cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Functional Interaction Between Na,K-ATPase β 2 -Subunit/AMOG and NF2/Merlin Regulates Growth Factor Signaling in Cerebellar Granule Cells

The Na,K-ATPase, consisting of a catalytic α-subunit and a regulatory β-subunit, is a ubiquitously expressed ion pump that carries out the transport of Na+ and K+ across the plasma membranes of most animal cells. In addition to its pump function, Na,K-ATPase serves as a signaling scaffold and a cell adhesion molecule. Of the three β-subunit isoforms, β1 is found in almost all tissues, while β2 expression is mostly restricted to brain and muscle. In cerebellar granule cells, the β2-subunit, also known as adhesion molecule on glia (AMOG), has been linked to neuron-astrocyte adhesion and granule cell migration, suggesting its role in cerebellar development. Nevertheless, little is known about molecular pathways that link the β2-subunit to its cellular functions. Using cerebellar granule precursor cells, we found that the β2-subunit, but not the β1-subunit, negatively regulates the expression of a key activator of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway, Merlin/neurofibromin-2 (NF2). The knockdown of the β2-subunit resulted in increased Merlin/NF2 expression and affected downstream targets of Hippo signaling, i.e., increased YAP phosphorylation and decreased expression of N-Ras. Further, the β2-subunit knockdown altered the kinetics of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in a Merlin-dependent mode and impaired EGF-induced reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Therefore, our studies for the first time provide a functional link between the Na,K-ATPase β2-subunit and Merlin/NF2 and suggest a role for the β2-subunit in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics and Hippo/YAP signaling during neuronal differentiation.
Intralocality variation in feeding biomechanics and prey use in Archosargus probatocephalus (Teleostei, Sparidae), with implications for the ecomorphology of fishes

Archosargus probatocephalusin a Florida estuary was investigated to explore intraspecific variation in prey utilization and jaw biomechanics. Volumetric contribution of major prey types and seven biomechanical features of the oral jaws that characterize prey-capture and processing performance were contrasted between two locations within the estuary. At Mosquito Lagoon, where A. probatocephalusinhabited mostly oyster beds, mangroves and salt marshes, fish consumed mostly thick-shelled bivalves, gastropods, crabs, and tubiculous polychaetes and amphipods. In contrast, conspecifics at Indian River Lagoon that inhabited mostly seagrass beds and algal turf consumed predominantly algae, seagrass, epiphytic invertebrates and small bivalves and gastropods. Difference in magnitude of durophagy between locations was associated with differences in oral-jaw biomechanics. Analyses of covariance indicated that A. probatocephalusat Mosquito Lagoon had more massive jaw muscles and bones, than conspecifics at Indian River Lagoon. Variations in lever ratios for jaw-opening and jaw-closing between locations were not significant. It is hypothesized that intralocality differences in food habits have induced the development of feeding morphologies that enhance the ability of A. probatocephalusto successfully exploit locally dominant prey resources within the estuary. Plasticity of the feeding mechanism of A. probatocephalusmay buffer the species from the adverse effects of settling on heterogeneous habitats that contain variable prey resources such as those found within estuaries.
Scaling Up and Integrating Effective Behavioral and Instructional Support Systems (EBISS): A Study of One State’s Professional Development Efforts:

Oregon’s Effective Behavioral and Instructional Support Systems (EBISS) initiative was implemented in 25 school districts. The initiative trained and coached district leaders and teachers in the us...
Targeting Financial Toxicity in Oncology Specialty Pharmacy at a Large Tertiary Academic Medical Center

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer often face financial toxicity. They may face financial distress because of high out-of-pocket costs that in turn can result in delays in treatment, treatment abando...
Ontology translation by ontology merging and automated reasoning

Ontologies are a crucial tool for formally specifying the vocabulary and relationship of concepts used on the Semantic Web. In order to share information, web-based agents that use different vocabularies must be able to translate data from one ontological framework to another, both syntactically and semantically. This dissertation describes ontology translation in three categories: dataset translation, ontology extension generation, and querying through different ontologies. The approach that has been proposed in this work is: ontology translation by ontology merging and automated reasoning. Ontology translation can be thought of in terms of formal inference. The merge of two related ontologies is obtained by taking the union of the concepts and the axioms defining them, and then adding bridging axioms that relate their concepts. The resulting merged ontology serves as an inferential medium for ontology translation. Web-PDDL, a strongly typed first-order logic language for the Semantic Web, can work as the internal representation for ontology merging and ontology translation. The syntactic translation can be done by an automatic syntax translator between Web-PDDL and other web agent languages. The semantic translation can be implemented by an inference engine, OntoEngine, a first order theorem prover with equality substitutions, running in both forward and backward chaining ways. The approach has also been extended to handle conditional fact translation, axiom derivation, ontology composition and data integration for web-based databases.
Nasa’s Experience in Deriving Total Ozone from Satellites

