cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND ENDOGENOUS CYCLIC ADENOSINE 3',5'-MONOPHOSPHATE REGULATE OSTEOPONTIN EXPRESSION IN HUMAN TROPHOBLASTS

Integrin receptors and their extracellular matrix ligands have been implicated in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of trophoblast adhesion and migration. In the present series of experiments, the regulation of expression of osteopontin (OPN), a secretory extracellular matrix protein that mediates cell adhesion by binding to members of the alpha V family of integrins was investigated. Human chorionic villi were obtained during the mid and late first trimester, early second trimester, and late third trimester of pregnancy. In addition, cytotrophoblasts were isolated from chorionic villi, and the effects of exposure of cultured cytotrophoblasts to cAMP agonists or antagonists were assessed. OPN messenger RNA (mRNA) was expressed by human trophoblasts in the first trimester and throughout pregnancy. Using immunolocalization in prepared tissue sections, cytotrophoblasts stained intensely for OPN, but syncytial trophoblasts did not. This differentiation-dependent expression was confirmed in vitro by demons...
Renal clearance of amylase during pancreatitis

Abstract Simultaneous amylase and creatinine clearance studies were performed on 23 patients with pancreatitis, eleven of whom were followed to recovery. The clearance of amylase was elevated during pancreatitis. There was a correlation between the clearances of amylase and creatinine although the clearance of amylase was proportionally greater than the clearance of creatinine during the height of the illness. These studies indicate that the increased clearance of amylase is secondary to an increased glomerular filtration rate and possibly other factors, as yet unknown, including changes in glomerular permeability or disturbances in tubular reabsorption of the enzyme.
7α-Hydroxy-sesquiterpene lactones from Decachaeta ovatifolia

Abstract In addition to the known sesquiterpene lactone pinnatifidin, and the flavones 6-methoxyacacetin and 6-methoxyapigenin, the dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts of Decachaeta ovatifolia afforded four new sesquiterpene lactones: a germacranolide 7α-hydroxycostunolide, a guaianolide 4α,15-dihydro-7α-hydroxy-3-desoxyzaluzanin C and two eudesmanolides, 7α-hydroxysantamarine and 7α-hydroxyreynosin. The structure of 7α-hydroxycostunolide was confirmed by X-ray analysis.
William Osler, Urolithiasis, and God's Own Medicine

Objectives To identify the contributions of Sir William Osler, who is regarded as the pre-eminent physician of his time, to urology, both objective and subjective. Methods A search of Osler's bibliography of over sixteen hundred publications, as well as his observations, some hitherto unpublished, on the episodes of renal colic that he personally experienced, was conducted. Osler was treated with morphine, which he characterized as “God's own medicine,” and the origin of this description is explored. Results Osler published over 50 articles devoted to urologic topics, including 2 on vaginismus and Peyronie's disease; the former, by his fun loving alter ego, Egerton Yorrick Davis, was a hoax. Osler discusses urolithiasis and renal colic in his magnum opus, The Principles and Practice of Medicine, citing Montaigne's self description of his suffering as “unexcelled.” Osler later personally experienced 2 episodes of renal colic, which he graphically and eloquently describes in his Lumleian Lectures of 1910. His descriptions of renal colic before and after his own experience are compared in the light of Plato's comment that a physician should experience the disease that he treats. Conclusions William Osler was one of those giants who, in the early days of specialization, took all of medicine for their own. His contributions to urology were significant and include his descriptions of his own episodes of renal colic and the use of morphine—“God's own medicine.”
Optimization and equilibrium problems with equilibrium constraints

This paper concerns optimization and equilibrium problems with the so-called equilibrium constraints mathematical programs with equilibrium constraint (MPEC) and equilibrium problems with equilibrium constraint (EPEC), which frequently appear in applications to operations research. These classes of problems can be naturally unified in the framework of multiobjective optimization with constraints governed by parametric variational systems (generalized equations, variational inequalities, complementarity problems, etc.). We focus on necessary conditions for optimal solutions to MPECs and EPECs under general assumptions in finite-dimensional spaces. Since such problems are intrinsically nonsmooth, we use advanced tools of generalized differentiation to study optimal solutions by methods of modern variational analysis. The general results obtained are concretized for special classes of MPECs and EPECs important in applications.
PREPARATIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF BIFUNCTIONAL EXO-2-PHOSPHORUS SUBSTITUTED BICYCLO[2.2.1]HEPTANES

