cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical, molecular, and cellular features of non-Puerto Rican Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome patients of Hispanic descent.

Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by a bleeding diathesis and hypopigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes. Some HPS patients develop other complications such as granulomatous colitis and/or fatal pulmonary fibrosis. Eight genes have been associated with this condition, resulting in subtypes HPS-1 through HPS-8. The HPS gene products are involved in the biogenesis of specialized lysosome-related organelles such as melanosomes and platelet delta granules. HPS1 and HPS4 form a stable complex named biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex (BLOC)-3, and patients with BLOC-3 or AP-3 deficiency develop pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, it is important to subtype each HPS patient. HPS type 1 (HPS-1) occurs frequently on the island of Puerto Rico because of a founder mutation. Here, we describe seven mutations, six of which, to our knowledge, are previously unreported in the HPS1 , HPS4 , and HPS5 genes among patients of Mexican, Uruguayan, Honduran, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Salvadoran ancestries. Our findings demonstrate that the diagnosis of HPS should be considered in Hispanic patients with oculocutaneous albinism and bleeding symptoms. Moreover, such patients should not be assumed to have the HPS-1 subtype typical of northwest Puerto Rican patients. We recommend molecular HPS subtyping in such cases, as it may have significant implications for prognosis and intervention.
Portfolio District Reform Meets School Turnaround: Early Implementation Findings from the Los Angeles Public School Choice Initiative.

Purpose – Despite the popularity of school “turnaround” and “portfolio district” management as solutions to low performance, there has been limited research on these strategies. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by exploring the strategic case of Los Angeles Unified School District's Public School Choice Initiative (PSCI) which combined both of these reforms. It examines how core mechanisms of change played out in schools and communities during the first two years of implementation.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a mixed methods study, combining data from surveys, case studies, leader interviews, observations, and document review. It is guided by a conceptual framework grounded in research on school turnaround and portfolio districts, along with the district's implicit theory of change.Findings – The paper finds early success in attracting diverse stakeholder participation, supporting plan development, and ensuring transparency. However, data also indicate difficulty establ...
The Common Sole

THE correction from Mr. Green, H.M. Inspector of Irish Fisheries, which is published in NATURE of November 20 (p. 56), and which announces that the specimens he at first believed to be the young of the common sole proved to be really the young of Pleuronectes cynoglossus, is one more instance of the great importance of specific identification in the investigation of fishery problems. This was a mistake not merely as to the species, but as to the genus of the specimens in question. And yet it is by no means difficult, after a little experience, to distinguish the genus Solea at any stage of development from all other genera of Pleuronectidae. It is much more difficult to distinguish from one another the various species of Gadus in their early stages. But in order to ascertain the life-history of the various species of sea-fish used as food, we must trace each with absolute certainty from one environment to another through the successive stages of its existence.
Surface Texture Effect on Friction of a Microtextured Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)

The effect of surface textures on the friction of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomer has been investigated at both macro and microscales using a nanoindentation-scratching system. Friction tests were conducted by a stainless-steel bearing ball with a diameter of 1.6 mm (macroscale tests) and a Rockwell diamond tip with a radius of curvature of 25 μm (microscale tests) under normal loads of 5, 10, and 25 mN and with a sliding speed of 1 μm/s. Coefficient of friction (COF) on the pillar-textured surface was found to be much lower than that on the smooth surface of the same material, and it was reduced by about 59% at the macroscale tests and 38% at the microscale tests. The reduction of COF can be attributed to the reduced contact areas. The use of the JKR model revealed that the adhesion force has less effect on contacts under higher normal loads. COFs in different sliding directions on the groove-textured surfaces were compared, and a friction anisotropic behavior was identified and analyzed.
Translocation of protein kinase C‐βII in astrocytes requires organized actin cytoskeleton and is not accompanied by synchronous RACK1 relocation

