cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonessential nucleoporins Nup2, Nup60 and Nup84 are required for normal meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract The nuclear pore complex (NPC) selectively transports cargo between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The inner nuclear membrane (INM) face of the NPC also serves as a hub where gene silencing and DNA repair are spatially coordinated. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, partitioning of active and silenced chromatin at subtelomeric regions depends on the boundary activity of nonessential nucleoporin proteins Nup2 and Nup60, along with Htz1, the histone variant H2A.Z. The INM is also important for the chromosome events of meiosis since Ndj1-mediated telomere attachment and clustering at the INM is required for efficient homolog pairing, recombination, and segregation. Here we tested possible meiotic roles for Nup2, Nup60, Htz1, and other nonessential nucleoporins by analyzing the effects of deletion mutations on sporulation, spore viability and possible phenotypic epistasis with ndj1Δ. Deleting NUP2, NUP60, and HTZ1 reduced spore viability compared to wild-type (WT). A detailed analysis of spore lethality indicated that homolog nondisjunction in these mutants was elevated compared to WT, yet unlike ndj1Δ, this was not the predominant cause of spore death. Deleting NUP84 reduced meiosis I nuclear divisions, while deleting NUP53, NUP100, and NUP157 had no effect on sporulation, spore viability, or the kinetics of meiosis I progression. Surprisingly, nup2Δ ndj1Δ uniquely failed to undergo meiosis I nuclear divisions, suggesting Nup2 and Ndj1 function in partially redundant pathways or create a poisonous intermediate. The meiosis I division was also delayed by 2 hours in nup2Δ compared to WT pointing to a specialized role for Nup2 in the meiotic program.
Dynamic Investment, Capital Structure, and Debt Overhang

We model dynamic investment, financing and default decisions of a firm, which begins its life with a collection of growth options. The firm exercises them optimally over time, and finances the costs of investment by trading off tax benefits of debt with both distress costs and agency costs of debt. Conflicts of interests between equityholders and various classes of debtholders are managed through optimal choice of investment triggers, capital structure, and default triggers. We show that (i) existing debt may significantly distort investment decisions (debt overhang and risk shifting); (ii) anticipating distortions induced by debt, firms with more growth options on average have lower leverages, consistent with empirical evidence; (iii) the seniority structure of debt has significant effects on the firm's default, leverage, and investment decisions, when existing debt is exogenously given; (iv) when future growth options are anticipated, the firm optimally chooses its initial investment and leverage decisions, which substantially mitigate the anticipated endogenous debt overhang, and make debt seniority structure much less relevant.
Assigning a commodity dimension to AIS data: Disaggregated freight flow on an inland waterway network

Abstract Inland waterways play a key role within the freight transportation system by connecting productive heartland areas to international gateways, while keeping costs competitive. Quantifying commodity flow is important because it affects cost-based supply chain decision-making. However, data on commodity movements to inform investment and planning decisions is elusive. Publicly available commodity data on U.S. inland waterways is limited in its spatial aggregation to the location of locks, which is insufficient to identify inter-port commodity flows. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data has the potential to disaggregate freight-flows to the port and river segment levels but it does not identify the commodity carried. This paper characterizes and quantifies vessel trips by port of origin-destination, timestamp, commodity carried, and path (mapped to an inland waterway network), allowing for disaggregated commodity flow analysis, previously unavailable in the public domain in the U.S. This is accomplished through a multi-commodity assignment model which conflates AIS vessel movement data with commodity-specific port throughput. A stochastic approach is introduced to handle uncertainty in cargo-to-vessel ratios. Validation using data from the Arkansas River show agreement between model predictions and aggregated commodity volumes with differences lower than 1.82% by commodity and lock. Ubiquitous AIS data permit the transferability of the proposed work.
Just Transitions and Labor

At the national and international level climate change is creating injustices as those who have contributed the least greenhouse gas emissions often face the greatest risks from the effects of climate change (IPCC, 2014; Roberts & Parks, 2007; Vanderheiden, 2008). Yet the inequalities in the transition to a more ecologically sustainable and less carbon-intensive economy have received less attention, particularly as governments, businesses, and environmental advocates promote carbon-reduction policies as a win-win for the environment and the economy. However, the benefits and costs of mitigating climate change and creating a more environmentally sustainable society will not will not necessarily lead to a more socially just society or what Agyeman et al. (2003) call ‘just sustainabilities’: “The need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, whilst living within the limits of supporting ecosystems,” (p. 5). Indeed it could reproduce, deepen, and further reinforce existing social hierarchies and injustices (Littig, 2018; Snell, 2018; Snell & Fairbrother, 2013; Stevis, 2012). People and institutions in power will have privileged access to the benefits of creating a greener economy while those in marginalized positions will have less access to the benefits and face unequal risks. Expanding renewable energy could rely on the same exploitative and gendered labor practices and forms of Indigenous dispossession as fossil fuel energy.
Two-Dimensional Weight Function Evaluation