Abstract The secondary phosphonate ester exo-2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane 1 was prepared by literature methods on a mole scale. This synthetic method was extended to include the stereoselective preparation of the exo-diethyl phosphonate analog 3 in 71% yield. Derivatization of these exo-phos-phonates 1 and 3 required vigorous conditions, but proceeded in moderate to high yields. The configuration about carbon-2 was retained in all but one case. Isomerization about carbon-2 was observed during the desulfurization of exo-thiophosphonic dichloride 15 with triphenylphosphine at 240°C. A 3:2 ratio of exo- to endo-phosphonous dichlorides 16 resulted. When the reaction was conducted at 100°C, exo-phosphonous dichloride 16 was formed without epimerization at carbon-2 (97% exo isomer). The exo-dichloride 16 isomerized to the endo-isomer upon treatment with triphenylphosphine at 240–260°C. The intermediate phosphaalkene 17 was implicated to precede this isomerization. Moreover, intentional isomeriza...
α-catenin: at the junction of intercellular adhesion and actin dynamics

α-catenin has often been considered to be a non-regulatory intercellular adhesion protein, in contrast to β-catenin, which has well-documented dual roles in cell–cell adhesion and signal transduction. Recently, however, α-catenin has been found to be important not only in connecting the E-cadherin–β-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton, but also in coordinating actin dynamics and inversely correlating cell adhesion with proliferation. As the number of α-catenin-interacting partners increases, intriguing new connections imply even more complex regulatory functions for this protein.
Alternative Interpretations for Microstructure Patches in the Thermocline

Abstract Two interpretations of microstructure patches measured in the main thermocline of the North Pacific by Gregg (1980) are questioned. He concludes that the observed microstructure is not fossil-temperature turbulence and that the observed Cox numbers imply vertical diffusivities by turbulent mixing which am about 10−2 times smaller than canonical values of order 10−4 m2 s−1. The first conclusion that the micro-structure is not fossil depends on an unnecessary assumption that in order to be fossil the microstructure must not be moving: actually, fossil-turbulence microstructure must always have internal wave and laminar restratification motions. The second conclusion depends on the first. The pattern of Thorpe-displacement scales for the patches containing zero temperature gradients implies they were produced by turbulence with vertical scales as large as several meters. However, the large distances separating the zero-gradient points implies that the microstructure is fossil at all scales at the ti...
Correction of the enzymic defect in cultured fibroblasts from patients with fabry’s disease: Treatment with purified α-galactosidase from ficin

Correction of the Enzymic Defect in Cultured Fibroblasts from Patients with Fabry's Disease: Treatment with Purified α-Galactosidase from Ficin
miR-211 Is a Prosurvival MicroRNA that Regulates chop Expression in a PERK-Dependent Manner

MicroRNAs typically function at the level of posttranscriptional gene silencing within the cytoplasm; however, increasing evidence suggests that they may also function in nuclear, Argonaut-containing complexes, to directly repress target gene transcription. We have investigated the role of microRNAs in mediating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses. ER stress triggers the activation of three signaling molecules: Ire-1α/β, PERK, and ATF6, whose function is to facilitate adaption to the ensuing stress. We demonstrate that PERK induces miR-211, which in turn attenuates stress-dependent expression of the proapoptotic transcription factor chop/gadd153. MiR-211 directly targets the proximal chop/gadd153 promoter, where it increases histone methylation and represses chop expression. Maximal chop accumulation ultimately correlates with miR-211 downregulation. Our data suggest a model in which PERK-dependent miR-211 induction prevents premature chop accumulation and thereby provides a window of opportunity for the cell to re-establish homeostasis prior to apoptotic commitment.
Effects of contextual elaboration on face recognition

Four experiments were conducted to test the effects of an elaborated verbal encoding context on face recognition. The verbal context consisted of short descriptive phrases about the person shown, and the degree of elaboration was manipulated by varying the number of such phrases across faces. In all four experiments, subjects initially studied faces either alone or accompanied by one or more descriptive phrases. The first two experiments required subjects to recognize faces unaccompanied by the original phrases, the third required phrase recall as well as face recognition, and the fourth experiment tested face recognition both with and without the reinstatement of the original verbal encoding context. All four experiments provided evidence that subjects were more likely to recognize a face when they had received information about the person than when they had not. An interaction between encoding and retrieval was found in Experiment 4 such that elaboration facilitated face recognition more when the encoding context was reinstated than when it was not. The results demonstrate that verbal elaboration of a meaningful visual stimulus can facilitate recognition memory.
Development of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for Rapid Detection of Capripoxviruses

Sheep pox (SP), goat pox (GP), and lumpy skin disease (LSD), caused by capripoxviruses (CaPVs), are economically important diseases of sheep, goats, and cattle, respectively. Here, we report the development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of CaPVs. LAMP primers were designed to target a conserved gene encoding the poly(A) polymerase small subunit (VP39) of CaPVs. Hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) was incorporated to monitor assay progress by color change from violet when negative to sky blue when positive, and results were verified by agarose gel electrophoresis. The LAMP assay was shown to be highly specific for CaPVs, with no apparent cross-reactivity to other related viruses (near neighbors) or viruses that cause similar clinical signs (look-a-like viruses). The performance of LAMP was compared to that of a highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. LAMP and qPCR exhibited similar analytical sensitivities, with limits of detection of 3 and 8 viral genome copies, respectively. Diagnostic specificity was assessed on 36 negative specimens, including swabs and EDTA blood from control sheep, goats, and cattle. Diagnostic sensitivity was assessed on 275 specimens, including EDTA blood, swabs, and tissues from experimentally infected sheep, goats, and cattle. Overall agreement on diagnostic test results between the two assays was 90 to 95% for specificity and 89 to 100% for sensitivity. The LAMP assay described in this report is simple to use, inexpensive, highly sensitive, and particularly well suited for the diagnosis of capripox in less well equipped laboratories and in rural settings where resources are limited.
Fluorescence extraction from reflectance spectra of ocean water using polarization discrimination

