cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro resistance to thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal protein is associated with enhanced progression and hematogenous dissemination in experimental Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis.

We examined the influence of thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal protein 1 (tPMP-1) on the progression and hematogenous dissemination of experimental endocarditis caused by isogenic Staphylococcus aureus strains differing in tPMP susceptibility (tPMPs) or resistance (tPMPr) in vitro. Following simultaneous challenge of animals with both strains, significantly higher tPMPr bacterial densities were present in vegetations (P < 0.0001), kidneys (P < 0.0001), and spleens (P < 0.0001) compared with those for the tPMPs strain. These data indicate that tPMP-1 limits the intravegetation proliferation and hematogenous dissemination of a tPMPs strain in experimental endocarditis, while the tPMPr phenotype confers a selective advantage associated with the enhanced progression of this infection.
Durable palliation of breast cancer chest wall recurrence with radiation therapy, hyperthermia, and chemotherapy

Abstract Background and purpose Chest wall recurrences of breast cancer are a therapeutic challenge and durable local control is difficult to achieve. Our objective was to determine the local progression free survival (LPFS) and toxicity of thermochemoradiotherapy (ThChRT) for chest wall recurrence. Methods Twenty-seven patients received ThChRT for chest wall failure from 2/1995 to 6/2007 and make up this retrospective series. All received concurrent superficial hyperthermia twice weekly (median 8 sessions), chemotherapy (capecitabine in 21, vinorelbine in 2, and paclitaxel in 4), and radiation (median 45Gy). Patients were followed up every 1.5–3months and responses were graded with RECIST criteria and toxicities with the NCI CTC v4.0. Results Twenty-three (85%) patients were previously irradiated (median 60.4Gy) and 22 (81%) patients received prior chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 11months. Complete response (CR) was achieved in 16/20 (80%) of patients with follow-up data, and 1year LPFS was 76%. Overall survival was 23months for patients with CR, and 5.4months in patients achieving a partial response (PR) ( p =0.01). Twenty-two patients experienced acute grade 1/2 treatment related toxicities, primarily moist desquamation. Two patients experienced 3rd degree burns; all resolved with conservative measures. Conclusions ThChRT offers durable palliation and prolonged LPFS with tolerable acute toxicity, especially if CR is achieved.
LYSOPHOSPHATIDIC ACID RECEPTOR GENE VZG-1/LPA1/EDG-2 IS EXPRESSED BY MATURE OLIGODENDROCYTES DURING MYELINATION IN THE POSTNATAL MURINE BRAIN

The growth-factor-like phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) mediates a wide variety of biological functions. We recently reported the cloning of the first G-protein-coupled receptor for LPA, called ventricular zone gene-1 (vzg-1/lpA1/edg-2) because its embryonic central nervous system (CNS) expression is restricted to the neocortical ventricular zone (Hecht et al. [1996] J. Cell Biol. 135:1071-1083). Vzg-1 neural expression diminishes at the end of the cortical neurogenetic period, just before birth. Here, we have investigated the subsequent reappearance of vzg-1 expression in the postnatal murine brain, by using in situ hybridization and northern blot analyses. Vzg-1 expression was undetectable by in situ hybridization at birth, but reappeared in the hindbrain during the 1st postnatal week. Subsequently, expression expanded from caudal to rostral, with peak expression observed around postnatal day 18. At all postnatal ages, vzg-1 expression was concentrated in and around developing white matter tracts, and its expansion, peak, and subsequent downregulation closely paralleled the progress of myelination. Double-label in situ hybridization studies demonstrated that vzg-1-expressing cells co-expressed mRNA encoding proteolipid protein (PLP), a mature oligodendrocyte marker, but not glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocyte marker. Consistent with this, vzg-1 mRNA expression was reduced by 40% in the brains of jimpy mice, which exhibit aberrant oligodendrocyte differentiation and cell death. Together with our characterization of vzg-1 during cortical neurogenesis, these data suggest distinct pre- and postnatal roles for LPA in the development of neurons and oligodendrocytes and implicate lysophospholipid signaling as a potential regulator of myelination.
The frequency of Barrett's esophagus in high-risk patients with chronic GERD