Protein kinase C (PKC)-betaII is the most abundant PKC isoform in astrocytes. Upon activation, this isoform of PKC translocates from the cytosol to the plasma membrane (PM). In this study, we investigated in astrocytes the modality of PKC-betaII translocation as far as the participation of the receptor for activated C kinase-1 (RACK1) and the requirement for intact cytoskeleton in the process. In astrocytes, Western blots and immunocytochemistry coupled to confocal microscopic quantitative analysis showed that after 5 min of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) exposure, native PKC-betaII, but not PKC-betaI, is relocated efficiently from the cytosol to the PM. Translocation of PKC-betaII was not associated with synchronous RACK1 relocation. Furthermore, the quantity of PM-associated PKC-betaII that co-immunoprecipitated with PM-bound RACK1 increased following PMA exposure, indicating a post activation binding of the two proteins in the PM. Because RACK1 and PKC-betaII relocation seemed not to be synchronous, we hypothesized that an intermediate interaction with the cytoskeleton was taking place. In fact, we were able to show that pharmacological disruption of actin-based cytoskeleton greatly deranged PKC-betaII translocation to the PM. The requirement for intact actin cytoskeleton was specific, because depolymerization of tubulin had no effect on the ability of the kinase to translocate to the PM. These results indicate that in astrocytes, RACK1 and PKC-betaII synchronous relocation is not essential for relocation of PKC-betaII to the PM. In addition, we show for the first time that the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton plays a specific role in PKC-betaII movements in these cells. We hypothesize that in glial cells, rapidly occurring changes of actin cytoskeleton arrangement may be involved in the fast reprogramming of PKC targeting to specific PM location to phosphorylate substrates in different cellular locations.
EVOLUTION OF EXTREME BODY SIZE DISPARITY IN MONITOR LIZARDS (VARANUS)

within clades. In this study, we examined size evolution in monitor lizards (Varanus), a clade that includes the largest extant lizard species, the Komodo dragon (V. komodoensis), as well as diminutive species that are nearly four orders of magnitude smaller in adult body mass. We demonstrate that the remarkable body size disparity of this clade is a consequence of different selective demands imposed by three major habitat use patterns—arboreality, terrestriality, and rock-dwelling. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships and ancestral habitat use and applied model selection to determine that the best-fitting evolutionary models for species’ adult size are those that infer oppositely directed adaptive evolution associated with terrestriality and rockdwelling, with terrestrial lineages evolving extremely large size and rock-dwellers becoming very small. We also show that habitat use affects the evolution of several ecologically important morphological traits independently of body size divergence. These results suggest that habitat use exerts a strong, multidimensional influence on the evolution of morphological size and shape disparity in monitor lizards.
Single-Molecule Analysis of Dynein Processivity and Stepping Behavior

Cytoplasmic dynein, the 1.2 MDa motor driving minus-end-directed motility, has been reported to move processively along microtubules, but its mechanism of motility remains poorly understood. Here, using S. cerevisiae to produce recombinant dynein with a chemically controlled dimerization switch, we show by structural and single-molecule analysis that processivity requires two dynein motor domains but not dynein's tail domain or any associated subunits. Dynein advances most frequently in 8 nm steps, although longer as well as side and backward steps are observed. Individual motor domains show a different stepping pattern, which is best explained by the two motor domains shuffling in an alternating manner between rear and forward positions. Our results suggest that cytoplasmic dynein moves processively through the coordination of its two motor domains, but its variable step size and direction suggest a considerable diffusional component to its step, which differs from Kinesin-1 and is more akin to myosin VI.
Studies of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 radioligand [11C]ABP688 with N-acetylcysteine challenge in rhesus monkeys

Detecting changes in receptor binding at the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) with the PET allosteric antagonist, [¹¹C]ABP688, may be valuable for studying dysfunctional glutamate transmission associated with psychiatric illnesses. This study was designed to validate the findings of a recent pilot study in baboons which reported a significant global decrease from baseline [¹¹C]ABP688 binding after increasing endogenous glutamate with 50 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine (NAC), with no change from test to retest. In rhesus monkeys (n = 5), paired [¹¹C]ABP688 scans were performed on the same day on the Focus-220 as follows (n = 3 per group): test-retest, baseline-NAC (50 mg/kg), and baseline-NAC (100 mg/kg). Multiple modeling methods were evaluated for kinetic analysis to estimate the total volume of distribution (VT ) and non-displaceable binding potential (BP(ND)) in regions-of-interest (ROIs), with the cerebellum gray matter (CGM) as the reference region. There was an increasing trend from test to retest BP(ND) across ROIs (13%). NAC (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) increased VT (5% and 19%) and decreased BP(ND) (3% and 10%), respectively, significant only for VT in ROIs at the 100 mg/kg dose. High intersubject variability in BP(ND) was comparable to that reported in the baboon study. However, interpretability of BP(ND) is difficult with increases in VT in the CGM reference region at the higher NAC dose. Additionally, the net reduction in BP(ND) from the baseline-NAC scans may be obscured due to observed increases in test-retest BP(ND). Thus, we did not strictly replicate the findings in the baboon study based on BP(ND).
Healing: The Journey From Concept to Nursing Practice

Purpose: To build on current knowledge and definitions of healing to further analyze and clarify the concepts as it relates to nursing practice and care of the conscious adult patient. Methods: Lit...
GEOMETRIC MODELING AND COLLABORATIVE DESIGN IN A MULTI-MODAL MULTI-SENSORY VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

