cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pupillometry reveals the physiological underpinnings of the aversion to holes

An unusual, but common, aversion to images with clusters of holes is known as trypophobia. Recent research suggests that trypophobic reactions are caused by visual spectral properties also present in aversive images of evolutionary threatening animals (e.g., snakes and spiders). However, despite similar spectral properties, it remains unknown whether there is a shared emotional response to holes and threatening animals. Whereas snakes and spiders are known to elicit a fear reaction, associated with the sympathetic nervous system, anecdotal reports from self-described trypophobes suggest reactions more consistent with disgust, which is associated with activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Here we used pupillometry in a novel attempt to uncover the distinct emotional response associated with a trypophobic response to holes. Across two experiments, images of holes elicited greater constriction compared to images of threatening animals and neutral images. Moreover, this effect held when controlling for level of arousal and accounting for the pupil grating response. This pattern of pupillary response is consistent with involvement of the parasympathetic nervous system and suggests a disgust, not a fear, response to images of holes. Although general aversion may be rooted in shared visual-spectral properties, we propose that the specific emotion is determined by cognitive appraisal of the distinct image content.
Retinal complications of gout: a case report and review of the literature

There have been few reported findings of posterior segment complications of gout. While exudative lesions, an increased risk of macular degeneration, and vascular occlusions have been previously reported, to our knowledge, refractile macular lesions have not been reported in a patient with chronic uncontrolled gout. Highly refractile, crystal-like lesions were found in the macula of a 62 year old male patient with chronically uncontrolled gout. The lesions appeared at the termination of retinal arterioles and were located at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. The lesions did not stain with fluorescein and were associated with larger areas geographic atrophy. Review of the patient’s blood tests revealed well-controlled vasculopathic risk factors. Fundus appearance and best-corrected visual acuity remained stable over 12 months of follow-up during which the uric acid levels were well controlled. Retinopathy may be associated with chronically uncontrolled gout and patients with visual complaints should undergo a dilated examination in addition to the typical anterior segment slit-lamp exam.
Protein Biomarkers for Early Detection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Progress and Challenges

Approximately 75% of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed with advanced cancer, which cannot be safely resected. The most commonly used biomarker CA19-9 has inadequate sensitivity and specificity for early detection, which we define as Stage I/II cancers. Therefore, progress in next-generation biomarkers is greatly needed. Recent reports have validated a number of biomarkers, including combination assays of proteins and DNA mutations; however, the history of translating promising biomarkers to clinical utility suggests that several major hurdles require careful consideration by the medical community. The first set of challenges involves nominating and verifying biomarkers. Candidate biomarkers need to discriminate disease from benign controls with high sensitivity and specificity for an intended use, which we describe as a two-tiered strategy of identifying and screening high-risk patients. Community-wide efforts to share samples, data, and analysis methods have been beneficial and progress meeting this challenge has been achieved. The second set of challenges is assay optimization and validating biomarkers. After initial candidate validation, assays need to be refined into accurate, cost-effective, highly reproducible, and multiplexed targeted panels and then validated in large cohorts. To move the most promising candidates forward, ideally, biomarker panels, head-to-head comparisons, meta-analysis, and assessment in independent data sets might mitigate risk of failure. Much more investment is needed to overcome these challenges. The third challenge is achieving clinical translation. To moonshot an early detection test to the clinic requires a large clinical trial and organizational, regulatory, and entrepreneurial know-how. Additional factors, such as imaging technologies, will likely need to improve concomitant with molecular biomarker development. The magnitude of the clinical translational challenge is uncertain, but interdisciplinary cooperation within the PDAC community is poised to confront it.
Semi-supervised deep autoencoder network for graph-based dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral imagery

Nonlinear graph-based dimensionality reduction algorithms have been shown to be very effective at yielding low-dimensional representations of hyperspectral image data. However, the steps of graph construction and eigenvector computation often suffer from prohibitive computational and memory requirements. In the paper, we develop a semi-supervised deep auto-encoder network (SSDAN) that is capable of generating mappings that approximate the embeddings computed by the nonlinear DR methods. The SSDAN is trained with only a small subset of the original data and enables an expert user to provide constraints that can bias data points from the same class towards being mapped closely together. Once the SSDAN is trained on a small subset of the data, it can be used to map the rest of the data to the lower dimensional space, without requiring complicated out-of-sample extension procedures that are often necessary in nonlinear DR methods. Experiments on publicly available hyperspectral imagery (Indian Pines and Salinas) demonstrate that SSDANs compute low-dimensional embeddings that yield good results when input to pixel-wise classification algorithms.
Draining the Data Swamp: A Similarity-based Approach

