cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein kinase CK2 phosphorylates and activates p21-activated kinase 1.

Activation of the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is achieved through a conformational change that converts an inactive PAK1 dimer to an active monomer. In this paper, we show that this change is necessary but not sufficient to activate PAK1 and that it is, rather, required for CK2-dependent PAK1S223 phosphorylation that converts a monomeric PAK1 into a catalytically active form. This phosphorylation appears to be essential for autophosphorylation at specific residues and overall activity of PAK1. A phosphomimetic mutation (S223E) bypasses the requirement for GTPases in PAK1 activation, whereas the constitutive activity of the PAK1 mutant (PAK1H83,86L), postulated to mimic GTPase-induced structural changes, is abolished by inhibition of S223 phosphorylation. Thus, S223 is likely accessible to CK2 upon conformational changes of PAK1 induced by GTPase-dependent and GTPase-independent stimuli, suggesting that S223 phosphorylation may play a key role in the final step of the PAK1 activation process. The physiological significance of this phosphorylation is reinforced by the observations that CK2 is responsible for epidermal growth factor–induced PAK1 activation and that inhibition of S223 phosphorylation abrogates PAK1-mediated malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells. Taken together, these findings identify CK2 as an upstream activating kinase of PAK1, providing a novel mechanism for PAK1 activation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION OF T-CELL FUNCTION IN MICE : GROUP HOUSING OF MALES AFFECTS ACCESSORY CELL FUNCTION

The number of mice housed in a cage was found to exert a major impact on immune function in male mice. Lymph node cells from hen lysozyme (HEL)-primed C57BL/6 male mice, housed in groups of 6/cage or individually, were tested for T-cell proliferative response. Group-housed males showed markedly lower responses than age-matched females. However, in males housed singly for 4-15 weeks, responses were considerably higher, approaching those of female controls. To examine the cellular site of action of the housing effect, the efficiency of splenic antigen-presenting cells (APC) was examined. APC from grouped males were considerably less efficient than APC from females, whereas males housed singly had increased APC function, reaching female levels. Our results demonstrate that environmental manipulation can profoundly modulate cellular immunity, and provide a first mechanistic indication that APC function is a major target for this modulation.
Preservation of biological information in thermal spring deposits: developing a strategy for the search for fossil life on Mars.

Paleobiological experience on earth is used here to develop a search strategy for fossil life on Mars. In particular, the exploration of thermal spring deposits is proposed as a way to maximize the chance of finding fossil life on Mars. As a basis for this suggestion, the characteristics of thermal springs are discussed in some detail.
Walking in two worlds: master teachers serving as site coordinators in partner schools

Abstract The emergence of partnerships to promote simultaneous renewal of university schools and colleges of education as well as K-12 public schools has resulted in new roles for personnel in both settings. The present study describes multiple aspects of one of these roles; that of the site coordinator. A site coordinator is a master teacher on special assignment to lead implementation of the four functions of partner schools as articulated by members of the National Network for Educational Renewal. These functions are teacher preparation, professional development, renewal of curriculum and instruction (i.e., exemplary instruction for all), as well as research and inquiry. The factors that have influenced the evolution of this role over 8 years of a complex school–university partnership are described. Qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with 31 site coordinators regarding their perceptions of the role are included as well. These data are organized according to multiple themes within the two broad categories of personal and professional benefits as well as challenges. Finally, the essential nature of this role in facilitating the simultaneous renewal of basic and higher education is discussed as a guide to others who participate in school–university partnerships.
Explaining Cybercrime through the Lens of Differential Association Theory, Hadidi44-2.php PayPal Case Study

Social learning theories, such as differential association theory, state that criminals develop deviant behaviors and learn the tools of their trade through close association with other deviants. This case study examines a group of 99 email addresses found to be using the same PayPal phishing kit. It uses Open Source Intelligence techniques to determine potential relationships between the holders of these email addresses. The results are then discussed in light of differential association theory to determine the extent to which this theory may aid in the understanding of cybercrime. (Abstract)
Effects of ozone and acid rain on white pine (Pinus strobus) seedlings grown in five soils. II. Mycorrhizal infection

Mycorrhizal infection of white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seedlings was measured after 4 months of exposure to simulated acid rain and ozone, applied either alone or in combination. Increasing rain acidity consistently reduced the number of mycorrhizal short roots. In general, infection decreased linearly versus rain pH. Plants exposed to simulated rain at pH 3.0 had approximately 20% fewer mycorrhizal roots than plants exposed to pH 5.6 rain. The decrease in the number of mycorrhizal roots was a result of decreases both in the number of short roots available for infection and in the percentage of roots infected. Ozone had no effect on mycorrhizal infection if applied 3 alternate days/week at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.14 ppm. However, there were significant changes in infection in plants exposed to ozone for 5 days/week. There was no evidence for an interaction between the two pollutants. Percent mycorrhizal infection was highly correlated with seedling nitrogen concentration across all soil type...
Mendelian inheritance of teliospore production in Uromyces appendiculatus

