cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are one of the most common hematological conditions among the elderly. Differences in disease classification and diagnosis have made population-based studies an arduous endeavor. A variety of risk factors have been linked with increased risk (smoking and exposure to solvents and agrochemicals) or decreased risk of MDS (wine drinking), but the majority of cases remain unexplained. One area that has not been explored is the influence of diet in MDS development. Much still needs to be learned about what causes MDS and the genetic factors that increase susceptibility. Multi-institutional studies with a molecular-epidemiologic approach are necessary to develop a MDS risk predictive model.
Crocodile and Arthropod Tracks from the Late Paleocene Wannagan Creek Fauna of North Dakota, USA

Recently discovered tracks in alluvial sediments of the Late Paleocene Bullion Creek Formation of western North Dakota have been identified as belonging to the large eusuchian crocodile Borealosuchus formidabilis and an associated small arthropod. They are described as two new ichnotaxa. The first of these, Borealosuchipus hanksi igen. et isp. nov., is based on a partly complete trackway having fore- and hind-footprints as well as body marks preserved in hyporelief. These tracks are directly associated with numerous body fossils including articulated bones which provide strong implications for their probable origin. The second specimen, Koupichnium pentapodus isp. nov., is founded on a trackway of a small invertebrate in which a series of five pairs of footprints are arranged along a midline drag mark which is continuous throughout the length of its trackway. This trackway shares features with other fossils as well as living arthropod trackways in which four small feet and a larger posterior hind “pusher”...
HEMOGLOBIN PRODUCTION FACTORS IN THE HUMAN LIVER III. ANEMIAS—PRIMARY, APLASTIC AND SECONDARY—LEUKEMIAS

Biological assay of the human liver in various types of anemia shows conspicuous differences in the concentration of hemoglobin producing factors. Pernicious anemia shows very high values and the liver in untreated cases may show maximal storage of the hemoglobin producing factors. Liver therapy reduces this store as the missing factor is supplied and new hemoglobin and red cells can be turned out by the marrow. Aplastic anemia likewise shows high concentration of hemoglobin producing factors as there is no outlet for this material through the red marrow. Secondary anemia due to loss of blood will show low normal values but even long standing severe anemia will not seriously deplete this store of hemoglobin producing factors in the liver. Secondary anemia due to blood destruction within the body shows higher values and some excess store of hemoglobin producing factors and iron. Leukemia gives a biological assay like secondary anemia due to blood loss and always presents definite anemia. Iron analyses show conspicuous differences and iron concentration within the liver parenchyma does not in any way parallel the concentration of hemoglobin producing factors. The highest values for iron concentration are found in aplastic anemia (70 mg. per cent)- high values in pernicious anemia (51 mg. per cent)-normal values in leukemia (13 mg. per cent)-and low values in anemia due to loss of blood (5.3 mg. per cent). These findings should aid in a more complete understanding of the pathogenesis and internal metabolism of various anemias.
Fluorescence decay parameters for pyrene (S1) in micellar and homogeneous liquid dispersions

Abstract Relative quantum yields and time constants for the fluorescence from pyrene (S 1 ) stimulated by UV light have been measured for dispersions of the aromatic in several liquid solvents and aqueous surfactant micelles. Values of the relative radiative decay parameter, k F , were extracted and its medium dependence tabulated. This parameter was found to vary with medium polarity, being higher in more polar media. This effect, characterized for homogeneous liquid phases, was used to demonstrate that pyrene in surfactant micelles is strongly affected by the polar influences of water molecules which deeply penetrate the micelle in the region of the probe.
Growth of an adherent continuous cell line entrapped in a peg/alginate matrix

CHO-K1 cells, an anchorage-dependent line, were entrapped in beads prepared from a Na alginate/polyethylene glycol mixture and grown, through successive passages, to an average maximum density of 4.5×107 viable cells/g of bead. Cell growth and viability was unaffected by repeated alginate re-solubilization and reformation of the gel beads through five passages.
Building Enterprise Network Infrastructure for a Supermarket Store Chain

Enterprise network infrastructure has served as a vehicle on which data and information can be transferred between functional units regardless of their location. Creating the network infrastructure that enables firms and organizations to adapt to rapidly changing business needs has never been more important than now. Building the enterprise network infrastructure requires careful planning, effective design, and appropriate strategies for successful implementation. The current case study examines how a regional supermarket store chain in the retail food industry develops its enterprise network infrastructure to outperform its larger competitors. A detailed description of the evolution of the companyâ€™s enterprise network infrastructure is presented to show how the strategy of network infrastructure development has aligned with the organizationâ€™s growth strategy for the past two decades. The current case study highlights critical success factors for firms to build an effective enterprise network infrastructure that include IS planning firmly tied to critical business goals, strategic collaboration with technology vendors, and careful evaluation and selection of network services and technical details.
Myth-conceptions concerning death-related behavior