Some 30 years after its first demonstration on NASA’s Nimbus-4 Satellite, ultraviolet (UV) remote sensing has become the method of choice for precise long-term monitoring of the earth’s ozone layer. Nearly a dozen such instruments have already flown on satellites launched by space agencies from USA (NASA and NOAA), Japan (NASDA), Russia (RSA) and Europe (ESA). Besides measuring total column ozone, these instruments have measured vertical ozone profile [1,2], cloud height [3], aerosols [4,5] and volcanic SO2 [6]. A very sensitive UV spectrometer (GOME) currently flying on ESA’s ERS-2 satellite has also reliably detected anthropogenic SO2, NO2, HCHO, and BrO [7]. These gases have typical vertical column absorption of ~0.1% in UV. Many more instruments are planned over the next decade, of which one is scheduled to be launched on a NASA spacecraft named Triana that will orbit around the first Lagrange point located at 1.5 million km from the Earth along the Sun-Earth axis. In this paper we limit our discussion to techniques developed at NASA to derive total column ozone and aerosols from the measurements of backscattered UV by the SBUV and TOMS instruments described below.
Utilization and outcomes of primary tumor surgery for stage IV colon cancer in the United States: A population-based study.

3542 Background: Stage IV colon cancer treatment may include resection of the primary tumor. Current use of primary tumor surgery (PTS) in clinical practice is unknown. This study examined utilizat...
P262 PrEP utilization among young transgender women, transgender men, and MSM in an urban community-based setting

Background Little is known about factors influencing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) utilization among young urban transgender women (TW), transgender men (TM) and men who have sex with men (MSM), who are disproportionately affected by HIV. This prospective pilot study explores PrEP adherence and persistence among these traditionally underserved communities in primary care clinics located in community centers serving LGBTQ youth. Methods To examine factors related to PrEP outcomes, we established a cohort of PrEP-eligible young TW, TM and MSM at two clinics located in LGBTQ community centers and followed participants monthly. We measured tenofovir diphosphate levels at 12 weeks to assess adherence, defined as having a value >700 fmol/punch. Persistence was defined as picking up 2 refills during 12 weeks of follow up. Multivariate analysis will be used to describe associations between demographic, behavioral, social, and clinical characteristics and outcomes. Results Of the 50 participants, 25 were TW, 6 TM and 19 MSM. ∼75% were African American, ∼10% white and ∼5% Hispanic/Latino; average age 24.18. Results to date shows 27% adherence and 55% persistence. Taking hormones at baseline was inversely related to PrEP persistence, Relative Risk=0.67 (0.39–1.15) p=0.14. The trend is similar for adherence, RR=0.65 (0.20–2.1), p=0.48. Conclusion Combining gender affirming hormones and PrEP in community spaces for LGBTQ youth is a novel approach to engage a traditionally hard-to-reach population. While initial data shows low PrEP outcomes, the relatively high number of patients remaining in care (84%) demonstrates an opportunity to improve adherence and clinical outcomes. We observed that integrating hormone therapy with PrEP administration did not positively impact outcomes, suggesting that other factors (e.g. homelessness, trauma) are important. These findings indicate the need to develop interventions designed to address these factors while continuing to integrate PrEP with gender affirming services. Disclosure No significant relationships.
A live community growing together: Communal occupation of a senior center welcoming Spanish-speaking elders

The percentage of Latinx immigrants over the age of 65 in the United States is expected to more than double within the next 30 years. These elders face particular health and occupational disparitie...
Abstract IA17: Molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion and implications for immunotherapy

T-cell exhaustion is common during chronic infections and cancer and prevents optimal immunity. Exhausted CD8 T cells (TEX) are defined by the loss of ability to perform effector functions efficiently, low proliferative capacity, and poor survival following antigen stimulation. TEX also co-express multiple inhibitory receptors that negatively regulate their function. Indeed, receptors such as PD-1 have become major targets of clinical immunotherapies in cancer and infectious disease aimed at reinvigorating TEX. Despite the clinical success of PD-1-based therapies in human melanoma and other cancers, the majority of patients do not have durable clinical benefit from anti-PD-1 monotherapy. A major challenge remains identifying which patients will respond to anti-PD-1 therapy and defining the underlying mechanisms for successful, durable response versus treatment failure. Detailed immune profiling of peripheral blood from stage IV melanoma patients before and after pembrolizumab (pembro) identified reinvigoration in circulating TEX. These data indicated that nearly 80% of patients experienced a strong, on-target immunologic effect of PD-1 blockade. However, the objective clinical response rate in this cohort was less than 40% and reinvigoration of circulating TEX alone did not predict clinical outcomes. We are currently now using neoadjuvant clinical trial designs and preclinical models to dissect the molecular and mechanistic features of effective and ineffective responses to checkpoint blockade and to understand the underlying molecular program of exhausted CD8 T cells. Our emerging data not only provide a framework for dissecting distinct types of treatment failures in melanoma and have implications for stratifying patients into additional immunotherapeutic treatment approaches, but also point to key underlying molecular pathways involved in programming and controlling the developmental biology of exhausted T cells. The implications of these findings for clinical therapies will be discussed. Citation Format: E. John Wherry. Molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion and implications for immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Acoustic Attenuation: Multifrequency Measurement and Relationship to CT and MR Imaging

Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS) is gaining significant acceptance as a noninvasive treatment for motion disorders and shows promise for novel applications such as blood-brain barrier opening for tumor treatment. A typical procedure relies on CT-derived acoustic property maps to simulate the transfer of ultrasound through the skull. Accurate estimates of the acoustic attenuation in the skull are essential to accurate simulations, but there is no consensus about how attenuation should be estimated from CT images and there is interest in exploring MR as a predictor of attenuation in the skull. In this study, we measure the acoustic attenuation at 0.5, 1, and 2.25 MHz in 89 samples taken from two ex vivo human skulls. CT scans acquired with a variety of X-ray energies, reconstruction kernels, and reconstruction algorithms, and MR images acquired with ultrashort and zero echo time sequences are used to estimate the average Hounsfield unit value, MR magnitude, and T2* value in each sample. The measurements are used to develop a model of attenuation as a function of frequency and each individual imaging parameter.
On the Impact of Affine Loop Transformations in Qubit Allocation

Most quantum compiler transformations and qubit allocation techniques to date are either peep-hole focused or rely on sliding windows that depend on a number of external parameters including the topology of the quantum processor. Thus, global optimization criteria are still lacking. In this article, we explore the synergies and impact of affine loop transformations in the context of qubit allocation and mapping. With this goal in mind, we designed and implemented AXL, a domain specific language and source-to-source compiler for quantum circuits that can be directly described with affine relations. We conduct an extensive evaluation spanning circuits from the recently introduced QUEKO benchmark suite, eight quantum circuits taken from the literature, three distinct coupling graphs, four affine transformations (including the Pluto dependence distance minimization and Feautrier’s minimum latency algorithms), four qubit allocators, and two back-end quantum compilers. Our results demonstrate that affine transformations using global optimization criteria can cooperate effectively in several scenarios with quantum qubit mapping algorithms to reduce the circuit depth, size and allocation time.
An Evolutionary Explanation of Graph Comprehension Using fMRI

Evolution has equipped Homo sapiens with a wide range of inherent abilities. One of those abilities is comprehending graphical representations. We claim that comprehension is only inherent if the representation has an analogy in the evolutionary environment. We test this using a fMRI study to show that certain graphs activate the visual cortex and others do not. Furthermore those that activate the visual cortex result in greater accuracy.
Practice Without Theory

Usual mental health care in the community is far from optimal. Sufficient evidence exists that dropout rates are significant, treatment is effective for only a small proportion of clients, and the translation of evidence-based treatments to the real world is problematic. Technology has been shown to be helpful in health care for improving the effectiveness of treatment. A relatively new technology being used in mental health is the measurement feedback system (MFS). MFSs are particularly applicable to couple and family psychology because of their ability to provide information on the multiple perspectives involved in treatment. The Contextualized Feedback Systems (CFS), developed at Vanderbilt University, is used as an example of what can be accomplished with an MFS. The advantages and limitations of this technology are described as well as the anticipated reimbursement requirements that mental health services will need.
Drug stimulation of putrescine and spermidine syntheses: Relationships to enhancement of ribonucleic acid synthesis

Abstract The enzymes that synthesize putrescine and spermidine and the rate of uridine-6-[ 3 H] incorporation were measured after a single treatment with various drugs, some of which are known to cause liver enlargement after chronic administration. The drugs examined were phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene, 3, 4-benzpyrene, clofibrate (atromid-S), and heparin. All these drugs produced elevations of both ornithine decarboxylase ( l -ornithine carboxy-lyase; EC 4.1.1.17), the enzyme that catalyzes the formation of putrescine from ornithine, and S-adenosyl- l -methionine decarboxylase, the enzyme that catalyzes the formation of spermidine from putrescine and S-adenosyl- l -methionine. They also stimulated the incorporation of uridine-6-[ 3 H], an RNA precursor. Increased uridine-6-[ 3 H] incorporation followed enhanced ornithine decarboxylase activity and paralleled increased spermidine synthesis in most cases. Cycloheximide administered at the same time as phenobarbital completely abolished the induction of these enzymes.
Protein phosphatase-1 and insulin action.

