cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and localization of Trypanosoma cruzi hsp60.

Abstract A 60-kDa heat shock protein (hsp60) is involved in mitochondrial protein folding and assembly of oligomeric protein complexes in the mitochondrial matrix. Here we report the isolation of Trypanosoma cruzi hsp60 cDNAs, the determination of the organization and chromosomal location of the genes, and the assessment of the heat-regulated expression and subcellular location of the protein. T. cruzi hsp60 is encoded by a multigene family organized in two allelic direct tandem arrays on a chromosome of 1.6 Mb. The regulation of hsp60 expression by heat is complex. While the hsp60 mRNA level is 6-fold higher at 37°C than at either 26°C or 42°C, the hsp60 protein level remains essentially constant across all temperatures examined. Further analysis of the protein by two-dimensional immunoblotting revealed the existence of multiple isoforms that, with increasing temperature, shift in relative abundance from the more basic to the more acidic. A combination of immunofluorescence microscopy and cell fractionation was used to show that hsp60 is distributed throughout the matrix of the mitochondrion — a location distinct from that of the 70-kDa mitochondrial hsp, mtp70, which is associated with the kinetoplast.
Physical and Psycho-Social Predictors of Adolescents’ Suicide Behaviors

The current study examined the relationship between suicidal behaviors and physical and psycho-social predictors including body image, weight control behaviors, and risky sexual behaviors among Asian, African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic adolescents. This study used the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The target populations were 11,134 adolescents (5,636 female and 5,498 male) in 9th–12th grade who completed the survey. A linear regression was conducted to examine the correlation between predictors and suicidal behaviors. The results showed that gender, grade, depression, substance use, body image, weight control behaviors, and risky sexual behaviors were significant predictors of adolescents’ suicidal behaviors, while race/ethnicity was not a good predictor. Also, there were significant gender and grade differences in suicidal behaviors. Based on the results, practice implications for suicide prevention were discussed.
Giant enhancement in effective piezoelectric sensitivity by pyroelectric coupling

We report stable two-layer composites that exhibit large enhancement of effective piezoelectric sensitivity to more than 20000 pC/N in the presence of a thermal gradient. They are based on coupled fields in the non-equilibrium presence of energy flux that is modulated by force. Thermal flux is modulated by a granular contact layer so that electric polarization of pyroelectric origin contributes to stress-generated electric polarization. Effective piezoelectric sensitivity is enhanced by at least two orders of magnitude and is higher than that of known commercial and research materials. The result illustrates the potential of relaxing the usual assumption of equilibrium in the presence of a coupled field to attain extremely high effective properties.
Initial and repeat testing for chlamydia during pregnancy.

Objective. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence of chlamydia in late pregnancy after an initial negative test.Methods. This retrospective cohort study reports prenatal patients entering care between January 1998 and May 2000 at an inner city community based clinic (n = 752). Patients were evaluated if results of initial and late tests (34 weeks gestational age) for chlamydia were known. Charts were abstracted for demographic and pregnancy-related factors. Analysis for categorized data was by chi-squares and odds ratios. Continuous data were analyzed by t-test. Significance was accepted if p < 0.05.Results. The prevalence of chlamydia was 17.8%, with 3.9% having only the second test positive. Treatment failure and/or reinfection were found in 13.3%. Factors correlated with chlamydial carriage include: age ⩽19 years (p < 0.001), gonorrheal carriage (p < 0.001), lower gravidity (p < 0.01), lower parity (p < 0.05), and never having married (p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified gonorrheal carri...
Relying on Injection Drug Users to Access and Adhere to HIV Therapeutics: Bittersweet Lessons Using Respondent-Driven Sampling and a Peer-Driven Intervention

Results are presented of enrolling HIV+ active-injection drug users (IDUs) into a peer-driven intervention (PDI) to improve their adherence to medical care. Using respondent-driven sam- pling (RDS), which evolved out of the PDI model, the authors recruited and tested 1,097 IDUs, of whom 145 were confirmed to be HIV+. Despite promises of confidentiality, increased social supports, and direct cash rewards for participating, only 78 (54%) of the HIV+ IDUs enrolled in the subsequent adherence study. Correlates of participation as well as interviews with respon- dents who declined participating are presented. The seemingly negative findings have important implications for future adherence studies. RDS provided a powerful mechanism for recruiting HIV+ IDUs. But selection biases were revealed to favor sicker yet more socially connected respondents, which resulted in more conservative outcomes with regard to social supports and positive health-seeking behaviors. The analysis may help streamline future efforts using the PDI, which harnesses IDUs' abilities to help one another, by underscoring some of the mechanism's limitations.
Applying Reduction Mappings in Designing Genomic Regulatory Networks

