cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacogenomics Update in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in United States. Despite advances in understanding cancer biology and therapeutics, this malignancy carries a grave prognosis with a poor overall survival rate. This is especially true for patients with locally advanced and metastatic disease that are not amenable to surgical resection. Given advances in human genome sequencing and pharmacogenomics, we now better understand the complex genetic makeup of these tumors and numerous gene mutations have been identified that could be potential targets for drug development. In this review, we discuss two abstract (Abstracts #208 and #192) presented at the 2014 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium about pancreatic cancer genome sequencing and their implications for the future of this disease. We discuss what is known about the genome of pancreatic tumors, including common mutations like KRAS , TP53 and SMAD4 , as well as discovery of additional mutations. In particular, KRAS2 mutations in a subset of patients with pancreatic cancer are discussed. While limited in size and clinical correlativity, these abstracts provide at least seven novel/targetable mutations and elucidate biologic differences in tumors with wild type and mutant KRAS . These are important steps in understanding tumor biology and genetic basis of pancreatic cancer to help develop targeted drug therapies in the fast approaching era of personalized medicine. Image: Hidalgo M. N Engl J Med 2010; 362:1605-7 (Detail of figure 1).
Defending Defending: The Case for Unmitigated Zeal on Behalf of People Who Do Terrible Things

When Haitian immigrant Abner Louima accused Officer John Volpe of committing an act of unspeakable brutality on him in a Brooklyn police station bathroom in 1997—shoving a broom handle into Louima’s rectum so hard he caused massive internal injuries—one has to imagine that Volpe denied it in no uncertain terms. One has to imagine that Volpe vehemently disavowed the charge and asserted his innocence. One has to imagine that Volpe called Louima a liar, a charlatan, or
Phasic Treatment with Interferon Gamma Stimulates Release of Exosomes that Protect Against Spreading Depression.

The detrimental effects of T-cell-secreted interferon gamma (IFNγ) on oxidative stress (OS) and demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) are well recognized. Recently, we demonstrated that IFNγ-mediated damage to myelin also increases susceptibility to spreading depression (SD; the likely basis of migraine with aura). However, before onset of MS, induction of physiological levels of IFNγ, like that produced by environmental enrichment (EE), protects against demyelination and OS. Accordingly, we focused on the potential for physiological levels of IFNγ to protect against SD. EE, which occurs with a moderate and phasic increase in proinflammatory cytokines, reduces migraine frequency. Thus, we applied phasic or pulsed IFNγ to brain slice cultures to emulate EE. This treatment reduced OS, increased myelin basic protein, a marker for myelin, and reduced susceptibility to SD. Building on our research on exosomes in EE-based neuroprotection, we found that IFNγ stimulation of slice cultures induced release of ex...
Responses to Negative Student Evaluations on RateMyProfessors.com: The Effect of Instructor Statement of Credibility on Student Lower-Level Cognitive Learning and State Motivation to Learn

Instructors have the ability to respond to student evaluations on RateMyProfessors.com (RMP). The current research conceptualized the juxtaposition of student evaluations and instructor responses using communication processes on participatory websites. In an original experiment, the results demonstrated that when faced with multiple negative student evaluations on RMP, an instructor's statement of trustworthiness robustly increased students’ lower-level cognitive learning. A supplemental analysis revealed that an instructor's statement of competence, caring, and trustworthiness additively increased the likelihood of student enrollment toward course content. This research established the empirical efficacy of instructor responses to student evaluations on RMP.
Development and Validation of the Sustainability Climate Survey

