cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FADS2 function loss at the cancer hotspot 11q13 locus diverts lipid signaling precursor synthesis to unusual eicosanoid fatty acids.

Background Genes coding for the fatty acid desaturases (FADS1, 2, 3) localized at the cancer genomic hotspot 11q13 locus are required for the biosynthesis of 20 carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that are direct eicosanoid precursors. In several cancer cell lines, FADS2 encoded Δ6 and Δ8 desaturation is not functional. Methodology/Principal Findings Analyzing MCF7 cell fatty acids with detailed structural mass spectrometry, we show that in the absence of FADS2 activity, the FADS1 product Δ5-desaturase operates to produce 5,11,14–20∶3 and 5,11,14,17–20∶4. These PUFA are missing the 8–9 double bond of the eicosanoid signaling precursors arachidonic acid (5,8,11,14–20∶4) and eicosapentaenoic acid (5,8,11,14,17–20∶5). Heterologous expression of FADS2 restores Δ6 and Δ8-desaturase activity and normal eicosanoid precursor synthesis. Conclusions/Significance The loss of FADS2-encoded activities in cancer cells shuts down normal PUFA biosynthesis, deleting the endogenous supply of eicosanoid and downstream docosanoid precursors, and replacing them with unusual butylene-interrupted fatty acids. If recapitulated in vivo, the normal eicosanoid and docosanoid cell signaling milieu would be depleted and altered due to reduction and substitution of normal substrates with unusual substrates, with unpredictable consequences for cellular communication.
Principal values and branch cuts in complex APL

Complex numbers are useful in science and engineering and, through analogy to the complex plane, in two-dimensional graphics, such as those for integrated-circuit layouts. The extension of APL to complex numbers requires many decisions. Almost all have been discussed in detail in a recent series of papers. One topic requiring further discussion is the choice of branch cuts and principal values for the primitive APL functions that require them. Conventional mathematical notation and the experience of other computer languages are of only moderate help. For example, one cannot find in the mathematics or computer-science literature a definitive value for the principal value of the arcsin of 3. The extension of APL to the complex domain presents a unique opportunity to define a set of choices that will best serve APL and other languages. This paper recommends locations of all branch cuts, directions of continuity of the branch cuts, and values at the branch points. It also recommends that comparison tolerance be used in the selection of principal values. The results apply to APL, other languages, applications packages, and VLSI hardware for complex calculations.
Sequence analysis of the murine Hox-2.2, -2.3, and -2.4 homeo boxes: evolutionary and structural comparisons.

Abstract We have determined the nucleotide sequences and deduced the amino acid sequences of three tandemly arranged murine boxes of the Hox-2 homeo box gene complex on mouse chromosome 11 (Hox-2,2, −2.3, and −2.4). The type and position of differences with other sequenced homeo boxes were analyzed. Hox-2.2 is nearly identical with its cognate human homeo box Hu-2. Hox-2.3 shares 59 of 61 amino acids with the Anternapedia homeo domain of Drosophila and the MM-3 homeo domain of Xenopus and shows 60 of 61 amino acid identity with human HuC1. Hox-2.3, MM-3, and HuCl also share a stretch of six glutamic acid residues followed by a stop codon 15–20 amino acids 3′ of the homeo domain. Hox-2.4 is relatively divergent from most of the other homeo boxes sequenced to date; however, it matches the Hox-3.1 murine homeo domain at 60 of 61 positions. Sequence comparisons with other murine homeo domains, together with previous studies of their genomic organization and chromosomal location, provide support for the hypothesis of a large-scale duplication resulting in the two major murine homeo box gene complexes Hox-1 and Hox-2.
Is radiation treatment volume a predictor for acute or late effect on pulmonary function? A prospective study of patients treated with breast-conserving surgery and postoperative irradiation

Background. When tangential radiation beams are used in patients with breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery, the amount of lung included in the radiation field varies because of patient anatomy and treatment technique. The question of how much lung tissue can be irradiated incidentally without acute or late complications requires quantitative study. Methods. Thirty-four women were enrolled in a prospective study of pulmonary function after breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy for early stage breast cancer. The percentage of lung volume irradiated was estimated from computed tomography scans. Pulmonary function tests including spirometrics, lung volume, and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) were performed before, during, and at regular intervals after radiotherapy. Both acute and long term changes in pulmonary function were analyzed in 29 eligible patients. Results. Acutely, DLCO values dropped, but they returned to normal levels by 24 months. At 5 years, pulmonary function did not vary significantly according to the percentage of lung irradiated, the use of regional lymphatic irradiation, or the addition of chemotherapy. Symptomatic pneumonitis occurred only in two women with baseline deficits in DLCO (P = 0.016), who had more than 10% of the total lung volume irradiated. Patients with a smoking history had a clinically significant base-line deficit of 32% in DLCO values (P = 0.0011) but showed a 21% improvement (P = 0.11), which probably correlated with quitting smoking. Conclusion. Within the range evaluated in this study, the volume of lung irradiated did not predict a late decrease in pulmonary function, although pneumonitis was observed only when more than 10% of the lung was irradiated.
Age as a moderator of the secular trend for grip strength in Canada and the United States