Probabilistic Boolean Networks (PBNs) represent a class of nonlinear models of genetic regulatory networks incorporating the indeterminacy owing to latent variables external to the model that have biological interaction with genes in the model. Besides being used to model biological phenomena, such as cellular state dynamics and the switch-like behavior of certain genes, PBNs have served as the main model for the application of intervention methods, including optimal control strategies, to favorably effect system dynamics. An obstacle in applying PBNs to large-scale networks is the computational complexity of the model. It is sometimes necessary to construct computationally tractable sub-networks while still carrying sufficient structure for the application at hand. Hence, there is a need for size reducing mappings. Such mappings can be used not only to render computationally manageable sub-networks but they can also play an important role in the process of designing PBNs from microarray data. The process of inferring PBNs from data is known to be a one-to-many mapping, and one needs a biologically sound constraints when selecting the PBN that is optimal with respect the given data. This paper proposes such a constraint based on the recently introduced DIRE reduction algorithm.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS: EFFICACY ISSUES FOR EDUCATORS

An increasing number of older persons with chronic illnesses are being cared for by family members in the community with the assistance of respite, adult day care, and home care services. The growth in the number of persons providing care has led to the development of interventions, particularly psychoeducational support groups, to support family caregivers. The literature on the efficacy of support group interventions is reviewed, and the planning, implementation, and evaluative issues of particular relevance to educators are identified. Most studies have determined that participants are satisfied with the programs; however, whether they have decreased felt burden or stress has yet to be determined. Methodological issues such as interpreting significance levels, controlling for regression artifacts and reactivity bias, and using standardized instruments and more sophisticated analytical methods (e.g., prediction analysis) require more careful attention in future research. Striking the balance between eff...
Flow of a viscoelastic fluid between eccentric cylinders : impact on flow stability

Abstract The flow of an elastic fluid between eccentric cylinders was experimentally and theoretically examined. A purely elastic flow instability in the eccentric cylinder flow geometry has been discovered 1 , 2 . The focus of this paper is an investigation of how the characteristics of the base flow ultimately influence the flow stability. The velocity profiles of a Boger fluid between eccentric cylinders was measured by Laser Doppler velocimetry and compared to the theoretical predictions from a lubrication analysis. The base flow stress profiles between eccentric cylinders were calculated by integrating the polymeric stresses along streamlines. It is shown that the convection of polymeric stresses alter the hoop stresses in the flow. Implications of this observation to the flow stability are discussed.
Modern Geodetic Earth Reference Models

A geodetic earth reference model is defined as a self-gravitating body of given mass and rotational rate whose surface is an equipotential ellipsoid of revolution of specified dimensions. Over the course of this century, the International Association of Geodesy has sanctioned three such models as recommended standards for both scientific and practical applications. The most recent model was approved in December 1979, replacing one chosen in 1967, which in turn supplanted another originally adopted four decades earlier. One of the chief scientific aims of geodesy is the determination of the size and shape of the earth. Therefore, much of the energy expended by geodesists has focused on finding a model (defined by both geometrical and physical parameters) that can serve as a suitable reference surface for further geodetic and geophysical investigations. ‘Suitable’ is a flexible term. In the 19th century, it may have inferred accuracy to one part in 104 . Nowadays, it signifies better than one part in 106.
Why does Jack, and not Jill, break his crown? Sex disparity in brain tumors

It is often reported that brain tumors occur more frequently in males, and that males suffer a worse outcome from brain tumors than females. If correct, these observations suggest that sex plays a fundamental role in brain tumor biology. The following review of the literature regarding primary and metastatic brain tumors, reveals that brain tumors do occur more frequently in males compared to females regardless of age, tumor histology, or region of the world. Sexually dimorphic mechanisms that might control tumor cell biology, as well as immune and brain microenvironmental responses to cancer, are explored as the basis for this sex disparity. Elucidating the mechanisms by which sex chromosomes and sex hormones impact on brain tumorigenesis and progression will advance our understanding of basic cancer biology and is likely to be essential for optimizing the care of brain tumor patients.
Tutorial review H∞ optimal controller design for a class of distributed parameter systems

This paper is a tutorial on a frequency domain design method for the two-block H∞ optimal control of a class of SISO distributed parameter systems. Uncertainties in the system are assumed to be unmodelled dynamics represented in the form of either multiplicative, or additive, or coprime factor perturbations of a nominal infinite-dimensional plant. Performance of the closed loop system is measured in terms of the energy amplification from external input signals to the outputs of interest. In this paper transfer functions of the nominal plant and the weights are used in order to derive a solution to two-block H∞ control problems. The solution presented here uses results from operator theory. The H∞ optimal performance and controller in this method are computed from a finite set of linear equations.
MOOCs 101: An Introduction to Massive Open Online Courses

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a new type of online class that allow anyone, anywhere, to participate via video lectures, computer graded tests, and discussion forums. This article will give a basic overview of what MOOCs are, how they work, and some of their inherent advantages and disadvantages. It will also explore what MOOCs mean for medical education and libraries. A list of MOOC-related resources is also included.
Density and architecture have greater effects on the toughness of trabecular bone than damage.