The weight function method is based on Rice’s (1972) interpretation of Bueckner’s (1971) original paper. The weight function for a crack problem is generally taken to be the normalized rate of change of surface displacements with respect to crack size for a reference state of loading. As shown by Rice (1972), this weight function acts as a Green’s function for the crack problem. That is, the solution to any fracture mechanics problem for the same geometry but different loading conditions can be obtained from the weight function for the reference set of loading conditions. The process involves an integration of the uncracked stress field times the weight function to arrive at the crack tip stress intensity factor for those imposed stresses.
Mass Determinations From the MLR

The masses of double-lined photometric pairs can be found directly from the orbit, as was mentioned earlier. Almost all of the systems selected in Table III have this qualification that good photometric orbits are supplemented by radial-velocity solutions from double-lined spectra.
Ruminants and Other Animals

Animal methane emissions originate from two sources. Methane is produced through microbial digestion of feeds in the animals digestive tract, where energy loss ranges from zero to nearly 12% of dietary energy. The second source is from microbial degradation of excreted residues in manure. This paper will explore explanations for the observed variation and provide estimates of total emissions. Emphasis will be placed on ruminants which account for approximately 95% of animal methane emissions.
Mechanism of Protection against Aflatoxin Tumorigenicity in Rats Fed 5-(2-Pyrazinyl)-4-methyl-1,2-dithiol-3-thione (Oltipraz) and Related 1,2-Dithiol-3-thiones and 1,2-Dithiol-3-ones

Abstract 1,2-Dithiol-3-thiones, reported constituents of cruciferous vegetables, are five-membered cyclic sulfur-containing compounds with antioxidant, chemotherapeutic, and chemoprotective activities. The effects of dietary administration of a substituted 1,2-dithiol-3-thione, oltipraz [5-(2-pyrazinyl)-4-methyl-1,2-dithiol-3-thione], a potent antischistosomal agent, on aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) metabolism, DNA adduct formation, and hepatic tumorigenesis were examined in male F344 rats. Rats were fed graded doses of oltipraz (0.01–0.1%) for 4 wk. During the second and third wk of oltipraz feeding rats were gavaged with 250 µg of AFB 1 /kg five times a wk. Rats were finally restored to control diet 1 wk after cessation of AFB 1 dosing. At 4 months focal areas of hepatocellular alteration were identified and quantitated by staining sections of liver for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. Treatment with oltipraz at all doses reduced by >90% the volume of liver occupied by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive foci. Levels of AFB 1 bound to hepatic DNA were reduced between 40 and 80% in animals fed increasing doses of dietary oltipraz (0.01–0.1%) for 1 wk prior to a single exposure to AFB 1 . Feeding of the higher levels of oltipraz led to marked increases in the specific activity of glutathione S -transferases, presumably serving to facilitate the detoxication of the ultimate electrophilic form of AFB 1 , the 8,9-oxide. At low dietary concentrations of oltipraz (0.01%), the only inductive effects seen were on the activities of selected cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases. Therefore, the protection afforded by oltipraz may be due to both the enhancement of electrophile detoxication pathways as well as modified oxidative metabolism of AFB 1 . In in vitro metabolism studies with hepatic post-mitochondrial supernatant, low-dose oltipraz pretreatment facilitated the oxidative production of aflatoxins P 1 and Q 1 , but not M 1 , from AFB 1 . High-dose (0.1%) oltipraz pretreatment enhanced the primary metabolism of AFB 1 to aflatoxins P 1 , M 1 , and Q 1 as well as the formation of chloroform-insoluble metabolites. Feeding studies with a series of 1,2-dithiol-3-thione and 1,2-dithiol-3-one derivatives of oltipraz demonstrated that the inductive activity for cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases and electrophile detoxication enzymes, such as glutathione S -transferases, could be readily separated by minor modifications of the 1,2-dithiol-3-thione structure. The unsubstituted 1,2-dithiol-3-thione nucleus strongly induced electrophile detoxication enzymes, but not the monooxygenases, and was the most effective inhibitor of the binding of AFB 1 to hepatic DNA in vivo . The high potency, low toxicity, and selectivity of enzyme inductive effects may render some of the 1,2-dithiol-3-thiones as excellent compounds for chemoprotection in humans.
Usando as respostas previsíveis da abordagem list-experiments como variáveis explicativas em modelos de regressão

The list experiment, also known as the item count technique, is becoming increasingly popular as a survey methodology for eliciting truthful responses to sensitive questions. Recently, multivariate regression techniques have been developed to predict the unobserved response to sensitive questions using respondent characteristics. Nevertheless, no method exists for using this predicted response as an explanatory variable in another regression model. We address this gap by first improving the performance of a naive two-step estimator. Despite its simplicity, this improved two-step estimator can only be applied to linear models and is statistically inefficient. We therefore develop a maximum likelihood estimator that is fully efficient and applicable to a wide range of models. We use a simulation study to evaluate the empirical performance of the proposed methods. We also apply them to the Mexico 2012 Panel Study and examine whether vote-buying is associated with increased turnout and candidate approval. The proposed methods are implemented in open-source software.
To Say 'I Do': Shahar v. Bowers, Same-Sex Marriage, and Public Employee Free Speech Rights