The change from urediniospore to telio- spore production is a crucial developmental stage in the life cycle of many rust fungi. Uromyces appendi- culatus has five different spore stages during its life cycle and alternates between asexual and sexual re- production. Teliospore production is a prerequisite to the formation of the spore stages associated with the sexual cycle (basidiospores, pycniospores, and ae- ciospores) in this rust. Many naturally occurring iso- lates apparently lack the ability to produce telio- spores and are restricted to asexual reproduction by production of urediniospores. A cross was previously made by using urediniospores from an asexual isolate to fertilize pycnia of a sexual isolate. The parents and progeny from this cross were analyzed for the ability to produce teliospores. When inoculated onto Pha- seolus vulgaris L. (cv. Top Crop), teliospores first ap- peared in uredinial pustules produced by the telio- spore-forming parent 14-16 days after inoculation, compared with 20-22 days for the F1 progeny of this cross. Teliospore production relative to uredinio- spore production was quantified for the parents, the Fl, and 67 F2 progeny. At 38 days after inoculation, pustules produced by the teliospore forming parent contained 68% teliospores and 32% urediniospores, whereas pustules of the F1 contained 33% teliospores and 67% urediniospores. The number of F2 progeny that did not produce teliospores versus those that produced teliospores, fit a single gene 1:3 ratio. Thir- ty-five backcross progeny produced from backcross- ing the F1 to the teliospore-producing parent were also analyzed for the ability to produce teliospores. The backcross progeny segregated into two groups which fit a 1:1 ratio of intermediate versus high teli- ospore production. This supports the hypothesis that
Expanding the synthetic biology toolbox: engineering orthogonal regulators of gene expression

Despite substantial progress in synthetic biology, we still lack the ability to engineer anything as complex as Nature has. One of the many reasons is that we lack the requisite tools for independently controlling the expression of multiple genes in parallel. While our toolbox is still spare, the situation is rapidly changing. This opinion discusses some recent approaches and open challenges in designing orthogonal regulators of gene expression in bacteria.
Performance of 3D, navigator echo-gated, contrast-enhanced, magnetic resonance coronary vein imaging in patients undergoing CRT.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced MRI to visualize the coronary veins with validation by the gold standard, X-ray venography, and to determine whether MRI can visualize the coronary vein branch used for left ventricular (LV) lead implantation. Nineteen (19) patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) received a cardiac MRI at 1.5T 1 week before treatment. Coronary vein images were acquired using a 3D, navigator- and ECG-gated, contrast-enhanced, inversion-recovery, fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence. X-ray venography was performed during the CRT procedure to image the coronary venous anatomy and the LV lead location. MRI coronary vein images were graded on a 0–3 scale (0 = nonexistent, 1 = poor, 2 = good, 3 = excellent). MRI and X-ray venogram images were also graded using a binary visible/not visible scheme to compare the visibility of the coronary veins. The mean visibility scores for the coronary sinus, the posterior interventricular, the posterior vein of the left ventricle, the left marginal vein, and the anterior interventricular were 3.0 ± 0.2, 2.3 ± 0.7, 1.6 ± 1.1, 1.9 ± 0.8 and 2.4 ± 0.9, respectively. When compared to X-ray venography, MRI was capable of visualizing 90 % of veins and all of the veins used for LV lead implantation. The vein used for LV lead implantation had an average vein image quality score of 1.9 on MRI images. Contrast-enhanced MRI was capable of visualizing 90% of the coronary venous anatomy and was able visualize the vein used for LV lead implantation in all patients.
Tobacco use and psychiatric comorbidity among adolescents in substance abuse treatment.

Abstract Adolescents in substance abuse treatment have approximately four times higher rates of tobacco use compared with adolescents in the general population, yet many substance abuse treatment programs do not provide tobacco cessation interventions. This study examined change in tobacco use among 151 adolescents in state-funded substance abuse treatment from intake to 12-month follow-up in relation to psychiatric comorbidity and substance use. Most adolescents (67.5%) used tobacco at intake and follow-up. Having a diagnosis of a mood, anxiety, or behavioral disorder was significantly associated with change in tobacco use. Individuals with a psychiatric disorder were less likely to be nonusers of tobacco than to be individuals who continued tobacco use (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.153, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.040–0.587, p p
A retrospective review of Palmaz stenting of the aortic neck for endovascular aneurysm repair.

