cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of KRAS mutation subtype and concurrent pathogenic mutations on non-small cell lung cancer outcomes.

Abstract Objectives Concurrent genetic mutations are prevalent in KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and may differentially influence patient outcomes. We sought to characterize the effects of KRAS mutation subtypes and concurrent pathogenic mutations on overall survival (OS) and PD-L1 expression, a predictive biomarker for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. Materials and methods We retrospectively identified patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC at a single institution and abstracted clinical, molecular, and pathologic data from electronic health records. Cox regression and multinomial logistic regression were used to determine how KRAS mutation subtypes and concurrent pathogenic mutations are associated with OS and tumor PD-L1 expression, respectively. Results A total 186 patients were included. Common KRAS mutation subtypes included G12C (35%) and G12D (17%). Concurrent pathogenic mutations were identified in TP53 (39%), STK11 (12%), KEAP1 (8%), and PIK3CA (4%). On multivariable analysis, KRAS G12D mutations were significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–5.16; P = 0.021), as were STK11 co-mutations (HR 2.95, 95% CI 1.27–6.88; P = 0.012). Compared to no ( Conclusion KRAS G12D and STK11 mutations confer poor prognoses for patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC. KRAS G12C and TP53 mutations correlate with a biomarker that predicts benefit from immunotherapy. Concurrent mutations may represent distinct subsets of KRAS-mutant NSCLC; further investigation is warranted to elucidate their role in guiding treatment.
Recent Progress in Nonlinear Photonic Devices and Phenomena Based on Organic Materials

There has been a great deal of activity in the last few years in the application of nonlinear organic materials to optical phenomena (excluding electro-optics). The goal of this paper is to focus on recent progress.
Definition of the Hercynian Unconformity in eastern Saudi Arabia using chemostratigraphy in conjunction with biostratigraphy, sedimentology and lithostratigraphy

The following chemostratigraphy study was conducted on Paleozoic sediments encountered in 14 wells in eastern Saudi Arabia. A total of 1500 samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with data acquired for 48 elements, ranging from Na to U in the periodic table. The aim was to utilize chemostratigraphy, in conjunction with existing biostratigraphic, lithostratigraphic and sedimentological data, to define the Hercynian Unconformity in each well and to recognize stratigraphic boundaries occurring above and below it. This was necessary as the unconformity eroded to different stratigraphic levels in each well, with Devonian, Silurian and Ordovician sediments found immediately below it in adjacent locations. In the absence of chemostratigraphic, biostratigraphic and sedimentological data, it is often very difficult to define this boundary and others using lithostratigraphy alone as many stratigraphic intervals yield similar gamma-ray (GR) log trends. For example, a low ‘blocky’ GR response is typical of both the Carboniferous Ghazal Member and the Ordovician Sarah Formation. Similarly, both the Silurian Sharawra Member and the Silurian–Devonian Tawil Formation produce a ‘ratty’ GR trend. Each stratigraphic member and formation was found to have distinctive chemostratigraphic, biostratigraphic, sedimentological and/or wireline log signatures.
Comparison of two pixelated insoles using in-shoe pressure sensors to determine percent offloading: case studies.

Objective: The gold standard for offloading neuropathic forefoot and midfoot wounds is the total contact cast (TCC). However, in practice TCC is rarely used and is contraindicated in patients with ...
Sentimentalism in the pursuit of high culture in early nineteenth-century Ukrainian literature

This article examines the Sentimentalist contribution to the pursuit of high culture in Ukrainian literature of the early nineteenth century. It treats this endeavour as a reaction against Ivan Kot...
Ahp-Cyclodepsipeptide Inhibitors of Elastase: Lyngbyastatin 7 Stability, Scalable Synthesis, and Focused Library Analysis

Due to the potency and selectivity of lyngbyastatin 7 in inhibiting neutrophil elastase, a serine protease involved in numerous diseases, this cyclodepsipeptide was considered as a promising lead and subjected to further developmental studies. Lyngbyastatin 7 displayed a favorable serum and microsomal stability profile. The large-scale synthesis of key building blocks was performed on gram scale with improved yields and simplified purification procedures. To tailor the complex structure, define the minimal pharmacophore, and modulate the physicochemical properties of the lead scaffold, the first pilot library of analogues was designed and synthesized for structure-activity relationship studies. We uncovered the essential role of the side chain, indicating that the minimal structural requirements for elastase inhibition extended beyond the 3-amino-6-hydroxy-2-piperidone (Ahp) and 2-aminobutenoic acid (Abu) moieties conventionally known to convey antiprotease activity and elastase selectivity, respectively. Our studies will facilitate the design and development of this class of elastase inhibitors.
The alternative spliced 3'-UTR mediated differential secretion of macrophage colony stimulating factor in breast cancer cells.