This article deals not with the political and legal debate over gay marriage (civil same-sex marriage) as such, but rather with certain legal issues raised by marriage as a cultural and linguistic concept when applied to gay or lesbian couples. The article begins with a comprehensive overview of Shahar v. Bowers, 114 F.3d 1097 (11th Cir. 1997), which upheld then-Georgia State Attorney General Michael Bowers's revocation of Robin Shahar's employment as a staff attorney in his state office, because of her religious marriage ceremony with her female partner. The article then analyzes the case's free speech implications, an issue not pressed by Shahar but arguably central to the case. It argues that a ceremony like Shahar's, even if not recognized as a legal marriage, is, among other things, a constitutionally protected speech act.The article generally explores the legal, cultural, and linguistic struggle over the word "marriage," and the intriguing dichotomy and overlap between the public and private character of such speech, as with all speech regarding sexual orientation and gay identity. In the process, the article criticizes, and proposes some refinements of, the law governing public employee speech rights.The article concludes by analyzing the importance of the Shahar case in particular, and free speech rights in general, to legal strategies in defense of the liberty and integrity of gay people.
A New Algorithm for Dominant Point Detection by Quasi-collinear Break Points Supression

A new algorithm for dominant points of digital planar curves is presented. This algorithm is relied on a new method for quasi-collinear point supression. All the break points are obtained from the initial contour. The proposed algorithm deletes quasi-collinear break points using a variable distance as treshold value. The resultant points are dominant points. This aproximation is compared with other algorithms. The experimental results show that this method works well for digital planar curves with features of several sizes.
The Insurgent Barricade – By Mark Traugott

Mark Traugott, author of a study of Parisian workers during France's 1848 Revolution, offers a comprehensive history of the barricade, covering its origins, construction, and spread. The author arg...
Adult airway foreign body removal. What's new?

Foreign body (FB) aspiration is a common problem worldwide and its incidence has not decreased through time. 47 Morbidity and mortality from nonasphyxiating tracheobronchial FBs, however, fortunately have declined with the advancement of bronchoscopy equipment and accessories, increased awareness of clinicians, and improvements of imaging technology. This article reviews the incidence and clinical presentation of airway FBs in adults and examines why the flexible bronchoscope has become the preferred initial diagnostic and therapeutic instrument. A discussion on removal techniques and new accessories for the flexible bronchoscope also is provided.
Strategic project management: the new framework

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a framework for a new research agenda for project management in the coming years. The idea is to focus research on the competitive potential of project management and promote deeper conceptual understanding, integrative practices, and wider-based education. Based on ideas which emerged in our previous studies, the paper deals with some strategic, cultural, organizational, and operational issues which are often neglected in the current practice and education in project management. We believe these components are needed to make project management into a major competitive weapon for industrial organizations. The research framework is built around three major concepts-style, adaptation, and learning: (1) style: style involves the following components: strategy, attitude, organization, processes, and tools; (2) adaptation: since no two projects are the same, organizations need to adapt their style to the specific type of project; and (3) continuous learning: how to develop the learning environment in project management, both for self learning and for organized educational programs.
Interpreting new molecular genetics in myelodysplastic syndromes

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a clinically and cytogenetically heterogeneous group of clonal diseases characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, and an increased risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. The precise molecular mechanisms behind the development of MDS have remained elusive; however, the distinct sensitivity of this disease to DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and the presence of markedly abnormal epigenetic profiles suggested the existence of an epigenetic mechanism underlying the disease. Recently, the advent of new technologies for the detection of genetic abnormalities has led to the description of a set of novel recurrent mutations in patients with this disease. The majority of these novel mutations have been described in genes encoding different components of the epigenetic machinery, many of which are associated with distinct clinical outcomes. Finally, mutations in mRNA splicing genes have also been described recently in MDS, underscoring the molecular complexity that underlies the development of this heterogeneous disease.
Evaluation of pulmonary infiltrates in critically ill patients with cancer and marrow transplant.

