cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B38: Targeting FOXM1 in multiple myeloma

Unprecedented progress in our understanding of the biologic and molecular genetic underpinnings of multiple myeloma (MM) has recently led to the development of novel targeted therapeutic agents, including proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, CS1-binging antibody, and histone deacetylase inhibitors, which have produced tangible, evidence-based benefits for patients with MM. Nonetheless, the overall outcome remains grim, due in large part to limitations in treating high-risk MM. We recently determined that the level of FOXM1 mRNA expression is of prognostic significance for myeloma patients, as both event-free survival and overall survival were reduced in cases exhibiting high FOXM1 expression. Forty-six of 351 myeloma patients (13.1%) had elevated FOXM1 message, with the majority (29/46, 63%) residing in the MAF/MAFB and proliferation high-risk molecular subgroups. Upregulation of FOXM1 was also observed in patients deemed high-risk using the 70-gene signature as a metric. These results suggest that upregulation of FOXM1 is a feature of high-risk MM, leading to the hypothesis that up-regulation of FOXM1 contributes to increased MM aggressiveness. To evaluate whether targeting FOXM1 results in reduced growth and survival of myeloma cells, MM cell lines exhibiting high levels of FOXM1 were found to have low micromolar sensitivity to treatment with thiostrepton or siomycin A — two thiazole antibiotics known to inhibit FOXM1 activity. Because of known off-target effects of these inhibitors, we are confirming the results using short-hairpin RNA. Our data suggest that developing effective therapeutic strategies against high-risk MM should include consideration of FOXM1 as a new target. Citation Format: Van S. Tompkins, Zhimin Gu, Hongwei Xu, Guido Tricot, Fenghuang Zhan, Siegfried Janz. Targeting FOXM1 in multiple myeloma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities; May 17-20, 2013; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(5 Suppl):Abstract nr B38.
Noncommutative Local Algebra

It is a kind of generally adopted paradigm that the ‘complex’ geometrical objects should be covered with a set of open ‘simple’ ones. This rule proved to be excellent in commutative and graded-commutative geometries. But even the simplest non-affine spaces that come into view in the non(graded)commutative case — analogs of quasi-affine schemes and projective spectra — very rarely can be covered with open affine subschemes.
John Locke’s America

This essay argues that John Locke’s thought has been a significant influence on how Americans understand public life and that this remains true despite contemporary conservative arguments that Progressivism is ascendant while our Lockean founding is in retreat. Many of the things conservatives bemoan—same-sex marriage, for example—can be understood in Lockean terms. Moreover, Lockean individualism can be consistent with a robust sense of community. Yet it is striking that a most Lockean virtue—responsibility—is altogether missing from critical accounts of Locke’s influence on American politics and culture.
Endovascular management of splenic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms.

Splenic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are being diagnosed with increasing frequency by modern imaging. The question of appropriate treatment—surgical or endovascular—arises more often. We review our experience and that of others as documented in the literature. The information available suggests that endovascular management of a splenic artery aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm offers a lower complication rate than surgery, but postprocedure imaging to ensure obliteration is recommended.
Impedance measurement techniques for two-mode guides

In this paper, work on ? which was partially supported by O.N.R. contract N7onr-29529, the method of impedance measurements in single-mode guide is extended to two-mode guide. Data is presented showing the impedance of a half-wave narrow slot placed parallel to the axis on the broad face of a rectangular wave-guide supporting the TE10 and TE20 nodes.
Increasing Magnetoplasticity in Polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga by Reducing Internal Constraints through Porosity

Foams with 55% and 76% open porosity were produced from a Ni-Mn-Ga magnetic shape-memory alloy by replication casting. These polycrystalline martensitic foams display a fully reversible magnetic-field-induced strain of up to 0.115% without bias stress, which is about 50 times larger than nonporous, fine-grained Ni-Mn-Ga. This very large improvement is attributed to the bamboolike structure of grains in the foam struts which, due to reduced internal constraints, deform by magnetic-field-induced twinning more easily than equiaxed grains in nonporous Ni-Mn-Ga.
Within-Cell vs Over-All Correlations in the Analysis of Factor Variance