The discussion here has suggested that it is likely that the following beliefs are myth conceptions: Living is always prefarable to dying. It is possible for people not to “play God.” We can be sure that what happens biologically is willed by God. God speaks to us only through our biology. Dying occurs only at one point in time-at the end of the “terminal period.” “Death” or “dead” are more accurate labels than “passed on.” Persons who are dying know without being told that they are dying. Biological death is the most important thing happening when a person dies. The goal of achieving understanding of our death-related behavior can be facilitated by recognition of myth-conceptions such as these and the previously identified myths the acceptance of which may have an impact upon both biological and mental or spiritual health of those involved.
Low frequency vibrations in phenol-(H2O)2 revealed by hole-burning spectroscopy in a supersonic jet

Abstract A hole-burning experiment has been performed on the phenol-(H 2 O) 2 complex formed in a supersonic expansion. The lowest energy S 1 state absorption of this complex consists of a 25 cm −1 wide band with unresolved structure. This structure is shown to be due to vibronic transitions of a single isomer, all originating from the same ground state level. The band has been fit with a series of Gaussian peaks revealing the existence of vibrational frequencies which are surprisingly low for a hydrogen-bonded complex.
Anesthetic modification of hemodynamic and neuroendocrine stress responses to cesarean delivery in women with severe preeclampsia.

We conducted a prospective evaluation of the comparative effects of lumbar epidural and general anesthesia on the hemodynamic and neuroendocrine stress response to cesarean delivery in 21 women with severe preeclampsia. In the epidural group (n = 11), anesthesia extending to the T-4 dermatome level
Testing for the Jewish BRCA founder mutations in archived tissue

Testing archived tissue for specific BRCA mutations is feasible and thus can be used to attempt to clarify genetic susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer. This report will review our experience with 3 Ashkenazi Jewish women at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer based on family history, and whose affected relatives were deceased. Case #1: JB is a 65 year old woman whose daughter died of ovarian cancer at age 42. Case #2: GG is a 43 year old woman whose sister had bilateral breast cancer at age 41 and 46, and whose mother had ovarian cancer at age 50 and breast cancer at age 55. Case #3: DW is a 47 year old woman whose mother, maternal aunt and maternal grandmother each died of ovanan cancer. Each of our patients underwent genetic counseling followed by testing of the three Jewish BRCA founder mutations, and all had normal results. Given their results, they were counseled that the probability they had an inherited susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer was decreased but could not be excluded. In order to clarify their genetic susceptibility, archived tumor tissue from deceased family members who had breast or ovarian cancer was obtained with consent of the next-of-kin. DNA was isolated from JB's daughter's 2 year old ovarian tumor, from GG's sister's 3 year old breast tumor and from DW's mother's 11 year old ovarian tumor. In each case, the BRCA1 185delAG mutation was identified, consistent with a germline mutation. Therefore, our patients were counseled that it was highly unlikely that they had inherited the cancer susceptibility in their families, which resulted in our recommendations that participation in enhanced preventive strategies, such as prophylactic surgery or chemoprevention, was no longer indicated and there was no contraindication to postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy. In addition, the test results greatly relieved our patients' anxiety for themselves and their offspring. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the value of testing for the Jewish BRCA founder mutations in archived tissue for the purpose of clarifying genetic susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer in Ashkenazi Jewish individuals. Thus, this strategy should be considered in Ashkenazi Jewish families with breast and/or ovarian cancer when affected relatives are deceased.
Lck Phosphorylates the Activation Loop Tyrosine of the Itk Kinase Domain and Activates Itk Kinase Activity

The Tec family tyrosine kinase Itk has been implicated in T cell receptor (TCR) signaling, yet its precise role and mechanism of activation remain undefined. To investigate these issues, we examined the biochemical response of Itk to TCR stimulation. We found that Itk is tyrosine-phosphorylated after TCR cross-linking and that this phosphorylation depends on the presence of functional Lck. To determine if this Lck dependence results from direct phosphorylation of Itk by Lck, we generated recombinant Itk and Lck using a baculovirus expression system and used these proteins in subsequent biochemical analyses. We found that Lck phosphorylates Itk upon co-expression in insect cells and, further, that this phosphorylation of Itk results in increased Itk in vitro kinase activity. The major site of Lck phosphorylation on Itk was mapped to the conserved tyrosine (Tyr511) in the activation loop of the Itk kinase domain. Substitution of this tyrosine with phenylalanine abolishes Itk kinase activity in insect cells, indicating that phosphorylation at this site plays a critical role in regulating Itk function.
Caspase-3- and calpain-mediated tau cleavage are differentially prevented by estrogen and testosterone in beta-amyloid-treated hippocampal neurons.

