cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential use of the regulatory elements of the αB-crystallin enhancer in cultured murine lung (MLg), lens (αTN4-1) and muscle (C2C12) cells

The mouse alpha B-crystallin-encoding gene (alpha B-cry) is highly expressed in the lens and expressed to lesser extents in other tissues. Here, we investigated alpha B-cry expression in mouse-lung-derived MLg cells. Two sizes of MLg alpha B-cry transcripts comigrated with alpha B-cry transcripts contained in total and poly(A)+RNA from mouse lung, with preference for the larger species in the MLg cells. Expression of both alpha B-cry promoter/cat reporter gene constructs and alpha B-cry enhancer (nt -427/-259)/herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase promoter (ptk)/human growth hormone reporter gene (hGH) constructs was studied in transfected MLg cells and the results compared with those obtained from alpha TN4-1 lens and C2C12 muscle cells. The alpha B-cry enhancer increased activity of the endogenous and tk promoters approx. 2-fold in the MLg cells, in contrast to its 3-7-fold effect in alpha TN4-1 cells and 17-20-fold effect in C2C12 myotubes. Site-specific mutagenesis of the previously identified enhancer control elements, alpha B-E-1 (nt -407 to -397), alpha BE-2 (-360 to -327) and MRF (-300 to -288), decreased enhancer strength in transfected MLg cells. DNase I footprinting showed that MLg nuclear proteins occupy only alpha BE-1 and alpha BE-2. Previous data have shown that lens cells use alpha BE-1, alpha BE-2 and alpha BE-3, while muscle cells use, in addition, the muscle regulatory factor-binding site (MRF). Thus, the present experiments correlate tissue-specific enhancer strength and the number of control elements utilized.
Identifying implicit relationships between social media users to support social commerce

The Internet is an ideal platform for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce where businesses and consumers conduct commerce activities such as searching for consumer products, promoting business, managing supply chain and making electronic transactions. With the advance of Web 2.0 technologies and the popularity of social media sites, social commerce offers new opportunities of social interaction between electronic commerce consumers as well as social interaction between consumers and e-retailers. The user contributed content provides a tremendous amount of information that may assist in electronic commerce services. Social network analysis and mining has been a powerful tool for electronic commerce vendors and marketing companies to understand the user behavior which is useful for identifying potential customers of their products. However, the capability of social network analysis and mining diminishes when the social network data is incomplete, especially when there are only limited ties available. The social networks extracted from explicit relationships in social media are usually sparse. Many social media users who have similar interest may not have direct interactions with one another or purchase the same products. Therefore, the explicit relationships between electronic commerce users are not sufficient to construct social networks for effective social network analysis and mining. In this work, we propose the temporal analysis techniques to identify implicit relationships for enriching the social network structure. We have conducted an experiment on Digg.com, which is a social media site for users to discover and share content from anywhere of the Web. The experiment shows that the temporal analysis techniques outperform the baseline techniques that only rely on explicit relationships.
Genomic and nongenomic effects of estrogen in the vasculature.

Estrogen has both rapid vasodilatory effects and longer-term effects on the vasculature. The longer-term effects of estrogen are produced, at least in part, by changes in vascular cell gene and protein expression that are mediated by the ligand-activated transcription factors, estrogen receptor (ER)-α and ER-β. The rapid vasodilatory effects of estrogen do not require changes in gene expression and are produced by estrogen-stimulated increases in endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase activity. This results in nitric oxide-mediated increases in cyclic guanosine monophosphate in vascular smooth muscle cells, which mediate vasodilatation. This article briefly reviews recent progress in this field of vascular biology.
Measurements of the strong interaction in τ decays

Recent results on studies of the strong interaction using decays of the τ lepton as a tool are presented. Topics covered include measurements of the strong-coupling constant, αs, using the ratio of the hadronic to leptonic total widths of the τ and spectral moments of the hadronic invariant-mass distribution, determinations of hadronic structure functions in τ decays to three charged pions, and the extraction of parameters of the a1(1260) meson using various models.
Dermatologic health disparities

Although significant data highlight the extent of health disparities, data regarding dermatologic health disparities are limited. Ethnic minorities, people of low socioeconomic status, the less educated, elderly, and uninsured have poorer melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer outcomes. Atopic dermatitis is more prevalent among ethnic minorities, but whether morbidity is also increased in these populations is unclear. Given the current dermatology workforce shortage, increased patient load from health care reform may have an adverse effect on access to dermatologic care. Additional concerns include status of dermatologic training, insufficient research involving ethnic minorities, and lack of investigation of dermatologic health disparities.
Bridging the electrochemical and biological worlds with hybrid nanocomposites

Recent discoveries arising from a combination of the biological, physical, chemical and materials sciences have resulted in the invention of numerous hybrid molecules that possess strengths inherent to each individual discipline. Nanocomposites that link biological molecules to inorganic moieties have led to a family of new reagents with unique capabilities for cellular imaging and macromolecule detection. A recent report has extended the applications of these hybrid molecules from their use as detection and scaffolding reagents into the realm of a biologically functional molecule.
Viral hepatitis in the liver transplant recipient.