Abstract CSF-1 mRNA 3′UTR variants (var) are generated from alternative splicing. CSF-1 protein encoded by var-1 mRNA with long 3′UTR derived from exon-10 is rapidly secreted compared to the CSF-1 protein encoded by var-4 mRNA with short 3′UTR derived from exon-9. Secretion kinetics indicates that HuR, which binds the CSF-1 var-1 mRNA, but not var-4 mRNA, accelerates the secretion of CSF-1 protein. HuR overexpression increases the secretion rate of CSF-1 protein. In contrast, silencing of HuR does not have such an effect, suggesting other compensatory mechanisms. Effect of the CSF-1 mRNA variant 3′UTRs on cellular phenotype shows both CSF-1 var-1 or -4 mRNA is involved in the enhanced rates of migration and invasion observed by both in vitro in breast cancer cells. Our study indicates that the alternative splicing of CSF-1 mRNA 3′UTR can regulate differential secretion of CSF-1 protein.
Current Status of Dyslipidemia Treatment for Stroke Prevention.

Elevated cholesterol is an established risk factor for ischemic stroke. The value of statins for stroke prevention has been clear for more than a decade. However, the use of new medication combinations such as ezetimibe or proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 inhibitors plus statins is increasing and the value for reducing stroke has been shown for these combination therapies. Recent data also support the strategy of lowering triglycerides for stroke prevention. A modern approach to dyslipidemia treatment and its relation to stroke prevention is summarized in this paper.
Output Improvement in High Volume Memory Fabs by Reducing Recipe Qualifications

This paper presents a model to optimize the number of recipes qualified on each tool or chamber in a fleet by evaluating the trade-off between the cost in tool time required to run nonproduct wafers (NPW’s) for qualifying additional recipes versus the benefit of having as many recipes as possible qualified to maximize flexibility. The model specifically addresses an issue observed in high volume fabs such as large memory fabs, where most of the tools are qualified to run several recipes. In these situations, in which the number of tools is much greater than the number of recipes and substantial resources (such as process and metrology tool time, non-product wafers, and labor) are required to qualify each recipe, the cost in tool time for qualifying many recipes on each tool can outweigh the benefits in flexibility. Based on typical product mixes and qualification requirements in such a fab, we demonstrate that using this model could reduce the tool time required to run qualification wafers and increase the time available to run production wafers by 1% or more with minimal or no impact on cycle time.
Evil and the Body

Part of a collection on “the body,” the piece reflects on the story of a feral girl who fell into the hands of scientists trying to discover the basis of human language.
Build-a-Cell: Engineering a Synthetic Cell Community

Build-a-Cell is a global network of researchers that aims to develop synthetic living cells within the next decade. These cells will revolutionize the biotechnology industry by providing scientists and engineers with a more complete understanding of biology. Researchers can already replicate many cellular functions individually, but combining them into a single cell remains a significant challenge. This integration step will require the type of large-scale collaboration made possible by Build-a-Cell’s open, collective structure. Beyond the lab, Build-a-Cell addresses policy issues and biosecurity concerns associated with synthetic cells. The following review discusses Build-a-Cell’s history, function, and goals.
Wide-field FTIR microscopy using mid-IR pulse shaping.

We have developed a new table-top technique for collecting wide-field Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopic images by combining a femtosecond pulse shaper with a mid-IR focal plane array. The pulse shaper scans the delay between a pulse pair extremely rapidly for high signal-to-noise, while also enabling phase control of the individual pulses to under-sample the interferograms and subtract background. Infrared absorption images were collected for a mixture of W(CO)6 or Mn2(CO)10 absorbed polystyrene beads, demonstrating that this technique can spatially resolve chemically distinct species. The images are sub-diffraction limited, as measured with a USAF test target patterned on CaF2 and verified with scalar wave simulations. We also find that refractive, rather than reflective, objectives are preferable for imaging with coherent radiation. We discuss this method with respect to conventional FTIR microscopes.
Tell China's Story Well?: Cultural Framing and Online Contestation

The development of new media transforms human communication experiences in ways that are socially, culturally, and politically meaningful. This study investigates the Chinese government's use of new media in response to an international communication crisis, the Ai Weiwei case, in 2011. Through a discourse analysis of China's official online news website, China Daily, as well as Twitter posts, most salient media frames in China's online media discourse are identified. The results suggest that online contestation of media framing in China's official media discourse contributes to the formation of new cultural expectations and norms in Chinese society and challenges the government's ability to tell its own stories without dispute. The author argues that new media foster online discussion and stimulate public debate of China's accountability and transparency in interacting with domestic and global audiences during crisis communication.
Networks of Empire: Forced Migration and Cape Colonial Society