A technique is described here in which the polarization properties of elastically scattered light and the unpolarized nature of excited fluorescence are utilized to extract white light induced chlorophyll fluorescence component from the reflectance spectra of sea water. This technique was tested and shown to be effective for retrieval of the chlorophyll fluorescence in the 685 nm regions from reflectance of water dominated by chlorophyll pigments. Simulations based on Mie scattering and semi-empirical model of reflectance also support the validity of this approach. In simulations for a wide range of chlorophyll concentrations from 5 to 50 mg/m 3 , the extracted fluorescence spectra through modeling matches very well with the input synthetic chlorophyll fluorescence. Compared with the traditional baseline subtraction method, this technique works for both case I and case II waters and the extracted fluorescence amplitude shows higher accuracy.
Identification of process improvement methodologies with application in information security

The purpose of this paper is to review the capabilities of the Six Sigma and Lean Enterprise methodologies, and provide an illustration how the capabilities can be delivered under a uniform structure such as Lean Six Sigma. STOPE will then be reviewed along with the mapping to ISO/IEC 17799. Finally, the planned release of ISO/IEC 27004 and the applicability of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies will be discussed.
An approach towards a simple quantum Langevin equation

Abstract We offer a simple way to include energy dissipation in small spatial–dimensional quantum dynamics simulations of a primary quantum system coupled to its surroundings. We show how a quantum Langevin equation can be generated by including a friction operator, F ˆ , in the primary quantum system’s Hamiltonian operator. We demonstrate this approach’s computational ease and flexibility through numerical results on both harmonic and anharmonic primary quantum systems. Also, we show how the present approach can be easily generalized to non-Markovian, ‘memory’ friction. Thus, the approach presented in this work can be used to generate a quantum generalized Langevin equation.
Excess electron trapping in duplex DNA: long range transfer via stacked adenines.

An understanding of charge transfer (CT) in DNA lies at the root of assessing the risks and benefits of exposure to ionizing radiation. Energy deposition by high-energy photons and fast charged particles creates holes and excess electrons (EE) in DNA and the subsequent reactions determine the complexity of DNA damage and ultimately the risk of disease. Further interest in CT comes from the possibility that hole transfer and/or excess electron transfer (EET) in DNA might be used to develop nanoscale circuits. In order to study EET in DNA, EPR spectroscopy was used to determine the distribution of EE trapping by oligodeoxynucleotides irradiated and observed at 4K. Our results indicate that stretches of consecutive adenine bases on the same strand serve as an ideal conduit for intrastrand EET in duplex DNA at 4K. Specifically, we show that A is an efficient trap for EE at 4K if, and only if, the A strand of the duplex does not contain one of the other three bases. If there is a T, C, or G on the A strand, trapping occurs at T or C instead of A. This holds true for stretches up to 32 A’s. While T competes effectively against A for the EE, it does not compete effectively against C. Long stretches of T pass the majority of EE to C. Our results show that AT stretches channel EE to cytosine, an endpoint with significance to both radiation damage and the photochemical repair of pyrimidine dimers.
Secondary adrenal insufficiency in an infant after intrathecal triple chemotherapy

Intrathecal triple chemotherapy (ITT) with hydrocortisone, methotrexate, and cytarabine is commonly used in treatment of pediatric acute leukemias. While prolonged systemic administration of corticosteroids is known to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, there have been no reports describing this effect following administration of ITT. We present an infant with relapsed acute myelogenous leukemia who developed clinically significant central adrenal axis suppression following six doses of ITT over 3 weeks, proven by corticorelin stimulation test. As multiple pediatric leukemia protocols incorporate ITT, particularly in infants, we feel that ITT should be considered as a potential source of adrenal axis suppression.
Mechanistic studies of Wacker-type intramolecular aerobic oxidative amination of alkenes catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2/pyridine.