While hierarchical namespaces such as filesystems and repositories have long been used to organize data, the rapid increase in data production places increasing strain on users who wish to make use of the data. So called "data lakes" embrace the storage of data in its natural form, integrating and organizing in a Pay-as-you-go fashion. While this model defers the upfront cost of integration, the result is that data is unusable for discovery or analysis until it is processed. Thus, data scientists are forced to spend significant time and energy on mundane tasks such as data discovery, cleaning, integration, and management -- when this is neglected, "data lakes" become "data swamps."Prior work suggests that pure computational methods for resolving issues with the data discovery and management components are insufficient. Here, we provide evidence to confirm this hypothesis, showing that methods such as automated file clustering are unable to extract the necessary features from repositories to provide useful information to end-user data scientists, or make effective data management decisions on their behalf. We argue that the combination of frameworks for specifying file similarity and human-in-the-loop interaction is needed to aid automated organization. We propose an initial step here, classifying several dimensions by which items may be considered similar: the data, its origin, and its current characteristics. We initially consider this model in the context of identifying data that can be integrated or managed collectively. We additionally explore how current methods can be used to automate decision making using real-world data repository and file systems, and suggest how an online user study could be developed to further validate this hypothesis.
New Theories in Psychoanalysis

Adler’s and Jung’s disagreements with Freud were on matters of theory and principle. Both Adler and Jung rejected the concepts of Eros and Thanatos, the theory of developmental stages, and the personality model based on the id, ego, and superego.
Grain orientation dependence of phase transformation in the shape memory alloy Nickel-Titanium

Abstract The dependence of grain orientation on stress-induced martensitic transformation in superelastic, polycrystalline Nickel–Titanium sheet was examined at the microstructural length scale. Full-field strains, indicative of transformation extent, were characterized in fields of view of nominally 100 μm × 100 μm using a custom combination of scanning electron microscopy with distortion-corrected digital image correlation. It was found that similarly oriented grains do not necessarily transform similarly, in contrast to a common assumption in mean-field theories. Specifically, grains with similar orientation (as determined by the misorientation of the grain and specimen axes) showed variation in both the mean strain of the grain as well as the range (heterogeneity) of strain across the grain, as determined from surface measurements. Additionally, neither grain size nor degree of misorientation (of common crystal axes from the loading axis) affected the mean strain and strain range.
Improved baking soda vinegar rocket

Baking soda and vinegar water bottle rockets provide a fun, cheap way of illustrating Newton’s laws of motion. This article describes safe, reliable improvement over the traditional design of this rocket that will achieve a height of 50 ft.
Can fecal continence be predicted in patients born with anorectal malformations

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with attaining fecal continence in children with anorectal malformations (ARM). Methods We performed a multi-institutional cohort study of children born with ARM in 2007–2011 who had spinal and sacral imaging. Questions from the Baylor Social Continence Scale were used to assess fecal continence at the age of ≥ 4 years. Factors present at birth that predicted continence were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Results Among 144 ARM patients with a median age of 7 years (IQR 6–8), 58 (40%) were continent. The rate of fecal continence varied by ARM subtype (p = 0.002) with the highest rate of continence in patients with perineal fistula (60%). Spinal anomalies and the lateral sacral ratio were not associated with continence. On multivariable analysis, patients with less severe ARM subtypes (perineal fistula, recto-bulbar fistula, recto-vestibular fistula, no fistula, rectal stenosis) were more likely to be continent (OR = 7.4, p = 0.001). Conclusion Type of ARM was the only factor that predicted fecal continence in children with ARM. The high degree of incontinence, even in the least severe subtypes, highlights that predicting fecal continence is difficult at birth and supports the need for long-term follow-up and bowel management programs for children with ARM. Type of Study Prospective Cohort Study. Level of Evidence II.
Resonant Mirković–Vilonen polytopes and formulas for highest-weight characters

Formulas for the product of an irreducible character $$\chi _\lambda $$ of a complex Lie group and a deformation of the Weyl denominator as a sum over the crystal $${\mathcal {B}}(\lambda +\rho )$$ go back to Tokuyama. We study the geometry underlying such formulas using the expansion of spherical Whittaker functions of p-adic groups as a sum over the canonical basis $${\mathcal {B}}(-\infty )$$ , which we show may be understood as arising from tropicalization of certain toric charts that appear in the theory of total positivity and cluster algebras. We use this to express the terms of the expansion in terms of the corresponding Mirkovic–Vilonen polytope. In this non-archimedean setting, we identify resonance as the appropriate analogue of total positivity, and introduce resonant Mirkovic–Vilonen polytopes as the corresponding geometric context. Focusing on the exceptional group $$G_2$$ , we show that these polytopes carry new crystal graph structures which we use to compute a new Tokuyama-type formula as a sum over $${\mathcal {B}}(\lambda +\rho )$$ plus a geometric error term coming from finitely many crystals of resonant polytopes.
Performing a Basic US Examination: Road Map for Radiology Residents

This online presentation creates a road map for performing a high-quality gray-scale US examination, revisits fundamental physics concepts for image optimization, and discusses methods to improve i...
Intraoperative methods for residual curvature correction during penile prosthesis implantation in patients with Peyronie's disease and refractory erectile dysfunction.