Background To review the aortic neck characteristics, graft types, and technical results of Palmaz stent placement as an adjunct to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods A retrospective review of 110 consecutive EVAR cases identified 18 cases in which Palmaz stents were placed as an adjunct to EVAR. Graft types, hostile aortic neck features (neck diameter: >26 mm, length: 60°, reverse taper necks), and treatment success were identified. Results Technical success in the placement of a proximal Palmaz stent was achieved in 17 of 18 cases. Palmaz stenting was attempted for the treatment of type I endoleak in 17 of 18 patients. One prophylactic stent was deployed in the setting of hostile neck anatomy. Proximal stent deployment resulted in immediate treatment success of type I endoleaks in 16 of 17 patients—one failure occurred in a patient who presented with a delayed type I endoleak. Analysis of aortic neck anatomy revealed that two of 18 patients had no criteria for a hostile neck, seven had one criterion, and nine met at least two criteria. With respect to stent–graft types, nine of 18 (50%) cases used the Endologix Powerlink, six used Gore Excluder, two used Cook Zenith, and one used Medtronic Talent. With a mean follow-up of 254 days, 16 of 17 type I endoleaks remain resolved. Conclusions With proper patient selection and additional adjunctive treatments, Palmaz stenting can effectively treat proximal type I endoleaks.
Borrowing From Others: Appropriating Social Capital Theories for “Doing” HRD

The problem and the solution. In this conceptual study, social capital theories are used to illuminate the practice of borrowing theories for HRD research and practice. “Borrowing” from other disciplines is an implicit, taken-for-granted practice in HRD theory development that has avoided scrutiny. Since HRD is a multiparadigm discipline, borrowing theories from monoparadigm disciplines can cause theoretical and logical inconsistencies. This study offers a way to organize borrowed social capital theories by categorizing them by paradigm and, ultimately, by the goal of the research and the desired HRD outcome. The article then offers a six-step process for borrowing theories from other disciplines. Ultimately, the article seeks an answer to the question: How can/should HRD borrow social capital theories to help achieve various (and contested) HRD outcomes?
The latent structure of posttraumatic stress disorder among adolescents.

Debate has arisen over whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is most accurately conceptualized as representing a discrete clinical syndrome or an extreme reaction to traumatic life events. Recent taxometric research using predominately adult samples appears to support a dimensional model of PTSD, raising questions about the utility of current psychiatric nosology which depicts PTSD as a distinct entity. The present study sought to use taxometric procedures to examine the latent structure of posttraumatic stress reactions among a national epidemiologic sample of 2,885 adolescents. Results were consistent with previous taxometric studies in supporting a dimensional model of posttraumatic stress reactions. The implications of these findings for public policy, as well as the etiology and assessment of posttraumatic stress reactions, are discussed.
Revelation of a catalytic calcium-binding site elucidates unusual metal dependence of a human apyrase.

Human soluble calcium-activated nucleotidase 1 (hSCAN-1) represents a new family of apyrase enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleotide di- and triphosphates, thereby modulating extracellular purinergic and pyrimidinergic signaling. Among well-characterized phosphoryl transfer enzymes, hSCAN-1 is unique not only in its unusual calcium-dependent activation, but also in its novel phosphate-binding motif. Its catalytic site does not utilize backbone amide groups to bind phosphate, as in the common P-loop, but contains a large cluster of acidic ionizable side chains. By employing a state-of-the-art computational approach, we have revealed a previously uncharacterized catalytic calcium-binding site in hSCAN-1, which elucidates the unusual calcium-dependence of its apyrase activity. In a high-order coordination shell, the newly identified calcium ion organizes the active site residues to mediate nucleotide binding, to orient the nucleophilic water, and to facilitate the phosphoryl transfer reaction. From...
cGMP-dependent protein kinase from Toxoplasma gondii: functional expression in E. coli and molecular characterization

Background The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular human pathogen causing toxoplasmosis predominantly in immune-compromised hosts such as cancer and transplant patients as well as patients with AIDS [1]. A specific cGMP-dependent protein kinase (TgPKG) which appears to be crucial for host invasion has been identified in T. gondii and related coccidial protozoa [2]. However, detailed structural and biochemical analyses have been hampered due to the inability to functionally express these kinases in high yields in systems other than their parasite host organisms.
Extrapolation chamber measurements of 90Sr+90Y beta-particle ophthalmic applicator dose rates