Protein Phosphatase-1 (PP-1) appears to be the key component of the insulin signalling pathway which is responsible for bridging the initial insulin-simulated phosphorylation cascade with the ultimate dephosphorylation of insulin sensitive substrates. Dephosphorylations catalyzed by PP-1 activate glycogen synthase (GS) and simultaneously inactivate Phosphorylase a and Phosphorylase kinase promoting glycogen synthesis. Our in vivo studies using L6 rat skeletal muscle cells and freshly isolated adipocytes indicate that insulin stimulates PP-1 by increasing the phosphorylation status of its regulatory subunit (PP-1G). PP-1 activation is accompanied by an inactivation of Protein Phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) activity. To gain insight into the upstream kinases that mediate insulin-stimulated PP-1G phosphorylation, we employed inhibitors of the ras/MAPK, PI3-kinase, and PKC signalling pathways. These inhibitor studies suggest that PP-1G phosphorylation is mediated via a complex, cell type specific mechanism involving PI3-kinase/PKC/PKB and/or the ras/MAP kinase/Rsk kinase cascade. cAMP agonists such as SpcAMP (via PKA) and TNF-α (recently identified as endogenous inhibitor of insulin action via ceramide) block insulin-stimulated PP-1G phosphorylation with a parallel decrease of PP-1 activity, presumably due to the dissociation of the PP-1 catalytic subunit from the regulatory G-subunit. It appears that any agent or condition which interferes with the insulin-induced phosphorylation and activation of PP-1, will decrease the magnitude of insulin’s effect on downstream metabolic processes. Therefore, regulation of the PP-1G subunit by site-specific phosphorylation plays an important role in insulin signal transduction in target cells. Mechanistic and functional studies with cell lines expressing PP-1G subunit sitespecific mutations will help clarify the exact role and regulation of PP-1G site-specific phosphorylations on PP-1 catalytic function. (Mol Cell Biochem 182: 49-58, 1998)
Use of metabolic inhibitors to estimate protozooplankton grazing and bacterial production in a monomictic eutrophic lake with an anaerobic hypolimnion.

Inhibitors of eucaryotes (cycloheximide and amphotericin B) and procaryotes (penicillin and chloramphenicol) were used to estimate bacterivory and bacterial production in a eutrophic lake. Bacterial production appeared to be slightly greater than protozoan grazing in the aerobic waters of Lake Oglethorpe. Use of penicillin and cycloheximide yielded inconsistent results in anaerobic water and in aerobic water when bacterial production was low. Production measured by inhibiting eucaryotes with cycloheximide did not always agree with [3H]thymidine estimates or differential filtration methods. Laboratory experiments showed that several common freshwater protozoans continued to swim and ingest bacterium-size latex beads in the presence of the eucaryote inhibitor. Penicillin also affected grazing rates of some ciliates. We recommend that caution and a corroborating method be used when estimating ecologically important parameters with specific inhibitors.
Grazing Processes and Secondary Production in the Arabian Sea: A Simple Food Web Synthesis with Measurement Constraints

The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study in the Arabian Sea during the mid 1990s provides a rare opportunity to elucidate carbon flows in the lower food web of an open ocean ecosystem. Analysis of that data to date has, however, produced widely divergent perspectives on major flux pathways and roles of zooplankton: from zooplankton as controlling grazers tightly coupled to microbial processes to zooplankton as casual consumers who let a large fraction of production, mostly generated by picophytoplankton, flow directly to detritus and export. Synthesis of experimental grazing rates and production inferences for mesozooplankton and microzooplankton fit well in a conceptually simple food web, constrained by measured carbon flows through phytoplankton and bacteria. Microzooplankton dominate grazing processes, consuming over 70% of particulate primary production (PP), on average, and providing steady and significant supplemental nutrition to mesozooplankton. Direct grazing estimates of mesozooplankton, on the order of 25% of PP, are sufficient to balance the remaining particulate production, with additional transfer through a one- to two-step food chain of microzooplankton accounting for a total ingestion of ∼40% of PP required for mesozooplankton secondary production. Dissolved organic carbon fluxes to bacteria are provided mostly within the constraints of gross and net primary production. Contradictory results from inverse models are likely due to an assumption that exaggerates by approximately twofold the production contribution ofpicophytoplankton and to the failure to use measured rates of gross primary production as a system constraint. Grazing generally balances net particulate primary production in the Arabian Sea, but true grazer control of phytoplankton dynamics remains an open issue for further study.
Hawkeye: a practical large scale demonstration of semantic web integration

We discuss our DLDB knowledge base system and evaluate its capability in processing a very large set of real-world Semantic Web data. Using DLDB, we have constructed the Hawkeye knowledge base, in which we have loaded more than 166 million facts from a diverse set of real-world data sources. We use this knowledge base to demonstrate realistic integration queries in e-government and academic scenarios. In order to support Hawkeye, we extended DLDB with additional reasoning capabilities. At present, the Semantic Web consists of numerous independent ontologies.We demonstrate that OWL can be used to integrate these ontologies and thereby integrate the data sources that commit to them. In terms of performance, we show that the load time of our system is linear on the number of triples loaded. Furthermore, we show that many complex queries have response times under one minute, and that simple queries can be answered in seconds.
Automatic verification of determinism for structured parallel programs

We present a static analysis for automatically verifying determinism of structured parallel programs. The main idea is to leverage the structure of the program to reduce determinism verification to an independence property that can be proved using a simple sequential analysis. Given a task-parallel program, we identify program fragments that may execute in parallel and check that these fragments perform independent memory accesses using a sequential analysis. Since the parts that can execute in parallel are typically only a small fraction of the program, we can employ powerful numerical abstractions to establish that tasks executing in parallel only perform independent memory accesses. We have implemented our analysis in a tool called DICE and successfully applied it to verify determinism on a suite of benchmarks derived from those used in the highperformance computing community.
Differentiation of Brucella canis from other brucellae by gas chromatography.