Peyronie’s disease, or fibrous transformations of the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa that cause penile curvature, is estimated to affect 3.2–8.9% of the male population. Treatment options for PD are based on the severity of the penile deformity and erectile function; of which surgical options include manual modeling during penile prosthesis implantation, plication, plaque incision, and grafting. Multiple approaches may be employed; each with its own advantages, limitations, and risk/benefit ratios. In this regard, we sought to review and highlight the current approaches for the management of residual curvature, optimal patient selection, and preoperative planning.
Addressing the Debt Crisis in the European Union: The Validity of Mandatory Collective Action Clauses and Extended Maturities

Abstract The sovereign debt crisis in the European Union has put significant pressure on the fundamental divisions of power between the Union government and member states. One part of the recommended solution for the crisis calls for the imposition of mandatory collective action clauses and extended maturities for all sovereign bonds issued by member states, the first instances of Union-wide fiscal policy choices being forced upon member states. After an explanation of the relevant bond terms, this Comment evaluates the validity of the proposed mandates based on the current state of the framework of power in the EU and concludes that the mandates are valid under the EU implied powers doctrine. The Comment also explains why the acceptance or rejection of these bond-term mandates has the potential to lead to either the full integration or dissolution of the EU. Table of Contents I. Introduction 202 A. The European Union 202 B. The 2010 EU Sovereign Debt Crisis 203 C. The European Stability Mechanism 205 D. Consequences 207 II. Legal Background 210 A. Collective Action Clauses 210 B. Maturity Terms 212 C. Framework of Power in the EU 213 1. The principle of conferral 213 2. The principle of subsidiarity 216 3. The principle of proportionality 218 III. Legal Arguments 21 9 A. Explicit Conferral of Exclusive Power 219 B. Article 352 221 C. Explicit Conferral of Shared Power 223 D. Implied Power 225 IV. Conclusion 226 I. INTRODUCTION A. The European Union "We must now face the difficult taek of moving towarde a eingle economy, a single political entity. For the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire we have the opportunity to unite Europe."1 Debates about the nature of the European Union (EU or Community) project - is it economic, monetary, political? - have raged on and off since its creation in 1992. Some, like former EU Commission President Romano Prodi, quoted above, botii see it as and want it to be political, a true integration of Europe into a super-state. Others passionately oppose that position, viewing the migration of sovereignty to the supra-national level as a dangerous trend.2 In 1993, a group of European countries continued the historic trend toward integration and became party to the Maastricht Treaty, the foundational document establishing the constitutional basis of the current EU. …
Music and the Global Order : Music, Disability, Gender, and Jewish and Islamic Law

Often music is used as a metaphor of global social and cultural processes; it also constitutes an enduring process by and through which people interact within and across cultures. The review explores these processes with reference to an anthropological and ethnomusicological account of globalization that has gathered pace over the last decade. It outlines some of the main ethnographic and historical modes of engagement with persistent neoliberal and other music industry-inspired global myth making (particularly that associated with world music), and argues for an approach to musical globalization that contextualizes those genres, styles, and practices that circulate across cultural borders in specific institutional sites and histories.
Caenorhabditis elegans nuclear RNAi factor SET-32 deposits the transgenerational histone modification, H3K23me3

Nuclear RNAi provides a highly tractable system to study RNA-mediated chromatin changes and epigenetic inheritance. Recent studies have indicated that the regulation and function of nuclear RNAi-mediated heterochromatin are highly complex. Our knowledge of histone modifications and the corresponding histonemodifying enzymes involved in the system remains limited. In this study, we show that the heterochromatin mark, H3K23me3, is induced by nuclear RNAi at both exogenous and endogenous targets in C. elegans. In addition, dsRNA-induced H3K23me3 can persist for multiple generations after the dsRNA exposure has stopped. We demonstrate that the histone methyltransferase SET-32, methylates H3K23 in vitro. Both set-32 and the germline nuclear RNAi Argonaute, hrde-1, are required for nuclear RNAi-induced H3K23me3 in vivo. Our data poise H3K23me3 as an additional chromatin modification in the nuclear RNAi pathway and provides the field with a new target for uncovering the role of heterochromatin in transgenerational epigenetic silencing.
The h-index and the Harmonic Mean.

