cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TET2 and ASXL1 Mutations in Leukemic Transformation of Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Abstract 2894 Poster Board II-870 Recent studies have identified TET2 and ASXL1 mutations in myeloid malignancies, suggesting that acquisition of these mutant alleles might precede the acquisition of JAK2 in some myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients. Moreover, the observation that JAK2 mutations are observed in minority of patients with leukemic transformation of JAK2 -mutant MPNs suggests the possibility that JAK2 mutations are dispensable for leukemic transformation. However the role of TET2 and ASXL1 mutations in leukemic transformation has not been evaluated. We therefore investigated the mutational status of JAK2, TET2, and ASXL1 in 63 patients with leukemic transformation from a pre-existing MPN, including 49 unpaired secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) samples and 14 patients for whom paired MPN and sAML samples were available. Mutations of TET2 and ASXL1 were found at a higher frequency in sAML samples transformed from MPNs than reported for sporadic MPNs (9/46 (19.6%) and 7/46 (15.2%), respectively). This was also higher than the mutational frequency of TET2 and ASXL1 in de novo AML (6.4% (3/47) and 4.3% (2/47), respectively) but similar to that of AML transformed from MDS (12.8% (5/39) and 15.4% (6/39)). All possible genetic combinations of JAK2 , TET2 , and ASXL1 status were observed in sAML patients. Analysis of paired samples reveal that TET2 mutations are far more likely to occur at leukemic transformation of MPN than at MPN diagnosis (p=0.013, Fisher9s exact test) whereas ASXL1 mutations were equally likely to occur at MPN or sAML. Although mutations in JAK2 and in TET2 may not be retained at leukemic transformation from MPN, mutations in ASXL1 at MPN diagnosis were consistently retained at leukemic transformation. In addition, individual cases were observed where TET2 and/or ASXL1 mutations were found before acquisition of JAK2 mutations or clinical evidence of MPN, as well as cases where TET2 and ASXL1 mutations were acquired during leukemic transformation of a JAK2V617F-positive clone. These data suggest the mutational order of events in MPN and sAML pathogenesis might vary in different patients, and that TET2 and ASXL1 mutations might contribute in different patients to the development of MPN and/or to leukemic transformation. In addition, the identification of transformed AML cases with no evidence of pre-existing JAK2 , TET2 , and ASXL1 mutations indicates the existence of other, not yet identified, mutations necessary for leukemic transformation of MPNs. Disclosures: Levine: Novartis: Research Funding; TargeGen: Consultancy. Verstovsek: Incyte: ; Exelixis: ; Cephalon: ; SBIO: ; AstraZeneca: .
Cluster analysis for reducing city crime rates

Data analysis plays an indispensable role in the knowledge discovery process of extracting of interesting patterns or knowledge for understanding various phenomena or wide applications. Visual Data Mining is further presenting implicit but useful knowledge from large data sets using visualization techniques, to create visual images which aid in the understanding of complex, often massive representations of data. As the amount of data managed in a database increases, the need to simplify the vast amount of data also increases. Cluster analysis is the process of classifying a large group of data items into smaller groups that share the same or similar properties. In this paper, different Clustering algorithms such as K-Means clustering, agglomerative clustering were studied and applied to the Stop, Question and Frisk Report Database, City of New York, Police Department, NYPD, for analyzing the location of the crime and stopped people using the reason of stopped in order to reduce city crime rates. Our analytic and visual results revealed that the best clustering algorithm is K-Means algorithm, and its good features ensuring that the models are helpful.
Examining Emotional Expressions in Discourse: Methodological Considerations.

This methodological paper presents an approach for examining emotional expressions through discourse analysis and ethnographic methods. Drawing on trends in the current literature in science education, we briefly explain the importance of emotions in science education and examine the current research methodologies used in interactional emotion studies. We put forth and substantiate a methodological approach that attends to the interactional, contextual, intertextual, and consequential aspects of emotional expressions. By examining emotional expressions in the discourse in which they are constructed, emotional expressions are identified through semantics, contextualization, and linguistic features. These features make salient four dimensions of emotional expressions: aboutness, frequency, type, and ownership. Drawing on data from a large empirical study of pre-service elementary teachers’ emotional expressions about climate change in a science course, we provide illustrative examples to describe what counts as emotional expressions in situ. In doing so we explain how our approach makes salient the nuanced nature of such expressions as well as the broader discourse in which they are constructed and the implications for researching emotional expressions in science education discourse. We suggest reasons why this discourse orientated research methodology can contribute to the interactional study of emotions in science education contexts.
Discounting and Its Impact on Durables Buying Decisions

