cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4613: SMYD3-mediated lysine methylation is critical for the activation of AKT1 in human cancer

v-Akt Murine Thymoma Viral Oncogene Homolog 1 (AKT1), a serine/threonine-protein kinase also known as protein kinase B Alpha (PKB Alpha), is a key mediator of a signaling pathway that governs various cellular processes regulating cell growth, survival, glucose metabolism, genome stability and neovascularization. It is known that dysregulation of AKT1 activity is one of the critical factors for the development and/or progression of a variety of human cancers. Posttranslational modifications of AKT1, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination and glycosylation, are well-analyzed, and it is known that the phosphorylation status of AKT1 is strongly correlated with its oncogenic activity. However, biological functions of methylation on AKT1 have never been analyzed so far. In the present study, we demonstrated that the protein lysine methyltrasnferase SMYD3 methylates lysine 14 in the PH domain of AKT1, which is known to play a critical role in the regulation of AKT1 activity through binding to phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) or phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4)P2), in vitro and in vivo. Lysine 14-substituted AKT1 shows significantly lower levels of phosphorylation at threonine 308, which is the major indicator of AKT1 activity, than wild-type AKT1, and knockdown of SMYD3 as well as treatment with a SMYD3 inhibitor significantly attenuates this phosphorylation in cancer cells. Furthermore, substitution of lysine 14 diminishes the plasma membrane accumulation of AKT1, and cancer cells overexpressing lysine 14-substiuted AKT1 shows lower growth rate than those overexpressing wild-type AKT1. These results imply that SMYD3-mediated methylation of AKT1 at lysine 14 plays a central role in the oncogenic activity of AKT1. Although Phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent AKT1 phosphorylation by Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase, Isozyme 1 (PDK1) and mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2) has long been considered to be the primary mechanism accounting for AKT1 activation, these members are not sufficient enough to explain how AKT1 hyperactivation can occur in tumors with normal levels of PI3K/Phosphatase And Tensin Homolog (PTEN) activity. Our findings unveiled the novel mechanism of constitutive hyperphosphorylation on AKT1 in cancer cells, mediated by SMYD3-mediated methylation. The inhibition of this methylation pathway appears to be a promising strategy to develop anti-cancer drugs. Citation Format: Yuichiro Yoshioka, Yusuke Nakamura, Ryuji Hamamoto. SMYD3-mediated lysine methylation is critical for the activation of AKT1 in human cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4613.
Retargeted adenoviruses for radiation-guided gene delivery

The combination of radiation with radiosensitizing gene delivery or oncolytic viruses promises to provide an advantage that could improve the therapeutic results for glioblastoma. X-rays can induce significant molecular changes in cancer cells. We isolated the GIRLRG peptide that binds to radiation-inducible 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), which is overexpressed on the plasma membranes of irradiated cancer cells and tumor-associated microvascular endothelial cells. The goal of our study was to improve tumor-specific adenovirus-mediated gene delivery by selectively targeting the adenovirus binding to this radiation-inducible protein. We employed an adenoviral fiber replacement approach to conduct a study of the targeting utility of GRP78-binding peptide. We have developed fiber-modified adenoviruses encoding the GRP78-binding peptide inserted into the fiber-fibritin. We have evaluated the reporter gene expression of fiber-modified adenoviruses in vitro using a panel of glioma cells and a human D54MG tumor xenograft model. The obtained results demonstrated that employment of the GRP78-binding peptide resulted in increased gene expression in irradiated tumors following infection with fiber-modified adenoviruses, compared with untreated tumor cells. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of adenoviral retargeting using the GRP78-binding peptide that selectively recognizes tumor cells responding to radiation treatment.
The history of oats in western Washington and the evolution of regionality in agriculture

Abstract Concern is expressed in the literature that as agriculture industrializes, regionality is lost; and with it, social, economic and environmental benefits. The example of oats in western Washington provides an opportunity to examine forces driving agricultural evolution during the twentieth century and to reflect on whether and to what degree they reveal changes in the extent and nature of regionality in agriculture over time. Research based on historic literature explores five themes which highlight different ways in which the disappearance of the oat crop from western Washington was associated with the decline of regionality in its agriculture. Whereas regionally grown oats as horse feed were once an important energy source for transport and machinery in western Washington, they have been superseded by fossil fuels following mechanization. Oats were eclipsed in importance as livestock and poultry feed by corn and soy, preferred by a professionalized animal feed production industry and better supported by agricultural policy and research. Regional milling operations for food oats have also given way to industrial scale production in national centers. Increased need for farmers to participate in the monetized economy drove them away from the small grains, whose market value has declined as their commoditization progressed. Lastly, the role of oats as an agronomic tool for weed and disease control was undermined by crop protection chemicals. Oats thus exemplify evolution away from regional self sufficiency and towards greater integration with national and global markets by western Washington farmers. While the process was in part compelled by wider developments in agriculture and industry, it was also self-driven: regional farmers and agriculture sector leaders embraced opportunities to grow cash crops and participate in national and global markets from an early stage of western Washington's agricultural history. In a more recent phase of agricultural evolution, social interest in and consumer demand for local and regional agriculture are growing. This phase represents deliberate choice of regionality in the knowledge that it is neither necessary for farmers nor the cheapest possible option for consumers. Reinvented roles for oats are becoming possible in the present context and demonstrate a new and more purposeful approach to regionality which leverages technology and the market.
Gel-Entrapped Staphylococcus aureus Bacteria as Models of Biofilm Infection Exhibit Growth in Dense Aggregates Oxygen Limitation, Antibiotic Tolerance, and Heterogeneous Gene Expression