The Harmonic Mean between the number of papers and the citation number per paper is proposed as a simple single-value index to quantify an individual's research output. Two simple comparisons with the Hirsch h-index are performed.
BRCA-2 (+) high-grade serous fallopian tube cancer diagnosed as an isolated breast mass by mammography

Abstract Ovarian cancer typically presents at advanced stage with intra-abdominal metastases. Rarely, ovarian cancer presents with distant metastases with little to no intra-abdominal disease burden. The patient was a BRCA-2 germline mutation carrier diagnosed with a Stage IVB high-grade carcinoma of the fallopian tube following discovery of a right axillary breast mass on screening mammography. Pre-operative imaging was without evidence of metastatic disease in the abdomen or pelvis. She underwent surgical staging followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and maintenance poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibition. She is without evidence of disease 24 months following her surgical staging procedure. An isolated oligo metastasis in the axilla is a rare presentation of ovarian carcinoma. Extra-abdominal metastases can present a diagnostic challenge in ovarian cancer necessitating thorough pathologic and radiologic work-up, particularly in the absence of intra-abdominal disease.
Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)

In this chapter, we will discuss Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL). This law concerns about what happens for currents from different branches or paths meet at one “intersection.” Since the flow of electrical charges cannot stop at the “intersection,” the charges flowing into the “intersection” must equal to the charges leaving the “intersection.”
Prostatic Involvement in Wegener’s Granulomatosis

AbstractWegener’s granulomatosis involving the prostate gland is unusual. We report 3 cases of this condition in which typical necrotizing granulomas with vasculitis were seen histologically. These lesions may cause gross hematuria or obstructive voiding, including urinary retention. Management includes prostatectomy when the symptoms are severe but an initial trial of aggressive medical therapy may be successful. Treatment requires a knowledge of the natural history of Wegener’s granulomatosis and its usual response to medical therapy.
Chapter 9 Antibody specificity and diversity: The proteins (Part I)

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the studies of antibodies, their overall structure and the means by which recognition of diverse antigens is achieved. The chapter provides an overview of the historical development of the induced immune response in particular with its central feature, the ability to make antibodies that react specifically with only one or a few among an indefinitely large number of naturally-occurring or artificial substances (antigens). The discriminating power of antibodies was well documented in the first half of this century, substantial progress in understanding the biological basis for their incredible specificity has only been made in the past half of the century. The chapter reviews the hypotheses about the origin of antibodies, with the structural basis for antibody specificity, and with ensuing speculations about possible means to account for the production of all the diverse antibodies. When antibodies are used as antigens, the induced anti-antibodies recognize a variety of epitopes on the immunizing antibody. Some of these epitopes called “isotypic determinants” are uniform in all individuals in one species. Many of the early studies of antibody sequence and three-dimensional structure were carried out with mouse or human myeloma proteins.
Molecular interactions between dipeptides, drugs and the human intestinal H+-oligopeptide cotransporter hPEPT1

The human intestinal proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter hPEPT1 has been implicated in the absorption of pharmacologically active compounds. We have investigated the interactions between a comprehensive selection of drugs, and wild-type and variant hPEPT1s expressed in Xenopus oocytes, using radiotracer uptake and electrophysiological methods. The β-lactam antibiotics ampicillin, amoxicillin, cephalexin and cefadroxil, the antineoplastics δ-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA) and bestatin, and the neuropeptide N-acetyl-Asp-Glu (NAAG), were transported, as judged by their ability to evoke inward currents. When the drugs were added in the presence of the typical substrate glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar), the inward currents were equal or less than that induced by Gly-Sar alone. This suggests that the drugs are transported at a lower turnover rate than Gly-Sar, but may also point towards complex interactions between dipeptides, drugs and the transporter. Gly-Sar and the drugs also modified the kinetics of hPEPT1 presteady-state charge movement, by causing a reduction in maximum charge (Qmax) and a shift of the midpoint voltage (V0.5) to more negative potentials. Our results indicate that the substrate selectivity of hPEPT1 is: Gly-Sar > NAAG, δ-ALA, bestatin > cefadroxil, cephalexin > ampicillin, amoxicillin. Based on steady-state and presteady-state analysis of Gly-Sar and cefadroxil transport, we proposed an extension of the 6-state kinetic model for hPEPT1 function that globally accounts for the observed presteady-state and steady-state kinetics of neutral dipeptide and drug transport. Our model suggests that, under saturating conditions, the rate-limiting step of the hPEPT1 transport cycle is the reorientation of the empty carrier within the membrane. Variations in rates of drug cotransport are predicted to be due to differences in affinity and turnover rate. Oral availability of drugs may be reduced in the presence of physiological concentrations of dietary dipeptides in the gut, suggesting that oral delivery drugs should be taken on an empty stomach. The common hPEPT1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms Ser117Asn and Gly419Ala retained the essential kinetic and drug recognition characteristics of the wild type, suggesting that neither variant is likely to have a major impact on oral absorption of drugs.
Evidence for specific base catalysis in N-dealkylation reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P450 and chloroperoxidase. Differences in rates of deprotonation of aminium radicals as an explanation for high kinetic hydrogen isotope effects observed with peroxidases.