The phenomenon of discounting is well established in the economics literature. However, this research has traditionally assumed that households have a single discount rate and make all intertemporal tradeoffs based on that rate. More current research in decision making and marketing has challenged the economics approach to intertemporal choice behavior. In this article, we propose two aspects of discounting research that are particularly relevant to consumer behavior toward durable goods. We propose first that consumers have individual discount rates for product categories. The second proposition is that, in a multiattribute modeling context, consumers have different discount rates for different attributes. We also discuss the strategic implications of these discount phenomena for marketing managers.
Myocardial fibrosis: role of angiotensin II and aldosterone

In this report we review the replacement (i.e., scarring) and reactive (i.e., perivascular and interstitial fibrosis) fibrous tissue responses found in the myocardium in response to effector hormones of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Experimental data are presented to indicate: a) endogenous or exogenous elevations in plasma angiotensin II are associated with acute cardiac myocyte necrosis and subsequent microscopic scarring; b) chronic elevations in plasma aldosterone (ALDO), relative to Na+ intake, are associated with a perivascular and interstitial fibrosis of the coronary and systemic circulations and are also seen in response to chronic administration of the mineralocorticoid hormone deoxycorticosterone (DOC); and c) chronic mineralocorticoid excess, due to ALDO or DOC, is associated with enhanced urinary K+ excretion, cardiac myocyte necrosis and scarring. Pharmacologic agents which interfere with these effector hormones (e.g., ACE inhibition and ALDO receptor antagonism) protect the myocardium against this pathologic structural remodeling created by the reactive and replacement (reparative) fibrosis. Evidence is also presented to indicate that chronic ACE inhibition is associated with a regression in reactive myocardial fibrosis. Based on these experimental findings we would suggest that clinical trials are indicated to address the prevention and regression of myocardial fibrosis — an important determinant of pathologic structural remodeling and abnormal myocardial stiffness.
The Michelson-Morley Experiment and the Appraisal of Theories

I shall focus on the question whether we ever need to assume the very theory to be tested or one of its rivals in order to interpret an experimental result as a test of the theory. In terms of the set of theses being tested, the thesis to be examined is that: The appraisal of a theory is based on phenomena which can be detected and measured without using assumptions drawn from the theory under examination (T2.5).
Stimulation of Secretion of Pig Thyrocalcitonin by Gastrin and by Gastrointestinal Secretagogues

This chapter discusses the physiological functions of thyrocalcitonin. The studies in the pig, using radioimmunoassay, have clearly shown that pentagastrin is highly effective in stimulating secretion of thyrocalcitonin. In both pigs and rats, if the thyroid circulation is intact, the administration of gastrin and pentagastrin can cause hypocalcemia. With the pig it is shown directly that this effect is mediated by thyrocalcitonin. It is shown that injection of porcine gastrin into fasted intact rats produced significant hypocalcaemia between 15 and 30 min after i.v. administration. Other studies in both pigs and rats have established the fact that the hypocalcemia is accompanied by hypophosphatemia. Intragastric solutions of acidic or basic saline have little or no effect on thyrocalcitonin secretion. The thyroid gland shows its usual marked response to intravenous pentagastrin and calcium. Rapid elevation in thyrocalcitonin secretion invariably follows the intragastric placement of solutions of acetylcholine in concentrations of 1–5%.
Lymphoid malignancies: Molecular diagnostics

33.1 Overview of the Molecular Biology of Lymphocytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887 33.1.1 Differentiation and Maturation of B Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887 33.1.2 Differentiation and Maturation of T Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890 33.1.3 Natural Killer Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 891
Sensing the City: Legibility in the Context of Mediated Spatial Terrains:

Smartphones, with their “pervasive presence” in contact with our bodies, have come to act as sensory prosthetics that mediate our experience of the city. They activate new possibilities of navigati...
The Treatment of Metabolic Acidosis: An Interactive Case-Based Learning Activity.

Introduction Metabolic acidosis is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition encountered in the inpatient and emergency department setting. Metabolic acidoses due to renal failure, bic...
Functional Ileus: Localized Sentinel and Generalized Adynamic Ileus

Functional ileus is defined as paralysis of intestinal motility. Patient may be asymptomatic or present with symptoms similar to bowel obstruction such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The main difference is manifested on physical exam as absent bowel sounds. Functional ileus can be generalized or localized to a certain abdominal quadrant.
The Interactive Web Column: Promoting Your Professional Reputation Online

Online social networking resources have become one of the most accessible mediums for professional reputation building for audiences inside and outside of academia. This column briefly discusses a ...
Clinical determinants of postoperative outcomes in surgical necrotizing enterocolitis.