Abstract A growing body of evidence suggests that the proteolytic cleavage of the microtubule-associated protein tau, the main component of neurofibrillary tangles, might play a role in the molecular mechanisms underlying beta-amyloid (Aβ) -induced neurotoxicity in central neurons. In the present study, we analyzed whether sex hormones could prevent such tau cleavage, and hence, protect rat hippocampal neurons against Aβ toxicity. Our results indicated that estrogen and testosterone prevented caspase-3- and calpain-mediated tau cleavage, respectively. Thus, estrogen decreased the levels of caspase-3-cleaved 50-kDa truncated tau, while testosterone prevented the generation of a calpain-cleaved 17-kDa tau fragment. In addition, our results showed that the decrease in the levels of these tau proteolytic forms was accompanied by an increased cell survival in Aβ-treated neurons. Furthermore, our findings indicated that testosterone was more effective than estrogen in protecting hippocampal neurons against Aβ-induced cell death. Collectively, our data suggest that preventing the decline of estrogen and testosterone associated with normal aging might reduce the susceptibility of central neurons to Aβ-induced toxicity.
Illumination of Saturn's ring by the ball. I - Preliminary results

Indirect solar illumination of Saturn's ring via scattering from the ball of the planet provides a new ground-based observational technique for studying the single scattering albedo and phase function of the individual particles. Information concerning optical thickness may also be obtained. Essentially complete phase angle coverage can be achieved by studying the variation with azimuth of the indirect contribution to the surface brightness of the ring. Initial application of the technique is reported. The indirect contribution to the radiation scattered from the ring has been marginally detected by electronographic areal photometry. The results have been interpreted using simple scattering models. The photometric accuracy was insufficient to permit investigation of departures from isotropic scattering. But high single scattering albedos, and an essentially opaque ring, are indicated.
The inference problem: a survey

Access control models protect sensitive data from unauthorized disclosure via direct accesses, however, they fail to prevent indirect accesses. Indirect data disclosure via inference channels occurs when sensitive information can be inferred from non-sensitive data and metadata. Inference channels are often low-bandwidth and complex; nevertheless, detection and removal of inference channels is necessary to guarantee data security. This paper presents a survey of the current and emerging research in data inference control and emphasizes the importance of targeting this so often overlooked problem during database security design.
Challenges to Positive Leadership in us Higher Education: Lessons from us Political Economy

us higher education has maintained a hegemonic position in global higher education despite reduced public spending in the us and the rise of global access in places such as China. The reasons include: English as lingua franca for study and research, expanding access (e.g. for-profit institutions), and technology adaptation (e.g. moocs). This article presents the argument that while this hegemony exists, us higher education has a responsibility to be a positive social force so that it does not face the backlash and loss in confidence the us has faced recently due to severe economic downturns and lengthy failed overseas military endeavors.
Fluorescence Detection of Redox‐Sensitive Metals in Neuronal Culture: Focus on Iron and Zinc

Detection of neurotoxic metals in the intracellular milieu has made an important contribution to the understanding of the mechanism of metal-induced neuronal injury. Fluorescent, metal-sensitive dyes have proven to be valuable in the measurement of a variety of neurotoxic cations in neurons, and these dyes have provided a number of insights into the relationships between elevations in the cytosolic free-metal concentrations and neuronal death. However, the dyes also have important limitations that can make the interpretation of dye signals difficult. In this review, the characteristics of dyes that can be used to detect both iron and zinc inside neurons, and the methods necessary to distinguish these ions from other intracellular signals, are reviewed. Also provided are examples of the use of the dyes for the redox-sensitive detection of iron and zinc. Finally, the challenges facing the use of these dyes for quantitative determination of changes in intracellular free-ion concentrations are discussed.
An investigation of the modified fouling index as a test for plugging potential of pretreated seawater

Abstract The pretreatment of war seawater is necessary to reduce the fouling of reverse osmosis membranes and increase run length. To measure the plugging potential of pretreated feedwater, the modified fouling index was tested using both control suspensions and pretreated seawater. The defining equation was found to adequately describe the process. By distinguishing between the various filtration mechanisms, the modified fouling index was found to be more precise than other plugging indexes. A scheme is presented for the in situ, computer controlled measurement of the modified fouling indez.
The more or less 'pristine' renal allograft biopsy.

To the Editor: The study of Naesens et al.1 presents compelling evidence that with routine pathological evaluation of renal allograft biopsies pathologists are often unable to detect ongoing immunological injury that is likely responsible for the ‘inevitable destiny’ of renal allografts (i.e., chronic failure).2 The challenge to morphologists is indeed formidable, considering the multitude of possible pathways of injury: specific and nonspecific, acute and chronic, infectious, hemodynamic, mechanical, toxic, etc.
Nonlinearity in rock: Evidence from Earth tides

The earth is sinusoidally stressed by tidal forces; if the stress-strain relation for rock is nonlinear, energy should appear in an earth tide record at frequencies which are multiples of those of the larger tidal lines. An examination of the signals to be expected for different nonlinear deformation laws shows that for a nonlinear response without dissipation, the largest anomalous signal should occur at twice the forcing frequency, whereas for nonlinear laws involving dissipation (cusped hysteresis loops) the anomalous signal will be greatest at three times this frequency. The size of the signal in the dissipative case depends on the amount by which dissipation affects the particular response being measured. For measurements of strain tides this depends on whether dissipation is assumed to be present throughout the earth or localized around the point of measurement. An analysis of 5.7 years of strain tide records from Pinon Flat, California, shows a small signal at twice the frequency of the largest (M2) tide.
Latest results from the Nikon NSR-S620 double patterning immersion scanner