Abstract Alkylamines are oxidized by a number of different types of enzymes, and the low oxidation potentials favor 1-electron transfer processes and aminium radicals. We studied the mechanism of N-dealkylation by hemoproteins using the prototypic substrate N,N-dimethylaniline (with isotopic substitution on the methyl groups), since there were considerable data available from kinetic deuterium isotope studies suggesting alternative mechanisms for different hemoproteins (Miwa, G.T., Walsh, J.S., Kedderis, G.L., and Hollenberg, P. F. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 14445-14449). Cytochrome P450 2B1 (P450), chloroperoxidase, and several biomimetic metalloporphyrin systems showed low kinetic hydrogen isotope effects (D(V/K)intra or = 3.5, T(V/K) > or = 8.1), in agreement with previous studies. Dinnocenzo and Banach (Dinnocenzo, J. P., and Banach, T. E. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 111, 8646-8653) have provided evidence that the pKa for an alpha-hydrogen of the N,N-dimethylaniline aminium radical is approximately 9 and also estimated that the pKa for the 4-hydrogen of a 1,4-dihydropyridine aminium radical is approximately 3.5. The oxidations of two model 1,4-dihydropyridines showed only low kinetic hydrogen isotope effects with all of the enzymes examined (D(V/K) < or = 2.3, T(V/K) < or = 2.8). Aminium radicals derived from aminopyrine and N,N-dimethylthioanisole accumulated only with those hemoprotein systems showing the high isotope effects with N,N-dimethylaniline. We conclude that specific base catalysis of alkyl hydrogen removal from aminium radicals by the (Fe.O)2+ complex is a feature of some hemoproteins, including P450s, and that the lack of such catalysis in other hemoproteins is the basis of their high kinetic hydrogen isotope effects.
Diseases of Protein Folding: Huntington’s Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative diseases that affect about 1:10 000 people in the United States. Symptoms usually begin to manifest at 40 years of age and include both physical and mental impairments. The life expectancy from the time of initial symptom onset in ALS is 3–5 years; in Huntington’s disease it is about 10–20 years. There is no cure and minimal treatments are available that focus on making the patient comfortable. This article will focus on the cell biology of protein aggregation in these diseases, and the effects on protein homeostasis and autophagy.
Enzymic analysis of cyclic 3', 5'-AMP in mammalian tissues and urine.

The details are presented for the analysis of 3′,5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (3′5′CAMP) in milligram amounts of mammalian tissues (muscles, liver, brain, and kidney) and in microliter samples of urine. An examination of the sources of difficulty and how they are effectively handled is also included. In the determination of tissue 3′5′CAMP the cyclic nucleotide is first separated from 5′-nucleoside mono-, di-, and triphosphates by cellulose thin-layer chromatography following Ba(OH)2-ZnSO4 precipitation of extracts. After quantitative recovery 3′,5′CAMP is converted to 5′ AMP and subsequently to ATP by the actions of phosphodiesterase, myokinase, and pyruvate kinase. Enzymic cycling with the hexokinase-pyruvate kinase system is then used to produce a proportional concentration of G-6-P equivalent to several thousand fold the ATP concentration and the G-6-P measured fluorometrically. Cyclic adenylate in urine samples is determined directly without prior separation from any urinary components. Examples are presented of the analytical procedures applied to the measurement of 3′5′CAMP levels in tissues and urine after various experimental treatments. These include the effects of epinephrine in skeletal muscle in vitro and in vivo, of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone in liver, of ischemia in brain, and of hypertonic infusion on urinary excretion of 3′5′CAMP.
Identification of ER Negative Tumors in Which MAPK Inhibition Restores Both ER Expression and Anti-Estrogen Responses.

Background: Approximately 35% of breast cancer lacks expression of the estrogen receptor α (ERα). ERα negative breast cancer carries a poorer prognosis compared to ERα+ breast cancer, but more importantly, it precludes the use of less toxic anti-estrogen therapies. Our previous data suggest that many ERα- breast tumors have the potential to express ERα, but ERα expression is repressed by hyperactive MAPK as a result of altered growth factor signalling pathways. We have shown that hyperactive MAPK results in down-regulation of ERα and treatment that inhibits MAPK activity results in re-expression of ERα protein and restoration of anti-estrogen sensitivity in both in vitro cell line and ex vivo primary culture model systems. Results: Using a panel of 9 primary cultures established from ERα- breast tumors, we have examined the incidence of MAPK inhibition mediated restoration of ERα expression. Of the 9 primary cultures examined to date, 5 are from triple negative tumors and 4 are from ERα-/PR-/H2N+ tumors. Of the 5 triple negative cultures analyzed, 3 re-express ERα upon MAPK inhibition, while 2 do not, and all 4 ERα-/H2N+ cultures re-express ERα. Although each of these primary cultures exhibited wide variation in the level of hyperactive MAPK, in those that re-expressed ERα, it was successful inhibition of MAPK activity that led to the re-expression of ERα. To establish determinants of the subset of ERα- breast tumors in which MAPK inhibition will restore ERα expression and more importantly, those in which MAPK inhibition restores both ERα expression and anti-estrogen responses, we have performed both proteomic and genomic profiling of these 9 primary cultures in the absence and presence of MAPK inhibition. Key differences between those primary cultures that re-express ERα vs those that do not, and interestingly, between triple negative primary cultures that re-express ERα vs those that express Her2 and re-express ERα upon MAPK inhibition have been identified. The role of these in determining restoration of anti-estrogen responses as well are being established. Discussion: Our overall goal is to understand the mechanisms underlying ERα- breast cancer and to develop novel therapies for ERα- breast cancer based on the re-expression of ERα and restoration of anti-estrogen responses. Having shown that hyperactive MAPK can repress ERα expression, and more importantly that inhibition of MAPK can restore functional ERα expression, we now need to establish the subsets of ERα- breast cancer in which each of this mechanism is responsible for the lack of ERα expression. This knowledge will allow us to determine which ERα- breast cancer patients may benefit from the combined inhibition of MAPK and ERα. The ability to use drugs with low toxicity to re-express ERα in ERα- tumors and thus render them sensitive to anti-estrogens would be a major leap forward in the treatment of ERα- breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 404.
Heterologous expression of Thermobifida fusca thermostable alpha-amylase in Yarrowia lipolytica and its application in boiling stable resistant sago starch preparation.