Background The reported frequency of Barrett's esophagus (BE) in patients with reflux symptoms varies from 5% to 15%. The exact frequency of long-segment BE (LSBE) (>3 cm) and short-segment BE (SSBE) ( Methods Consecutive patients presenting to the endoscopy unit of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center for a first upper endoscopy with the indication of GERD were prospectively evaluated. Demographic information (gender, race, age), data on tobacco use and family history of esophageal disease, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded for all patients. Before endoscopy, all patients completed a validated GERD questionnaire. The diagnosis of BE was based on the presence of columnar-appearing mucosa in the distal esophagus, with confirmation by demonstration of intestinal metaplasia in biopsy specimens. All patients with erosive esophagitis on the initial endoscopy underwent a second endoscopy to document healing and to rule-out underlying BE. Patients with a history of BE, alarm symptoms (dysphagia, weight loss, anemia, evidence of GI bleeding), or prior endoscopy were excluded. Results A total of 378 consecutive patients with GERD (94% men, 86% white; median age 56 years, range 27-93 years) were evaluated. A diagnosis of BE was made in 50 patients (13.2%). The median length of Barrett's esophagus (BE) was 1.0 cm (range 0.5-15.0 cm). Of the patients with BE, 64% had short-segment BE (SSBE) (overall SSBE frequency 8.5%). The overall frequency of long-segment BE (LSBE) was 4.8%. A hiatal hernia was detected in 62% of the patients with BE. Of the 50 patients with BE (median age 62 years, range 29-81 years), 47 (94%) were men and 98% were white. Eighteen patients (36%) were using tobacco at the time of endoscopy; 23 (46%) were former users. The median body mass index (BMI) of patients with BE was 27.3 (overweight). There were no significant differences between patients with LSBE and SSBE with respect to age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, and GERD symptom duration. Conclusions The frequency of BE in a high-risk patient group (chronic GERD, majority white men, age>50 years) who sought medical attention is 13.2%, with the majority (64%) having SSBE. These data suggest that the frequency of BE in patients with GERD has not changed. The true prevalence of BE in the general population, including those who do not seek care, is undoubtedly lower, currently and historically. The majority of patients with BE are overweight and have a hiatal hernia. Demographic data for patients with LSBE and SSBE are similar, indicating that these are a continuum of the same process.
Natural history of Helicobacter pylori infection

Abstract This report describes the modalities of chronic gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in different populations. The full gamut of lesions representing the precancerous cascade is very prevalent in populations of low socioeconomic background experiencing very high gastric cancer risk, as seen in the Latin American Andes Mountains. In populations of high socioeconomic standards and high cancer risk, such as Japan and Korea, the precancerous cascade predominates and “early” cancers are also diagnosed frequently. Some reports describe frequent corpus atrophy, not prominent in the former group. The so-called African enigma is seen in populations of low socioeconomic standards, usually living at low altitudes, with high prevalence of infection but low frequency of cancer and precancerous lesions. In populations in transition from high to low cancer risk, duodenal ulcer and antral non-atrophic gastritis are frequently seen. In affluent societies at low risk of cancer, such as Western Europe, Australia and North America, mild non-atrophic gastritis associated with low virulence Helicobacter pylori genotypes predominate. The varied phenotypes of gastritis may reflect secular changes in the ecology of our species.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment: Evolution of Teleoperational Control of Materials Research in Microgravity

Exactly one year ago, the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) completed its third and final orbital space flight aboard the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP) on STS-87. The IDGE conducted 180 experiments on dendritic growth in 5-9's succinonitrile (SCN), a BCC material used on USMP-2 and USMP-3, and over 100 experiments on 4-9's pivalic acid (PVA), an FCC material used on USMP-4. IDGE film and telemetry data provide benchmark tip velocity and radii versus supercooling for critically testing transport theory and the interfacial physics of diffusion-limited dendritic growth. Post-flight application of optical tomography is providing the first tip shape data allowing quantitative tests of three-dimensional phase field calculations. Several new discoveries were made during each flight concerning the behavior of dendrites at low driving forces, and the influences of time-dependent pattern features and noise. A summary of these scientific highlights will be provided. The IDGE instrument was upgraded on each successive flight, improving its optics and electronics, especially the capability for teleoperational control. Near real-time, full gray-scale video was accommodated on USMP-4, allowing investigation of non-steady-state features and time-dependent growth dynamics. A short example of video from space will be shown. USMP-4 science was teleoperated by a student cadre for 16 days from a remote site established by NASA at RPI. This operational experience provides valuable insights, which will be drawn upon for future microgravity experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station.
Effects of partitioning and scheduling sparse matrix factorization on communication and load balance

A block based, automatic partitioning and scheduling methodology is presented for sparse matrix factorization on distributed memory systems. Using experimental results, this technique is analyzed for communication and load imbalance overhead. To study the performance effects, these overheads were compared with those obtained from a straightforward 'wrap mapped' column assignment scheme. All experimental results were obtained using test sparse matrices from the Harwell-Boeing data set. The results show that there is a communication and load balance tradeoff. The block based method results in lower communication cost whereas the wrap mapped scheme gives better load balance.
Population Size, Network Density, and the Emergence of Inherited Inequality

The inheritance of social standing from one generation to the next did not occur for most of the time that humans have lived, but became common only once human societies grew beyond a certain size. This paper offers a theory of how social inheritance may have resulted from this change in size, simply through the accompanying decrease in social network density. This decrease brought about differentiation in social network positions, creating structural advantages and disadvantages in group decision processes. As these processes determined social worth and leadership in societies, social network position became integral to social status and political prestige. And because network position tends to be passed from parent to child, social status came to be passed on, not (at first) through the inheritance of power or property, but through the inheritance of social connections. To illustrate the relationship between structural advantage and network density, we use a mathematical model of social influence in an array of small networks, as well as larger random networks to show how network position becomes increasingly determinant of social status as density decreases and network positions become increasingly differentiated. We use these results to further predict the conditions under which “who you know” matters more than “what you know.”
Detecting success in mobile search from interaction