AbstractPurpose: To determine whether grip strength changed on average over recent decades at each of two age levels (children and adolescents versus adults) in Canada and the US.Methods: For each sex, weighted least squares regression analyses were performed on mean grip strength values as reported in studies conducted from the 1960s onwards.Results: Grip strength did not change significantly as a function of year tested in children and adolescents, whereas it declined as a negatively accelerated function of year tested in adults.Conclusion: The results are contrary to what might be expected given that body weight has increased in both countries in recent decades and given that grip strength has been found to be positively correlated with body weight. It is suggested that there was a concurrent change in a factor that operated to counteract the effect of increased body weight on grip strength, a prime candidate being a decrease in levels of serum vitamin D. It is also suggested that the secular decline i...
What Does “Through-Bond Coupling” Mean? Observations on Simple Donor−Acceptor Systems

A series of covalently linked, transition-metal donor/acceptor complexes are described in which the net donor−acceptor coupling matrix element, HDA, is independent of the extent of coupling between the donor and the bridging ligand. The bridging ligand in these complexes is a transition-metal dicyano complex with a tetraaza aliphatic nonbridging ligand, cis- or trans-M(MCL)(CN)2+ for M = Rh(III), Co(III), or Cr(III), donor = Ru(NH3)52+, and the acceptor = Ru(NH3)53+. The electronic coupling (and electron delocalization) between the donor and the central atom (M) of the bridging ligand varies from HDL ≈ 103 to ∼3 × 103 cm-1 through the series of M(MCL)(CN)2+-bridged complexes, and this variation has an effect on the energy of the Ru(II)/Ru(III) CT absorption maximum, which is expected from perturbational mixing of these electronic states. However, the usually correlated superexchange contribution to HDA is not observed and appears to be less than about 10% of the contribution predicted. This is in contrast...
EXPERIMENTAL ARTHRITIS IN THE RABBIT, PRODUCED WITH STREPTOCOCCUS MITIS.

1. We have produced arthritis in 50 per cent. of the rabbits injected with Streptococcus mitis . 2. The character of the arthritis is identical with that produced by Micrococcus rheumaticus . 3. The exudate in and about the joints partakes of the same nature as that caused by Streptococcus rheumaticus . 4. Bacteriological studies show that Streptococcus mitis can be recovered from about one third of the affected joints. 5. Arthritis produced by other types of streptococci differs by reason of greater destruction of tissue, by being more permanent in character, and by the exudate containing large numbers of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 6. The deduction of a distinct variety or species of streptococcus based upon the power to cause arthritis in rabbits is unwarranted.
On-chip Nanofocusing based on a Hybrid Dielectric-Plasmonic Tapered Waveguide

We present a novel on-chip plasmonic nanofocusing technique based on tapering the metal layer of a hybrid Si-Au waveguide. Input optical energy becomes strongly concentrated and highly localized at the metallic tip.
Assessing the effect of vibrotactile feedback during continuous multidirectional platform motion: A frequency domain approach

This study uses frequency domain techniques to demonstrate the effect of vibrotactile feedback during continuous multidirectional perturbations of a support platform. Eight subjects with bilateral or unilateral vestibular loss were subjected to two-axis pseudo random surface platform motion while donning a multi-axis feedback balance aid that mapped body tilt estimates onto their trunks via a 3-row by 16-column array of tactile vibrators (tactors). Four tactor display configurations with spatial resolutions ranging between 22.5° and 90°, in addition to the tactors off configuration, were evaluated. Power spectral density (PSD) functions of body sway in the anterior-posterior (A/P) and medial-lateral (M/L) directions were computed at frequencies ranging from 0.0178 Hz to 3.56 Hz. Transfer functions between the platform motion and body sway were also computed. Vibrotactile feedback produced significant decreases in A/P and M/L spectral power, decreased transfer function gains up to a frequency of 1.8 Hz and 0.6 Hz in the A/P and M/L directions, respectively, and increased phase leads above 0.3 Hz. The lack of a consistent difference among tactor configurations argue in favor of the simplest 4-column configuration during multidirectional continuous surface perturbations.
Alzheimer's disease: role of aging in pathogenesis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by intraneuronal fibrillary tangles, plaques, and cell loss. Brain lesions in both sporadic AD (SAD) and familial AD (FAD) are the same, and in the same distribution pattern, as those in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and in smaller numbers in nondemented older individuals. Dementia onset is around 40 years for DS, 40-60 years for FAD, and usually over 60 years for SAD. The different categories of AD may be due to processes that augment to different degrees the innate cellular aging rate, that is, mitochondrial superoxide radical (SO) formation. Thus, they increase the rate of accumulation of AD lesions. This lowers the age of onset into the dementia ranges associated with DS, FAD, and SAD, and concomitantly shortens life spans. Faster aging lowers AD onset age by decreasing the onset age for neurofibrillary tangle formation and neuronal loss, and the age when brain intercellular H2O2 can activate microglial cells. The early AD onset in DS is attributed to a defective mitochondrial complex 1. The proteins associated with FAD and their normal counterparts undergo proteolytic processing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The mutated compounds increase the ratio of betaA42 to betaA40 and likely also down-regulate the ER calcium (Ca2+) buffering activity. Decreases in ER Ca2+ content should increase the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool, thus enhancing SO formation. SAD may be due to increased SO formation caused by mutations in the approximately 1000 genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and function. The hypothesis suggests measures to prevent and treat.
The Effects of Personality, Affectivity, and Work Commitment on Motivation to Improve Work through Learning.