Wacker-type oxidative cyclization reactions have been the subject of extensive research for several decades, but few systematic mechanistic studies of these reactions have been reported. The present study features experimental and DFT computational studies of Pd(OAc)2/pyridine-catalyzed intramolecular aerobic oxidative amination of alkenes. The data support a stepwise catalytic mechanism that consists of (1) steady-state formation of a PdII-amidate−alkene chelate with release of 1 equiv of pyridine and AcOH from the catalyst center, (2) alkene insertion into a Pd−N bond, (3) reversible β-hydride elimination, (4) irreversible reductive elimination of AcOH, and (5) aerobic oxidation of palladium(0) to regenerate the active trans-Pd(OAc)2(py)2 catalyst. Evidence is obtained for two energetically viable pathways for the key C−N bond-forming step, featuring a pyridine-ligated and a pyridine-dissociated PdII species. Analysis of natural charges and bond lengths of the alkene-insertion transition state suggest t...
Relationship Between Type Traits and Longevity of Daughters of New York Holstein Sires

Abstract The percentage of 40 or more daughters having four lactations of 81 New York Holstein artificially insemination sires was correlated with the percentage of daughters in 66 type categories measured in the first lactation and their average first-lactation milk yield. Multiple regression on these type and production traits accounted for 92% of the variation in percentage of daughters having four lactations. A subset of 33 traits accounted for 82% of the variation. Traits with the largest standard partial regressions for longevity were milk production (.41), udder edema (.87 and .71), deep body (.53), medium upstandingness (.41), fore udder attachment (−.86 and −.67), deep udder (−.73) and udder halving (−.64 and −.75). Traits having the largest correlations with the percentage of daughters having four lactations were: first-lactation milk (.54), plumb rear teat position (.38), sharp dairy character (.35), no breeding trouble (−.30), intermediate thurls (.26), typical head (.25), and fast milking speed (.25).
Optimal Taxation in the Forestry Sector in the Congo Basin: The Case of Gabon

This paper reviews forestry reform in the Congo basin, focusing on Gabon. It argues that the key challenge for the Congo basin countries is to manage their forests in a sustainable manner. It presents the current situation of forestry taxation and forestry reform in Gabon. The paper analyzes optimal taxation in the forestry sector using a static model. The model works from the proposition that tax policy should be used exclusively for revenue purposes and resource preservation should be achieved mainly through legislation and enforcement. It argues that when prices are uncertain the best practice is to tax only profits.
Structure and extinction of unsteady, counterflowing, strained, non-premixed flames

This paper reports numerical investigations on the effects of flowfield unsteadiness on the structure and extinction of strained laminar non-premixed flames. The unsteady conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy and species were solved along the stagnation streamline of an opposed jet counterflow within a finite domain, including detailed descriptions of the chemistry and molecular transport. The unsteadiness was introduced by imposing sinusoidal variations of the reactant velocity, concentration, and temperature at the exit of the nozzles. The results demonstrate that at low frequencies the flame structure reacts to the imposed oscillations in a quasi-steady manner, while, at high frequencies, transient effects that result in reduced flame response must be accounted for. It was also found that even though the flame response is diminished at high frequencies, there is still a substantial transient effect felt far from the flame at the interface between the hydrodynamic and the main diffusive zones that appears to accumulate mass and distort the fluid mechanics before the flame zone. These phenomena were physically explained from first principles. The effect of unsteadiness on extinction was also assessed, and the phenomena of partial extinction and re-ignition, extinction delay and extinction suppression were identified. Detailed analysis showed that these phenomena are being controlled by the relative magnitudes of the time scales of the imposed oscillations and the time required for permanent extinction. The results of this analysis are of particular importance to the formulation of laminar flamelet libraries that are needed for the realistic modelling of large-scale combustion devices. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical significance of exercise-induced bundle branch block.

Abstract To evaluate the diagnostic significance and longterm follow-up data of patients with exercise-induced bundle branch block (BBB), 10,176 consecutive patients' exercise test data were reviewed and 50 patients found to have exercise-induced BBB. Clinical, exercise test and arteriographic data were analyzed along with follow-up data during a mean of 43 months. Of the 50 patients, 37 had exercise-induced left BBB and 13 had exercise-induced right BBB. Significant coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed in 26 of 37 patients (70%) with exercise-induced left BBB and in all 13 patients (100%) with exercise-induced right BBB. In patients who underwent coronary arteriography, data demonstrated a high prevalence of proximal left anterior descending disease (17 of 20, 85%). Follow-up data revealed that exercise-induced BBB was associated with a 36% (18 of 50) incidence of coronary events, including 16 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and 2 hospitalized for congestive heart failure. Results indicated that exercise-induced BBB was infrequent and occurred primarily in association with CAD, had a high prevalence of proximal left anterior CAD, infrequently had similar onset and offset heart rates, was reproducible and associated with a greater incidence of coronary artery bypass grafting than had been previously reported, although the incidence of cardiac events was similar to those investigations.
Epimorphin acts to induce hair follicle anagen in C57BL/6 mice

