cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of a Kinesin-Related Motor Protein Induces Sf9 Cells to Form Dendrite-Like Processes with Nonuniform Microtubule Polarity Orientation

The microtubules (MTs) within neuronal processes are highly organized with regard to their polarity and yet are not attached to any detectable nucleating structure. Axonal MTs are uniformly oriented with their plus ends distal to the cell body, whereas dendritic MTs are of both orientations. Here, we sought to test the capacity of motor-driven MT transport to organize distinct MT patterns during process outgrowth. We focused on CHO1/MKLP1, a kinesin-related protein present in the midzonal region of the mitotic spindle where MTs of opposite orientation overlap. Insect ovarian Sf9 cells induced to express the N-terminal portion of the molecule form MT-rich processes with a morphology similar to that of neuronal dendrites (Kuriyama et al., 1994). Nascent processes contain uniformly plus-end-distal MTs, but these are joined by minus-end-distal MTs as the processes continue to develop. Thus, this CHO1/MKLP1 fragment establishes a nonuniform MT polarity pattern and does so by a similar sequence of events as occurs with the dendrite, the antecedent of which is a short process with a uniform MT polarity orientation. Two lines of evidence suggest that these results are elicited by motor-driven MT transport. First, there is a depletion of MTs from the cell body during process outgrowth. Second, the same polarity pattern is obtained when net MT assembly is suppressed pharmacologically during process formation. Collectively, these findings provide precedent for the idea that motor-driven transport can organize MTs into distinct patterns of polarity orientation during process outgrowth.
Have we Entered an Age of Secular Stagnation? IMF Fourteenth Annual Research Conference in Honor of Stanley Fischer, Washington, DC

Since the depths of the financial crisis in 2008–2009, most financial indicators have stabilized. However, the real parts of the economies in the industrialized world continue to lag. In this 2013 speech, I suggested that an older idea of “secular stagnation” may help explain the disappointing recent economic performance.
Common variable immunodeficiency

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a common primary immunodeficiency characterized by a failure in B-cell differentiation with defective immunoglobulin production. Affected patients are uniquely susceptible to recurrent infection with encapsulated organisms and have an increased propensity for the development of inflammatory and autoimmune manifestations. The diagnosis of CVID is commonly delayed and the underlying cause of the disorder is not understood. Replacement antibody therapy reduces the risk of serious infections. However, optimal treatment regimens for the uncommon manifestations associated with this disease, such as granulomatous lymphocytic interstitial lung disease, require further research.
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Type 2 Activation by Adenosine and Histamine Inhibits Ischemic Norepinephrine Release in Cardiac Sympathetic Neurons: Mediation by Protein Kinase Cε

During myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, lipid peroxidation leads to the formation of toxic aldehydes that contribute to ischemic dysfunction. Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase type 2 (ALDH2) alleviates ischemic heart damage and reperfusion arrhythmias via aldehyde detoxification. Because excessive norepinephrine release in the heart is a pivotal arrhythmogenic mechanism, we hypothesized that neuronal ALDH2 activation might diminish ischemic norepinephrine release. Incubation of cardiac sympathetic nerve endings with acetaldehyde, at concentrations achieved in myocardial ischemia, caused a concentration-dependent increase in norepinephrine release. A major increase in norepinephrine release also occurred when sympathetic nerve endings were incubated in hypoxic conditions. ALDH2 activation substantially reduced acetaldehyde- and hypoxia-induced norepinephrine release, an action prevented by inhibition of ALDH2 or protein kinase Ce (PKCe). Selective activation of Gi/o-coupled adenosine A1, A3, or histamine H3 receptors markedly inhibited both acetaldehyde- and hypoxia-induced norepinephrine release. These effects were also abolished by PKCe and/or ALDH2 inhibition. Moreover, A1-, A3-, or H3-receptor activation increased ALDH2 activity in a sympathetic neuron model (differentiated PC12 cells stably transfected with H3 receptors). This action was prevented by the inhibition of PKCe and ALDH2. Our findings suggest the existence in sympathetic neurons of a protective pathway initiated by A1-, A3-, and H3-receptor activation by adenosine and histamine released in close proximity of these terminals. This pathway comprises the sequential activation of PKCe and ALDH2, culminating in aldehyde detoxification and inhibition of hypoxic norepinephrine release. Thus, pharmacological activation of PKCe and ALDH2 in cardiac sympathetic nerves may have significant protective effects by alleviating norepinephrine-induced life-threatening arrhythmias that characterize myocardial ischemia/reperfusion.
Group C Streptococcus Causing Rheumatic Heart Disease in a Child.