Aspects of extrapolation chamber dose-rate measurements of 90Sr + 90Y beta-particle ophthalmic applicators are examined in this report, including the proper choice of collector electrode size, the gap width over which the measurement should be done, the effect of the entrance window materials, and the stopping-power ratio. Experiments, a simple analytic model for the effect of chamber geometry and nonzero gap width, and more detailed Monte Carlo simulations were used. The variation of the planar flux density as a function of angle for a thick 90Sr + 90Y source was measured and used as input for the model. From Monte Carlo simulation, the dose rate for tissue irradiation falls off by 8% between the surface and a depth of 7 mg/cm2. The derivative of chamber ionization as a function of gap width, needed for the dose-rate calibration, increases rapidly as the gap width decreases, typically by a factor of about 2 between gap widths of 1.5 and 0.15 mm. About half of this change is due to ionizing electrons leaving the collection volume at the larger gap widths as shown by the analytic model; the rest of the change is due to ionizing electrons which backscatter from the collector electrode and its backing as shown by Monte Carlo simulations. The backscattering effect increases the derived surface dose by a factor of 1.46. A satisfactory dose-rate extrapolation is obtained from gap widths of 0.1-0.25 mm, where the total ionization current is observed to be nearly linear in gap width.
Mitochondrial DNA deletion mutations in adult mouse cardiac side population cells

We investigated the presence and potential role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion mutations in adult cardiac stem cells. Cardiac side population (SP) cells were isolated from 12-week-old mice. Standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to screen for the presence of mtDNA deletion mutations in (a) freshly isolated SP cells and (b) SP cells cultured to passage 10. When present, the abundance of mtDNA deletion mutation was analyzed in single cell colonies. The effect of different levels of deletion mutations on SP cell growth and differentiation was determined. MtDNA deletion mutations were found in both freshly isolated and cultured cells from 12-week-old mice. While there was no significant difference in the number of single cell colonies with mtDNA deletion mutations from any of the groups mentioned above, the abundance of mtDNA deletion mutations was significantly higher in the cultured cells, as determined by quantitative PCR. Within a single clonal cell population, the detectable mtDNA deletion mutations were the same in all cells and unique when compared to deletions of other colonies. We also found that cells harboring high levels of mtDNA deletion mutations (i.e. where deleted mtDNA comprised more than 60% of total mtDNA) had slower proliferation rates and decreased differentiation capacities. Screening cultured adult stem cells for mtDNA deletion mutations as a routine assessment will benefit the biomedical application of adult stem cells.
Children are abused in eastern countries: A look at India

Identification of child abuse requires study of (1) adult behavior, (2) the effect on, or the reaction of, the child, and (3) the perception of the observer. This article looks at three published studies in order to explore claims that Indians do not abuse children. Research shows that (1) there is widespread use of corporal punishment, often severe, (2) children find this unacceptable and (3) Indian social workers are lacking in awareness of the problem. Attention should therefore be focused on recognition of abuse as a problem, rather than on numbers of cases.
Accurate Local-Ancestry Inference in Exome-Sequenced Admixed Individuals via Off-Target Sequence Reads

Estimates of the ancestry of specific chromosomal regions in admixed individuals are useful for studies of human evolutionary history and for genetic association studies. Previously, this ancestry inference relied on high-quality genotypes from genome-wide association study (GWAS) arrays. These high-quality genotypes are not always available when samples are exome sequenced, and exome sequencing is the strategy of choice for many ongoing genetic studies. Here we show that off-target reads generated during exome-sequencing experiments can be combined with on-target reads to accurately estimate the ancestry of each chromosomal segment in an admixed individual. To reconstruct local ancestry, our method SEQMIX models aligned bases directly instead of relying on hard genotype calls. We evaluate the accuracy of our method through simulations and analysis of samples sequenced by the 1000 Genomes Project and the NHLBI Grand Opportunity Exome Sequencing Project. In African Americans, we show that local-ancestry estimates derived by our method are very similar to those derived with Illumina’s Omni 2.5M genotyping array and much improved in relation to estimates that use only exome genotypes and ignore off-target sequencing reads. Software implementing this method, SEQMIX, can be applied to analysis of human population history or used for genetic association studies in admixed individuals.
Influence of a forest preserve on aquatic macroinvertebrates, habitat quality, and water quality in an urban stream

The use of nature areas as an effective tool for conservation of streams and their biota is a relatively unexplored option in urban stream management. Benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality in an urban stream, Poplar Creek, were monitored along a continuum within and downstream of a forest preserve in the western Chicago metropolitan area, USA. Taxa richness and a benthic macroinvertebrate index of biological integrity (MIBI) increased as the stream progressed within the preserve, but percentage of Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Plecoptera (%EPT) showed no improvement. Reductions in the amount of silt substrates and increases in gravel-dominated substrate were evident at sites within the preserve. There were no improvements in water-quality measures tested although trends may have been obscured by precipitation events between sampling occasions. The benefits in stream quality attained within the forest preserve extended beyond the downstream border of the preserve and were not diminished by the presence of a railway, which bisected the stream. The nature preserve provided an opportunity for increased macroinvertebrate biodiversity, likely through local reductions in impervious surfaces and improvements in stream substrate, despite lack of evidence that it improved water quality.
Private Collection of Geochemistry and Oceanography Articles Available