Summrrry.-The advantag. of using Winer's (1962) within-cell correlations in the analysis of factor varlance (Pinneau, et al., 1966a, 1966b, 1966~) was discussed as well as the conservative bias that theoretically exists in such a procedure. Then a Monte Carlo study was described which examined the extent of this bias for first, second, and third component ratios. Suggestions for dealing with or avoiding the problem of the bias were outlined. While the development of analysis of variance techniques has given researchers an easy-to-use, yet sophisticaced procedure for separating out and analyzing the effects of multiple independent variables, chere is, at present, no easy-touse and widely understood procedure ro be used when the E also has multiple dependenc variables. Consider an hypothetical problem faced by the psychological researcher who has just done a learning study with four levels of reinforcement. His data came from five dependent measures: ( 1 ) latency of response, (2) number of errors, (3) number of icems recalled 2 wk. later, (4) amount of palmar GSR change during the task, and (5) S's scores on an anxiety penciland-paper tesc. This is basically an experimental design with one independent variable and five dependenc variables. The simplest approach to analyzing the data is to do five, separate, univariate analyses of variance. If one of these proves to be significant, chat dependent variable (with the benefit of hindsight and a need for publications) becomes che "crucial" one and the study is written up accordingly. Such an (obviously caricatured) approach suffers from the following problems: (1) The use of multiple dependent variables increases the likelihood of a spurious rejection of the null hypothesis for one or more of the variables. (2) Failure to combine the effects of che various dependenr measures results in a loss of stacistical power. While five of the six individual dependent variables may differ across conditions in the predicted fashion, each variable may have so much "hash" or nontreatment variance that none would show a significant difference. Some means of pooling the relevant variance to achieve significance while allowing the random errors of measurement to cancel out would therefore 'I wish to thank Dr. Samuel Pinneau for his warm encouragement and advice on earlier drafts of this paper. Only his request prevented his name from appearing in the byline. I also wish to thank Joan Renier and Dr. Lillian Wolfe for proofreading an earlier draft of this paper. I would like to thank and give credit to Dr. A. Z. Icthos who inspired and made possible this paper. His gracious guidance, though often ignored in this and other projects, has turned out to be unerring. Hopefully in the future, I shall learn to follow his advice more closely.
Dimensions of problem behavior in deaf children

The Behavior Problem Checklist was completed by the teachers of 192 deaf students who attended a special day school for the deaf. Three separate factor analyses were performed. Four factors that correspond to the dimensions found in earlier research and previously labeled conduct disorder, personality problems, immaturity-inadequacy, and socialized delinquency were found. An additional factor labeled passive inferiority was also extracted.
175 EFFECT OF ACETYL-CoA CARBOXYLASE (ACC) INHIBITOR ON THE LIPID CONTENT AND NUCLEAR MATURATION OF CANINE OOCYTES

Compared with other domestic species, embryo technologies are least developed for the dog. This is mainly due to difficulties in producing mature oocytes in vitro. Canine oocytes contain exceptionally high amounts of lipid. High lipid content increases the chilling sensitivity of oocytes and embryos. Mechanical and chemical reductions of the lipid content have been used to improve the cryotolerance of oocytes. Additionally, chemical stimulation of lipid catabolism improved oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) rates in other species (You et al. 2012 Theriogenology 78, 235–543). Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo lipogenesis and its expression has been reported in oocytes and embryos. In somatic cells, inhibition of ACC reduces lipogenesis and enhances β-oxidation. Our hypothesis is that treatment of oocytes with an inhibitor of ACC (CP640186, Pfizer Animal Health, New York, NY, USA) reduces lipid content and improves IVM rate of oocytes. Ovaries were collected from a spay clinic and sliced in HEPES-buffered TCM-199 to recover oocytes. In vitro maturation was conducted at 38.5°C, 5% CO2, and high humidity in TCM-199 supplemented with 1% fetal bovine serum, glutamine, sodium pyruvate, β-mercaptoethanol, oestradiol, epidermal growth factor, and antimicrobial agents (Songsasen et al. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 79, 186–196). During the first 19 to 21 h, the IVM media contained 4 concentrations of the inhibitor (0+DMSO, 0.02, 0.1, and 0.5 μM, designated as treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively) and then oocytes were transferred to a medium without the inhibitor and cultured for an additional 27 to 29 h. At the end of culture (total of 48 h), oocytes were denuded of cumulus layers, washed, fixed, and stained with Nile red (lipid) and Hoechst-33342 (chromatin), and then mounted on a microscope slide. Lipid content and chromatin status were evaluated using fluorescent microscopy (TRITC and DAPI filters, respectively). The relative lipid content was measured by the corrected total cell fluorescence (CTCF) using ImageJ software (http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/). Data on CTCF and proportions of chromatin status of oocytes were analysed using one-way ANOVA (SigmaPlot 11.0). The mean CTCF for each treatment was 5.5 × 109 (n = 51, 5.2 × 109 (n = 44), 4.5 × 109 (n = 31), and 4.8 × 109 (n = 34), respectively (P = 0.3; 4 replicates). At the highest dose, the agent induced relatively more cumulus cell layer expansion but inhibited their attachment to the dish; the latter effect was reversible because cumulus cells attached and proliferated after washing the oocytes of the agent. Metaphase II was rare (≤3.1%); however, the proportion of oocytes developing to ≥GVBD stage (Trt 1 14%, n = 37; Trt 2 41%, n = 56; Trt 3 5%, n = 22; Trt 4 11%, n = 43) was affected by treatments. Our preliminary data indicate that a low concentration of ACC inhibitor has a positive effect on the nuclear maturation of canine oocytes but the effect on lipid content as estimated by using Nile red fluorescence intensity appears to be minimal.
Response to pacing at sites of isolated diastolic potentials during ventricular tachycardia in patients with previous myocardial infarction.