Double patterning (DP), an extension of immersion, is the leading contender for the manufacturing of 32 nm half pitch node devices. For DP, substantial improvement in overlay accuracy is required to meet the CDU requirements for the 32 nm node, and substantial increase in throughput is required to meet the cost requirements. To meet these challenges, Nikon introduced the NSR-S620. The S620 is based on the Streamlign platform, which is characterized by three innovations: Bird's Eye Control, Stream Alignment, and Modular2 Structure. In addition, many of the current systems and techniques have been refined to meet the requirements for DP. This presentation will discuss these technological improvements and show the latest technical results.
Benchmarking Image Analysis Algorithms for Superresolution Fluorescence Microscopy

We demonstrate a method of benchmarking to identify optimal rejection algorithms for superresolution fluorescence microscopy. Simulations show that a minimum photon count of ~3/4 the mean photon count per molecule yields acceptable performance.
Nephrology Crossword: Onco-nephrology--chemotherapy agents and nephrotoxicity.

ACROSS 2. A 45-year-old male with metastatic renal cell cancer receives this agent, and 2 weeks later, develops worsening hypertension, non-nephrotic range proteinuria, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. A kidney biopsy reveals ‘pre-eclampsia’ like findings. (11) 5. A 78-year-old man receives this agent for renal cell cancer after a right nephrectomy. Four weeks after treatment, he develops 15 g of proteinuria, acute renal injury, and hypoalbuminemia. This agent can also cause significant triglyceridemia as a major side effect. (9) 8. This oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastric stromal tumors rarely causes kidney damage. (9) 10. A patient with lung cancer is treated with taxol and trastuzumab for 10 months. Owing to progression of diseases, a new chemotherapeutic agent is started. Five months later, the patient is noted to have increasing lactate dehydrogenase, low haptoglobin, and anemia. Few weeks later, renal function starts declining and urinalysis reveals hematuria and 3þ proteinuria. After stopping this agent, renal function improves. (11) 12. This agent used to treat renal cell cancer can cause thrombotic microangiopathy, proteinuria, and acute and chronic interstitial nephritis. (9) 13. A 67-year-old male with mesothelioma receives this chemotherapy and subsequently develops acute tubular injury. This agent can be retained in pleural effusions and is cleared by the kidney. (10) 14. This platinum compound is the least nephrotoxic in its group. (11) http://www.kidney-international.org m a k e y o u r d i a g n o s i s
Luminescence from Exciton and V K -Plus-Electron States in Alkali Halide Crystals

After reviewing briefly the relevant experimental data on exciton luminescence, it is shown by a calculation on KCl that cubic relaxation alone cannot explain the experimental results for the emission energy. A model is set up for the local relaxation of the crystal into a ${V}_{K}$-like or diatomic molecule configuration. Claculations with this model show that it can give the correct results for the emission energy in KCl, NaI, KI, and RbI. Furthermore, the model is able to provide an understanding of the symmetry properties of the excition states as deduced from experiments using polarized light. The lifetimes of the exciton states can be understood in terms of the magnitude of the Stokes shift and the degree of localization of the one-particle function that describes the excited electron. Activation energies for the disappearance of the emission bands can be obtained from the model. The concept of "noncrossing of energy levels" which is important in molecular theory plays a prominent role in explaining the exciton data.
Steroid Hormones as Feedback Regulators of Brain Angiotensinogen and Catecholamines

Perturbation of peripheral volume homeostasis results in regionally selective changes in brain angiotensinogen, the putative precursor of angiotensin II. The results presented indicate that brain angiotensinogen may be affected in a selective and regional manner and that steroid hormones may mediate these changes. Sex and adrenal steroids appear to affect angiotensinogen levels in different areas of the rat brain. Brain angiotensinogen and norepinephrine levels are linearly and positively correlated. Reserpinization leads to selective increases in brain angiotensinogen which are shown to be attributable to adrenal corticosterone secretion. These results point to steroids as messengers controlling in part the level of activity of brain catecholaminergic and peptidergic systems which regulate the peripheral cardiovascular system.
Preparing for Elite Political Participation Simulations and the Political Socialization of Adolescents

