cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on the alteration of chromosome copy number and cell division potential in a dnaA mutant of Escherichia coli.

The dnaA167 mutant of Escherichia coli, N167, maintains, on the average, two replicating chromosomes per cell at the perimissive growth temperature of 30°C and only one per cell at the higher permissive growth temperature of 38°C. When the growth temperature of this mutant is changed from 30° to 38°C the cells rapidly readjust their chromosome copy number from two to one. I have examined the kinetics of this transition with reference to DNA replication and cell division. My results indicate that this mutant uncouples cell division from chromosome duplication to achieve the appropriate copy number, suggesting that the dnaA gene product may be involved in the coordination between these two cellular events.
Insulin-like growth factors and blastocyst development

Abstract The interactions between the maternal uterus and the developing conceptus that underlie normal blastocyst development and successful progression of pregnancy are complex. Recent studies implicate peptide growth factors in the initiation, establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and in maternal-embryonic communication. The insulin-like family of growth factors appear to function as key mediators of the coordinate development of the uterus and conceptus during early pregnancy by virtue of their ability to influence directly or indirectly, the synthesis and secretion of uterine and conceptus secretory proteins. The autocrine and paracrine modes of action of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are modulated within the uterine microenvironment by Type I IGF receptors and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), which are themselves subject to local control within the uterus and conceptus. An understanding of the mechanisms by which IGFs regulate and are regulated by, the expression of conceptus signals for maternal recognition of pregnancy may provide novel insights and practical applications towards increasing reproductive efficiency in large animals.
Enzymatic catalysis in organic media at 100 degrees C

Porcine pancreatic lipase catalyzes the transesterification reaction between tributyrin and various primary and secondary alcohols in a 99 percent organic medium. Upon further dehydration, the enzyme becomes extremely thermostable. Not only can the dry lipase withstand heating at 100 degrees C for many hours, but it exhibits a high catalytic activity at that temperature. Reduction in water content also alters the substrate specificity of the lipase: in contrast to its wet counterpart, the dry enzyme does not react with bulky tertiary alcohols.
Continuous-Course Reirradiation With Concurrent Carboplatin and Paclitaxel for Locally Recurrent, Nonmetastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head-and-Neck

Purpose To examine the efficacy and toxicity of continuous-course, conformal reirradiation with weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin for the treatment of locally recurrent, nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in a previously irradiated field. Methods and Materials Patients treated with continuous course-reirradiation with concurrent carboplatin and paclitaxel at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Clement J. Zablocki VA from 2001 through 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients included in the analysis had prior radiation at the site of recurrence of at least 45 Gy. The analysis included patients who received either intensity-modulated radiotherapy (RT) or three-dimensional conformal RT techniques. All patients received weekly concurrent carboplatin (AUC2) and paclitaxel (30–50 mg/m 2 ). Results Thirty-eight patients with nonmetastatic SCCHN met the entry criteria for analysis. The primary sites at initial diagnosis were oropharyngeal or laryngeal in most patients (66%). Median reirradiation dose was 60 Gy (range, 54–70 Gy). Acute toxicity included Grade 2 neutropenia (5%), Grade 3 neutropenia (15%), and Grade 1/2 thrombocytopenia (8%). No deaths occurred from hematologic toxicity. Chemotherapy doses held (50%) was more prevalent than radiation treatment break (8%). Sixty-eight percent of patients required a gastrostomy tube in follow-up. Significant late toxicity was experienced in 6 patients (16%): 1 tracheoesophageal fistula, 1 pharyngocutaneous fistula, 3 with osteoradionecrosis, and 1 patient with a lingual artery bleed. Patients treated with three-dimensional conformal RT had more frequent significant late toxicites than patients treated with intensity-modulated RT (44% and 7% respectively, p Conclusions Continuous-course, conformal reirradiation with weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin has an acceptable toxicity profile and offers a potentially curative option in a subset of patients with few other options.
Clinical significance of cerebral aneurysm in renovascular hypertension due to fibromuscular dysplasia: two cases in siblings.

Two cases, in siblings, of renovascular hypertension caused by fibromuscu lar dysplasia (FMD) of the renal artery associated with cerebral aneurysms are reported. Both of the cases were found to have cerebral aneurysm, as well as multiple stenotic or occluded lesions in arteries such as renal, mesenteric, celiac, and internal carotid arteries. One case died of subarachnoid hemorrhage and the other case was successfully operated on for the aneurysm. This report sug gests that FMD should be considered to be a systemic angiopathy including the cerebral artery, as well as the renal artery. Thus, cerebral angiography is rec ommended to detect the association with cerebral aneurysm, at least, in cases with multiple lesions of FMD. Occurrence of FMD in siblings also indicates that a genetic factor might be involved in the pathogenesis of FMD.
Enantiospecific drug analysis via the ortho-phthalaldehyde/homochiral thiol derivatization method.