Shape modeling plays a vital role in the design process but often it is the most tedious task in the whole design cycle. In recent years the Computer Aided Design (CAD) industry has evolved through a number of advances and developments in design methodology. However, modeling in these CAD systems requires expertise and in-depth understanding of the modeling process, user interface and the CAD system itself, resulting in increased design cycle time. To overcome these problems a new methodology and a system called “Detailed Virtual Design System” (DVDS) has been developed for detailed shape modeling in a multi-modal, multi-sensory Virtual Environment (VE). This system provides an intuitive and natural way of designing using hand motions, gestures and voice commands. Due to the lack of effective collaborative design, visualization and analysis tools, designers spend a considerable amount of time and effort in the group discussion during design process. To enable multiple designers to effectively and efficiently collaborate in a design environment, framework of a collaborative virtual environment, called “Virtual Environment to Virtual Environment” (V2V), has been discussed. This framework allows same site and remote site multi-modal, multisensory immersive interface between designers.
An Indirect Style in Business Communication

This article investigates how Confucianism inspires an indirect style in professional communication in China. Particularly, the author examines two major philosophical principles of Confucianism, Li (rituals/rules) and Ren (love/benevolence), and discusses how they encourage individuals to establish proper human relationships, to humble themselves, and to shun pure personal profits. Dictated by Confucianism, Chinese writers often focus on interpersonal relationships, humble themselves, and avoid personal profits before discussing pertinent business issues. As a result, Chinese writers are indirect in their style. They often employ the indirect style to accommodate two pragmatic acts: (a) establishing their ethos that helps create a strong bond between individuals at a more personal level and (b) building a harmonious social structure at a more societal level. Such a style is conducive to successful business transactions. So, it should not be explained as ineffective or as mere digressions.
Experience with a process for software engineering Web-course development

In 1999 The Software Engineering Program at University of Houston-Clear Lake elected to be one to participate in the development and delivery of official Web-based course offerings. The software engineering program had operated as a distance education program for the past six years via two-way live interactive video broadcast into multiple receiving sites. The new venture into Web-based delivery would prove to be quite different from the live broadcast distance courses since the lecture components and live classroom interactions were not provided. With the live broadcast method heavy use was made of the Web to provide easy access to all assignments, supplementary material, lecture notes, class messages, bulletin boards and an ftp site for assignment submission. This reduced phone and email time with the distance students dramatically and if certainly helped with the transition to the development of strictly Web-based courses. However, the content-related materials that had been provided to support the broadcast courses were found to be inadequate once the live lecture component was removed and the course become strictly Web-based. Fall 2000 will see the completion of the design, development and testing of three strictly Web-based software engineering courses that will form the basis for a certificate in Fundamentals of Software Engineering which will be issued by the School of Natural and Applied Science. The paper presents an overview of the activities that took place during the effort and the basic process used.
Surgical instrumentation: the true cost of instrument trays and a potential strategy for optimization

Objective: Operating rooms (OR) generate a large portion of hospital revenue and waste. Consequently, improving efficiency and reducing waste is a high priority. Our objective was to quantify waste associated with opened but unused instruments from trays and to compare this with the cost of individually wrapping instruments. Methods: Data was collected from June to November of 2013 in a 550-bed hospital in the United States. We recorded the instrument usage of two commonly-used trays for ten cases each. The time to decontaminate and reassemble instrument trays and peel packs was measured, and the cost to reprocess one instrument was calculated. Results: Average utilization was 14% for the Plastic Soft Tissue Tray and 29% for the Major Laparotomy Tray. Of 98 instruments in the Plastics tray (n = 10), 0% was used in all cases observed and 59% were used in no observed cases. Of 110 instruments in the Major Tray (n = 10), 0% was used in all cases observed and 25% were used in no observed cases. Average cost to reprocess one instrument was $0.34-$0.47 in a tray and $0.81-$0.84 in a peel pack, or individually-wrapped instrument. Conclusions: We estimate that the cost of peel packing an instrument is roughly two times the cost of tray packing. Therefore, it becomes more cost effective from a processing standpoint to package an instrument in a peel pack when there is less than a 42%-56% probability of use depending on instrument type. This study demonstrates an opportunity for reorganization of instrument delivery that could result in a significant cost-savings and waste reduction.
Biomechanics and Biology of Plate Fixation of Distal Radius Fractures

The fracture management principles of anatomic or near anatomic reduction, fracture stabilization, minimal operative trauma, and early joint motion are paramount in man-aging unstable distal radial fractures. The operative approach and plate selection should correlate with the fracture configuration. Plates have the advantages of providing secure fixation throughout the entire healing process without protruding wires or pins and allowing early and intensive forearm, wrist, and digital exercises. Disadvantages include additional operative trauma, including fragment devascularization; some additional risk of wrist stiffness; occasional tendon rupture; and at times, the need for plate removal. New developments in plate and screw design and operative strategies, fragment specific fixation, and plate strength have improved results with plate fixation. Fixed angle blades and locking screws and pegs enhance overall plate stability, support the articular surface of the distal radius, and are effective in fractures occurring in osteopenic bone.
State park contributions to natural area protection in Texas, USA