An experimental model that mimicked the structure and characteristics of in vivo biofilm infections, such as those occurring in the lung or in dermal wounds where no biomaterial surface is present, was developed. In these infections, microbial biofilm forms as cell aggregates interspersed in a layer of mucus or host matrix material. This structure was modeled by filling glass capillary tubes with an agarose gel that had been seeded with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and then incubating the gel biofilm in medium for up to 30 h. Confocal microscopy showed that the bacteria formed in discrete pockets distributed throughout the gel matrix. These aggregates enlarged over time and also developed a size gradient, with the clusters being larger near the nutrient- and oxygen-supplied interface and smaller at greater depths. Bacteria entrapped in gels for 24 h grew slowly (specific growth rate, 0.06 h(-1)) and were much less susceptible to oxacillin, minocycline, or ciprofloxacin than planktonic cells. Microelectrode measurements showed that the oxygen concentration decreased with depth into the gel biofilm, falling to values less than 3% of air saturation at depths of 500 μm. An anaerobiosis-responsive green fluorescent protein reporter gene for lactate dehydrogenase was induced in the region of the gel where the measured oxygen concentrations were low, confirming biologically relevant hypoxia. These results show that the gel biofilm model captures key features of biofilm infection in mucus or compromised tissue: formation of dense, distinct aggregates, reduced specific growth rates, local hypoxia, and antibiotic tolerance.
Detection of phosphate transporter genes from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in mature tree roots under experimental soil pH manipulation

The majority of terrestrial plant roots are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that, in exchange for carbon, provide plants with enhanced nutrient uptake — most notably inorganic phosphate (Pi). To mediate the uptake of Pi from the soil, AM fungi possess high affinity inorganic phosphate transporters (PTs). Under laboratory conditions, Pi concentrations have been shown to regulate AM fungal-specific PT gene expression. The relationship between PT expression and Pi in the field remains unexplored. Here we quantify AM fungal-specific PTs from maple tree roots in situ. In an effort to limit edaphic parameters, root samples were collected from manipulated forested plots that had elevated soil Pi availability, either through direct Pi application or elevating pH to lower exchangeable aluminum. The aim of the study was to examine AM fungal-specific PT gene expression both prior to and following soil Pi amendment; however, a direct correlation between soil Pi concentration and PT gene expression was not observed. PT transcripts were detected to a greater extent under elevated pH and, while our results are confounded by an overall low detection of PT genes (23 % of all samples collected), our findings raise interesting questions regarding the role of soil pH on PT function. Our study is a first step in understanding how edaphic properties influence PT expression and plant P acquisition in mature tree roots.
CRABP-II enhances pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion by stabilizing interleukin 8 expression

// Shuiliang Yu 1 , Neetha Parameswaran 1 , Ming Li 2 , Yiwei Wang 1 , Mark W. Jackson 1 , Huiping Liu 1 , Wei Xin 1, 3 and Lan Zhou 1, 3 1 Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA 2 Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA 3 Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA Correspondence to: Lan Zhou, email: lan.zhou@case.edu Keywords: pancreatic cancer, CRABP-II, IL-8, MMP-2/MMP-14, metastasis Received: September 09, 2016 Accepted: November 19, 2016 Published: December 26, 2016 ABSTRACT Our previous study shows that cellular retinoic acid binding protein II (CRABP-II) is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and pre-cancerous lesions, but not detected in normal pancreatic tissues. In this study, we show that deletion of CRABP-II in PDAC cells by CRISPR/Cas9 does not affect cancer cell proliferation, but decreases cell migration and invasion. Gene expression microarray analysis reveals that IL-8 is one of the top genes whose expression is down-regulated upon CRABP-II deletion, while expression of MMP-2 and MMP-14, two targets of IL-8 are also significantly down-regulated. Moreover, we found that CRABP-II is able to form a complex with HuR, which binds to the 3’UTR of IL-8 messenger RNA (mRNA) and enhances IL-8 mRNA stability. Ectopic expression of flag-CRABP-II in CRABP-II knockout cells is able to rescue the expression of IL-8, MMP-2/MMP-14 and recovers cell migration. Using the orthotopic xenograft model, we further demonstrate that CRABP-II deletion impairs tumor metastasis to nearby lymph nodes. Taken together, our results reveal a novel pathway linking CRABP-II expression to enhanced PDAC metastasis, and hence we propose CRABP-II may serve as a new PDAC therapeutic target.
Plagiarism Due to Misunderstanding: Online Instructor Perceptions