Abstract Bone damage has been cited as an important aspect of bone quality. As such, understanding the effects of damage on the toughness of trabecular bone should provide insight into trabecular bone behavior during energy-limiting cases, such as falls. The effects of damage on the toughness of 35 bovine trabecular bone specimens were studied. Damage was induced by compressing the on-axis specimens to either 1.5% or 2.5% strain, followed by compression to 7.5% strain. The overloads resulted in significant decreases in both modulus and elastic toughness, with significantly greater decreases for the high-damage group than the low-damage group. Following damage, the elastic toughness of the high-damage group was also lower than the undamaged elastic toughness of the control group. In contrast, there was no detectable effect of damage level on toughness measured to 7.5% strain. Toughness increased linearly with BMD ( R 2 = 0.50) and by a power law relationship with volume fraction (BV/TV) ( R 2 = 0.65). Microarchitectural parameters also predicted the toughness in the absence of BV/TV or BMD. Toughness decreased with increasing slenderness ratio (Tb.Sp/Tb.Th) and structure model index (SMI) ( R 2 = 0.68, multiple regression), again independent of damage level, suggesting that failure is influenced by trabecular buckling. Taken together, the results show that normal variations in toughness due to density and architecture dominate the changes due to damage at the levels induced in this study. Moreover, measuring toughness is sensitive to the final strain, as differences found in the elastic and initial plastic regions were undetectable at higher strains. The self-limiting nature of microcracks in trabecular bone, or the trabecular architecture itself, may inhibit microcracks from propagating to macroscopic trabecular fractures, thereby limiting the effect of damage on toughness and making it difficult to detect in comparison to normal population variability.
Irrationality in Philosophy and Psychology: the Moral Implications of Self-Defeating Behavior

The philosophical study of irrationality can yield interesting insights into the human mind. One provocative issue is self-defeating behaviours, i.e. behaviours that result in failure to achieve one's apparent goals and ambitions. In this paper I consider a self-defeating behaviour called choking under pressure, explain why it should be considered irrational, and how it is best understood with reference to skills. Then I describe how choking can be explained without appeal to a purely Freudian subconscious or 'sub-agents' view of mind. Finally, I will recommend an alternative way to understand self-defeating behaviour which comes from a synthesis of Peter Strawson's explanation of 'self-reactive attitudes', Mark Johnston's notion of 'mental tropisms', and revised Freudian descriptions of the causes of self-defeating behaviour.
Risk-taking in schizophrenia and controls with and without cannabis dependence.

Background Risk-based decision making is altered in people with schizophrenia and in people with cannabis use compared to healthy controls; the pattern of risk-assessment in people with co-occurring schizophrenia and cannabis dependence is poorly understood. This study examined measures of risk-taking and decision-making in people with and without schizophrenia and/or cannabis dependence.
DETERMINISM, INDETERMINISM, AND CRIME: AN EMPIRICAL EXPLORATION*

Most individual-level research in criminology is based on a deterministic model: the factors that constrain individuals to crime or conformity are listed, and those factors are used to predict differences in the level of crime between individuals or groups of similar individuals. This paper explores an empirical model derived from recent work on sop determinism and indeterminism. Behaviors are said to vary in the extent to which they are determined, with behavior being fully determined at one end of the continuum and largely free (indetermined) at the other end. There is a discussion of those factors that influence the extent to which behavior is determined. And it is hypothesized that crime will be more variable and less predictable when conditions favor indeterminism. The empirical model in this paper, then, focuses on those factors believed to foster freedom of action and choice, and it uses those factors to predict differences in the amount of variation (unpredictability) in crime between individuals or groups of similar individuals. Data from two national surveys of adolescents provide tentative support for the hypothesis.
Review of Slavoj Žižek and John Milbank’s, The Monstrosity of Christ: Paradox or Dialectic? Edited by Creston Davis

The Monstrosity of Christ provides an exchange between the Slovenian theorist Slavoj Žižek and the British theologian John Milbank. Both authors argue that Christianity is the religion of ‘absolute truth,’ but provide very different accounts of this. Milbank argues that Christianity is true insofar as only the incarnation of Christ mediates the paradoxical metaphysical participation of the finite within the infinite. Žižek argues that the crucifixion of Christ constitutes the death of God, demonstrating that there is no providential or transcendent reality supervening on human history. This realization constitutes the universal truth of Christianity.
Pelagic microbial activity in an arctic polynya: Testing for temperature and substrate interactions using a kinetic approach