This study examined the degree to which the dimensions from the Five-Factor Model of personality, affectivity, and work commitment (including work ethic, job involvement, affective commitment, and continuance commitment) influenced motivation to improve work through learning. Data were obtained from a nonrandom sample of 239 private-sector employees who were participants of in-house training programs. The hypothesized causal relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings indicated that these dispositional effects were significant antecedents of motivation to improve work through learning. Specifically, 57 percent of the variance in motivation to improve work through learning was explained by positive affectivity, work commitment, and extraversion.
Effect of channel estimation on pair-wise error probability in OFDM

Pair-wise error probability (PEP) is analyzed in the presence of channel estimation error (CEE) for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in a quasi-static Rayleigh fading channel. Subcarriers in OFDM are grouped in an equi-spaced manner with the number of subcarriers in a group equal to the number of channel taps. One group is dedicated for training and the rest are for data transmission. A linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) based channel estimation for coherent detection is considered in this paper. This enables the signal dependent CEE to be uncorrelated to the data. Since ML decoding employed with perfect CSI becomes suboptimal in the presence of CEE, an optimal ML decoding is derived. It is observed from our training-based PEP expression that the CEE does not reduce the diversity order but contributes to a loss of coding gain. Moreover, a code design criterion is established. To reduce the loss of coding gain, an optimal training scheme is developed, based on the PEP expression. Loss of performance due to an imperfect channel estimate is quantified in terms of bounds on bit error probability (BEP) for high SNR. Our analytical findings are corroborated by simulation examples.
Short-term prediction of wind farm output using the recurrent quadratic volterra model

This paper presents a way to use the recurrent quadratic Volterra system to forecast the wind power output. The recurrent quadratic Volterra system is a second-order polynomial equation that uses the output data as feedback recursively. The Volterra system is extracted from the weights of the Recurrent Neural Network. During this process, three innovative techniques are used. In order to make Volterra kernels from the combination of weights, the activation function is approximated to the high-order polynomial function by using the Lagrangian interpolation. Furthermore, the memory of the Volterra system is also identified using the Partial Autocorrelation Function. After building the Volterra system, the 15 and 30-minutes ahead of wind power output is forecasted with confidence intervals at the 95% confidence level. The confidence interval is calculated using the multi-linear regression techniques. The stability of the recurrent Volterra system is also considered by the heuristic method.
Enhancement of OFET performance of semiconducting polymers containing benzodithiophene upon surface treatment with organic silanes

Poly{4,8-bis(4-decylphenylethynyl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene} (P1) homopolymer and poly{4,8-bis(4-decylphenylethynyl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene -alt-thiophene} (P2) alternating copolymer have been synthesized by Stille coupling polymerization. The field-effect mobilities of both polymers were measured on both untreated and silane-treated OFET devices. Various silanes were selected to allow an incremental increase in the hydrophobicity of the silicon dioxide dielectric. A direct correlation was observed between the hydrophobicity of the silicon dioxide dielectric surface and the enhancement of the field-effect mobilities. The highest mobilities for both polymers were measured on the OFET devices treated with heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydro-decyl-1-trimethoxysilane (FS) which generated the most hydrophobic surface. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
EVALUATION OF DYNAMIC LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY AND SENTINEL LYMPH‐NODE BIOPSY FOR DETECTING OCCULT METASTASES IN PATIENTS WITH PENILE SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

The MD Anderson Cancer Center group studied DSLB done at the same time as the standard dissection [5]. This approach defines the true accuracy of DSLB and avoids the concern of having to wait up to 3 years for a lymph node to become palpable. The result of the combined surgery has found the FNR to be too high to justify using DSLB without concurrent standard dissection. Until the FNR becomes zero the conclusion remains that inguinal lymph node dissection is the reference standard.
Regularity Conditions for a Class of Convex Programs