Evaluation of new or worsening undiagnosed pulmonary infiltrates in critically ill patients with cancer or marrow transplant is a frequent dilemma faced by intensivists. Pulmonary infiltrates in critically ill patients with cancer or marrow transplant are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, 3, 23, 45, 50 particularly in patients who require mechanical ventilation for whom the mortality rate exceeds 90%. 24, 50 Physicians need a concise approach for evaluating pulmonary infiltrates in the ICU. This article outlines an approach for evaluating new or worsening pulmonary infiltrates in critically ill patients with cancer or marrow transplant based on the differential diagnosis and early flexible bronchoscopy (FB) to exclude infection (Fig. 1). 13, 17, 60
The development and rationale of cross-blended hypsometric tints

Hypsometric tints have been a favored mapping technique for over 150 years.By the mid-twentieth century, hypsometric tints based on the work of JohnBartholomew, Jr., Eduard Imhof, and Karl Peucker became the de facto standardfor physical reference maps at small scales. More recently, the role and design ofhypsometric tints have come under scrutiny. One reason for this is the concern thatpeople misread elevation colors as climate or vegetation information. Cross-blendedhypsometric tints, introduced in 2009, are a partial solution to this problem. Theyuse variable lowland colors customized to match the differing natural environmentsof world regions, which merge into one another. In the short time since theirintroduction, cross-blended hypsometric tints have proved to be a popular choiceamong professional mapmakers. Most maps made with cross-blended hypsometrictints also contain shaded relief (terrain represented with modulated light andshadows).
Arrival Cohort, Assimilation, and the Earnings of Caribbean Women in the United States

Utilizing data on U.S.-born and Caribbean-born black women from the 1980–2000 U.S. Censuses and the 2000–2007 waves of the American Community Survey, I document the impact of cohort of arrival, tenure of U.S. residence, and country/region of birth on the earnings and earnings assimilation of black women born in the English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. I also test whether selective migration accounts for earnings differences between U.S.-born and Caribbean-born black women in the United States. I show that almost all arrival cohorts of Caribbean women earn less than U.S.-born black women when they first arrive in the United States. However, over time the earnings of early arrival cohorts from the English- and French-speaking Caribbean are projected to surpass the earnings of U.S.-born black women. Indeed, this crossover is most pronounced for women from the English-speaking Caribbean. In models that account for selective migration by comparing the earnings of Caribbean women to U.S.-born black women who have moved across states since birth, I show that more time is required for early arrival cohorts from the English- and French-speaking Caribbean to surpass the earnings of U.S.-born black internal migrants. Women from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean do not seem to experience earnings growth as their tenure of U.S. residence increases. In summary, the findings suggest that selective migration is an important determinant of earnings differences between U.S.-born black women and black women from the Caribbean.
Magneto-Optical Recording

In the first part of the paper, we compare the predictions of our earlier theoretical work on the signal-to-noise ratio for magneto-optic read-out with experimental measurements. We then examine how the thermal response of the medium can be tailored to the light level available for recording to further enhance the SNR. In the second part, we examine theoretically the writing and erasure processes. We calculate the various contributions to the energy of formation of a domain during a typical writing cycle under an applied field and obtain some design constraints on both the medium and system that are required to ensure single domain formation in writing and good reversibility in erasure.
Investigation of polarization anisotropy in individual porous silicon nanoparticles

Polarization anisotropy is investigated in single porous silicon nanoparticles containing multiple chromophores. Two forms of nanoparticle samples are studied; low current density (LCD) and high current density (HCD). Photoluminescence measurements reveal that LCD samples exhibit red-shifted spectra and HCD particles display a blue-shifted spectrum. We utilize single molecule spectroscopy to detect the polarization effects of spatially isolated individual nanoparticles, and show that LCD nanoparticles demonstrate strong polarization anisotropy, whereas a dynamic polarization response is collected from HCD nanoparticles.
The Common Denominators: A Collaborative Approach to Teaching Reasoning Skills through Literature and Mathematics.

At a highly technical institution, this interdisciplinary problem-solving course was designed for students who had been placed on probation or suspended. Two professors, with divergent backgrounds in mathematics and literature, collaborated in the research, planning and teaching. The course stresses the cross-disciplinary applications of “tools” such as analogy, using a variety of assignments in mathematics, logic and literature. The importance of both “ill-structured” and “well-structured problems” is discussed, as is the rationale for including oral presentations, group problems, and a formal debate in the curriculum. The article emphasizes the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration for studentsand faculty, as it presents an approach to teaching reasoning skills that could be applied to a variety of academic settings.
Treating Food and Liquid Refusal in an Adolescent With Asperger’s Disorder:

Food refusal is a complicated condition that has both medical and social implications. In this study, a 16-year-old boy with Asperger’s disorder, dependent on gastrostromy tube feedings for 9 years, is treated with a behavioral intervention. The intervention consists of several components, including stimulus fading for both solids and liquids, a token economy for solids, and an escape prevention component for liquids. Before treatment, the participant consumes three different foods and water. After treatment, the participant is consuming 78 foods and 13 beverages. At the end of 14 days of treatment, all of the participant’s intakes are received orally, tube feedings are eliminated, and the patient has gained more than 1 pound on oral feedings. The intervention is generalized to both home and school settings, and maintenance of treatment gains is reported by parents 3 months after the end of treatment.
A hybrid phase unwrapping method for correction the error