To test the hypothesized inhibition of high-latitude marine bacteria living at lower temperatures when organic matter is scarce, the effects of temperature and organic substrate concentration on pelagic microbial heterotrophy were investigated in the perennially cold surface waters of a summertime arctic polynya. Utilization (incorporation plus respiration) of radiolabeled amino acids was measured as a function of increasing added substrate concentration at in situ (subzero) temperature and under short-term warming. Results analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that increased substrate concentration had a significant effect on utilization rates at all stations, suggesting that communities were always living well below saturating levels of substrate. About half of the communities sampled revealed a significant temperature response using ANOVA; interactions between temperature and substrate concentration were detected only rarely. Kinetic parameters, used to link microbial activity and substrate utilization with temperature sensitivity, exhibited mixed responses to short-term warming. Maximum specific utilization rates showed the greater temperature sensitivity, with Q 10 values ranging from 0.25 to 13. Specific affinities responded to temperature significantly at only about half of the stations in the polynya. Psychrophilic behaviors (e.g., highest specific affinities and oligotrophic capacities at lower incubation temperatures) were observed at stations most likely to be influenced by direct Arctic Ocean outflow. Complete agreement with the hypothesis of enhanced substrate requirement by bacteria living at subzero temperature was not found. An improved understanding of the diversity of cold-tolerant and cold-loving microorganisms is needed before generalizing or predicting the role of temperature in the cycling of organic matter at high latitudes.
Factors related to sibling removal after a child maltreatment fatality.

Abstract Objectives Many children who die from abuse or neglect are survived by siblings. However, little data are available about what happens to these siblings after the victim's death, such as whether they are removed from their home. Even less is known about how decisions are made regarding sibling removal following a child fatality. This study examined social-ecological factors related to the likelihood that siblings would be removed from their homes after a child maltreatment fatality. Methods This study utilized Oklahoma child death review and child welfare data from 1993 to 2003 for 250 families to examine which sibling, caregiver, alleged perpetrator, family, community, and maltreatment characteristics were related to sibling removal following a child maltreatment fatality. Results Logistic regression analyses indicated that younger sibling age, more previous family reports to child welfare, and type of maltreatment (i.e., abuse rather than neglect) predicted greater likelihood of sibling removal. Conclusions The sibling and family factors found to be related to sibling removal are consistent with literature indicating that these variables are associated with death from child maltreatment. Few caregiver and family variables were predictive of sibling removal, despite evidence that such variables are related to child maltreatment fatalities. Further research that investigates siblings’ return to their homes and subsequent CPS referrals would help to clarify whether decisions about sibling removal were useful in protecting siblings from future maltreatment. Practice implications It may be important for child welfare workers to consider more caregiver and family factors when making removal decisions after a child maltreatment fatality.
Miscibility and morphologies of poly(arylene ether phenyl phosphine oxide/sulfone) copolymer/vinyl ester resin mixtures and their cured networks

Nonreactive bisphenol A-based poly(arylene ether triphenyl phosphine oxide/diphenyl sulfone) statistical copolymers and a poly(arylene ether triphenyl phosphine oxide) homopolymer, each having a number-average molecular weight of about 20 kg/mol, were synthesized and solution-blended with a commercial dimethacrylate vinyl ester resin. Free-radical cured systems produced morphologies that were a function of both the amount of phosphonyl groups and the weight percentage of the copolymers. For example, highly hydrogen-bonded poly(arylene ether phenyl phosphine oxide) homopolymer/vinyl ester resin mixtures were homogeneous in all proportions both before and after the formation of networks. Copolymers containing low amounts (≤30 mol %) of the phosphonyl groups displayed phase separation either before or during cure. The phase-separated cured materials generally had phase-inverted morphologies, such as a continuous thermoplastic copolymer phase and a particulate, discontinuous vinyl ester network phase, except for systems containing a very low copolymer content. The resin modified with a copolymer containing 30 mol % phosphine oxide comonomer showed improved fracture toughness, suggesting the importance of both phase separation and good adhesion between the thermoplastic polymer and the crosslinked vinyl ester filler phase. The results suggested that the copolymers with high amounts of phosphine oxide should be good candidates for interphase sizing materials between a vinyl ester matrix and high-modulus carbon fibers for advanced composite systems. Copolymers with low amounts of phosphonyl groups can produce tough, vinyl ester-reinforced plastics. The char yield increases with the concentration of bisphenol A poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide) content, suggesting enhanced fire resistance. The incorporation of thermoplastic copolymers sustains a high glass-transition temperature but does not significantly affect the thermal degradation onset temperature.
Another Look at the L'Ambiance Plaza Collapse