It's time! I'm disposing of a 37-year career's worth of books and other scientific materials in geochemistry and oceanography. Ordinarily, reprints of articles have little value. However, in the course of my research, I assembled what may be the world's most comprehensive private collection of articles on marine ferromanganese deposits up to the late 1980s. It includes foreign language materials, especially Russian language articles. Soviet researchers played an active role in this field (I cooperated with them and was a guest of the Soviet Academy).
ASH Position Paper: Home and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring When and How to Use Self (Home) and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

This American Society of Hypertension position paper focuses on the importance of out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurement for the clinical management of patients with hypertension and its complications. Studies have supported direct and independent associations of cardiovascular risk with ambulatory BP and inverse associations with the degree of BP reduction from day to night. Self-monitoring of the BP (or home BP monitoring) also has advantages in evaluating patients with hypertension, especially those already on drug treatment, but less is known about its relation to future cardiovascular events. Data derived from ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) allow the identification of high-risk patients, independent from the BP obtained in the clinic or office setting. While neither ABPM nor self-BP monitoring are mandatory for the routine diagnosis of hypertension, these modalities can enhance the ability for identification of white-coat and masked hypertension and evaluate the extent of BP control in patients on drug therapy. © 2008 American Society of Hypertension. All rights reserved.
Prediction of severe acute pancreatitis: current knowledge and novel insights.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common and potentially lethal acute inflammatory process with a highly variable clinical course. It is still unclear why some patients progress to organ failure and others do not. Ability to predict which patients will develop severe disease is limited. Routine clinical and laboratory data and multi-factorial clinical scores measured on admission and during the first 48 h of hospitalization are currently the standards of care used to estimate the magnitude of the inflammatory response to injury. Current literature highlights several common environmental, metabolic and genetic factors that increase the risk of AP development and subsequent adverse sequelae. Several cytokines have been found to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AP by driving the subsequent inflammatory response, to include tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). Large, prospective studies are still needed to address these questions by identifying AP risk factors and serum biomarkers of severe disease.
Mixed-mode cleavage front branching at a high-angle grain boundary

In a previous study it was observed that a cleavage front can penetrate through a high-angle grain boundary in either regular or irregular mode. In this article, we report the third mode, which has a self-similar characteristic. In this mode, the cleavage front branches into a number of segments and the breakthrough points are in clusters, which can be regarded as the combination of regular and irregular processes. A first-order analysis is performed to estimate the boundary fracture resistance.
Home continuous positive inotropic infusion as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure

Abstract Background The clinical use of positive inotropic therapy at home in patients awaiting cardiac transplantation has not been reported since United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) regulations were changed to allow home infusions in Status 1B patients. Methods We observed 21 consecutive patients with UNOS 1B status during positive inotropic therapy at home. We used hemodynamic monitoring at the initiation of therapy to optimize dosing. We selected for home therapy patients with stable clinical status and improved functional capacity during inotropic treatment. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators were placed in all but 1 patient before discharge. Results Initial positive inotropic therapy included dobutamine in 12 patients (mean dose, 4.5 mcg/kg/min; range, 2.5–7.5 mcg/kg/min), milrinone in 8 patients (mean dose, 0.44 mcg/kg/min; range, 0.375–0.55 mcg/kg/min), and dopamine at a dose of 3 mcg/kg/min in 1 patient. Patients had improved functional capacity (New York Heart Association Class 3.7 ± 0.1 to 2.4 ± 0.2, p p Conclusions Continuous positive inotropic therapy at home was safe and was associated with decreased health care costs in selected patients awaiting cardiac transplantation.
Exploring factors controlling the variability of pesticide concentrations in the Willamette River Basin using tree-based models

We analyzed available concentration data of five commonly used herbicides and three pesticides collected from small streams in the Willamette River Basin in Oregon to identify factors that affect the variation of their concentrations in the area. The emphasis of this paper is the innovative use of classification and regression tree models for exploratory data analysis as well as analyzing data with a substantial amount of left-censored values. Among variables included in this analysis, land-use pattern in the watershed is the most important for all but one (simazine) of the eight pesticides studied, followed by geographic location, intensity of agriculture activities in the watershed (represented by nutrient concentrations in the stream), and the size of the watershed. The significant difference between urban sites and agriculture sites is the variability of stream concentrations. While all 16 nonurban watersheds have significantly higher variation than urban sites, the same is not necessarily true for the mean concentrations. Seasonal variation accounts for only small fraction of the total variance in all eight pesticides.
Optimum Placement of Fixed and Switched Capacitors on Primary Distribution Feeders

