoke detectors, and motor vehicle restraints. Parents reported use of smoke detectors, motor vehicle restraints, and firearm ownership and storage. Results Results suggest mothers with moderate or severe depressive symptoms were 2 % points less likely to report that their child always sat in the back seat of the car, and 3 % points less likely to have at least one working smoke detector in the home. Fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with a lower likelihood of both owning a gun and of it being stored locked. Fathers’ depressive symptoms amplified associations between mothers’ depressive symptoms and owning a gun, such that having both parents exhibit depressive symptoms was associated with an increased likelihood of gun ownership of between 2 and 6 % points. Conclusions Interventions that identify and treat parental depression early may be effective in promoting appropriate safety behaviors among families with young children.
What is a Contract?: The Absent Author of the Written Contract and the Function of Certain Conventions of Drafting and Construction

This paper considers the concept of the "author" and its role in defining the nature of a text in light of Michel Foucault's essay "What is an Author?" Taking up his suggestion that the fictional, constructed author of literature functions to limit the possibilities of meaning of a text, the paper explores how it might apply to the genre of contracts. While Foucault explicitly identifies contracts as authorless texts, this paper aims to identify other generic manifestations of the "author function" that attempt to stabilize meaning in contracts' written forms. Specifically, this paper examines prevalent boilerplate provisions and conventions of drafting and construction that have emerged in written contracts in the absence of an author. In doing so, the paper considers the relationship between the agreement and the written contract in contract law and interpretation, with an eye to the importance of delimiting the meaning of language in the law, and in the texts of contracts, in particular, as ostensible manifestations of consensus. By examining the contemporary form of the written contract in terms of boilerplate and other drafting conventions that often inscribe fictions of stability or limitation of meaning into the contractual text, the paper seeks to further an understanding of the written contract as a genre in which the author function or an analogous limiting principle manifests itself without reference to the individual. Such an analysis seeks to shed light not only on the nature and function of the written contract but on the nature of the discourse of the law more generally and the ways in which it defines itself in contrast to that of literature.
Regulation of intracellular pH in resting and in stimulated parietal cells.

Microspectrofluorimetry of the pH-sensitive, fluorescent dye 2',7'-biscarboxyethyl-5 (6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) was used to measure intracellular pH (pHi) in single parietal cells (PC) of intac...
Comment: Emotional and Autonomic Arousal Constructs in Psychophysiological Research: Where Do We Go From Here?

Picard, Fedor, and Ayzenberg (2016) provide a review of the existing literature on the relationship between electrodermal activity (EDA) and affective processes and present data from a number of studies suggesting strong lateralization in EDA reactivity to emotion. As the authors note, their manuscript extends previous work suggesting the concept of arousal is more complex than previously thought, and they provide a framework for interpreting such complexities within the context of a multiple arousal theory.
The effect of surgical start time in patients undergoing minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy

Introduction and hypothesis The objective was to determine if the surgical start time affects operating room time and the incidence of perioperative adverse events in patients undergoing minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy.
Ultra-High-Tg Chromophoric Polyimides and Polyureas as High-Performance Nonlinear Optical Materials

Three approaches to the construction of high-Tg polyimides and polyureas as second-order NLO materials are discussed. In the first approach, copolymerization of bismaleimides with o,o‚-diallylbisphenol-A followed by functionalization with high-β NLO chromophores using a Mitsunobu procedure yields, after poling and curing, a series of heavily crosslinked chromophoric polyimides with Tg values as high as 320°C and partially resonant χ(2) responses as high as 1.0×10-7 esu (42 pm/V at 1064 nm, 1.17 eV). In the second two approaches, copolymerization of the chromophore 4,5-bis(4‚-aminophenyl)-2-(4„- nitrophenyl)imidazole with bismaleimides or diisocyanates yields polyimides and polyureas with Tg values as high as 292°C and partially resonant χ(2)values as high as 0.62× 10-7 esu(25 pm/V at 1064 nm). It is found that careful attention to the details of curing and crosslinking during poling results in NLO- active matrices exhibiting negligible decay in ( on aging in air at 100°C for periods of 1,000-4,000 h. The imidazole based materials exhibit only about 10% χ(2) decay on aging for 100 h at 200°C under N2.
Study on Systematic Management of China′s Universities Using the Location Quotient Method with Project 985 Universities for Example

Systematic university management is the main path to reasonable university positioning that will avoid the homogenization of universities.This study takes the idea of location quotient used in economics to develop the discipline location quotient(DLQ),with natural science programs at Project 985universities as an example.The findings are:(1)the DLQ objectively reflects the level of development,hierarchy and layout of Project 985universities;(2)the number of disciplines is a necessary but insufficient indicator to demonstrate the state of a discipline;and(3)the DLQ has an obvious and explicit reference standards comparing to other existing classifications.Therefore,the location quotient method may provide a new path to systematic management of China′s universities and also reference for related research.
On Acupuncture Science and Its Research Thoughts and Methods