Abstract Background Human infection with group C Streptococcus is extremely rare and a select number of cases have been reported to cause acute pharyngitis, acute glomerulonephritis, skin and soft tissue infections, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, pneumonitis, and bacteremia. In pediatrics, this bacteria is known to cause epidemic food-borne pharyngitis, pneumonia, endocarditis, and meningitis, and has reportedly been isolated in the blood, meninges, sinuses, fingernail, peritonsillar abscess, and thyroglossal duct cyst, among others. Case Report Our patient was a 7-year-old previously healthy female who presented with abnormal movements of her upper body and grimaces of her face that progressively worsened over time. Initial laboratory resulted revealed 3+ protein on urinalysis and elevated antistreptolysin-O and anti-DNAse antibody levels, and echocardiogram showed mild-to-moderate mitral regurgitation. We describe a rare case of group C Streptococcus resulting in rheumatic heart disease in a child, with a detailed review of the literature pertaining to the diagnosis and management of this infection. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Early recognition of rheumatic heart disease is crucial in the overall outcome of the condition and therefore knowledge of the symptoms associated with condition is also imperative. Group C Streptococcus is rarely associated with rheumatic heart disease and most children exhibiting acute onset of common symptoms, such as chorea, fever, carditis, and rash (erythema marginatum) will present to the emergency department first. Increased awareness and prompt recognition, as done with this child, will result in proper follow-up and adequate management of this condition in all patients.
Clonal deletion of thymocytes by circulating dendritic cells homing to the thymus.

Dendritic cell (DC) presentation of self antigen to thymocytes is essential to the establishment of central tolerance. We show here that circulating DCs were recruited to the thymic medulla through a three-step adhesion cascade involving P-selectin, interactions of the integrin VLA-4 with its ligand VCAM-1, and pertussis toxin–sensitive chemoattractant signaling. Ovalbuminspecific OT-II thymocytes were selectively deleted after intravenous injection of antigen-loaded exogenous DCs. We documented migration of endogenous DCs to the thymus in parabiotic mice and after painting mouse skin with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Antibody to VLA-4 blocked the accumulation of peripheral tissue–derived DCs in the thymus and also inhibited the deletion of OT-II thymocytes in mice expressing membrane-bound ovalbumin in cardiac myocytes. These findings identify a migratory route by which peripheral DCs may contribute to central tolerance. The random rearrangement of T cell receptor genes in the thymus continuously generates autoreactive T cells that must be removed from the lymphocyte pool or be rendered innocuous to maintain selftolerance. Most T cells that encounter their cognate major histocompatibility complex (MHC)–peptide complex before completion of thymic development are eliminated by clonal deletion, a key process leading to central tolerance 1 . The presence of an agonist peptide in the thymus can also result in the differentiation of CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells 2 that impose tolerance in the periphery by dampening the response of conventional lymphocytes 3 . Central tolerance is therefore believed to be restricted to those antigens that gain access to the thymic environment and can be effectively displayed on the surface of antigen-presenting cells; that is, proteins that are expressed locally or that circulate in the bloodstream. Although some tissue-specific proteins may be expressed in the thymus 4,5 , no active transport of self antigens from the periphery has been described so far. Dendritic cells (DCs) are very efficient antigen-presenting cells found in all peripheral organs and lymphoid tissues. In the periphery, they are strategically positioned to sample antigens from tissues and carry them to draining lymph nodes for processing and presentation to recirculating T cells 6 . When exposed to appropriate stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide, proinflammatory cytokines or other indicators of cellular distress, DCs undergo maturation, resulting in enhanced antigen presentation and increased expression of costimutalory molecules 6 . The maturing DCs gain access to lymph nodes through afferent lymphatic vessels and induce naive T cells to proliferate and to differentiate into effector cells. Immature DCs are also thought to carry antigen to lymph nodes and to interact with naive T cells, but
Sexuality and rheumatic disease. The significance of gender

Purpose. This study examined the relationship between functional disability and sexual satisfaction for both rheumatic disease patients and their spouses and compared their levels of sexual satisfaction to those of healthy comparison couples. Methods. One hundred thirteen rheumatic disease couples and 37 comparison couples completed mailed questionnaires. Rheumatologists rated American College of Rheumatology functional classification. Results. Greater functional disability was related to greater sexual dissatisfaction for patients and spouses. Rheumatic disease and comparison couples did not differ in sexual dissatisfaction. Women reported greater sexual dissatisfaction than men among patients, spouses, and comparison couples. Conclusions. Couples coping with rheumatic disease are able to maintain satisfying sexual relationships. However, when patients are more disabled, sexual dissatisfaction is greater among both patients and spouses. Health providers must be sensitive to issues of sexuality and be prepared to address these concerns among both patients and their partners. Men and women may have different concerns regarding sexuality.
Determinants and Shareholder Wealth Effects of the Sales Method in M&A