Predicting searcher success and satisfaction is a key problem in Web search, which is essential for automatic evaluating and improving search engine performance. This problem has been studied actively in the desktop search setting, but not specifically for mobile search, despite many known differences between the two modalities. As mobile devices become increasingly popular for searching the Web, improving the searcher experience on such devices is becoming crucially important. In this paper, we explore the possibility of predicting searcher success and satisfaction in mobile search with a smart phone. Specifically, we investigate client-side interaction signals, including the number of browsed pages, and touch screen-specific actions such as zooming and sliding. Exploiting this information with machine learning techniques results in nearly 80% accuracy for predicting searcher success -- significantly outperforming the previous models.
Abstract 237: Intronic 27-nt Mirna Suppresses The Expression Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Predominantly Through Nuclear Transcription Factor Ap-1

The 27-base pair (bp) repeats in intron 4 were considered as the source of small RNA that suppressed endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in endothelial cells. The present study was to investigate the role of polymorphic intronic 27-nucleotide (nt) miRNA and nuclear transcription factors (TFs) in eNOS expression in endothelial cells. The 27-nt or 54-nt miRNA or their mutants (with 3 mutations at 13, 14, and 15th nt for 27-nt mutant and at 13,14,15,40,41,42th nt for 54-nt mutant) were stably transfected and expressed in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Overexpression of 27-nt miRNA and its duplexes and mutants significantly decreased eNOS mRNA level and protein content. Interestingly, more reduction in eNOS protein was observed in the cells overexpressing the mutant miRNAs than the cells overexpressing the wild-type ones for both 27-nt and 54-nt miRNAs. Western blotting showed that transcription factor Ap-1 expression was substantially decreased in the cells that overexpressed either 27-nt or 54-nt miRNAs (both wild-type and mutants). Augmented inhibition of Ap-1 expression was observed in the cells overexpressing the mutant 27-nt miRNA as compared with the wild-type. However, Sp-1 protein expression was significantly suppressed only in the cells overexpressing 54-nt miRNA. Silencing Ap-1 abolished the polymorphic effect of miRNAs both in length and mutation on eNOS expression; while Sp-1 silencing only reversed the polymorphic effect of mutant miRNAs. These results suggested that overexpression of intron 4-based 27-nt miRNAs suppressed eNOS gene expression polymorphically through interactions predominantly with nuclear transcription factors Ap-1 in HAECs.
Effects of microdose norgestrel on endogenous gonadotropic and steroid hormones, cervical mucus properties, vaginal cytology, and endometrium.

To determine the effect of microdose norgestrel on the hypothalamic-pituitary ovarian axis cervical mucus properties vaginal cytology and endometrial histology 6 healthy women were studied during 1 control and 1 treated menstrual cycle during which 75 mg norgestrel was administrered daily for 30 days. Gonadotropic and steroid hormones were assayed from blood and 24-hour urine every other day (daily during mid-cycle). Cervical mucus was tested every 1-2 days for quantity viscosity pH ferning spinnbarkeit cellularity sperm penetration and by protein electrophoresis. The womens basal body temperature and karyopyknotic index were determined and correlated with hormonal and cervical mucus studies. Endometrial biopsies were obtained between day 26-28 of both cycles. Results showed that norgestrel inhibited or suppressed luteinizing hormone and follicle-stiumulating hormone peaks and decreased progesterone in serum and pregnanediol in urine. Urinary estrogens increased in 3 women and decreased in 3. The cervical mucus became scanty viscous and cellular and demonstrated reduced spinnbarkeit and ferning; sperm migration through mucus was inhibited with 1 exception. Cervical mucus protein patterns revealed 3 ovulatory and 3 anovulatory changes. It appeared that breakthrough bleeding occurred essentially during anovulatory cycles. Typical biphasic karyopyknotic index was observed in only 2 cases. Endometrial changes incompatible with normal implantation occurred in all women. There were no significant differences in excretion of 17-ketosteroids and 17-hydroxysteroids during control and treated cycles. Data suggest norgestrel may exert contraceptive action by changing physical and chemical properties of cervical mucus altering endometrium inhibiting ovulation and disturbing hypothalamic pituitary ovarian function.
Zero Feet Away: The Digital Geography of Gay Social Media

For this contribution to the “Cartographies” section of the special issue on “Mapping Queer Bioethics,” the author focuses on the terrains of digital media, geosocial networking, and sexually based...
Some Implications of Plant-Arthropod and Higher-Level, Arthropod-Arthropod Food Links