An abstract of the thesis of David E. Hall for the Master of Science in Psychology presented April 5, 2005. Title: Development and Validation of the Sustainability Climate Survey Motivated by an assumption of and concern about the unsustainable trajectory of modern human civilization, the purpose of this study was to develop a measurement tool to assist organizations striving to align their operations with principles of sustainability. The relevant context is established with consideration of the dimensions of environment, society and economy, as well as their interconnections, with an eye towards sustainability. Some of the challenges and opportunities presented to organizations by the current unsustainable trajectory are reviewed. The social constructs of culture and climate (organizational and psychological) are discussed as important to understand organizational life. I propose the notion of a sustainability climate to represent factors within the organization that are theorized as important for successfully integrating the principles of sustainability into organizational decision-making and routine behaviors. Items were developed to tap the theorized constructs and were administered to a population of university employees (N = 252). The study explored construct validity of these measures through exploratory factor analysis, assessment of internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and criterion validity. Results provide preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the sustainability climate factors (perceived top-management support, shared vision, employee involvement, rewards, sustainability norms), and factors of sustainability beliefs (personal understanding, supportive attitude, and positive engagement). These factors' power predicting the criteria, sustainability role expectations, sustainability role behaviors, and environmental stewardship demonstrates the potential to improve upon the instrument. Limitations of the present study are discussed and appropriate application of the Sustainability Climate Survey is explored. DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE SUSTAINABILITY CLIMATE SURVEY
Contractile and Elastic Ankle Joint Muscular Properties in Young and Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate age-related differences in contractile and elastic properties of both dorsi- (DF) and plantarflexor (PF) muscles controlling the ankle joint in young and older adults. Experimental data were collected while twelve young and twelve older male and female participants performed maximal effort isometric and isovelocity contractions on a dynamometer. Equations were fit to the data to give torque-angle (Tθ) and torque-angular velocity (Tω) relations. Muscle series-elasticity was measured during ramped dynamometer contractions using ultrasonography to measure aponeurosis extension as a function of torque; second order polynomials were used to characterize the torque-extension (TΔL) relation. The results showed no age differences in DF maximal torque and none for female PF; however, older males had smaller maximal PF torques compared to young males. In both muscle groups and genders, older adults had decreased concentric force capabilities. Both DF and PF TΔL relations were more nonlinear in the older adults. Older PF, but not DF muscles, were stiffer compared to young. A simple antagonism model suggested age-related differences in Tθ and Tω relations would be magnified if antagonistic torque contributions were included. This assessment of static, dynamic, and elastic joint properties affords a comprehensive view of age-related modifications in muscle function. Although many clinical studies use maximal isometric strength as a marker of functional ability, the results demonstrate that there are also significant age-related modifications in ankle muscle dynamic and elastic properties.
Delivering complexity at the frontier of electronics

The current era of semiconductor research is heavily dependent on the incorporation of new materials into structures measured in nanometers. We require complexity at not only the functional level but complexity in how these functions work together to make better products. The mask set is the critical element in managing that complexity in a cost effective manner but mask making today is challenged to key up with demands. For the next decade, these trends are expected to continue and will suffice to improve the traditional metrics of performance-power and costs. There are many choices to be made but a rich future lies ahead of us.
The North American free trade agreement: International competitiveness for vegetables

This research contributes to the knowledge base of potential impacts of NAFTA using quadratic programming, which treats consumers and producers in different regions uniquely and specifies the direction and volume of trade between regions, net social payoff, as well as equilibrium prices to producers and consumers. Our results show that net social payoff and the volume traded between producing and consuming regions increases significantly under NAFTA. Mexican producers gain the most since their market share equalled 80 percent and 64 percent for cucumbers and cantaloupes, respectively, in the post-NAFTA scenario. California producers lose the most, e.g., their market share for cucumbers declined from 76 percent in the pre-NAFTA scenario to nearly zero in the post-NAFTA scenario. On the consumption side, the amount of total cantaloupes consumed more than doubled, while the amount of total cucumbers consumed increased slightly (2 percent). Mexico's producer prices for both crops was significantly lower compared to U.S. producer prices. Since net social payoff increased under NAFTA, the overall gains exceeded the overall losses.
Dihaploid Stocks of Switchgrass Isolated by a Screening Approach

Manipulation of ploidy in switchgrass has potential to accelerate inbred production and to provide insight about genome structure through either sequencing or cytogenetic approaches. We have identified two dihaploid individuals isolated from among the progeny of a controlled cross between two individuals of the cultivars Alamo and Kanlow. The dihaploid lines were initially distinguished from the parental lines by their reduced heterozygosity and were subsequently confirmed through estimation of C values by flow cytometry and chromosome counts of metaphase root tip squash preparations. These plants are functionally sterile, with floral bracts that remain closed and inviable pollen. They can be easily distinguished from tetraploid individuals by their reduced stature, smaller epidermal cell size, and lower number of chloroplasts per guard cell. Aberrant meiosis in these individuals is evidenced by a lack of regular pairing at diakinesis and metaphase I and suggests that the non-homologous genomes are distinct from one another. The reduced genome size of these dihaploids will facilitate basic genome studies and genetic analyses that are impossible or problematic in polyploid accessions.
Predicting Values and Beliefs: Learning That Can Last

The authors developed this experiential exercise to aid students in learning how others perceive them as well as how they perceive others and, ultimately, to begin to help them identify the origins of such perceptions. The exercise’s goal is to explore how participants may make inaccurate perceptions of others and how they might pierce through these misperceptions to develop a new way of valuing others. Ultimately, it seeks to help learners identify common biases such as confirmation/disconfirmation bias, stereotyping, projection, and halo effects and to practice active, nonjudgmental listening and empathy as well as receptivity to differences they may have with others. It is especially useful as a structured student experience when studying perception and individual differences in organizational behavior classes, in some of which the authors have used it multiple times. They have also used different iterations to open conferences, as an icebreaker, in executive training, and in self-development courses. ...
Heterobimetallic Zn(II)-Ln(III) phenylene-bridged schiff base complexes, computational studies, and evidence for singlet energy transfer as the main pathway in the sensitization of near-infrared Nd3+ luminescence.