Objective. We ask: How do socialization experiences shape adolescent perceptions of and the performance of gender in political leadership roles? We examine a political simulation, Model United Nations, which attracts academically motivated students aspiring to elite roles in politics and government. Methods. Using observational and survey data, we explore adolescent behavior in the simulation as both a learning experience and as a reflection of students' perceptions of leadership behavior. Results. Three critical observations emerge. First, the Model United Nations is a domain in which young women do not play an equal part. Female delegates take far fewer speaking turns. However, contextual factors, including membership on a committee that deals with less masculine issues and on a committee with a female chair, increase the likelihood of female turn-taking. Second, though participants come to the event with very similar motivations, young women leave less satisfied with their personal effectiveness than do young men. Finally, female delegates are judged less favorably by themselves and others and thus as less successful in the simulation. Conclusions. These findings have normative implications for the recruitment of young women to politics.
Defining a Polymethine Dye for Fluorescence Anisotropy Applications in the Near‐Infrared Spectral Range

Fluorescence anisotropy in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral range is challenging because of the lack of appropriate NIR fluorescent labels. We have evaluated polymethine fluorescent dyes to identify a leading candidate for NIR anisotropy applications. The NIR dye LS601 demonstrated low fluorescence anisotropy values (r) as a result of its relatively long fluorescent lifetime 1.3 ns. The r value of LS601 unbound and coupled to biological macromolecules was found to have a sufficient dynamic range from 0.24 to 0.37, demonstrating the feasibility of fluorescence anisotropy in the NIR. The viability of fluorescence anisotropy using a NIR label was demonstrated by characterization of dye-protein conjugates. These results open the door to a number of applications in drug discovery, fluorescence anisotropy imaging and contrast agent development.
Cooperativity, smooth energy landscapes and the origins of topology-dependent protein folding rates.

Abstract The relative folding rates of simple, single-domain proteins, proteins whose folding energy landscapes are smooth, are highly dispersed and strongly correlated with native-state topology. In contrast, the relative folding rates of small, Gō-potential lattice polymers, which also exhibit smooth energy landscapes, are poorly dispersed and insignificantly correlated with native-state topology. Here, we investigate this discrepancy in light of a recent, quantitative theory of two-state folding kinetics, the topomer search model. This model stipulates that the topology-dependence of two-state folding rates is a direct consequence of the extraordinarily cooperative equilibrium folding of simple proteins. We demonstrate that traditional Gō polymers lack the extreme cooperativity that characterizes the folding of naturally occurring, two-state proteins and confirm that the folding rates of a diverse set of Gō 27-mers are poorly dispersed and effectively uncorrelated with native state topology. Upon modestly increasing the cooperativity of the Gō-potential, however, significantly increased dispersion and strongly topology-dependent kinetics are observed. These results support previous arguments that the cooperative folding of simple, single-domain proteins gives rise to their topology-dependent folding rates. We speculate that this cooperativity, and thus, indirectly, the topology–rate relationship, may have arisen in order to generate the smooth energetic landscapes upon which rapid folding can occur.
The Relationship Between Perceived Parental Favoritism and Self-Esteem

In this study of 91 male and female college subjects, we used two questionnaires to explore the relationship between the students' perceived parental favoritism and their self-esteem. In addition, the prevalence of parental favoritism, the reasons for it, and the ways it is shown were examined. Results indicated that total self-esteem and two facets of self-esteem were related to parental favoritism; the no-favoritism subjects had higher total self-esteem than the nonfavored subjects, the no-favoritism and the favored subjects had higher self-esteem with respect to home-parent relationships than the nonfavored subjects, and the no-favoritism subjects had higher social self-esteem than the favored subjects. Furthermore, the perception of parental favoritism was widespread--62% of the subjects thought one or both of their parents had a favored child. Moreover, parents were more likely to show favoritism in subtle ways than in more obvious material ways; and the predominate reasons given for favoritism were the child's intellect, behavior, birth-order, and creativity rather than his or her physical appearance or gender.
Carbon monoxide chemisorption on Cu(100)-c(2×2)Pd

Abstract Chemisorption of carbon monoxide on Cu(100)-c(2 × 2)Pd was investigated using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Adsorption was found to occur molecularly with a saturation coverage at 100 K which is approximately the same as that on Cu(100). Desorption spectra indicate that the CO-surface bond strength for the majority of the molecules is intermediate to that for the pure metals. The 4σ satellite, characteristic of photoemission from CO on Cu, was not observed.
Moving The Masses: Emotion Work In The Chinese Revolution

Previous explanations of the Chinese Communist revolution have highlighted (variously) the role of ideology, organization, and/or social structure. While acknowledging the importance of all these factors, this article draws attention to a largely neglected feature of the revolutionary process: the mass mobilization of emotions. Building upon pre-existing traditions of popular protest and political culture, the Communists systematized “emotion work” as part of a conscious strategy of psychological engineering. Attention to the emotional dimensions of mass mobilization was a key ingredient in the Communists’ revolutionary victory, distinguishing their approach from that of their Guomindang rivals. Moreover, patterns of emotion work developed during the wartime years lived on in the People’s Republic of China, shaping a succession of state-sponsored mass campaigns under Mao. Even in post-Mao China, this legacy continues to exert a powerful influence over the attitudes and actions of state authorities and ordinary citizens alike.
Interaction of the growth and tumour suppressor NORE1A with microtubules is not required for its growth-suppressive function