Phase unwrapping is a very important processing step in phase shift interferometry. In this work, we propose a new method which combines the branch-cut method with error correcting. The method can avoid the propagation of the phase errors and have higher reliability. The experiment proves the proposed method is feasible and effective.
In Harm's Way: AMA Physicians and the Duty to Treat

In June 2001, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a revised and expanded version of the Principles of Medical Ethics (last published in 1980). In light of the new and more comprehensive document, the present essay is geared to consideration of a longstanding tension between physician's autonomy rights and societal obligations in the AMA Code. In particular, it will be argued that a duty to treat overrides AMA autonomy rights in social emergencies, even in cases that involve personal risk to physicians (e.g., bioterrorist attack, HIV infection, SARS). The argument will be made by way of the logic and language of the AMA Code through its history, commentaries, and precedents. It also will be shown that there are substantial reasons to believe that the logic of the Code is sound in morally relevant ways. The essay will conclude with some philosophical proposals suggesting a framework for the duty to render aid and the extension of those duties to physicians facing personal risks.
Dimensions of stress among university faculty: Factor-analytic results from a national study

Previous studies on the role of the professor reflect the existence of a multifaceted complex of strains on faculty. This research study investigated identifiable patterns of faculty stress. From a sample of 80 doctorate-granting institutions, 1,920 professors were selected and stratified by academic rank and Biglan's academic discipline model. The response rate was 75.28%. The multidimensionality of the 45-item Faculty Stress Index, investigated through factor analysis, resulted in five distinct dimensions of perceived stress: reward and recognition (55% common variance); time constraints (12% common variance); departmental influence (7% common variance); professional identity (6% common variance); and student interaction (6% common variance). Each factor was also analyzed according to professional and personal characteristics, and the analysis resulted in significant differences in the areas of tenure, rank, age, gender, and marital status. No differential pattern was discovered among disciplinary categories.
The renal circulation of conscious rabbits.

Abstract 1. 1. The renal circulatory instability that some believe is inherent in rabbits was studied. 2. 2. In five, conscious rabbits, glomerular nitration rate (GFR) averaged 4.2 ± 0.6 ml/min/kg body wt after 1 hr, but changed to an overall average of 3.5 ± 1.5 ml/mm/kgwt after 3 hr. 3. 3. Between-measurement coefficient of variation for GFR was more than 30% for three rabbits and 10% or less for two. 4. 4. Renal blood flow (RBF) was even more variable. 5. 5. The renal circulatory instability may be associated with differences in sympathetic activity by mechanisms not existing in other mammals.
Abstract 4354: Proteomic analysis of acute radiation response following whole brain irradiation: Is Sirt2 a key player of radiation-induced neurotoxicity

Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the most effective and widely used treatments of both primary and metastatic intracranial tumors. Recent technical advances in RT and multimodality approach to treatment have increased the life span of patients. However, a major concern remains as to radiation9s effect on long term neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment. Acute and sub acute effects of RT following whole brain RT appear to be reversible, but we hypothesize that these acute changes provide a platform for alteration of the central nervous system (CNS) microenvironment that is responsible for delayed irreversible neurotoxicity. To improve the quality of life of patients and to improve efficacy of whole brain RT, we require effective and targeted approaches to minimize cognitive dysfunction. In order to understand the acute molecular events involved after RT and to identify potential markers that lead to long-term neurotoxicity and dementia, we performed quantitative mass spectroscopy using the iTRAQ (isobaric tag of relative and absolute quantitation) technique on C57 Bl/6 mouse brain tissue extract 72 hours following whole brain RT versus sham-irradiated controls. We found significant changes up- and down-regulation of critical proteins in multiple canonical pathways to be affected, but interestingly some of the most significant changes were in proteins vital to Huntington and Parkinson9s signaling pathways. Additionally, we explored the role of Sirtuin 2 (Sirt2), a Class III histone deacetylase which is abundant in CNS and has been shown to mediate oxidative stress response in animal models of neurodegeneration which produce dementia, within the context of whole brain RT. Our aim was to investigate if Sirt2 might be a potential target to mitigate neurotoxic effects induced by RT. Our proteomic analysis of the brain tissue extracts of Sirt2 genomic knockout mice shows that the absence of Sirt2 affects several metabolic and signaling pathways including Huntington, Parkinson9s, as well as mitochondrial-mediated signaling. Several factors were found to be uniquely and differentially expressed in Sirt2 knockout tissues under radiation condition. This study indicates that Sirt2 might be a key player in radio sensitization of the CNS and a potential clinical target for minimizing radiation-induced neurocognitive dysfunction. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4354. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4354
Zebrafish colgate/hdac1 functions in the non-canonical Wnt pathway during axial extension and in Wnt-independent branchiomotor neuron migration