New generalized procedures are developed for optimizing the net monetary savings associated with the reduction of power and energy losses through placement of fixed and switched shunt capacitors on primary distribution feeders. The computer-based optimization techniques are structured around three subproblems which encompass a wide range of design problems of interest to the distribution engineer. Realistic reactive load distributions on nonuniform feeders of commonly encountered wire sizes are accommodated within the modeling. A wide range of numerical examples is presented to reflect net dollar savings for typical applications
Punishment and Crime: An Examination of Some Empirical Evidence

Data from National Prisoner Statistics and Uniform Crime Reports are used to re-examine the relationship between rates of crime and the certainty and severity of punishment in the states of the United States. Recent research by Gibbs and Tittle using similar data to test deterrence hypotheses are extended in two ways: (l) by examining the relationships for three points in time which were previously examined for a single time period, and (2) by relating changes in rates of crime to prior changes in the certainty and severity of punishment. Little consistent support is found for the hypotheses that rates of crime and the certainty and severity of punishment are inversely related. The data for certainty suggest that the relationship with crime rates is somewhat variable over time and among offenses. These findings contrast with the strong and consistent negative associations reported by Tittle. An attempt is made to account for the strength and consistency of the previous findings by exploring the problem of correlated bias that exists in Tittle's measures of certainty and criminality. The inconsistency of findings, both within this study and among recent empirical tests of deterrence theory, indicate that existing sources of data may be inappropriate for use in the testing of deterrence hypotheses.
Capturing location-privacy preferences: quantifying accuracy and user-burden tradeoffs

We present a 3-week user study in which we tracked the locations of 27 subjects and asked them to rate when, where, and with whom they would have been comfortable sharing their locations. The results of analysis conducted on over 7,500 h of data suggest that the user population represented by our subjects has rich location-privacy preferences, with a number of critical dimensions, including time of day, day of week, and location. We describe a methodology for quantifying the effects, in terms of accuracy and amount of information shared, of privacy-setting types with differing levels of complexity (e.g., setting types that allow users to specify location- and/or time-based rules). Using the detailed preferences we collected, we identify the best possible policy (or collection of rules granting access to one's location) for each subject and privacy-setting type. We measure the accuracy with which the resulting policies are able to capture our subjects' preferences under a variety of assumptions about the sensitivity of the information and user-burden tolerance. One practical implication of our results is that today's location-sharing applications may have failed to gain much traction due to their limited privacy settings, as they appear to be ineffective at capturing the preferences revealed by our study.
Clinical Applications for Biomarkers of Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD, cGVHD) are serious complications of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The complex pathophysiology of these disease processes is associated with immune system activation, the release of cytokines and chemokines, and alterations in cell populations. The blood levels of specific protein and cellular levels in patients with GVHD have correlated with the development, diagnosis, and prognosis of GVHD. Here, we review the most promising biomarkers for aGVHD and cGVHD with clinical relevance. The utility of GVHD biomarkers in clinical care of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients needs to be proven through clinical trials, and potential approaches to trial design are discussed.
Metabotropic glutamate mGlu2 receptor is necessary for the pharmacological and behavioral effects induced by hallucinogenic 5-HT2A receptor agonists

Hallucinogenic drugs, including mescaline, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), act at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2ARs). Metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 (mGluR2/3) ligands show efficacy in modulating the responses induced by activation of 5-HT2ARs. The formation of a 5-HT2AR-mGluR2 complex suggests a functional interaction that affects the hallucinogen-regulated cellular signaling pathways. Here, we tested the cellular and behavioral effects of hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists in mGluR2 knockout (mGluR2-KO) mice. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with the hallucinogens DOI (2 mg/kg) and LSD (0.24 mg/kg), or vehicle. Head-twitch behavioral response, expression of c-fos, which is induced by all 5-HT2AR agonists, and expression of egr-2, which is hallucinogen-specific, were determined in wild type and mGluR2-KO mice. [(3)H]Ketanserin binding displacement curves by DOI were performed in mouse frontal cortex membrane preparations. Head twitch behavior was abolished in mGluR2-KO mice. The high-affinity binding site of DOI was undetected in mGluR2-KO mice. The hallucinogen DOI induced c-fos in both wild type and mGluR2-KO mice. However, the induction of egr-2 by DOI was eliminated in mGlu2-KO mice. These findings suggest that the 5-HT2AR-mGluR2 complex is necessary for the neuropsychological responses induced by hallucinogens.
The Relationship Context of Premarital Serial Cohabitation