The NORE1 protein was identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen as a Ras effector that binds Ras protein in a GTP-dependent manner. NORE1A is a growth and tumour suppressor that is inactivated in a variety of cancers. In transformed human cells, both full-length NORE1A protein and its effector domain alone (amino acids 191–363) are localized to microtubules and centrosomes. However, the mechanism by which NORE1A associates with these cytoskeletal elements is not known; furthermore, whether centrosomally-associated or microtubule-associated NORE1A suppresses tumour cell growth has not been yet established. We have shown that purified NORE1A fails to bind to microtubules in vitro suggesting that other protein(s) mediate NORE1A-microtubule association. Using mass-spectrometry, we identified the Microtubule-Associated Protein 1B (MAP1B) and its homologue C19ORF5 as NORE1A interaction partners. Suppression of C19ORF5 expression by RNA interference (RNAi) and immunodepletion of C19ORF5 protein from cell extracts showed that binding of NORE1A to microtubules is not dependent on C19ORF5. Conversely, RNAi suppression of MAP1B revealed that MAP1B is required for association of NORE1A with microtubules. RNAi-mediated depletion of C19ORF5 or MAP1B did not prevent centrosomal localization of NORE1A. Moreover, the depletion of C19ORF5 or MAP1B did not prevent NORE1A's ability to suppress tumour cell growth. The interaction of NORE1A with microtubules is mediated by MAP1B, but not C19ORF5 protein. Interaction of NORE1A with centrosomes is not dependent on C19ORF5 or MAP1B, and appears to involve a different mechanism independent of binding to microtubules. The NORE1A microtubular localization is not required for growth suppression.
Subgoal Discovery for Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning Using Learned Policies

Reinforcement learning addresses the problem of learning to select actions in order to maximize an agent’s performance in unknown environments. To scale reinforcement learning to complex real-world tasks, agent must be able to discover hierarchical structures within their learning and control systems. This paper presents a method by which a reinforcement learning agent can discover subgoals with certain structural properties. By discovering subgoals and including policies to subgoals as actions in its action set, the agent is able to explore more effectively and accelerate learning in other tasks in the same or similar environments where the same subgoals are useful. The agent discovers the subgoals by searching a learned policy model for state that exhibits certain structural properties. This approach is illustrated using gridworld tasks.
Loss of cytoplasmic basic fibroblast growth factor from physiologically wounded myofibers of normal and dystrophic muscle

Using muscle as an in vivo model system, we have tested the hypothesis that basic fibroblast growth factor is released from a cytoplasmic storage site into the extra-cellular environment via diffusion through survivable, mechanically-induced plasma membrane disruptions. Normal and dystrophic (mdx) mouse muscle were studied. Strong immunostaining for bFGF was detected in the cytoplasm of myofibers of uninjured muscle fixed in situ by perfusion. By contrast, myofibers did not stain cytoplasmically for bFGF after suffering lethal disruptions of their plasma membranes caused by freezing and thawing followed by sectioning. Sub-lethal, transient disruptions of myofiber plasma membranes--termed plasma membrane 'wounds'--were shown to be induced by needle puncture or exercise of muscle. Quantitative image analysis revealed that these wounded fibers contained significantly reduced levels of bFGF. Dystrophic exercised and unexercised muscle was found to possess an approximately 6-fold higher proportion of wounded myofibers than does normal muscle under equivalent conditions. Release of bFGF at a rate that is a direct function of the frequency of myofiber wounding may explain in part how a muscle adjusts its growth to meet changing mechanical demand as well as the pathological hypertrophy characteristic of certain stages of muscular dystrophy.
CD4+ T cell expressed CD80 regulates central nervous system effector function and survival during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

CD80 expressed on the surface of APCs provides a positive costimulatory signal to naive CD4 + T cells during activation. Therefore, it was hypothesized that treatment of SJL mice with various forms of anti-CD80 mAb during remission from the acute phase of relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (R-EAE) would ameliorate disease progression. We previously reported that treatment of SJL mice with anti-CD80 Fab during R-EAE remission blocked activation of T cells specific for endogenous myelin epitopes, inhibiting epitope spreading and clinical disease progression; however, treatment with the native form of the same anti-CD80 mAb exacerbated disease progression. The current data show that intact anti-CD80 mAb binds both CNS-infiltrating CD4 + T cells and CD11c + dendritic cells and that exacerbation of R-EAE directly correlates with increased survival and activity of myelin-specific CD4 + T cells, while the percentage of CD11c + dendritic cells in the CNS and their APC activity was not altered. In vitro data show that cross-linking CD80 on the surface of CD4 + T cells activated in the presence of Th1-promoting cytokines increases the level of T cell activation, effector function, and survival by directly up-regulating the expression levels of transcripts for T-bet, IFN-γ, and Bcl-x L . These findings indicate a novel regulatory role for CD80-mediated intracellular signals in CD4 + T cells and have important implications for using anti-costimulatory molecule mAb therapy in established autoimmune disease.
A dynamic model of proteome changes reveals new roles for transcript alteration in yeast