Plagiarism is an ongoing problem in higher education. This problem exists in both online and face-to-face modalities. The literature indicates that there are three ways higher education institutions define plagiarism, which includes theft, deception, and misunderstanding. Plagiarism due to misunderstanding has received less attention in the literature. In addition, research has shown that there are at least three different categories of misunderstanding, which include cultural, generational, and academic enculturation factors. In this study, a focus group of 14 online full-time instructors participated in discussing perceptions of plagiarism due to misunderstanding. The results show that instructors identified two primary causes of this kind of plagiarism, which were poor paraphrasing and incorrect citing of academic sources. In addition, the results showed that there were three primary approaches taken to address such cases, which were coaching, simply allowing the student to rewrite the assignment with limited feedback, and referring the student to a plagiarism tutorial. The findings indicate that online instructors may focus more on academic enculturation issues such as poor paraphrasing and incorrect citation and less on cultural and generational factors that may lead to unintentional plagiarism. Lastly, as part of a reflective critique, and in preparation for a pilot study, the authors constructed two vignettes as examples of cultural and generational factors that may contribute to such plagiarism.
Effectiveness of intensity-modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost in cervical cancer patients with PET positive lymph nodes

It is standard for our department to offer intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for all node-positive cervical cancer patients. Multiple institutions have provided reports and here we provide our outcomes using IMRT [Vargo et al. (Int J Rad Oncol Biol Phys 90: 1091–1098, 9), Marnitz et al. (Strahlentherapie und Onkol 191: 421–428, 10), Jung et al. (Anticancer Res 34: 4361–4366, 11), Zhang et al. (J Gynecol Oncol 25: 14–21, 12), Ke et al. (Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi 48: 649–653, 13)] . Thirty-four patients with cervical cancer (stages IBI–IVB) diagnosed from 2013 to 2014 getting definitive chemoradiotherapy with positive pelvic and para-aortic nodes treated with IMRT and concurrent weekly cisplatin were retrospectively analyzed. IMRT was administered to the pelvis at 1.8 Gy/day to 45–50.4 Gy with SIB at 2.07 Gy/day to 51.75–57.96 Gy. Patients were then treated with brachytherapy with point A to 85–90 Gy followed by a nodal boost to bring positive nodes to 60–66 Gy. Full and empty bladder simulations were done to assess cervical motion. Daily cone beam CTs were utilized to assess for internal organ motion and weight changes. The nodal location was pelvis-only in 16 patients (47%) and pelvis + para-aortic in 16 patients (47%). With a median follow-up time of 26 months (range 4–47 months), 16 patients experienced recurrence or persistent disease. The sites of recurrent/persistent disease were cervix 10 (29%), regional nodes 6 (18%), and distant 10 (29%). Two-year overall survival was 73% and 2-year disease-free survival was 59%. Fourteen patients (41%) experienced grade 2 and 1 patient (3%) experienced grade 3 GI toxicity. In patients with PET-positive nodes, IMRT is well tolerated and provides good local control and overall survival.
A NOVEL STRAIN OF SHIGELLA SPECIES OUTBREAK IN A RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL IN PEMAGATSHEL, BHUTAN, 2012

Background: A cluster of suspected shigellosis was reported from health center in Pemagatshel district to Royal Center for Disease Control on 14 th May 2012. The investigation was done to determine the cause and risk factor for the outbreak so that appropriate control and prevention measures can be implemented. Methods: A descriptive study was used for the outbreak investigation. The food items and drinks served to boarding students were collected from the mess in-charge in order to assess their risk for the outbreak. The kitchen and its premises were inspected to study the likely contamination by rodents and other animals. The water and stool specimens were tested in the laboratory to identify all possible enteric pathogens. Results: 82 boarding students were affected with an overall attack rate of 28% (82/294). Diarrhea was the predominant symptom followed by abdominal pain and headache. The onset date of the cases varied between 11 th and 18 th May, 2012. Shigella species was isolated from stool specimens that showed resistant to amoxicillin, nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol and sulfamethoxazole. Water specimen collected from source, distribution reservoir and tap water at school were found grossly contaminated. Conclusion: The outbreak was caused by novel strain of Shigella species which was not detected earlier in Bhutan. The promotion and provision of boiled water will greatly reduce the incidence of shigellosis especially in boarding facility.
Distribution of trace elements and Pb isotopes in stream sediments of the Tri-State mining district (Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri), USA