By the mid-eighteenth century, a seafarer's first view of Cape Town from the deck of a ship was the formidable stone fortress protecting a small well-ordered European colonial town that looked expectantly out to sea. A sight that impressed many travelers most vividly on first arriving at the Cape, and one that many cartographers represented in disproportionate size, was the Company's gibbet. Situated just outside the town at a slight elevation, the scaffold was visible to ships entering the Cape roadstead. This was where corpses of the condemned were hung on display to rot. Another site of execution – the gallows – stood within a walled yard next to the Castle of Good Hope at the top of the main road going inland so all travelers would pass it. This was where sentences of public punishment, torture, and execution took place. These sites, on display for all travelers and residents to see, epitomized the foundations of Dutch East India Company rule as clearly as did the Castle. The VOC's imposition of jurisdiction and monopoly of legal force over those who inhabited its settlements throughout its far-flung empire, as exemplified by these three sites – the gibbet, gallows, and Castle – enabled the Company to impose its will in the name of the law. Places of execution at the Cape were just one of the signs and symbols of a system of discipline that incorporated ships at sea and settlements on land across the Indian Ocean.
Site-directed mutagenesis and structure-function analysis of the human apolipoprotein A-I. Relation between lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activation and lipid binding.

Abstract We have mutagenized the human apoA-I gene and have generated cell lines which express normal and mutant apoA-I forms. Point mutations were introduced which changed Gln-1, Gln-2 to Arg,Arg, Pro99 to His, and Pro121 to His. In addition, the following amino acid deletions (delta) were generated: delta 113-124, delta 148-186, delta 212-233, and delta 213-243. The apoA-I form isolated from the culture medium of C127 cells was analyzed for its ability to activate lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and to bind to phospholipid vesicles and high density lipoprotein (HDL). Compared with the wild type (WT) apoA-I, the relative activation of LCAT achieved by the point mutations Gln-1, Gln-2----Arg,Arg, Pro99----His, and Pro121----His were 106 +/- 7, 92 +/- 6, and 77 +/- 9%, respectively. Kinetic analysis of one mutant apoA-I form showed similar Vmax but a 15-fold increase in the Km of the mutant apoA-I form. Furthermore, the activation achieved by the internal deletion mutants delta 113-124, delta 148-186, delta 212-233, and delta 213-243 was 47 +/- 3, 0.5 +/- 0.4, 28 +/- 4 and 13 +/- 5%, respectively. Mutants deficient in their ability to activate LCAT displayed alterations in liposome and HDL binding, compared with WT as determined by density gradient ultracentrifugation analysis of the culture medium. Thus, the peak recovery (approximately 50%) of apoA-I bound to HDL was at density 1.14 g/ml for the WT apoA-I, at 1.18 g/ml for the mutants delta 113-124 and delta 148-186, and at d greater than 1.21 g/ml for the delta 212-233 and delta 213-243. Electron microscopy of the proteoliposome LCAT substrate generated by WT and mutant apoA-I forms showed that the carboxyl-terminal deletion mutants which displayed aberrant binding to HDL also displayed reduced ability to convert the spherical lecithin-cholesterol vesicles into discs compared with WT. The findings suggest that (a) the importance of the carboxyl terminus of apoA-I for LCAT activation is related to its ability to bind to lipid and/or to form discoidal substrate for LCAT, and (b) the interaction of several domains of apoA-I are required for the activation of LCAT.
TDMS: test data management system for aviation software

Quality assurance and testing phase is one of the most crucial phases in the life cycle of software. Most software, dealing with the critical aspects of aviation, is subjected to intense testing. This frequently results in generation of enormous, unorganized, raw data files. This data have to be processed and analyzed further to get a meaningful insight into potential problem areas. In this paper, we present the results of our study on designing and implementing a test management system specifically for testing aviation software. It has three major contributions. Firstly, we present a survey of existing work. Secondly, we discuss the design for a test data management system, TDMS. Finally, we discuss some implementation issues encountered during the TDMS development.
The preparative scale separation and the identification of constituents of anthraquinone-derived dye mixtures: Part 2. benzanthrone, dibenzochrysenedione, and 1,4-di-p-toluidinoanthraquinone

Abstract Two colored smoke mixes, yellow and green, which contain anthraquinone-derived dyes, were separated for chemical characterization and biological testing. The yellow smoke mix was separated by vacuum sublimation, Soxhiet extraction, and differential solubility. The compounds identified in this mix included the major dye components, benzanthrone and dibenzochrysenedione as well as anthraquinone, a diketone with a molecular weight of 366, a number of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons, and a nonvolatile residue. The green smoke mix contained 1,4-di- p -toluidinoanthraquinone as the major component along with benzanthrone and dibenzochrysenedione. The bulk of by vacuum sublimation, although some residual toluidino accompanied the benzanththe toluidino derivative was separated from the other two components by chromatography on a basic alumina column. The benzanthrone and dibenzochrysenedione were then separated by vaccum sublimation, although some residual toludino accompanied the benzathrone.
Imaging in Degenerative Spine Pathology