Liver disease related to chronic viral hepatitis is the leading indication for orthotopic liver transplantation worldwide. In addition, viral reinfection of the liver allograft may lead to graft failure, death, or the need for retransplantation. If fulminant, hepatitis A, a cause of acute liver disease only, also can lead to the need for liver transplantation. Although some reports suggest that graft reinfection by hepatitis A virus occurs, it does not appear to compromise graft or patient outcomes. Although additional viruses that can infect the liver (e.g., hepatitis G and TT-V) have been identified, their significance as major causes of liver disease remains unclear. Therefore, this review focuses on hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, including their natural history following liver transplantation, mechanisms of recurrence, pathogenesis, and treatment.
Interblock information in multidimensional block designs

In many experimental situations, d-way heterogeneity among experimental units may be controlled through use of multiple blocking criteria. In some cases it is reasonable to regard some or all of the block effects as random. Then the model is mixed and observations within blocks are correlated. Very general estimators of treatment effects and their dispersion matrix with recovery of interblock information are provided. They apply to designs with d > 1 blocking criteria that may be crossed, nested, or a combination thereof. These general results may be specialized to provide analyses of new classes of MBD's or used directly for numerical analyses of designs in the general class, perhaps through use as the basis for very general computer programs. Estimation of variance components is discussed, and an example is provided to illustrate adaptation of the general results. Dans de nombreuses situations experimentales, il est possible de contrǒler l'heterogeneite entre les unites experimentales selon d directions, a l'aide de criteres de bloc multiples. Dans certains cas, il est approprie de considerer une partie ou tous les effets de bloc comme etant aleatoires. Le modele est alors mixte et les observations dans un měme bloc sont correlees. Nous presentons des estimateurs tres generaux des effets du traitement et de leur matrice de dispersion, avec recuperation de l'information entre blocs. Ces estimateurs concernent les plans avec d > 1 criteres de bloc pouvant ětre croises, a plusieurs degres ou une combinaison des deux. Ces resultats generaux peuvent ětre specialises afin de produire des analyses de nouvelles classes de plans d'experiences avec blocs a plusieurs dimensions. Ils peuvent ětre egalement utilises directement pour des analyses numeriques de plans d'experiences dans la classe generale, peut-ětre comme etant la base de programmes d'informatique tres generaux. Nous discutons l'estimation des composantes de la variance et proposons un exemple pour illustrer l'application des resultats generaux.
Pattern of nucleotide substitution at major histocompatibility complex class I loci reveals overdominant selection

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci are known to be highly polymorphic in humans, mice and certain other mammals, with heterozygosity as high as 80-90% (ref. 1). Four different hypotheses have been proposed to explain this high degree of polymorphism: (1) a high mutation rate, (2) gene conversion or interlocus genetic exchange, (3) over dominant selection and (4) frequency-dependent selection. In an attempt to establish which of these hypotheses is correct, we examined the pattern of nucleotide substitution between polymorphic alleles in the region of the antigen recognition site (ARS) and other regions of human and mouse class I MHC genes. The results indicate that in ARS the rate of nonsynonymous (amino acid altering) substitution is significantly higher than that of synonymous substitution in both humans and mice, whereas in other regions the reverse is true. This observation, together with a theoretical study and other considerations, supports the hypothesis of overdominant selection (heterozygote advantage).
Using Aesthetic Knowing to Teach Diversity of the Chronic Illness Experience to Nursing Students

This article determines the effectiveness of incorporating an aesthetic project into a nursing course in facilitating nursing students' understanding of patients'experiences with chronic illness. From fall 1999 through spring 2002, the authors collected data from 136 final-semester nursing students who were providing case management to chronically ill patients as part of their course work. Students engaged their patients in sharing the meaning of living with a chronic illness through any method the patient chose (poetry, song, drawing, etc). All students presented results in class and completed an evaluation questionnaire about the project. Of the students, 72.4% indicated that the project benefited their patients in some way and 55.6% stated that their nursing care changed because of what they discovered through the project; 68% also reported that the project changed them in some way. Nurses' holistic understanding of chronic illness can make their care more effective and satisfying.
Estrogen induced synthesis of specific proteins in human breast cancer cells