Epimorphin is a mesenchymal morphogen that has been shown to mediate epithelial-mesenchymal signaling interactions in various organs. We now show that epimorphin functions in hair follicle morphogenesis; using a novel ex vivo organ culture assay, we define a mechanism for epimorphin signaling that may provide insight into general developmental processes. We found that epimorphin was produced by follicular mesenchymal cells and bound selectively to follicular epithelial cells, and that treatment with recombinant epimorphin could stimulate procession of hair follicles from telogen (resting stage) to anagen (growing stage). Based on analyses of epimorphin proteolytic digests that suggested a smaller peptide might be able to substitute for the full-length epimorphin molecule, we determined that pep7, a 10-amino acid peptide, was capable of inducing telogen-to-anagen transition both in the culture assay and in the mouse. That pep7 showed maximal activity only when modified with specific sulfhydryl-reactive reagents suggested that a particular structural conformation of the peptide was essential for activity; molecular dynamics studies were pursued to investigate the active peptide structure. These findings define a previously unknown morphogenic process in the hair follicle that may have applications to many other organs.
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Hat1 (Kat1) Is Associated with Mis16 and Is Required for Telomeric Silencing

The Hat1 histone acetyltransferase has been implicated in the acetylation of histone H4 during chromatin assembly. In this study, we have characterized the Hat1 complex from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and have examined its role in telomeric silencing. Hat1 is found associated with the RbAp46 homologue Mis16, an essential protein. The Hat1 complex acetylates lysines 5 and 12 of histone H4, the sites that are acetylated in newly synthesized H4 in a wide range of eukaryotes. Deletion of hat1 in S. pombe is itself sufficient to cause the loss of silencing at telomeres. This is in contrast to results obtained with an S. cerevisiae hat1Δ strain, which must also carry mutations of specific acetylatable lysines in the H3 tail domain for loss of telomeric silencing to occur. Notably, deletion of hat1 from S. pombe resulted in an increase of acetylation of histone H4 in subtelomeric chromatin, concomitant with derepression of this region. A similar loss of telomeric silencing was also observed after growing cells in the presence of the deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A. However, deleting hat1 did not cause loss of silencing at centromeres or the silent mating type locus. These results point to a direct link between Hat1, H4 acetylation, and the establishment of repressed telomeric chromatin in fission yeast.
Assaults on Prison Officers: Interactional Themes

Little is known of the circumstances surrounding prison inmates' assaults on correctional officers. To provide a foundation for understanding the meaning of these events, this exploratory study analyzes a sample of 694 official reports of assaultive incidents in a large state prison system over a one-year period. Results of a content analysis suggest that assaultive events occur in relation to a number of interactional themes—unexplained, officer's command, protest, search, inmates' fighting, movement, contraband, restraint, discipline, emotional instability, sexual, intoxication, and medical. The study's findings affirm that prisoners and officers must cooperate in order to negotiate each day with a minimum of disruption. When either party violates salient norms, mutually beneficial interaction patterns may break down and violent interactions may result. Officially reported assaults on staff members may be understood most clearly by considering the authority of officers, the autonomy of prisoners, and pr...
An experimental study of cadmium ion exchangeability

Abstraet--A laboratory study of cadmium exchangeability revealed large differences in extractable cadmium which are dependent on the exchange solution being utilized. The standard exchange solutions employed in this study were: N NaNO3, N NaOAc, N NH4OAc, NCaCI~, and 2N CaCI2, in order of increasing Cd removal. An interpretation of the chemical behavior of Cd and an experiment with mixed sodium nitrate and acetate solutions suggest that cadmium carbonate, octavite, was precipitated when the sediments were saturated with Cd prior to the exchange experiments and that the quantities of Cd recovered in the acetate solutions were erroneously high because of the dissolution of the carbonate material. Dissolution of solid phases, the lack of pH buffering, and the possible formation of a complex hydroxyl chloride salt also made the Cd values obtained with the chloride solutions too high. Sodium nitrate exchange solutions minimize these problems and are thought to best represent the exchangeable cadmium in the sediment.
“Economically Speaking, I am the Breadwinner”: Chinese Immigrant Narratives of Work and Family in Hong Kong

In this paper, I use a narrative approach to explore in detail three Chinese women’s views about their working lives in Hong Kong following their migration to Hong Kong for the purpose of family reunion. These women, like other would-be migrants from mainland China to Hong Kong, were subjected to the strict system of immigration quotas enforced by the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong governments, which require mainlanders to wait for up to ten years before they can join their husbands and other family members in Hong Kong. In contrast to Hong Kong stereotypes that portray mainland immigrant wives as lazy, irresponsible, and opportunistic “gold-diggers,” many of these immigrant wives, despite their low-levels of education, their relative lack of local networks to provide childcare, and their initial reluctance to work in Hong Kong, do work outside the home. My analysis traces the shifts in these women’s views of their roles as wives, workers, and citizens during the first five years immediately following their migration to Hong Kong. These shifts result both from the tensions in family life created through their migration process, as well as from seemingly contradictory Hong Kong discourses of belonging that centre on the importance of work but also privilege the importance of family life. Overall, I argue that these women’s stories are united through the shared experience of trying to re-negotiate their ruptured expectations of idealized family life into new forms of social engagement as productive workers and “entrepreneurial” Hong Kong citizens, even as these same idealized familial expectations remain strongly influential on migrant women’s personal goals and value systems. Throughout, I underscore the complex negotiation of norms and desires that frame and inform potential subjective transformations of women immigrants more generally.
Yeast-to-Hyphal Transition Triggers Formin-dependent Golgi Localization to the Growing Tip in Candida albicans