The lack of radiation, high soft tissue contrast and capacity for multiplanar and three-dimensional imaging have made magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the imaging modality of choice for evaluating spinal cord diseases. In diagnostic imaging of the spine, MRI is clearly superior to both conventional radiography (CR) and computed tomography (CT) and it should be preferred as first diagnostic examination when degenerative spine pathologies are suspected.
Expression, Purification, and Biological Characterization of Babesia microti Apical Membrane Antigen 1

ABSTRACT The intraerythrocytic apicomplexan Babesia microti, the primary causative agent of human babesiosis, is a major public health concern in the United States and elsewhere. Apicomplexans utilize a multiprotein complex that includes a type I membrane protein called apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) to invade host cells. We have isolated the full-length B. microti AMA1 (BmAMA1) gene and determined its nucleotide sequence, as well as the amino acid sequence of the AMA1 protein. This protein contains an N-terminal signal sequence, an extracellular region, a transmembrane region, and a short conserved cytoplasmic tail. It shows the same domain organization as the AMA1 orthologs from piroplasm, coccidian, and haemosporidian apicomplexans but differs from all other currently known piroplasmida, including other Babesia and Theileria species, in lacking two conserved cysteines in highly variable domain III of the extracellular region. Minimal polymorphism was detected in BmAMA1 gene sequences of parasite isolates from six babesiosis patients from Nantucket. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies showed that BmAMA1 is localized on the cell surface and cytoplasm near the apical end of the parasite. Native BmAMA1 from parasite lysate and refolded recombinant BmAMA1 (rBmAMA1) expressed in Escherichia coli reacted with a mouse anti-BmAMA1 antibody using Western blotting. In vitro binding studies showed that both native BmAMA1 and rBmAMA1 bind to human red blood cells (RBCs). This binding is trypsin and chymotrypsin treatment sensitive but neuraminidase independent. Incubation of B. microti parasites in human RBCs with a mouse anti-BmAMA1 antibody inhibited parasite growth by 80% in a 24-h assay. Based on its antigenically conserved nature and potential role in RBC invasion, BmAMA1 should be evaluated as a vaccine candidate.
Chemical and physical responses to deformation in micaceous quartzites from the Tauern Window, Eastern Alps

Micaceous quartzites from a subvertical shear zone in the Tauern Window contain abundant quartz clasts derived from dismembered quartz-tourmaline veins. Bulk plane strain deformation affected these rocks at amphibolite facies conditions. Shape changes suggest net shortening of the clasts by 11–64%, with a mean value of 35%. Quartz within the clasts accommodated this strain largely via dislocation creep processes. On the high-stress flanks of the clasts, however, quartz was removed via solution mass transfer (pressure solution) processes; the resulting change in bulk composition allowed growth of porphyroblastic staurolite + chlorite ± kyanite on the clast flanks. Matrix SiO2 contents decrease from c. 83 wt% away from the clasts to 49–58% in the selvages on the clast flanks. The chemical changes are consistent with c. 70% volume loss in the high-stress zones. Calculated shortening values within the clast flanks are similar to the volume-loss estimates, and are greatly in excess of the shortening values calculated from the clasts themselves. Flow laws for dislocation creep versus pressure solution imply large strain-rate gradients and/or differential stress gradients between the matrix and the clast selvages. In a rock containing a large proportion of semirigid clasts, weakening within the clast flanks could dominate rock rheology. In our samples, however, weakening within the selvages was self limiting: (1) growth of strong staurolite porphyroblasts in the selvages protected remaining quartz from dissolution; and (2) overall flattening of the quartz clasts probably decreased the resolved shear stress on the flanks to values near those of the matrix, which would have reduced the driving force for solution-transfer creep. Extreme chemical changes nonetheless occurred over short distances. The necessity of maintaining strain compatibility may lead to significant localized dissolution in rocks containing rheologic heterogeneities, and overall weakening of the rocks may result. Solution-transfer creep may be a major process whereby weakening and strain localization occur during deep-crustal metamorphism of polymineralic rocks.
Large-displacement structural durability analyses of simple bend specimen emulating rocket nozzle liners

One of the important life-limiting failure modes encountered by the rocket nozzle liner of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is thermal/mechanical ratchetting of the thin (0.0635-cm) wall of copper material between the fuel/coolant channels and the hot gas wall. The ratchetting of material is toward the inside hot gas path of the rocket nozzle. When viewed in transverse (to the gas flow) cross section, the initially rectangular fuel/ coolant channels tend to develop a “doghouse” shape with the roof pointed toward the centerline of the nozzle (see fig. 1 from ref. 1). This deformation mode feeds on itself and causes the thin wall to become ever thinner. The thinned area may rupture eventually and dump valuable hydrogen fuel into the nozzle where it is burned without a significant propulsive effect. The rate of thinning (i.e., ratchetting) has been shown analytically by Arya and Arnold (ref. 2) to be temperature, pressure, and cycle dependent. New geometric designs or new materials are required to either eliminate or drastically reduce this failure mode.
Corporate information transparency