Abstract Human breast cancer cells in tissue culture (MCF-7) were pretreated with the antiestrogen nafoxidine to arrest cellular proliferation and then were given estradiol to release this block and stimulate DNA synthesis and cell division. During this period of growth stimulation intracellular proteins, labeled by a double isotope method, were analyzed on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Estradiol directly increases the rates of synthesis of specific proteins which migrate on SDS-gels at molecular weights of 24,000 and 36,000. Nafoxidine-pretreatment alone does not induce these same proteins, and no changes in the rates of specific protein synthesis occur in cells grown on control medium for the same length of time as on estradiol. Induced synthesis of these proteins is observed only during the period of estrogen stimulation of cell proliferation following pretreatment with nafoxidine. We do not detect induction when cells are incubated with estradiol without antiestrogen-pretreatment. Since rescue of antiestrogen growth inhibition is also the only condition under which MCF-7 cell division can be reproducibly stimulated by estrogen, these proteins may be related to estrogen effects on cellular proliferation.
Concave minimization over a convex polyhedron

A general algorithm is developed for minimizing a well defined concave function over a convex polyhedron. The algorithm is basically a branch and bound technique which utilizes a special cutting plane procedure to' identify the global minimum extreme point of the convex polyhedron. The indicated cutting plane method is based on Glover's general theory for constructing legitimate cuts to identify certain points in a given convex polyhedron. It is shown that the crux of the algorithm is the development of a linear undrestimator for the constrained concave objective function. Applications of the algorithm to the fixed-charge problem, the separable concave programming problem, the quadratic problem, and the 0-1 mixed integer problem are discussed. Computer results for the fixed-charge problem are also presented.
Risk factors for herpes simplex virus transmission to pregnant women: a couples study.

Dr. Gardella and colleagues present data in couples to determine the risk for the acquisition of both oral (labial) and genital herpes during pregnancy. This is important and a break-through paper in our understanding of herpes transmission to the mother during pregnancy and for findingmethods to prevent neonatal herpes. Both pregnant women and newborns continue to be at risk of acquiring herpes infection. The incidence of neonatal herpes in the United States cannot be accurately estimated because it is not a reportable disease. However, in some areas of theUnited States, the incidence is as high as 1 in 3200 live births. Likewise, about 70% of infected infants are born to women who are asymptomatic at delivery and have no history of genital herpes infection. The current management guidelines recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) rely on patients’ history as a screening method to determine pregnant women who are at risk for transmitting herpes to their newborn. On the basis of the current study and a study by Fleming et al, history is an unreliable method for identifying those who are infected with genital herpes. Most importantly, it fails completely in identifying the women most at risk of transmitting herpes, the serodiscordant woman who
Comparison of PLIF and CFD Results for the Orion CEV RCS Jets

Nitric-oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) was used to visualize and measure centerline streamwise velocity of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Reaction Control System (RCS) Jets at NASA Langley Research Center's 31-Inch Mach 10 Air wind tunnel. Fluorescence flow visualizations of pitch, roll, and yaw RCS jets were obtained using different plenum pressures and wind tunnel operating stagnation pressures. For two yaw RCS jet test cases, the PLIF visualizations were compared to computational flow imaging (CFI) images based on Langley Aerothermal Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the flowfield. For the same test cases, the streamwise velocity measurements were compared to CFD. The CFD solution, while showing some unphysical artifacts, generally agree with the experimental measurements.
Disappearance of the heat capacity peak of Sc3In around the curie temperature in high magnetic fields

Abstract The low temperature (1.3–20.0 K) heat capacity of the weak itinerant electron ferromagnet Sc 3 In was measured in magnetic fields up to ∼ 10 T. The heat capacity peak observed around T c = 6.0 K in zero field becomes smaller with increasing fields and at 9.98 T its magnetic entropy is ≈ 18% of the zero field value. Above T c , the spin fluctuation contribution to the heat capacity, which is enhanced by the magnetic field at lower fields (⪅5 T), is quenched at higher fields (⪆5 T). This depression of the spin fluctuation contibution to the heat capacity by the high magnetic fields occurs at lower magnetic fields than had been considered possible heretofore. Our results suggest that the itinerant ferromagnetism is Sc 3 In is completely quenched at 12 T.
Discrimination in locally stationary time series

A nearest neighbor approach to the classification of non-stationary time series is considered. A metric or measure of dissimilarity is computed between a new-to-be classified time series and each of a set of labeled sample time series. The new time series is classified by nearest neighbor rules. The metric is related to the criterion functional used in prediction error time series modeling methods. Engine fault time series data is considered. That data appears to be locally stationary. A Householder transformation - Akaike AIC criterion method for modeling time series by locally stationary AR models is applied to classify the data.
Using the contradiction paradigm to assess ageism