A series of 3d−4f heterobimetallic phenylene-bridged Schiff base complexes of the general formula [Zn(μ-L1)Ln(NO3)3(S)n] [Ln = La (1), Nd (2), Gd (3), Er (4), Yb (5); S = H2O, EtOH; n = 1, 2; H2L1 = N,N‘-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine] and [Zn(μ-L2)Ln(NO3)3(H2O)n] [Ln = La (6), Nd (7), Gd (8), Er (9), Yb (10); n = 1, 2; H2L2 = N,N‘-bis(3-methoxy-5-p-tolylsalicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine] were synthesized and characterized. Complexes 1, 2, 4, and 7 were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. At room temperature in CH3CN, both neodymium(III) (2 and 7) and ytterbium(III) (5 and 10) complexes also exhibited, in addition to the ligand-centered emission in the UV−vis region, their lanthanide(III) ion emission in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The photophysical properties of the zinc(II) phenylene-bridged complexes (ZnL1 and ZnL2) were measured and compared with those of the corresponding zinc(II) ethylene-bridged complexes (ZnL3 and ZnL4). Our results revealed that, at 77 K, bo...
Serum esterase variation and characterization in populations of the longnose garpike, Lepisosteus osseus

Abstract 1. 1. Serum esterase variation in populations of Lepisosteus osseus, sampled from North and South Carolina, was investigated employing acrylamide gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. North Carolina populations were found to be monomorphic with respect to serum esterase activity. 3. 3. All South Carolina populations proved to be polymorphic; each individual sampled from these populations possessed one of two phenotypic profiles. 4. 4. Serum esterases were characterized utilizing eserine sulfate, diisopropylfluorophosphate, and sulfhydryl-group inhibitors.
Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills

Griffin, McGaw and Care’s book is a compilation of white papers that were written as the first phase of work in the Assessment and Teaching of Twenty-First Century Skills (ATC21S) project establish...
The impact of medically indicated and spontaneous preterm birth among hypertensive women.

Objective To (1) describe the frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) and medically indicated preterm birth (PTB) among women with chronic hypertension (CHTN) and (2) to evaluate differences in neonatal outcomes according to SPTB or medically indicated PTB. Study Design Retrospective analysis of a previously conducted multicenter randomized trial. Deliveries were categorized as SPTB or medically indicated and stratified by gestational ages ( Results Of 765 women, 32.2% (n = 246) delivered at 0.05). Conclusion Nearly one-third of women with CHTN delivered preterm. The majority of PTBs were medically indicated and late preterm, but approximately one-third were due to SPTB.
Altruism: reflections on a neglected aspect in death studies

Growing out of the authors' previous studies of death (Jankofsky's in literature and in historical documents primarily of the medieval period, and Stuecher's of clinical experiences with terminally ill children and adolescents), this cooperative interdisciplinary article identifies and discusses altruism as a basic trait of human character and behavior and explores its possible implications for the dying person. Altruism can be studied as a phenomenon which is like the “good death/bad death” topos of medieval chroniclers, thus permitting comparative evaluations over long periods of time and in different socioeconomic and political structures. As a trait observable in both the daily realities of a modern hospital setting and in the literary-aesthetic representation of human society and its values in medieval and modern literature, altruism is a part of the infinite variety of humanity's perceptions, activities, and experiences that make up the mosaic of life and death.
Cancer Risk Associated With Therapeutic Irradiation of Skin

Ionizing (and ultraviolet [UV]) radiation has been used in a variety of therapeutic procedures for skin conditions, including tinea capitis, acne, and psoriasis. Generally, the therapeutic effectiveness of radiation on skin is based on its ability to inactivate cell division. The comparative resistance of skin to cell killing by radiation means that effective therapies require comparatively high radiation doses. At therapeutically effective doses, there is a small but distinct probability of cells surviving, either in the irradiation field or nearby, with genetic alterations sufficient to predispose them to neoplastic progression. Both ionizing radiation and UV radiation (UVR) are capable of inducing cancer in human skin, although their mechanisms of action appear to differ substantially. The action of ionizing radiation as a skin carcinogen has been studied extensively in rodent skin. 1 After exposure of rat or mouse skin to single doses of ionizing radiation, the incidence of several types of
Anechoic chamber for noise tests on transformers

THE transformer noise problem has for various reasons become increasingly important and both users and manufacturers of power transformers have devoted considerable time and effort to its investigation. In 1954, the General Electric Company added a $1 1/2-million sound laboratory to its facilities. This laboratory has been designed to achieve maximum accuracy in transformer noise measurements for both developmental and acceptance tests.
The calcium channel blockers, 1,4-dihydropyridines, are substrates of the multidrug resistance-linked ABC drug transporter, ABCG2.