Vertebrate gastrulation involves the coordinated movements of populations of cells. These movements include cellular rearrangements in which cells polarize along their medio-lateral axes leading to cell intercalations that result in elongation of the body axis. Molecular analysis of this process has implicated the non-canonical Wnt/Frizzled signaling pathway that is similar to the planar cell polarity pathway (PCP) in Drosophila. Here we describe a zebrafish mutant, colgate (col), which displays defects in the extension of the body axis and the migration of branchiomotor neurons. Activation of the non-canonical Wnt/PCP pathway in these mutant embryos by overexpressing ΔNdishevelled, rho kinase2 and van gogh-like protein 2 (vangl2) rescues the extension defects suggesting that col acts as a positive regulator of the non-canonical Wnt/PCP pathway. Further, we show that col normally regulates the caudal migration of nVII facial hindbrain branchiomotor neurons and that the mutant phenotype can be rescued by misexpression of vangl2 independent of the Wnt/PCP pathway. We cloned the col locus and found that it encodes histone deacetylase1 (hdac1). Our previous results and studies by others have implicated hdac1 in repressing the canonical Wnt pathway. Here, we demonstrate novel roles for zebrafish hdac1 in activating non-canonical Wnt/PCP signaling underlying axial extension and in promoting Wnt-independent caudal migration of a subset of hindbrain branchiomotor neurons.
PENILE CIRCULAR FASCIOCUTANEOUS SKIN FLAP IN 1-STAGE RECONSTRUCTION OF COMPLEX ANTERIOR URETHRAL STRICTURES

AbstractPurpose: We review the applications and outcomes of penile circular fasciocutaneous flap urethroplasty in 66 patients at our institution.Materials and Methods: We used a circular distal penile skin flap for urethral reconstruction in 66 men with complex urethral strictures. Average stricture length in this series was 9.08 cm. and mean followup was 41 months (range 1 to 7 years).Results: The initial overall success rate was 79% (52 of 66 cases). Recurrent stenosis was noted in 7 of the 54 onlay (13%) and 7 of the 12 tubularized repairs (58%). Most recurrent strictures were successfully treated with a single subsequent procedure, including repeat urethroplasty in 5 cases and optical urethrotomy or dilation in 6. Two patients required perineal urethrostomy and 1 awaits further reconstruction. Including subsequent procedures, the overall long-term followup success rate was 95%. Neurovascular lower extremity complications developed in 4 patients after prolonged high lithotomy positioning.Conclusions: C...
American Indians in the Lower Mississippi Valley: Social and Economic Histories

American Indians in the Lower Mississippi Valley: Social and Economic Histories. Daniel H. Usner Jr. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998. vii +189 pp., plates, maps, tables, notes, index.
Characterization of the promoter of human extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN)

Abstract Monocyte-derived macrophages play a central role in atherosclerotic lesion formation and potentially plaque destabilization by expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs); however, mechanisms associated with stimulating MMP production are not clearly understood. EMMPRIN, which is expressed by human cancer cells and macrophages, present in human, mouse and rabbit atherosclerosis and noted to induce MMPs may be involved. A DNA fragment containing 1797 bp 5′ upstream of the EMMPRIN gene and the transcription start site was generated by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into a luciferase reporter gene vector, pGL3-basic. The relative luciferase activities driven by this 5′-upstream fragment and a series of deletion mutants were measured in transiently transfected human and mouse macrophage THP-1 and Raw264.7 cells, respectively. A fragment 471 bp upstream of the EMMPRIN coding region was sufficient to promote transcription, while a region from −1413 to −1024 bp suppressed activity. Further deletion analysis of the 471 bp fragment indicated that a 30 bp element from −142 to −112 bp, which contains binding sites for Sp1, AP1TFII and EGR-2, was important for EMMPRIN transcription in both THP-1 and Raw264.7 macrophages. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, the Sp1 element within 30 bp region specifically bound Sp1 and Sp3 transcription factors. Mutation of the Sp1 element at −122 to −116 bp of the EMMPRIN promoter significantly diminished promoter activity and formation of DNA-nuclear protein complex. Transient expression of Sp1 and/or Sp3 transcription factors in insect cells lacking the Sp family of transcription factors, stimulated EMMPRIN promoter activity in a synergistic manner. Together, these results indicate that both Sp1 and Sp3 associate with the functional Sp1 element on the EMMPRIN promoter and cooperate in the regulation of EMMPRIN gene expression in macrophages.
Glycogen metabolism in the developing chick glycogen body: Functional significance of the direct oxidative pathway

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were quantitatively determined for the first time in glycogen body tissue from late embryonic and neonatal chicks. For comparative purposes, the activities of these enzymes were examined also in liver and skeletal muscle from pre- and post-hatched chicks. The present data show that both the embryonic and neonatal glycogen body lack glucose-6-phosphatase, but contain relatively high levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. The activity of each dehydrogenase in either embryonic or neonatal glycogen body tissue is two- to five-fold greater than that found in muscle or liver from pre- or post-hatched chicks. The relatively high activities observed for both dehydrogenases in the glycogen body, together with the absence of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in that tissue, suggest that the direct oxidative pathway (pentose phosphate cycle) of glucose metabolism is a functionally significant route for glycogen utilization in the glycogen body. It is hypothesized that the glycogen body is metabolically linked to lipid synthesis and myelin formation in the central nervous system of the avian embryo.
Multiple genetic alterations in papillary thyroid cancer are associated with younger age at presentation.