Abstract Ageism is an important topic in our society, considering the burgeoning older adult population. Ageism is often measured using explicit questionnaires; however, given the impact of social desirability, implicit measures of ageism have been developed. In this study, the contradiction paradigm, an implicit measure of stereotypes (Lassonde, under review) was used to measure age-related stereotypes in passages describing older adults. Participants read passages with target sentences more slowly when these sentences described behaviors that were inconsistent rather than consistent with age-related stereotypes. Participants also completed a series of self-report questionnaires measuring ageism. Results demonstrated that reading times using the contradiction paradigm were not related to outcomes on the self-report questionnaires. A comparison of the contradiction paradigm to a social desirability scale revealed that it was not vulnerable to social desirability. This confirms the contradiction paradigm's use as an implicit measure of age-related stereotypes. Although there is no clear relation between the contradiction paradigm and popular explicit measures, a next important step would be to determine the point in which implicit knowledge and intentional behavioral responses interact.
age‐set theory and Plains Indian age‐grading: a critical review and revision

This paper critiques Diffusionist, Functionalist, Acculturation and Holocultural theories bearing on the evolution and spread of age-societies among Northern Plains Indians. It is suggested that such studies have advanced our knowledge of the form, content, and function of age-set organization, but they remain insufficient to account for the reasons that age-set organization developed in these tribes in contrast to coordinate societies. A revised theory is advanced, which correlates the presence of age-sets with low horsewealth and demographic-territorial stability among historic Plains tribes. Age-set organization developed in, or diffused to, politically decentralized, pedestrian tribes that were engaged in frequent warfare and exhibited relative demographic-territorial stability. [age-set theory, Plains Indians, horsewealth, demographic-territorial stability]
ARE WE AS WE ACT OR AS WE SEE OURSELVES TO BE

125 college students' self-concepts were significantly correlated with their own perceived behaviors, as well as with seven (of 11) other traits or characteristics measured. Perceived behaviors, however, did not correlate significantly with as many of these other traits. All rs are low in magnitude and account for little variance. These findings suggest that we may not perceive our own actions as clearly as the person we see ourselves to be.
Hybrid approach to steady transonic normal-shock compressible laminar boundary-layer interactions over airfoils

A simulation of steady transonic viscous-inviscid interactions through a combination of zonal solution methods (involving different equation sets and numerical regions for various flow regions) is used in an investigation of a fluid mechanics problem in which the pressure distribution is determined by the interaction between transonic inviscid flow and an inner laminar viscous layer. The results obtained are in good agreement with laminar experimental data. Both attached and separated boundary layer flows are considered for either weak or strong interactions.
Conformational Flexibility in the Multidrug Efflux System Protein AcrA.

Intrinsic resistance to multiple drugs in many gram-negative bacterial pathogens is conferred by resistance nodulation cell division efflux pumps, which are composed of three essential components as typified by the extensively characterized Escherichia coli AcrA-AcrB-TolC system. The inner membrane drug:proton antiporter AcrB and the outer membrane channel TolC export chemically diverse compounds out of the bacterial cell, and require the activity of the third component, the periplasmic protein AcrA. The crystal structures of AcrB and TolC have previously been determined, and we complete the molecular picture of the efflux system by presenting the structure of a stable fragment of AcrA. The AcrA fragment resembles the elongated sickle shape of its homolog Pseudomonas aeruginosa MexA, being composed of three domains: beta-barrel, lipoyl, and alpha-helical hairpin. Notably, unsuspected conformational flexibility in the alpha-helical hairpin domain of AcrA is observed, which has potential mechanistic significance in coupling between AcrA conformations and TolC channel opening.
Gastric cancer--patterns of relapse after surgical resection

A knowledge of patterns of relapse after initial treatment with surgery alone is essential to determining the relative importance of both local (irradiation) and systemic adjuvants (chemotherapy, other) to surgery. A presentation of anatomic factors and pathways of tumor spread provides a basis for understanding the subsequent patterns of relapse data found in clinical, autopsy, and reoperative series. Implications for adjuvant therapy are summarized.
Rational combinations of immunotherapeutics that target discrete pathways