We analyze the sales method for a sample of 575 acquisitions announced between 1998 and 2012 and find that targets choose auctions to maximize the target takeover premium through greater competition and to relax their financial constraints. Auctions, compared to negotiated deals, are associated with significantly higher target announcement returns, especially for relatively small targets. Bidder returns are positively related to auctions for bidders acquiring relatively small targets, not for the full sample. Taking into account size differences, we find that auctions, decrease target gains and increase bidder gains expressed in dollars.
Emotional harm from disrespect: the neglected preventable harm

Consider these actual patient experiences: Despite being simultaneously dreadful and familiar to healthcare professionals,1 cases like these are not systematically identified or addressed in hospital quality improvement programmes.2 As a result, we have no good way of preventing them and patients inevitably continue to suffer from these unnecessary emotional harms. These cases are examples of preventable harm that are deserving of formal capture, classification and action by the healthcare system. The 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report To Err is Human found that existing definitions and systems for preventing harm were inadequate and recommended urgent, decisive steps to raise ‘standards and expectations for improvements in safety’.3 Since then our ability to define, measure and prevent patient harm has improved substantially. For instance, in 1999, central line-associated bloodstream infections were considered unfortunate, but expected complications. Today they are commonly prevented, saving many lives.4 To date, the patient safety movement has focused primarily on physical injury, but definitions of harm in healthcare are much broader:5 any ‘outcome that negatively affects the patient's health and/or quality of life’.6 When asked about consequences of adverse events, patients emphasise emotional …
Privacy in Social Networks

Social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. These networks use a large amount of data that are highly valuable for different purposes. Hence, social networks become a potential vector for attackers to exploit. This chapter focuses on the security attacks and countermeasures used by social networks. Privacy issues and solutions in social networks are discussed and the chapter ends with an outline of some of the privacy challenges in the social networks.
Jacob J. Wiens: Mission Champion in Freedom and Repression

On 27 April 1979, Georgi P. Vins, secretary of the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and a leading religious dissident in the Soviet Union, arrived in New York City from his native land. Through the efforts of President Jimmy Carter and other officials, the American government had agreed to release two Russian spies for Vins and four other Russian dissidents. It was an exciting event in Christian circles. Through years of suffering, Georgi P. Vins had become for many a symbol of resistance to religious oppression.1 The religious saga of the Vins family, however, begins many years before with Georgi's grandfather, Jacob Jacovitch Wiens (Vins). Few today remember his missionary career on three continents or his religious trials. Jacob was born in September 1874 in a German Mennonite home in Blumenau near Steinbach in Molotschna, a Mennonite colony in Taurida Province in the Ukraine in southern Russia. He was a great-grandson of Heinrich Wiensz (1774-1819), a pioneer settler in 1804 in the Molotschna. Wiens is a common Mennonite name of Dutch origin, transcribed as "Vins" in Russian but, in any case, pronounced as if it were "Veens."2 In 1891 or 1892, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, Jacob professed faith in Christ.
A Papyrus Manuscript of the Minor Prophets

Among the parchment and papyrus manuscripts and fragments brought to this country by the University of Michigan Expedition under Professor Francis W. Kelsey, only one is of paramount interest to the Biblical scholar. There are indeed lectionaries and parts of lectionaries dating from the eleventh century and later, and even a single papyrus fragment of a Psalm, but the former are uninteresting textually, and the latter is too small to give much evidence.
Nanoparticle Metamorphosis: An in Situ High-Temperature Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of the Structural Evolution of Heterogeneous Au:Fe2O3 Nanoparticles

High-temperature in situ electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction have revealed that Au and Fe2O3 particles fuse in a fluid fashion at temperatures far below their size-reduced melting points. With increasing temperature, the fused particles undergo a sequence of complex structural transformations from surface alloy to phase segregated and ultimately core–shell structures. The combination of in situ electron microscopy and spectroscopy provides insights into fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic aspects governing the formation of heterogeneous nanostructures. The observed structural transformations present an interesting analogy to thin film growth on the curved surface of a nanoparticle. Using single-particle observations, we constructed a phase diagram illustrating the complex relationships among composition, morphology, temperature, and particle size.
Construction and Characterization of Structure Models of Crystalline Porous Polymers

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are examples of advanced porous polymeric materials that have emerged in recent years. Their crystalline structure and modular synthesis offer unmatched versatility in their design. By exchanging chemical building blocks, one can both explore the unlimited space of possible structural chemistry within an isoreticular (same crystal topology) series and achieve a wide range of alternative topologies. This reticular paradigm potentially enables the design of structures with any desired porosity and internal surface chemistry. Reliable structure models are typically required in order to predict material properties using a broad spectrum of molecular modeling techniques. In this work, we introduce an algorithm for the assembly of crystalline porous polymer structure models which permits precise control over the underlying topologies of the generated models. This tool has been applied to high-throughput combinatorial structure enumeration an...
Making Presentations to Fellow Professionals: A Rationale