Rapid and long-distance secretion of membrane components is critical for hyphal formation in filamentous fungi, but the mechanisms responsible for polarized trafficking are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that in Candida albicans, the majority of the Golgi complex is redistributed to the distal region during hyphal formation. Randomly distributed Golgi puncta in yeast cells cluster toward the growing tip during hyphal formation, remain associated with the distal portion of the filament during its extension, and are almost absent from the cell body. This restricted Golgi localization pattern is distinct from other organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum, vacuole and mitochondria, which remain distributed throughout the cell body and hypha. Hyphal-induced positioning of the Golgi and the maintenance of its structural integrity requires actin cytoskeleton, but not microtubules. Absence of the formin Bni1 causes a hyphal-specific dispersal of the Golgi into a haze of finely dispersed vesicles with a sedimentation density no different from that of normal Golgi. These results demonstrate the existence of a hyphal-specific, Bni1-dependent cue for Golgi integrity and positioning at the distal portion of the hyphal tip, and suggest that filamentous fungi have evolved a novel strategy for polarized secretion, involving a redistribution of the Golgi to the growing tip.
Cryogenic Designing of Biocompatible Blends of Polyvinyl alcohol and Starch with Macroporous Architecture

The present paper discusses synthesis, characterization, and blood compatibility studies of macroporous cryogels of PVA and starch. Biocompatible spongy porous hydrogels of polyvinyl alcohol–starch have been synthesized by repeated freezing–thawing methods and characterized by Infra red (FTIR) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) techniques, respectively, to gain insights for structural and morphological features. The FTIR analysis of prepared cryogels indicated that starch was introduced into the network of cryogel possibly via formation of hydrogen bonds between the PVA and starch clusters. The “cryogels” were evaluated for their water uptake potentials and influence of various factors such as chemical architecture of the spongy hydrogels, pH and temperature of the swelling bath were investigated on the degree of water sorption by the cryogels. The hydrogels were also swollen in salt solutions and various simulated biological fluids. The biocompatibility of the prepared cryogels was jud...
On the computational complexity of membrane systems

We show how techniques in machine-based complexity can be used to analyze the complexity of membrane computing systems. We focus on catalytic syslems, communicating P systems, and systems with only symport/antiport rules, but our techniques are applicable to other P systems that are universal. We define space and time complexity measures and show hierarchies of complexity classes similar to well-known results concerning Turing machines and counter machines. We also show that the deterministic communicating P system simulating a deterministic counter machine in (Sosik (2002)) (Pre-Proc. of Workshop on Membrane Computing (WMC-CdeA2002), Curtea de Arges, Romania, 2002, pp. 371-382), (Sosik and Matysek (2002)) (Unconventional Models of Computation 2002, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 2509, Springer, Berlin, 2002, pp. 264-275.) can be constructed to have a fixed number of membranes, answering positively an open question in Sosik (2002), Sosik and Matysek (2002). We prove that reachability of extended configurations for symport/antiport systems (as well as for catalytic systems and communicating P systems) can be decided in nondeterministic log n space and, hence, in deterministic log2 n space or in polynomial time, improving the main result in Paun et al. (2002) (On the reachability problem for P systems with symport/antiport, 2002, submitted for publication.), We propose two equivalent systems that define languages (instead of multisets of objects): the first is a catalytic system language generator and the other is a communicating P system acceptor (or a symport/antiport system acceptor). These devices are universal and therefore can also be analyzed with respect to space and time complexity. Finally, we give a characterization of semilinear languages in terms of a restricted form of catalytic system language generator.
Bacterial Interference Between Clostridium difficile and Normal Fecal Flora

Clostridium difficile has been shown to be the cause of virtually all cases of pseudomembranous colitis related to the administration of antimicrobial agents. It is possible that some antimicrobial agents alter the normal bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract so as to permit colonization and/or proliferation by C. difficile. The inhibitory activity of representative fecal bacteria from 23 anaerobic and aerobic genera against C. difficile was examined using two in vitro procedures. Strains of bacteria in six of the genera inhibited the multiplication of C. difficile, with Lactobacillus organisms and group D enterococci displaying the most antagonistic activity. C. difficile was examined for its ability to inhibit the multiplication of several fecal strains of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. All eight strains of C. difficile tested inhibited the growth of particular strains of bacteria in the genera Bacteroides, Peptococcus, and Peptostreptococcus.
Investigating the Effect of an Attack on a Distributed Database