Abstract Pre-column derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde and an optically active thiol has hitherto been used mainly for liquid-chromatographic chiral separation of amino acids. Chiral separation of non-amino-acid primary amines, especially of pharmaceuticals, via this approach has been largely ignored. We have therefore examined the applicability of the method to the chiral resolution of several pharmaceutical amines, o-Phthaldialdehyde and four commercially available homochiral thiols were used to study the separation of the enantiomers of amphetamine, p-hydroxyamphetamine, p-chloroamphetamine, 3-amino-1-phenylbutane, 3-amino-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-butane, mexiletine, tocainide, tranyleypromine and rimantidine. The resulting highly fluorescent isoindole derivatives were resolved on a Waters Nova-Pak C18 column using mobile phases consisting of mixtures of methanol, a sodium acetate buffer and acetonitrile, and the column effluent was monitored using fluorescence or UV detection. In some cases the fluorescence and/or the UV absorbance of the two diastereomers were unequal. It was found that the resolution of most of the amines could be optimized by varying the homochiral thiol in the derivatization step. This method of chiral separation may have wide applicability in enantiospecific drug analysis of non-amino-acid primary amines due to its simplicity and the high sensitivity it provides.
Honoring Deceased Donors with a Unique Family-Designed Statement Followed by a Moment of Silence: Effect on Donation Outcomes:

Context—Studies indicate that donor families and hospital staff, particularly operating room staff, fear that organ donors will not be treated with dignity, honor, and respect.Objective—The ritual of a unique, family-designed statement of honor followed by a 15-second moment of silence in the operating room before organ recovery was implemented to honor organ donors and their families. The purpose of this study was to describe the development of the ritual and to investigate its impact on donation rates in the California Transplant Donor Network's service area.Design—Cross-sectional observational study.Setting—The California Transplant Donor Network, an organ procurement organization.Participants—58 organ donors and families in 39 donor hospitals.Main Outcome Measures—Variables of interest included hospital rate of referral and of timely referral to their organ procurement organization, collaborative conversion rates, and donor families' response to implementation of the new ritual.Results—The ritual was ...
Role of hepatocyte nuclear factors in transcriptional regulation of male-specific CYP2A2.

Cytochrome P450 2A2 (CYP2A2) is an adult male-specific rat liver steroid hydroxylase whose sex-dependent expression is regulated at the transcriptional level by sexually dimorphic pituitary growth hormone (GH) secretory patterns. In contrast to CYP2C11 and other male-specific, plasma GH pulse-inducible liver genes, CYP2A2 is highly expressed in hypophysectomized rat liver, despite the absence of GH stimulation. CYP2A2 promoter fragments 0.9–6.2 kb long exhibited unusually high basal promoter activity when transfected into the liver cell line HepG2. A further ∼2.5-fold increase in activity was obtained by cotransfection of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF) 3γ or HNF4α. CYP2A2 promoter activity was inhibited ∼85% by transfection of HNF3β or HNF6, both of which are more highly expressed in female than male liver and can strongly trans-activate the female-specific CYP2C12 promoter. The male GH pulse-activated transcription factor STAT5b had no effect on CYP2A2 promoter activity, either alone or in combination with HNF3γ and HNF4α, consistent with the GH pulse-independence of CYP2A2 expression. By contrast, STAT5b synergistically enhanced the transcriptional activity of HNF4α toward two other male-specific liver target genes, Cyp2d9 and CYP8B1. Furthermore, STAT5b in combination with the HNF4α coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α strongly enhanced the transcriptional activity of HNF4α toward CYP8B1 but not toward CYP2A2. These findings support the hypothesis that sex-dependent HNFs contribute to the sexually dimorphic expression of CYP2A2 and other liver CYPs and highlight the ability of STAT5b to act in concert with HNF4α to regulate select male-specific liver CYP genes.
Spanish- and English-language Local Television Coverage of Politics and the Tendency to Cater to Latino Audiences:

Congressional mandates, federal regulatory policy, local broadcasters, and democratic ideals agree that local media should present local news in a way that adequately represents (and ideally unifie...
Docking and Design of Oligosaccharides, Glycoproteins, and Glycolipids