This chapter begins by describing the role with which most readers will be thoroughly familiar: that of attending professional conferences and professional development sessions. It then guides readers in understanding the principles of effective presentations by asking them to reflect on their best/worst experiences as a participant. The chapter concludes with the foundation for all successful presentations; namely, audience awareness. This enables presenters to move beyond a preoccupation with self-as-presenter and to focus instead on the impact of the presentation on the intended audience.
Observation on Leaf Colour and Leaf Structure of Rice Xantha Mutant(Annongbiao 810S)

The observation on the leaf colour and leaf structure of Annongbiao 810S and the comparison between Annongbiao 810S and Annong 810S showed that the mutant always appeared yellowish from the first leaf of seedling to the whole plant at maturity stage.Therefore,the yellowish seedlings/plants of Annongbiao 810S could be easily distinguished from self-pollinated Annongbiao 810S seedlings in F1 populations or from Annongbiao 810S seedlings/plants in seed multiplication fields.Annongbiao 810S and Annong 810S had no significant difference in leaf structure.In addition,their chloroplast ultrastructure had no significant change observed by electronic microscope.
Headache and Depression

A history of maternal depression and migraine was significantly more common and proportionately higher in children with abdominal migraine and recurrent abdominal pain in a study from Birmingham, England.
An Indoor Shopping Mall Building Stone Investigation with Handheld Technology for Introductory Geoscience Students

Field exercises are a valuable addition to introductory-level geoscience courses but are not always possible in an urban setting. To further develop student skills in rock identification, a project implementing the scientific method has been constructed that allows students to examine the building stones found in the store fronts at a shopping mall. The project is further enhanced with the use of Palm Pilot handheld technology as a tool for reference and data collection. This project allows students to see the use of geologic materials in an everyday setting and experience an innovative use of handheld technology.
Importance of Initiating a "Tummy Time" Intervention Early in Infants With Down Syndrome.

Purpose This study compared differences in motor development in infants with Down syndrome beginning a tummy time intervention before 11 weeks of age and after 11 weeks of age. Methods Nineteen infants with Down syndrome participated in tummy time until they could independently transition in and out of sitting. Motor development was assessed monthly using the Bayley III Motor Scales and compared between the groups. Results A difference in motor development between early and late groups is apparent 1, 2, and 3 months following intervention initiation. Conclusion Early implemented tummy time was effective in reducing motor delay in young infants with Down syndrome and is a prudent first step in intervention.
Doing Without: Jump Performance After Tail Autotomy in Three Species of Plethodontid Salamanders

Abstract: The ability of plethodontid salamanders to jump has been recognized for over 100 yr, but the mechanics of the jump are only now being elucidated. These salamanders often autotomize tails that can be as much as a third of the body mass. Tail loss alters jump performance in some lizards and therefore may also alter jump performance in the plethodontid salamanders. In this study, we used a high-speed camera to record subjects representing three species of plethodontid salamanders jumping with and without tails. The kinematic analyses indicate that take-off velocity, take-off angle, and maximum height are similar between salamanders with and without tails. Jump characteristics are highly variable within the individual for all salamanders (with or without tails) and this indicates that salamanders do not need to produce the same jump consistently to succeed in their primary task of escape. Better coordination might exist for arboreal plethodontid salamanders that use jumping for purposes other than ...
Taking Private Equity Public: The Blackstone Group

On the eve of the Blackstone Group's much anticipated initial public offering (IPO), a Wall Street portfolio manager contemplates his commitment to purchase 20,000 units at $31.00 each. As one of the largest IPOs in recent history and the first major PE fund to go public in the United States, the offering had stirred up significant media and congressional interest, some of which was potentially damaging for the PE industry. Even taking the uncertainty of the tax law into consideration, the manager thought the market would respond positively to Blackstone's newly traded units. But there were still risks to consider. Excerpt UVA-C-2327 Rev. Sept. 14, 2017 Taking Private Equity Public: The Blackstone Group In the summer of 2007, Jillian Smith, portfolio manager of Cougar Investments, marveled at the tremendous success that the private equity (PE) industry had been enjoying. The importance of debt financing in executing PE transactions, the prevalence of loose lending standards, and the low interest rates in 2007 resulted in a staggering $ 686 billion invested globally in PE. The public equity markets were also booming, with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500) up 22% for the previous 12 months. The mortgage market had begun to falter, however, as borrowers defaulted at higher rates. It was unclear whether this instability would spread to a wider set of lending activities and ultimately impact the equity markets. Nonetheless, Smith, like many Wall Street portfolio managers, was eager to own a piece of the PE industry's most prestigious and successful funds. On June 21, 2007, the eve of The Blackstone Group's much anticipated IPO, Smith contemplated her commitment to purchase 20,000 units at $ 31 each. As one of the largest IPOs in recent history and the first major PE firm to go public in the United States, the offering had stirred up significant media and congressional interest, some of which was potentially damaging for the PE industry. Smith had just read about two proposed bills that threatened to change the taxation of PE funds. One plan changed the tax treatment of publicly traded PE firms, and the other changed the taxation of carried interest, the percentage of a PE fund's profits paid to its management team. Even taking the uncertainty of the tax law into consideration, Smith believed the market would respond very positively to Blackstone's newly traded units. Her optimism stemmed from the 18% return earned by investors who bought Fortress Investment Group during its IPO a few months earlier. The PE Industry . . .
Instrumental Performance as a Function of Increasing and Decreasing Delays of Reinforcement