The transcriptome and proteome change dynamically as cells respond to environmental stress; however, prior proteomic studies reported poor correlation between mRNA and protein, rendering their relationships unclear. To address this, we combined high mass accuracy mass spectrometry with isobaric tagging to quantify dynamic changes in ~2500 Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteins, in biological triplicate and with paired mRNA samples, as cells acclimated to high osmolarity. Surprisingly, while transcript induction correlated extremely well with protein increase, transcript reduction produced little to no change in the corresponding proteins. We constructed a mathematical model of dynamic protein changes and propose that the lack of protein reduction is explained by cell-division arrest, while transcript reduction supports redistribution of translational machinery. Furthermore, the transient 'burst' of mRNA induction after stress serves to accelerate change in the corresponding protein levels. We identified several classes of post-transcriptional regulation, but show that most of the variance in protein changes is explained by mRNA. Our results present a picture of the coordinated physiological responses at the levels of mRNA, protein, protein-synthetic capacity, and cellular growth.
Channel-reach morphology dependence on energy, scale, and hydroclimatic processes with implications for prediction using geospatial data

Received 28 April 2005; revised 6 January 2006; accepted 10 March 2006; published 20 June 2006. [1] Channel types found in mountain drainages occupy characteristic but intergrading ranges of bed slope that reflect a dynamic balance between erosive energy and channel boundary resistance. Using a classification and regression tree (CART) modeling approach, we demonstrate that drainage area scaling of channel slopes provides better discrimination of these forms than slope alone among supply- and capacity-limited sites. Analysis of 270 stream reaches in the western United States exhibiting four common mountain channel types reveals that these types exist within relatively discrete ranges of an index of specific stream power. We also demonstrate associations among regional interannual precipitation variability, discharge distribution skewness, and means of the specific stream power index of step-pool channels. Finally, we discuss a conceptual methodology for predicting ecologically relevant morphologic units from digital elevation models at the network scale based on the finding that channel types do not exhibit equal energy dissipation.
Using Distance Education to Educate and Empower Community Coalitions: A Case Study

This article focuses on a community activism program about the issue of youth tobacco control across fourteen communities. The article highlights an interesting and innovative methodology to provide staff development workshops to each community site where participants received consistent messages with preparation for coalition building and local action planning to address youth tobacco control issues. The article concludes with recommendations for educators considering the use of distance education technologies to educate and empower collective activism in a limited time period.
“A Rose is a Rose” On Producing Legal Gender Classifications

Gender is perhaps the most pervasive, fundamental, and universally accepted way we separate and categorize human beings. Yet in recent years, U.S. courts and administrative state agencies have confronted a growing challenge from individuals demanding to have their gender reclassified. Transgender people create a profound category crisis for social institutions built on the idea that biological sex is both immutable and dichotomous. During the past four decades, the central legal question shifted from how to allocate specific individuals to categories to the permeability of gender categories themselves. This analysis of 38 judicial gender determinations provides a glimpse of the literal construction of the gender order and of the ways institutions gender individuals. It also provides powerful evidence that cultural anxieties about reproduction and the heterosexual, conjugal family underscore institutional efforts to manage the uncertainty of postmodern gender identities.
Enhance Students' Hands-On Experience With Robotics

This paper presents three different ways to include robotics into the undergraduate program. The three possible ways are robotics classes, AI classes, and programming classes. The author believes that using robots in classrooms can greatly motivate students’ interests in robotics, AI, and more general, computer science. The paper rst describes the appropriate hardware and software platforms for each class, and then discuss the challenging issues in using robots in classrooms.
Modulation of erythrocyte band 4.1 binding by volume expansion.

Erythrocyte band 4.1 is an important protein in the control and maintenance of the cytoskeleton. Skate erythrocyte band 3, the anion exchanger, appears to play a pivotal role in the regulation of volume-stimulated solute efflux during volume expansion. Because band 4.1 interacts with band 3, we tested whether their interaction might change during volume expansion. Skate red blood cells were volume-expanded in either hypotonic media (one-half osmolarity) or were swollen under isoosmotic conditions by inclusion of ethylene glycol or ammonium chloride in the medium. Microsomal membranes isolated from red cells under volume expanded conditions demonstrated a significant decrease in the amount of band 4.1 bound to band 3. In unstimulated cells, approximately one third of the binding of band 4.1 occurred to band 3. This binding was characterized as being sensitive to competition by the peptide IRRRY. The majority of band 4.1 is bound to glycophorin (as demonstrated in other species), and this binding does not change during volume expansion. The alteration in band 4.1:band 3 interaction occurs within 5 min after volume expansion and is transient, returning to near normal interaction within 60 min. Two drugs that promote band 3 oligomerization, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and DIDS, also decreased band 4.1 interaction with band 3. Band 4.1 and ankyrin binding to band 3 may be reciprocally related as high-affinity ankyrin binding sites to band 3 observed under volume-expanded conditions are decreased by inclusion of band 4.1 in the binding reactions. J. Exp. Zool. 289:177-183, 2001.
Green polymer chemistry: synthesis of symmetric and asymmetric telechelic ethylene glycol oligomers