Carbohydrates are infamously challenging to model, yet they affect protein structure, stability, and activity. We are developing accurate and fast methods of modeling and designing carbohydrates for applications in glycobiology. We have built a framework within the Rosetta structure and design suite for modeling saccharide ligands and complex glycoconjugates. Our intuitive and efficient data structures allow access to all torsion angles (φ, ψ, ω, and χ) and Cremer–Pople parameters for sampling ring forms and capture the high degree of flexibility, stereochemistry, and branching in carbohydrates. Rosetta's flexibility and speed enable modeling of any glycan-containing molecule in docking and refinement protocols through exploration of this vast torsional and ring-conformational diversity.Rosetta's residue-centric approach, coupled with combinatorial “patching” of standard residues with specific functional groups, allows for design algorithms that sample alternative saccharide units, enabling high-throughput screening of thousands of protein variants and glycoforms in a search for stable or functional molecules.Here, we will report three studies benchmarking monosaccharide ring conformations, oligosaccharide structure prediction, and bound–bound protein–oligosaccharide docking. We explore the relative energy surfaces of the ring forms of all D-aldohexopyranoses; we examine predicted structures of two LewisX oligosaccharides; and we compare the docking predictions of eleven antibody–glycoantigen pairs with known structures. These studies will allow us to rigorously test the Rosetta scoring (energy) function, to adapt it to the unique chemical effects of sugars.We will also present preliminary real-world applications in antibody accessibility for glycosylation enzymes, x-ray crystal refinement of an extensively glycosylated HIV-1 envelope protein trimer, and the activity of glycosylated carboxylesterases.These new approaches will provide glycobiologists and glycoengineers a new computational toolbox, further the understanding of the biomolecular mechanisms of disease, and create opportunities for a wide range of previously intractable studies.
Light microscope study of the blood vessels in glioblastoma multiforme

There are many published reports about the morphology of brain tumors, but only a few describe their blood vessels in detail. This report documents the results of a systematic light microscope study of the blood vessels in glioblastoma multiforme. Specimens obtained from surgery (52 cases) and autopsy (9 cases) were divided into four areas: normal brain, area of reactive astrocytes adjacent to the tumor, tumor, and necrotic tumor. The blood vessels of the four areas were analyzed and compared with each other. In the normal area, most of the vessels were capillaries in the gray matter. In the area of reactive astrocytes, the capillary network is more conspicuous than in the normal brain, due to the prominence of astrocytic vascular feet. In the peripheral portion of the tumor, endothelial proliferation was conspicuous in almost all cases. In the center of the tumor, two types of vessels were observed. One had a small caliber and a thick wall and the other had a larger caliber and a thin wall. The large vessel was usually filled with erythrocytes. In the area of necrotic tumor, the vessel walls were also necrotic. More large vessels were observed in this area than in the central portion of the tumor. These various types of vessels are presumed to have different permeability characteristics that may be manifested in and around glioblastoma multiforme.
Spin injection in niobium films

Abstract The spin injection technique is used to study spin transport in niobium films. Below the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, the data show evidence for the injection, diffusion and subsequent detection of spin polarized quasiparticles.
Die Embryologie und Anatomie des Facialiskanals und des Facialisnerven

Die wichtigsten Aspekte der makroskopischen und mikroskopischen Anatomie des Facialiskanals wurden mit besonderer Berucksichtigung auf die heutige Forderung, die an die Mittelohrchirurgie gestellt, wird beschrieben und abgebildet.
High Costs and Misdemeanors

In 1981, when my eldest daughter entered the University of Texas School of Law, tuition was essentially free, which was, after all, the purpose of a state school and why she did not go to, say, Stanford. There was some sort of registration fee that set me back, as I recall, $200 a semester. Incidentally, the same was true ($400 a year) when my second daughter entered Baylor Medical School (private, but with tuition for residents as if it were a state school) in Houston. Today, tuition at UT Law is $29,640 for residents and $45,720 for nonresidents. Tuition at the Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and UCLA law schools, other state schools that weremeant to be and once were essentially free, is even higher. Even private law schools were much less expensive years ago. When I entered Columbia Law School in 1951, first-year tuition was $600—$5082.07 in today’s money (according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s CPI inflation calculator). Today (with some additional compulsory payments) it is over $50,000. How could this have happened? Law schools were once noted for providing inexpensive education, what with large classes and no need for labs or equipment. At Columbia, hard as it is to believe today, the entire entering class of about 290 students was taught in an auditorium by five professors, one for each of the five subjects (torts, contracts, civil procedure, etc.). It is only a minor point, but that class had twelve women and today’s classes are half women, Acad. Quest. (2011) 24:181–184 DOI 10.1007/s12129-011-9224-0
Birds of a Feather: The DODE and Domain-Specific Software Synthesis Systems

Software synthesis techniques provide most, but not all, of the functionality in Fischer's DODE. Software synthesis is achievable and is best at the automation of repetitive activities, even when these activities are design. Software synthesis performs analysis and synthesis activities automatically in well-known domains, while in less well-known domains, software synthesis supports simulation activities for human cooperation. Software synthesis techniques support human cooperation by effectively evaluating different options within the design space. Current software synthesis architectures are well on their way towards instantiating Fischer's DODE design process.
Disparities in antihypertensive medication adherence in adolescents