Investigate predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality in surgical NEC. We analyzed the clinical outcomes of infants with surgical NEC from the years 2000–2015. Ninety infants born at gestation (mean ± standard deviation, SD; standard error of mean, SEM) 27.3 ± 6.6 weeks (SEM ± 0.07 weeks) and weighing 1008 ± 456 g (SEM ± 48 g) developed NEC on 25.2 ± 22.4 days (SEM ± 2.4 days). Average bowel resection was 29.2 ± 30.5 cm (SEM ± 3.2 cm). Postoperative Ileus lasted 16.5 ± 12.2 days (SEM ± 1.3 days), and was significantly longer in infants with higher gestation and birth weight, age at onset of NEC, length of intestinal resection, maternal chorioamnionitis, and need for pressors. Thirty-eight (42.2%) infants died. Mortality was higher at gestation <31 weeks. Gestational age, birth weight, age at NEC onset, and length of resected bowel determined postoperative morbidity and mortality in NEC. Length of hospital stay was affected by above factors, and also the duration of postoperative ileus and parenteral nutrition.
Speed, Evidence, and Safety Characteristics of Vaccine Approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration.

This cross-sectional study evaluates all of the novel vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration over the last decade.
Enantioselective Effects in the Electrical Excitation of Amine Single-Molecule Rotors

This paper describes a single-molecule study of N-methylbutylamine molecular rotors supported on a Cu(111) surface. It is first demonstrated that the chirality of the individual rotating molecules ...
Colonizing History: Rice v. Cayetano and the Fight for Native Hawaiian Self-Determination

Rice v. Cayetano involved a challenge to the voting qualifications for Hawai‘i’s Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). Created during the 1978 Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, OHA manages lands held in trust for Native Hawaiians. To ensure OHA was representative of its constituents, voting for OHA trustees was initially restricted to Hawaiians—persons who had one ancestor in Hawai‘i in 1778. In Rice, the Supreme Court held that OHA’s voting restriction impermissibly used ancestry as a proxy for race in violation of the Fifteenth Amendment. This Comment sets out the history of OHA, which the Supreme Court crucially omitted in Rice. Using contemporary newspaper accounts and archival documents, I show that the creation of OHA was the direct result of the Hawaiian land and sovereignty movements of the 1970s. The idea to create OHA emerged from grassroots sessions in which Hawaiians came together to consider a path to self-governance. From the beginning, Hawaiians did not understand OHA as simply a state agency but rather as an initial step toward Native Hawaiian self-determination. Recognizing the origins of OHA calls into question the Court’s decision to frame Rice as a case of racial discrimination and to evade the more complex question whether Native Hawaiians constitute a political community entitled to electoral self-governance. On the twentieth anniversary of Rice, the time is ripe to reconsider the historical account that underpinned the Supreme Court’s opinion.
Does Raising the Arms Modify Head Tremor Severity in Cervical Dystonia

Background A defining characteristic of dystonia is its position-dependence. In cervical dystonia (CD), sensory tricks ameliorate head tremor (HT). But it remains unknown whether raising the arms alone has the same impact. Methods We analyzed data collected from patients enrolled by the Dystonia Coalition. For 120 patients with HT, we assessed how raising their arms without touching their head changed their HT severity. Results Forty-eight out of 120 patients exhibited changes in HT severity when raising their arms. These patients were more likely to exhibit decreases in HT severity (N = 35) than increases (N = 13, χ2 (1, N = 48) = 10.1, p = 0.002). Demographic factors and sensory trick efficacy were not significant predictors of whether HT severity changed when raising their arms. Discussion Raising the arms without touching the head is a posture that can reduce HT severity in some CD patients. Our results extend the concept of position-dependent motor symptoms in CD to include the position of the arms. Highlights Head tremor (HT) is a prevalent symptom of cervical dystonia (CD) that can often be disabling. This study demonstrates that raising the arms without touching the head is a posture that can reduce HT severity in some CD patients. Our findings also identify a novel form of position-dependence in CD.
No evidence of the choice overload effect in a computerized paradigm with rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella).

ABSTRACT Given the choice, people are often drawn toward more options over fewer options in decision-making scenarios. However, mounting evidence indicates that sometimes, choosing from large arrays can result in negative outcomes. The tendency to be overwhelmed, regretful, or less satisfied with a choice when there are many options to choose from is called choice overload. This effect has been well-studied in adult humans, but comparative research, such as with nonhuman primates, is lacking, despite the fact that such choice behavior may be related to general aspects of cognition that underlie behaviors such as foraging in the wild. In addition, research with monkeys can shed light on whether choice overload is a human-unique phenomenon that may be driven by sociocultural factors, or whether this effect may be shared more broadly among mammals. This experiment tested whether monkeys were susceptible to choice overload effects by using a computerized paradigm in which monkey subjects could choose from three, six, or nine task options. No evidence of choice overload was found for monkeys, although this may have been due to methodological limitations that are described.
NODULAR CHOROIDAL MASSES IN PATIENTS WITH SARCOIDOSIS

Two patients referred for fluorescein angiographic studies of choroidal masses are presented. Both patients presented with visual blurring and were found to have elevated choroidal lesions without evidence of other ocular inflammation.
Dynamic optically multiplexed imaging