Abstract Objectives. The goal of this study was to determine whether isolated diastolic potentials (IDPs) recorded during ventricular tachycardia (VT) are generated in zones of slow conduction and whether the arcs of block that bound these zones of slow conduction are functional or anatomic in nature. Background. No previous studies have systematically investigated the response to pacing during VT and sinus rhythm at sites where IDPs are recorded. Methods. The study included 11 patients with a previous infarction who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation of 15 hemodynamically stable, sustained VTs and in whom an IDP that could not be dissociated from the VT was detected during mapping. Results. Pacing during VT at the site where the IDP was recorded resulted in concealed entrainment in each of the 15 VTs. In 10 of the 15 VTs, an IDP was present during sinus rhythm at the same site at which a diastolic potential was recorded during VT. In nine VTs, the isolated potential occurred early in diastole; in these cases, the QRS configuration during pacing in the setting of sinus rhythm was different from that during VT. In six VTs, the isolated potential occurred later in diastole, and in these cases, the QRS configuration during pacing in the setting of sinus rhythm was the same as that during VT. Conclusions. Isolated diastolic potentials may often be generated in an area of slow conduction bounded by arcs of block that are anatomically determined and present during sinus rhythm.
DISCHARGE AND ITS PLANNING IN PALLIATIVE CARE; A TIME AND MOTION STUDY

Background The discharge of Palliative Care patients is deemed complex solely by their nature of being Palliative. Observational studies of discharged patients within a palliative care unit revealed them to be fragmented and tardy. A time and motion study was undertaken with the aim of highlighting the complexities of discharge and its planning, the length of time taken, and evaluation of the time wasted. Method Data were collected from 12 patients over a six week period using a purposefully designed pro-forma comprising 13 elements of discharge. Staff self-assessed discharge activities prospectively using a tick box system. Each pro-forma was nurse anonymous and space allocated for start and completion time of activities and for staff to write notes concerning the element they were involved in. Missing data was calculated using the average duration of activities previously recorded for the same data field. Findings An average of 4 nursing staff were involved in each discharge, taking 1 hour and 39 minutes per patient. 116 activities were recorded in total, averaging 10 per patient. Calls to community staff were the most time consuming activity, averaging 5 calls per patient at 20 minute duration. Waiting for return calls impeded discharge. Data reporting and findings are under reported due to time constraints on staffing. Conclusion A discharge coordinator role should be considered to create a more integrated patient pathway and redress some of the problems currently highlighted. Enabling the development of a discharge policy encompassing a rapid discharge pathway for patients who9s preferred place of care is home, a more coherent and in-depth holistic assessment, and the commencement of national and local incentives such as Coordinate my Care. A discharge coordinator would provide patients with a timely and succinct discharge pathway, and enhance communication with community teams. Nursing time saved would be better utilized giving hands-on care.
Infliximab for Treatment of Granulomatous Disease in Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Purpose Eight to 22 % of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients exhibit granulomas of the lungs, spleen, liver, and/or skin. Granulomas can be the most medically significant day-to-day problem for CVID patients. Currently, there are limited options for treatment of granulomas associated with CVID.
Essay: Long-term complications of exercise.

There are few causes in medicine more vehemently and universally espoused than that of exercise. Paediatricians view physical activity as a way to fight the obesity epidemic in children and adolescents, cardiologists prescribe it as a means of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and endocrinologists use exercise in their treatment of diabetes. Furthermore, though the effectiveness of physician advocacy of physical activity is unknown, the number of people engaging in sport and fitness activities is increasing in the USA. Participation in soccer grew, for example, at nearly ten times the rate of population growth (60% vs 7%) between 1988 and 1996, and women’s basketball had 65% more players in 1996 than in 1988. Among men and women older than age 55 years, exercise walking increased by nearly 62% and running or jogging by 27% between 1988 and 1996.
Habituation of Conspecific Aggressive Responses in the Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens)

Mature male Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) were presented with a conspecific male confined in a clear plastic tube for either 15 minutes per day for 20 days (group E 15) or 60 minutes per day for 5 days (group E 60). A third group was presented with this aggression eliciting conspecific male stimulus for 15 minutes on days 1 and 2 and again on days 19 and 20. This group (group C 15) was designed to control for post-stimulation waning of aggressive behaviors independent of constant stimulation and also to control for response decrement as a simple function of time. Two components of the aggressive display and frequency of biting were recorded. It was found that with groups E 15 and E 60 all aggressive behaviors habituated. In general, habituation was more rapid with the short stimulation periods than with the longer ones, although qualitative differences were also found and described. Comparisons of groups E 15 and C 15 showed that repeated daily exposures to the aggression eliciting stimulus were necessary to obtain habituation and that two days of 15 minute stimulation followed by 16 days of no stimulation did not result in response decrement on any of the measures recorded.
Things and the Net