Abstract Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) lead-zinc deposits, which account for 24% of the global resources of Pb and Zn, are found throughout the world with the largest deposits occurring in North America. The Tri-State Mining district, located at the intersection of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri, was one of the most productive Pb and Zn districts during the turn of the 20th century. The current geochemical study of ore samples from the Tri-State district and of stream-sediment samples collected from selected sites from the lower Arkansas River drainage basin (the Neosho River, Tar Creek, and Spring River) show that the effect of past mining activity and leaded gasoline on Pb concentrations in the river sediment can be readily documented. Lead isotopic ratios of leachates of stream sediments from the Tar Creek area collected downstream from Picher, OK, correlate well with those of ore samples from the Tri-State Mining District, suggesting that most of the Pb adsorbed onto the stream sediments was sourced by the ores. Lead isotope measurements of leachates delimit the extent of high Pb concentrations in the Tar Creek region caused by mineralization and mining at Picher, OK. The effects of mining are noticed to a lesser extent in the Spring and Neosho rivers, with increasing distance from Picher. The influence of the leaded gasoline is more pronounced with increasing distance from the superfund site, contributing between around 52% and 68% extractable Pb to the stream sediments 14 km from the Picher mining area. This discovery can have major implications in how to evaluate the risk to human and animal health, as well as guide remediation efforts in this region. Leachates from stream-sediment samples collected from the Spring and Neosho rivers show lower Pb isotopic ratios than the Tar Creek leachates and plot outside the field defined by ore samples from the Tri-State Mining District. They fall along an array defined by a binary mixture of Pb from the leaded gasoline and the Pb sourced from the Tri-State mining district, indicative of two distinct Pb sources. There is a gradual decrease in the Zn, Pb, As, and other heavy-metal concentrations in the stream sediment leachates with distance from the mines. The Zn concentration reaches a maximum of 1592 ppm in the Picher area, more than 29 times the average natural background levels in the Tri-State region (41 ppm). About 24 km downstream from Picher, the Zn concentrations decrease substantially to values lower than both, normal crustal abundance and background levels. Similarly, the Pb concentration is highest in the Picher area (326 ppm), about 14 times the natural background levels in the Tri-State region (16 ppm), and it drops to much lower values downstream. Even though the highest Cu and As concentrations are seen in the Picher area (10 ppm and 1.44 ppm, respectively), they are lower compared to the natural background levels for the region (11 ppm and 6 ppm, respectively).
Challenges and opportunities for women in science

Although there is a keen awareness of the gender gap in the physical sciences, a healthy female representation has yet to be achieved. This article offers some possible explanations, in addition to strategies to more rapidly achieve gender balance in the physical sciences.
Reconciling Academic Approaches and Industrial Realities: Lessons from Fault Diagnosis Applications

Abstract This paper reviews lessons learned from over fifteen years of industrial experience with fault diagnosis and process supervision. While a significant body of academic literature exists on methodologies for fault diagnosis, there exists a striking gap between academic approaches and industrial requirements. Reasons for this gap include availability of sensor measurements, accessibility to experts, non-availability of knowledge in the form of heuristics or models, complicated process dynamics, knowledge validation, exclusive dependence on a single methodology, inadequate software tools, difficulties in implementation, human factors, etc. The challenges in application of fault diagnosis to industrial situations will be illustrated using several examples with primary focus on the FALCON project.
Who is More Likely to “Not See Race”? Individual Differences in Racial Colorblindness

Many Americans endorse a colorblind racial ideology, meaning they strive to “not see race” and emphasize sameness and equal distribution of resources across racial lines. Currently, there is an absence of studies examining the personality and individual difference correlates of racial colorblindness. The current study investigated the association between three different aspects of racial colorblindness (unawareness of racial privilege, unawareness of institutional discrimination, and unawareness of blatant racism) and the Big 5, empathy, and aggression in white undergraduates. Our results revealed two divergent patterns. Unawareness of racial privilege was related to lower openness and perspective taking, but more empathic concern, whereas unawareness of blatant racism and unawareness of institutional discrimination were related to lower agreeableness, perspective taking, and empathic concern. These results are discussed in relation to the broader literature on prejudice and personality.
Flow-Regulated Growth of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2 ) Nanotubes in Microfluidics.

Electrochemical anodization of titanium (Ti) in a static, bulk condition is used widely to fabricate self-organized TiO2 nanotube arrays. Such bulk approaches, however, require extended anodization times to obtain long TiO2 nanotubes and produce only vertically aligned nanotubes. To date, it remains challenging to develop effective strategies to grow long TiO2 nanotubes in a short period of time, and to control the nanotube orientation. Here, it is shown that the anodic growth of TiO2 nanotubes is significantly enhanced (≈16–20 times faster) under flow conditions in microfluidics. Flow not only controls the diameter, length, and crystal orientations of TiO2 nanotubes, but also regulates the spatial distribution of nanotubes inside microfluidic devices. Strikingly, when a Ti thin film is deposited on silicon substrates and anodized in microfluidics, both vertically and horizontally aligned (relative to the bottom substrate) TiO2 nanotubes can be produced. The results demonstrate previously unidentified roles of flow in the regulation of growth of TiO2 nanotubes, and provide powerful approaches to effectively grow long, oriented TiO2 nanotubes, and construct hierarchical TiO2 nanotube arrays on silicon-based materials.
A NIST Disciplined Oscillator: Delivering UTC(NIST) to the Calibration Laboratory