Background There is a significant gender and age disparity in thyroid cancer incidence and outcome. The molecular basis for these divergent clinical presentations and outcome are essentially unknown. Methods The primary tumor genotype in 217 patients with papillary thyroid cancer was determined for six common somatic genetic alterations (RET/PTC1, RET/PTC3, and NTRK1 rearrangements, and BRAF V600E, KRAS, and NRAS hotspot mutations) by PCR and direct sequencing, and nested PCR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association of genetic changes and age, gender, and other clinicopathologic factors. Results One hundred twenty-one of the 190 conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma samples (63.7%) had at least one genetic alteration, and 27 of the samples (14.2%) had more than one alteration. In the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas, 13 of the 27 samples (48.1%) had at least one genetic alteration and three of the 27 samples (11.1%) had more than one. The presence of multiple genetic alterations was associated with younger age at diagnosis ( P = 0.034), mean difference of 8 y earlier. We found no significant association with the number or type of genetic alterations present by gender, tumor size, extent of tumor differentiation, multicentricity, lymph node metastasis, distant metastases, TNM stage, and the AMES risk group. The association of multiple genetic alterations and younger age were independent of tumor size, lymph node or distant metastasis, TNM stage, or AMES risk group. Conclusions Multiple genetic alterations are more common in younger patients with papillary thyroid cancer, but there is no difference in the type or number of genetic alterations by gender. Our findings suggest that multiple genetic alterations in thyroid cancer may be associated with earlier disease initiation and or progression.
Fluorometric determination of the oral hypoglycemic agent -phenethylbiguanide using alkaline ninhydrin.

Summary A fluorometric method for determining β-phenethylbiguanide (PEBG) in microgram and submicrogram quantities is described. This method is based upon a reaction with alkaline ninhydrin. The lower practical limit of PEBG which can be detected by this method is 0.025 μg/ml. The method is not specific for PEBG and applicability for measurements in biological media will require separation of PEBG from other guanidinium compounds.
Demographic transition in the Middle East : implications for growth, employment, and housing

The working age population is expected to grow faster in the Middle East than in any other region in the world between now and 2015 - rising annually by 2.7 percent, or 10 million people. This demographic explosion presents the region with a major challenge in terms of providing jobs, incomes, and housing for the growing population, but the expanding labor force can also be seen as an opportunity to generate higher per capita income growth on a sustainable basis. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of market-friendly institutions in turning the challenge into opportunity.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.

Squamous cell carcinomas of the conjunctiva are either limbal or, less often, truly conjunctival. Four rare forms of this type of neoplasm are described and illustrated:
Longitudinal trajectories of parental involvement in Type 1 diabetes and adolescents' adherence.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal trajectories of parental involvement and adolescent adherence to the Type 1 diabetes regimen, to determine whether changes in multiple facets of parental involvement over time predicted subsequent changes in adolescents’ adherence, and to examine whether adolescent self-efficacy mediated the effect of parental involvement on adherence.
Intestinal Kinetics And Dynamics Of Escherichia Coli Heat-Stabile Enterotoxin In Suckling Mice

The heat-stabile enterotoxin produced by Escherichia coli (ST) induces diarrhea by binding to receptors on intestinal cells, activating guanylyl cyclase, and increasing cyclic GMP. High- and low-affinity receptors for this toxin have been identified previously. ST induces intestinal secretion in suckling mice in picomole doses, suggesting a role for high-affinity receptors in this process. The present studies examine the relative roles of high- and low-affinity receptors in this process. The time course of changes in free ST concentrations in suckling mouse intestine was determined after intragastric inoculation. Also, binding characteristics of high- and low-affinity receptors and their coupling to guanylyl cyclase were defined in intestinal membranes from suckling mice. Intestinal concentrations of toxin and receptor binding characteristics empirically determined were used in a dynamic model correlating fractional occupancy of high- and low-affinity receptors with intestinal secretion to estimate their relative contributions to ST-induced diarrhea.
Multiple genetic pathways regulate replicative senescence in telomerase-deficient yeast