Hypertension affects up to 5 % of all children, but little is known about the role of medication adherence on blood pressure (BP) control. In this study we examined the association between adolescents’ antihypertensive medication adherence and BP control, investigating for racial disparities. A total of 21 adolescents with essential hypertension [mean age 14.7 ± 2.0 years, 57 % male, 52 % African American] were recruited from a pediatric nephrology clinic. Objective medication adherence measures were obtained with Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) caps and pharmacy refill records to determine medication possession ratios (MPRs). The African Americans adolescents had lower medication adherence than non-African Americans adolescents based on the MPR over the past 12 months (mean 0.54 ± 0.21 vs. 0.85 ± 0.16, respectively; p < 0.001) and a trend for less adherence measured by MEMS caps over the last 28 days (mean 0.75 ±0.26 vs. 0.91 ± 0.04, respectively; p < 0.07). Seven of the eight participants with low adherence (MPR <0.65) had uncontrolled BP (systolic and/or diastolic BPs ≥95th percentile), and no participants with high adherence according to the MPR had uncontrolled BP (p < 0.001). There was no difference in BP control by race. Antihypertensive medication adherence measured by pharmacy refills was associated with BP control. AAs were more likely to have lower medication adherence. Targeting medication adherence through the use of electronic medical records may be a potential mechanism to reduce health disparities.
Study on Micro-Grid Operating Mode Based on Game Theory

By describing the characteristics and the prospects of commercial application of current micro-grid, this paper analyzed the possible investors, operation subject and main users of micro-grid, and built the corresponding operating modes on this basis. Furthermore, based on the existing national policies and power grid management policies, this paper conducted an analysis of the feasibility and reliability of every operating mode and worked out several operating modes which are in line with regulations of our country and at the same time ensure the security of power grid.
Long wavelength impact of izod fracture specimens: An experimental/numerical investigation

Elastic wave propagation fields for a stationary crack in an Izod fracture specimen have been investigated. Moire interferometry was used to obtain the asymptotic cracktip displacement fields under Hopkinson bar loading at sampling rates on the order of 100 kHz. Mixed-mode stress-intensity factors as a function of time were extracted from the displacement data using local asymptotic extrapolation. Two-dimensional continuum finite elements were employed and agreement was found between actual experiment and two-dimensional computation.
Chemotherapeutic Options for Gastroesophageal Junction Tumors

A doublet of a fluoropyrimidine and a platinum compound remains the reference regimen in palliative chemotherapy for esophagogastric cancers. Newer regimens involve the substitution of infusional 5-fluorouracil (FU) for a shorter infusional schedule or oral 5-FU prodrugs and the replacement of cisplatin with oxaliplatin. Although the addition of epirubicin to the standard 2-drug regimen is part of routine practice, there are no randomized data to support a benefit. In contrast, the docetaxel-based docetaxel/cisplatin/5-FU regimen has been shown to modestly improve survival compared with 5-FU/cisplatin alone but at the expense of significant additional toxicity, which has hindered widespread acceptance of this regimen. Irinotecan-containing regimens have also been evaluated in a few phase III evaluations but are not clearly superior to 5-FU/cisplatin or even infusional 5-FU alone. Nevertheless, their favorable toxicity profile indicates that infusional 5-FU/irinotecan regimens also represent a first-line therapy option. In addition to its primary role in palliative therapy, there are also now established peri- or postoperative chemotherapy strategies that increase survival rates by approximately 10-15% compared with surgery alone. Preoperative chemoradiation in esophageal and gastroesophageal junction tumors has also been shown to improve outcomes.
A Graphic Matching Test for Properties of Frequency Distributions

Two of the often repeated criticisms against the "new type" or ob jective examinations are that (1) they often measure only small and detached details of information rather than general principles and real understanding of the subject matter, and that (2) they are a test of the student's ability to memorize rather than his ability to organize remem bered facts and use them in solving problems related to the field covered by the examination. Because of these criticisms the objective questions are often found to be most satisfactory when used in combination with questions of the old style or essay type even though this latter type of question involves the expenditure of a disproportionately large amount of time in the reading of the papers, and is further objectionable because it is difficult to keep the standard of judgment constant throughout the reading. Instructors in the Elementary Psychology Laboratory course in the University of Minnesota have been particularly interested in simplifying examination methods because of the large number of students who work in the laboratory. Approximately two hundred-fifty students register for this course every academic year, and it is important, therefore, to supple ment the commonly used objective questions, not with the essay type dis cussion questions but with some objective questions designed especially to test the student's understanding of the subject matter and his ability to organize and interpret the facts he remembers. Several varieties of such questions have been tried out during the last few years, and the series described below has proved to be one of the most successful. Since the technique here described is concerned with elementary statistical concepts, it might prove useful in connection with courses in Experimental Psy chology, Mental Testing, Individual Differences, or courses in any field where the rudiments of statistical methods are taught and an under standing of the simplest measures of central tendency and variability are necessary for the correct interpretation of experimental results. The questions are not based on any particular statistical textbook. They require a half hour of the student's time and each paper can be scored in fifteen seconds, with an objective key. They occupy four, 365
Bridging Conformational Dynamics and Function Using Single-Molecule Spectroscopy