The collapse of the L'Ambiance Plaza building, under construction in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1987, killed 28 construction workers. A number of concurrent investigations were undertaken to attempt to determine the cause. At least six separate theories were developed. However, a prompt legal settlement kept these investigations from being completed. This paper reviews the collapse and discusses the competing theories. The failure focused controversy on the safety of the lift-slab construction method. Because there is a need in civil engineering education for case studies to illustrate ethical and professional issues as well as technical principles, this paper also addresses these aspects. Ways for civil engineering educators to use this case study to address these issues also are discussed.
Cross‐Racial/Ethnic Eyewitness Identification: A Field Study1

Using a method similar to that of Brigham, Maass, Snyder, and Spaudling (1982), 86 adult convenience store clerks were asked to identify 3 confederate/customers, one Anglo-American, one black-American, and one Mexican-American who had visited their stores 2 hours earlier. Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test showed that clerks were superior at identifying customers of their own racial or ethnic group, Z= 2.84, p < .002. For clerks who made an identification, the correlation between the recognition accuracy and confidence in their identification was not significant, rpbis (56)= .05. The results of this field study paralleled those found in most laboratory experiments of cross-racial/ethnic identification and demonstrated that Mexican-Americans are subject to the own/other groups identification accuracy phenomenon as well.
The Neurophysiology of Pain Perception and Hypnotic Analgesia: Implications for Clinical Practice

Although there remains much to be learned, a great deal is now known about the neurophysiological processes involved in the experience of pain. Research confirms that there is no single focal “center” in the brain responsible for the experience of pain. Rather, pain is the end product of a number of integrated networks that involve activity at multiple cortical and subcortical sites. Our current knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of pain has important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying the effects of hypnotic analgesia treatments, as well as for improving clinical practice. This article is written for the clinician who uses hypnotic interventions for pain management. It begins with an overview of what is known about the neurophysiological basis of pain and hypnotic analgesia, and then discusses how clinicians can use this knowledge for (1) organizing the types of suggestions that can be used when providing hypnotic treatment, and (2) maximizing the efficacy of hypnotic interventions in clients presenting with pain problems.
A generalized Doppler power spectrum for wireless environments

We provide a direct derivation of a generalized Doppler power spectrum of the signal received by a mobile station traveling at a constant velocity. The derivation uses the three-dimensional (3-D) incident radiation intensity and the receiving antenna pattern to obtain an expression for the generalized power spectrum which is useful in environments where the 3-D propagation characteristics of wireless signals must be taken into consideration. A special case of radiation confined to a plane is considered to obtain the power spectrum given in the book written by Jakes (1974).
Anterior shoulder instability with Bristow procedure versus conjoined tendon transfer alone in a simple soft-tissue model.

Purpose We compared the Bristow procedure with a conjoined tendon transfer to investigate the role of the sling alone in restoring anterior translation in a simple soft-tissue instability model without bony defects. Methods Ten matched cadaveric shoulder pairs were randomly assigned to receive a Bristow procedure or a conjoined tendon transfer alone. Specimens were tested in a simple soft-tissue model with low load simulating anterior translation of the glenohumeral joint. The conditions (intact, cut, and repaired) and treatments (Bristow and conjoined tendon transfer alone) were compared for anteroposterior translation. Results Anterior translation increased from 3.4 ± 0.6 mm (mean ± SEM) to 12.0 ± 1.3 mm after the cut and decreased to 5.2 ± 0.7 mm with the Bristow procedure. Anterior translation increased from 2.8 ± 0.4 mm to 12.2 ± 1.9 mm after the cut and decreased to 4.9 ± 0.5 mm after conjoined tendon transfer alone. Although the repair increased the stability of the glenohumeral joint as reflected in significantly decreased anterior translation, anterior translation in the repaired joint was significantly greater than that in the intact condition for both procedures ( P Conclusions There was no difference between the Bristow procedure and conjoined tendon transfer alone in restoring anteroposterior translation in a simple soft-tissue shoulder instability model with low load and no bony defect. Clinical Relevance Further investigation of the described conjoined tendon procedure should be done to evaluate the procedure with significant bony defects.
Disease severity and associated family impact in childhood atopic dermatitis

Aim: To examine the association between childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) severity and family impact at baseline and after an intervention by a physician specialist, using validated measures of both severity and family impact. Methods: Cross sectional self administered survey of parent–caregivers of 49 randomly selected children with AD; 35 parents were available for follow up. Family impact was measured using a modified AD Family Impact Scale completed by the parent–caregiver. The child's disease severity was measured using both the investigator's assessment via the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and the caregiver's assessment via the recently validated Self Assessment Eczema Area and Severity Index (SA-EASI). Results: The parent–caregiver's assessment of severity of the child was the most significant correlate of the family impact of the child's AD (p = 0.65 at baseline and p = 0.38 at follow up). In multivariate regression models, the parent–caregiver's estimate of severity remained the single strongest predictor of family impact before and after receipt of dermatologist care, as well as the difference in impact between pre and post-dermatologist care. Conclusions: There is evidence to support the ability of parent–caregivers of children with AD to accurately determine severity of their child's AD; perceived severity is the driver of the family impact of this condition. Treatment of a child by a physician specialist is associated with reductions in both perceived severity, as well as family impact of this condition.
Werner Syndrome Protein Contains Three Structure-specific DNA Binding Domains