This paper develops regularity conditions for a class of convex programming problems convex objective functions and linear constraints. The objective functions considered are lower semicontinuous and have bounded level sets. The constraint set may be unbounded. Results pertaining to the solvability, stability and dualizability of such programs are obtained. The results are then applied to a class of nonlinear stochastic programs with recourse.
Coming to Terms With Invisible Disability—Beyond Empathic Resonance: Commentary on Paper by Lauren Levine

For the clinician as for any parent, having a child with cognitive disabilities heightens one's sense of vulnerability and insufficiency. One is confronted with unbearably intractable limits, which generates doubt about one's therapeutic potential. The ability to empathize with a parent's distress is crucial, but only the starting point in treating a patient whose child is disabled. What may be most constructive is the dialectic between the analyst's relative detachment (involving compassion but also a willingness to dredge up disavowed negative feeling) and the parent's attached dismay. Lacanian and existentialist theories remind us that, whether normal or handicapped, we are all existentially in a state of lack. This perspective provides a useful touchstone for analyzing the experience of disability in one's own life and that of one's patients. In further response to Lauren Levine's paper, it is argued that it is tricky to prove (beyond showing that a training analysis promotes maturation in the broades...
An efficient algorithm to compute marginal posterior genotype probabilities for every member of a pedigree with loops.

Background Marginal posterior genotype probabilities need to be computed for genetic analyses such as geneticcounseling in humans and selective breeding in animal and plant species.
Reasons for failure to deliver National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-adherent care in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer at an NCCN cancer center

Objective The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has established guidelines for treating epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) which includes cytoreductive surgery and platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy (CT). The objective of this study was to determine the reasons for failure to deliver NCCN-adherent care at an NCCN cancer center serving a diverse racial and socioeconomic population.
A full-wave analysis of shielded microstrip line-to-line transitions

A rigorous procedure is used to analyze several microstrip line-to-line transitions in a shielded multilayer structure. The transitions studied include edge-coupled lines, overlay-coupled lines, and coupled-to-single lines. A power conservation check based on a rigorous Poynting vector analysis is used to determine the accuracy of the numerical convergence. The results of power distributions and coupling coefficients of the line-to-line transitions are studied parametrically to identify the properties and applications of each transition. >
Photocleavage of DNA : irradiation of quinone-containing reagents converts supercoiled to linear DNA

Irradiation (350 nm) of air-saturated solutions of reagents containing an anthraquinone group linked to quaternary alkyl ammonium groups converts supercoiled DNA to circular and to linear DNA. Generation of linear DNA does not occur by accumulation of numerous single-strand cuts but by coincident-site double-strand cleavage of DNA. Irradiation forms the triplet state of the anthraquinone, which reacts either by hydrogen atom abstraction from a sugar of DNA or by electron transfer from a base of the DNA. Subsequent reactions result in chain scission. The quinone is apparently reformed after this sequence and reirradiation leads to double-strand cleavage.
ElaD, a Deubiquitinating Protease Expressed by E. coli

Background Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubl) are designed to modify polypeptides in eukaryotes. Covalent binding of ubiquitin or Ubls to substrate proteins can be reversed by specific hydrolases. One particular set of cysteine proteases, the CE clan, which targets ubiquitin and Ubls, has homologs in eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses.
A transform method for fast generalized image registration

We present an image transform and show that it is useful for fast generalized image registration. In particular, for an image of size N pixels, this transform takes O(N) additions/subtractions and O(N/sub 1/) multiplications, where N/sub 1/ is the bigger of the image height and width (and equals N/sup 1/2/ for a square image) - it is much faster than the FFT. Unlike FFT, whose speed depends on how the image size is factored, this transform has no such limit. Furthermore, for any invertible linear transform, including rotation, reflection, scaling, plus any translation, this transform can be used to match an image with its thus transformed image without any interpolation and with the above mentioned complexity. This transform can be applied naturally to signals of any dimension. Experiments show the advantages of this method.
Efficacy of Counseling and Psychotherapy in Schools: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcome Studies

This study investigated the efficacy of counseling and psychotherapy interventions for youth in schools. Data were examined for 107 studies that included 132 treatment interventions. Overall efficacy was d = 0.45 and was significantly different from zero. Interventions for adolescents outperformed those of children, treatment groups that were predominately female or male did better than mixed-gender groups, and licensed professional therapists outperformed paraprofessionals, who outperformed graduate students. Implications for supporting the mental health needs of youth in schools are discussed.
Effects of Parity Order on Production and Body Measurements

Abstract The first four lactations of 244 cows and body measurements of 275 cows were analyzed to estimate the effects of parity of birth on production and size. The effects of parity of birth on milk yield, fat per cent, milk fat yield, body weight, wither height, body length, and heart girth are not significantly different from zero. The practice of eliminating first-parity animals because they are deemed inferior is not substantiated. For general body size a nonparametric Chi-square test indicated that second-parity animals were consistently larger than the population mean, fourth-parity animals consistently smaller than the population mean, and first- and third-parity animals near the population mean.
Resolving ambiguity for cross-language retrieval