A gene encoding the thermostable α-amylase in Thermobifida fusca NTU22 was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and cloned into Yarrowia lipolytica P01g host strain using the vector pYLSC1 allowing constitutive expression and secretion of the protein. Recombinant expression resulted in high levels of extracellular amylase production, as high as 730 U/l in the Hinton flask culture broth. It is higher than that observed in P. pastoris expression system and E. coli expression system. The purified amylase showed a single band at about 65 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and this agrees with the predicted size based on the nucleotide sequence. About 70% of the original activity remained after heat treatment at 60°C for 3 h. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified amylase were 7.0 and 60°C, respectively. The purified amylase exhibited a high level of activity with raw sago starch. After 72-h treatment, the DP w of raw sago starch obviously decreased from 830,945 to 237,092. The boiling stable resistant starch content of the sago starch increased from 8.3 to 18.1%. The starch recovery rate was 71%.
Anti-phase boundaries and magnetic domain structures in Ni2MnGa-type Heusler alloys

Abstract The microstructure and magnetic domain structure of austenitic Heusler Ni2MnGa are investigated as a function of heat treatment to study the interplay of anti-phase boundaries and magnetic domain walls. Conventional electron microscopy observations on arc-melted polycrystalline samples show that anti-phase boundaries in this system are invisible for standard two-beam imaging conditions, due to the large extinction distance of the Heusler superlattice reflections. Lorentz Fresnel and Foucault observations on quenched samples reveal a wavy magnetic domain morphology, reminiscent of curved anti-phase boundaries. A close inspection of the domain images indicates that the anti-phase boundaries have a magnetization state different from that of the matrix. Fresnel image simulations for a simple magnetization model are in good agreement with the observations. Magnetic coercivity measurements show a decrease in coercivity with annealing, which correlates with the microscopy observations of reduced anti-phase boundary density for annealed samples.
A SIMPLE METHOD FOR ESTIMATING BASEFLOW AT UNGAGED LOCATIONS

ABSTRACT: Baseflow, or water that enters a stream from slowly varying sources such as ground water, can be critical to humans and ecosystems. We evaluate a simple method for estimating base-flow parameters at ungaged sites. The method uses one or more baseflow discharge measurements at the ungaged site and longterm streamflow data from a nearby gaged site. A given baseflow parameter, such as the median, is estimated as the product of the corresponding gage site parameter and the geometric mean of the ratios of the measured baseflow discharges and the concurrent discharges at the gage site. If baseflows at gaged and ungaged sites have a bivariate lognormal distribution with high correlation and nearly equal log variances, the estimated baseflow parameters are very accurate. We tested the proposed method using long-term streamflow data from two watershed pairs in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. For one watershed pair, the theoretical assumptions are well met; for the other the log-variances are substantially different. In the first case, the method performs well for estimating both annual and long-term baseflow parameters. In the second, the method performs remarkably well for estimating annual mean and annual median baseflow discharge, but less well for estimating the annual lower decile and the long-term mean, median, and lower decile. In general, the use of four measurements in a year is not substantially better than the use of two.
Generalization of a Capaldi sequential analysis to the aversive case

Using an incentive model of avoidance learning in which intertrial interval was manipulated to provide nonrewards (N), small rewards (S), or large rewards (L), specific sequences of rewards were generated. A SNNL sequence yielded better shuttlebox avoidance than a LNNS sequence for the same intertrial interval, but only when intertrial interval was relatively long.
Measurement of Episcleral Venous Pressure

Using materials available in any ophthalmology clinic, we constructed a useful and reliable instrument for measuring episcleral venous pressure. The instrument, a modification of the pressure chamber method of Seidel, utilizes a latex membrane and an air-filled chamber. These modifications facilitated ease of preparation for the measurement. Episcleral venous pressure in normal subjects was 9.0 +/- 1.6 mm Hg (mean +/- S.D.). Measurement of episcleral venous pressure facilitated diagnosis of diseases such as arteriovenous fistula and superior vena caval obstruction, which block drainage of venous blood from the orbit.
Reduced basis technique for calculating sensitivity coefficients of nonlinear structural response