There is an Internet of Things coming: billions of them. How are we going to manage them? Manage access control, authorization for access? How will we cope with reconfiguration at need? These and many other questions await us as the avalanche of smart objects begins.
Postsynaptic modulation of electrical EPSP size investigated using a compartmental model

The mormyrid electric fish displays extremely fine temporal resolution as measured in behavioral studies. The first stage of sensory processing, the sensory afferents, also display very precise temporal responses to electrical stimulation. The afferents are connected through gap junctions to the granular cells, which in addition receive a corollary discharge signal at the time of the electric pulse. The granular cells have a relatively long time constant, seemingly at odds with their presumed role as coincidence detectors. We use experimental data to build a compartmental model that investigates the mechanism by which the relative timing of the two inputs to the granular cells determines the effect of the afferent spike through the electrical synapse.
Passive electrophysiological properties of aged and axotomized cat spinal cord motoneurons: the effect of cell size and electrode shunt.

Abstract Intracellular recordings were obtained from intact and axotomized lumbar motoneurons of aged cats. The sub-threshold electrical properties of these cells were measured, including input resistance, resting membrane potential, and the first two equalizing time constants as well as their associated amplitude constants. These data were used in a semi-infinite cable model of the motoneuron to estimate the size of the shunt resistance (Rshunt) which is created when the electrode penetrates the cell membrane. The average Rshunt for intact aged cells was 5.35 ± 1.01 M Ω , while that for the axotomized aged cells was 8.93 ± 1.20 M Ω . The statistically significant difference in mean shunt magnitude did not affect the measurements of membrane time constant because this constant is independent of the shunt in this model of the motoneuron. However, the determination of cell input resistance, which is not independent of the shunt, was shown to underestimate the real cell input resistance by 23–29%. We therefore conclude that the shunt resistance is an important factor which should be taken into account when measuring input resistance.
Methane oxidation by anaerobic archaea for conversion to liquid fuels

Given the recent increases in natural gas reserves and associated drawbacks of current gas-to-liquids technologies, the development of a bioconversion process to directly convert methane to liquid fuels would generate considerable industrial interest. Several clades of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) are capable of performing anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). AOM carried out by ANME offers carbon efficiency advantages over aerobic oxidation by conserving the entire carbon flux without losing one out of three carbon atoms to carbon dioxide. This review highlights the recent advances in understanding the key enzymes involved in AOM (i.e., methyl-coenzyme M reductase), the ecological niches of a number of ANME, the putative metabolic pathways for AOM, and the syntrophic consortia that they typically form.
Matrix Heterogeneity Effects on Gas Transport and Adsorption in Coalbed and Shale Gas Reservoirs

In coalbeds and shales, gas transport and storage are important for accurate prediction of production rates and for the consideration of subsurface greenhouse gas sequestration. They involve coupled fluid phenomena in porous medium including viscous flow, diffusive transport, and adsorption. Standard approach to describe gas–matrix interactions is deterministic and neglects the effects of local spatial heterogeneities in porosity and material content of the matrix. In this study, adopting weak-noise and mean-field approximations and using a statistical approach in spectral domain, matrix heterogeneity effects are investigated in the presence of non-equilibrium adsorption with random partition coefficient. It is found that the local heterogeneities can generate non-trivial transport and kinetic effects which retard gas release from the matrix and influence the ultimate gas recovery adversely. Macro-transport shows 1/[1 + NPe/(1 + NPe)] dependence on the Peclet number, and persists at the diffusive ultra-low permeability limit. Macro-kinetics is directly related to Thiele modulus by the following expression: NTh/(1 + 2NPe). It leads to trapping of gas in the adsorbed phase during its release from the matrix, and to an adsorption threshold during the gas uptake by the matrix. Both effects are proportional to the initially available adsorbed gas amount and becomes more pronounced with the increasing variance of the porosity field. Consequently, a new upscaled deterministic gas mass balance is proposed for practical purposes. Numerical results are presented showing free and adsorbed gas distributions and fractional gas sorption curves for unipore coal matrix exhibiting Gaussian porosity distribution. This study is a unique approach for our further understanding of the coalbeds and gas shales, and it is important for the development of sound numerical gas production and sequestration models.
Mutations in the Amino Terminus of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Enhance Endocytosis

Efficient endocytosis of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is mediated by a tyrosine-based internalization signal in the CFTR carboxyl-terminal tail 1424YDSI1427. In the present studies, two naturally occurring cystic fibrosis mutations in the amino terminus of CFTR, R31C, and R31L were examined. To determine the defect that these mutations cause, the Arg-31 mutants were expressed in COS-7 cells and their biogenesis and trafficking to the cell surface tested in metabolic pulse-chase and surface biotinylation assays, respectively. The results indicated that both Arg-31 mutants were processed to band C at approximately 50% the efficiency of the wild-type protein. However, once processed and delivered to the cell surface, their half-lives were the same as wild-type protein. Interestingly, indirect immunofluorescence and cell surface biotinylation indicated that the surface pool was much smaller than could be accounted for based on the biogenesis defect alone. Therefore, the Arg-31 mutants were tested in internalization assays and found to be internalized at 2x the rate of the wild-type protein. Patch clamp and 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium analysis confirmed reduced amounts of functional Arg-31 channels at the cell surface. Together, the results suggest that both R31C and R31L mutations compromise biogenesis and enhance internalization of CFTR. These two additive effects contribute to the loss of surface expression and the associated defect in chloride conductance that is consistent with a disease phenotype.
Flameless atomic-absorption determination of gold in geological materials