Abstract The continuing alteration of global ecosystems has put a high premium on the development of a system of representative conservation reserves. In addition to existing national parks and reserves, and a developing international system of biosphere reserves, state and provincial parks can serve to strengthen the network of protected natural areas. An analysis of Texas state parks shows that they are a viable supplement to national park areas in the state. The level of resource protection within the parks is generally high, and they contribute to the representation of the state's eight natural regions and several subregions.
Analysis of harmonics, compression, and intermodulation distortion in quadratic electro-optic intensity modulators

An analytical model for optical intensity modulators has been extended to account for both linear and quadratic electro-optic effects. This model has been effectively utilized to simulate harmonics, compression, and intermodulation distortion within fiber optic links using modulators based on quadratic electro-optic effects such as the quantum confined Stark effect. The derivations, simulations, and calculations included in this paper are an important step in understanding the nonlinear properties of quadratic electro-optic modulators for communications and video applications. >
A Revision of the Neotropical GenusAllorrhinaBurmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini)

Abstract The South American genus Allorrhina Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini) is comprehensively revised. Redescriptions, diagnoses, distributions, and illustrations of nine species are provided. Allorrhina denotata Abadie and Ratcliffe from Brazil is described as a new species. The following new synonyms are established: Cotinis amazonica Thomson is Allorrhina carmelita (Burmeister); Gymnetis rhinoceros Gory and Percheron, Gymnetis cornifrons Gory and Percheron, Allorrhina baeri Bourgoin, Allorrhina viridicans Bourgoin, and Allorrhina gounellei Bourgoin are all Allorrhina menetriesii (Swederus); Gymnetis lugubris Thomson is Allorrhina nigerrima Burmeister.
Computational geometry column 56

This column is devoted to maximum (respectively, maximum weight) independent set problems in geometric intersection graphs. We illustrate with one example in each class: (I) The following question was asked by T. Rado in 1928: What is the largest number c such that, for any finite set F of axis-parallel squares in the plane, there exists an independent subset I ⊆ F of pairwise disjoint squares with total area at least c times the union area of the squares. (II) The following question was asked by Erdos in 1983: What is the largest number H = H(n) with the property that every set of n non-overlapping unit disks in the plane has an independent subset with at least H members?
An explosive convective cloud system and its environmental conditions in MJO initiation observed during DYNAMO

An unusually large, explosive convective cloud system was observed over the equatorial Indian Ocean on 28 November 2011 during the DYNAMO (Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)) field campaign. The significance of this mesoscale convective system (MCS) is its size and explosive development of cold cloud tops (−96°C) during the initiation of a strong MJO event. Observations from the DYNAMO show that the large MCS developed within a well-defined synoptic-scale cyclonic circulation associated with an equatorial low-pressure system with characteristics of a mixed Rossby-gravity wave that dominated the flow in the DYNAMO array. Prior to the development of the MCS, the equatorial flow was characterized by strong vertical wind shear with low-level westerlies and upper level easterlies. A region of decreased wind shear and enhanced upper level divergence emerged concurrently with the passage of the westward moving mixed Rossby-gravity wave-related low-pressure system and convective activity. In situ sounding observations suggest that widespread deep convection upstream of the large MCS may have contributed to the reduction of the upper level easterlies through vertical momentum transport and convective outflow. Both the reduction in vertical wind shear and enhanced low-level convergence induced by the equatorial low-pressure system created a favorable environment for the rapid development of the MCS. This study examines the development of the MCS and the associated synoptic-scale equatorial low-pressure system within the large-scale MJO circulation using in situ sounding observations from DYNAMO, which provide new insights into the interaction between convection and environmental flow during MJO initiation over the equatorial Indian Ocean.
Learning diagram parts with hidden random fields

Many diagrams contain compound objects composed of parts. We propose a recognition framework that learns parts in an unsupervised way, and requires training labels only for compound objects. Thus, human labeling effort is reduced and parts are not predetermined, instead appropriate parts are discovered based on the data. We model contextual relations between parts, such that the label of a part can depend simultaneously on the labels of its neighbors, as well as spatial and temporal information. The model is a hidden random field (HRF), an extension of a conditional random field. We apply it to find parts of boxes, arrows and flowchart shapes in hand-drawn diagrams, and also demonstrate improved recognition accuracy over the conditional random field model without parts.
Fazlul Huq, Region and Religion in Bengal: The Forgotten Alternative of 1940–43