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of information transparency in a for‐profit business environment, and explain the importance and relevance of the concept in creating a transparent organization.Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of a sample of the existing literature focusing on transparency, a common theme regarding information was observed. Most research addresses information from a technology/systems perspective not as a basis of creating or modifying corporate strategy.Findings – In a corporate environment, information transparency is reached when internal decision makers receive, at their desktop, the internal and external information necessary to make sound business decisions. The infrastructure and the technology of the computer systems used to deliver the information are not of primary importance to information transparency. Information technology systems are the means of delivery, the importance and value of information transparency is the content of the...
RESISTANCE TO SALINITY OF ALNUS MARITIMA FROM DISJUNCT WETLANDS: SYMPTOMS OF SALT INJURY, COMPARISON TO OTHER SHRUBS, AND EFFECT OF INUNDATION

Alnus maritima (seaside alder) occurs in wet or flooded soils on the Delmarva Peninsula (southern Delaware and adjacent counties of eastern Maryland, USA) and in small niches in Georgia and Oklahoma. Although some A. maritima exist in coastal estuaries, responses of the species to salt, and whether salt resistance depends on provenance of plant origin, are not known. We first compared salt injury among A. maritima from all provenances irrigated with dilutions of ocean water. Seedlings from the three provenances responded similarly. Salinity up to 3.1 g/kg did not alter stem elongation but did cause increases in the ratio of dry to fresh weight of basipetal leaves, which reflected their necrosis. Photosynthesis and growth after treatment with salt then were compared among A. maritima and four other woody species: Baccharis halimifolia, Ceanothus americanus, Myrica cerifera, and Cornus amomum. Irrigation solutions with up to 12 g/kg salinity had no effect on B. halimifolia and caused no visible damage to M. Cerifera. Ceanothus americanus showed foliar necrosis and decreases in photosynthesis at 3, 6, and 12 g/kg. Photosynthesis of A. maritima and C. amomum was sustained after irrigating with solutions at 3 g/kg but was reduced by 6 and 12 g/kg salinity. Our third experiment showed a more pronounced decrease in photosynthesis as salinity increased for A. maritima with roots partially or totally inundated in solutions with salt compared to plants irrigated but not inundated with these solutions. Lastly, symptoms of salt injury among A. maritima planted at locations that differed in salinity along the Broadkill River, an estuary in Delaware, were found to be similar to those we documented among plants treated in a greenhouse. We conclude that necrosis of basipetal leaves is the most apparent symptom of injury caused by salt in the root zones of A. maritima, that low concentrations of salt can lead to damage, and that the rate at which symptoms develop in this riparian species varies with the extent of root-zone inundation with salt water. Alnus maritima was less sensitive than C. americanus to salt but was considerably more sensitive than B. halimifolia and M. cerifera.
Mediation and Counseling Services: A Viable Partnership.

Mediation has become common in many areas of society, including marital dissolution, community disputes, governmental agencies, and business and industry. Though higher education has been slower than society to adopt mediation services, campus mediation is becoming increasingly more common. This article explains why mediation is a viable educational opportunity and offers a rationale for mediation as a branch of counseling services.
Individual differences in skilled performance following imagery of bilateral skill.

The present study examined individual differences related to imagery about bilateral skill. 100 males were pretested on the Betts and Gordon scales for competency of imagery and the Eysenck Persona...
A pattern matching coprocessor for network security

It has been estimated that computer network worms and virus caused the loss of over $55B in 2003. Network security system use techniques such as deep packet inspection to detect the harmful packets. While software intrusion detection system running on general purpose processors can be updated in response to new attacks. They lack the processing power to monitor gigabit networks. We present a high performance pattern matching co-processor architecture that can be used to monitor and identify a large number of intrusion signature. The design consists of a bank of pattern matchers that are used to implement a highly concurrent filter. The pattern matchers can be programmed to match multiple patterns of various lengths, and are able to leverage the existing databases of threat signatures. We have been able to program the filters to match all the payload patterns defined in the widely used Snort network intrusion detection system at a rate above 7 Gbps, with memory space left to accommodate threat signatures that become available in the future.
Preserving IGY's history and legacy

The International Geophysical Year of 1957–1958 was a monumental achievement in technology and scientific cooperation. The effort culminated in the participation of 67 nations in research programs from pole-to-pole and out into space and the ultimate benefits remain difficult to assess. In fact, historians of science are still struggling to chart the IGY's origin, plans, and progress missing and/or conflicting information. The IGY Gold History Preservation Initiative strives to assist this effort by identifying IGY participants and gathering materials/resources which could be of significance in reconstructing/rediscovering the IGY's key events and personalities.
Using Subscription Agencies’ Reports to Track Serial Formats

Abstract The proliferation of electronic resources has dramatically changed every aspect of the serials industry, including library operations. This article addresses issues that have challenged the serials unit at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries. The authors describe the use of subscription agencies’ reports to track serial formats and discuss issues surrounding serials management, including the importance of identifying and reconciling format discrepancies, maintenance of serials order records, and serials processing workflow.
Lessons for Class Size Policy and Research.