In a typical structure-function relation study, the primary structure of proteins or nucleic acids is changed by mutagenesis and its functional effect is measured via biochemical means. Single-molecule spectroscopy has begun to give a whole new meaning to the "structure-function relation" by measuring the real-time conformational changes of individual biological macromolecules while they are functioning. This review discusses a few recent examples: untangling internal chemistry and conformational dynamics of a ribozyme, branch migration landscape of a Holliday junction at a single-step resolution, tRNA selection and dynamics in a ribosome, repetitive shuttling and snapback of a helicase, and discrete rotation of an ATP synthase.
A survey of the impact of current linguistic research on computer applications

Special logics for representing the semantics of domains peculiar to human language have been developed, and formal syntax research has been enriched by a substantial number of linguistically sound, formally specified grammatical theories that reflect a declarative rather than procedural approach to grammar and which embody the flexibility of information location afforded by unification. These theories have been investigated for their weak generative capacity, the complexity of their parsing, and the ways in which grammatical rules or principles can be embedded in actual parsers, developments which promise to impact greatly on the future of practical natural language processing systems. The impact of this research on knowledge representation and formal language theory is surveyed. >
The Birth of City Planning in the United States, 1840–1917

Contents: 1 Introduction: Urban Planning in the American PastPART I Antecedents of City Planning 2 Sanitary Reform and Landscape Values, 1840-1900 3 Civic Art, 1890-1900PART II The Birth of an Ideal 4 Tha Nation's First Comprehensive City Plan, 1900-1902 5 The Origins of the City Beautiful, 1897-1902 6 The Birth of the City Planning Ideal, 1902-1903 7 The New Planning Ideal and the Public Interest, 1902-1904 8 The Outburst of Great Civic Schemes, 1902-1905PART III The Pioneer Planners and Their Plans 9 City Beautiful Planning: Dreams and Reality, 1905-1909 10 City Beautiful Planning: A Transistional Art, 1905-1909PART IV A New Field of Public Endeavor 11 The Social Progressive Challenge, 1909 12 The Birth of City Planning, 1909-1910 PART V The Problem of Workability 13 An Elusive Quest, 1911-1917 14 Opportunistic Interventionism, 1911-1917 15 Epilogue: American Urban Planning as a Fragmented Art
Recursive limited memory filtering and scattering theory (Corresp.)

Redheffer scattering theory is reviewed in a generalized setting as a method to derive recursive solutions of linear two-point boundary value problems (TPBVP) over arbitrarily varying intervals. The results can be used to derive a complete solution for the problem of limited-memory (or sliding-window) estimation, when a usual state-space model for the signal is available. Recursive limited-memory filters are derived for both continuous and discrete time signals.
Transformational and transactional leadership and salesperson performance

This study examines the impact of transformational and transactional leader behaviors on the sales performance and organizational citizenship behaviors of salespeople, as well as the mediating role played by trust and role ambiguity in that process. Measures of six forms of transformational leader behavior, two forms of transactional leader behavior, trust, and role ambiguity were obtained from 477 sales agents working for a large national insurance company. Objective sales performance data were obtained for the agents, and their supervisors provided evaluations of their citizenship behaviors. The findings validate not only the basic notion that transformational leadership influences salespeople to perform “above and beyond the call of duty” but also that transformational leader behaviors actually have stronger direct and indirect relationships with sales performance and organizational citizenship behavior than transactional leader behaviors. Moreover, this is true even when common method biases are controlled. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Self-organization and self-governance

The intuitive difference between a system that choreographs the motion of its parts in the service of goals of its own formulation and a system composed of a collection of parts doing their own thing without coordination has been shaken by now familiar examples of self-organization. There is a broad and growing presumption in parts of philosophy and across the sciences that the appearance of centralized information-processing and control in the service of system-wide goals is mere appearance, i.e., an explanatory heuristic we have evolved to predict behavior, but one that will eventually get swept away in the advancing tide of self-organization. I argue that there is a distinction of central importance here, and that no adequate science of complex systems can dispense with it.
WOMEN'S COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION AND WELL‐BEING: LOCAL RESISTANCE TO GENDERED SOCIAL INEQUITIES IN NICARAGUA AND TANZANIA

Although it is well-documented that globalization has exacerbated structural factors that contribute to rising levels of gender inequality, social actors from diverse local contexts demonstrate that women are not mere victims, but rather have worked actively to resist oppression and promote women’s well-being worldwide. Self-mobilized groups of women throughout the world are engaging in complex processes of renegotiating structural and relational injustices that transform women’s well-being. The current article focuses on how two groups of women–one in Nicaragua and one in Tanzania–use land rights to reconfigure gendered power relations that have been exacerbated during realignments of global power. We examine how conscientization, or a critical consciousness surrounding experiences of gender discrimination, motivated resistance, collective mobilization, and social change. The analysis provides evidence for theories of struggle and everyday resistance that represent how community contexts enable and support women’s struggle for justice in an increasingly globalized world. C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fistula analysis after radial forearm free flap reconstruction of hypopharyngeal defects.