In the wake of the Government of India Act of 1935, provincial politics emerged as a challenge to the authority and legitimacy of all-India, centralised political parties. While the Congress and the Muslim League set up a binary opposition between secular and religious nationalism, provincial politicians refused to succumb to the singularity of either alternative. Partition historiography has been concerned with the interplay of national and communal ideologies in the 1940s, overshadowing this third trajectory of regional politics that was informed by provincial particularities. This article traces a short-lived alternative that emerged in Bengal between 1940 and 1943 under the premiership of Fazlul Huq. Huq produced a peculiar form of identity politics that appealed not only to religious sentiment but also to regional loyalty that cut across the religious divide. Significantly, he did so without resorting to secular claims. By challenging Jinnah's claim to being the sole spokesman of Muslims in India and highlighting the different concerns of a province with a Muslim majority, Huq reconciled the twin identities of religion and region within the same political paradigm, and foreshadowed the emergence of Bangladesh in 1971.
Gene expression microarrays: A 21st century tool for directed vaccine design

DNA microarray technology is a new and powerful tool that allows the simultaneous analysis of a large number of nucleic acid hybridization experiments in a rapid and efficient fashion. The development of the DNA microarray chip has been driven by modern techniques of microelectronic fabrication, miniaturization and integration to produce what is referred to as “laboratory-on-chip” devices. The application of DNA chip technology includes the comprehensive analysis of multiple gene mutations and expressed sequences with regard to newer drug designs, host–pathogen interactions and the design of new vaccines. An advantage of microarray technology is that it can assist researchers to better define and understand the expression profile of a given genotype associated with disease, adverse effects from exposure to certain stimuli, or the ability to understand or predict immune responses to specific antigens. This paper briefly reviews DNA microarray technology and its implications with special reference to vaccine design. The technical aspects comprising array manufacturing and design, array hybridization, formatting, scanning and data handling are also briefly discussed. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Role of Radionuclide Imaging in Epilepsy, Part 2: Epilepsy Syndromes

PET and SPECT can play an important role in the evaluation of various epileptic syndromes, particularly those with unknown causes, by revealing various underlying abnormalities that may not be fully appreciated from MR imaging studies. In some cases, PET and SPECT provide crucial data that guide surgical resections of the epileptogenic zone for medically refractory epilepsy. In other cases, these neuroimaging modalities preclude a surgical option and can guide genetic studies. Longitudinal PET and SPECT studies may increase our understanding of the etiopathogenesis of epilepsy syndromes and provide a clearer picture of the natural history of neurologic progression.
Effects of Gender and Race on Sex-Role Preferences of Fifth-Grade Children

Summary Twenty-nine white and 14 black fifth-grade American students categorized 15 words as either masculine or feminine items. The subjects then rated the degree to which they liked each item. Results showed that girls significantly preferred items associated with their own sex, whereas boys were more ambiguous in their choices. Furthermore, girls assigned significantly more value to feminine items than boys assigned to masculine items and significantly less value to masculine items than boys assigned to feminine items. No significant effect due to race was found.
Tracking Atmospheric Instabilities with the Kalman Filter. Part II: Two-Layer Results

Abstract Sequential data assimilation schemes approaching true optimality for sizable atmospheric models are becoming a reality. The behavior of the Kalman filter (KF) under difficult conditions needs therefore to be understood. In this two-part paper the authors implemented a KF for a two-dimensional shallow-water model with one or two layers. The model is linearized about a basic flow that depends on latitude; this permits the one-layer (1-L) case to be barotropically unstable. Constant vertical shear in the two-layer (2-L) case induces baroclinic instability. The stable and unstable 1-L cases were studied in Part I. In the unstable case, even a very small number of observations can keep the forecast and analysis errors from the exponential growth induced by the flow's instability. In Part II, the authors now consider the 2-L, baroclinically stable and unstable cases. Simple experiments show that both cases are, quite similar to their barotropic counterparts. Once again, the KF is shown to keep the esti...
The Application Of Neyman-Pearson Methodology To The Estimation Of Web Advertising Viewers

As electronic commerce continues to expand as a medium of choice in transaction markets, issues of advertising effectiveness and exposure have become increasingly salient. While the literature is replete concerning levels of exposure for more traditional forms of advertising and commerce, the extension of much of this work to the electronic commerce market is limited, despite the wealth of online tracking information that does not exist in more traditional markets. This manuscript addresses this limitation by considering the important issue of estimating advertisement exposure for “banner” or “target” advertisements within electronic commerce through the utilization of standard Neyman-Pearson statistical methodology.
Sp1 and Sp3 transactivate the human lipoprotein lipase gene promoter through binding to a CT element: synergy with the sterol regulatory element binding protein and reduced transactivation of a naturally occurring promoter variant