Teachers and parents both believe that "smaller is better" for student achievement. The Gallup Polls (1979, 1988, 1989) show that a very large majority (75 to 80%) of these two influential interest groups believe that small classes are important to enhance student achievement. Research results have been mixed, and while recent research summaries (Odden, 1990; Slavin, 1990) indicate that a substantial (one-third or more) class size reduction in the elementary grades has some positive effect on achievement, it is not a large one. The kind of strong positive research results that would support teacher and parent preferences for small classes was reported by Glass and Smith (1978) and Glass, Cahen, Smith, and Filby (1982). But reanalysis of these summaries by Slavin shows that the substantial effect found by Glass was largely due to the inclusion of tutoring (class size of one) studies. Tutoring makes a big difference, but reducing class size by about a third (from 24 or 25 to 15 or 16) produces an average effect that is positive, but small (effect size of about .13) (Slavin, 1990). Project STAR found larger effects than most other well-designed studies done in the elementary grades. The Project STAR average effect size over both reading and math and over all four
A recollection of the development of the Kok-Joliot model for photosynthetic oxygen evolution

Twenty-five years of period-four O2-flash yield oscillation are celebrated with a personal recollection of the development of the Kok-Joliot model for photosynthetic oxygen evolution.
An electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) study of thermal effects in LiF:Mg,Cu,P phosphors

LiF:Mg,Cu,P is a promising new high sensitivity material for use as a solid state radiation dosimeter. However, it suffers from a considerable loss in sensitivity upon heat treatment above 265 °C, for reasons not yet understood. This electron energy loss spectrosopy study of this phosphor indicates the presence of previously undetected inclusion particles in this material. As-received pellets contain small concentrations of inclusions analysed to contain Li, F and O. After heat treatment at 320 °C, the inclusions are found to contain principally Li, P and O. Evidence is also found that the Li-F-O particles may be the precursor to the formation of the Li-P-O particles. Since this heat treatment also causes a 95% loss in thermoluminescent sensitivity in this material, this observation may be important in understanding the cause of this loss in sensitivity, and may also indicate an important role for oxygen in the process. Along with other reactions that occur in this temperature range, these results indicate the importance of defect interactions, which appear to be complex in this system, in determining the mechanisms of luminescence in halide systems.
Carbocyclic isoadenosine analogues of neplanocin A.

Isoadenosine (IsoA), a structural isomer of adenosine, was shown to possess interesting biological activity but was inherently unstable. In an effort to overcome this, we have designed a series of carbocyclic IsoA analogues, combining the unique connectivity of IsoA with the structural features of some biologically significant Neplanocin A analogues. Their design, synthesis, and structural elucidation is reported.
Exposure of Early Pediatric Trainees to Blood and Marrow Transplantation Leads to Higher Recruitment to the Field

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) projects the need for allogeneic unrelated blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) in the United States as 10,000 per year. Although the NMDP is preparing to facilitate that number by the year 2015, there are several barriers to meeting this goal, including the need to recruit more health care personnel, including BMT physicians. To learn how best to recruit BMT physicians, we examined why practicing BMT physicians chose to enter the field and why others did not. We conducted a Web-based survey among pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) and BMT physician providers and trainees to identify the factors influencing their decision to choose or not choose a career in BMT. Out of 259 respondents (48% male, 74% of Caucasian origin), 94 self-identified as BMT physicians, 112 as PHO physicians, and 53 as PHO trainees. The PHO and BMT providers spent an average of 53% of their time in clinical activities. More than two-thirds of PHO providers reported providing BMT services at their institutions, most commonly for inpatient coverage (73%). The proportion of providers exposed to BMT early in training was significantly higher among BMT providers compared with PHO providers (51% versus 18% in medical school [P < .0001]; 70% versus 50% during residency [P < .005]). Exposure during fellowship (94%) did not differ between the 2 groups. The decision to pursue a career in BMT was made before fellowship (medical school or residency) by 50% of the respondents. A lower proportion of BMT providers than PHO providers reported current involvement in the education of medical students and residents (76% versus 98%; P < .0001). Of the 53 trainees who responded, 64% reported not contemplating a career in BMT. Of these, 68% identified inadequate exposure to BMT before PHO fellowship as the reason behind this decision. Only 26% reported receiving exposure to the BMT field while in medical school, and 43% reported exposure during residency. The 2 most common reasons cited for choosing a career as a BMT physician were the degree of intellectual and scientific challenge (89%) and the influence of role models/mentors in the field (67%). The results of this survey suggest that early exposure to BMT during medical school and residency is associated with increased interest in pursuing a career in BMT. BMT physicians and training program directors can foster interest in the field by promoting BMT-focused education and clinical inpatient and outpatient rotations during medical school and residency. This early exposure to BMT may aid recruitment of future transplantation providers.
The role of the armadillo and sooty mangabey monkey in human leprosy