Optically multiplexed imagers overcome the tradeoff between field of view and resolution by superimposing images from multiple fields of view onto a single focal plane. In this paper, we consider the implications of independently shifting each field of view at a rate exceeding the frame rate of the focal plane array and with a precision that can exceed the pixel pitch. A sequence of shifts enables the reconstruction of the underlying scene, with the number of frames required growing inversely with the number of multiplexed images. As a result, measurements from a sufficiently fast sampling sensor can be processed to yield a low distortion image with more pixels than the original focal plane array, a wider field of view than the original optical design, and an aspect ratio different than the original lens. This technique can also enable the collection of low-distortion, wide field of view videos. A sequence of sub-pixel spatial shifts extends this capability to allow the recovery of a wide field of view scene at sub-pixel resolution. To realize this sensor concept, a novel and compact divided aperture multiplexed sensor, capable of rapidly and precisely shifting its fields of view, was prototyped. Using this sensor, we recover twenty-four megapixel images from a four-megapixel focal plane and show the feasibility of simultaneous de-multiplexing and super-resolution.
Many are Called but Few are Chosen: The Influence of Context on the Effects of Category Size1

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the influence of context on the effects of category size. The primary motivation for resorting to the nonnative procedures is to obtain reasonable estimates of pre-experimentally acquired information linked to different types of cues. Presumably, comparisons in cue effectiveness could be made for qualitatively different types of retrieval cues without confounding the variations with strength and category size. The final phase of each cuing experiment consists of the test trial. In the typical experiment, all subjects are given explicit test instructions immediately following the presentation of the last item in the study list. During this trial, a retrieval cue or prompt is presented to aid recall of each individual target word. Subjects are always made aware of the dimension on which the cue and target are related, and this episode is usually self-paced. Results show that both sensory and semantic cues facilitate the retrieval of information from the opposing domain provide one more inkling of the complexities.
Preoptic mechanism for cold-defensive responses to skin cooling.

We recently identified a somatosensory pathway that transmits temperature information from the skin to a median subregion of the preoptic area (POA), a thermoregulatory centre. Here, we investigated in vivo the local neuronal circuit in the rat POA that processes the thermosensory information and outputs thermoregulatory effector signals. Skin cooling-evoked increases in sympathetic thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue, in metabolism and in heart rate were reversed by inhibition of neurons in the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO). Glutamatergic stimulation or disinhibition of MnPO neurons evoked thermogenic, metabolic and cardiac responses that mimicked the cold-defensive responses to skin cooling and were reversed by antagonizing GABAA receptors in the medial preoptic area (MPO), which is thought to contain neurons providing thermoregulatory output to effectors. These results suggest that GABA inhibition of output neurons in the MPO by MnPO neurons that are activated by cool sensory signals from the skin is a core thermoregulatory mechanism within the POA that is essential for the feedforward defence of body temperature against cold challenges in the environment.
β‐Glucosidase from Trichoderma reesei

To determine the mode of action of the β-glucosidase from Trichoderma reesei a method was developed for synthesizing [1-3H]cello-oligosaccharides with specific radioactivities of approximately 3000 Ci/mol. The β-glucosidase removed glucosyl residues from the non-reducing end of the [1-3H]cello-oligosaccharides in a multiple attack mode with little tendency to attack the substrates repetitively. Values of Km were lower for longer cello-oligosaccharides, whereas values of V remained essentially constant. A subsite map, constructed using values of V/Km for the cello-oligosaccharides, showed that the substrate-binding region comprises primarily three subsites.
Coaxial electrospun encapsulation of epoxy for use in self-healing materials

Epoxy was sequestered within a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) shell using a coaxial electrospinning process resulting in fibers suitable for use in self-healing materials. Electrospinning equipment was designed and built including extensive development of the coaxial spinneret and optimization of the electrical field. Other parameters that were studied and controlled included the viscosity of the shell material and the interfacial tension between the shell and core material. The interfacial tension between the PVA solution and the epoxy was controlled by adding ethanol to the water solvent. A concentration of 8.5 wt% PVA in a combined ethanol and water solution (water:EtOH = 1:0.15) yielded a PVA solution that had interfacial tension and viscosity characteristics that were effective for coaxial electrospinning. The resulting coaxially electrospun fibers assumed a beaded fiber morphology. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Geometric sieving: automated distributed optimization of 3D motifs for protein function prediction