Most human tissues express low levels of telomerase and undergo telomere shortening and eventual senescence; the resulting limitation on tissue renewal can lead to a wide range of age-dependent pathophysiologies. Increasing evidence indicates that the decline in cell division capacity in cells that lack telomerase can be influenced by numerous genetic factors. Here, we use telomerase-defective strains of budding yeast to probe whether replicative senescence can be attenuated or accelerated by defects in factors previously implicated in handling of DNA termini. We show that the MRX (Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2) complex, as well as negative (Rif2) and positive (Tel1) regulators of this complex, comprise a single pathway that promotes replicative senescence, in a manner that recapitulates how these proteins modulate resection of DNA ends. In contrast, the Rad51 recombinase, which acts downstream of the MRX complex in double-strand break (DSB) repair, regulates replicative senescence through a separate pathway operating in opposition to the MRX-Tel1-Rif2 pathway. Moreover, defects in several additional proteins implicated in DSB repair (Rif1 and Sae2) confer only transient effects during early or late stages of replicative senescence, respectively, further suggesting that a simple analogy between DSBs and eroding telomeres is incomplete. These results indicate that the replicative capacity of telomerase-defective yeast is controlled by a network comprised of multiple pathways. It is likely that telomere shortening in telomerase-depleted human cells is similarly under a complex pattern of genetic control; mechanistic understanding of this process should provide crucial information regarding how human tissues age in response to telomere erosion.
High-energy collisions of heavy nuclei

The profile function for the collision of two heavy nuclei is calculated. In principle, the method used sums all contributing diagrams. The single-particle inclusive distribution is predicted for very-high-energy collisions.
Estimating the Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris carbetti population in Thailand

Abstract From 1987 to 1991, tiger Panthera tigris corbetti presence was investigated in 25 national parks and 13 wildlife sanctuaries, comprising 49% and 58% of Thailand's protected land area in these respective categories. Tigers were present in only 58% of the surveyed areas. Where tigers were present, an arbitrary density of 1 tiger/100 km 2 was modified according to the levels of threat to the tiger population, and used to estimate population size. Threats were defined as human-caused disturbances that threatened a tiger population's basic need of natural water-ways, large prey abundance, and vegetative cover. Using this approach, no more than an estimated 250 adult tigers are currently in Thailand. The healthiest remaining tiger populations are now in areas of forest complexes ≥ 1500 km 2 protected before 1982. All Thailand's tiger populations are in danger of further decline due to poor management and continued human encroachment within protected areas. If tigers are to persist in Thailand, areas where they are found need to be better managed and maintained as large, cohesive forest units. Within these units, human-caused disturbances must be minimized and areas of optimal tiger habitat must be fully protected so that they remain inviolate.
VEGF and HIF-1α expression are increased in advanced stages of epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor that is elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor that plays a regulatory role in the expression of VEGF. Currently, there is limited information regarding VEGF and HIF-1α expression in epithelial ovarian cancer specimens. The objective of this study was to measure VEGF and HIF-1α expression in epithelial ovarian cancer samples and to compare VEGF and HIF-1α expression between ovarian cancer and normal ovarian tissue. Methods Serial sections of paraffin-embedded ovarian tissues from a study group of 16 control patients and 37 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer were analyzed for expression of VEGF and HIF-1α using immunohistochemistry. Results There was a strong correlation between the average expression scores of VEGF and HIF-1α expression ( r 2 = 0.991). There was a significant increase in expression of VEGF in stage III and IV tumors over that in controls ( P P P Conclusion VEGF and HIF-1α are both expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer. VEGF expression correlated with HIF-1α expression, suggesting that HIF-1α may contribute to the overexpression of VEGF observed in epithelial ovarian cancer.
The effects of water exposure, soil conditions, and fungus exposure on hatching of the larval lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae)

We examined whether water functions as a developmental cue for hatching in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. The experiments examined various exposure routes to water: submersion, relative humidity and an ecologically relevant setup of moist soil along with soil fungi to mimic fungus–egg interactions at oviposition sites. We demonstrate that eggs survive for up to a week underwater; increasing water entry into the egg suppresses hatching; and exposure to liquid water, H2O or D2O, neither shortens nor prolongs the incubation period of those eggs that remain viable. In response to relative humidity, hatching takes place most readily when the air is nearly or fully saturated (with water); relative humidity neither shortens nor extends incubation period; and the length of incubation time is unrelated to the percentage of larvae that hatch. When incubated with fungi (common soil isolates), Aspergillus niger, Metarhizium anisopliae, Penicillium glabrum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, e...
reflexivity deflected: the festival of nations as an American cultural performance

When the people of Rock Creek, Montana, display their varied ethnic backgrounds during the annual Festival of Nations, they achieve a concord as neighbors that provides them with an explicit model for national and international relationships. In this performance—and in their social life more generally—amicable relations are seen as based on the principle of neighborly interaction: “if you live right, folks will treat you right.” World peace, the Festival affirms, will come about when individuals everywhere learn, as have those in Rock Creek, to engage in neighborly relationships. Based on a significant misreading of their own history—of the lives of their immigrant coal-mining ancestors—this view precludes an understanding of domestic and international relationships in systemic terms. An accurate analysis of the significance of such a performance requires a focus not only on the reflexivity that it encourages but also on the reflexivity that it curtails. [performance, ethnicity, ritual, class, American social history]