The author reviews the complex of interrelationships embracing plant-arthropod and higher-level, arthropod-arthropod interactions, as related to natural control phenomena. Included are not only biotic control agents which determine paths and extent of energy flow, but also the evolutionary implications of how this has come to be. Examples of the way in which predaceous (or parasitic) arthropods of primary, secondary, and tertiary order may influence the competitive status of plants, and thus the composition of respective species in vegetation, are considered. We also consider: development by plants of their own resistance to phytophagous arthropods; counterselection among specialized phytophagous species in order to stay in the game; and circumvention of the biological control action of natural enemies of specialized phytophagous species, thus relieving the continuing selective pressure on the plant to offset the plant's countermeasures. The author concluded that plant resistance to phytophagous arthropods, and the interplay of these relationships, the interplay among the plant hosts and their phytophagous predators (including parasites), and among the latter and their own carnivorous predators (including parasites), and at higher levels as well, have had striking influences in the evolution of species, and in their functional, dynamic roles in explaining the population dynamics and energetics of complex communities.
Macrophage Apoptosis Triggered by IpaD from Shigella flexneri

Shigellosis, a potentially severe bacillary dysentery, is an infectious gastrointestinal disease caused by Shigella spp. Shigella invades the human colonic epithelium and avoids clearance by promoting apoptosis of resident immune cells in the gut. This process is dependent on the Shigella type III secretion system (T3SS), which injects effector proteins into target cells to alter their normal cellular functions. Invasion plasmid antigen D (IpaD) is a structural component that forms a complex at the tip of the T3SS apparatus needle. Recently, IpaD has also been shown to indirectly induce apoptosis in B lymphocytes. In this study, we explored the cytotoxicity profile during macrophage infection by Shigella and discovered that the pathogen induces macrophage cell death independent of caspase-1. Our results demonstrate that IpaD triggers apoptosis in macrophages through activation of host caspases accompanied by mitochondrial disruption. Additionally, we found that the IpaD N-terminal domain is necessary for macrophage killing and SipD, a structural homologue from Salmonella, was found to promote similar cytotoxicity. Together, these findings indicate that IpaD is a contributing factor to macrophage cell death during Shigella infection.
Fast parallel skew and prefix-doubling suffix array construction on the GPU

Suffix arrays are fundamental full-text index data structures of importance to a broad spectrum of applications in such fields as bioinformatics, Burrows-Wheeler transform-based lossless data compression, and information retrieval. In this work, we propose and implement two massively parallel approaches on the graphics processing unit GPU based on two classes of suffix array construction algorithms. The first, parallel skew, makes algorithmic improvements to the previous work of Deo and Keely to achieve a speedup of 1.45x over their work. The second, a hybrid skew and prefix-doubling implementation, is the first of its kind on the GPU and achieves a speedup of 2.3-4.4x over Osipov's prefix-doubling and 2.4-7.9x over our skew implementation on large datasets. Our implementations rely on two efficient parallel primitives, a merge and a segmented sort. We theoretically analyze the two formulations of suffix array construction algorithms and show performance comparisons on a large variety of practical inputs. We conclude that, with the novel use of our efficient segmented sort, prefix-doubling is more competitive than skew on the GPU. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods in our implementations of the Burrows-Wheeler transform and in a parallel full-text, minute-space-index for pattern searching. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analyzing Aesthetics in the Terms of Aesthetics Comparative School

In the early of 20th centaury,Wang Guowei and Cai Yuanpei started the misstatement of the aesthetics comparative school on the basis of their typical viewpoints of aesthetics attaching morality and intelligence.From then on,although many scholars have corrected the misleading consciously,its negative social effects have not weakened yet,and what is worse,it had brought about the lack of aesthetics in the present education and the ill-developed aesthetic psychology and poor sense of the educatees.As a result,the paper suggests that the focal essence of aesthetics is to conduct the educatees to redevelop a kind of healthy and active aesthetic psychology according to the current conditions.
A New Feedback Control Method of Servo Loading

Electro-hydraulic servo loading simulators have been used extensively in the aircraft industry to simulate loads associated with flight dynamics. Much research into this problem has been carried out but, in general, only limited success in creating controllable and accurate loads has been reported, because the test system creates a disturbance on output of the loading system. Different from the common methods of eliminating extra force by feeding forward position system output velocity signal, in this paper, a new control method is presented through feeding back internal variable in electro - hydraulic servo loading system, so the loading system tracks position system without delay. After feedback control, the coupling effect is not a major trouble, the extra force produced by disturbance velocity of position system disappears. Model simulation results have verified the effectiveness. The conclusionis: in coupling control of Electro - hydraulic servo loading, feedback internal variable is a more effective control strategy than feedforward to attenuate extra force, and the feedback function is simple and feedback signal can be measured physically.
The Impact of Family Financial Investment on Perceived Parent Pressure and Child Enjoyment and Commitment in Organized Youth Sport