Determining the function of all proteins is a recurring theme in modern biology and medicine, but the sheer number of proteins makes experimental approaches impractical. For this reason, current efforts have considered in silico function prediction in order to guide and accelerate the function determination process. One approach to predicting protein function is to search functionally uncharacterized protein structures (targets), for substructures with geometric and chemical similarity (matches), to known active sites (motifs). Finding a match can imply that the target has an active site similar to the motif, suggesting functional homology. An effective function predictor requires effective motifs – motifs whose geometric and chemical characteristics are detected by comparison algorithms within functionally homologous targets (sensitive motifs), which also are not detected within functionally unrelated targets (specific motifs). Designing effective motifs is a difficult open problem. Current approaches select and combine structural, physical, and evolutionary properties to design motifs that mirror functional characteristics of active sites. We present a new approach, Geometric Sieving (GS), which refines candidate motifs into optimized motifs with maximal geometric and chemical dissimilarity from all known protein structures. The paper discusses both the usefulness and the efficiency of GS. We show that candidate motifs from six well-studied proteins, including α-Chymotrypsin, Dihydrofolate Reductase, and Lysozyme, can be optimized with GS to motifs that are among the most sensitive and specific motifs possible for the candidate motifs. For the same proteins, we also report results that relate evolutionarily important motifs with motifs that exhibit maximal geometric and chemical dissimilarity from all known protein structures. Our current observations show that GS is a powerful tool that can complement existing work on motif design and protein function prediction.
A two-way nested simulation of the oceanic circulation in the Southwestern Atlantic

This article presents the results of a high-resolution (1/12°), two-way nested simulation of the oceanic circulation in the southwestern Atlantic region. A comparison between the model results and extant observations indicates that the nested model has skill in reproducing the best-known aspects of the regional circulation, e.g., the volume transport of the ACC, the latitudinal position of the BMC, the shelf break upwelling of Patagonia, and the Zapiola Anticyclone. Sensitivity experiments indicate that the bottom stress parameterization significantly impacts the mean location of the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence and the transport of the Zapiola Anticyclone. The transport of the Brazil Current strengthens during the austral summer and weakens during the austral winter. These variations are driven by the wind stress curl over the southwestern Atlantic. The variations of the transport of the Malvinas Current are out of phase with those of the Brazil Current. Most of the seasonal variability of this current is concentrated in the offshore portion of the jet, the inshore portion has a weak seasonality that modulates the magnitude of the Patagonian shelf break upwelling. Using passive tracers we show that most of the entrainment of deep waters into the shelf occurs in the southernmost portion of the Patagonian shelf and along the inshore boundary of the Brazil Current. Shelf waters are preferentially detrained near the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence. Consistent with previous studies, our simulation also shows that south of ∼42°S the Malvinas Current is composed of two jets, which merge near 42°S to form a single jet farther north.
Student rotations in health-system pharmacy management and leadership

The Section of Pharmacy Practice Managers of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) formed an Advisory Group on Leadership Development in 2004 with a charge of identifying ways to promote management and leadership as a career path for pharmacy students. This article describes one
Automated Generation and Assessment of Autonomous Systems Test Cases

Verification and validation testing of autonomous spacecraft routinely culminates in the exploration of anomalous or faulted mission-like scenarios. Prioritizing which scenarios to develop usually comes down to focusing on the most vulnerable areas and ensuring the best return on investment of test time. Rules-of-thumb strategies often come into play, such as injecting applicable anomalies prior to, during, and after system state changes; or, creating cases that ensure good safety-net algorithm coverage. Although experience and judgment in test selection can lead to high levels of confidence about the majority of a system's autonomy, it's likely that important test cases are overlooked. One method to fill in potential test coverage gaps is to automatically generate and execute test cases using algorithms that ensure desirable properties about the coverage. For example, generate cases for all possible fault monitors, and across all state change boundaries. Of course, the scope of coverage is determined by the test environment capabilities, where a faster-than-real-time, high-fidelity, software-only simulation would allow the broadest coverage. Even real-time systems that can be replicated and run in parallel, and that have reliable set-up and operations features provide an excellent resource for automated testing. Making detailed predictions for the outcome of such tests can be difficult, and when algorithmic means are employed to produce hundreds or even thousands of cases, generating predicts individually is impractical, and generating predicts with tools requires executable models of the design and environment that themselves require a complete test program. Therefore, evaluating the results of large number of mission scenario tests poses special challenges. A good approach to address this problem is to automatically score the results based on a range of metrics. Although the specific means of scoring depends highly on the application, the use of formal scoring metrics has high value in identifying and prioritizing anomalies, and in presenting an overall picture of the state of the test program. In this paper we present a case study based on automatic generation and assessment of faulted test runs for the Dawn mission, and discuss its role in optimizing the allocation of resources for completing the test program.
Identification and isoprenylation of plant GTP-binding proteins.