The human ATP-binding cassette transporter, ABCG2, confers resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic agents and also affects the bioavailability of different drugs. [125I]Iodoarylazidoprazosin (IAAP) and [3H]azidopine were used for photoaffinity labeling of ABCG2 in this study. We show here for the first time that both of these photoaffinity analogues are transport substrates for ABCG2 and that [3H]azidopine can also be used to photolabel both wild-type R482-ABCG2 and mutant T482-ABCG2. We further used these assays to screen for potential substrates or modulators of ABCG2 and observed that 1,4-dihydropyridines such as nicardipine and nifedipine, which are clinically used as antihypertensive agents, inhibited the photolabeling of ABCG2 with [125I]IAAP and [3H]azidopine as well as the transport of these photoaffinity analogues by ABCG2. Furthermore, [3H]nitrendipine and bodipy-Fl-dihydropyridine accumulation assays showed that these compounds are transported by ABCG2. These dihydropyridines also inhibited the...
Two relational databases for finding text paraphrases in musicological research

In order to locate text paraphrase in Vivaldi's opera librettos, as a clue to the composer's reuse of his own arias in operas for which the music is lost, and in order to reconstruct a pattern of interdependency among a group of related medieval music treatises, the authors created their own relational databases using the Savvy-PC programming language. The crucial, unique feature of this language is a COMPARE command that transcends the limitations of Key Word in Context searches. This system puts the scholar in control of programming functions on all DOS microcomputers, and outputs universally transferrable ASCII data files.
Cue value of dexamethasone for fear-motivated behavior.

Abstract In Experiment 1, rats deprived of water for 24 hr were administered a single grid shock after emitting 200 licks. Latencies to resume licking were significantly increased by prior ACTH injection but were unaffected by injections of dexamethasone, which inhibits endogenous ACTH, or by corticosterone. In Experiment 2, water-deprived rats were injected with either dexamethasone or saline, and given five shocks in the licking chamber. Twenty-four hr later they were tested for lick latencies under the same or different injection treatment. Animals shocked and tested under dexamethasone showed equivalent latencies to those shocked and tested under saline injection. However, animals trained and tested under opposite injection conditions showed significantly shorter latencies than animals trained and tested under the same drug condition, indicating that the dexamethasone had functioned as a cue.
Integration of the Cognitive and Physical Aspects of the Human-Machine Interface

Current approaches to human-machine interface design are reflective of the traditional dualistic perspective that separates the physical from cognitive characteristics of human functioning. With th...
Finding the Good Life: How Positive Psychology Can HelpCollege Students to Discover and Utilize their PersonalStrengths and Virtues--An Interview with Matthew J.Bundick

Matthew Bundick is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in educational psychology, specializing in adolescent development, at Stanford University’s School of Education, and serves as a researcher in the Stanford Center on Adolescence. Prior to his doctoral studies, he took an undergraduate degree in psychology, and earned master’s degrees in social/personality psychology and higher education. He worked for a number of years as an academic advisor and career counselor at the University of Pittsburgh. Following completion of his doctorate, Matthew will serve as a postdoctoral fellow in the MacArthur Foundation’s Network on Transitions to Adulthood.
Schumpeterian innovation and entrepreneurs in capitalism: A case study of the U.S. biotechnology industry

Abstract This paper uses the theoretical framework developed by Joseph Schumpeter to examine the first ten years of the U.S. biotechnology industry. The role of the entrepreneur, scientist/inventor, manager and capitalist are distinguished. There is a discussion of the obstacles the small firms have had to overcome to create a “New Economic Space” in the marketplace. It is argued that the earlier Schumpeter of The Theory of Economic Development and Business Cycles emphasizing the role of small firms more accurately describes the U.S. biotechnology industry in 1985, than Schumpeter's later work Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy which postulated that the large established firms have preempted the role of small firms in innovation. A discussion of the role of large established firms and the small entrepreneurial firms presents the tensions inherent in the “cooperative” arrangements between these two types of business enterprises. The role of small biotechnology firms in reducing these innovations to practice and in their ability to continue to grow demonstrates that the independent entrepreneur recognized by the early Schumpeter has been very active in the biotechnology industry.
Survival after pediatric liver transplantation: why does living donation offer an advantage?