Rats (N=56) were trained in a runway under increasing (I), decreasing (D), and random (R) conditions of delay. Each group was then split with one-third of Ss being extinguished under I, D, and R conditions of delay-box confinement. Both delay patterns in training and confinement patterns in extinction affected resistance to extinction. The results were considered in terms of: (a) cognitive-dissonance theory; (b) the work of Marx, et al. on ordered variations in incentives; and (c) previous work which has demonstrated the importance of delay-box confinement in extinction and the direction of shifts in delay from training to extinction.
Structural Health Monitoring of a Composite Panel Based on PZT Sensors and a Transfer Impedance Framework.

One of the ideas for development of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems is based on excitation of elastic waves by a network of PZT piezoelectric transducers integrated with the structure. In the paper, a variant of the so-called Transfer Impedance (TI) approach to SHM is followed. Signal characteristics, called the Damage Indices (DIs), were proposed for data presentation and analysis. The idea underlying the definition of DIs was to maintain most of the information carried by the voltage induced on PZT sensors by elastic waves. In particular, the DIs proposed in the paper should be sensitive to all types of damage which can influence the amplitude or the phase of the voltage induced on the sensor. Properties of the proposed DIs were investigated experimentally using a GFRP composite panel equipped with PZT networks attached to its surface and embedded into its internal structure. Repeatability and stability of DI indications under controlled conditions were verified in tests. Also, some performance indicators for surface-attached and structure-embedded sensors were obtained. The DIs’ behavior was dependent mostly on the presence of a simulated damage in the structure. Anisotropy of mechanical properties of the specimen, geometrical properties of PZT network as well as, to some extent, the technology of sensor integration with the structure were irrelevant for damage indication. This property enables the method to be used for damage detection and classification.
The Effects of Assessing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using a Prompt in the Electronic Health Record in Adult Patients with Epilepsy. (P6.261)

Objective: This quality improvement project was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation of -Assessment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (AOSA), an electronic health record (EHR) alert and risk assessment tool, on the percentage of referrals for polysomnography (PSG) for all patients > 18 years of age with epilepsy. Background: Prior studies have reported that patients with epilepsy have a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that can be a major contributor to poor seizure control. Treatment of OSA improves seizure control. Hence, improved detection and management of OSA may be beneficial in patients with epilepsy. Design/Methods: A three-month retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients > 18 years of age seen in our epilepsy clinic. Then, AOSA alert with a check list of risk factors for OSA was created in EHR. AOSA was used to screen patients prospectively for a second three-month period. Patients with ≥ 2 risk factors were referred for PSG. Chi squared test was used to demonstrate whether there was any statistically significant difference in number of patients referred for PSG with and without EHR alert. Results: The retrospective chart review revealed that out of the 346 patients, 25 (7.23%) were evaluated for their sleeping habits and referred for PSG. After AOSA implementation, of the 414 patients seen in the clinic, 405 were screened, of which 134 (33.1 %) patients met criteria for referral for PSG which was significantly more than prior to AOSA implementation ( p Conclusions: An intervention with an AOSA cued in the EHR demonstrated significantly improved identification of patients at risk for OSA and referral for PSG. AOSA is a practical quality improving tool that can be enabled in EHR. Disclosure: Dr. Gupta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mulvey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ming has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for No compensation received, but serve as editor for Journal of Pediatric Neurology.
Knowledge-Centered Problem Solving Strategies

The primary concern in applying search-centered methods for solving engineering problems is the tendency for these methods to lead to combinatorial search spaces, due to the lack of knowledge needed to guide search. To adequately exploit expert’s knowledge and to deal with complex engineering problems search-centered methods should be augmented with: 1) domain specific knowledge, and 2) problem solving techniques to deal with: a) goals and data, b) multiple levels of abstraction, c) assumptions and justifications, d) inexactness of knowledge and data, e) time, and f ) spatial reasoning [59] (see Figure 4.1).
Upregulation of interleukin-18 expression in mouse primary keratinocytes induced to differentiate by calcium.