Ninety percent of American youth participate in some form of organized youth sport between the ages of 5 and 18. Parent involvement in this context has recently been characterized as a potentially harmful force in parent–child relations, leading to debate regarding the appropriateness and level of parent involvement in organized youth sport. Despite the rising costs associated with youth sport participation, little empirical effort has been made to examine the potential impact of family financial investment on parent involvement and children's subsequent sport outcomes. The purpose of this study was to address how family financial investment in youth sport influences children's perceptions of parent pressure, sport enjoyment, and commitment to continued participation. Data from a national sample of 163 parent–child dyads illuminated an inverse association between family financial investment and child sport commitment, mediated by children's perceptions of parent pressure and sport enjoyment. The results indicated that family financial investment predicts child commitment through the sequential mediators of perceived parent pressure and child enjoyment. These findings draw attention to many avenues for future research on the potential link among family investment decisions, parent involvement behaviors, and child outcomes in organized youth sport, which may collectively inform the development of parent interventions for youth sport leagues, administrators, and parents.
Diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors.

Diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the central nervous system are less clearly defined in children than in adults. Aspects considered include signs and symptoms; incidence, epidemiology, and nomenclature; classification and evaluation of diagnostic approaches; and types of tumors and sites of occurrence.
Daniel's Vision of Four Beasts in Twelfth-Century German Literature

(1966). Daniel's Vision of Four Beasts in Twelfth-Century German Literature. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 5-26.
Karma, Justice and Motives for Right Action

It is reasoned that ‘if the law of Karma is rejected, the moral law itself will have to be rejected’.1 To accept the moral law, which affirms that acts are objectively right and wrong, is to accept the law of karma. In other words, acceptance of the moral law is sufficient for accepting the law of karma, whereas acceptance of the law of karma is necessary for accepting the moral law. Given this assertion about acceptance, how are we to understand the connection between the laws themselves?
Caesiumplatinidhydrid, 4 Cs2Pt⋅CsH: ein intermetallisches Doppelsalz mit Metall‐Anionen

Cs9Pt4H ist ein neuer Vertreter einer kleinen Gruppe von ionischen Verbindungen, die Metall-Anionen enthalten. Die komplexe Kristallstruktur besteht aus Cs+-Kationen sowie Pt2−- und H−-Anionen. Die Bandlucke der roten, transparenten Verbindung liegt im sichtbaren Bereich des elektromagnetischen Spektrums. Quantenchemische Rechnungen belegen den ionischen Charakter von Cs9Pt4H. Dieses Caesium-platinid-hydrid kann als Doppelsalz der “Legierung” Caesium-Platin oder besser des Caesiumplatinids Cs2Pt mit dem Salz Caesiumhydrid, CsH, gemas Cs9Pt4H≡4 Cs2Pt⋅CsH aufgefasst werden.
The evolution of seismic barriers and asperities caused by the depressuring of fault planes in oil and gas fields of South Texas

Fluid pressures within some oil and gas fields of South Texas have dropped to less than 20 per cent of their original values, producing earthquakes with magnitudes up to 3.9 in recent years. Differential compaction of the depressurized region may be sufficient to result in the number and size of earthquakes generated, or the faults may have been creeping prior to depressurization. In either model, the depressuring of fluids strengthens a fault and at first produces a “barrier” to slip. As strain accumulates due to compaction or the continued aseismic slip of nearby portions of the fault, stress builds up along the locked portions, eventually forming high-stress regions or “asperities.” The asperities ultimately fail and earthquakes occur. The process is repeated as long as the faults are active. As the fluid pressures continue to decrease, the barriers and subsequent asperities may increase in size and strength, resulting in increasingly large and frequent earthquakes.
Seismic Reconstruction of the 2012 Palisades Rockfall Using the Analytical Solution to Lamb’s Problem

Abstract We investigate a large rockfall that occurred along the cliffs of the Hudson River Palisades, United States, on 12 May 2012, using seismic signals recorded at a distance of about 2 km. A rockfall involves a combination of rock detachment, acceleration, impact, and settling motion, each of which involves forces that load and unload the Earth and generate seismic waves. We characterize different phases in the seismograms and associate them with specific stages of the rockfall. Using the analytical solution to Lamb’s problem, we simulate the seismic‐wave propagation between the event and seismic station taking into account the elastic properties of the crust in the Palisades region. The dynamics and the source history of the Palisades rockfall are reconstructed by analyzing the characteristics of the seismic signal. From the modeled force history, we infer that the bulk of the mass detached from about 30 m above the highest part of the riverbank and that lower bounds of the mobilized mass and volume are 3.1×10 4 metric tons and 1.1×10 4 m 3 , respectively.
Abstract B21: The effect of mutant Kras associated changes in redox signaling in pancreatic neoplasia.