An efficient reduced basis technique is presented for calculating the sensitivity of nonlinear structural response to variations in the design variables. The structure is discretized by using two-field mixed finite element models. The vector of structural response and its sensitivity coefficients (derivatives with respect to design variables) are each expressed as a linear combination of a small number of basis (or global approximation) vectors. The Bubnov-Galerkin technique is then used to approximate each of the finite element equations governing the response and the sensitivity coefficients by a small number of algebraic equations in the amplitudes of these vectors. The path derivatives (derivatives of the response vector with respect to path parameters, e.g., load parameters) are used as basis vectors for approximating the response. A combination of the path derivatives and their derivatives with respect to the design variables is used for approximating the sensitivity coefficients. The potential of the proposed technique is discussed and its effectiveness is demonstrated by means of numerical examples of laminated composite plates subjected to mechanical and thermal loads.
Attitudes toward mental health services: Age-group differences in Korean American adults

The present study examined the attitudes toward mental health services held by younger (aged 20-45, n = 209) and older (aged 60 and older, n = 462) groups of Korean Americans. Following Andersen's (1968; A behavioral model of families' use of health service, Center for Health Administration Studies) behavioral health model, predisposing (age, gender, marital status and education), need (anxiety and depressive symptoms) and enabling (acculturation, health insurance coverage and personal experience and beliefs) variables were considered. In the mean-level assessment, younger and older adults were found to hold a similar level of positive attitudes toward mental health services. In the multivariate analysis, culture-influenced beliefs were shown to have a substantial contribution to the model of attitudes toward mental health services in both age groups. The belief that depression is a medical condition was found to be a common predictor of positive attitudes across the groups. In the older adult sample, more negative attitudes were observed among those who believed that depression is a sign of personal weakness and that having a mentally ill family member brings shame to the whole family. Our findings show that older adults are not only more subject to cultural misconceptions and stigma related to mental disorders, but also their attitudes toward service use are negatively influenced by the cultural stigma. The findings provide important implications for interventions targeted to improve access to mental health care among minority populations. Based on the similarities and differences found between young and old, both general and age-specific strategies need to be developed in order to increase effectiveness of these programs.
Ethanol induces Fas/Apo [apoptosis]-1 mRNA and cell suicide in the developing cerebral cortex

Introduction: Animal studies modeling fetal alcohol syndrome have demonstrated that developmental exposure to alcohol is associated with decreased brain weight and significant neuronal loss in multiple regions of the developing brain. Our previous data suggest that the Fas/Apo [apoptosis]-1 receptor is transiently expressed in the developing cerebral cortex during the peak period of naturally occurring apoptotic cell death and maximum sensitivity to alcohol. Therefore, we hypothesized that ethanol increases the expression of suicide receptors such as Fas/Apo-1 in the developing fetal cerebral cortex and leads to an upregulation or extension of the normal period of apoptosis and consequent disorganization of the neural circuitry. Methods: Ethanol was administered in one of four doses (120, 320, 630, and 950 mg/dl) to organotypic explant cultures of the developing cerebral cortex established from postnatal day 2 rats and maintained for 6 days in vitro. The number of cells expressing Fas/Apo-1 receptor mRNA was counted. Apoptosis was measured by the use of two independent assays; a cell death enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for DNA fragmentation and flow cytometric analysis of Annexin-V binding to phosphatidylserine externalized to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Necrosis was also estimated by two independent measures, the amount of lactate dehydrogenase released into culture medium and flow cytometric analysis of cells that were positive for both Annexin-V and propidium iodide. Results: A significantly larger number of developing cortical cells expressed Fas/Apo-1 mRNA at the lower doses (120 and 320 mg/dl) than at the higher doses (630 and 950 mg/dl). Furthermore, ethanol induced apoptosis in a dose-related manner, with peak apoptosis observed at a dose of 630 mg/dl in the case of DNA fragmentation and at 630 and 950 mg/dl in the case of phosphatidylserine translocation to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Ethanol did not induce necrosis at any of the administered doses of ethanol. Conclusions: Our data suggest that ethanol induces a susceptibility to apoptotic signals at low doses by upregulating the expression of mRNAs for cytotoxic receptors such as Fas/Apo-1 in the developing cerebral cortex. However, ethanol itself specifically induces apoptosis in the developing cerebral cortex only at higher doses.
Expression of a cDNA for chloroplast ribosomal protein S16 of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