Werner syndrome (WS) is a premature aging syndrome caused by mutations in the WS gene (WRN) and a deficiency in the function of the Werner protein (WRN). WRN is a multifunctional nuclear protein that catalyzes three DNA-dependent reactions: a 3'-5'-exonuclease, an ATPase, and a 3'-5'-helicase. Deficiency in WRN results in a cellular phenotype of genomic instability. The biochemical characteristics of WRN and the cellular phenotype of WRN mutants suggest that WRN plays an important role in DNA metabolic pathways such as recombination, transcription, replication, and repair. The catalytic activities of WRN have been extensively studied and are fairly well understood. However, much less is known about the domain-specific interactions between WRN and its DNA substrates. This study identifies and characterizes three distinct WRN DNA binding domains using recombinant truncated fragments of WRN and five DNA substrates (long forked duplex, blunt-ended duplex, single-stranded DNA, 5'-overhang duplex, and Holliday junction). Substrate-specific DNA binding activity was detected in three domains, one N-terminal and two different C-terminal WRN fragments (RecQ conserved domain and helicase RNase D conserved domain-containing domains). The substrate specificity of each DNA binding domain may indicate that each protein domain has a distinct biological function. The importance of these results is discussed with respect to proposed roles for WRN in distinct DNA metabolic pathways.
Estimation of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Intake by Written Dietary Assessment Methodologies Underestimates Actual Intake Evaluated by Food Duplicate Methodology

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are conjugated isomers of linoleic acid, which may promote health with regard to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, bone formation, growth modulation and immunity. The c9,t11 isomer of CLA, rumenic acid (RA), is the major isomer present in the diet. However, dietary intakes of CLA and RA by humans have not been examined rigorously, nor has the relationship between dietary CLA or RA and health (e.g., body composition). Three-day dietary records (DR) were collected from adult men (n = 46) and women (n = 47) and analyzed using a nutrient database modified to contain total CLA and RA. Simultaneously, 3-d food duplicates (FD) were collected to determine analytically individual fatty acid intakes, including those of total CLA and RA. Chronic total CLA and RA intakes were estimated using a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Body composition was estimated using body mass index and percentage of body fat. Total CLA intake was estimated from FD to be 212 +/- 14 and 151 +/- 14 mg/d (mean +/- SEM) for men and women, respectively; RA intake was estimated to be 193 +/- 13 and 140 +/- 14 mg/d for men and women, respectively. In general, CLA and RA intakes estimated by DR and FFQ were significantly lower than those estimated by FD. Body composition was not significantly related to dietary total CLA or RA intake. In conclusion, results suggest that DR and FFQ methodologies are not reliable estimators of individual total CLA and RA intakes and may underestimate total CLA and RA intakes of groups. Intake of total CLA and RA was found to be significantly lower than that suggested previously by others.
Transcription elongation factor ELL2 directs immunoglobulin secretion in plasma cells by stimulating altered RNA processing

Antibody-secreting cells switch expression of membrane-bound B cell antigen receptors to soluble immunoglobulin production by alternative mRNA polyadenylation. Milcarek and colleagues show that ELL2 and CstF-64 associate with RNA polymerase II to enhance promoter-proximal polyadenylation and immunoglobulin secretion. Immunoglobulin secretion is modulated by competition between the use of a weak promoter-proximal poly(A) site and a nonconsensus splice site in the final secretory-specific exon of the heavy chain pre-mRNA. The RNA polymerase II transcription elongation factor ELL2, which is induced in plasma cells, enhanced both polyadenylation and exon skipping with the gene encoding the immunoglobulin heavy-chain complex (Igh) and reporter constructs. Lowering ELL2 expression by transfection of heterogenous ribonucleoprotein F (hnRNP F) or small interfering RNA resulted in lower abundance of secretory-specific forms of immunoglobulin heavy-chain mRNA. ELL2 and the polyadenylation factor CstF-64 tracked together with RNA polymerase II across the Igh μ- and γ-gene segments; the association of both factors was blocked by ELL2-specific small interfering RNA. Thus, loading of ELL2 and CstF-64 on RNA polymerase II was linked, caused enhanced use of the proximal poly(A) site and was necessary for processing of immunoglobulin heavy-chain mRNA.
Characterizing the Molecular Pathology of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy in Patient Buccal Mucosa Cells