To identify isoprenylated plant GTP-binding proteins,Arabidopsis thaliana andNicotiana tabacum cDNA expression libraries were screened for cDNA-encoded proteins capable of binding [32P]GTPin vitro. ATGB2, anArabidopsis homologue of the GTP-binding protein Rab2, was found to bind GTPin vitro and to be a substrate for a geranylgeranyl:protein transferase (GGTase) present in plant extracts. The carboxyl terminus of this protein contains a-GCCG sequence, which has not previously been shown to be recognized by any prenyl:protein transferase (PTase), but which most closely resembles that isoprenylated by the type II GGTase (-XXCC,-XCXC, or-CCXX).In vitro geranylgeranylation of anArabidopsis Rab1 protein containing a carboxyl-terminal-CCGQ sequence contirmed the presence of a type II GGTase-like activity in plant extracts. Several other proteins were also identified byin vitro GTP binding, includingArabidopsis and tobacco homologues of Rab11, ARF (ADP-ribosylation factor) and Sar proteins, as well as a novel 22 kDaArabidopsis protein (ATG81). This 22 kDa protein had consensus GTP-binding motifs and bound GTP with high specificity, but its structure was not closely related to that of any known GTP-binding protein (it most resembled proteins within the ARF/Sar and G protein α-subunit superfamilies).
Protein kinase inhibitors do not block the expression of established enhancement in identified Hermissenda B-photoreceptors

One-trial conditioning of Hermissenda produces short- and long-term enhancement of generator potentials in identified type B-photoreceptors. The induction of short-term enhancement is blocked by kinase inhibitors and down-regulation of protein kinase C. We now report that established short- and long-term enhancement produced by one-trial conditioning is not reversed by the kinase inhibitors H-7 or sphingosine. These results indicate that persistent protein kinase C activity is not required in the maintenance or expression of enhancement.
Effect of Soy Nuts on Adhesion Molecules and Markers of Inflammation in Hypertensive and Normotensive Postmenopausal Women

Recently, it was shown that substituting soy nuts for nonsoy protein in a therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) diet lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 9.9% and 6.8%, respectively, in postmenopausal women with hypertension and by 5.2% and 2.9%, respectively, in normotensive postmenopausal women. In this study, to examine mechanisms for these reductions, markers of inflammation were measured, including soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Sixty healthy postmenopausal women (48 normotensive and 12 with hypertension) were randomized in a crossover design to a TLC diet alone or a TLC diet in which 0.5 cups of soy nuts (25 g soy protein and 101 mg aglycone isoflavones) replaced 25 g of nonsoy protein daily. Each diet was followed for 8 weeks. Compared with the TLC diet alone, levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 were significantly lower on the soy diet in women with hypertension (623.6 +/- 153.8 vs 553.8 +/- 114.4 ng/ml, respectively, p = 0.003), whereas no significant differences were observed in normotensive women. Soy nuts were associated with a trend toward reduction in C-reactive protein in normotensive women. No effect on levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-6, or matrix metalloproteinase-9 was observed. In conclusion, the reduction in soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 with soy nuts in women with hypertension suggests an improvement in endothelial function that may reflect an overall improvement in the underlying inflammatory process underlying atherosclerosis.
Inferring Deleterious-Mutation Parameters in Natural Daphnia Populations.

Deng and Lynch (1, 2) proposed to characterize deleterious genomic mutations from changes in the mean and genetic variance of fitness traits upon selfing in outcrossing populations. Such observations can be readily acquired in cyclical parthenogens. Selfing and life-table experiments were performed for two such Daphnia populations. A significant inbreeding depression and an increase of genetic variance for all traits analyzed were observed. Deng and Lynch’s (2) procedures were employed to estimate the genomic mutation rate (U), mean dominance coefficient $$\left( {\bar h} \right)$$ , mean selection coefficient $$\left( {\bar s} \right)$$ , and scaled genomic mutational variance (V m/Ve). On average, U, $$\left( {\hat \bar h} \right)$$ , $$\left( {\hat \bar s} \right)$$ and $$\frac{{\hat V_m }}{{V_e }}$$ (^ indicates an estimate) are 0.84, 0.30, 0.14 and 4.6E-4 respectively. For the true values, the U and $$\hat \bar h$$ are lower bounds, and $$\hat \bar s$$ and $$\frac{{\hat V_m }}{{V_e }}$$ upper bounds.
Optimization of high-speed DNA sequencing on microfabricated capillary electrophoresis channels.

DNA sequencing separations have been performed in microfabricated electrophoresis channels with the goal of determining whether high-quality sequencing is feasible with these microdevices. The separation matrix, separation temperature, channel length and depth, injector size, and injection parameters were optimized. DNA fragment sizing separations demonstrated that 50-μm-deep channels provide the best sensitivity for our detection configuration. One-color sequencing separations of single-stranded M13mp18 DNA on 3% linear polyacrylamide (LPA) were used to optimize the twin-T injector size, injection conditions, and temperature. The best one-color separations were observed with a 250-μm twin-T injector, an injection time of 60 s, and a temperature of 35 °C. The first 500 bases appeared in 9.2 min with a resolution of >0.5, and the separation extended to 700 bases. The best four-color sequencing separations were performed using 4% LPA, a temperature of 40 °C, and a 100-μm twin-T injector. These four-color ru...
Sustainability in complex environments: making sense of the Katrina lawsuits