After an attack on a database system, evaluation of damage must be performed as soon the attack is identified. Otherwise, the initial damage would spread to other parts of the database via valid transactions, consequently resulting in denial-of-service. Damage assessment in a distributed database system is a complicated task due to intricate transaction relationships among distributed sites. In these systems, when any sub-transaction reads a damaged data at any site, the entire transaction of which the sub-transaction is a part, is considered affected by the damage. Hence, the data items updated by that transaction irrespective of sites are also considered damaged. This research focuses on damage assessment procedure for distributed database systems and uses a two-pass algorithm to obtain the final list of affected data items. The advantages of this method are: (1) the process is fully distributed in the sense that every site would execute the same algorithm, (2) the amount of data to be exchanged between the sites is minimized to the list of affected items at each site instead of the entire log, and (3) the local damage assessors can be executed in parallel at their respective sites
The Influence of Ownership on Hospital Financial Performance Strategies

This paper analyzes the effects of hospital ownership on three specific strategies to improve financial performance. These strategies include (1) spending on advertising to increase revenues through increased market share and premium prices; (2) spending on accounting systems to cut costs, increase accounts receivable collections, or increase legitimacy with stakeholders and donors; and (3) improving efficiency through professional administration. We analyze California hospital expenditures on advertising, accounting, and administration for the period 1998 to 2000 to determine differences in these strategies across ownership type. We also examine the relationships among these expenditures and revenues and excess income margins. We find differences in strategies by ownership, i.e., for-profit hospitals emphasize advertising whereas government hospitals emphasize accounting. We also find that expenditures on advertising, accounting, and administration are positively related to margins for some hospitals.
When Mental States Matter, When They Don't, and What That Means for Morality

Research has shown that moral judgments depend on the capacity to engage in mental state reasoning. In this article, we will first review behavioral and neural evidence for the role of mental states (e.g., people’s beliefs, desires, intentions) in judgments of right and wrong. Second, we will consider cases where mental states appear at first to matter less (i.e., when people assign moral blame for accidents and when explicit information about mental states is missing). Third, we will consider cases where mental states, in fact, matter less, specifically, in cases of “purity” violations (e.g., committing incest, consuming taboo foods). We will discuss how and why mental states do not matter equivalently across the multi-dimensional space of morality. In the fourth section of this article, we will elaborate on the possibility that norms against harmful actions and norms against “impure” actions serve distinct functions – for regulating interpersonal interactions (i.e., harm) versus for protecting the self (i.e., purity). In the fifth and final section, we will speculate on possible differences in how we represent and reason about other people’s mental states versus our own beliefs and intentions. In addressing these issues, we aim to provide insight into the complex structure and distinct functions of mental state reasoning and moral cognition. We conclude that mental state reasoning allows us to make sense of other moral agents in order to understand their past actions, to predict their future behavior, and to evaluate them as potential friends or foes.
Optogenetic Apoptosis: Light-Triggered Cell Death

An optogenetic Bax has been designed that facilitates light-induced apoptosis. We demonstrate that mitochondrial recruitment of a genetically encoded light-responsive Bax results in the release of mitochondrial proteins, downstream caspase-3 cleavage, changes in cellular morphology, and ultimately cell death. Mutagenesis of a key phosphorylatable residue or modification of the C-terminus mitigates background (dark) levels of apoptosis that result from Bax overexpression. The mechanism of optogenetic Bax-mediated apoptosis was explored using a series of small molecules known to interfere with various steps in programmed cell death. Optogenetic Bax appears to form a mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel analogous to that of endogenous Bax.
Bicycle-related genitourinary injuries in the USA from 2002–2010

Among children, the incidence of bicycle-related genitourinary (GU) injuries was 448 per 100 000 (95% CI 383 to 514) and, among adults, was 53 per 100 000 (95% CI 36 to 71). Although children sustained more injuries, adults were more likely to being admitted to the hospital for the GU injury (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.37). Children sustain nearly 10 times more GU injuries due to bicycles than adults, but adults have higher odds of sustaining injuries requiring admission.
Institute of Medicine. 2014. Caffeine in Food and Dietary Supplements: Examining Safety—Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2014

Background Caffeine, chemically classified as a xanthine alkaloid and a component of commonly consumed foods and beverages, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate, has been part of the human diet for hundreds if not thousands of years. With an estimated annual consumption of nearly 120,000 tons in the United States and its well-described stimulatory effects, caffeine is considered the most popular psychoactive substance consumed around the world. Caffeine is generally believed to have no negative effects when consumed by adults in moderate amounts. Consequently, the FDA considers it safe. However, caffeine is finding its way into a variety of foods and beverages (such as “energy” drinks and jelly beans) in which it is not naturally occurring but instead is considered a “valueadded” ingredient. This trend resulted in some serious and dangerous situations, such as the addition of caffeine to alcohol-containing beverages that are now banned because of numerous reports of increased risk of morbidity and mortality, especially among teens and young adults. In response to this rapidly changing landscape of caffeine in the American diet, the FDA asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to review the available science related to caffeine and human health.
Genetics of Swarming Motility in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium: Critical Role for Lipopolysaccharide