Background— Analysis of myocardium has revealed mechanistic insights into arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy but cardiac samples are difficult to obtain from probands and especially from family members. To identify a potential surrogate tissue, we characterized buccal mucosa cells. Methods and Results— Buccal cells from patients, mutation carriers, and controls were immunostained and analyzed in a blinded fashion. In additional studies, buccal cells were grown in vitro and incubated with SB216763. Immunoreactive signals for the desmosomal protein plakoglobin and the major cardiac gap junction protein Cx43 were markedly diminished in buccal mucosa cells from arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy patients with known desmosomal mutations when compared with controls. Plakoglobin and Cx43 signals were also reduced in most family members who carried disease alleles but showed no evidence of heart disease. Signal for the desmosomal protein plakophilin-1 was reduced in buccal mucosa cells in patients with PKP2 mutations but not in those with mutations in other desmosomal genes. Signal for the desmosomal protein desmoplakin was reduced in buccal mucosa cells from patients with mutations in DSP , DSG2 , or DSC2 but not in PKP2 or JUP . Abnormal protein distributions were reversed in cultured cells incubated with SB216763, a small molecule that rescues the disease phenotype in cardiac myocytes. Conclusions— Buccal mucosa cells from arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy patients exhibit changes in the distribution of cell junction proteins similar to those seen in the heart. These cells may prove useful in future studies of disease mechanisms and drug screens for effective therapies in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Content analysis of students’ journals in a percussion methods course:

This article presents an empirical investigation of music education students’ journals within a percussion methods course at a Midwestern university in the United States. The findings of this inves...
Low Temperature Synthesis of Polycrystalline Diamond by Microwave Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Polycrystalline diamond thin films have been deposited on single crystal silicon substrates at low temperatures (<950°C) using a mixture of methane and hydrogen gases by high pressure microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition. Low temperature deposition has been achieved by cooling the substrate holder with nitrogen gas. For deposition at reduced substrate temperature, it has been found that nucleation of diamond will not occur unless methane/hydrogen ratio is increased significantly from its value at higher substrate temperature. Selective deposition of polycrystalline diamond thin films has been achieved at 600°C using our technique previously used at 930°C. Decrease in the diamond particle size and growth rate, and an increase in surface smoothness have been observed with decreasing substrate temperature during the growth of thin films. The morphology is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and the as-deposited films are identified by Raman spectroscopy.
Effect of Digitonin on Cellular Division

A study of nuclear and phragmoplast association observed in digitonin-treated Allium sativum cells led to a tentative hypothesis that initiation of formation of the phragmoplast-cell wall complex is triggered by a message released by chromosomes of restituting nuclei. A similar theory is applied in an attempt to explain the multiple spindle and phragmoplast systems present in certain PMC's, coenocytic embryos, and non-cellular or nuclear endosperm. Tritiated thymidine and uridine incorporations suggest that digitonin does not interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis. Compounds structurally and functionally related to digitonin did not induce digitonin mitosis.Acknowledgements: The authors gratefully thank the S.I.U. Office of Research and Projects for financial support and the Merck, Sharp, and Dohme Research Laboratories for purification of digitonin. We also express our sincere gratitude to Drs. Tadashi Hirano and Akio Kushanagi for the valuable assistance granted the senior author during his stay at the Tokyo Metropolitan Isotope Center.
A narrative review of the associations between six bioactive components in breast milk and infant adiposity.

Objective This narrative review examines six important non-nutritive substances in breast milk, many of which were thought to have little to no biological significance. The overall objective is to provide background on key bioactive factors in breast milk believed to have an effect on infant outcomes (growth and body composition). Methods The evidence for the effects of the following six bioactive compounds in breast milk on infant growth outcomes are reviewed: insulin, leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Results The existing literature on the effects of breast milk insulin, ghrelin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α and their associations with infant growth and adiposity is sparse. Of the bioactive compounds reviewed, leptin and adiponectin are the most researched. Data reveal that breast milk adiponectin has negative associations with growth in infancy. Conclusions There is a need for innovative, well-designed studies to improve causal inference and advance our understanding in the effects of breast milk and its components on offspring growth and body composition. The recommendations provided, along with careful consideration of both known and unknown factors that affect breast milk composition, will help improve, standardize, and ultimately advance this emergent field.
Relationship between Bone Age,Body Mass Index and Sex Hormone Levels in Children with Simple Obesity