An effective anti-tumor immune response requires the coordinated action of the innate and adaptive phases of the immune system. Critical processes include the activation of dendritic cells to present antigens, produce cytokines including type I interferons, and express multiple costimulatory ligands; induction of a productive T cell response within lymph nodes; migration of activated T cells to the tumor microenvironment in response to chemokines and homing receptor expression; and having effector T cells gain access to antigen-expressing tumor cells and maintain sufficient functionality to destroy them. However, tumors can become adept at escaping the immune response, developing multiple mechanisms to disrupt key processes. In general, tumors can be assigned into two different, major groups depending on whether the tumor there is an ‘inflamed’ or ‘non-inflamed’ tumor microenvironment. Improvements in our understanding of the interactions between the immune system and cancer have resulted in the development of various strategies to improve the immune-mediated control of tumors in both sub-groups. Categories of major immunotherapeutic intervention include methods to increase the frequency of tumor antigen-specific effector T cells in the circulation, strategies to block or uncouple a range of immune suppressive mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment, and tactics to induce de novo immune inflammation within the tumor microenvironment. The latter may be particularly important for eliciting immune recognition of non-inflamed tumor phenotypes. The premise put forth in this review is that synergistic therapeutic effects in vivo may be derived from combination therapies taken from distinct “bins” based on these mechanisms of action. Early data in both preclinical and some clinical studies provide support for this model. We also suggest that optimal application of these combinations may be aided by appropriate patient selection based on predictive biomarkers.
Finite impulse response switched-capacitor decimation filters for the DSM D/A interface

The existence of a class of switched-capacitor (SC) finite-impulse-response (FIR) filters that can be used to decimate a delta-sigma modulator (DSM) output without decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the baseband is shown. The filters have the property that all of their coefficients are integers and symmetric, which makes them especially suitable for MOS switched-capacitor implementation. >
The Politics of Ageing in America

This paper discusses the politics of ageing in the US within a political economy framework. Four forces are shaping US policy: austerity, federalism, deregulation, and the medical-industrial complex. Two major trends in the development of policy are the commodification of the aged and their needs and a class basis for the distribution of benefits, differentiating the deserving elderly from the undeserving elderly. Ideologies of individualism, self-help, privatisation, and procompetition are being used to delegitimate public programmes and to reduce expectations about what government can and should do to ameliorate social problems.Recent policy is characterised not only by a reduction of federal funds for domestic social spending, but also a restructuring of the community care delivery system as it operates in the private, non-profit sector of the economy. The emergent processes of this restructuring, e.g., targeting of services based on ability to pay and individual characteristics, medicalisation, and absorption of non-profit agencies by for-profits are discussed. These policies and the consequences that flow from them are viewed in light of the search for new sources of capital investment in the domestic markets. This analysis raises important political questions concerning the transformation of relations between the state and the non-profit sector.
AT(1) receptor blockade and atherosclerosis : hopeful insights into vascular protection.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a potent vasoconstrictor, and apart from its effects on blood pressure, this short-lived peptide been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic cardiovascular disease. At the molecular and cellular levels, Ang II promotes a complex array of effects that may promote the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. At each of the well-defined stages of atherosclerosis, Ang II has the potential to contribute to the vascular pathobiology. For example, type 1 atherosclerotic lesions are defined by the presence of increased numbers of macrophages in the vascular intima and by the formation of foam cells.1 At this early stage of atherosclerosis, Ang II facilitates the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages into the vessel wall by stimulating the production of monocyte chemoattractant protein2 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-13 by smooth muscle cells. Once monocytes are localized to the blood vessel wall, these cells undergo a phenotypic transformation and take up oxidized LDL, leading to foam cell formation. Ang II indirectly facilitates this step by activating membrane-based NADP/NADPH oxidase,4 which promotes the production of superoxide radicals (O2−). The oxidant stress triggered by Ang II may …
Effects of a supplement designed to increase ATP levels on muscle strength, power output, and endurance.

Background The present study examined the acute effects of a nutritional supplement intended to improve adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations on vertical jump height, isometric strength of the leg extensors, leg extension endurance, and forearm flexion endurance.
Immunological tools: Engaging students in the use and analysis of flow cytometry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are commonly used techniques associated with clinical and research applications within the immunology and medical fields. The use of these techniques is becoming increasingly valuable in many life science and engineering disciplines as well. Herein, we report the development and evaluation of a novel half-semester course that focused on introducing undergraduate and graduate students to advance conceptual and technical skills associated with flow cytometry and ELISA, with emphasis on applications, experimental design, and data analysis. This course was offered in the North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program over three semesters and consisted of weekly lectures and laboratories. Students performed and/or analyzed flow cytometry and ELISA in three separate laboratory exercises: (1) identification of transgenic zebrafish hematopoietic cells, (2) analysis of transfection efficiency, and (3) analysis of cytokine production upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Student learning outcomes were achieved as demonstrated by multiple means of assessment, including three laboratory reports, a data analysis laboratory practicum, and a cumulative final exam. Further, anonymous student self-assessment revealed increased student confidence in the knowledge and skill sets defined in the learning outcomes. © 2014 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 42(5):382–397, 2014.
Cdc42 is required for PIP2-induced actin polymerization and early development but not for cell viability