Objective/Hypothesis: To evaluate risk factors and management options for fistula formation after hypopharyngeal reconstruction using the radial forearm free flap reconstruction. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Patients undergoing radial forearm free flap for hypopharyngeal reconstruction were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 104 patients underwent this procedure between 2001 and 2007. Fistulas were classified as mild or severe depending on the response to conservative management. Demographics, operative details, pathology, and postoperative course were recorded as the prognostic variables. Univariate analysis and a logistic regression model were used to identify associated factors. Results: Pharyngocutaneous fistula developed in 30 (28.8%) patients. Recurrence, cancer stage, cancer location, type of ablative surgery, and the addition of other oncologic procedures were identified as significant predictors of fistula formation. Fistula significantly increases hospital stay and recipient site complications such as flap survival, infection, and bleeding. Functional results such as diet, deformity, and socialization were also negatively affected by fistula development. One third of the cases responded to conservative management, and 20 cases required a surgical procedure to definitively close the fistulous track. Conclusions: Fistula formation remains a significant cause of morbidity associated with hypopharyngealreconstruction. Postoperative course and successful preventive strategies are discussed.
Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation in Schools A Reconciliation

This article explores the nature of the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in schools, and in particular examines critically the assertion that these processes are necessarily antagonistic. The weight of evidence suggests that rewards in the form of school grades and the focus of many students on doing well, gradewise, need not necessarily interfere with learning for its own sake. Educational implications of these findings are considered. One such implication is that focusing on students' interests can be a valuable motivational strategy.
Sui generis: gene therapy and delivery systems for the treatment of glioblastoma

Gene therapy offers a multidimensional set of approaches intended to treat and cure glioblastoma (GBM), in combination with the existing standard-of-care treatment (surgery and chemoradiotherapy), by capitalizing on the ability to deliver genes directly to the site of neoplasia to yield antitumoral effects. Four types of gene therapy are currently being investigated for their potential use in treating GBM: (i) suicide gene therapy, which induces the localized generation of cytotoxic compounds; (ii) immunomodulatory gene therapy, which induces or augments an enhanced antitumoral immune response; (iii) tumor-suppressor gene therapy, which induces apoptosis in cancer cells; and (iv) oncolytic virotherapy, which causes the lysis of tumor cells. The delivery of genes to the tumor site is made possible by means of viral and nonviral vectors for direct delivery of therapeutic gene(s), tumor-tropic cell carriers expressing therapeutic gene(s), and "intelligent" carriers designed to increase delivery, specificity, and tumoral toxicity against GBM. These vehicles are used to carry genetic material to the site of pathology, with the expectation that they can provide specific tropism to the desired site while limiting interaction with noncancerous tissue. Encouraging preclinical results using gene therapies for GBM have led to a series of human clinical trials. Although there is limited evidence of a therapeutic benefit to date, a number of clinical trials have convincingly established that different types of gene therapies delivered by various methods appear to be safe. Due to the flexibility of specialized carriers and genetic material, the technology for generating new and more effective therapies already exists.
Supramolecular Alternating Block Copolymers via Metal Coordination

Suprapolymers: The synthesis of symmetrically end-functionalized polymers in a single step has been developed by means of ring-opening metathesis polymerization by using a bimetallic ruthenium initiator and functional chain terminators. Self-assembly of the resulting polymers allows for the formation of supramolecular alternating block copolymers (see figure). A bimetallic ruthenium olefin metathesis initiator was synthesized and used to polymerize functionalized norbornenes, affording polymers that are living at both polymer chain-ends. Using this bis-ruthenium initiator strategy and combining it with functional chain-terminators, highly-efficient syntheses of either SCS-PdII pincer- or pyridine-functionalized symmetrical telechelic polymers were developed. The terminal functional group incorporation was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy analyses. The telechelic polymers were self-assembled into block copolymers by means of metal coordination between corresponding terminal recognition units. The self-assembly process was monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy revealing nearly quantitative functionalization. The resulting supramolecular block copolymers were further characterized by viscometry and dynamic light scattering.
Reduced-complexity network coding for multicasting over ad hoc networks

Network coding generalizes the conventional routing paradigm by allowing nodes to mix information received on its incoming links to generate information to be transmitted to other nodes. As a result, network coding improves throughput, resource efficiency, robustness, manageability, etc., in wired and wireless ad hoc networks. In particular, it was established that network coding can achieve the maximum rate for multicasting information from a source node to multiple destination nodes. The objective of this work is to show how to achieve the aforementioned multicast capacity with lower processing/implementation complexity than that proposed in the literature. We classify the links in a network into two categories: 1) links entering relay nodes; and 2) links entering destinations. We show the same multicast capacity can be achieved by applying (non-trivial) network coding only on the links entering relay nodes. In other words, links entering destinations only require routing, which leads to a saving in the complexity. The novelty of this work lies in a new algorithm, its proof of correctness, and a complexity analysis.
Neoperla Clymene Revisited: Systematics of the Nearctic Species Complexes (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