A cDNA encoding the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) chloroplast ribosomal protein S16 (cp rps16) was isolated and characterized. The deduced amino acid sequence of the chloroplast rps16 coding sequence from potato shows 33% homology to the E.coli ribosomal protein S16 and 95% homology to the tobacco chloroplast ribosomal protein S16. The 13 amino acids encoded by exon-1 are highly conserved (100% identity) among higher plants. Two sizes of rps16 transcripts have been identified from northern blot analysis. The 1.5 kb transcript contains the 855 bp intron and represents an unprocessed RNA molecule, whereas the 0.7 kb transcript represents the mature form. The expression of rps16 is developmentally regulated, with transcript levels decreasing during tuber development and increasing during shoot development. The potato cp rps16 gene appears to be constitutively expressed in unswollen stolons and axillary buds, and its expression is enhanced by light.
WAVE REFLECTION AND TRANSMISSION IN AN AXIALLY STRAINED, ROTATING TIMOSHENKO SHAFT

Abstract In this paper, the wave reflection and transmission characteristics of an axially strained, rotating Timoshenko shaft under general support and boundary conditions, and with geometric discontinuities are examined. The static axial deformation due to an axial force is also included in the model. The reflection and transmission matrices are combined, with the aid of the transfer matrix method, to provide a concise and systematic approach for the free vibration analysis of multi-span rotating shafts with general boundary conditions. Results on the wave reflection and transmission coefficients are presented for both the Timoshenko and the simple Euler–Bernoulli models to investigate the effects of the axial strain, shaft rotation speed, shear and rotary inertia.
A declarative logic programming environment

Abstract A declarative logic programming environment that knows what experienced programmers may already know is described. Programs are analyzed incrementally as each clause is added, and bugs that may have escaped the programmer's attention are noticed. The environment's knowledge is abstract, but it is domain specific: trees, lists, numbers, data flow dependencies, recursion, etc. The environment also knows about methodological prescriptions that the programmer in a nondeterministic language is advised to follow. They include possible redundant, underdefined, and nonexhaustive clauses, named but unused placeholders, functional dependencies, and open- and closed-world assumptions. The environment is called declarative because it diagnoses what may be wrong prior to execution rather than explaining how a buggy case came up during the execution. It improves the quality of code without mandating any restrictive programming methodology. Using Shapiro's algorithmic diagnosis as a measure of power, we sampled our environment on his buggy quick-sort (qsort) program. It prevented five of the six bugs and helped discover the last one with a convenient explanation tool. Two prototypes of the environment are implemented, one in the Edinburgh C-Prolog and the other in the MPROLOG system of Logicware, Inc.
Accommodating Students With Disabilities in Large-Scale Testing: A Comparison of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Identified Across Disability Types

Many students with disabilities are provided accommodations to enable their participation in statewide assessment programs; however, there is concern that accommodations may invalidate test results. For test administrations to be considered valid for all student groups, there must be comparable measurement across groups. This can ensure that decisions based on test results are made in a fair manner for all students. In this study, measurement comparability for two groups of accommodated students with disabilities (i.e., accommodated students with physical disabilities and accommodated students with mental disabilities) was examined using differential item functioning (DIF) analysis, in which item-level characteristics of the test for these groups were systematically compared with those for a reference group of nonaccommodated students without disabilities. A relatively large number of DIF items were identified for both accommodated disability groups, suggesting that more attention to the testing needs of ...
A Palette of Climates for Gliese 581g

We consider a range of possible climates for the habitable-zone planet candidate, Gliese 581g, contingent on a plausible set of hypothetical atmospheres and assuming the planet to be tide locked. The two most habitable states we find are (1) a nearly airless Super-Europa with thin ice at the substellar point and (2) an "Eyeball Earth" which is mostly frozen but supports a substantial stable pool of open water centered on the substellar point. We discuss the prospects for observational determination of what kind of climate 581g actually supports.
Rapid separation of peptides and proteins by isocratic capillary electrochromatography at elevated temperature.

Abstract The use of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) for the separation by isocratic elution of synthetic peptides, proteins as well as the tryptic digest of cytochrome c has been demonstrated. The monolithic porous stationary phase was prepared from silanized fused-silica capillaries of 75 μm I.D. by in situ copolymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of propanol and formamide as the porogens. The chloromethyl groups at the surface of the porous monolith were reacted with N,N-dimethylbutylamine to form a positively charged chromatographic surface with fixed n-butyl chains. Results of studies on the influence of temperature and mobile phase composition on the retention and selectivity of separation by CEC demonstrated the feasibility of rapid polypeptide analysis and tryptic mapping at elevated temperature with high resolution and efficiency. Typically the chromatography of a tryptic digest of cytochrome c took about 5 min at 55°C and 75 kV/m with hydro–organic mobile phases containing acetonitrile in 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 2.5. For peptides and proteins plots of logarithmic k′cec against acetonitrile concentration were nonlinear, whereas Arrhenius plots for the mobilities were nearly linear. Comparison of the separation of such samples under conditions of CEC and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) indicates that the mechanism of separation in CEC is unique and leads to a chromatographic profile different from that obtained by CZE.