Abstract Background: Cdc42 and other Rho GTPases are conserved from yeast to humans and are thought to regulate multiple cellular functions by inducing coordinated changes in actin reorganization and by activating signaling pathways leading to specific gene expression. Direct evidence implicating upstream signals and components that regulate Cdc42 activity or for required roles of Cdc42 in activation of downstream protein kinase signaling cascades is minimal, however. Also, whereas genetic analyses have shown that Cdc42 is essential for cell viability in yeast, its potential roles in the growth and development of mammalian cells have not been directly assessed. Results: To elucidate potential functions of Cdc42 mammalian cells, we used gene-targeted mutation to inactivate Cdc42 in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and in the mouse germline. Surprisingly, Cdc42-deficient ES cells exhibited normal proliferation and phosphorylation of mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases. Yet Cdc42 deficiency caused very early embryonic lethality in mice and led to aberrant actin cytoskeletal organization in ES cells. Moreover, extracts from Cdc42-deficient cells failed to support phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2 )-induced actin polymerization. Conclusions: Our studies clearly demonstrate that Cdc42 mediates PIP 2 -induced actin assembly, and document a critical and unique role for Cdc42 in this process. Moreover, we conclude that, unexpectedly, Cdc42 is not necessary for viability or proliferation of mammalian early embryonic cells. Cdc42 is, however, absolutely required for early mammalian development.
Protection from Clinical Disease Against Three Highly Virulent Strains of Newcastle Disease Virus After In Ovo Application of an Antibody–Antigen Complex Vaccine in Maternal Antibody–Positive Chickens

SUMMARY. Worldwide, Newcastle disease (ND) remains one of the most economically important diseases of poultry. Current vaccination strategies for commercial poultry include the use of inactivated and live ND vaccines that typically induce protection against virulent field viruses. Here, we tested the efficacy of an antigen–antibody complex (AAC) ND vaccine delivered in ovo. Commercial maternal antibody–positive broiler chickens (Gallus domesticus) were vaccinated in ovo with an AAC vaccine composed of live B1-LaSota Newcastle disease virus (NDV) complexed with NDV-specific antiserum, and then they were challenged at weekly intervals after hatch. Challenge viruses included three exotic ND disease (END) viruses: the neurotropic strain Texas GB NDV-92-01 (TxGB) and two viscerotropic isolates, one isolate from the 2002–2003 outbreak in California (California 2002 isolate S212676 [CA]) and the other isolate from a 1997 END outbreak in South Korea (South Korea 94-147 [SK]). Results demonstrate that maternal ant...
A Twenty-first Century Socialist Agriculture? Land Reform, Food Sovereignty and Peasant–State Dynamics in Venezuela

This article examines state-peasantry dynamics in Venezuela in regards to the formation, implementation and contestation of land reform and agricultural policy. As a self-proclaimed socialist state, the Chavez Government has framed its agrarian policies as a reordering of the food system that prioritizes land redistri- bution, smallholder agriculture, and sustainable forms of production. Yet, despite an apparently positive policy context, rural dynamics have been characterized by conflict over land and a geographically and temporally uneven process of policy implementation in rural areas. This article examines how peasants have engaged with Venezuela's land re- form processes and their role in shaping the character and scope of state policy. In particular, it investigates the dynamics of technically illegal peasant occupation of estates in a seemingly 'pro-peasant' policy context. Peasant-state dynamics are analysed through the lens of food sovereignty, where land reform processes and struggles represent contestation over conceptions of what constitutes 'appropri- ate' production in a 'socialist' agricultural regime.
Repeated and aggressive pulmonary resections for leiomyosarcoma metastases extends survival.