Neoperla clymene (Newman) is redescribed from the holotype and data supporting the two Nearctic species complexes proposed by Stark and Baumann (1978) are given. Synapomorphies for members of the clymene-complex sensu stricto, include an extremely long aedeagal sac, 3–5 aeropylar rows between striae and a long, coiled receptacular stalk. Species placed in the choctaw-complex share a short, densely armed aedeagal sac and irregular dorsolateral rows of prominent spines on the penis tube.
Recent Progress in Metabolic Signaling Pathways Regulating Aging and Life Span

The NIH Summit, Advances in Geroscience: Impact on Health Span and Chronic Disease, discusses several aspects of cellular degeneration that underlie susceptibility to chronic aging-associated diseases, morbidity, and mortality. In particular, the session on Metabolism focuses on the interrelationship between signal transduction, intermediary metabolism, and metabolic products and byproducts that contribute to pathophysiologic phenotypes and detrimental effects that occur during the aging process, thus leading to susceptibility to disease. Although it is well established that many metabolic pathways (ie, oxidative phosphorylation, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake) decline with age, it often remains uncertain if these are a cause or consequence of the aging process. Moreover, the mechanisms accounting for the decline in metabolic function remain enigmatic. Several novel and unexpected concepts are emerging that will help to define the roles of altered metabolic control in the degenerative mechanisms of aging. This brief review summarizes several of the topics to be discussed in the metabolism of aging session (http://www.geron.org/About%20Us/nih-geroscience-summit).
Insulation from Labelling: Deviant Defenses in Treatment

Deviants have been shown to vary in their reaction to labeling. Some accept societal rejection and proceed to self-label, while others are seemingly reconciled to their behavior. In this study, 72 heroin addicts in treatment were interviewed to determine their reaction to labeling. It was argued that their acceptance or rejection of labels would be affected by the defense mechanisms that they employed, the degree of formal/informal labelling that they experienced, and their background characteristics. The data were analyzed using multiple regression. Neutralization (externalization of blame) and politicization of the drug problem were found to be effective defenses in minimizing respondent self-rejection. There was also evidence that formal labelling was less severe in certain treatment environments. Those enrolled in the more medicalized treatment programs (methadone maintenance) were less inclined to self-rejection. Finally, black users were found to be better able to resist self-labelling than whites; however, no gender differences emerged.
Exploring the collaboration between antibiotics and the immune response in the treatment of acute, self-limiting infections.

The successful treatment of bacterial infections is the product of a collaboration between antibiotics and the host’s immune defenses. Nevertheless, in the design of antibiotic treatment regimens, few studies have explored the combined action of antibiotics and the immune response to clearing infections. Here, we use mathematical models to examine the collective contribution of antibiotics and the immune response to the treatment of acute, self-limiting bacterial infections. Our models incorporate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the antibiotics, the innate and adaptive immune responses, and the population and evolutionary dynamics of the target bacteria. We consider two extremes for the antibiotic-immune relationship: one in which the efficacy of the immune response in clearing infections is directly proportional to the density of the pathogen; the other in which its action is largely independent of this density. We explore the effect of antibiotic dose, dosing frequency, and term of treatment on the time before clearance of the infection and the likelihood of antibiotic-resistant bacteria emerging and ascending. Our results suggest that, under most conditions, high dose, full-term therapy is more effective than more moderate dosing in promoting the clearance of the infection and decreasing the likelihood of emergence of antibiotic resistance. Our results also indicate that the clinical and evolutionary benefits of increasing antibiotic dose are not indefinite. We discuss the current status of data in support of and in opposition to the predictions of this study, consider those elements that require additional testing, and suggest how they can be tested.
Use of Picture Dictionaries to Promote Functional Communication in Students With Deafness and Intellectual Disabilities

A mismatch of communication modalities can occur between students who communicate using sign language and coworkers at community-based vocational sites who do not use sign language. This study investigated the use of picture dictionaries to facilitate note writing as a form of expressive communication for students who were deaf and had mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Students were systematically taught to use their picture dictionaries to initiate requests using the system of least prompts and the environmental arrangement strategy. A multiple baseline probe design was used. All students were able to successfully use the picture dictionaries to promote communication initiations. Implications regarding using the picture dictionaries for communication and for improving spelling of target vocabulary are discussed.
The Inhibitory Properties of Group a and B Non-Secretor Saliva