Recent studies have suggested that mutant Kras associated activation of the Nrf2 pathway may have a significant role in pancreatic cancer (PaCa) tumorigenesis. Nrf2 regulates a battery of antioxidant genes, including peroxiredoxin-1 (Prdx-1), that are responsible for maintaining redox homeostasis in the cell. While ROS detoxification may have significant roles in cancer, several non-classical mechanisms of redox signaling associated with protein oxidation and phosphorylation are also important in tumorigenesis. Prdx-1 can regulate transcription as a cofactor in multiple oxidation states, represses tumorigenesis in its reduced state, and can act as a nuclear chaperone in elevated states of oxidation and when phosphorylated. We are therefore investigating the role of Prdx-1 and its oxidation states in oncogenic signaling pathways in mutant Kras models of pancreatic tumorigenesis and neoplasia. Our data suggests that throughout tumor progression, Prdx-1 is differentially regulated and that its localization changes. In vitro, neoplastic and tumorigenic pancreatic cell lines have more total prdx-1 expression and oxidized Prdx-1 expression than non-tumorigenic cell lines. Moreover, cells that have mutant Kras were associated with higher levels of protein oxidation than those with wildtype Kras expression. Interestingly, mutant Kras was also associated with differences in pERK interaction with Prdx-1, which was also differentially regulated by NOX inhibitors and fatty acids that control pancreatic neoplasia. In addition, AKT, ERK , and FOXO3a phosphorylation were also differntially modified by DPI treatment and fatty acid treatment in wildtype and mutant Kras normal, neoplastic, and tumorigenic cell lines. We therefore conclude that mutant Kras is associated with elevated levels of Prdx-1 oxidation and that Kras mediated activation of ERK could be associated with changes in Prdx-1 signaling in pancreatic neoplasia. Citation Format: Michelle A. Schultz, Rital Shah, Brian DeCant, Windel E. Mascarinas, David Bentrem, Paul Grippo. The effect of mutant Kras associated changes in redox signaling in pancreatic neoplasia.. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr B21.
Structure-Function Analysis of Phenylpiperazine Derivatives as Intestinal Permeation Enhancers

A major obstacle preventing oral administration of macromolecular therapeutics is poor absorption across the intestinal epithelium into the bloodstream. One strategy to improve transport across this barrier is the use of chemical permeation enhancers. Several molecular families with permeation enhancing potential have been identified previously, including piperazines. In particular, 1-phenylpiperazine has been shown to enhance transepithelial transport with minimal cytotoxicity compared to similarly effective molecules. To better understand how the chemistry of 1-phenylpiperazine affects its utility as an intestinal permeation enhancer, this study examined a small library of 13 derivatives of 1-phenylpiperazine. The efficacy and cytotoxicity of 13 phenylpiperazine compounds were assessed in a Caco-2 model of the intestinal epithelium. Efficacy was measured using the paracellular diffusion marker calcein as well as by immunostaining and confocal imaging of Caco-2 monolayers. Of the 13 derivatives, two enhanced the permeability of the fluorescent marker calcein over 100-fold. It was found that hydroxyl or primary amine substitutions on the phenyl ring significantly increased toxicity, while aliphatic substitutions resulted in efficacy and toxicity profiles comparable to 1-phenylpiperazine. Several potent derivatives, including 1-methyl-4-phenylpiperazine and 1-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine, displayed lower toxicity than 1-phenylpiperazine, suggesting promise in future applications.
L1–L2 interactions of vowel systems in young bilingual Mandarin-English children

Abstract This study examined the influence of L1 (Mandarin)–L2 (English) interactions on the organization of vowel systems and fine-grained spectral features of vowel productions in young bilingual Mandarin-English children. The participants included 39 children (15 bilinguals, 15 Mandarin monolinguals, and 9 English monolinguals) at 5–6 years of age. The bilingual children were divided into Bi-low (at the early stage of English learning with low proficiency in English) and Bi-high (highly proficient in English) groups. Each participant was recorded producing one set of Mandarin words containing /a, i, u, y, ɤ/ and/or one set of English words containing /i, ɪ, e, ɛ, ae, u, ʊ, o, ɑ, ʌ/. Formant frequencies at five temporal locations were measured. Both static (midpoint formant values) and dynamic (formant movement pattern, trajectory length) acoustic properties were examined. Bi-low children showed a strong effect of L1 on L2. The L1 features were maintained and transferred to the new phonetic system. Bi-high children produced L2 vowels in a near-native manner. Meanwhile, they tended to transfer some L2 features to their L1 and moved the L1 vowels closer to L2 vowels, which suggested an assimilatory process. Both static and dynamic spectral features were affected by L1–L2 interactions.
Sacralizing kinship, naturalizing the nation: Blood and food in postrevolutionary Iran

In Iran, ideas and practices of the family are integral to religious nation-making. State elites and supporters (here members of the Basij, Iran's paramilitary organization) tie the blood of kinship to the blood and sacrifice of Iran-Iraq War martyrs. They harness blood's relational and sacred properties in museum displays and commemorations to delineate and sanctify an Islamic nation composed of pure, kindred citizens. Food has similar efficacy: pious acts of sharing food at home infuse the rituals of state power, creating “what should be”—that is, citizens who embody familial piety, purity, and closeness to God. The Iranian case compels us to consider how a full spectrum of immaterial qualities, substances, and acts of kin making can inform the nation and its politics. [kinship, nation, blood, food, Basij, Islam, Iran]
Neuromuscular function of the soft palate and uvula in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review