Abstract Even though serial cohabitation is on the rise, it has not been integrated into recent family research. We analyze the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) cycle 6 to explore the relationship context of serial cohabitation for women throughout emerging adulthood (N = 3397). We provide a relationship context for serial cohabitation by examining the age at first cohabitation, duration of cohabiting unions, marital expectations and transitions, as well as premarital sexual histories. Furthermore, we examine the change in these relationship indicators across women’s birth cohorts. We find that serial cohabitors’ co-residential unions are about the same duration as single-instance cohabiting unions. Serial cohabitors start cohabiting younger, report lower marital expectations than single-instance cohabitors and a smaller proportion marry before age 30. Women who have more premarital sex partners have significantly greater odds of serial cohabiting. These findings indicate that women face increasingly complex relationship trajectories during emerging adulthood.
Characterization of a sar homolog of Staphylococcus epidermidis

Coagulase-negative staphylococci are common nosocomial pathogens. A regulatory element, designated sar, partially controls exoprotein synthesis in coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus by modulating the expression of another regulatory locus, called agr. We report here the cloning of a sar homolog in S. epidermidis. The major open reading frame within sar in S. epidermidis is highly homologous (84%) to the S. aureus SarA protein. Primer extension studies revealed three sar transcripts (0.64, 0.76, and 0.85 kb) initiated from three distinct promoters. The interpromoter region in S. epidermidis differs from its S. aureus counterpart, possibly suggesting target gene differences and a disparate pattern for sar activation. Remarkably, the S. epidermidis sar homolog interacts with an agr promoter fragment of S. aureus in gel shift assays. Additionally, S. epidermidis sar fragments could restore hemolysin production in an S. aureus sar mutant. As typical virulence determinants controlled by sar in S. aureus are not present in S. epidermidis, an examination of functional and structural similarities and divergence of sar in staphylococci will be of major interest.
Gesture's Role in Speaking, Learning, and Creating Language

When speakers talk, they gesture. The goal of this review is to investigate the contribution that these gestures make to how we communicate and think. Gesture can play a role in communication and thought at many timespans. We explore, in turn, gesture’s contribution to how language is produced and understood in the moment; its contribution to how we learn language and other cognitive skills; and its contribution to how language is created over generations, over childhood, and on the spot. We find that the gestures speakers produce when they talk are integral to communication and can be harnessed in a number of ways. (a) Gesture reflects speakers’ thoughts, often their unspoken thoughts, and thus can serve as a window onto cognition. Encouraging speakers to gesture can thus provide another route for teachers, clinicians, interviewers, etc., to better understand their communication partners. (b) Gesture can change speakers’ thoughts. Encouraging gesture thus has the potential to change how students, patients, witnesses, etc., think about a problem and, as a result, alter the course of learning, therapy, or an interchange. (c) Gesture provides building blocks that can be used to construct a language. By watching how children and adults who do not already have a language put those blocks together, we can observe the process of language creation. Our hands are with us at all times and thus provide researchers and learners with an ever-present tool for understanding how we talk and think.
Impact of surgery, radiation and systemic therapy on the outcomes of patients with dendritic cell and histiocytic sarcomas.

Background Neoplasms of histiocytic and dendritic cell origin, including follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS), histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS), are extremely rare, and data on their natural history and treatment outcomes are sparse. We evaluated the impact of surgery, radiation and systemic therapies on overall survival (OS).
Simulations of quantum confinement in self-assembled InAs/GaAs island quantum dot arrays

Quantum confinement and photoluminescence properties of self-assembled InAs quantum dot arrays on GaAs substrates are studied theoretically using a coupled morphology/electronic structure finite element approach. Simulations of island evolution due to strain energy driven diffusive mass transport are first used to generate realistic island arrays. The resulting finite element meshes are input to a continuum, single charge-carrier model in which band structure properties are prescribed using a k•p Hamiltonian formulation. The results of the electronic properties analysis are spectra of electron and hole energies and corresponding wave functions. The electron and hole states have characteristics unique to arrays, the most prominent of which are the energy separations due to size and shape variations among dots in the array. This feature is shown to lead directly to inhomogeneous broadening in the photoemission spectra. Other phenomena observed here include the onset of a discrete density of states at the point of island formation during growth; the presence of states with wave functions coupling multiple dots in the array; and the nature of wetting layer states in the system.
Hope of success and fear of failure components of Mehrabian's scales of resultant achievement motivation ☆