One of the main hurdles to improved CLIR effectiveness is resolving ambiguity associated with translation. Availability of resources is also a problem. First we present a technique based on co-occurrence statistics from unlinked corpora which can be used to reduce the ambiguity associated with phrasal and term translation. We then combine this method with other techniques for reducing ambiguity and achieve more than 90% monolingual effectiveness. Finally, we compare the co-occurrence method with parallel corpus and machine translation techniques and show that good retrieval effectiveness can be achieved without complex resources.
How Process Affects Performance: An Analysis of Student Design Productivity

In this paper, we analyze journal data from twelve student projects to help identify design processes that achieve higher quality in less time. Journal data are coded for the number of engineering hours spent on different design activities at three design levels. Each project’s outcome is independently assessed for client satisfaction and design quality. We use factor analysis to group common variability into factors. A multivariate linear regression model of three factors explains 91% of productivity variance within the study sample. The factor scoring coefficients are then used to translate the regression model coefficients back to activities and design levels. Results indicate that generating ideas and defining the problem at a system level are the key discriminating variables between more or less productive design teams in our sample, while conceptual design at the front end and detail-level work at the back end are not associated with productivity.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A System for Real-time Twitter Sentiment Analysis of 2012 U.S. Presidential Election Cycle

This paper describes a system for real-time analysis of public sentiment toward presidential candidates in the 2012 U.S. election as expressed on Twitter, a micro-blogging service. Twitter has become a central site where people express their opinions and views on political parties and candidates. Emerging events or news are often followed almost instantly by a burst in Twitter volume, providing a unique opportunity to gauge the relation between expressed public sentiment and electoral events. In addition, sentiment analysis can help explore how these events affect public opinion. While traditional content analysis takes days or weeks to complete, the system demonstrated here analyzes sentiment in the entire Twitter traffic about the election, delivering results instantly and continuously. It offers the public, the media, politicians and scholars a new and timely perspective on the dynamics of the electoral process and public opinion.
Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases: functional implications of multiple isoforms

In the last few years there has been a veritable explosion of knowledge about cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases. In particular, the accumulating data showing that there are a large number of different phosphodiesterase isozymes have triggered an equally large increase in interest about these enzymes. At least seven different gene families of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase are currently known to exist in mammalian tissues. Most families contain several distinct genes, and many of these genes are expressed in different tissues as functionally unique alternative splice variants. This article reviews many of the more important aspects about the structure, cellular localization, and regulation of each family of phosphodiesterases. Particular emphasis is placed on new information obtained in the last few years about how differential expression and regulation of individual phosphodiesterase isozymes relate to their function(s) in the body. A substantial discussion of the currently accepted nomenclature is also included. Finally, a brief discussion is included about how the differences among distinct phosphodiesterase isozymes are beginning to be used as the basis for developing therapeutic agents.
Utilization of Forest Derived Biomass for Energy Production in the U.S.A.: Status, Challenges, and Public Policies

SUMMARY Due to various environmental and economic benefits, renewable energy has been developed rapidly in the United States over the past several decades. In this study, the status, challenges, and public policies related to the development of bioenergy products from forest-derived woody biomass were reviewed. At present, existing utilization of forest biomass for energy purpose in the United States has been dominated by the forest products industry in generating heat and power for internal use. Proposed forest biomass utilization for energy has focused on producing motor biofuels. Key conversion technologies for woody biomass are still undergoing research and development and are not yet fully viable for commercial production. Other challenges for forest biomass utilization include high harvesting and transportation costs, overlapping demand for some forest biomass, and market promotion for new bioproducts. Since the 1970s, many laws and polices have been passed to help and guide the development of bioenergy in the United States. Woody biomass utilization has received increasing attention and assistance in recent years.
Influence of Home and School Environments on Specific Dietary Behaviors Among Postpartum, High-Risk Teens, 27 States, 2007–2009

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to determine whether perceptions of the home and school food environments are related to food and beverage intakes of postpartum teens. METHODS Our study was a baseline, cross-sectional analysis of 853 postpartum teens enrolled in a weight-loss intervention study across 27 states from 2007 through 2009. Eight-item scales assessed perceived accessibility and availability of foods and beverages in school and home environments. Associations between environments and intakes were assessed by using χ(2) and using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations (GEE), respectively. RESULTS Overall, 52% of teens perceived their school food environment as positive, and 68% of teens perceived their home food environment as positive. A positive school environment was independently associated with fruit consumption and 100% fruit juice consumption. A positive home environment was independently associated with fruit, vegetable, and water consumption and infrequent consumption of soda and chips (χ(2) P < .05). Having only a positive school environment was associated with fruit consumption (GEE odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-6.5), and having only a positive home environment was associated with fruit (GEE OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.6-5.6), vegetable (GEE OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5-6.2), and water (GEE OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.7-4.0) consumption and infrequent consumption of soda (GEE OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.7). Results for positive home and school environments were similar to those for positive home only. CONCLUSION Home and school environments are related to dietary behaviors among postpartum teens, with a positive home environment more strongly associated with healthful behaviors.
Bone Cell Biology: Osteoclasts, Osteoblasts, Osteocytes