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) now offers a service that provides customers with an oscillator locked to UTC(NIST), the United States national standard for frequency and ...
Chapter Five – Unisexual Reproduction

Sexual reproduction is ubiquitous throughout the eukaryotic kingdom, but the capacity of pathogenic fungi to undergo sexual reproduction has been a matter of intense debate. Pathogenic fungi maintained a complement of conserved meiotic genes but the populations appeared to be clonally derived. This debate was resolved first with the discovery of an extant sexual cycle and then unisexual reproduction. Unisexual reproduction is a distinct form of homothallism that dispenses with the requirement for an opposite mating type. Pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungi previously thought to be asexual are able to undergo robust unisexual reproduction. We review here recent advances in our understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of unisexual reproduction throughout fungi and the impact of unisex on the ecology and genomic evolution of fungal species.
Distributed/Hierarchical Control Architecture Design

Abstract Distributed and/or hierarchical control strategies occupy a central role in controlling complex networks effectively. A systematic decomposition method for designing the corresponding architectures is currently lacking. In this paper, we propose a network theoretic method to design distributed/hierarchical control architectures. The system digraph is first simplified through unimportant edge removal and node agglomeration. The connected components of the simplified network form a subsystem in a distributed control architecture. For each subsystem, hierarchical input-output subnetworks are detected using the Pichai-Sezer-Siljak algorithm, thus generating a hierarchical architecture. The proposed method is illustrated through a reaction-separation process.
Implementation of a Curriculum-Integrated Computer Game for Introducing Scientific Argumentation

Argumentation has been emphasized in recent U.S. science education reform efforts (NGSS Lead States 2013; NRC 2012), and while existing studies have investigated approaches to introducing and supporting argumentation (e.g., McNeill & Krajcik 2008; Kang, Thompson &Windschitl 2014), few studies have investigated how game-based approaches may be used to introduce argumentation to students. In this paper, we report findings from a design-based study of a teacher's use of a computer game intended to introduce the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework (McNeill &Krajcik 2012) for scientific argumentation. We studied the implementation of the game over two iterations of development in a high school biology teacher's classes. The results of this study include aspects of enactment of the activities and student argument scores. We found the teacher used the game in aspects of explicit instruction of argumentation during both iterations, although the ways in which the game was used differed. Also, students' scores in the second iteration were significantly higher than the first iteration. These findings support the notion that students can learn argumentation through a game, especially when used in conjunction with explicit instruction and support in student materials. These findings also highlight the importance of analyzing classroom implementation in studies of game-based learning.
Genius and g: Intelligence and Exceptional Achievement

Publisher Summary This chapter proposes that the concept of genius is intimately related with concepts of intelligence, and that genius relates to other unusual gifts that sets the bearer well apart from the average person. The chapter uses the concept of genius as far more rich and complex than the concept of general intelligence. Jensen's list of components is used in tri-dimensional theory. In addition to discussing the multidimensionality of genius, the chapter also comments critically on genius as multiplicative and on aspects related to productivity. Further, detail of chance–configuration theory against Jensen's critique is presented. the chapter suggests that genius is a result of multidimensional and multiplicative processes in terms of concept of emergenesis. This chapter discusses the relation between genius and general intelligence, or what is often referred to as Spearman's g . The chapter also explores the concept general intelligence that is inherited.
The Apparent Immigrants: Latinos’ Attitudes Toward the Police

Given Latinos’ status as the largest minority and their high proportions among post-1965 immigrants, both documented and undocumented, they have become the most convenient targets of immigration control and enforcement. Their relatively disadvantaged social status in terms of education, occupations, and income has further deepened their vulnerability in facing discrimination and biased enforcement of state-level criminal statutes and federal immigration policies and regulations. There is an impression among many Americans that Latino immigrants pose a public health and safety problem and a danger to U.S. society, and a criminal alien image attached to Latino immigrants is often deliberately spread by some politicians to maintain non-Hispanic White supremacy over Latinos and justify racialized law enforcement against immigrants. Comparative analyses of public opinion on the police between Latino and other racial/ethnic groups, and among Latino groups, have yielded inconsistent results due chiefly to differences in samples studied and variation in measurements taken. Immigrant-specific factors, such as language proficiency, country of origin, and immigration status, appear to have a stronger correlation than individual demographic characteristics with Latinos’ evaluations of the police.
Comparative mechanisms of insecticide binding with nerve components of insects and mammals.