Gas chromatographic techniques allow for differentiation between a strain of Brucella canis and strains of other brucellae.
Audience, genre, method, theory

Comment on Coleman, Gabriella. 2014. Hacker, hoaxer, whistleblower, spy: The many faces of Anonymous . London and New York: Verso.
Infection in the Renal and Liver Transplant Patient

During the past two decades, remarkable strides have been made in the field of renal transplantation. From a fascinating experiment in human biology, renal transplantation has evolved into a practical therapeutic modality widely applied to the treatment of chronic renal failure. For the first time in history, not only does renal transplantation offer the best chance for rehabilitation of the uremic patient but, in addition, at many centers, it offers at least as good a chance for patient survival as the other widely available treatment modality, chronic hemodialysis. For example, at the Massachusetts General Hospital over the past 3 years, the 1-year patient survival for recipients of kidneys from living related and cadaveric donors has been greater than 95%, with a 1-year graft survival of more than 85%. For patients surviving with a functioning graft at 1 year, the subsequent mortality rate is less than 5% per year. By comparison, the reported patient loss on hemodialysis is 5–10% each year.
Dream Report Following Commissurotomy

This paper addresses the question of right hemisphere involvement in the visual components of dreaming. The rationale derives from an observed relation between reports of visual agnosia accompanied by dream cessation and the literature on right hemisphere specialization for visuo-spatial processes. All night sleep EEGs were recorded from subjects with partial or complete section of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure. Upon entering a EEG-, EOG- and EMG-defined REM episode, the subjects were awakened and questioned about dream content. All subjects examined in this fashion were able to recount some visual dream content. This result fails to support any notion of selective right hemisphere visual dream mediation.
Dissecting Gating Rules of GIRK Channels: Role of PIP2 in Ethanol-Dependent Activation

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels are implicated in alcohol abuse and addiction. We discovered a discrete alcohol-binding pocket in the channel mediating ethanol-dependent activation. Here, we investigated the role of G proteins and PIP2 in ethanol-dependent gating. We engineered GIRK2 with single, modifiable cysteine at L257 in alcohol pocket and found that alcohol-like methanthiosulfonate (MTS) reagents activate GIRK2-L257C, similar to ethanol-dependent activation. We assessed role of G proteins in alcohol activation by either increasing levels of Gβγ (+Gβ1γ2) or decreasing Gβγ through chelation with membrane bound Phosducin (+mPhos). Neither Gβ1γ2 nor mPhos altered the rate of MTS-HE-mediated GIRK2-L257C activation. For comparison, we examined GIRK2-L344C, a key site for Gβγ activation that is inhibited by MTS modification. In contrast to L257C, rate of MTS modification showed a clear dependence on Gβγ levels. These results suggest that alcohol activation of GIRK channel is independent of G proteins.To investigate the role of PIP2, we used voltage-sensitive phosphatase DR-VSP to transiently deplete PIP2 in the membrane. Activation of DR-VSP completely reversed MTS-HE activated current of GIRK2-L257C. Furthermore, MTS-HE treatment significantly slowed the rate of GIRK2-L257C current inhibition following DR-VSP activation, suggesting an increase in apparent affinity for PIP2 and GIRK2-L257C channels modified by MTS-HE. Lastly, we examined the role of PIP2 on alcohol-dependent activation of wild-type GIRK2. Addition of propanol significantly slowed the rate of wild-type GIRK2 current inhibition following PIP2 depletion. Taken together, these data demonstrate that alcohol-dependent activation of GIRK involves an increase in apparent affinity for PIP2, with little influence of Gβγ subunits. The fundamental dichotomy between alcohol and Gβγ arises from distinct gating mechanisms converging on PIP2-dependent opening, revealing novel pathways for antagonizing alcohol's effects on ion channels.
SANTA MORTE, A SANTA ESQUELÉTICA NO MÉXICO E NOS ESTADOS UNIDOS

Este artigo traz algumas consideracoes retiradas de uma pesquisa mais ampla sobre as razoes do aumento da popularidade do culto a Santa Morte no Mexico e nos Estados Unidos, desde o inicio dos anos 2000. De uma pratica oculta, desconhecida de boa parte dos mexicanos, transformou-se em um crescente culto publico que contabiliza milhoes de devotos nos dois paises. O texto analisa a evolucao do culto, do periodo colonial hispânico ate os dias atuais, e, por meio de entrevistas, midia impressa e pesquisa de campo, explora os diferentes atributos conferidos a santa por uma grande gama de devotos, de donas de casa a traficantes, em meio a um contexto conturbado de crescente recessao economica e violencia urbana.
The Rural Planning Perspective at an Opportune Time

An integrated, community-based perspective of “rural planning” is slowly emerging, and other fields, such as rural development, are showing interest. This review of over 240 references presents a c...
Suppression of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici in Montana soils and its transferability between soils