Abstract Gold in geologic material is dissolved using a solution of hydrobromic acid and bromine, extracted with methyl isobutyl ketone, and determined using an atomic-absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace atomizer. A comparison of results obtained by this flameless atomic-absorption method on U.S. Geological Survey reference rocks and geochemical samples with reported values and with results obtained by flame atomic-absorption shows that reasonable accuracy is achieved with improved precision. The sensitivity, accuracy, and precision of the method allows acquisition of data on the distribution of gold at or below its crustal abundance.
Ecosystem organization and extinction dynamics

Most recent explanations for extinctions have focused on abiotic mechanisms such as climatic change, bolide impact, and eustatic sea-level change. The structure and dynamics of the ecological systems that are responding to these disturbances have generally been overlooked. The internal structure of an ecosystem, especially interdependencies among its components, should strongly influence its response to environmental change, by controlling the degree to which loss of one component can produce additional extinctions. We used percolation theory to model this process, by examining how disturbances propagate among interconnected nodes on lattices. Our models suggest that the magnitude of ecosystem response to disturbance is strongly non-linear
On the energy upconversion mechanism of light utilization by chlorophyll in photosynthesis

A model for the primary mechanism of light utilization by chlorophyll in photosynthesis, involving singlet-triplet annihilation, has recently been proposed ( Fong, 1974 ). In that model it is asserted that the photosystem II fluorescence yield doubling observed on strong illumination is predicted exactly. In this paper the model is critically examined. It is shown that a number of fundamental errors occur in the above model, such that the doubling prediction is incorrect. It is shown that such doubling can be accounted for only if a reaction center chlorophyll in its first excited singlet state interacts with an antenna chlorophyll in its lowest triplet state, and that this doubling arises independently of chemical activity. In view of this reversal of the physical situation from the Fong model, there is no longer justification for a highly symmetric reaction center dimer adduct configuration. The consequences of the corrected treatment are examined. Within the upconversion framework a model is proposed, which is consistent with the photosystem II fluorescence yield doubling on strong illumination, as well as with the absence of such doubling in photosystem I.
Women in the Workplace and Sex Discrimination Law:: A Feminist Analysis of Federal Jurisprudence

This article entails a critical analysis of federal sex discrimination law. A feminist perspective is employed to interpret the legal policies enacted by two federal courts (the U.S. Supreme Court ...
A fall prevention program for elderly individuals. Exercise in long-term care settings

The purpose of this research was to explore the role of exercise in preventing falls, specifically assessing the effectiveness of an ankle strengthening and walking program to improve balance, ankle strength, walking speed, and falls efficacy and to decrease falls and subjects' fear of falling. Sixteen individuals participated in the study which was conducted at two nursing homes. Subjects were assigned randomly to an intervention or control group. The participants in the intervention group completed a 3-month supervised program of ankle strengthening exercises and walking. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample, and differences in the least square means were used to assess the outcome variables (i.e., balance, ankle strength, walking speed, falls, fear of falling, falls efficacy) before the exercise program, and again at 3 months and 6 months after the program for the intervention and control subjects. Findings for the intervention group from pretest to 3-month posttest were, for the most part, maintained or in the predicted direction, suggesting that regular exercise shows promise for preventing deterioration and improving fall-related outcomes for elderly nursing home residents.
MicroRNAs Regulate Pituitary Development, and MicroRNA 26b Specifically Targets Lymphoid Enhancer Factor 1 (Lef-1), Which Modulates Pituitary Transcription Factor 1 (Pit-1) Expression

To understand the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in pituitary development, a group of pituitary-specific miRNAs were identified, and Dicer1 was then conditionally knocked out using the Pitx2-Cre mouse, resulting in the loss of mature miRNAs in the anterior pituitary. The Pitx2-Cre/Dicer1 mutant mice demonstrate growth retardation, and the pituitaries are hypoplastic with an abnormal branching of the anterior lobe, revealing a role for microRNAs in pituitary development. Growth hormone, prolactin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone β-subunit expression were decreased in the Dicer1 mutant mouse, whereas proopiomelanocortin and luteinizing hormone β-subunit expression were normal in the mutant pituitary. Further analyses revealed decreased Pit-1 and increased Lef-1 expression in the mutant mouse pituitary, consistent with the repression of the Pit-1 promoter by Lef-1. Lef-1 directly targets and represses the Pit-1 promoter. miRNA-26b (miR-26b) was identified as targeting Lef-1 expression, and miR-26b represses Lef-1 in pituitary and non-pituitary cell lines. Furthermore, miR-26b up-regulates Pit-1 and growth hormone expression by attenuating Lef-1 expression in GH3 cells. This study demonstrates that microRNAs are critical for anterior pituitary development and that miR-26b regulates Pit-1 expression by inhibiting Lef-1 expression and may promote Pit-1 lineage differentiation during pituitary development.
Norsk Språkråds Komité For Grammatisk Terminologi.Terminologien i norsk språklære.