Background The armadillo was the first animal model of leprosy. Its role in the transmission of leprosy remains controversial. The sooty mangabey model of leprosy led to the discovery that rhesus monkeys were more susceptible to leprosy when coinfected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), but that leprosy may play a protective role against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) mortality. Recently, molecular methods have been developed for leprosy and may help resolve the role of zoonoses in leprosy. Observations The recent identification of a case of leprosy in a native-born American on the east coast of the USA and the identification of leprosy as an immunologic reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive cases raise the question of what role zoonoses may play in leprosy. Conclusions Leprosy in armadillos and sooty mangabeys has been manipulated by human experimentation. In the case of the armadillo, further study, including molecular techniques, is required to elucidate the role of the armadillo as a zoonosis in human leprosy. Experimentation with the sooty mangabey led to the discovery of an interaction between SIV and leprosy in rhesus monkeys, and prompted the continued investigation of the relationship between HIV and leprosy.
Stress relaxation measurement of viscoelastic materials using a polymer-based microfluidic device

Abstract This paper presents the stress relaxation measurement of viscoelastic materials using a polymer-based microfluidic device. Comprised of a single polymer rectangular microstructure and a set of electrolyte-enabled distributed resistive transducers, this device is capable of detecting continuous distributed dynamic loads. In a measurement, a rigid cylinder probe is utilized to apply a precisely controlled step displacement input to a material specimen on the device, and consequently the spatially varying stress relaxation behavior of the specimen is translated to time-dependent continuous distributed loads acting on the device, where such loads give rise to time-dependent continuous deflection of the polymer microstructure and register as discrete resistance changes at the locations of the transducers. To account for device-to-device fabrication variations, performance characterization is first conducted on a device as a control experiment, and then a specimen is placed on a characterized device for measurement. Several homogeneous and heterogeneous specimens are measured, and the associated data analysis is conducted for extracting the spatially varying Young's relaxation modulus, which is expressed as the Maxwell model with two relaxation times. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using a single polymer-based microfluidic device to map out the spatially varying stress relaxation behavior of viscoelastic materials.
A robust scheduling technology for moldable scheduling of parallel jobs

Moldable job scheduling has been proved to be effective compared to traditional-job scheduling policies. It is based on the observation that most jobs submitted to a space-shared parallel system can actually reduce their response times if they were allowed to take any number of processors in a user-specified range. Previous approaches to scheduling of moldable jobs focused on when and how to choose the number of processors for a moldable job. Careful experimental evaluations show that these techniques are not robust. This paper proposes a new strategy for scheduling moldable jobs that outperforms not only the traditional rigid scheme, but also the previous moldable scheduling policies, by doing uniformly well under different load conditions and for jobs of different scalabilities.
Androgen control of an inhibitory modulator of phosphodiesterase in rat epididymis and prostate.

When rats were injected with the progestin ethynodiol diacetate in doses that suppressed spermatogenesis and the growth of accessory sex glands, the level of phosphodiesterase in epididymal and prostate tissues increased 5- to 10-fold. This increase was prevented by concurrent administration of testosterone propionate. A similar increase in phosphodiesterase activity was observed in the epididymides and prostates of castrated animals, with reversal by treatment with androgen. In immature rats approaching puberty, the phosphodiesterase activity in epididymis and prostate increased while the blood testosterone level remained low; as the testosterone level rose with the onset of puberty, the phosphodiesterase activity decreased. Incubation of enzymically active extracts of accessory tissues from castrated rats with heat-treated extracts of the corresponding normal tissues resulted in strong inhibition of the initially high phosphodiesterase activity. The addition of heattreated extracts of accessory glands f...
Sharing the Burden of Parental Death: Intrafamily Effects of HIV/AIDS Orphans on Fertility and Child Quality

AbstractThis paper estimates the effect of orphan supply in family networks through parental death on fertility and the quality of children of surviving adults using data from Malawi. To address the potential problem of joint determination of both fertility and mortality, we exploit differences between the patrilineal and matrilineal lineage systems in the composition of family networks and in the structure of contingent obligations. Comparing mortality effects in the matrilineal and patrilineal lineage systems, we find that supply of young orphans in family networks significantly reduces demand for children by surviving adults and raises the quality of their biological children. We do not find any effect when adult mortality does not generate orphans, suggesting that the estimates are indeed orphan effects. Our results from Malawi, a country with moderately high rates of HIV/AIDS incidence, suggest that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa may reduce fertility through adoptive care of AIDS orphans...
Isolation and characterization of conditional alleles of the yeast SIR2 gene.