Purpose – The meaning of sustainability continues to be debated by scholars and professionals alike. But how do individuals, who are expected to contribute to implementing sustainability actions, perceive this important concept? The purpose of this paper is to explore how individuals relate to the multidimensionality of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a qualitative design to learn how individuals understand and prioritise the various dimensions of sustainability. Respondents were asked to react in essay form to a narrative that weaves social, environmental, economic and legal issues and offer a recommended course of action. Findings – The findings are mixed, showing that sustainability is yet to mature as a concept in the minds of the general public. Encouragingly, the paper finds evidence that most respondents are aware of the primary dimensions of sustainability. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited by the convenience sample used, which may offer a ske...
THE DETERMINANTS OF EFFECTIVE FECUNDABILITY BASED ON THE FIRST BIRTH INTERVAL

There are substantial differences in fecundability among nine developing countries in different parts of the world. In addition, within countries, later age at marriage has a clear, positive, nonlinear effect on fecundability. Women with higher education and those with more educated husbands have higher fecundability. Urban residents have higher fecundability than rural. The higher fecundability of more recent cohorts is the most consistent observation. Since those variables most frequently shown to have inverse relationships to fertility show direct relationships to fecundability within populations, the role offecundability as a proximate variable in models of the determinants of fertility requires further specification.
A comparison between the ultraviolet microscopy and the Feulgen staining of certain cells

This paper describes ultraviolet (λ = 2750 A) photomicrographs of resting and dividing chicken macrophages and fibroblasts and of erythrocytes and lymphocytes. The structures found in these photographs are compared with the ones brought out in fixed material by Feulgen staining and found to be essentially similar in appearance. A preliminary series of ultraviolet pictures is also shown of a single fibroblast passing through several of its stages of division.
Confidence bands for the laplace distribution

Based on a random sample from the Laplace population with unknown shape and scale parameters, one- and two-sided confidence bands on the entire cumulative distribution function and simultaneous confidence intervals for the interval probabilities under the distribution are constructed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov type statistics. Small sample and asymptotic percentiles of the relevant statistics are provided.
Fabrication, morphology and actuation from novel single-wall carbon nanotube/nafion composites

Mechanical actuators that simultaneously provide high power densities and large force generation capacities are of great scientific and technological interest. Recently single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) sheets (bucky papers) were shown to possess significant promise as electrochemical actuators. Embedding polyelectrolytes, like Nafion, within the nanotube matrix has the potential to address the limitations of SWNT bundling and tube slippage thus increasing force generation. In this paper two types of Nafion/SWNT composite actuators have been investigated depending on the method of fabrication. In the first case, infiltration of Nafion within SWNT sheet matrix was followed by annealing at 150 degree(s)C to invert Nafion's micellar structure and render it insoluble. This has resulted in a substantially exfoliated layer morphology that causes a reduction in both conductivity and actuation strain (c.a. 0.03%). In the second case, slow casting of a methanolic suspension of Nafion and SWNT soot, followed by annealing at 150 degree(s)C, resulted in a more homogeneous structure. This composite, upon electrochemical cycling between -1 and +1 V in aqueous electrolytes, exhibited actuation strains (as high as 0.43%). However, these higher strains are accompanied by an order of magnitude reduction in modulus largely due to Nafion swelling.
Regulation of protein secretion in Chinese hamster ovary cells by cell cycle position and cell density. Plasminogen activator, procollagen fibronectin.

Abstract To study the relationship between cell growth control, cell contact, and protein secretion, we examined the production of plasminogen activator, procollagen, and fibronectin by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblasts, both as a function of position in the cell cycle and as a function of cell density. CHO fibroblasts that were synchronized at hourly intervals throughout the cell cycle by mitotic selection in an automated roller bottle apparatus secreted plasminogen activator only during the G2 and M phases of the cell cycle (10–14 h after mitotic selection). Cell-associated plasminogen activator activity was variable during G1 and S, but was greatly reduced during G2 and M. In contrast, secretion of the connective tissue matrix proteins, procollagen and fibronectin, was controlled by cell density rather than by cell cycle position. Type III procollagen and fibronectin were secreted throughout the cell cycle with no pronounced variations. Type I procollagen was not secreted by cycling cells and was observed in confluent cultures only after 24–48 h. To correlate these changes in protein secretion patterns with cell shape and contact, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study the appearance of CHO cells after mitotic selection. Actively dividing cells retained a high proportion of rounded, ruffled, and blebbed cells during all phases of the cell cycle. Only with increased cell density in contact-inhibited confluent cultures did most cells begin to flatten and spread. Thus, secretion of and attachment to extracellular matrix did not occur in rapidly dividing cells, but appeared to require the increased cell-cell contact and spreading that accompanies contact inhibition of growth. On the other hand, increased secretion of plasminogen activator was directly related to cell division and may be part of a sequence of events that allows cells growing in culture to loosen extracellular attachments in preparation for rounding and cytokinesis.
Zonaroic acid from the brown seaweedDictyopteris undulata (=zonarioides)