Hypothesis Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) results in improved survival compared with deceased whole and split organ transplantation in children. Objective To evaluate the effect of LDLT on graft and patient survival in pediatric liver transplantation. Design Retrospective cohort. Methods Data included all pediatric recipients (aged Results Kaplan-Meier graft and patient survival rates were improved in LDLT recipients compared with recipients of deceased whole and split organ transplantations ( P P P = .21, covariate P = .09). However, most of the positive prognostic factors identified in the model were inherent characteristics of LDLT recipients and the LDLT procedure. Conclusions Graft and patient survival in the pediatric population is better with LDLT than deceased organ transplantation. Factors that contribute to this difference include recipients who are less ill, who have shorter cold and warm ischemia times, and those with a decreased need for retransplantation but not the type of graft per se.
WE‐A‐330D‐01: PET Scanner Quality Assurance

Quality assurance of PETscanners must be performed on a regular basis to maintain and confirm proper scanner performance. These procedures should track system stability and be sensitive to changes in scanner operation. The quality control and calibration of a PETscanner includes detector and electronic characterizations such as adjustment of PMT gain, definition of crystal and energy maps and coincidence timing calibration. These characterizations are applied to the PET data during acquisition. A PETquality control regimen includes system corrections such as normalization, calibration and, in the case of non‐PET/CT systems, blank scans. The calibration correction is used to convert the reconstructed image pixel values into activity concentration and it may be used to compensate for the axial sensitivity variation of the scanner. These characterizations are applied to the PET data after acquisition. The NEMA PET NU2‐2001 standard should be followed for acceptance testing. This standard uses a polyethylene phantom of 700mm axial length with a line source to measure scatter fraction, count losses and randoms. The measurement of sensitivity is conducted with a line source surrounded by known absorbers, and the sensitivity with no absorbers can be found by extrapolation. The intent of the image quality measurement is to mimic a whole body scan using a torso phantom containing hot and cold spheres of various diameters (representing lesions) in a warm background. This presentation will focus on the calibrations and corrections required to maintain proper system performance. The presentation will also describe the rationale and methodology of the NEMA NU2‐2001 performance standards. Educational Objectives: 1. Describe the calibrations required to properly detect the location of a coincident event. 2. Describe the post acquisition corrections required to minimize image artifacts. 3. Describe NEMA NU2‐2001 PET performance standards.
School-based interventions to enhance the self-concept of students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis

In this meta-analytic review we examined self-concept outcomes of school-based interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD). A comprehensive search of the literature from 1975 to 1997 yielded 64 intervention studies that used a control group of students with LD and measured the effect of the intervention on students' self-concept. Across 82 samples of students with LD, the mean weighted effect size was 0.19. Overall, middle school students benefited more from interventions than did elementary or high school students. The type of intervention that was most effective differed for students at different grade levels. Whereas counseling interventions were more effective than other types of interventions for middle and high school students with LD, the most effective interventions for elementary students with LD were those that focused on improving students' academic skills. Interventions had more of an effect on students' academic self-concept than on other dimensions of self-concept. The finding...
Capacitance-based damage detection sensing for aerospace structural composites

Damage detection technology needs improvement for aerospace engineering application because detection within complex composite structures is difficult yet critical to avoid catastrophic failure. Damage detection is challenging in aerospace structures because not all the damage detection technology can cover the various defect types (delamination, fiber fracture, matrix crack etc.), or conditions (visibility, crack length size, etc.). These defect states are expected to become even more complex with future introduction of novel composites including nano-/microparticle reinforcement. Currently, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods with X-ray, ultrasound, or eddy current have good resolutions (< 0.1 mm), but their detection capabilities is limited by defect locations and orientations and require massive inspection devices. System health monitoring (SHM) methods are often paired with NDE technologies to signal out sensed damage, but their data collection and analysis currently requires excessive wiring and complex signal analysis. Here, we present a capacitance sensor-based, structural defect detection technology with improved sensing capability. Thin dielectric polymer layer is integrated as part of the structure; the defect in the structure directly alters the sensing layer’s capacitance, allowing full-coverage sensing capability independent of defect size, orientation or location. In this work, capacitance-based sensing capability was experimentally demonstrated with a 2D sensing layer consisting of a dielectric layer sandwiched by electrodes. These sensing layers were applied on substrate surfaces. Surface indentation damage (~1mm diameter) and its location were detected through measured capacitance changes: 1 to 250 % depending on the substrates. The damage detection sensors are light weight, and they can be conformably coated and can be part of the composite structure. Therefore it is suitable for aerospace structures such as cryogenic tanks and rocket fairings for example. The sensors can also be operating in space and harsh environment such as high temperature and vacuum.
Optimization of adsorption processes for climate control and thermal energy storage