This paper presents some research thoughts and methods of acupuncture science in the 21st century from the connotation of acupuncture and its relationship with life science on the basis of the current situation of acupuncture at home and abroad.It is thought that acupuncture science is a subject integrating theory with practice;that acupuncture science and acupuncture therapy are closely relative but obviously different research fields;the connotation of acupuncture modernization and the relationship among theory,technique and product should be correctly understood to develop"acupuncture product";that acupuncture research should be based upon life science and performed by implementing Research Guide to Acupuncture Clinic as a result to improve the clinical research.BIO X mode has been raised to carry out acupuncture research with other subjects,eventually to promote the development of acupuncture academy.
Experienced general music teachers’ instructional decision making:

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore experienced general music teachers’ decision-making processes. Participants included seven experienced, American general music teachers who cont...
Red Blood Cells As a Novel Mediator of Chronic Inflammation in Diet-Induced Obesity: Implications for Atherosclerosis

Abstract Abstract 3198 Background: Red blood cell (RBC) extravasation contributes to the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, and is associated with plaque rupture. High Fat Diet (HFD) fuels systemic inflammation by promoting monocyte activation and their recruitment/transendothelial migration. RBC bind chemokines such as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) via Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC). While it was previously reported that HFD may impact RBC cholesterol content, very little is known about the impact – if any – of HFD on RBC function(s). Hence, we studied whether HFD affects biochemical and functional properties of RBC in ways potentially relevant to the progression of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: Wild type (WT) C56BL6/J mice were fed either chow (10% total fat) or HFD (60% total fat) for 312 weeks. MCP-1 levels were measured in plasma before and after the release of DARC-bound MCP-1 by heparin. Released MCP-1 was 1.5 fold higher in HFD RBC (12 weeks on diet, n=3) compared to chow RBC. Levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by DCFH fluorescence using flow cytometry, and were increased in HFD RBC (17 weeks on diet, n=3) by ∼1.2 fold compared to chow RBC (p Conclusions: We here show that HFD elicits an increase in surface levels of MCP-1 in RBC, which is associated with an enhanced macrophage adhesion to the intact vascular endothelium and increased transendothelial migration in vitro. Further, HFD increases ROS levels and PS externalization in RBC, and HFD RBC exhibit an enhanced splenic uptake in vivo. These effects of HFD on circulating RBC are likely to promote chronic inflammation, rendering RBC a heretofore unknown contributor to local as well as systemic changes that lead to atherosclerosis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Evaluating the association of multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms with response to gemcitabine and platinum combination chemotherapy in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder .

OBJECTIVE To examine germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as markers of response to gemcitabine platinum (GP) combination chemotherapy in urothelial carcinoma (UC). METHODS Saliva or blood was prospectively collected from 216 patients treated with GP for UC of the bladder between 1991 and 2011. Based on reported associations with gemcitabine and cisplatin response or putative mechanisms of gemcitabine or cisplatin/carboplatin activity, we selected SNPs of interest and were able to genotype 59 SNPs (using the SequenomMass ARRAYiPLEX platform) in 261 patients randomly split 2/3 into a training set (n = 174) and 1/3 into a test set (n = 87). Logistic regression was used to test the association between response to GP and SNPs. RESULTS The median age at diagnosis was 64 years (range: 28 - 85) for the discovery set and 67 years (range: 30 - 84) for the validation set. Males composed 76% and 69%, and white non-Hispanics composed 88% and 91% of the training and test validation sets, respectively. Three SNPs on GALNTL4 (rs7937567, rs12278731, and rs9988868) and one intergenic SNP (rs1321391) were significantly associated with response to GP in the training set and were used to build a SNP score. However, when assessed in the test set, the SNP score was not significantly associated with response. CONCLUSION Multiple SNPs selected from previous studies failed to predict response to GP in this cohort. Larger studies capable of accounting for population-based allele frequency heterogeneity may be required for replication of genetic alterations important to pharmacogenomics. .
Renal Complications: Pain, Infection, and Nephrolithiasis

More than 60% of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) experience abdominal or flank pain of variable severity and frequency during their lifetime. Pain is a vastly under recognized problem, representing a major cause of PKD-related morbidity and having significant impact on patients’ quality of life and productivity. Health-care providers often fail to address pain adequately during brief outpatient clinic visits. Understanding the innervation of the genitourinary tract and the pathophysiology of the comorbid conditions affecting the kidneys in ADPKD is critical in evaluating patient symptoms. In this chapter, we systematically approach PKD-related pain by occurrence patterns (acute versus chronic), as well as by the specific clinico-pathologic setting. This includes the differential diagnosis of acute pain scenarios under the circumstances of cyst infection, hemorrhage, rupture, and nephrolithiasis. Further, we discuss chronic pain syndromes related to individual cyst mass effect, total kidney volume, as well as PKD-specific comorbidities. Diagnostic approaches based on careful history taking and physical examination and prudent use of imaging are outlined. In addition to treatments targeting specific etiologies, a stepwise approach to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of chronic pain is provided.
Krüppel-like factor 4 is a negative regulator of STAT3-induced glomerular epithelial cell proliferation