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is an immunomodulatory cytokine that stimulates interferon-γ production by T helper cells. Recently, basal keratinocytes have been shown to constitutively express IL-18, and IL-18 expression increases in the suprabasal keratinocytes in psoriatic lesions. In the study reported here we showed that in mouse epidermis, IL-18 immunoreactivity was markedly increased in the granular and cornified layers. To further investigate whether differentiated keratinocytes synthesize more IL-18, we examined the expression of mouse IL-18 in primary mouse keratinocytes induced to differentiate by calcium, an in vitro cell culture system mimicking keratinocyte differentiation in the epidermis. We demonstrated that IL-18 mRNA and protein in cultured keratinocytes were increased by calcium treatment in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The upregulation of IL-18 was associated with an increase in keratinocyte differentiation markers, and was dependent on the synthesis of new RNAs and proteins. However, the IL-18 protein in the cytoplasm was predominantly in the precursor form, and no increase in IL-18 activity was detected in the culture medium treated with calcium. Furthermore, blocking the calcium-induced keratinocyte differentiation with protein kinase C inhibitor inhibited the upregulation of IL-18 expression. These findings suggest that IL-18 is synthesized in keratinocytes mainly in the inactive precursor form, and its expression is upregulated as basal keratinocytes differentiate in the epidermis.
Effects of Insulin on the Vascular System

Over the last decade it has become clear that insulin, in addition to its actions on glucose, protein, and fatty acid metabolism also exhibits distinct effects on the vascular system. Importantly, elevated circulating insulin levels have been found to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This observation aised the question regarding whether elevated insulin levels per se may cause macrovascular disease or whether the insulin levels are elevated to compensate for the insulin resistance seen in obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
“Welcome to America,” fragment from Dream in a Suitcase. A Story of My Immigrant Life

Memorialistic chapter about the author’s arrival to America and her first months in Chicago in 1983, during the coldest winter of the century.
In reference to Positive Airway Pressure Titration Task Force of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

The Positive Airway Pressure Titration Task Force recommended in their guidelines for manual titration of positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea that “if the patient is uncomfortable or intolerant of high pressures on CPAP, the patient may be tried on BPAP.”1 Pressure relief CPAP or “C-Flex” is an alternative to BPAP when tolerance of high pressures is the reason for using BPAP. We found that BPAP frequently induced or worsened central apneas and periodic respiration among patients with OSA intolerant of CPAP, and that pressure relief is able to improve tolerance in these patients with less risk of exacerbating central apneas or complex sleep.2 If there are central apneas on C-Flex with comfort setting of 3, then lower comfort settings should be tried. The cost of pressure relief CPAP machines is lower that that for BPAP. We recommend that for OSA patients intolerant of high CPAP pressures, pressure relief CPAP should be tried prior to BPAP.
Caregiver-Child Symptom Concordance: Links to Premature Termination From Trauma-Focused Therapy.

Abstract Rates of attrition from child trauma-focused treatment are high, yet few predictors of premature termination are known. Caregiver-child symptom discrepancies are common in this population ...
Are Rural Children of Work-Away Parents Really Left Behind? Voices From Rural Teachers

Abstract This study adopted the Positive Youth Development Approach and used semi-structured interviews with fifty rural teachers to discover environmental factors that foster the success of children of work-away parents (often called left-behind children in many studies) and to understand current challenges from rural teachers’ perspectives. The results of this study indicated children of work-away parents can be successful in school settings when parents or teachers have a strong belief in the success of children and effective methods in place to ensure the quality of learning. In addition, teachers can better support their students if they can be relieved from excessive administrative burdens and gain practical methods to work with students with special needs. Furthermore, we found that the real risk factors for children in rural China are oversimplified under the stereotypes of “left-behind children.” This study calls for a comprehensive risk assessment for all rural children, considering the complexity of the status and potential stigmatization towards them and specific training and support for work-away parents, direct caregivers, and teachers to form an alliance to reduce the risk factors and enhance the well-being of rural children.
New investigations at Bonfire shelter, Texas examine controversial bison jumps and bone beds

Bonfire Shelter (41VV218) is a nationally significant site in the Lower Pecos region of the West Texas borderlands that contains a record of episodic use by hunter-gatherers spanning at least twelv...
Classifying YouTube Comments Based on Sentiment and Type of Sentence.