Abstract Adsorption based heat-pumps have received significant interest owing to their promise of higher efficiencies and energy savings when coupled with waste heat and solar energy compared to conventional heating and cooling systems. While adsorption systems have been widely studied through computational analysis and experiments, general design guidelines to enhance their overall performance have not been proposed. In this work, we identified conditions suitable for the maximum utilization of the adsorbent to enhance the performance of both intermittent as well as continuously operating adsorption systems. A detailed computational model was developed based on a general framework governing adsorption dynamics in a single adsorption layer and pellet. We then validated the computational analysis using experiments with a model system of zeolite 13X-water for different operating conditions. A dimensional analysis was subsequently carried out to optimize adsorption performance for any desired operating condition, which is determined by the choice of adsorbent–vapor pair, adsorption duration, operational pressure, intercrystalline porosity, adsorbent crystal size, and intracrystalline vapor diffusivity. The scaling analysis identifies the critical dimensionless parameters and provides a simple guideline to determine the most suitable geometry for the adsorbent particles. Based on this selection criterion, the computational model was used to demonstrate maximum utilization of the adsorbent for any given operational condition. By considering a wide range of parametric variations for performance optimization, these results offer important insights for designing adsorption beds for heating and cooling systems.
Expression of 18-wheeler in the follicle cell epithelium affects cell migration and egg morphology in Drosophila.

The Drosophila ovary is a model system for examining the genetic control of epithelial morphogenesis. The somatic follicle cells form a polarized epithelium surrounding the 16-cell germ line cyst. The integrity of this epithelium is essential for the successful completion of oogenesis. Reciprocal signaling between germ line and somatic cells establishes embryonic and eggshell polarity. The follicle cells are responsible for shaping the egg and secreting the eggshell. Follicle cells at the boundary between the nurse cells and the oocyte migrate centripetally to cover the anterior end of the oocyte and secrete the operculum. Dorsal anterior main body follicle cells undergo elaborate patterning to produce the dorsal appendages. We have examined the expression of the Toll-like receptor, 18-wheeler (18w), in the ovary and find it to be restricted to subpopulations of follicle cells. Females carrying loss-of-function 18w mutant clones in their ovaries show delayed follicle cell migrations. The eggs laid by such females also show morphological defects in egg shape and dorsal appendage morphology. We propose that the 18W protein plays an adhesive or signaling role in regions of the epithelium engaged in cell migration. Developmental Dynamics 235:1953–1961, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Features of Direct Laser-Deposited Ti-6Al-4V

Direct laser deposition (DLD) is a means to additively manufacture metallic, functional parts via blown powder (or wire) and in situ laser delivery. Despite the various research efforts in characterization of post-manufactured DLD parts and in optimizing the DLD process, there are still areas that need to be further explored to promote the widespread adaption and utilization of DLD parts for engineering application. This article aims to review the mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V parts manufactured via DLD, including tensile and fatigue characteristics and microstructural features. These mechanical properties will be related with DLD process parameters (e.g., laser power, traverse speed, etc.) and resultant phenomena such as melt pool dynamics and part thermal history. Because fatigue is a main failure mode of parts in many engineering applications, the fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V parts fabricated via DLD is highlighted and discussed in detail.
Basic epidemiologic concepts related to assessment of animal health and performance.

Modern animal production systems are increasingly complex. Sustaining long-term performance on these farms depends on the ability of the farm manager to manage many assets, including people, animals, money, machinery, and land. Veterinarians have an important role as experts about animal health and performance. They depend on various types of data to monitor animal health, assure animal well-being, and assess farm profitability. Critical control points for farm profitability include the level of production and quality of the specific commodity (eg, meat or milk), management of animal health, animal comfort, reproductive management, and oversight of the replacement and nutritional programs. A variety of data sources is available to help assess these critical control points. Data sources range from notes written on calendars to sophisticated on-farm computer systems and external industry sources, such as Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) records and Cattle-Fax. Data sources used for farm analyses vary, depending on the size of the production unit and the technical ability of the farm owner. For example, a recent survey of 587 Wisconsin dairy producers asked managers about the use of computerized records to track antibiotic treatments. The survey found that !4% of those farms with %100 lactating cows used computerized records while 65% of Wisconsin dairy producers with O200 lactating cows used computers to track treatments. On small farms, handwritten records may be sufficient for assessing many key performance indicators. However, analysis requires a system designed to be easily accessible. On larger farms, analysis of data can be time-consuming and is unlikely to be performed on a regular basis unless the farm manager or consultant is highly motivated and the data are collected in a manner that allows for easy
LOCATING THE STRUCTURAL ZEROS FOR INTERNAL ANCHOR TESTS: INCLUDING THE CASE OF ROUNDED FORMULA SCORES