A sesquiterpene-substituted 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, zonaroic acid (5), is described from the brown seaweedDictyopteris undulata (=zonarioides). The absolute stereochemistry in the zonarol (1)-chromazonarol (2) and zonaroic acid (5) series has also been defined. The occurrence of5 along with zonarol (1), the corresponding sesquiterpene-substituted hydroquinone, suggests that 4-hydroxybenzoic acid is the ring precursor as in ubiquinone biogenesis.
Commentary: Developmental origins of autism and ADHD – a commentary on Johnson et al. (2015)

Autism (autistic spectrum disorder, ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders. Current estimates for autism exceed 1% For ADHD, the 2013 US-based life time prevalence figure is 11%. Both disorders are also highly heritable. Intriguingly, approximately 50% of children with ASD also meet criteria for ADHD. Between their high heritability and comorbidity, some have wondered whether these two seemingly different disorders might in fact be related at some deep neurobiological level. The notion that these two disorders may be related is surprising when one considers the fact that autism generally appears in the first 1–2 years of life, whereas it is virtually impossible to identify ADHD during this time frame; indeed, inattentiveness and hyperactivity tend to be traits that are shared by nearly all toddlers, making a stable diagnosis of ADHD virtually impossible until early childhood (although a reliable diagnosis can generally be made during the preschool period). Like many neurodevelopmental disorders, early identification and early treatment are essential to easing the life time burden of these disorders. Of course, early treatment is predicated on early identification and it is for this reason that the review article by Johnson and colleagues is so intriguing, as it sets out to determine whether these disorders can be identified in the infancy period. It also raises a number of puzzling issues that remain undiscussed.
Virtue for Pluralists

Liberal or democratic virtue theories have successfully spread the idea that liberal democracies cannot flourish unless their citizens have certain qualities of mind and character. Such theories cannot agree, however, on what those qualities are. This article attempts to explain and solve this problem. It proposes distinguishing between core virtues, necessary for the actual survival of liberal democracies, and ideal virtues, which promote “progress” according to a given conception of what liberal democracies ought to be about and which values they should most embody. Beyond this, it portrays the relevant virtues as pluralistic (not everyone need have the same ones) and episodic (different virtues are relevant at different times and under different circumstances). It then applies this framework to some key issues of political action and motivation: acts of loyalty and dissent express different aspects of a common response to moral pluralism, and the virtues of citizens differ fundamentally in origin and nature from those of professional politicians. Finally, it suggests more briefly that questions of civil religion, patriotic mobilization in times of war, civic courage, and selfish versus altruistic motives for public action can profit from being seen in this new way.
An example of the importance of experimental design and statistical analysis in dental research.

In this paper a specific dental investigation was used to demonstrate the value of several statistical principles. It was concluded that: Blind evaluation of tissues is important in preventing bias in interpreting the histomorphologic results. The loss of replication makes it impossible to evaluate the effect of sacrifice time on radioautographic labeling. A probability value P = .12 can be of interest if one understands the data to which it is applied (i.e. P = .01 or P = .05 is not sacred). Investigator inconsistency exists and should he considered. In this case evaluating the tissues in a random order averages out the effect of counting fewer labeled cells as the evaluation progressed. Random allocation of animals to control and experimental groups eliminates the possibility of bias in allocation. The smaller size of the experimental animals is not, therefore, a function of allocation.
Understanding Human Technogenesis: Human Development in the Post-Genomic World

Different schools of thought within continental philosophy claim that humans are instricably bound up with technology. As Ansell-Pearson states when discussing Bergson, Nietzsche and the transhuman condition, “technology is constitutive prosthetic of the human animal”, or the ontogenesis of the human is dependent on the technics and artificial instrumentation that survive well beyond the individual and are part and parcel of human culture. The emergence of the human represents an extended process of bio-technogenesis or a ‘creative evolution’ of biological and technological forces, where natural selection has been guided by the natural history of technics and technical interventions. Thus, Bergson has argued that Homo sapiens can be seen as Homo faber because it is a by-product of tools and technology. Similarly, Nietzshe claimed that the human is a transitional figure, “something to be overcome”. Is technology simply an extended phenotype, the result of our hardwired genetic impulse to constantly remake our world? Or is technology interwoven in nature’s design through what the anthropologists call ‘material culture’? While the answers to these questions may not be easy to grasp, recent scientific discoveries have put humans within striking distance of being able to re-engineer human biological destiny.
Innovative target for integration and early evaluation of infrared sensor performance

Evaluation of infrared sensor performance begins with integration on an optical test station and initial acquisition of a source target image. Preliminary performance evaluation includes sensor radiant response, image performance, and sensor alignment. Integration and preliminary performance evaluation may be expedited by the use of an innovative target consisting of a cold background surrounding a hot extended source with a thin, cold wire obscuration. This paper describes an appropriate target geometry and provides a nomogram that allows estimation of sensor focal error based on an observed ratio of target image response between two detector elements.