As a YouTube channel grows, each video can potentially collect enormous amounts of comments that provide direct feedback from the viewers. These comments are a major means of understanding viewer expectations and improving channel engagement. However, the comments only represent a general collection of user opinions about the channel and the content. Many comments are poorly constructed, trivial, and have improper spellings and grammatical errors. As a result, it is a tedious job to identify the comments that best interest the content creators. In this paper, we extract and classify the raw comments into different categories based on both sentiment and sentence types that will help YouTubers find relevant comments for growing their viewership. Existing studies have focused either on sentiment analysis (positive and negative) or classification of sub-types within the same sentence types (e.g., types of questions) on a text corpus. These have limited application on non-traditional text corpus like YouTube comments. We address this challenge of text extraction and classification from YouTube comments using well-known statistical measures and machine learning models. We evaluate each combination of statistical measure and the machine learning model using cross validation and $F_1$ scores. The results show that our approach that incorporates conventional methods performs well on the classification task, validating its potential in assisting content creators increase viewer engagement on their channel.
THE SMALL IT BUSINESS, THE UNIVERSITY, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS: A MODEL FOR SYNERGY

The very small IT business suffers from the lack of resources and lack of a sufficient customer base. Universities have the human and computing resources, but may not be particularly good customers for the small IT business. Community-based organizations have very significant IT needs, but few resources. Is there a way to find synergy among these desperate groups to create a win for each? This research discusses a model of development for the small IT business that has seeks to leverage the assets of the desperate groups while offsetting the limitations of each group to create a unique IT business that serves the needs of each party.
Survey of microwave antenna design problems

The following sections are included: the wavelength region; antenna patterns; types of microwave beams; microwave transmission lines; radiating elements; a survey of microwave antenna types; impedance specifications; and program of the present volume.
R2 and Related Site-Specific Non-Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposons

R2 elements are unusual mobile elements because all copies insert into a specific site within the genome, the 28S rRNA genes. The target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT) reaction characterized for R2 elements now serves as the model for studying the mechanism of all non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, and has also been shown to be similar to critical steps in group II intron retrohoming. Among the first eukaryotic genes to be cloned molecularly were the rRNA genes of Drosophila melanogaster. R1 elements were similar in coding capacity to L1 and I elements in that they contained two open reading frames (ORFs). A genomic DNA blotting approach was used initially to score for the presence of R1 and R2 insertions in the 28S rRNA genes of 47 species from nine insect orders. More recently, PCR has been used as the favored assay for the presence of R2 and R1 elements within insect species. In this approach degenerate oligonucleotide primers, designed to anneal to highly conserved regions within the RTencoding region of the elements, are used in combination with a second oligonucleotide that anneals to invariant 28S gene sequences approximately 700 bp downstream of the insertion sites. In summary, R1 and R2 elements have been identified in every major lineage of arthropods examined to date. All R2 elements insert in the 28S gene at a site exactly 74 bp upstream of all R1 insertions.
Analysis of the misregulation of RhoA and RhoH in autoimmune mice. (HUM7P.302)

When cultured in the presence of apoptotic cells, cell bodies or lipids, RhoA is misregulated in macrophages from all 6 autoimmune mouse strains but none of the 7 normal strains tested. Misregulation of RhoA results in defective morphology, altered cytokine production, and increased adhesion. The same macrophages cultured without apoptotic cell lipids had properly regulated RhoA and behaved normally. Normal mouse macrophages cultured with the Rho inhibitor C3 toxin, had defective macrophage morphology and behavior. Therefore, we proposed that autoimmunity is due to an apoptotic cell recognition signaling defect and that normal macrophage function may be restored by a chemical reversal of the defect. Our new data demonstrate that lupus strain, MRL, macrophages cultured in the presence of C3 no longer had defects in morphology and function. The fact that a RhoA inhibitor restored RhoA function indicates that the misregulation in autoimmune macrophages involves a RhoA regulator also affected by C3 and not RhoA itself. RhoH is a known inhibitor of RhoA and it is only expressed in hematopoietic cells. Experiments comparing RhoH expression in BALB and MRL macrophages suggest at least four different sizes of RhoH protein are expressed in normal macrophages in response to lipid exposure and that lupus macrophages do not express the multiple forms of RhoH even in the presence of lipids. A lack of proper RhoH expression could be behind the autoimmune macrophage defect.
Assessing Climate Change Implications for Water Resources Planning

Numerous recent studies have shown that existing water supply systems are sensitive to climate change. One apparent implication is that water resources planning methods should be modified accordingly. Few of these studies, however, have attempted to account for either the chain of uncertainty in projecting water resources system vulnerability to climate change, or the adaptability of system operation resulting from existing planning strategies. Major uncertainties in water resources climate change assessments lie in a) climate modeling skill; b) errors in regional downscaling of climate model predictions; and c) uncertainties in future water demands. A simulation study was designed to provide insight into some aspects of these uncertainties. Specifically, the question that is addressed is whether a different decision would be made in a reservoir reallocation decision if knowledge about future climate were incorporated (i.e., would planning based on climate change information be justified?). The case study is possible reallocation of flood storage to conservation (municipal water supply) on the Green River, WA. We conclude that, for the case study, reservoir reallocation decisions and system performance would not differ significantly if climate change information were incorporated in the planning process.
Academic civic engagement in the Immunology classroom: from grant proposals to immunology theater (EDU1P.255)