Background Sarcoma frequently metastasizes to the lungs, and pulmonary metastasectomy is the only treatment modality that can provide a cure for these patients. We attempted to determine the clinicopathologic features and survival determinants of a common subset of patients who undergo pulmonary metastasectomy for leiomyosarcoma. Methods All patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy at The Brigham and Women's Hospital from 1989 to 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. Analyzed variables included number, size, pathology, and location of metastases, age, gender, location of primary tumor, disease-free interval (DFI), surgical approach, margin status, adjuvant therapy, recurrence, number of metastasectomies, and disease-free and overall survival. Results Eighty-two patients underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for metastases from sarcoma. Leiomyosarcoma was the most common histologic finding (n = 31; 38%). Fifteen patients with leiomyosarcoma (48%) underwent repeated pulmonary metastasectomy. Patients with leiomyosarcoma were more commonly female (77% versus 43%; p = 0.031), less frequently received chemotherapy for their primary tumor (48% versus 71%, p = 0.041), and presented with fewer number of pulmonary metastases than did patients with nonleiomyosarcoma metastases (1.9 ± 1.5 standard deviation [SD] versus 3.6 ± 4.4; p = 0.033). Although there was no difference in disease-free survival, patients with leiomyosarcoma demonstrated improved overall survival compared with those with nonleiomyosarcoma metastases (70 versus 24 months; p = 0.049). In multivariate analyses, the DFI from primary tumor resection to pulmonary metastases and the DFI from pulmonary metastasectomy to second pulmonary recurrence were identified as independent predictors of survival. Conclusions Leiomyosarcoma is a common subset of sarcomatous pulmonary metastases that behave more indolently compared with other pulmonary metastases from sarcoma. Long-term survival is achievable with an aggressive approach toward pulmonary metastasectomy and repeated pulmonary metastasectomy.
An agent-based heterogeneous UAV simulator design

To facilitate the evaluation of alternative mission planning models for teams of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), a multi-agent simulation system was designed and developed. The system, referred to as Ether, is designed to be more generally applicable to a wide variety of agent-oriented systems. The simulator design has the flexibility to support a wide variety of mission planning models, yet provides infrastructure that supports rapid prototyping.
Effect of Bisphosphonate Use on Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer: Results From the Randomized Clinical Trials of Alendronate and Zoledronic Acid

Importance Studies have shown that bisphosphonates may have antitumor and antimetastatic properties. Recently, observational studies have suggested a possible protective effect of bisphosphonates on breast cancer, but the effect of bisphosphonate use on risk of breast cancer has not been tested in randomized trials. Objective To assess the relationship of postmenopausal breast cancer incidence and bisphosphonate use using data from 2 randomized (1:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Design, Setting, and Participants The Fracture Intervention Trial (FIT) randomly assigned 6459 women aged 55 to 81 years to alendronate or placebo for a mean follow-up of 3.8 years. The Health Outcomes and Reduced Incidence With Zoledronic Acid Once Yearly–Pivotal Fracture Trial (HORIZON-PFT) randomly assigned 7765 women aged 65 to 89 years to annual intravenous zoledronic acid or placebo for a mean follow-up of 2.8 years. Data were collected at clinical centers in the United States (FIT and HORIZON-PFT) and in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, North America, and South America (HORIZON-PFT). Women, in either study, with recurrent breast cancer or who reported a history of breast cancer were excluded from analyses. In each trial, a blinded review was conducted of each cancer adverse event report to verify incident invasive breast cancer cases. The primary analysis compared events in the active vs placebo group using a log-rank test. Intervention Alendronate vs placebo (FIT) or zoledronic acid vs placebo (HORIZON-PFT). Main Outcomes and Measures Hazard ratio for incident breast cancer in the bisphosphonate treatment group compared to the placebo group. Results There was no significant difference in the rate of breast cancer in FIT: 1.5% (n = 46) in the placebo group and 1.8% (n = 57) in the alendronate group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.24 [95% CI, 0.84-1.83]). In HORIZON-PFT, there was also no significant difference: 0.8% (n = 29) in the placebo group and 0.9% (n = 33) in the zoledronic acid group (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 0.70-1.89]). There was also no significant difference when the data from FIT and HORIZON-PFT were pooled (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.89-1.63]). Conclusions and Relevance These 2 randomized clinical trials do not support the findings from observational research. Contrary to the results from observational studies, we found that 3 to 4 years of bisphosphonate treatment did not decrease the risk of invasive postmenopausal breast cancer. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00049829(HORIZON-PFT).
VDN: Virtual machine image distribution network for cloud data centers

Cloud computing centers face the key challenge of provisioning diverse virtual machine instances in an elastic and scalable manner. To address this challenge, we have performed an analysis of VM instance traces collected at six production data centers during four months. One key finding is that the number of instances created from the same VM image is relatively small at a given time and thus conventional file-based p2p sharing approaches may not be effective. Based on the understanding that different VM image files often have many common chunks of data, we propose a chunk-level Virtual machine image Distribution Network (VDN). Our distribution scheme takes advantage of the hierarchical network topology of data centers to reduce the VM instance provisioning time and also to minimize the overhead of maintaining chunk location information. Evaluation shows that VDN achieves as much as 30–80× speed up for large VM images under heavy traffic.
Spatially explicit measures of production of young alewives in Lake Michigan: Linkage between essential fish habitat and recruitment