La celo de la libreto estas kunordigi la gramatikan terminaron uzatan en la norvegaj elementaj lernejoj. Temas pri raporto de komitato de Norvega Lingva Konsilantaro ce la Ministerio pri Eklezio kaj Edukado, responde al peto farita jam en 1968!La raporto estas interesa specimeno de la lingvoplanado guste en tiu termina sfero, kiu ebligas la lingvoplanadon entute, t.e. la metalingvo de la lingvistiko. La rilato inter la du diversaj normlingvoj norvegaj, bokmal kaj nynorsk, ne multe reliefigas, car la komitato, kun ambauflankaj reprezentantoj, akordigis pri uzo, ciam kiam eble, de la sama termino.Oni povas analizi la libron kiel problemo en la lingvoplanado kadre de la kvar kutimaj kategorioj: (1) elekto, (2) kodigo, (3) ellaboro, (4) realigo. La libro estas komerce eldonita, sed cefe celas instruistojn kaj la verkistojn de lernolibroj, grupon rezisteman al la novigoj. La Ministerio decidos, cu la rekomendoj estu devigaj au nur konsilaj.Du apartaj, parte konfliktaj principoj gvidis la komitaton en sia aliro al la problemo. Unue, la diverseco de la deveno de la nomoj de la vortoklasoj: oni distingas la substan-tivojn kaj verbojn per ilia formo, la prepoziciojn kaj konjunkciojn per ilia funkcio, kaj ciun ceteran vortoklason per semantika etikedo. Due, la daura konflikto inter indigena, priskriba terminaro (satata de pedagogoj) kaj internacia, arbitra terminaro (preferata de lingvistoj). Termino kiel navnord ('nomvorto'), por substantivo, estas travidebla, sed erariga, dum substantiv estas neanalizebla, sed permesas laudezire klaran difinon. La komitato generale elektas la internacian terminon, do, tendencas simile, kiel en aliaj teknikaj fakoj. Kroma avantago de la latinigita terminaro estas, ke ambau lingvonormaj skoloj gin akceptas, dum la normo nynorsk malemas akcepti videble dan-germanajn modelojn.Oni provas progresi for de la tradicia lerneja terminaro, kadre de la evoluo de la nuna lingvistiko. La komitato volas klarigi la distingon inter morfologia formo kaj sintaksa funkcio, do, gi rekomendas uzon de verbal, adverbial, ktp. por funkcioj verbaj, adjek-tivaj, ktp. plenumitaj ankau de aliaj vortoklasoj. Tia bezono estas neniel nova, sed estis defendita, ekzemple, jam en 1921. La problemo estas konata al ciu lingvisto, kaj plena solvo ne eblas. Do la komitato provizas du elekteblajn terminarojn kaj ne volas jam forigi la tradician sistemon.Dume, la perceptoj de la komitato espereble estos novaj kaj pensigaj al la instruistoj, se ne al la lingvistoj. La reformemo de la komitato sendube dankigas al F.-E. Vinje, komitatano. Detala kritiko de la terminaraj rekomendoj bezonus pli da spaco, sed la recenzanto bedauras la troan longecon de fonematikk, fonematisk, kaj preferus fonemikk, fonemisk. Krome, la latinigitaj terminoj, jam misteraj al anglalingvaj lernej-anoj, timigos la norvegojn, kaj postulos nacivortan klarigon. La sintaksa aliro estas tradicia, sen la moderna 'herezo' ekz. de transformaci-genera gramatiko. Estus interese kontroli, kiagrade la propono sangos la porlernejan verkadon kaj la instruadon de la norvega gramatiko.
Assessing vehicle effects on skin absorption of non-volatile compounds using membrane-coated fiber arrays.

AbstractContext: The membrane-coated fiber (MCF) array technique was previously demonstrated to be a rapid, quantitative assessment of the percutaneous absorption of volatile compounds, capable of studying chemical mixtures and their synergistic effects. In particular, three commercially available fiber coatings (polydimethylsiloxane, polyacrylate and carbowax) were shown to be representative of molecular interactions relevant to skin absorption.Objective: This study evaluated the potential use of these fibers as a high throughput screening approach for topical formulations. More specifically, the MCFs were evaluated for their ability to predict the skin permeability of caffeine (CF), cortisone (CT), mannitol (MN) and salicylic acid (SA) applied in water or ethanol as unsaturated and/or saturated concentrations, using an additional extraction step to obtain analytes appropriate for liquid chromatography.Methods: Compound extraction from a donor solution was carried out by fiber immersion for a set period ...
Complex figure recall in the elderly: A deficit in memory or constructional strategy?