Abstract Three soils from different wheat growing areas of Montana were characterized as being conducive or suppressive to the take-all disease of wheat caused by the fungus Gaeunannomyces graminis var. tritici. Bozeman PF soil, where wheat was grown in rotation with green manure crops, exhibited conducive properties. Larslan 1 and Toston LS soils where wheat has been grown as a monoculture for more than 10 yr were suppressive to take-all. The transferability of this suppressiveness was established. However, the magnitude of the response differed between soils. In one case, a conducive soil had a suppressive factor against take-all which was not activated in its own soil, but which became active when transferred to a chemically and physically different soil.
Pore size distribution model derived from a modified DR equation and simulated pore filling for nitrogen adsorption at 77 K

The Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR) equation has been used extensively to characterize microporous materials. However, it assumes a continuous pore filling mechanism and does not reduce to Henry’s law at low adsorptive pressures. In this study, we modify the DR equation by introducing adsorption density and the correlation between pore filling pressure and critical pore size for N2 adsorption at 77 K. This modified DR equation is used as the local isotherm in the generalized adsorption isotherm (GAI) to interpret N2 adsorption isotherm at 77 K. To solve the GAI, a modified normal distribution is developed and used as a distribution function of pore size on the domain [0, ∞). Pore size distribution (PSD) analyses of several adsorbent samples are carried out using this model. The results are found comparable with other popular PSD methods (e.g. MP, JC, HK and DFT).
SLC5A8, a sodium transporter, is a tumor suppressor gene silenced by methylation in human colon aberrant crypt foci and cancers

We identify a gene, SLC5A8, and show it is a candidate tumor suppressor gene whose silencing by aberrant methylation is a common and early event in human colon neoplasia. Aberrant DNA methylation has been implicated as a component of an epigenetic mechanism that silences genes in human cancers. Using restriction landmark genome scanning, we performed a global search to identify genes that would be aberrantly methylated at high frequency in human colon cancer. From among 1,231 genomic NotI sites assayed, site 3D41 was identified as methylated in 11 of 12 colon cancers profiled. Site 3D41 mapped to exon 1 of SLC5A8, a transcript that we assembled. In normal colon mucosa we found that SLC5A8 exon 1 is unmethylated and SLC5A8 transcript is expressed. In contrast, SLC5A8 exon 1 proved to be aberrantly methylated in 59% of primary colon cancers and 52% of colon cancer cell lines. SLC5A8 exon 1 methylated cells were uniformly silenced for SLC5A8 expression, but reactivated expression on treatment with a demethylating drug, 5-azacytidine. Transfection of SLC5A8 suppressed colony growth in each of three SLC5A8-deficient cell lines, but showed no suppressive effect in any of three SLC5A8-proficient cell lines. SLC5A8 exon 1 methylation is an early event, detectable in colon adenomas, and in even earlier microscopic colonic aberrant crypt foci. Structural homology and functional testing demonstrated that SLC5A8 is a member of the family of sodium solute symporters, which are now added as a class of candidate colon cancer suppressor genes.
Physical properties of biological membranes determined by the fluorescence of the calcium ionophore A23187

Abstract Interactions between the divalent cation ionophore, A23187, and the divalent cations Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Mn 2+ were studied in sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Conductance measurements suggest that A23187 facilitates the movement of divalent cations across bilayer membranes via a primarily electroneutral process, although a cationic form of A23187 does carry some current. On the basis of fluorescence excitation spectra, A23187 can form either a 1:1 or 2:1 complex with Ca 2+ in organic solvents. However, in biological membranes, only the 1:1 complexes with Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , or Mn 2+ are detected. A23187 produces fluorescent transients under conditions of Ca 2+ uptake in sarcoplasmic reticulum, which appear to represent changes in intramembrane Ca 2+ content. Changes in A23187 fluorescence due to mitochondrial Ca 2+ accumulation are much smaller by comparison and fluorescence transients are not detected. Studies of A23187 fluorescence polarization and lifetimes in biological membranes allow a determination of the rotational correlation time (ρh) of the ionophore. In mitochondria at 22 °C, ρh is 11 nsec in the presence of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , and less than 2 nsec in the presence of excess EDTA. The present results are consistent with a model of ionophore-mediated cation transport in which free M 2+ binds with A23187 at the membrane surface to form the complex M(A23187) + . Reaction of this complex with another molecule of A23187 at the membrane surfaces results in the formation of electrically neutral M(A23187) 2 , which carries the divalent cation through the membrane. These results are discussed in terms of physical properties of biological membranes in regions in which divalent cation transport occurs.
Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Express a Distinct Set of Biologically Functional Chemokine Receptors