Objective To detect the bone age and sex hormone levels,and analyze the relationship of bone age,body mass index(BMI) and the sex hormone levels in children with simple obesity.Methods Forty children with simple obesity(obesity group) were recruited in the study.Meanwhile,40 healthy children were selected as control group(healthy control group).The height and body weight of the children in both groups were measured routinely,and the BMI was calculated.The level of bone age of posteroanterior radiograph about left wrist and finger joint was evaluated by using G-P atlas.The levels of estrogen(E2) and testosterone(testo) were measured by using the Roche chemiluminescence immunity analyzer E170.Bone age,BMI and the sex hormone levels between both groups were analyzed with t test and Pearson correlation analysis.All of the datas were analyzed by using SPSS 15.0 software.Results The bone age[(11.85±2.76) years],BMI[(27.26±5.16) kg·m-2] and E2[(29.20±11.61) pmol·L-1] in obesity group were significantly higher than those in healthy control group [(10.57±2.59) years,(16.75±4.73) kg·m-2,(22.35±10.87) pmol·L-1](t=10.57,9.50,2.72,P0.05,0.01,0.01).The testo in obesity group[(0.07±0.04)μg·L-1] was significantly lower than that in healthy control group [(0.10±0.05)μg·L-1](t=2.96,P0.01).In obesity group,there were statistically positive relationship between bone age and BMI,E2(r=0.696,0.773,Pa0.05),but negative relationship was observed between bone age and testo(r=-0.726,P0.05).Conclusions The bone age of children with simple obesity is higher than that of healthy children.The high bone age is related to the level of E2.The high level of E2 may be the cause of high bone age in simple obese children.
A Comparison of Audio-free Speech Recognition Error Prediction Methods

Predicting possible speech recognition errors can be invaluable for a number of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) applications. In this study, we extend a Weighted Finite State Transducer (WFST) framework for error prediction to facilitate a comparison between two approaches of predicting confusable words: examining recognition errors on the training set to learn phone confusions and utilizing distances between the phonetic acoustic models for the prediction task. We also expand the framework to deal with continuous word recognition and we can accurately predict 60% of the misrecognized sentences (with an average words-per-sentence count of 15) and a little over 70% of the total number of errors from the unseen test data where no acoustic information related to the test data is utilized. Index Terms: Finite State Transducer, Automatic Speech Recognition, Error prediction
Regenerative and Repair Strategies for the Central Nervous System

This chapter has presented a number of approaches that may be effective in augmenting the limited repair capacity of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). In comparison to the CNS, the regenerative capacity of the peripheral nervous system can be quite robust and a number of investigators have sought to identify differences in the hope of identifying molecular targets that may be exploited to enhance CNS regeneration. Another promising approach has been cell transplantation in order to replace lost cells within the damaged or diseased CNS. The choice of cell type will be critical in developing cell-based regeneration and repair strategies. For example, if stem cells (pluripotent or multipotent) are selected, the cells must be competent to generate specific cell types targeted for each disease. Furthermore, if pluripotent cells are selected, this increases the risk of teratoma formation. Cellular reprogramming or direct conversion of somatic cells into functional “induced” neuronal cell types may also be a feasible approach. However, there may be limitations on the number of cells that can be effectively generated using this methodology.
Drone-based reconstruction for 3D geospatial data processing

Urban air quality affects health and well-being of more than half of the world's population. Measurement, modeling and real time action on pollution sources can alleviate their impact. A preliminary study for drone-based image acquisition and processing steps required for 3D reconstruction of potential pollution sources is presented. The 3D surface terrain models combined with sensor data are inputs into air pollution models for visualization, understanding and potential mitigation of methane plumes. Scaling these technologies across large areas requires the integration of big geospatial data with modeling, machine learning, and image processing.
Ecology and Development as Narrative Themes of World History

Primal' Narrative The stories told in primal communities are the earliest form of world history. They constitute the ancestral tradition of humankind before writing, before rationalistic criticism, and before the inquiry that historians call history. One of the most notable characteristics of these stories is the prominent place they give to natural beings: to animals, plants, and parts of the world that the modern mind regards as non-living things, such as rivers, winds, mountains, and stars. For example, in their ancient story of origins, the elders of the Navajo Indians recounted that the female reed plant helped the people when they needed to climb up to this Earth from an underworld through a hole in the ground, which is the sky of the world beneath. She was the only plant that could grow tall enough, after several others had failed. The people were led by the cicada, an insect that emerges from under the soil in the spring. Upon entering this upper glittering world, the people received advice and help from Spider Woman, who taught them how to weave thread into cloth. Changing
Protein Trapping in Plasmonic Nanoslit and Nanoledge Cavities: The Behavior and Sensing.

A novel plasmonic nanoledge device was presented to explore the geometry-induced trapping of nanoscale biomolecules and examine a generation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for plasmonic sensing. To design an optimal plasmonic device, a semianalytical model was implemented for a quantitative analysis of SPR under plane-wave illumination and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation was used to study the optical transmission and refractive index (RI) sensitivity. In addition, total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging was used to visualize the migration of fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) into the nanoslits; and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was further used to investigate the diffusion of BSA in the nanoslits. Transmission SPR measurements of free prostate specific antigen (f-PSA), which is similar in size to BSA, were performed to validate the trapping of the molecules via specific binding reactions in the nanoledge cavities. The present study may facil...