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme in lipoprotein and energy metabolism and, therefore, regulation of its expression could have an important bearing on these processes. We have identified an evolutionarily conserved 5'-CCTCCCCCC-3' motif (from -91 to -83, CT element) in the human LPL gene promoter, deletion or mutation of which caused approximately 70-80% decrease in promoter activity. We found that Sp1 and Sp3 in THP-1 nuclear protein extracts bind specifically to this element. Co-transfection with Sp1 and Sp3 expression plasmids transactivated the LPL promoter via the CT element in Drosophila SL2 cells devoid of Sp proteins. Sp3 moderately repressed Sp1-mediated LPL promoter activation when both were co-expressed in SL2 cells. Furthermore, co-expression of an active sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP-1), with Sp1, but not with Sp3, synergistically activated the LPL promoter in SL2 cells. We previously reported a naturally occurring T-->G substitution at position -93 of the human LPL promoter which reduces promoter activity by 40-50% in transient transfection assays. In this study, we showed that this substitution results in reduced binding affinity to Sp1/Sp3 and in diminished transactivation by Sp1/Sp3 alone and by the synergistic action of Spl and SREBP-1 In conclusion, recruitment of Sp1/Sp3 by the CT element may play an important role in expression of the human lipoprotein lipase gene. Synergistic transcriptional activation by Sp1 and SREBP-1 may provide a mechanism for cross-talk between cholesterol and triglyceride metabolic pathways.
The Death of the Large Lecture Hall, the Rise of Peer-to-Peer Course Delivery?.

This article reports the results of a pilot project conducted at the University of California–Irvine (UCI) involving the simultaneous online delivery of a course to both University of California undergraduates and enrollees on the Coursera Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. Survey results from a robust sampling of UCI undergraduates offer strong disruptive-technology evidence that a new generation of students weaned on the Internet and social media may find well-delivered online courses to be an acceptable substitute for—or even preferable to—large lecture hall courses. The results also indicate a very strong student response to a peer-to-peer approach in which course content is delivered in a video lecture format by a fellow undergraduate (under instructor supervision). A strong positive response to the MOOC platforms offers the promise of economies of course delivery for colleges and universities seeking to implement cybereducation cost-effectively.
Growth responses of narrow or broad site adapted tree species to a range of resource availability treatments after a full harvest rotation

Abstract Understanding the processes driving forest productivity is a critical element in our efforts to maximize production of biomass and wood products and more efficiently utilize resources required for plant growth. We examined above and belowground growth and productivity of four tree species – eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) – receiving irrigation and fertilization in the Upper Coastal Plain ecoregion of South Carolina, USA. Trees received treatments throughout an entire intensively-managed harvest rotation, which was nine years for cottonwood and sycamore, and 11 years for sweetgum and loblolly pine. Fertilization and irrigation positively affected growth and productivity of all tree species. Fertilization alone led to increases in stem volume index of up to 329% for cottonwood, 376% for sycamore, 261% for sweetgum, and 49% for loblolly pine. Loblolly pine grew the largest of all species tested, and sweetgum was the largest hardwood. Net primary productivity was driven by leaf and fine root tissue production. When accounting for the effect of tree size, belowground biomass decreased with increasing resource availability in sweetgum and loblolly pine, but not cottonwood or sycamore. These results help explain complex relationships between above and belowground tissues in woody species, and indicate that both ontogeny and resource availability can mediate allocation to belowground tissues.
Boycotting the Soviet Union

“The boycott I suggest is directed against official relationships, not against scientific communication; it would not Impair the flow of published scientific materials.”
Inter-State Internal Migration: State-level Wellbeing as a Cause

The relationship between subjective wellbeing and in-migration is explored in this paper. The wellbeing of a state is considered an incentive for in-migration to that state as the wellbeing in that state increases. A cross-sectional, multiple regression on the contiguous states in the United States was used to determine if there is any relationship. A significant and positive relationship was found between state-level subjective wellbeing and net in-migration when controlling for economic and non-economic variables typically associated with in-migration. The positive relationship indicates that as a state’s wellbeing increases its appeal as a destination for internal migrants increases as well. It is recommended for policymakers to focus on improving the subjective wellbeing of their state’s residents not only to retain and attract new residents, but as a general measure of successful administration. Future studies are needed to verify the link between a state’s wellbeing and in-migration to that state. This study serves as a first step in this literature.
Modified Primary Sutureless Repair Technique of Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection

Surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection is associated with an important risk of postrepair pulmonary vein obstruction. Primary sutureless anastomosis at the time of initial surgical repair might mitigate that risk. A simplified primary sutureless technique is described in this report.
Impedance spectroscopy and direct current measurements of YSZ films