Abstract Spatial memory declines with age. This study investigated the hypothesis that the decline in spatial memory in the elderly is due to a dysfunction in frontal lobe-mediated planning and organization. The copy and recall ability of 49 elderly subjects and 20 younger subjects was assessed using the Rey-Osterrieth Figure. In addition, the manner of construction, (e.g., the order that each line was produced) was compared between groups. Despite comparable performance with the younger subjects when copying the figure, older subjects performed significantly worse than younger subjects when asked to reproduce the figure from memory. However, this was not due to the organizational strategies they used while copying the figure. They constructed the figure in the same manner as the younger subjects. Therefore, the spatial memory deficits in the elderly are not due to an abnormal organizational strategy. These results are discussed in relation to those of patients with frontal lobe damage and preliminary dat...
Magnetic-field-induced charged exciton studies in a GaAs/Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As single heterojunction

The magnetophotoluminescence (MPL) behavior of a GaAs/Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As single heterojunction has been investigated to 60 T. We observed negatively charged singlet (X{sub s}{sup -}) and triplet (X{sub t}{sup -}) exciton states that are formed at high magnetic fields beyond the {nu}=1 quantum Hall state. The variation of the charged exciton binding energies are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The MPL transition intensities for the X{sub s}{sup -} and X{sub t}{sup -} states showed variations (maxima and minima) at the {nu}=1/3 and 1/5 fractional quantum Hall states as a consequence of a large reduction of electron-hole screening at these filling factors. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Current−Voltage Hysteresis and Memory Effects in Ambipolar Organic Thin Film Transistors Based on a Substituted Oligothiophene

An ambipolar 5,5‘ ‘‘-bis(fluoroalkyl)quarterthiophene exhibits memory effects in thin film transistors. The memory effect is based on hysteresis in the transfer (ID−VG) characteristics that is apparently due to charge trapping. Hysteresis induced by gate-bias stress was exploited to study nonvolatile floating gate memory effects. The ON state retention time for this memory device is ∼70 min. The temperature dependence of the retention time revealed a trapping mechanism with a trapping activation energy of ∼400 meV.
Encoding and retention of semantic and phonemic information in short-term memory

A probe recognition task was used to evaluate the relative effectiveness of semantic and phonemic encoding in STM. On each trial a list of 10 words was presented at a rate of either 350, 700, or 1400 msec per word. Recognition was tested with a probe which could be a homonym, a synonym, or identical to one of the words in the list. The retention functions for all three probe types were similar in shape, supporting the hypothesis that semantic encoding is possible in STM. An interaction between type of encoding and rate occurred, indicating that encoding is a time-dependent serial process.
Hemispheric processing of intonation contours.

Summary Two dichotic experiments were conducted to investigate the lateralization of intonation contours. In the first experiment, intonation contours that had been filtered from real speech exemplars of four English sentence types yielded a significant left ear advantage when subjects were given a perceptual matching task. This left ear advantage was maintained when subjects had to identify the same stimuli by their English sentence types. In the second experiment, non-filtered versions of four intonation contours superimposed on a nonsense syllable medium, as well as their filtered equivalents, were presented to subjects, again in a matching task. For both sets of stimuli, a left ear advantage was obtained. Thus, neither the requirements of a linguistic response nor the presence of a phonetic medium succeeded in altering the left ear advantages obtained in the perceptual matching tests. Results from the two experiments suggest that the right hemisphere is directly involved in the perception of intonation contours, and that normal language perception involves the active participation of both cerebral hemispheres.
Toxic anterior segment syndrome: Update on the most common causes

Purpose To determine how the most common risk factors for toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) have evolved over the past decade. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of surveys from centers reporting cases of TASS from June 1, 2007, through March 1, 2012, and information from visits to afflicted sites between October 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011. Results from June 1, 2009, to March 1, 2012, were compared with those collected before June 1, 2009. Results The data from 130 questionnaires and 71 site visits were analyzed. The reporting centers performed approximately 69 000 surgeries and reported 1454 cases of TASS. Several trends were noted when comparing the most recent data with previously reported results. There was a 26% reduction in sites reporting inadequate handpiece flushing volumes and a 27% increase in sites using a deionized/distilled final rinse. At sites visited, there was a 36% reduction in the use of preserved epinephrine and a 36% reduction in the use of enzymatic detergents. However, there was a 21% increase in handling of intraocular lenses or instrument tips with gloved hands, a 47% increase in poor instrument maintenance, and a 34% increase in ultrasound bath use without adequate routine cleaning. Conclusions Education may have improved some instrument-cleaning and perioperative practices that increase the risk for TASS; however, other practices may be headed in an unfavorable direction. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
EVIDENCE FOR COMMON ANTIGENICITY IN THE PILI OF HAEMO PHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B (HIB)