Pathologic glomerular epithelial cell (GEC) hyperplasia is characteristic of both rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and subtypes of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Although initial podocyte injury resulting in activation of STAT3 signals GEC proliferation in both diseases, mechanisms regulating this are unknown. Here, we show that the loss of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a zinc-finger transcription factor, enhances GEC proliferation in both RPGN and FSGS due to dysregulated STAT3 signaling. We observed that podocyte-specific knockdown of Klf4 (C57BL/6J) increased STAT3 signaling and exacerbated crescent formation after nephrotoxic serum treatment. Interestingly, podocyte-specific knockdown of Klf4 in the FVB/N background alone was sufficient to activate STAT3 signaling, resulting in FSGS with extracapillary proliferation, as well as renal failure and reduced survival. In cultured podocytes, loss of KLF4 resulted in STAT3 activation and cell-cycle reentry, leading to mitotic catastrophe. This triggered IL-6 release into the supernatant, which activated STAT3 signaling in parietal epithelial cells. Conversely, either restoration of KLF4 expression or inhibition of STAT3 signaling improved survival in KLF4-knockdown podocytes. Finally, human kidney biopsy specimens with RPGN exhibited reduced KLF4 expression with a concomitant increase in phospho-STAT3 expression as compared with controls. Collectively, these results suggest the essential role of KLF4/STAT3 signaling in podocyte injury and its regulation of aberrant GEC proliferation.
Abnormal Occupation, Tighter-Bound Cooper Pairs and High Tc Superconductivity

The classic Cooper electron-pair problem is generalized via a Fermi sea having two concentric surfaces, rather than the familiar sphere of a perfect (interactionless) fermion gas. Substantially tighter-bound pairs are obtained for fixed phonon coupling with the BCS model interaction, no matter how weak. This will admit increased transition temperatures for superconductivity in the BCS theory and beyond, and suggests that designing materials having multiply-connected Fermi surfaces with maximal interior area will yield larger Tc values.
A Comparison of Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Between Lesbian and Heterosexual Women

Purpose/objectives: The purpose of this observational study was to explore differences and similarities in the diagnosis and treatment of lesbians and heterosexual women with breast cancer. Design: Nested survey. Sample and setting: The eligibility criteria for this study were: participation in a survey about the risks for developing breast cancer, diagnosed with breast cancer, returned a prepaid postcard with their name and address, and returned a completed survey about their breast cancer experiences. The typical participant (n = 80) was 55.4 years old (SD ± 9.1, range 41–78), educated with 17.3 years of schooling (SD ± 3.1, range 12–23+), White (91%), urban (44%), and employed (72.5%). Most had health insurance (95%), and currently 15% were on disability or taking sick leave from their jobs. Measurements: The 58-item survey was created, pilot-tested, and revised prior to being utilized in this study. Content validity was established by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Many of the items had been successfully used in the principal investigator's previous studies. Results: There were no significant differences in demographics, diagnostic procedures, surgical procedures, chemotherapy regimens, or radiation therapy between the lesbians and the heterosexual women in this study. There were, however, significant differences in chemotherapy-induced side effects between the two groups. The lesbians reported significantly more problems than did the heterosexual women. Conclusions: Our study suggests that there are few differences in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer between lesbians and heterosexual women except in chemotherapy-induced side effects. However, this study will need to be replicated with a much larger sample size before any conclusions can be drawn about the diagnosis and treatment of lesbians diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ebola and art.

The cover image of the current issue of our journal shows an embroidered image of the Ebola virus. The complex shape of viruses has inspired artist to render these microscopic sized particles (1,2). In a submission to our Art-and-Medicine series in 2013, which includes the cover image of this issue, artist Mia Weiner described her interest in the correlation between working in fibers and the microscopic world (1). She described that by embroidering images of Ebola, the virus becomes an object of beauty, with its destructive nature and danger to the human body hidden.
Chapter Ten – Process

This brief chapter maps the pointers from the rest of this book onto the game-development process, providing specific guidelines for how and when to apply the psychological principles in this book to character-design work, from early brainstorming all the way to postrelease planning for a sequel. The chapter also includes rationales for taking a social-psychological approach to character design that can be useful in convincing a team to use the tools and theory from this book.
History and Development of Cultural Competence Advocacy in Applied Psychology

The history and development of cultural competence advocacy is reviewed, beginning with a discussion of its ubiquity across a wide variety of contexts outside of applied psychology and its appearance in the scholarly literature under a wide variety of different names and labels. The chapter reviews common justifications that are often advanced in support of its need as an essential component of applied psychology training. The best available consensus among scholars within applied psychology as to the essential components of cultural competence is also reviewed. A discussion of scholarly attempts to measure and teach the construct within applied psychology is also briefly summarized.