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of how bone cells coordinate their actions to generate, maintain, and remove bone mass. As a dynamic connective tissue, bone is constantly responding to external forces, such as loading of the skeleton and to internal and external signals, such as cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. In addition to external signals, bone cells are in constant communication with each other and cells of the immune and hematopoietic systems, through factors, such as osteoprotogerin, RANKL, ephrins, and sclerostin. The extracellular matrix (ECM) on which osteoblasts and osteoclasts attach and in which osteocytes reside, influences the function of these cells. The cells that resorb the mineralized ECM of bone are called osteoclasts. They arise from hematopoietic progenitors that also give rise to macrophages. The osteoclasts precursor cells are recruited to the bone surface where they fuse to form multinucleated cells. The second factor is osteoblasts; it is the cells that form bone, characterized by their unique ability to secrete a type I collagen-rich ECM that eventually mineralizes. Osteoblasts arise from multipotent progenitor cells of mesenchyme origin, mesenchymal stem cells. The third factor is osteocytes that possess a very unique location in bone, being trapped within lacunae similar to small “caves” inside the bone matrix, where the cells form a connective network by sending their dendritic processes through small “tunnels,” called canaliculi, that connect and span throughout the whole bone volume. The proposed main function of osteocytes is to sense distribution and amount of mechanical strain that is applied to the bone.
Effect of climate change on water temperature and attainment of water temperature criteria in the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA)

Abstract There is increasing evidence that our planet is warming and this warming is also resulting in rising sea levels. Estuaries which are located at the interface between land and ocean are impacted by these changes. We used CE-QUAL-W2 water quality model to predict changes in water temperature as a function of increasing air temperatures and rising sea level for the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA). Annual average air temperature in the Yaquina watershed is expected to increase about 0.3 °C per decade by 2040–2069. An air temperature increase of 3 °C in the Yaquina watershed is likely to result in estuarine water temperature increasing by 0.7–1.6 °C. Largest water temperature increases are expected in the upper portion of the estuary, while sea level rise may mitigate some of the warming in the lower portion of the estuary. Smallest changes in water temperature are predicted to occur in the summer, and maximum changes during the winter and spring. Increases in air temperature may result in an increase in the number of days per year that the 7-day maximum average temperature exceeds 18 °C (criterion for protection of rearing and migration of salmonids and trout) as well as other water quality concerns. In the upstream portion of the estuary, a 4 °C increase in air temperature is predicted to cause an increase of 40 days not meeting the temperature criterion, while in the lower estuary the increase will depend upon rate of sea level rise (ranging from 31 to 19 days).
Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Thin Films and Multilayers

We review the properties of diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) thin films and multilayers, with special attention to their usefulness in magneto-optical device applications. We begin with the most widely studied DMS family, i.e., alloys of II-VI semiconductors involving Mn ions. Prospects and challenges are discussed for achieving II1-xMnxVI-based non-reciprocal devices; and for devices operating in the far infrared. We also consider the unique advantages which DMSs offer for probing the properties of semiconductor heterostructures. We then discussferromagnetic DMSs, including those based on the III-V semiconductor family. And we briefly review the status of hybrid ferromagnetic-semiconductor structures achieved through recent advances in epitaxy of new materials.
Nesting Behavior of Enchemicrum australe (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Adult wasps and six nests (20 cells) of the ground-nesting oxybeline Enchemicrum australe Pate were studied in Texas. Wasps constructed one to three cells each day in a cluster at the bottom of the main burrow or off short side burrows. A female wasp removed soil from her burrow by carrying pellets held between her open mandibles and forelegs and released the pellets some distance from the nest while flying backward. Nest entrances were usually secluded at the base of a plant or object (e.g., pebble). Wasps captured from 6 to 21 dolichopodid, sphaerocerid, or ephydrid flies of both sexes and placed them in a cell. A single egg was laid on a prey at the far end of the cell. Prey were transported venter up or on their sides and held with the wasp's middle and hindlegs. Provisioning wasps normally flew directly into their open nest entrances without landing but would impale the prey on the sting if forced to dig open a blocked nest entrance or walk on the ground. Three cells were infested with cleptoparasitic maggots and one of these was reared and identified as Metopia argyrocephala Meigen (Sarcophagidae: Miltogramminae). One other cell was destroyed by Forelius foetida (Buckley) ants. A comparison of the nesting behavior with that of Oxybelus suggests a close phylogenetic relationship. Every aspect of the behavior of E. australe can be found in one or more Oxybelus species.
“Just Another Story”: Sports Journalists’ Memories of Title IX and Women’s Sport