Antisera to the pilus of a single strain of Hib (C54) were made by hyperimmunization with a pilus-enriched (p+) variant of C54 followed by absorption against a variant of C54 that was identical in encapsulation, outer membrane protein composition, and lipopolysaccharide subtype but lacked pili (p-). 4 different antisera were prepared (2 in different species of mice and 2 in guinea pigs). All 4 antisera agglutinated (aggl) the homologous C54 p+ but did not aggl C54 p-. C54 causes hemagglutination (HA) of human RBCs and adheres well to human epithelial cells (EC) (4.8 bacteria/EC) whereas the p- variant is HA- and adheres poorly (0.2/EC). Addition of antisera resulted in complete inhibition of HA and >60% reduction in C54 bacterial adherence. 9 strains isolated from CSF, blood, and mucosal surfaces were pilus-enriched and studied for cross-reactivity with the pilus of C54. 5 were HA+ with human RBCs only (like C54 and 80% of all Hib isolates), 2 were HA+ with human and rat RBCs (like 12% of all Hib) and 2 were HA+ with all animal and human RBCs tested (like 8% of all Hib). Despite these HA species differences (the only type of heterogeneity found to date) the 4 antisera aggl all 9 strains when p+ but not when p-. Similarly, the antisera inhibited HA of human RBCs and adherence to EC. Thus, pili from different strains of Hib share antigenic determinant(s), and common antipilus antibodies can produce the biologically relevant effect of inhibiting bacterial adherence.
Classrooms matter: The design of virtual classrooms influences gender disparities in computer science classes

Three experiments examined whether the design of virtual learning environments influences undergraduates' enrollment intentions and anticipated success in introductory computer science courses. Changing the design of a virtual classroom - from one that conveys current computer science stereotypes to one that does not - significantly increased women's interest and anticipated success in computer science. Effects occurred even when the learning material, gender of the professor and gender ratio of the classmates were identical, isolating the physical environment as a key determinant of women's choices and expectations. Men's interest and anticipated success were not similarly affected by the environmental changes. Statistical analyses indicated that gender disparities in interest and anticipated success in the stereotypically designed classroom were mediated by women's lower sense of belonging in that environment. Changing the design of virtual learning environments may be a vehicle that universities can use to signal belonging to a wider net of students, and thus increase students' likelihood of enrolling and succeeding in those classes.
How Much Do Presidents Influence Income Inequality

Some scholars argue that whether the president is a Democrat or a Republican has a significant impact on changes in income inequality. That influence may have declined in recent decades.
Regional resource depletion and industry activity: The case of oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Stable and declining oil and gas prices have changed the industry's price expectations and, along with depletion of promising exploration prospects, has resulted in reduced exploration. Even with intensive additional exploration, production in most U.S. areas is expected to decline. What does this imply for the drilling and petroleum industry suppliers in particular regions? How should planners in government and the private sector project and incorporate the consequences of these changes in their strategies? This paper answers these questions for the industry operating in the offshore Gulf of Mexico. Future oil and gas production, as well as demand for offshore drilling and production facilities, are shown to depend on the size distribution of undiscovered fields, their associated production costs, and oil and gas prices. Declining well productivity is a consequence of development of progressively smaller fields so that long-run drilling demand should not decline in proportion to the expected production decline. Calculations show a substantial payoff to the drilling industry, in terms of potential demand increases, if it can develop and implement cost reducing technologies. Implications of these results for other offshore producing areas such as the North Sea are also discussed.
Haemophilus influenzae Susceptibility Testing Within Four Hours by a Modification of the Autobac I System

By adding an XV strip to the eugonic broth or substituting Levinthal broth, the standard Autobac I susceptibility testing system may be used to determine susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae to antimicrobial agents. Complete concordance was attained in testing 30 strains (5 resistant) by Autobac I, disk diffusion, and broth dilution methods. Autobac I results were available within 4 h after isolation of the organism.
Mutual Tuning of Multiple Trajectories

In this article, I offer a pragmatist conceptual framework to link the sociology of health and illness with the sociology of science and technology. Starting from an examination of the practice of doing medicine and science, I extend Anselm Strauss's trajectory concept to analyze the temporality and processual character of an evolving phenomenon in two important ways. First, I analyze how a single trajectory emerges out of the interaction of multiple trajectories and how emerging and existing trajectories shape each other with differential power. Second, in accord with recent writings in science and technology studies, agency is extended from humans to non-humans. I discuss different origin and ending strategies of trajectories and the management of trajectories over time.
The optical crystallographic properties of some N.F.X substances.

The optical crystallographic properties of anthralin, butyl aminobenzoate, danthron, drocarbil, hexestrol, histidine monohydrochloride, mestilbol, naphazoline hydrochloride, nitrofurazone, para‐aminohippuric acid, para‐nitrosulfathiazole, phthalylsulfacetamide, quinine dihydrochloride and quinine hydrochloride are reported. All compounds except mestilbol and quinone hydrochloride will be in the N. F. X. These data afford a rapid and specific method for identification.