There are test-equating situations in which it may be appropriate to fit a loglinear or other type of probability model to the joint distribution of a total score on a test and a score on part of that test. For anchor test designs, this situation arises for internal anchor tests, which are embedded within the total test. Similarly, a part-whole relationship arises between two scores when a few test items are dropped from a test and a single group design is used to equate the scores of the full test to the part that remains after those items are deleted. In these part-whole situations, the resulting bivariate frequency distribution will exhibit structural zeros due to the fact that some scores on the total test are impossible for specific values on the partial test. Without knowing where the structural zeros are, it is impossible to distinguish them from zero frequencies that are simply due to size of the sample (i.e., sampling zeros). When probability models are estimated for these joint distributions, it is usual to require the models to assign positive probability to the sampling zeros but to avoid assigning positive probability to the structural zeros. To do this, it is important to be able to locate where the structural zeros are in the bivariate distribution. When the scores on the tests are consecutive integers, it is easy to determine the location of the structural zeros. This report gives a solution to the problem of locating the structural zeros that arise for a class of bivariate distributions that includes both number-right scores and formula scores that have been rounded to integer values. The result for rounded formula scores is a simple alteration of the case where all the scores are consecutive integers.
A dangerous game: Deng and the intellectuals

This article examines one aspect of China's “second revolution” led by Deng Xiaoping: the relationship between the post‐Mao leadership and the intellectuals, who were the most persecuted during the “Cultural Revolution.” When Deng took power in 1978, one tough challenge was to mobilize China's well‐educated men and women for the nation's modernization. New policies toward them were introduced to rekindle their enthusiasm in creative and critical academic activities. The anticipation of a new period of cooperation between the authorities and the intellectuals was, however, dashed by the bloodshed in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Why did Deng, who sought the support of Chinese intellectuals for his modernization program, side with the Party's hard‐liners to order the military crackdown on pro‐democracy demonstrations? Will China's post‐Mao leadership no longer need the intellectuals’ help? This article argues that the Communist Party of China has been playing “a dangerous game of cooperation” with the i...
Effects of Exposure to Classical Music on the Musical Preferences of Preschool Children

Musical preferences of 45 preschool children (mean age 4 years, 7 months) were assessed in a short-range longitudinal study incorporating a pre- and posttest experimental design. Six classical and ...
Molecular targeting of proteins by L-homocysteine: mechanistic implications for vascular disease.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, complications of pregnancy, cognitive impairment, and osteoporosis. That elevated homocysteine leads to vascular dysfunction may be the linking factor between these apparently unrelated pathologies. Although a growing body of evidence suggests that homocysteine plays a causal role in atherogenesis, specific mechanisms to explain the underlying pathogenesis have remained elusive. This review focuses on chemistry unique to the homocysteine molecule to explain its inherent cytotoxicity. Thus, the high pKa of the sulfhydryl group (pKa, 10.0) of homocysteine underlies its ability to form stable disulfide bonds with protein cysteine residues, and in the process, alters or impairs the function of the protein. Studies in this laboratory have identified albumin, fibronectin, transthyretin, and metallothionein as targets for homocysteinylation. In the case of albumin, the mechanism of targeting has been elucidated. Homocysteinylation of ...
Multiple Periorbital Fibrous Histiocytomas: A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

• Recurrent, bilateral, multiple, periorbital fibrous histiocytomas occurred in a 62-year-old woman. There were no associated serum lipid abnormalities. Histologically, the tumor was composed of an admixture of lipid-laden histiocytes and fibroblasts with a variable amount of collagen production. In many areas the fibroblasts were arranged in a storiform pattern. No cytologic evidence of malignancy was observed. Ultrastructural studies of the tumor showed histiocytic cells with a variable amount of lipid in the cytoplasm and fibroblasts with mild to moderate collagen production. Differential diagnosis and histogenesis are discussed. ( Arch Dermatol 114:1345-1347, 1978)
Alterations in expression of murine thymocyte proteins and glycoproteins during fetal thymus development.

To describe the biochemical alterations that accompany T cell differentiation and proliferation in the mouse thymus, proteins and Con A-binding glycoproteins of adult thymocytes and of fetal thymocytes on days 14–19 of gestation were compared. Cells were labelled with 125I and lactoperoxidase, NP-40 extracts were prepared, and both whole extracts and immunoprecipitates obtained with rabbit anti-mouse thymocyte serum and Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan I strain, were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) under reducing conditions. In addition, NP-40 extracts of unlabelled fetal and adult thymocytes were subjected to SDS-PAGE, and the gels reacted with 125I-labelled Con A before drying and autoradiography. Results obtained suggest that: (1) T200-like components of early fetal thymocytes have a higher apparent mol. wt(200+ K) than those of late fetal and adult cells; (2) the quantity of the T25 component which bears the Thy-1 alloantigen increases from very low early in gestation to adult levels by day 17–19; (3) adult thymocytes express a Con A-unreactive surface component of apparent mol. wt 12,000 which is present in much lower amounts on fetal thymocytes; (4) fetal thymocytes on all days of gestation express a Con A-unreactive surface component of apparent mol. wt 10,000 which is barely (if at all) detectable on adult thymocytes.
Magnetic anomaly modeling at the Indo Eurasian collision zone