Since 1972, when the U.S. Congress passed Title IX, girls’ and women’s participation in sport exponentially increased. Yet, major gender inequities remain, including in media coverage. Feminist sports media scholars have pointed to journalists’ resistance toward Title IX as one explanation for these inequities. To further examine the relationship between Title IX and coverage of women’s sport, this study draws upon oral history interviews with 14 sports journalists who worked at newspapers in one major media market in the United States before and after the implementation of Title IX. In their memories, journalists incorporated two dominant cultural narratives: conflict narratives, which position gains in women’s sports against losses in men’s sports, and celebratory narratives, which uncritically embrace Title IX as a catalyst for girls and women in sport. Although all agreed that Title IX had a positive impact upon women’s sports, few believed Title IX actually changed coverage. This study points to the ...
Detection,identification and pathogenicity of Moraxella lacunata from tea drinks for the first time

Objective To understand the pathogen and biological characteristics of one bacterial poisoning in tea drinks. Methods The only bacteria detected from suspected food was studied the mycelial morphological characteristics,colony characteristics,culture feature,biochemical characteristics,the pathogenicity to animal and hematoxin production. Results The pathogen of this bacterial poisoning was moraxella lacunata,found in the tea drinks for the first time. The pathogen had typical biological characteristics of this kind of bacteria and rare characteristics as well,such as no production of thermostable direct hemolysin and thermolabile hemolysin. Conclusion The pathogen of this bacterial poisoning is moraxella lacunata,which is found in the tea drinks for the first time,and the animal experiment has proved the bacteria has some pathogenicity to small white mouse.
Hypersensitivity in rats infected with Fasciola hepatica: lack of correlation between serum reaginic antibody levels and rejection of flukes

Reaginic antibodies were detected in the sera of rats from three weeks after infection with Fasciola hepatica. Thereafter the presence of flukes was not necessarily associated with detectable serum reagins. There did not appear to be any correlation between reagin titre and fluke rejection.
Cell–ECM Interactions in Repair and Regeneration

For many years, the extracellular matrix (ECM) was thought to serve only as a structural support for tissues. However, as early as 1966, Hauschka and Konigsberg showed that interstitial collagen promoted the conversion of myoblasts to myotubes, and, shortly thereafter, it was shown that both collagen ( Wessells and Cohen, 1968 ) and glycosaminoglycans ( Bernfield et al., 1972 ) play a crucial role in salivary gland morphogenesis. Based upon these findings as well as other pieces of indirect evidence, Hay (1977) put forth the idea that the ECM is an important component in embryonic inductions, a concept that implicated the presence of binding sites (receptors) for specific matrix molecules on the surface of cells. This led to investigation into detailed mechanisms by which extracellular matrix molecules influence cell behavior. Bissell et al. proposed the model of “dynamic reciprocity,” in which ECM molecules interact with receptors on the surface of cells that then transmit signals across the cell membrane to molecules in the cytoplasm; these signals initiate a cascade of events through the cytoskeleton into the nucleus, resulting in the expression of specific genes, whose products, in turn, affect the ECM in various ways ( Bissell et al., 1982 ). It has become clear that this concept is essentially correct ( Ingber, 1991 ; Boudreau et al ., 1995 ); celleECM interactions can regulate cell adhesion, migration, growth, differentiation, and programmed cell death (also called apoptosis); modulate cytokine and growth factor activities; and activate intracellular signaling.
Prop 8 and Lesbian and Gay Citizenship

In this chapter, California’s Proposition 8 is analyzed using the theoretical concepts of homonormativity and homonationalism as tools for exposing the workings of biopower and governmentality. I discuss how the No on 8 campaign revealed a mainstream lesbian and gay politics tied to a politics of recognition and inclusion through normalcy. I also examine how the omnipresent African American civil rights analogy folds homonationalism in through the narrative of American exceptionalism, and reproduces the representational and material whiteness of the LGBT community. All of this builds an analysis of how blood logics and heterosexual reproduction construct not just a white citizenry, but a straight one as well. This is most evident in the naturalized linkages between marriage and procreation.
Propofol Anesthesia-Induced Seizures

A case of a healthy young man who developed seizures and generalized paroxysmal fast activity in the EEG following use of propofol for anesthesia in minor surgery is reported from the Department of Neurology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL.
Accessing N-Acyl Azoles via Oxoammonium Salt-Mediated Oxidative Amidation

An operationally simple, robust, metal-free approach to the synthesis of N-acyl azoles from both alcohols and aldehydes is described. Oxidative amidation is facilitated by a commercially available organic oxidant (4-acetamido-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium tetrafluoroborate) and proceeds under very mild conditions for an array of structurally diverse substrates. Tandem reactions of these activated amides, such as transamidation and esterification, enable further elaboration. Also, the spent oxidant can be recovered and used to regenerate the oxoammonium salt.
Quantile-Optimal Treatment Regimes