Abstract Objective A collapsible upper airway is a common cause of obstructive sleep apnea. The exact pathophysiology leading to a more collapsible airway is not well understood. A progressive neuropathy of the soft palate and pharyngeal dilators may be associated with the progression of snoring to OSA. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the international literature investigating the neurophysiologic changes in the soft palate and uvula that contribute to progression from snoring to OSA. Methods PubMed/MEDLINE and 4 other databases were systematically searched through July 4, 2017. Eligibility: (1) Patients: controls, snoring or OSA patients (2) Intervention: neuromuscular evaluation of the palate and/or uvula (3) Comparison: differences between controls, snoring and OSA patients (4) Outcomes: neuromuscular outcomes (5) Study design: Peer reviewed publications of any design. Results 845 studies were screened, 76 were downloaded in full text form and thirty-one studies met criteria. Histological studies of the soft palate demonstrated diffuse inflammatory changes, muscular changes consistent with neuropathy, and neural aberrancies. Sensory testing studies provided heterogeneous outcomes though the majority favored neuronal dysfunction. Studies have consistently demonstrated that increasing severity of snoring and sleep apnea is associated with worsening sensory nerve function of the palate in association with atrophic histological changes to the nerves and muscle fibers of the soft palate and uvula. Conclusions Recent evidence highlighted in this systematic review implicates the role of neurogenic pathology underlying the loss of soft palate and/or uvular tone in the progression of snoring to sleep apnea.
The relational view revisited: A dynamic perspective on value creation and value capture

Research Summary: This paper extends the relational view to offer a dynamic perspective on the factors that drive value creation and value capture over the alliance life cycle. We argue that access to complementary resources provides an initial rationale for forming alliances, but benefits from complementarity can attenuate over time. Indeed, viewed dynamically, factors that often lead to higher value creation—informal trust, repeated ties, customized assets—may also lead to diminished alliance performance. We highlight interdependence between the complementary resources of partners as the critical factor determining the pattern of alliance value creation, notably how quickly alliances generate value and how quickly they are likely to dissolve. We identify factors, both internal and external to the alliance, that trigger diminished value creation and increased competition for value capture among partners. Managerial Summary: The “relational view” perspective has shown that firms create value in alliances when they identify partners with complementary resources, when they build high levels of informal trust and they share knowledge and make investments that are customized to the partner. The level of resource interdependence in alliances determines how quickly alliances can reach their potential in value creation and how quickly they are likely to dissolve. Viewed dynamically, factors that often lead to higher value creation—like informal trust, repeated ties, customized assets—may also lead to diminished alliance performance. Finally, a number of factors both internal to and external to an alliance may trigger competition between the partners within an alliance to capture the value created by the alliance and also diminish the value created within the alliance.
Investigation of Electromechanical Coupling and Quality Factor of X-Cut Lithium Niobate Laterally Vibrating Resonators Operating Around 400 MHz

In this paper we present laterally vibrating resonators (LVRs) based on X-cut lithium niobate (LN) exhibiting a maximum quality factor $({Q})$ around 1200 and an electromechanical coupling ( $k_{t}^{2}$ ) of 30%. This paper shows how the highest $k_{t}^{2}$ ever attained in X-cut LN resonators can be combined with very high ${Q}$ to achieve a resonator figure of merit (FoM $= k_{t}^{2}\cdot {Q}$ ) of 360. In this paper, we validate the theoretical prediction of $k_{t}^{2}$ versus the resonator orientation in the YZ plane and investigate what geometrical parameters mostly impact the ${Q}$ of these devices. [2017–0181]
Biomass production in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: Mitigating associated nutrient and sediment discharge to the Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract A watershed model was developed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) that simulates nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loadings in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB). The LMRB SWAT model was calibrated and validated using 21 years of observed flow, sediment, and water-quality data. The baseline model results indicate that agricultural lands within the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) are the dominant sources of nitrogen and phosphorus discharging into the Gulf of Mexico. The model was further used to evaluate the impact of biomass production, in the presence of riparian buffers in the LMRB, on suspended-sediment and nutrient loading discharge from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The interplay among land use, riparian buffers, crop type, land slope, water quality, and hydrology were anlyzed at various scales. Implementing a riparian buffer in the dominant agricultural region within the LMRB could reduce suspended sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus loadings at the regional scale by up to 65%, 38%, and 39%, respectively. Implementation of this land management practice can reduce the suspended-sediment content and improve the water quality of the discharge from the LMRB into the Gulf of Mexico and support the potential production of bioenergy and bio-products within the Mississippi River Basin.
A current interpretation of the anatomy of the mammalian cell