Abstract Sir2 is a protein deacetylase that mediates transcriptional silencing at the HM loci, telomeres, and rDNA repeats in yeast. To identify functionally significant regions of the Sir2 protein, we have characterized two types of mutations. First, we used random mutagenesis to create temperature-sensitive alleles of the SIR2 gene. Mutations conferring conditional silencing can be isolated throughout the SIR2 gene, causing both enzymatic and protein interaction defects. We used external deletions to identify regions essential for silencing in the non-conserved regions of Sir2. Deletions of the Sir2 N-terminal 89 amino acid residues caused a subtle increase in silencing, while deletions encompassing residues 110–146 caused loss of Sir2 interactions with both Sir4 and Net1. This loss of protein interaction correlates with a loss of Sir2-mediated silencing, and is consistent with a model in which Net1 and Sir4 compete for interaction with Sir2. These results indicate that recognition of the binding partners of Sir2 is a key function of non-conserved sequences.
A generalization of the concept of sketch

This paper introduces an extension of the concept of sketch, called a form, which allows the specification of entities other than limits and colimits in a model. A form can require that a diagram become (in a model) an instance of any categorial construction specifiable in an essentially algebraic way. Constructions which can be specified in this way include function space objects in and reflexive objects in a cartesian closed category, power objects in a topos, and list objects in a locos. This generalization is motivated by the desire to specify functional programming languages by sketches.
EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES ALTER THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN THE SOIL

Exotic plant species are increasingly becoming the focus of research and have been identified as a component of human-induced global change. Successful invaders may alter soil conditions, but the effect of exotic species on soil microbial communities has not been studied. We studied two exotic understory plant species (Japanese barberry [Berberis thunbergii] and Japanese stilt grass [Microstegium vimineum]) in hardwood forests in northern New Jersey, USA. We sampled bulk and rhizosphere soils under the two exotic species, as well as under a co-occurring native species (blueberry [Vaccinium spp.]). We indexed the structure (by measuring phospholipid fatty acid [PLFA] profiles) and function (by measuring enzyme activities and substrate-induced respiration [SIR] profiles) of microbial communities in the sampled soils. Soils under the three species differed in microbial community structure and function. These differences were observed in both the rhizosphere and bulk soil samples. Differences in the structural variables were correlated to differences in the functional variables as demonstrated by canonical correlation analysis. These results indicate that successful exotic invasive species can have profound effects on the microbial community of the soil.
“Over-Foreignization” or “Unused Potential”? A critical review of migrant health in Germany and responses toward unauthorized migration

Persons of migrant background, a highly heterogeneous group, now comprise one-fifth of the total population in Germany. However, delayed and conflicted responses to social inclusion have resulted in clear deficits in the health care system, with few serious attempts to assess migrants' profiles and needs. This article provides a critical review based on meta-analysis of literature indexed in MEDLINE, a qualitative review of German medical and nursing curricula, and original ethnographic data. It examines discourses and practices embedded within larger national debates on migrant integration and their specific manifestations in the health sector in order to explain the current situation of unauthorized migrants. The historical arc of the last fifty years can be viewed as a progression of key themes based on interrelated concepts of deservingness and selective investment. Relative deservingness is evident in differential social positioning and access to resources, resulting in selective investment and decades of continued social inequality.
A Three-Dimensional Analysis of the Flow and Heat Transfer for the Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition Process Including Buoyancy, Variable Properties, and Tube Rotation

A study has been made of the heat transfer, flow, and particle deposition relative to the modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) process. The effects of variable properties, buoyancy, and tube rotation have been included in the study. The resulting three-dimensional temperature and velocity fields have been obtained for a range of conditions. The effects of buoyancy result in asymmetric temperature and axial velocity profiles with respect to the tube axis. Variable properties cause significant variations in the axial velocity along the tube and in the secondary flow in the region near the torch. Particle trajectories are shown to be strongly dependent on the tube rotation and are helices for large rotational speeds. The component of secondary flow in the radial direction is compared to the thermophoretic velocity, which is the primary cause of particle deposition in the MCVD process. Over the central portion of the tube the radial component of the secondary flow is most important in determining the motion of the particles.
Sp1 and Sp3 regulate transcription of the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit 2 (p39) promoter in neuronal cells

Abstract Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) activity is critical for development and function of the nervous system. Cdk5 activity is dependent on association with the regulators p35 and p39 whose expression is highly regulated in the developing nervous system. We have identified a small 200 bp fragment of the p39 promoter that is sufficient for cell type-specific expression in neuronal cells. Mutational analysis revealed that a cluster of predicted binding sites for Sp1, AP-1/CREB/ATF and E box-binding transcription factors is essential for full activity of the p39 promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that Sp1 and Sp3 bound to sequences required for p39 promoter function and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed binding of these proteins to the endogenous p39 promoter. Furthermore, depletion of either Sp1 or Sp3 by siRNA reduced expression from the p39 promoter. Our data suggest that the ubiquitously expressed transcription factors Sp1 and Sp3 regulate transcription of the cdk5 regulator p39 in neuronal cells, possibly in cooperation with tissue-specific transcription factors.