Abstract This report is concerned with the factor structure and psychometric properties of the nonprojective Male and Female scales of Resultant Achievement Motivation (RAM) developed by Mehrabian ( Educational and Psychological Measurement , 1968, 28 , 493–503). The 26-item self-report scales along with Mandler and Sarason's ( Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology , 1952 , 47 , 166–173) Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ) were administered to 237 males and 225 females in Experiment 1. Unrestricted maximum likelihood factor analyses of the RAM scales revealed four primary factors for each version. Since the first two factors from both analyses resembled measures of Hope of Success and Fear of Failure, two strategies for improving the scales were adopted, both of which eliminated the items loading on factors III and IV. One strategy involved adding the indexes of Hope of Success and Fear of Failure, while the other involved finding their difference. Construct validity coefficients were computed for the 26-item full scales, and the RAM measures formed using the above strategies with student grade point average and TAQ scores as the criterion variables. In Experiment 2, the appropriate RAM scale and the TAQ were administered to 30 males and 38 females. Construct validity coefficients were computed in this cross validation sample with the three RAM measures as predictors and with TAQ scores and student achievement in a course in Social/Personality Psychology as the criterion variables. The three RAM measures were used to predict the performance of 16 males who worked at a common laboratory task (anagrams) in Experiment 3. The results of all three experiments indicate the Hope of Success minus Fear of Failure measure to be the best measure of RAM from a theoretical, psychometric, and pragmatic point of view.
Simulation Modeling to Set Priorities for Research on Oyster Production

Private oyster production in Virginia has declined significantly because of factors including losses from MSX (Haplosporidium nelsoni). Increased state and federal funding is being proposed to support research to stimulate oyster productivity. A model of oyster production under uncertainty, including growth, disease, and economic components, is used to aid in setting research priorities. The model shows effects of different types of research information on returns to a representative oyster planting enterprise. Seed harvest technology and accurate knowledge of the salinity threshold at which MSX mortalities occur are found to have greatest promise for increasing profitability of oyster production.
Defining the role of computed tomography in blunt abdominal trauma: use in the hemodynamically stable patient with a depressed level of consciousness.

Hypothesis Controversy exists regarding the use of diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) vs computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma. It has been suggested that one role for DPL is to diagnose bowel injuries in hemodynamically stable patients with an unreliable abdominal examination result. Our hypothesis is that CT is specific and sensitive for diagnosing hollow viscus injuries and is therefore an appropriate diagnostic modality in the hemodynamically stable blunt trauma patient with an unreliable abdominal examination result due to a depressed level of consciousness. Design Retrospective consecutive case review. Setting An urban level II trauma center. Patients The medical records of 1388 consecutive patients admitted between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 2000, were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included blunt trauma patients who were hemodynamically stable (defined as a systolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg) with unreliable abdominal examination results secondary to a depressed level of consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale score Main Outcome Measures Hollow viscus injury diagnosed by CT and missed diagnosis of hollow viscus injury by CT. Results Of 1388 patients who met entry criteria, 87 had hollow viscus injuries; CT identified 85 of these injuries. Computed tomography diagnosed intestinal injury with a sensitivity of 97.7%, specificity of 98.5%, and an overall accuracy of 99.4%. Conclusion At our institution, CT is a reliable and accurate diagnostic modality when used to evaluate hollow viscus injuries in the hemodynamically stable blunt trauma patient with an unreliable abdominal examination result due to a depressed level of consciousness.
Multilaboratory evaluation of serum analysis for HLA antibody and crossmatch reactivity by lymphocytotoxicity methods.

Abstract Context.—This report presents results of the serum antibody analysis and crossmatch challenges in the proficiency testing program for histocompatibility testing jointly sponsored by the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics and the College of American Pathologists. Objective.—To obtain information about consensus rates among participating laboratories that reported antibody screening and crossmatch results by direct complement-dependent lymphocytotoxicity (CDC) and/or anti-human globulin (AHG)–augmentation methods. Design.—We analyzed responses from approximately 165 laboratories participating in 32 surveys during 1993–2000. Most of the testing was done by CDC methods, but increasing proportions of laboratories are using AHG augmentation of these techniques; almost one half of the serum screenings and crossmatches were done by AHG. Results.—A total of 40 serum specimens were screened to determine the percent panel-reactive antibody (PRA) and identify HLA-specific antibodies. ...
Using a Website to Build Community and Enhance Outcomes in a Group, Multi-Component Intervention Promoting Healthy Diet and Exercise in Adolescents

Objective This article describes website use and behavioral outcomes in a multi-component lifestyle intervention promoting healthy diet and exercise. Methods A 2-year randomized clinical trial to improve bone density in 228 adolescent girls, the intervention included a website designed to enhance intervention adherence, retention of participants, and behavioral outcomes. Measures included diet and exercise recalls, surveys, and web-usage data. Results Website use was associated with increases in calcium intake (s ¼ 69.72, p ¼ .01, ES ¼ 0.15) and high-impact activity (s ¼ 10.93, p ¼ .04, ES ¼ .13). Use of web pages related to behavioral feedback and communications was not significantly associated with behavioral outcomes. The most visited website pages had content related to incentive points, caption contests, and fun facts. Conclusions Web elements of a multi-component intervention may promote retention and engagement in target behaviors. Such websites may be most acceptable to adolescent participants if they blend fun and behavioral elements, rather than exclusively focusing on behavioral changes.