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview on the current interpretation of the anatomy of the mammalian cell. It discusses various membranous components. The plasmalemma of a living cell cannot be the complete barrier that superficially it appears to be. With the electron microscope, these surface cell membranes are viewed in cross section as trilaminar structures of relatively uniform width. Mitochondria is divided into two compartments: (1) the lesser compartment, which lies between the two parts of the double membrane and includes the area between the two leaves of the cristae projecting into the mitochondrion, and (2) the greater compartment, which is the area internal to both double membranes and between the cristae. The endoplasmic reticulum is a cytoplasmic system of closed unit membranes surrounding flattened or dilated cisternae. Similar to the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi complex is part of the cytoplasmic vacuolar system. Lysosomes are round or oval small bodies that are enclosed by a single unit membrane. Annulate lamellae are the stacks of membrane. Filaments, microtubules, centrioles, ribosomes, lipids, glycogen, and chromatin are general non-membranous components, whereas, keratohyalin granule is a special non-membranous components.
The Biological Function of the Major Histocompatibility Complex: Hypotheses

The strongest transplantation barrier and the most polymorphic gene complex in mammals, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), has attracted enormous scientific interest during the past thirty to forty years. The MHC, which is known under a variety of names, depending on the species (Table I), has been shown to play a key role in a variety of immunological and physiological phenomena (Table II). It has become increasingly apparent that understanding the mechanisms of MHC-associated controls and responses and the sources of MHC polymorphism is of fundamental importance for a number of areas of mammalian biology.
Effects of exogenous enzymes and direct-fed microbial on broiler performance and nutrient digestibility when fed variable inclusions of soy products

The objective was to examine the effects of feed additive combinations, including xylanase, amylase, and protease enzyme (XAP), with β-mannanase (MAN) or direct-fed microbial (DFM) supplementation on broiler performance and nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) when fed diets containing various soy products concentrations. Two experiments were conducted from 10 to 21 d of age by feeding three soy product inclusions of low (20%), intermediate (28%), and high (35%). Feed additive combinations were supplemented across the three concentrations of dietary soy in both experiments. In experiment 1 there was no enzyme supplemented, XAP (100 g/MT) alone, and XAP with MAN (100 g/MT or 50 g/MT). In experiment 2 there was no supplementation, XAP (100 g/MT) alone, and XAP with DFM (100 g/MT or 50 g/MT). Experiment 1 resulted in reduced feed intake (P ≤ 0.01) and increased body weight gain (BWG) (P ≤ 0.10) with intermediate and high soy compared to low soy inclusion. Supplementation with all enzyme combinations decreased feed intake (P ≤ 0.01) compared to non-supplemented diets and improved feed efficiency (FE; P = 0.02) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; P = 0.01). There was an interaction between soy inclusion and enzyme supplementation as XAP+1⁄2MAN improved AMEn (P = 0.05) in high soy treatments. In experiment 2, there was an interaction as the intermediate soy diet with XAP and DFM decreased BWG (P = 0.02) compared to all other soy combinations, no treatment differed from control diets without enzyme. Feed intake was not different, and high soy improved FE and FCR compared to low and intermediate soy (P ≤ 0.05). Enzyme supplementation with XAP alone improved FE and FCR over the combination of XAP and DFM (P ≤ 0.05). Low soy decreased AMEn (P ≤ 0.01) compared to intermediate and high soy. Overall, high soy diets out-performed low soy treatments possibly
Political Theory in the Anthropocene: Sustainability and Human Rights

This essay explores the relationship between sustainability and human rights. Specifically, it addresses the extent to which human rights might be grounded in, and inspired by, a concern for living in accordance with nature. It establishes that human rights historically have been grounded in natural law and understood as natural rights. In turn, it explores whether we can and should model the development of a culture of human rights on nature — even if we question the identification of human rights as natural rights.
Enhanced Awareness of Countertransference

Counselor educators and supervisors bear an enormous responsibility to produce counselors who are not only skillful in their practice, but also professionally responsible. Professional responsibili...
Antimalarial drug mefloquine kills both trophozoite and cyst stages of Entamoeba

Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite which infects approximately 50 million people worldwide, resulting in an estimated 70,000 deaths every year. Since the 1960s E. histolytica infection has been successfully treated with metronidazole. However, drawbacks to metronidazole therapy exist, including adverse effects, length of treatment, and the need for additional drugs to prevent transmission. All of these may decrease patient compliance and hence increase disease severity and spread of infection. In this study we identified the antimalarial drug mefloquine as possessing more potent, rapid, amoebicidal in vitro activity against E. histolytica trophozoites than metronidazole. We also showed that mefloquine could kill the cysts of a closely related reptilian parasite Entamoeba invadens unlike metronidazole. Additionally, mefloquine is known to possess a much longer half-life in human patients than metronidazole. This property, along with mefloquine9s rapid and broad action against E. histolytica position it as a promising new drug candidate against this widespread and devastating disease.