It is well established now that many modern insecticides owe their toxicities to their ability to attack the central nervous system of animals, yet it is surprising that the actual mechanisms through which the insecticides disrupt the normal function of the nervous system have not been fully understood with the exception of various inhibitors of important nerve enzymes such as the cholinesterases. This situation is particularly true with the insecticides that belong to the group of organochlorine compounds which are regarded as being almost unreactive from a chemical standpoint. There has never been a confirmed report that this type of compound can block any particular enzyme system which is vitally related to the cause of poisoning.
Spherically Invariant Random Processes: Theory and Applications

The theory and application of the class of spherically invariant random processes (SIRPs) are reviewed. An SIRP is a random process whose finite-dimensional distributions are scalar functions of quadratic forms in the corresponding sampled variables. Stochastic and system-theoretic properties are discussed, including a basic representation theorem which gives rise to a number of interesting properties concerning the detection, estimation, and interpretation of SIRPs. Applications are reviewed as well, including the use of SIRPs to model speech waveforms, radar clutter returns, and various radio propagation channel disturbances. The use of SIRP modeling in channel equalization and array processing is also described. Finally, some issues concerning the generation and simulation of SIRPs are discussed.
Identification and characterization of a novel interaction between peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and human mesoderm induction-early response 1 and potential implications for adipogenesis

1222 PPARγ is a nuclear hormone receptor and master regulator of lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. It is also the target for the thiazolidinediones, a class of drugs used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. PPARγ regulates these processes through the recruitment of a diverse set of transcriptional coregulators (both coactivators and corepressors) in a tissue and time specific manner. This study focused on characterizing the interaction between PPARγ and human mesoderm induction early response 1 (hMI-ER1), a transcription factor that has been shown to interact with other nuclear hormone receptors and regulate target gene expression. Glutathione-S-transferase pull-down assays have revealed that PPARγ interacts with both the α and β forms of hMI-ER1, specifically through the SANT domain located near the C-termini of both protein isoforms. Coimmunoprecipitations in HEK-293 (human embryonic kidney cells) confirmed that this interaction occurs in vivo . Treatment with ligand (troglitazone) had no effect on the ability of PPAR to bind hMI-ER1 indicating that the interaction is ligand-independent. A reporter assay using luciferase regulated by the PPAR response element (PPRE) demonstrated that hMI-ER1α and β cause a 2-fold activation of PPAR-driven transcriptional activity and this was similar to the 3-fold activation observed with a known PPARγ coactivator (PPARγ coactivator 1-alpha, PGC1-α). This activation was also ligand-independent. Thus, hMI-ER1 interacts with PPAR in a ligand independent manner through its SANT domain, and causes activation of PPARγ-mediated transcriptional activity. We have recently discovered that hMI-ER1 expression is regulated in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes during their differentiation into adipocytes. Future work will determine the role of hMI-ER1 in adipogenesis using the well-established 3T3-L1 differentiation system.
Optimization of Casting in Early-onset Scoliosis.

Background Early-onset scoliosis is a spine deformity that presents before the age of 3 years. When compared with age-matched controls, children with the condition are known to be at risk for significant morbidity and mortality. Although many works support the use of casting for this condition, the key technical factors to optimize the outcomes of casting are not clear. This work was designed to evaluate the role of frequency of radiographic imaging and over the shoulder straps in the outcomes of casting. Methods Two surgeons at 2 centers followed nearly identical protocols for applying casts for early-onset scoliosis. At center A, the surgeon hoped to improve outcomes by obtaining radiographs after each cast and by reinforcing the cast with shoulder straps. At center B, the surgeon did not use shoulder straps and limited radiographs to once every 6 months. Children were included if they were 3 years or below of age and had a curve of ≥50 degrees at the time of the first cast and had a minimum of 3 years of follow-up. Center was used as a variable in a multivariable regression that also included: age at first cast, initial curve magnitude, and presence of a syrinx or genetic syndrome with the outcome of curve resolution. Results There were 40 children at center A, 9 of whom experienced resolution of their scoliosis. There were 36 children at center B, and 11 demonstrated scoliosis resolution. At center A, 2 of 10 children with a syrinx or genetic syndrome demonstrated curve resolution while 7 of 30 without these comorbidities did. At center B 3 of 10 children with a syrinx or genetic syndrome had curve resolution while 8 of 26 children without these comorbidities did. Conclusions The children in group A demonstrated results very similar to the children of group B. Thus, the extra burden of shoulder straps and frequent radiographs are unnecessary. Level of evidence Level III.
Space Transportation System and Mission Planning for Regular Interplanetary Missions

This paper develops a computationally efficient and scalable mission planning optimization method for regular space transportation missions, defined as a set of repeating and periodic interplanetar...
Capsaicin Protects Against Cisplatin Ototoxicity by Changing the STAT3/STAT1 Ratio and Activating Cannabinoid (CB2) Receptors in the Cochlea.