The identification and protection of essential habitats for early life stages of fishes are necessary to sustain fish stocks. Essential fish habitat for early life stages may be defined as areas where fish densities, growth, survival, or production rates are relatively high. To identify critical habitats for young-of-year (YOY) alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Lake Michigan, we integrated bioenergetics models with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to generate spatially explicit estimates of potential population production (an index of habitat quality). These estimates were based upon YOY alewife bioenergetic growth rate potential and their salmonine predators' consumptive demand. We compared estimates of potential population production to YOY alewife yield (an index of habitat importance). Our analysis sug- gested that during 1994-1995, YOY alewife habitat quality and yield varied widely throughout Lake Michigan. Spatial patterns of alewife yield were not significantly correlated to habitat quality. Various mechanisms (e.g., predator migra- tions, lake circulation patterns, alternative strategies) may preclude YOY alewives from concentrating in areas of high habitat quality in Lake Michigan.
Over-expression of inducible HSP70 chaperone suppresses neuropathology and improves motor function in SCA1 mice

Abstract Many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by gain-of-function mechanisms in which the disease-causing protein is altered, becomes toxic to the cell, and aggregates. Among these 'proteinopathies' are Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, prion disorders and polyglutamine diseases. Members of this latter group, also known as triplet repeat diseases, are caused by the expansion of unstable CAG repeats coding for glutamine within the respective proteins. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is one such disease, characterized by loss of motor coordination due to the degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells and brain stem neurons. In SCA1 and several other polyglutamine diseases, the expanded protein aggregates into nuclear inclusions (NIs). Because these NIs accumulate molecular chaperones, ubiquitin and proteasomal subunits--all components of the cellular protein re-folding and degradation machinery--we hypothesized that protein misfolding and impaired protein clearance might underlie the pathogenesis of polyglutamine diseases. Over-expressing specific chaperones reduces protein aggregation in transfected cells and suppresses neurodegeneration in invertebrate animal models of polyglutamine disorders. To determine whether enhancing chaperone activity could mitigate the phenotype in a mammalian model, we crossbred SCA1 mice with mice over-expressing a molecular chaperone (inducible HSP70 or iHSP70). We found that high levels of HSP70 did indeed afford protection against neurodegeneration.
RotaTeq™: a three-dose oral pentavalent reassortant rotavirus vaccine

Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of diarrhea worldwide, and will infect every child by their 5th birthday. The 3-dose oral pentavalent RV vaccine (RotaTeq), consisting of serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4 and P1A[8], was licensed in the USA in 2006. The first dose should be administered between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks and the third dose should be given before the age of 32 weeks (USA) or 26 weeks (Europe). In a large clinical trial, the vaccine prevented 74% of cases of RV gastroenteritis, and 98% of cases of severe RV gastroenteritis (based on a symptomatology scoring scale) in the first rotavirus season. Vaccine efficacy in the second season was 62.6% against any RV gastroenteritis and 88% against severe disease. Vaccine efficacy in reducing hospitalizations and emergency department visits was 94.5% up to 2 years after vaccination. Results from a large clinical trial, as well as ongoing postmarketing surveillance, indicate that the vaccine is safe and well tolerated, without evidence of increased risk of intussusception. Further research is needed to establish vaccine efficacy in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. Dissemination efforts should focus on ensuring the vaccine reaches the poorest children in whom disease morbidity and mortality is the highest.
Orthodontic Extrusion: A Multidisciplinary Treatment Approach

A multidisciplinary approach, using orthodontic and periodontic treatment and restorative dentistry, is described for restoration of an apparently nonrestorable tooth.
Information Driven Price Jumps and Trading Strategy: Evidence from Stock Index Futures

This paper identifies intraday price jumps in equity index futures and examines the association between jump returns and macroeconomic announcements. We also evaluate the profitability of a high-frequency trading rule. Results indicate that about 48% to 56% of jump returns between 10:00-10:01 am can be attributed to the release of at least one 10:00 am announcement. About 70-80% of the top twenty jumps identified during the sample period at this time interval can be tagged with the 10:00 am releases. Finally, after accounting for transaction costs, returns from 1-minute holding positions aggregated over the 10-year sample period range between 16-29%.
Implications of frequency bias settings on AGC

This paper describes the effects the frequency bias setting, B, has on the operation of automatic generation control systems that are operating with tie-line frequency bias control. Since B can not be continuously measured, it must be estimated annually. The closer the frequency bias setting matches the actual control area's frequency response characteristic, the better AGC will perform. In order to minimize the estimating error of the frequency bias setting, a better understanding of it is necessary. The authors discuss area control error, tie-line frequency bias, and system natural response in an attempt to better understand the frequency bias setting. >