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can differentiate into hyperflagellated swarmer cells on agar of an appropriate consistency (0.5 to 0.8%), allowing efficient colonization of the growth surface. Flagella are essential for this form of motility. In order to identify genes involved in swarming, we carried out extensive transposon mutagenesis of serovar Typhimurium, screening for those that had functional flagella yet were unable to swarm. A majority of these mutants were defective in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, a large number were defective in chemotaxis, and some had defects in putative two-component signaling components. While the latter two classes were defective in swarmer cell differentiation, representative LPS mutants were not and could be rescued for swarming by external addition of a biosurfactant. A mutation in waaG(LPS core modification) secreted copious amounts of slime and showed a precocious swarming phenotype. We suggest that the O antigen improves surface “wettability” required for swarm colony expansion, that the LPS core could play a role in slime generation, and that multiple two-component systems cooperate to promote swarmer cell differentiation. The failure to identify specific swarming signals such as amino acids, pH changes, oxygen, iron starvation, increased viscosity, flagellar rotation, or autoinducers leads us to consider a model in which the external slime is itself both the signal and the milieu for swarming motility. The model explains the cell density dependence of the swarming phenomenon.
Efficient analytic computation of dispersion from multilayer structures

We demonstrate an inductive method for computing exact derivatives of reflection phase for layered media by using the transfer-matrix formalism. The algorithm scales linearly with the number of layers. We show a physically realistic approximation that leads to an efficient procedure for accurately computing dispersion significantly faster than with standard finite-difference methods. We discuss the theory behind the approximation and show results for a dispersion-compensating chirped mirror from a Ti:sapphire laser.
Hematologic Manifestations of Liver Disease

The liver plays a key role in both protein biosynthesis and lipid metabolism. As a result, hepatic synthetic dysfunction can have adverse effects on both cellular and soluble components of blood. Anemia may occur due to the hemolysis of acanthocytes (spur cells), which is ultimately due to abnormal lipid composition of the red blood cell membrane. Thrombocytopenia may result from several different mechanisms. Cytopenias also may be a consequence of hypersplenism. The liver is the primary site for synthesis of most procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins. The coagulopathy of liver disease is therefore complex. Early in the course of liver disease, thrombocytopenia and a coagulopathy associated with a prothrombotic state are not uncommon, whereas with more advanced disease pancytopenia and coagulopathy associated with hemorrhage become manifest. Fresh frozen plasma and adjuncts to hemostasis may be used as temporizing measures in bleeding patients. However, definitive management of many of the defects due to fulminant hepatic failure requires liver transplantation.
The PRKCI and SOX2 Oncogenes Are Coamplified and Cooperate to Activate Hedgehog Signaling in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

We report that two oncogenes coamplified on chromosome 3q26, PRKCI and SOX2, cooperate to drive a stem-like phenotype in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Protein kinase Cι (PKCι) phosphorylates SOX2, a master transcriptional regulator of stemness, and recruits it to the promoter of Hedgehog (Hh) acyltransferase (HHAT) that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in Hh ligand production. PKCι-mediated SOX2 phosphorylation is required for HHAT promoter occupancy, HHAT expression, and maintenance of a stem-like phenotype. Primary LSCC tumors coordinately overexpress PKCι, SOX2, and HHAT and require PKCι-SOX2-HHAT signaling to maintain a stem-like phenotype. Thus, PKCι and SOX2 are genetically, biochemically, and functionally linked in LSCC, and together they drive tumorigenesis by establishing a cell-autonomous Hh signaling axis.
Historical Perspective and Future Directions in Training of Veterinary Pathologists with an Emphasis on Zoo and Wildlife Species

ABSTRACT This article discusses the history of the field of zoo and wildlife pathology, training opportunities for veterinary students and graduate veterinarians, and current and future job opportunities. The niches occupied by veterinarians in this field and their contributions to animal and human health are also highlighted. The field of zoo and wildlife, or “non-traditional” species, pathology has its roots in comparative anatomy, zoology, wildlife biology, and medical pathology in the mid- to late nineteenth century. The initial emphasis was on comparisons between animal and human diseases or on management of game animals. Veterinarians became increasingly involved during the twentieth century, gradually changing the emphasis to improvement of conservation strategies, captive care, and elucidation of diseases of concern for the animals themselves. Currently there are several zoos and wildlife agencies in the United States employing full-time veterinary pathologists. Private and government diagnostic l...