Capsaicin, the spicy component of hot chili peppers activates the TRPV1 pain receptors, and causes rapid desensitization. Capsaicin also ameliorates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin, a commonly used anti-neoplastic agent for solid tumors causes significant hearing loss, nephrotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy. Upregulation of cochlear TRPV1 expression is related to cisplatin-mediated ototoxicity. Here we report that direct TRPV1 activation by localized trans-tympanic (TT) or oral administration of capsaicin (TRPV1 agonist) prevents cisplatin ototoxicity by sustained increased activation of pro-survival transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) in the Wistar rat. Cisplatin treatment produced prolonged activation of pro-apoptotic Ser727 p-STAT1 and suppressed Tyr705-p-STAT3 for up to 72 h in the rat cochlea. Our data indicate that capsaicin causes a transient STAT1 activation via TRPV1 activation, responsible for the previously reported temporary threshold shift. Additionally, we found that capsaicin increased cannabinoid receptor (CB2) in the cochlea, which leads to pro-survival Tyr705-p-STAT3 activation. This tilts the delicate balance of p-STAT3/p-STAT1 towards survival. Furthermore, capsaicin mediated protection is lost when CB2 antagonist AM630 is administered prior to capsaicin treatment. In conclusion, capsaicin otoprotection appears to be mediated by activation of CB2 receptors in the cochlea which are coupled to both STAT1 and STAT3 activation.
An Estimation of Industry-level TFPs in China:1981—2000

The Chinese economy has experienced high rates of growth over the last 26 years.What are the main driving forces? And is it likely to be sustainable in the coming 10—20 years? This paper gets the following research results by using production model of integrated factors:the growth of capital investment is the key factor of economic growth;contribution from input of labor force is not significant,largely due to the relative labor surplus and low labor efficiency.
Towards Standardization of Threshold Schemes at NIST

The Computer Security Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is taking steps towards the standardization of threshold schemes for cryptographic primitives. These schemes, applicable to single-device and multi-party implementations, are designed with multiple components in a way to enable essential security properties even when up to a certain threshold number of the components are compromised. This offers a path to mitigate attacks on the implementations and operations of cryptographic primitives, and therefore enhance their security. Properties of interest include secrecy of keys (including resistance against side-channel attacks that exploit leakage from real implementations), integrity of computed values, and availability of operations. The first part of the talk will overview two introductory elements of the Threshold Cryptography project: the NIST Internal Report on "Threshold Schemes for Cryptographic Primitives - Challenges and Opportunities in Standardization and Validation of Threshold Cryptography" (NISTIR 8214), which advanced a characterization of threshold schemes and positioned several representative questions relevant to the standardization process; and the "NIST Threshold Cryptography Workshop" (NTCW) 2019, which brought together stakeholders to share perspectives from industry, academia and government. These two steps were helpful to reflect and gain insights for developing a roadmap. The talk will then present a perspective about the challenges and opportunities in moving forward with driving an effort to standardize threshold schemes. The roadmap ahead involves selecting focus areas and items, and will span several phases. Correspondingly, this talk will overview several considerations about criteria to develop for calls for contributions, the balance of flexibility and granularity of possible elements to standardize, and possible ways of collaborating with stakeholders in an open and transparent process towards new standards.
Greenfoot as a teaching tool for a programming course: conference tutorial

Greenfoot is an outstanding interactive environment for teaching the Java programming language. Through graphical programs and simulations, educators can use this software to teach general programming constructs and introduce the object oriented paradigm. Many a times teaching the first programming course can be dry, tedious, and boring. The purpose of this tutorial is to make teaching how to write programs interesting and enjoyable. We will use the built in classes World and Actor that are part of Greenfoot to create a stage and actors. By adding actors to a scenario, we will introduce the concept of classes, inheritance, and objects in Java. From the graphical user environment, one can look at the code to learn the syntax involved in creating a class in Java. Using animation of actors, we will show how the concept of sequencing, selection and repetitions can be taught in an attention-grabbing way. The goal of the tutorial is to have fun with activities in scenarios provided by Greenfoot and at the same time learn the basic programming concepts taught in an introductory Java programming course.
Guest Editorial Introduction: Gender, Equity, and the Peer Review Process at the Journal of Field Archaeology

Over several decades, feminist archaeologists have demonstrated that archaeology is dominated by men, across a variety of journals and granting agencies. More recently, scholars have turned their a...
ITO:SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Thermocouples for Engine Components