There is a growing recognition and sense of urgency that scientists need to be better equipped to communicate scientific ideas to the general public. Improved communication is an opportunity with significant policy, behavior, and funding implications. For the past 5 years, I have integrated civic engagement projects into the upper-level Immunology course I teach at Carleton College - a small liberal arts college located in Northfield, MN - in order to provide an opportunity for students to practice translating complex, jargon-rich information into engaging materials for use in the local community. These projects are by nature reciprocal; they provide an authentic learning opportunity for students and a very real benefit for our community partners. Additional student outcomes include increased awareness of local public health issues, enhanced understanding of the connection between immunology and real world problems, and improved scientific communication skills, including in some cases, grant writing skills. Civic engagement projects range from writing grant proposals or research reports for local nonprofit organizations to performing “Immunology Theater” with at-risk high school students or developing comics and videos to teach about sexually transmitted diseases. Assessment of the effectiveness and impact of the civic engagement projects included alumni surveys (2009-2013 graduates; n=192), evaluation of student reflections, and community partner surveys.
Advanced bipolar technology for the 1990s

The advent of low temperature epitaxy processes provides a new degree of freedom for bipolar device scaling. This paper describes new vertical scaling concepts and process technology elements required for advanced scaled bipolar (NPN and PNP) devices which will be the core of high-performance application-specific bipolar, BiCMOS, or complementary bipolar/BiCMOS logic and memory chips. In particular, the authors address key issues such as transit time reduction by SiGe base band-gap engineering, junction field/capacitance control by using lightly-doped emitter (LDE) and collector (LDC) concepts, lateral scaling (reduction of parasitic R and C) by advanced self-aligned structures and trench isolations, and liquid-nitrogen temperature (LNT) operation. Challenges for future BiCMOS and complementary bipolar/BiCMOS process technologies are examined. >
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus mRNA and Inhibition of Translation of Cellular mRNA—Is There a P Function in Vesicular Stomatitis Virus?

Abstract Infection of animal cells by vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) results in inhibition of translation of cellular mRNA. We showed previously that, in BHK cells infected by the Glasgow isolate of VSV Indiana, this is due to competition during the initiation step of protein synthesis of viral and cellular mRNA for a constant, limiting number of ribosomes. We show here that infection of the same cells with the San Juan isolate of VSV resulted in a more rapid shutoff of host protein synthesis and that this was paralleled by a more rapid accumulation of viral mRNA. Extending our conclusion that shutoff is due to mRNA competition, we show further that the average size of polysomes translating viral and cellular mRNA was threefold smaller in cells infected by VSV San Juan than by VSV Glasgow, which, in turn, was about one-half that of uninfected cells. In all cases, cellular and viral mRNA's which encoded the same-sized polypeptides were found on the same-sized polysomes, a result indicating that the efficiency of translation of both types of mRNA's is about the same in the infected cell. Also, there was no preferential sequestration of viral or cellular mRNA's in ribonucleoprotein particles. Additional correlations between the levels of viral mRNA's and the inhibition of protein synthesis came from studies of three other wild-type VSV strains and also from studies with Vero and L cells. In particular, the rate of shutoff of L-cell protein synthesis after infection by any VSV isolate was slower than that in BHK cells, and this was correlated with a slower rate of accumulation of viral mRNA. VSV temperature-sensitive mutants which synthesized, at the nonper-missive temperature, no VSV mRNA failed to inhibit synthesis of cellular proteins. Stanners and co-workers (C. P. Stanners, A. M. Francoeur, and T. Lam, Cell 11:273-281, 1977) claimed that VSV mutant R1 inhibited synthesis of L cell protein synthesis less rapidly than did its parent wild-type strain HR. They concluded that this effect was due to a mutation in an unspecified VSV protein, “P.” We found, in both L and BHK cells, that R1 infection resulted in a slightly slower inhibition of cellular mRNA translation than did HR infection and that this was correlated with a slightly reduced accumulation of VSV mRNA. The level of VSV mRNA, rather than any specific VSV protein, appeared to be the key factor in determining the rate of shutoff of host protein synthesis.
Shifting RNA polymerase into overdrive.

DNA is transcribed into RNA by a highly conserved enzyme called RNA polymerase (RNAP). Organisms have developed elaborate methods to regulate gene expression by terminating transcription early. A report from Yarnell and Roberts, discussed by Landick in his Perspective, provides valuable insights into transcription termination and a process called overdrive in which the RNAP is able to ignore the termination sequence and transcription continues. Their findings are valuable for understanding gene regulation in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.