Stromal cells isolated from bone marrow (BMSCs), often referred to as mesenchymal stem cells, are currently under investigation for a variety of therapeutic applications. However, limited data are available regarding receptors that can influence their homing to and positioning within the bone marrow. In the present study, we found that second passage BMSCs express a unique set of chemokine receptors: three CC chemokine receptors (CCR1, CCR7, and CCR9) and three CXC chemokine receptors (CXCR4, CXCR5, and CXCR6). BMSCs cultured in serum-free medium secrete several chemokine ligands (CCL2, CCL4, CCL5, CCL20, CXCL12, CXCL8, and CX3CL1). The surface-expressed chemokine receptors were functional by several criteria. Stimulation of BMSCs with chemokine ligands triggers phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (e.g., extracellular signal–related kinase [ERK]-1 and ERK-2) and focal adhesion kinase signaling pathways. In addition, CXCL12 selectively activates signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-5 whereas CCL5 activates STAT-1. In cell biologic assays, all of the chemokines tested stimulate chemotaxis of BMSCs, and CXCL12 induces cytoskeleton F-actin polymerization. Studies of culture-expanded BMSCs, for example, 12–16 passages, indicate loss of surface expression of all chemokine receptors and lack of chemotactic response to chemokines. The loss in chemokine receptor expression is accompanied by a decrease in expression of adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, ICAM-2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) and CD157, while expression of CD90 and CD105 is maintained. The change in BMSC phenotype is associated with slowing of cell growth and increased spontaneous apoptosis. These findings suggest that several chemokine axes may operate in BMSC biology and may be important parameters in the validation of cultured BMSCs intended for cell therapy.
Direct evidence of a Cu(In,Ga) 3 Se 5 phase in a bulk, high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 device using atom probe tomography

This paper will descuss the findings of an ordered vacancy compound (OVC) phase, Cu(In,Ga) 3 Se 5 (135 phase), that exists deep into the bulk of a high-efficiency CIGSe absorber as determined by atom probe tomography (APT). To date, literature has shown that absorbers grown with the three-step process exhibit the 135 phase only within the first few nanometers from the CdS/CIGSe interface. In this contribution, we have found a small volume (100 nm × 100 nm × 300 nm) of the 135 phase to exist about 400 nm into the absorber. The paper will discuss possibly why the phase was found by APT and not by other characterization techniques.
Exposure-measurement error is frequently ignored when interpreting epidemiologic study results

One important source of error in study results is error in measuring exposures. When interpreting study results, one should consider the impact that exposure-measurement error (EME) might have had on study results. To assess how often this consideration is made and the form it takes, journal articles were randomly sampled from original articles appearing in the American Journal of Epidemiology and Epidemiology in 2001, and the International Journal of Epidemiology between December 2000 and October 2001. Twenty-two (39%) of the 57 articles surveyed mentioned nothing about EME. Of the 35 articles that mentioned something about EME, 16 articles described qualitatively the effect EME could have had on study results. Only one study quantified the impact of EME on study results; the investigators used a sensitivity analysis. Few authors discussed the measurement error in their study in any detail. Overall, the potential impact of EME on error in epidemiologic study results appears to be ignored frequently in practice.
Opportunities not taken: successes and shortcomings in the Institute of Medicine's report on organ donation.

The Institute of Medicine's recent report, Organ Donation: Opportunities for Action , studies the current problems facing organ donation in the USA, making suggestions for quality improvement and analyzing various proposals of incentivized donation and presumed consent (PC). Although the report deals with the donation of several solid organs, this mini review examines the findings from the perspective of kidney transplantation. The committee's recommendations to move from circulatory to neurologic criteria for cadaveric donation and to increase opportunities for donor decision making are prudent. We agree with the committee's arguments against providing incentives for donation because of the inherent distributional inequalities and imperfect information; the intrinsic difficulties in establishing market equilibrium for such heterogeneous and perishable goods; the implied commoditization of the human body; and the inadequate data regarding the long-term risks of living donation. However, we question the committee's firm opposition to PC, especially given recent data from 22 European countries showing a 25–30% increase in organ supply attributable to a PC policy. If this simple change in the default position on donation has the potential to increase organ supply, decrease the need for living donation, reduce the burden on grieving families, maintain familial authority over the deceased, and respect patient autonomy, at least a pilot program of PC seems warranted.
The impact of porosity waves on crustal reaction progress and CO2 mass transfer

Abstract Rocks below the brittle-ductile transition can deform viscously and compact while fluid percolates through (two-phase solid–fluid flow). We investigate chemical reaction systematics during two-phase flow using one-dimensional numerical models in which reactive H2O–CO2 fluid ascends down-temperature toward the surface, driving the retrograde reaction: 7 CO 2 + 3 Calcite + Tremolite = 5 Dolomite + 8 Quartz + H 2 O . The reaction progress is compared to that predicted by fluid–rock reaction during “standard” Darcian flow. A range of layer thicknesses (km-scale) in one- and two-layer systems were investigated at pressure–temperature conditions below the brittle-ductile transition corresponding to ∼13–20 km depth. Model porosity waves of wavelength ∼5 km were generated repeatedly at the base of the flow region using a solitary wave solution with a prescribed initial wave amplitude A = (maximum porosity)/(background porosity of 10 − 3 ). Simulation of reaction progress and carbon transfer for the Darcian flow model and for porosity wave transport with A = 5 , 2.5 and 1.25 yield the following results. First, the overall reaction progress in the two fluid transport models is mainly controlled by the time-integrated fluid flux, and is not strongly dependent on the flow regime. The implication is that the fluid pressure gradient anomalies in the regional-scale porosity waves modeled herein play a negligible role in driving reaction progress. Second, although there are high fluid velocities and thus strong advection in large amplitude porosity waves, the kinetic parameters adopted from experiments predict that the fluid compositions approach local fluid–rock equilibrium in both transport models. Third, regional-scale carbonate-bearing rock layers may be substantial sinks for carbon in ascending fluids if sufficient porosity and permeability can be maintained during reaction. Finally, typical models of retrograde reactions predict that porosity ultimately becomes clogged and, thus, fluid flow is hindered. However, porosity wave transport provides a potential mechanism for creating new porosity to sustain fluid flow during retrogression.
Cultural Landscape of Pavagadh: The Abode of Mother Goddess Kalika