Surface temperature measurements of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) based engine components within the hot section of a gas turbine engines are needed to verify engine designs and cooling requirements. Traditional temperature sensors cannot be applied to silicon carbide (SiC) based CMC's for this purpose, since they cannot be welded or embedded in the material. For these reasons, a novel thermocouple was developed for surface temperature measurement of p -type SiC-SiC CMC's. This novel thermocouple uses the p -type SiC-SiC CMC itself as one of the thermoelements and indium-tin-oxide (ITO) as the other thermoelement. Since both thermoelements are wide bandgap semiconductors, this thermocouple has exceptional thermoelectric output. A thermoelectric output of 272 μV/°K was observed for this ITO:SiC CMC thermocouple, which is an order of magnitude larger than that of type- K thermocouples. A drift rate of 3.28 °C/h was measured for this ITO:SiC CMC thermocouple. In addition, indium tin oxynitride (ITON) protective coatings deposited via reactive sputtering enabled these thermocouples to operate at 1000 °C. The ITON coating served as an oxygen diffusion barrier to prevent oxidation at the ITO:SiC CMC junction. Nitrogen and air anneals at 550 and 1000 °C, respectively, were used to improve the high temperature stability of the ITO and ITON coatings. Performance, fabrication details, and challenges using these ITO:SiC CMC thermocouple are discussed within.
Emission Characteristics of Continuous Combustion Systems of Vehicular Powerplants — Gas Turbine, Steam, Stirling

The low emission potential of continuous combustion systems has generated considerable interest in their application to vehicular powerplants. While the prime consideration for a vehicular combustion system is low exhaust emissions, emphasis must also be placed on the usual considerations of performance, reliability, durability and simplicity.
Guiding Difficult Decisions on Scarce Investigational Therapeutic Agents in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The article “Ethically Allocating COVID-19 Drugs via Pre-Approval Access and Emergency Use Authorization” by Webb et al. (2020) provides a logical approach to allocating scarce investigational ther...
A computational neural model for mapping degenerate neural architectures

Abstract Degeneracy in biological systems refers to a many-to-one mapping between physical structures and their functional (including psychological) outcomes. Despite the ubiquity of the phenomenon, traditional analytical tools for modeling degeneracy in neuroscience are extremely limited. In this study, we generated synthetic datasets to describe three situations of degeneracy in fMRI data to demonstrate the limitations of the current univariate approach. We describe a novel computational approach for the analysis referred to as neural topographic factor analysis (NTFA). NTFA is designed to capture variations in neural activity across task conditions and participants. The advantage of this discovery-oriented approach is to reveal whether and how experimental trials and participants cluster into task conditions and participant groups. We applied NTFA on simulated data, revealing the appropriate degeneracy assumption in all three situations and demonstrating NTFA’s utility in uncovering degeneracy. Lastly, we discussed the importance of testing degeneracy in fMRI and the implications of applying NTFA to do so.
Systematic Review of l-Arginine for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and Related Conditions in Women.

This systematic review evaluates the efficacy and safety of l-arginine alone or in combination for the treatment of women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) or related conditions, such as female sexual interest/arousal disorder and female sexual arousal disorder. Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Science Direct, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched using keywords “arginine”, “Lady Prelox”, “ArginMax”, “Stronvivo”, “Ristela”, “hypoactive sexual desire disorder”, “female sexual interest arousal disorder”, “female sexual arousal disorder”, “sexual dysfunction”, “sexual behavior”, “dyspareunia”, “libido”, and permutations thereof. Relevant records were retained if they were primary literature, conducted in women with HSDD or related conditions, and published as full text in English. Five randomized controlled trials and two nonrandomized studies met eligibility criteria. Six of the seven studies reported either an increase in the total mean Female Sexual Function Index score or significant increases in multiple domains therein. One study assessed vaginal pulse amplitude and found a statistically significant increase in a combination treatment group compared to placebo. No significant side effects were reported. Four of seven studies had potential risk-of-bias concerns per Cochrane assessments. This systematic review found that combination products containing l-arginine in the form of ArginMax or Lady Prelox may be considered for the treatment of HSDD and related conditions in women regardless of age.
Driving Maneuvers Detection using Semi-Supervised Long Short-Term Memory and Smartphone Sensors:

Driving maneuvers detection is an important component of proactive traffic safety management and connected vehicle systems. Most of the existing studies used supervised learning concepts to train t...
“Not a Big Climate Change Guy” Semiotic Gradients and Climate Discourse

This study explores the comparative grounds people employ to understand weather and climate, recognizing weather change while distancing themselves from climate change. It draws on interviews with ...
Raman microscopy mapping for the purity assessment of chirality enriched carbon nanotube networks in thin-film transistors

With recent improvements in carbon nanotube separation methods, the accurate determination of residual metallic carbon nanotubes in a purified nanotube sample is important, particularly for those interested in using semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in electronic device applications such as thin-film transistors (TFTs). This work demonstrates that Raman microscopy mapping is a powerful characterization tool for quantifying residual metallic carbon nanotubes present in highly enriched semiconducting nanotube networks. Raman mapping correlates well with absorption spectroscopy, yet it provides greater differentiation in purity. Electrical data from TFTs with channel lengths of 2.5 and 5 µm demonstrate the utility of the method. By comparing samples with nominal purities of 99.0% and 99.8%, a clear differentiation can be made when evaluating the current on/off ratio as a function of channel length, and thus the Raman mapping method provides a means to guide device fabrication by correlating SWCNT network density and purity with TFT channel scaling.