In this study the electrical properties of thin films of Ysubstituted zirconia were investigated. The films were prepared using a polymer precursor technique and investigated in the temperature region 250 to 900°C. It was shown, that impedance spectroscopy (IS) and direct current (DC) conductivity measurements results are in good agreement for the films measured in plane for temperatures greater than 400°C. Due to the high resistance resulting from a planar geometry, the DC measurements were found preferable at temperatures Since in planar geometry the films represent a high resistance to the measurement circuit, it is important to minimize sources of electrical leakage, so different sample holders and substrates were investigated. A sapphire substrate and sample holder design using separated alumina single bore tubing for each electrode provided the lowest electrical leakage. The experimental results showed that electrical behavior of all of the films produced at low annealing temperatures (less than 400°C) was similar regardless of Y content. These films have relatively low conductivity and an activation energy of about 1.5eV. The influence of different Y content started to appear after annealing above 600°C. The results of the film conductivity measurements were compared with those for the bulk samples of Y stabilized zirconia prepared from 200nm powder by tape casting. These samples were measured by IS in plane and through the tape. It was shown that electrical properties of bulk and thin film material were similar.
The case for expanded phytoestrogen research.

Phytoestrogens are estrogenic chemicals produced by plants. The estrogenic activity of clover was first described almost 50 years ago following the observation that sheep feeding on pastures that c...
A New Harbor Porpoise of the Genus Phocoena from the Gulf of California

On March 18, 1950, a single bleached skull of the porpoise described in this paper, was found by the senior author, on the beach above high tide line, along the north shore of Punta San Felipe, in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. This skull is designated as the type specimen. Two other skulls of the species were available for study. These were obtained by James Warren and Paul Kellogg during December, 1951, at San Felipe Bay, Baja California Norte, Mexico, and are considered paratypes. Seth Benson, of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at Berkeley, California, first noticed the striking differences that the type series shows, when compared with skull of Phocoena phocoena (auct. P. vomerina ) in the MVZ collection. With this stimulus we have tried to obtain specimens of the entire animal, but have been unsuccessful thus far. We have, however, seen it alive, close at hand. On April 28, 1955, the senior author and James S. Long sighted what must have been Phocoena sinus , about 8 miles NE of Punta San Felipe, in the Gulf of California. This locality is a short distance out into the Gulf from the type locality. Three animals were seen. They were slightly less than 5 feet in length. Each animal was a uniform brown color dorsally and had a small triangular dorsal fin. Their blunt snouts were once observed. All were quite wary and were seen only briefly before they submerged. Our attention was first called to the animals by their sharp, loud breathing. The field journal of the senior author contains the following notation on January 22, 1951: “Topolobampo Bay, Sinaloa, Mexico. The others (Boyd W. Walker and George A. Bartholomew of U.C.L.A.) had done some poisoning in a mangrove lagoon. They caught a few fish, mostly anchovies. When the …
Abstract 4325: Localization and expression of osteopontin in a chitosan-treated ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV-3

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy and despite current treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, reoccurrence of this deadly malignancy is high. Although elevated levels of osteopontin (OPN), a phosphorylated glycoprotein, are always present in the ovaries, recent studies have implicated osteopontin (OPN) protein as a novel biomarker for ovarian cancer. Early detection of ovarian cancer is imperative, and furthermore, novel treatments with fewer adverse effects than current treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, are currently being investigated. Chitosan, a natural polysaccharide that is biodegradable and biocompatible, may serve as a potential alternative treatment for ovarian cancer, and may function by regulating OPN expression. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of chitosan on the expression and localization of OPN in SKOV-3 cells. It was hypothesized that the expression of OPN protein will be down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. To test this hypothesis, SKOV-3 cells were treated with 0, 50, 100, 250, and 500, ng/mL of chitosan for 48 hours. An MTT assay was performed to determine cell viability and proliferation rate. Cells were harvested; total protein was isolated and then subjected to SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The localization of OPN was determined using immunocytochemistry, after chitosan treatment of SKOV-3 cells on two-chamber slides for 48 hours. The expression of OPN decreased in SKOV-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, cell proliferation tended to decrease with increasing dose of chitosan. These data indicate that chitosan may inhibit SKOV-3 cell proliferation by decreasing OPN production and secretion. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4325. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4325
Reconfigurable Future: The ability to produce cheaper, more compact chips is a double-edged sword.