In this work we investigated the kinetics of the transesterification of divinyl adipate (DVA) with tetraethylene glycol (TEG) using Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) as a biocatalyst at 50 °C under solventless conditions. We examined the time-dependence of the reactions with various DVA/TEG ratios. Samples were taken at the specified times, and then the composition and end group structures were analyzed by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. We found conditions under which polycondensation was minimized and symmetric and asymmetric telechelic TEGs were obtained. Specifically, at DVA/TEG = 1.5 molar ratio 100% of the oligomers had divinyl end groups after 20 minutes reaction time. At DVA/TEG = 3 only vinyl end groups were detected after 5 minutes. HO-(TEG)n-Vinyl was maximized at 70% at DVA/TEG 1/1.5 molar ratio at 10 minutes reaction time, while ∼90% HO-(TEG)n-OH was obtained in 20 minutes with TEG excess.
Light scattering of human red blood cells during metabolic remodeling of the membrane

We present the light scattering properties of individual human red blood cells (RBCs). We show that both the RBC static and dynamic scattering signals are altered by adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-driven membrane metabolic remodeling. To measure the light scattering signal from individual RBCs, we use diffraction phase microscopy together with a Fourier transform light scattering technique. RBC cytosolic ATPs are both chemically and metabolically depleted, and the corresponding scattering signals are compared with the light scattering signal of normal RBCs having physiologic levels of ATP.
Irritable bowel syndrome in a psychiatric patient population

Abstract The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in psychiatric practice was studied in 41 consecutive psychiatric outpatients. Different criteria for IBS were applied to the data set to determine the effects on the rates of IBS obtained. Depending on an option in the Rome criteria, IBS rates varied from 13% using the “and” requirement for combining abdominal pain and altered bowel function symptoms, to 41% using the “and/or” option described in the formal definition statement in 1990. The resultant prevalence rates of IBS varied greatly according to which published criteria were applied, with a maximum of 71%. This wide variation in rates depending on the criteria underscores the critical importance of standardizing diagnostic research criteria for IBS. An exemplary model of empirically based validation has been developed for psychiatric disorder criteria which, like IBS, are symptom-based and lack physiological determinants. Validated diagnostic criteria for IBS await similar study.
Cannabis self-administration in the laboratory and use in the natural environment during outpatient tiagabine maintenance

being significant (p=0.015). Patients reporting substance use were also less likely to be consistent condom users. Conclusions: This study suggests that adolescents self-referring to an adolescent health clinic are likely to engage in multiple risk behaviors and involvement in sexual risky behavior is related to substance use. Therefore, there is a significant need for medical providers to screen adolescents for both sexual risk behaviors and substance use, which provides an opportunity for comprehensive care. Financial support: NIDA R34DA031806.
Minimal requirements for calcium oscillations driven by the IP3 receptor

Hormones and neurotransmitters that act through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) can induce oscillations of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c), which render dynamic regulation of intracellular targets. Imaging of fluorescent Ca2+ indicators located within intracellular Ca2+ stores was used to monitor IP3 receptor channel (IP3R) function and to demonstrate that IP3-dependent oscillations of Ca2+ release and re-uptake can be reproduced in single permeabilized hepatocytes. This system was used to define the minimum essential components of the oscillation mechanism. With IP3 clamped at a submaximal concentration, coordinated cycles of IP3R activation and subsequent inactivation were observed in each cell. Cycling between these states was dependent on feedback effects of released Ca2+ and the ensuing [Ca2+]c increase, but did not require Ca2+ re-accumulation. [Ca2+]c can act at distinct stimulatory and inhibitory sites on the IP3R, but whereas the Ca2+ release phase was driven by a Ca2+-induced increase in IP3 sensitivity, Ca2+ release could be terminated by intrinsic inactivation after IP3 bound to the Ca2+-sensitized IP3R without occupation of the inhibitory Ca2+-binding site. These findings were confirmed using Sr2+, which only interacts with the stimulatory site. Moreover, vasopressin induced Sr2+ oscillations in intact cells in which intracellular Ca2+ was completely replaced with Sr2+. Thus, [Ca2+]c oscillations can be driven by a coupled process of Ca2+-induced activation and obligatory intrinsic inactivation of the Ca2+-sensitized state of the IP3R, without a requirement for occupation of the inhibitory Ca2+-binding site.
The Clerical Dilemma: Peter of Blois and Literate Culture in the Twelfth Century – By John D. Cotts

Peter of Blois was neither the greatest nor the least of those Latin writers whose work has been termed by C. H. Haskins and others the “Renaissance of the Twelfth Century,” but he is certainly one...