A study of topographic symbolism of pilgrim landscapes offers an insight into aspects of the mother goddess' divinity. Pavagadh Hill in Gujarat, India is the abode of Kalika Mata and also the location of impregnable forts of Rajputs in the medieval era. It is now, as in the past, a site of pilgrimage and is considered a Shakti pitha (seat of the goddess). In climbing the hill, the pilgrim is made aware of Kalika Mata's simultaneous transcendence and immanence through the landscape itself. The hill is an embodiment of her shakti (power) and prakriti (nature). Kalika Mata's nurturing paradox is evident in the many talaos (water bodies) in the plateaus, made by damming and diverting the natural flow of water in the Rajput era. While the goddess is visualized in and through the landscape, it is mythology that anchors her narratives at specific sites in the Pavagadh Hill. The primeval landscape of bare rock, ephemeral springs, and layered vegetation, has evolved into a cultural landscape of worship in temples ...
The economics and politics of scholarships

L oyalty to alma mater often amounts only to quaint sentimentalism and a useful inducement to philanthropy; but this loyalty also allows elite colleges and universities to mobilize their most influential alumni to protect their economic interests. The sorry ending to the story of the antitrust case against the Ivy League colleges and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for conspiring to limit financial aid to undergraduate students provides an unfortunate illustration of this political clout. In the face of pressure from leading newspapers and prominent politicians, the Justice Department agreed in December 1993 to a highly favorable settlement for the Ivy colleges and M1T. The colleges, however, were not satisfied. To achieve total victory, they successfully lobbied Congress last year to amend existing laws to override the settlement's only substantial restriction on financial-aid policy. Now, all colleges are legally free to limit financial aid by collusion and, more important, to deny undergraduates the benefits of merit scholai'ships. Almost forty years ago, the eight colleges in the Ivy group--Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale--along with MIT, formed a cartel to limit competition for desirable undergraduate students. The members of the cartel agreed not to award "meriC scholarships to undergraduates and to give undergraduate financial aid only on the basis of "need." In this context, merit is a shorthand for any characteristic that makes a student especially desirable to a particular college. Colleges are eager to attract students who have exceptional academic, artistic, or athletic talent not only because most faculty prefer to teach students who are smart and interesting, but also because the academic, artistic, and athletic achievements of talented students enhance the reputation of a college and the value of its degrees. In short, exceptional students not only please alumni, but also makes such colleges more attractive to prospective students. In this regard, colleges are like any business: "quality" customers enhance the reputation of the product and attract other customers. By agreeing to give only need-based undergraduate financial aid and also by adopting a niggardly definition of need, the Ivy colleges and MIT were able to enroll desirable students while not giving them more than the minimum amount of necessary financial aid. Without an agreement about merit scholarships, competition for desirable undergraduates would have led to large increases in financial aid. Moreover, Ivy colleges with the largest endow-
Managing HIV infection in middle aged and older populations

The prevalence of HIV infection in middle aged and older populations is increasing. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has revolutionized HIV care; however, older patients may have less clinical benefit and worse toxicity from this form of therapy than younger patients. Older patients are more likely to have other comorbidities, treatment of which may complicate HIV management. General routine medical care and social issues are essential components of HIV care that should not be forgotten in the care of older HIV patients. Management of HIV in middle aged and older patients has become more complex in the current highly active antiretroviral therapy era.
Mutations affecting adenine phosphoribosyl transferase activity in Chinese hamster cells

Abstract Mutants of Chinese hamster ovary cells that were resistant to the adenine analog 2, 6-diaminopurine generally were deficient in the enzyme adenine phosphoribosyl transferase. Such mutants did not occur spontaneously, and were rare even after mutagenesis, presumably because two active genes in this pseudodiploid line must be affected for the recessive drug-resistant phenotype to be expressed. Revertants of one such double mutant were selected on the basis of their ability to utilize adenine as a purine source. These revertants contained reduced levels of enzyme activity and were presumed to be heterozygous for the enzyme structural gene. Forward mutation to diaminopurine resistance, starting with these heterozygous revertants, occurred at a rate 1,000 times greater than that found for the original homozygous cells. The results agree with predictions based on the idea that mutations in the structural gene for the enzyme are responsible for the drug-resistant character of these variants.