Abstract One of the consistent features of satellite crustal magnetic anomaly maps is the large negative anomaly in the Indo Eurasian collision zone. This region is modeled by the introduction of magnetic blocks representing the Tibetan, Asian and Himalayan mountain regions. The crustal thickness of these blocks is based on the principle of isostasy. It has been shown that the removal of the core field from the Magsat data removes most of the long-wavelength anomalies associated with the ocean-continent susceptibility contrast, and that some of the observed anomalies, after processing of the satellite data, are a manifestation of this contrast. To account for this, the final model is a superposition of the above block model on a global model of typical continent and ocean susceptibility, called a Standard Earth Magnetization Model (SEMM). A combination of the three blocks superposed on the SEMM reproduces the major features of the observed Magsat anomalies. Block model susceptibilities of the Asian and Himalayan regions are the same as for the continental portion of the SEMM, albeit with a greater crustal thickness. Thus, the crust in these regions is typical. By contrast, the satellite magnetic data require an integrated susceptibility in the Tibetan region which is considerably lower than typical. Two possible explanations are suggested. One, that the origin and tectonic history of the Tibetan region differs from the neighboring regions in such a way as to result in lower susceptibility. This is consistent with current thinking that the Tibetan plateau is made up of several fragments or micro-continents which were attached to Asia prior to the collision of India with Asia. The other possible explanation is that the Curie isotherm in the Tibetan region is elevated compared to the Asian and Himalayan regions.
More information can be mined from the routine PCA data

Phase contrast angiography (PCA) delineates the vasculature morphology based on the fact that the blood is flowing inside the vessels. And the source images of PCA have significantly less background signals than that of the time of flight (TOF) MRA. Although the PCA scan requires a slightly longer acquisition time than that of the TOF, it contains a lot more information regarding to the flow direction and velocity of the blood. Unfortunately, all these are discarded except the signal enhancement due to flow when the resulting angiogram is reconstructed and displayed on a clinical MR machine. To reveal more information contained in the PCA a presentation scheme was developed, in which each pixel after the angiographic projection has assigned a color in addition to the intensity. Employing the concept similar to the three elemental color mixing, the directional information of flow can be conveyed in an easy to comprehend format. Using the maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithm along the viewing trace, the pixel intensity value was obtained and signed to the corresponding pixel on the PP. The final pixel color is determined by the flow direction. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, we obtained a PC angiography data set (TR/TE/Flip equals 20ms/3.9ms/20 degree) of the circle of Willis in transverse orientation from both normal volunteers and patient heads at 1.5T using Venc of 60 cm/sec. Results showed additional information can be gained from the PCA data, which may be useful for selected patients and sometimes crucial in the routine clinical diagnosis.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the radius of convergence of Newton's method

We present local and semilocal convergence results for Newton's method in a Banach space setting. In particular, using Lipschitz-type assumptions on the second Frechet-derivative we find results concerning the radius of convergence of Newton's method. Such results are useful in the context of predictor–corrector continuation procedures. Finally, we provide numerical examples to show that our results can apply where earlier ones using Lipschitz assumption on the first Frechet-derivative fail.
Two types of question about time: Methodological issues in the analysis of teacher career path data

Abstract Quantitative researchers studying teacher career paths ask two types of question about time: questions about duration (in which time is the outcome) and questions about change (in which time is a predictor). Although asymmetrical in their conceptual placement of time, both questions ask what happens to individual teachers and how variation across teachers is related to background, training and environment. In this chapter, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates methods for addressing both types of questions. We argue that traditional two- wave methods are fundamentally flawed and that to answer questions about time, researchers must gather multi-wave data. We outline new methods that capitalize on the richness of the longitudinal perspective — proportional hazards modeling and growth modeling.
A Sturm–Liouville Eigenproblem of the Fourth Kind: A Critical Latitude with Equatorial Trapping

Through both analytical and numerical methods, we solve the eigenproblem uzz>+(1/z−λ−(z−1/e)2)u=0 on the unbounded interval z∈[−∞, ∞], where λ is the eigenvalue and u(z)0 as |z|∞. This models an equatorially trapped Rossby wave in a shear flow in the ocean or atmosphere. It is the usual parabolic cylinder equation with Hermite functions as the eigenfunctions except for the addition of an extra term, which is a simple pole. The pole, which is on the interior of the interval, is interpreted as the limit δ0 of 1/(z−iδ). The eigenfunction has a branch point of the form z log(z) at z=0, where the branch cut is on the upper imaginary axis. The eigenvalue is complex valued with an imaginary part, which we show, through matched asymptotics, to be approximately √πexp(−1/e2){1−2e log e+e log 2+γe}. Because T(λ) is transcendentally small in the small parameter e, it lies “beyond all orders” in the usual Rayleigh–Schrodinger power series in e. Nonetheless, we develop special numerical algorithms that are effective in computing T(λ) for e as small as 1/100.