The existence of some form of specifically active A or B blood group substance in the saliva of group A1, A2 and B non-secretors was demonstrated. Significant inhibition of agglutination results were obtained when the salivas of these non-secretors were examined in a test procedure using anti-A + B (group O) serum and group AX red cells. Native saliva specimens from group A1, A2 and B secretors and non-secretors were filtered on Sephadex G-200 columns. The eluates were tested for blood group activity by inhibition of agglutination and for relative carbohydrate and protein content. A main excluded glycoprotein, blood group-active fraction was detected in all samples of saliva examined.
Opossum colonic mucosa contains uroguanylin and guanylin peptides

Uroguanylin and guanylin are structurally related peptides that activate an intestinal form of membrane guanylate cyclase (GC-C). Guanylin was isolated from the intestine, but uroguanylin was isolated from urine, thus a tissue source for uroguanylin was sought. In these experiments, uroguanylin and guanylin were separated and purified independently from colonic mucosa and urine of opossums. Colonic, urinary, and synthetic forms of uroguanylin had an isoelectric point of approximately 3.0, eluted from C18 reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) columns at 8-9% acetonitrile, elicited greater guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) responses in T84 cells at pH 5.5 than pH 8, and were not cleaved and inactivated by pretreatment with chymotrypsin. In contrast, colonic, urinary, and synthetic guanylin had an isoelectric point of approximately 6.0, eluted at 15-16% acetonitrile on C18 RP-HPLC columns, stimulated greater cGMP responses in T84 cells at pH 8 than pH 5.5, and were inactivated by chymotrypsin, which hydrolyzed the Phe-Ala or Try-Ala bonds within guanylin. Uroguanylin joins guanylin as an intestinal peptide that may participate in an intrinsic pathway for cGMP-mediated regulation of intestinal salt and water transport. Moreover, uroguanylin and guanylin in urine may be derived from the intestinal mucosa, thus implicating these peptides in an endocrine mechanism linking the intestine with the kidney.
The United States Military, Slavery, and State Building in the Early Republic

The United States military was the principal agent of American state development in the seven decades between 1791 and 1861. It fought multiple wars, removed Native Americans, built internal improvements, expedited frontier settlement, and protected American commerce. These activities, in turn, “thickened” the American state, increasing its state capacities, institutional autonomy, political legitimacy, governing authority, and coercive powers. The American political development literature largely neglects the pivotal role that the United States military played in state building before the Civil War and almost totally ignores the significant impact that the presence of slavery had on the military’s state-building activities. In many cases, those activities had the intended effect of protecting (and expanding) the institution, such as, most prominently, in removing Native-American nations from Southern states but also in preventing slave rescues in Northern states. In these and other cases, the presence of slavery also had significant effects on the development of the American state.
Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics in Hematite Films: The Role of Photoexcited Electrons in the Transient Optical Response

Hematite (Fe2O3) is a promising earth-abundant, visible light absorber, and easily processable photocatalytic material. Understanding the dynamics of photogenerated electrons and holes in hematite and their optical signatures is crucial in designing hematite thin film devices such as photoanodes for water oxidation. We report carrier dynamics in hematite films as measured by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (TA) with a pump pulse centered at 400 nm (3.1 eV) and a probe pulse spanning the visible range. We observe a small negative response for wavelengths shorter than 530 nm (2.34 eV) and a large positive response for longer wavelengths. We interpret the spectrally resolved TA data based on recent electronic band structure calculations, while accounting for excited state absorption, ground state bleach, and stimulated emission within the relevant bands. We propose that the origin of the positive TA response is absorption of the probe by photoexcited electrons within the conduction bands. This in...
Graphene-Enriched P3HT and Porphyrin-Modified ZnO Nanowire Arrays for Hybrid Solar Cell Applications

A hybrid structure containing graphene-enriched poly(3-hexylthiophene) (G-P3HT) and tetra(4-carboxyphenyle) porphyrin-grafted ZnO nanowire arrays has been investigated for nanowire/polymer hybrid s...
Changes of Diamine Oxidase in Gut Barrier of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Neonatal Rats

Objective To study the changes of diamine oxidase(DAO)in gut barrier of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE) in neonatal rats.Methods Forty 7-day-postnatal rats were randomly divided into control group,hypoxic-ischemic(HI) 0.5,1.0,3.0 and 6.0 h groups with 8 rats each.HI group was carried out unilateral common carotid artery ligation and then exposed to 80 mL/L oxygen and 920 mL/L nitrogen to create HIE neonatal rat models.Changes of intestine in the microscope were observed and graded,and the levels of DAO in plasma and intestinal tissue were determined as well at different time points after modeling.Results In early 0.5 h stage,the level of DAO in plasma was higher than that of control group(P0.05),while DAO in intestinal tissue was lower than that of control group(P0.01).In 3.0 h stage,the level of DAO in plasma was higher than that of 0.5 h stage,and the damage of the intestine in microscope was most severely.Conclusion The measurement of plasma DAO level may be a sensitive marker to know the function of the gut barrier of HIE in neonatal rats.