AbstractFinding the optimal treatment regime (or a series of sequential treatment regimes) based on individual characteristics has important applications in areas such as precision medicine, government policies and active labor market interventions. In the current literature, the optimal treatment regime is usually defined as the one that maximizes the average benefit in the potential population. This paper studies a general framework for estimating the quantile-optimal treatment regime, which is of importance in many real-world applications. Given a collection of treatment regimes, we consider robust estimation of the quantile-optimal treatment regime, which does not require the analyst to specify an outcome regression model. We propose an alternative formulation of the estimator as a solution of an optimization problem with an estimated nuisance parameter. This novel representation allows us to investigate the asymptotic theory of the estimated optimal treatment regime using empirical process techniques...
Mechanical profiles and topographical properties of films made from alkaline extracted arabinoxylans from wheat bran, maize bran, or dried distillers grain

Abstract Cereal processing byproducts including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) bran, maize (Zea mays L.) bran, and dried distillers grain are currently utilized in animal feed, but they could be utilized in value-added products such as food packaging materials. This study determined the topographical properties and mechanical profiles of films made from arabinoxylan extracts of wheat bran, maize bran, and dried distillers grain with the addition of either glycerol or sorbitol as a plasticizing agent at one of three levels (10, 25, or 50%). The arabinoxylan was extracted from these starting materials via alkaline extraction and purified using α-amylase, protease, and dialysis. Film properties analyzed included surface topography, puncture resistance, tensile strength, and tear resistance. Topographical analysis showed that the films made with wheat bran arabinoxylan were the roughest. The puncture resistances ranged from 0.7 N (dried distillers grain arabinoxylan films plasticized by 10% sorbitol) to 10.1 N (wheat bran arabinoxylan films plasticized by 50% sorbitol). The highest maximum tensile strength was 29.3 MPa for films made with maize bran arabinoxylan plasticized by 10% glycerol. In addition, these arabinoxylan films had tear resistances ranging from 0.3 N (maize bran arabinoxylan films plasticized by 50% glycerol) to 1.9 N (wheat bran arabinoxylan films plasticized by 50% sorbitol). These material profiles provide information about the strengths and weaknesses of 18 novel materials that could serve as food packaging materials in the future.
Diffusion Coatings Formed in Molten Calcium Systems. II. Variables in the System Ca-Cr-Fe

Diffusion coatings of Fe-Cr on iron prepared in liquid calcium are formed at similar temperature- and time-dependent rates as coatings made by commercial vapor or pack chromizing processes. An increase, of 10% in the coating rate constant describing the growth of ferritic coatings is caused by a decrease in the coating of 1.5% Ni, an increase of 0.09% Al, an increase of 4% Cr or a temperature increase of about 7°C. These variables act independently. For Fe-Cr (30%) coatings on iron, the coating formation rate constant k is described by log k = -0.12-11370K−1 where K is the absolute temperature. Excessive amounts of nickel in a Ca-Cr-Fe-Ni bath result in the formation on iron of an austenitic coating at a much slower rate. Excessive amounts of aluminum in a Ca-Cr-Fe-Al bath reduce the thickness of the coating on iron which is resistant to nitric acid.
Selective sentinel lymphadenectomy for gynecologic cancer.

Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy are the greatest change in the clinical and surgical management of solid tumors since Halsted' popularized the concepts of radical resection of breast cancers with regional en bloc lymphadenectomy. In the last 10 years, gynecologic oncologists have begun to apply lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy to patients with gynecologic cancers. In this chapter, I will review why vulvar and cervical cancers are good targets for the mapping strategy and review the published experience in patients with vulvar, cervical, and endometrial cancers.
Bibliography and References Cited

The “Bibliography and References Cited” section contains all of the citations from the scientific portions of the proposal. This documentation is an important aspect of the application. As mentioned earlier, your application should provide an overview of your research area to establish a context for your project. Additionally, you may refer to your own published research showing support for the rationale behind your proposed project, or your technical capability to perform techniques in the project. Referring to the appropriate publications in support of what you have written is essential. This ties your ideas to the state-of-the-art in the field, and allows the reviewers to fact-check or brush up on the field by going to the original sources.
Using Clickers to Collect Formative Feedback on Teaching: A Tool for Faculty Development

Incorporation of clicker technology in an introductory chemistry class is described as a method for collecting and automatically tabulating student feedback for use in formative faculty development. Students are polled in real-time on issues of classroom management and the success of various teaching methods. Tabulated data is displayed on the classroom screen and used to facilitate classroom discussion. This method was introduced in a first-year general chemistry class for non-majors and resulted in unusually high student evaluation marks in categories related to communication with the instructor. The success of the method was evaluated using midsemester and final student evaluations, informal written student evaluations, peer observation, and instructor reflection.