Predicting the future is notoriously hard. Sometimes I feel that the only real guarantee is that the future will happen, and that someone will point out how it’s not like what was predicted. Nevertheless, we seem intent on trying to figure out what will happen, and worse yet, recording these views so they can be later used against us. So here I go... Scaling has been driving the whole electronics industry, allowing it to produce chips with more transistors at a lower cost. But this trend is a double-edged sword: We not only need to figure out more complex devices, which people want, but we also must determine which complex devices lots of people want, as we have to sell many, many chips to amortize the significant design cost.
Prehospital fibrinolysis was as good as primary angioplasty after myocardial infarction.

Source Citation Bonnefoy E, Lapostolle F, Leizorovicz A, et al. Primary angioplasty versus prehospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction: a randomised study. Lancet. 2002;360:825-9. 12243916
Unresolved issues in pharmacy.

“Why don’t people’s hearts tell them to continue to follow their dreams?” the boy asked the alchemist. “Because that’s what makes a heart suffer most, and hearts don’t like to suffer.” —Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist This chapter is based on a dream for the future of pharmacy
Suicide Prevention: The Hospital's Role

The acute suicidal state is short, and all but a few persons who succeed in killing themselves actually have a passionate desire to go on living. These facts set the stage for a prophylactic approach to the problem, says Dr. Shneidman. Alertness by physicians and other hospital personnel to premonitory signs in the suicidal individual, followed by prompt mobilization of personal and community resources, can result in the prevention of many suicides.
Impact of genetic deletion of platform apolipoproteins on the size distribution of the murine lipoproteome.

Abstract Given their association with cardiovascular disease protection, there has been intense interest in understanding the biology of high density lipoproteins (HDL). HDL is actually a family of diverse particle types, each made up of discrete - but as yet undetermined – combinations of proteins drawn from up to 95 lipophilic plasma proteins. The abundant apolipoproteins (apo) of the A class (apoA-I, apoA-II and apoA-IV) have been proposed to act as organizing platforms for auxiliary proteins, but this concept has not been systematically evaluated. We assessed the impact of genetic knock down of each platform protein on the particle size distribution of auxiliary HDL proteins. Loss of apoA-I or apoA-II massively reduced HDL lipids and changed the plasma size pattern and/or abundance of several plasma proteins. Surprisingly though, many HDL proteins were not affected, suggesting they assemble on lipid particles in the absence of apoA-I or apoA-II. In contrast, apoA-IV ablation had minor effects on plasma lipids and proteins, suggesting that it forms particles that largely exclude other apolipoproteins. Overall, the data indicate that distinct HDL subpopulations exist that do not contain, nor depend on, apoA-I, apoA-II or apoA-IV and these contribute substantially to the proteomic diversity of HDL. Biological significance Plasma levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL) are inversely correlated with cardiovascular disease. These particles are becoming known as highly heterogeneous entities that have diverse compositions and functions that may impact disease. Unfortunately, we know little about the forces that maintain the composition of each particle in plasma. It has been suggested that certain ‘scaffold’ proteins, such as apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, apoA-II and apoA-IV, may act as organizing centers for the docking of myriad accessory proteins. To test this hypothesis, we took advantage of the genetic tractability of the mouse model and ablated these three proteins individually. We then tracked the abundance and size profile of the remaining HDL proteins by gel filtration chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The results clearly show that certain cohorts of proteins depend on each scaffold molecule to assemble normal sized HDL particles under wild-type conditions. This work forms the basis for more detailed studies that will define the specific compositions of HDL subspecies with the possibility of connecting them to specific functions or roles in disease.
Tissue-Engineering Heart Valves

Abstract Heart valve disease is a significant medical problem worldwide. Treatment for end-stage disease is heart valve replacement, but both mechanical and bioprosthetic replacement heart valves suffer from significant limitations. Promising alternatives to currently available replacement heart valves are being developed using the basic principles of tissue engineering. Significant progress has been made in the development of a tissue-engineered heart valve substitute, including the characterization and development of various different cell sources and cell seeding techniques, advancements in natural and polymer matrix and scaffold design, and the creation of bioreactors, which are biomimetic devices used to modulate the in vitro development of tissue-engineered neotissue through the application of biochemical and biomechanical stimuli. This chapter addresses the need for a tissue-engineered alternative to current heart valve replacement options and reviews past and ongoing work in the field. The basics of heart valve structure, function, and disease are presented and followed by a review of investigations leading to the development of a tissue-engineered heart valve, including the critical challenges that remain.
The Virtue of Being Supportive

I develop an account of the nature and value of being supportive in interpersonal relationships. In particular, I argue that the virtue of being supportive, construed as a modally demanding value, facilitates the autonomy of one's intimate and promotes a sense of unity in one's relationship. Moreover, the practice of being supportive plays an important role with regard to the familiar need to reconcile the normative demands of one's own projects with one's responsibilities to intimates.